A. 655. Three years afterwards king Penda died, and the Mercians were baptized. A. 658. After three years more, the kings Kenwalk and Pionna[32] renewed the war against the Britons, and pursued them to a place called Pederydan.[33] A. 661. After three years, Kenwalk again fought a battle near the town of Pontesbury, and took prisoner Wulfhere, son of Penda, at Esc's-dune [Ashdown], when he had defeated his army. A. 664. Three years afterwards there was an eclipse of the sun. A. 670. When six years were fulfilled, Oswy, king of Northumberland, died, and Egfrid succeeded him. A. 671. After one year more, there was a great pestilence among the birds, so that there was an intolerable stench by sea and land, arising from the carcasses of birds, both small and great. A. 672. Twelve months after Kenwalk, king of the West-Angles, died; and his wife, Sexburga, succeeded him in the kingdom, and reigned twelve months. A. 673. After her Escwin succeeded to the throne, and two years were fulfilled. His family traces to Cerdic. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 31: Avon.] [Footnote 32: This should be "at Pionna," [Pen]. See Saxon Chronicle.] [Footnote 33: Petherton.] CHAP. VIII.--_Of Wulfhere and Cenwulf,[A] and of the council held by the holy father Theodore._ A. 674. After one year, Wulfhere son of Penda, and Cenwalh[34] fought a battle among themselves in a place called Beadanhead [Bedwin]. A. 677. After three years a comet was seen. A. 680. At the end of two years a council was held at Hethlege,[35] by the holy archbishop Theodore, to instruct the people in the true faith. In the course of the same year died Christ's servant, Hilda, abbess of the monastery called Streaneshalch [Whitby]. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 34: These names are both wrong; we must read Escwin.] [Footnote 35: Heathfield or Hatfield.] CHAP. IX.--_Of king Kentwin and his wars._ A. 682. After two years king Kentwin drove the Britons out of their country to the sea. A. 684. After he had reigned two years[36] Ina became king of the western English. A hundred and eighty-eight years were then fulfilled from the time that Cerdic, his sixth ancestor, received the western part of the island from the Britons. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 36: There is an error here: Cædwalla is omitted, and three years are lost in the chronology.] CHAP. X.--_Of Cædwalla's conversion to the faith of Christ._ A. 684. In the course of the same year Cædwalla went to Rome, and received baptism and the faith of Christ; after his baptism the pope of that year gave him the surname of Peter. A. 694. About six years afterwards, the Kentish men remembered the cause which they had against king Ina when they burnt his relation[37] with fire; and they gave him thirty thousand shillings at a fixed rate of sixteen pence each. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 37: His name was Mull: the passage is obscure. See the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.] CHAP. XI.--_Of the acts of Ethelred king of the Mercians._