Chap. XIX Of the Reign of King Offa and of His Deeds
A. 756. In the revolution of the same year, Offa succeeded to the kingdom, a remarkable man, son of Thingferth; his grandfather was Enwulf, his great-grandfather Osmod, his great-grandfather’s father Pybba, his great-grandfather’s grandfather was Icel, his sixth ancestor Eomær, the seventh Angeltheow, the eighth Offa, the ninth Wærmund, the tenth Wihtlæg, the eleventh Woden.
A. 773. Also after seventeen years, from the time that Cynewulf took the kingdom from Sigebert, the sign of our Lord’s cross appeared in the heavens after sun-set, and in the same year a civil contest47 took place between the people of Kent and Mercia, at a place called Cittanford:48 and in those days some monstrous serpents were seen in the country of the Southern Angles, which is called Sussex.
A. 777. About four years after, Cynewulf and Offa fought a battle near the town of Bensington, which was gained by Offa.
A. 779. Two years afterwards, the Gauls and Saxons stirred up no slight contests with one another.
A. 783. In short, after four years, Cyneard slays king Cynewulf, and is himself also slain there.
Footnotes
47 The term ‘civile bellum’—civil war is used by Ethelwerd, to denote a battle between the kindred Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; the classical reader will also note the use of the word ‘bellum’ for ‘prœlium.’
48 This should be Ottanford, or Otford, in Kent, a place of great antiquity.