[Sidenote: Tokens of mishap to follow.]
iournie, put him in great doubt of that which should follow. He was
no sooner mounted on his horsse, but that (as séemed to him) the earth
shooke vnder him: againe, as he was in his iournie, about the mid-time
of the day, such a darke mist compassed him on ech side, that he could
not sée nor discerne for a certeine time anie thing about him at all:
lastlie, as he laie one night asléepe, he thought he saw in a dreame
the roofe of his owne palace fall downe to the ground. But though
with these things he was brought into great feare, yet he kept on his
[Sidenote: The innocent mistrustfull of no euill.]
iournie, as he that mistrusted no deceit, measuring other mens
maners by his owne. King Offa right honourablie receiued him: but his
wife named Quendred, a wise woman, but therewith wicked, conceiued a
malicious deuise in hir hart, & streightwaies went about to persuade
hir husband to put it in execution, which was to murther king
Ethelbert, and after to take into his hands his kingdome.

Offa at the first was offended with his wife for this motion, but
[Sidenote: _Iohn Capgr._ Winnebert.]
in the end, through the importunate request of the woman, he
consented to hir mind. The order of the murther was committed vnto one
Winnebert, that had serued both the said Ethelbert & his father
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._ saith 771.]
before time, the which feining as though he had béene sent from Offa
[Sidenote: Offa conquereth Eastangles.]
to will Ethelbert to come vnto him in the night season, slue
him that once mistrusted not anie such treason. Offa hauing thus
dispatched Ethelbert, inuaded his kingdome, and conquered it.

But when the bride Alfreda vnderstood the death of hir liked make and