NOBILITAS innata tibi probitatis honorem _Nobilitie by birth to the (ó Alfred strong in armes)_ (Armipotens Alfrede) dedit, probitásque laborem, _Of goodnes hath the honor giuen, and honor toilesome harmes,_ Perpetuúmque labor nomen, cui mixta dolori _And toilesome harmes an endlesse name, whose ioies were alwaies mext_ Gaudia semper erant, spes semper mixta timori. _With sorow, and whose hope with feare was euermore perplext_. Si modò victor eras, ad crastina bella pauebas, _If this day thou wert conqueror, the next daies warre thou dredst,_ Si modò victus eras, in crastina bella parabas, _If this day thou wert conquered, to next daies war thou spedst,_ Cui vestes sudore iugi, cui sica cruore, _Whose clothing wet with dailie swet, whose blade with bloudie stainte,_ Tincta iugi, quantum sit onus regnare probârunt, _Do proue how great a burthen tis in roialtie to raine,_ Non fuit immensi quisquam per climata mundi, _There hath not beene in anie part of all the world so wide,_ Cui tot in aduersis vel respirare liceret, _One that was able breath to take, and troubles such abide,_ Nec tamen aut ferro contritus ponere ferrum, _And yet with weapons wearie would not weapons lay aside,_ Aut gladio potuit vitæ finisse labores: _Or with the sword the toilesomnesse of life by death diuide_. Iam post transactos regni vitæque labores, _Now after labours past of realme and life (which he did spend)_ Christus ei fit vera quies sceptrúmque perenne. _Christ is to him true quietnesse and scepter void of end_. In the daies of the foresaid king Alured, the kingdome of Mercia tooke end. For after that the Danes had expelled king Burthred, when he had reigned 22 yeares, he went to Rome, and there died, his wife also Ethelswida, the daughter of king Athulfe that was sonne to king Egbert followed him, and died in Pauia in Lumbardie. The Danes hauing got the [Sidenote: Cewulfe.] countrie into their possession, made one Cewulfe K. thereof, whome they bound with an oth and deliuerie of pledges, that he should not longer kéepe the state with their pleasure, and further should be readie at all times to aid them with such power as he should be able to make. This Cewulfe was the seruant of king Burthred. Within foure yeares after the Danes returned, and tooke one part of that kingdome into their owne hands, and left the residue vnto Cewulfe. But within a few yeares after, king Alured obteined that part of Mercia which Cewulfe ruled, as he did all the rest of this land, except those parcels which the Danes held, as Northumberland, the countries of the Eastangles, some part of Mercia, and other.