Adventures of Edwin, king of the Deiri--His residence in Wales with Cadvan, one of the ancient British kings--Ethelfrith having deprived him of his kingdom, seeks his life--Edwin flies from Wales, and seeks the protection of Redwald, king of East Anglia--Edwin's dream--The queen of East Anglia intercedes in behalf of Edwin--Redwald prepares to wage war with Ethelfrith --Religion of the king of East Anglia--Description of the battle fought between Redwald and Ethelfrith on the banks of the river Idel--Death of Ethelfrith, and accession of Edwin to the throne of Northumbria--Edwin's marriage with Edilburga, daughter of Ethelbert--Journey of the Saxon princess from Kent to Northumbria--Attempted assassination of Edwin--Paulinus endeavours in vain to convert Edwin to the Christian faith-- The king assembles his pagan priests and nobles to discuss the new religion--Speech of Coifi, the heathen priest--Beautiful and poetical address of a Saxon chief to the assembly--Coifi desecrates the temple of Woden--Peaceful state of Northumbria under the reign of Edwin--Death of Edwin at the battle of Hatfield-chase in Yorkshire--Victories of Cadwallon, the British king--Triumph of the Saxons under Oswald, and death of Cadwallon at the battle called Heaven-field p. 111 CHAPTER XIV. PENDA, THE PAGAN MONARCH OF MERCIA. Description of the kingdom of Mercia--Character of Penda, the pagan king--Charity of Oswald--Barbarous cruelty of Penda-- His desolating march through Northumbria--Attacks the castle of Bamborough--His march into Wessex--His invasion of East Anglia--Sigebert, the monk-king, leads on the East Anglians --Is defeated by Penda, who ravages East Anglia--The pagan king again enters Northumbria--Oswy offers all his treasures to purchase peace--Is treated with contempt by Penda--Oswy prepares for battle--Penda's forces driven into the river-- Death of the pagan king--Great changes effected by his death --Courage of Saxburga, the widowed queen of Wessex--Perilous state of the Saxon Octarchy p. 119 CHAPTER XV. DECLINE OF THE SAXON OCTARCHY.