HumanitiesWeb.org - Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book IV (Chapter XXVI) by Venerable Bede
Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book IV Chapter XXVI
by Venerable Bede
OF THE DEATH OF THE KINGS EGFRID AND LOTHERE.
[A.D. 684]
IN the year of our Lord's incarnation 684, Egfrid, king of the Northumbrians, sending
Beort, his general, with an army, into Ireland, miserably wasted that harmless nation,
which had always been most friendly to the English; insomuch that in their hostile rage
they spared not even the churches or monasteries. Those islanders , to the utmost of their
power, repelled force with force, and imploring the assistance of the Divine mercy, prayed
long and fervently for vengeance and though such as curse cannot possess the kingdom of
God, it is believed, that those who were justly cursed on account of their impiety, did
soon suffer the penalty of their guilt from the avenging hand of God; for the very next
year, that same king, rashly leading his army to ravage the province of the Picts, much
against the advice of his friends, and particularly of Cuthbert, of blessed memory, who
had been lately ordained his op, the enemy made show as if they fled, and the king was
drawn into the straits of inaccessible mountains, and slain with the greatest part of his
forces, on the 20th of May, in the fortieth year of his age, and the fifteenth
of his reign. His friends, as has been said, advised him not to engage in this war; but he
having the year before refused to listen to the most reverend father, Egbert, advising him
not to attack the Scots, who did him no harm, it was laid upon him as a punishment for his
sin, that he "should not now regard those who would have prevented his death.
From that time the hopes and strength of the English crown "began to waver and
retrograde"; for the Picts recovered their own lands, which had been held by the
English and the Scots that were in Britain, and some Of the Britons their liberty, which
they have now enjoyed for about fortysix years. Among the many English that then either
fell by the sword, or were made slaves, or escaped by flight out of the country of the
Picts, the most reverend man of God, Trumwine, who had been made bishop over them,
withdrew with his people that were in the monastery of Abercurnig, seated in the country
of the English, but close by the arm of the sea which parts the lands of the English and
the Scots. Having recommended his followers, wheresoever he could, to his friends in the
monasteries, he chose his own place of residence in the monastery, which we have so often
mentioned, of Men and women servants Of God, at Streaneshalch; and there he, for several
years, led a life in all monastical austerity, not only to his own, but to the benefit of
many, with a few of his own people; and dying there, he was buried in the church of St.
Peter the Apostle, with the honour due to his life and rank. The royal virgin, Elfled,
with her mother, Eanfled, whom we have mentioned before, then presided over that
monastery; but when the bishop came thither, this devout worrian found in him
extraordinary assistance in governing, and comfort to herself. Alfrid succeeded Egfrid in
the throne, being a Irian most learned in Scripture, said to be brother to the other, and
son to King Oswy : he nobly retrieved the ruined state of the kingdom, though within
narrower bounds.
The same year, being the 685th from the incarnation Of our Lord Lothere, king of Kent,
died on the sixth of February, ;4en he had reigned twelve years after his brother Egbert,
who had reigned nine years : he was wounded in battle with the South Saxons, whom Edric,
the son of Egbert, had raised against him, and died whilst his wound was being dressed.
After him, the same Edric reigned a year and a half. On his death, kings of doubtful
title, or foreigners, for some time wasted the kingdom, till the lawful king, Wictred, the
son of Egbert, being settled in the throne, by his piety and zeal delivered his nation from foreign invasion.