_Britricus K. of the Westsaxons, his inclination, Egbert being of the
bloud roiall is banished the land, & why; crosses of bloudie colour
and drops of bloud fell from heauen, what they did prognosticate; the
first Danes that arriued on the English coasts, and the cause of their
comming; firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine
and warre; Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga, hir ill
qualities; why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues
should not be called queenes, the miserable end of Ethelburga; Kenulfe
king of Mercia, his vertues, he restoreth the archbishops see to
Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield, he inuadeth Kent,
taketh the king prisoner in the field, and bountifullie setteth him at
libertie, the great ioy of the people therevpon; his rare liberalitie
to churchmen, his death and buriall._

THE SEUENTH CHAPTER.


[Sidenote: BRITRICUS. _Hen. Hunt._ _Matt. West._ saith 787.
_Simon Dun._ saith 786.]
After Kenwulfe, one Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of
Westsaxons, and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787, which
was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with
hir son Constantinus, and about the second yeere of the reigne of
Achaius K. of Scots. This Brightrike was descended of the line of
Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons, the 16 in number from him. He
was a man of nature quiet & temperate, more desirous of peace than of
warre, and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one