[Sidenote: KINEWULF. _Hen. Hunt._ 756.]
After that the Westsaxons had depriued their vnprofitable king
Sigibert, they aduanced Kinewulfe, or Cinevulfus, the which began his
reigne about the yéere of our Lord 756, which was in the 16 yéere of
the emperor Constantinus, surnamed Copronimos, in the 6 yéere of
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun. saith 755_.]
the reigne of Pipin king of France, and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine
king of Scots. This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant
prince, and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus. He obteined
[Sidenote: The Britains vanquished.]
great victories against the Britains or Welshmen, but at Bensington
or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia, in the 24
yéere of his reigne: and from that time forward tasting manie
displeasures, at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull
end. For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor
presumptuouslie, yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things
passed, he either thought that nothing could go against him, or else
doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him,
and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert, whose
fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished.

This Kineard dissembling the matter, as he that could giue place to
time, got him out of the countrie, and after by a secret conspiracie
assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie, and returning
priuilie into the countrie againe, watched his time, till he espied
that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the
house of a noble woman, whome he kept a paramour at Merton, wherevpon
the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about. The king