A. 786. After three years, he took in marriage Offa's daughter Eadburga. HERE ENDS BOOK THE SECOND, AND THE PROLOGUE OF BOOK THE THIRD BEGINS. After what has been written in the foregoing pages, it remains that we declare the contents of our third book. We exhort you, therefore, most beloved object of my desire, that the present work may not be thought tedious by you for its length of reading, since to thee especially I dedicate this. Wherefore, the farther my mind digresses, the more does my affectionate love generate and expand itself. HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE, AND THE BOOK BEGINS. Whilst the pious king Bertric was reigning over the western parts of the English, and the innocent people spread through their plains were enjoying themselves in tranquillity and yoking their oxen to the plough, suddenly there arrived on the coast a fleet of Danes, not large, but of three ships only: this was their first arrival. When this became known, the king's officer, who was already stopping in the town of Dorchester, leaped on his horse and gallopped forwards with a few men to the port, thinking that they were merchants rather than enemies, and, commanding them in an authoritative tone, ordered them to be made to go to the royal city; but he was slain on the spot by them, and all who were with him. The name of the officer was Beaduherd. A. 787. And the number of years that was fulfilled was above three hundred and thirty-four, from the time that Hengist and Horsa arrived in Britain, in which also Bertric married the daughter of king Offa. A. 792. Moreover, it was after five years that Offa king of the Mercians commanded the head of king Ethelbert to be struck off. A. 794. After two years Offa also died, and Egfert his son succeeded to the kingdom, and died in the same year. Pope Adrian also departed this life. Ethelred, king of the Northumbrians, was slain by his own people. CHAP. I.--_Of Kenulf, king of the Mercians, and of his wars._ A. 796. After two years, Kenulf, king of the Mercians, ravaged Kent and the province which is called Merscwari,[49] and their king Pren was taken, whom they loaded with chains, and led as far as Mercia. A. 797. Then after a year, the enraged populace of Rome cut out the tongue of the blessed pope Leo, and tore out his eyes, and drove him from his apostolical seat. But suddenly, by the aid of Christ, who is always wonderful in his works, his sight was restored, and his tongue regifted with speech, and he resumed his seat of apostleship as before. A. 800. After three years, king Bertric died. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 49: The Merscwari are thought to have been the inhabitants of Romney, in Kent, and its vicinity.] CHAP. II.--_Of the reign of Egbert, and his deeds._