Page:The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Giles).djvu/59

A.D. 795–796. were there drowned, and some came on shore alive, and they were soon slain at the river's mouth.

A. 795. This year the moon was eclipsed between cock-crowing and dawn, on the 5th before the Kalends of April; and Eardulf succeeded to the kingdom of the North-humbrians on the 2nd before the Ides of May; and he was afterwards consecrated king, and raised to his throne on the 8th before the Kalends of June, at York, by archbishop Eanbald, and bishop Ethelbert, and Higbald, and Badulf, bishops.

A. 796. This year Kenulf, king of the Mercians, laid waste Kent as far as the marshes, and took Pren their king, and led him bound into Mercia, and let his eyes be picked out and his hands be cut off. And Athelard, archbishop of Canterbury, appointed a synod, and confirmed and ratified, by the command of Pope Leo, all the things respecting God's ministers which were appointed in Withgar's days, and in other kings' days, and thus sayeth:

"I, Athelard, the humble archbishop of Canterbury, by the unanimous counsel of the whole synod, and with of all  to the congregation of all the ministers to which in old days immunity was given by faithful men, in the name of God, and by his awful doom, I command, as I have command of Pope Leo, that henceforth none dare to choose for themselves lords over God's heritage from amongst laymen. But even as it stands in the rescript which the pope has given, or those holy men have appointed who are our fathers and instructors concerning holy minsters, thus let them continue inviolate, without any kind of gainsaying. If there be any man who will not observe this ordinance of God, and of our pope, and ours, and who despiseth and holdeth it for nought, let him know that he shall give account before the judgment-seat of God. And I, Athelard, archbishop, with twelve bishops, and three and twenty abbats, do confirm and ratify this same with Christ's rood-token."

And archbishop Eanbald died on the 4th before the Idea of August of the same year, and his body lies at York; and the same year died bishop Ceolwulf; and a second