The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo after their victorie, the Britains make no account of religion, Archbishop Pauline with queen Ethelburga flie out of Northumberland into Kent, honorable personages accompanie him thither, Romanus bishop of Rochester drowned, Pauline vndertaketh the charge of that see; Osrilie is king of Deira, and Eaufride king of Bernicia, both kings become apostatas, and fall fr[=o] christianitie to paganisme, then are both slaine within lesse than a yeeres space; Oswald is created king of Northumberland, his chiefs practise in feats of armes, Cadwallo king of Britaine hath him in contempt, Oswalds superstitious deuotion and intercession to God against his enimies; both kings ioine battell; Cadwallo is slaine, Penda king of Mercia his notable vertues linked with foule vices, he maketh warre on whome he will without exception.

THE XXVIJ.  CHAPTER.

Cadwallo and Penda haumg obteined the victorie aforsaid, vsed it most cruellie.  For one of the capteins was a pagan, and the other wanting all ciuilitie, shewed himselfe more cruell than anie pagan could haue doone.  So that Penda being a worshipper of false gods with his people of Mercia, and Cadwallo hauing no respect to the Christian religion [Sidenote:  The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo.] which latelie was begun amongst the Northumbers, made hauocke in all places where they came, not sparing man, woman nor child:  and so continued in their furious outrage a long time in passing through the countrie, to the great decay and calamitie of the Christian congregations in those parties.  And still the christian Britains were lesse mercifull than Penda his heathenish souldiers.  For euen vnto the daies of Beda (as he affirmeth) the Britains made no account of the faith or religion of the Englishmen, nor would communicate with them more than with the pagans, bicause they differed in rites from their accustomed traditions.

[Sidenote:  The archbishop Pauline flieth into Kent.] When the countrie of the Northumbers was brought into this miserable case by the enimies inuasion, the archbishop Pauline taking with him the queene Ethelburga, whom he had brought thither, returned now againe with hir by water into Kent, where he was receiued of the archbishop Honorius, and king Eadbald.  He came thither in the conduct of one Bassus a valiant man of warre, hauing with him Eaufred the daughter, and Vulfrea the sonne of Edwin, & also Iffi the sonne of Osfride Edwins sonne, whom their mother after for feare of the kings Edbold and Oswold did send into France where they died.  The church of Rochester at that time was destitute of a bishop, by the death of Romanus, who being sent to Rome vnto pope Honorius, was drowned by the way in the Italian seas.  Wherevpon at the request of archbishop Honorius, and king Eadbald, Pauline tooke vpon him the charge of that see, and held it till he died.