Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
Therefore Ethelbert, king of Kent, when he saw that the Britons
disdained subjection to Augustine, and despised his preaching, was
highly provoked, and stirred up Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians,
and the other petty kings of the Saxons, to raise a great army, and
march to the city of Bangor, to destroy the abbat Dinooth, and the rest
of the clergy who held them in contempt. At his instigation, therefore,
they assembled a prodigious army, and in their march to the province of
the Britons, came to Legecester, where Brocmail, consul of the city, was
awaiting their coming. To the same city were come innumerable monks and
hermits from several provinces of the Britons, but especially from the
city of Bangor, to pray for the safety of their people. Whereupon
Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians, collecting all his forces, joined
battle with Brocmail, who, having a less army to withstand him, at last
quitted the city and fled, though not without having made a great
slaughter of the enemy. But Ethelfrid, when he had taken the city, and
understood upon what occasion the monks were come thither, commanded his
men to turn their arms first against them; and so two hundred of them
were honoured with the crown of martyrdom, and admitted into the kingdom
of heaven that same day. From thence this Saxon tyrant proceeded on his
march to Bangor; but upon the news of his outrageous madness, the
leaders of the Britons, viz. Blederic, duke of Cornwall, Margadud, king
of the Demetians, and Cadwan, of the Venedotians, came from all parts to
meet him, and joining battle with him, wounded him, and forced him to
flee; and killed of his army to the number of ten thousand and sixty-six
men. On the Britons' side fell Blederic, duke of Cornwall, who was their
commander in those wars.
BOOK XII.
CHAP. I.--_Cadwan acquires by treaty all Britain on this side of the
Humber, and Ethelfrid the rest._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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