this man is ours.' They answered, ' You are in the right ; take and add him to the number of the damned.' Tw o most wicked spirits then rose up with forks in their hands, with which they struck me, one on the head, the other on the foot. These strokes are now with great torture penetrating to my bowels, and as soon as they meet, I shall die, and the devils being ready to snatch me away, I shall be dragged into hell." Thus talked the wretched man in despair, and soon miserably died. Now it is plain, that those things were shown him, not for his own sake, whom they did not profit, but for the sake of others, that knowing his end, they might not put off repentance, lest, being prevented by sudden death, they should perish impenitent. King Egfrid's death avenged. In the year of grace 708, Ine, king of the West-Saxons, fought against Gèrent, king of the Welsh, and in the beginning of the battle, duke Higebald was slain ; but at last the Welsh king fled, leaving his arms and spoils to the English. A t the same time, Offa, earl of the Northumbrians, fought against the Picts, of whom he destroyed an immense number, and so avenged the death of king Egfrid. Death of bishop Aldhelm. In the year of grace 709, died Aldhelm, bishop of Sherborne. This holy man, while he was yet a presbyter and abbat of the monastery called Maildub's Town [Malmesbury], wrote, by direction of a synod, an excellent book addressed to his nation, against the error of the Britons, by which he led them to the catholic manner of celebrating Ëaster ; he also wrote an admirable book on virginity, and many others ; for he was in every respect a most learned man, as well in liberal as in ecclesiastical erudition. He was succeeded in the bishopric by Forthere, a man excellently learned in the holy scriptures. King Kenred becomes a monk. In the year of grace 710, Kenred, who had for some time most nobly governed the kingdom of the Mercians, much more nobly resigned the sceptre of that kingdom ; for in the pontificate of Constantine, he devoutly sought the gates of the apostles, and there assumed the monastic habit, con