[Sidenote:  872. (sic, should read 672.)] In this meane while, that is, about the yeere of our Lord 872(sic), or in the beginning of 873(sic), as Harison noteth, Kenwalch king of the Westsaxons departed this life, after he had reigned 30 yeeres. [Sidenote:  Matth.  West. de reg. lib. 1.] This Kenwalch was such a prince, as in the beginning he was to be compared with the woorst kind of rulers, but in the middest and later end of his reigne, to be matched with the best.  His godlie zeale borne towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appeered in the building of the church at Winchester, where the bishops see of all that prouince was then placed.  His wife Segburga ruled the kingdome of Westsaxons after him, a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued acts of woorthie remembrance, but being preuented by death yer she had reigned one whole yeere, she could not shew anie full proofe of hir noble courage.  I remember that Matth.  West. maketh other report heereof, declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the gouernment.  But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter.

[Sidenote:  Escuinus. Will Malmes.] To proceed, after Segburga was departed this life, or deposed (if you will needs haue it so) Escuinus or Elcuinus, whose grandfather called Cuthgislo, the brother of K. Kinigils, succeeding in gouernment of the Westsaxons, reigned about the space of two yeeres:  and after his deceasse, one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule, and continued therein the space of nine yeeres.  But Beda saith that these two ruled at one time, and diuided the kingdom betwixt them. [Sidenote:  Hen.  Hunt.] Elcuinus fought against Vulfhere king of Mercia, a great number of men being slaine on both parties, though Vulfhere yet had after a maner the vpper hand, as some haue written.

[Sidenote:  Beda lib. & ca. supr. dict.] In the same yeere that the synod was holden at Herford, that is to say, in the yeere of our Lord 673, Egbert the king of Kent departed this life in Iulie, and left the kingdome to his brother Lothaire, [Sidenote:  Io.  Lothaire.] which held the same eleuen yeeres, & seuen moneths.  Some haue written [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm.  Beda. de reg. lib. 1.] that king Egbert by the suggestion of one Thunnir, who had the chiefe rule of the kingdome vnder him, suffered the same Thunnir in lamentable maner to kill the two innocent sonnes of Ermenredus the brother of king Ercombert, that was father vnto King Egbert, for [Sidenote:  Thunnir.  A vile murther.] doubt least they being towardlie yoong gentlemen, might in time grow so into fauour with the people, that it should be easie for them to depriue both Egbert, and his issue of the kingdome.  Also, that they were priuilie put to death, and secretlie buried at the first, but the place of their buriall immediatlie being shewed after a miraculous maner, their bodies long after in the daies of king Egilred the sonne of king Edgar, were taken vp, & conueied vnto Ramsey, and there buried.  And although Egbert being giltie of the death of those his coosens, did sore repent him, for that he vnderstood they died giltlesse, yet his brother Lothaire was thought to be punished for that offense, as after shall be shewed.