ETHEL WEED'S CHRONICLE. [u . 773 - 78». seventh Angeltheow, the eighth Offa, the ninth Waermund, the tenth Wihtlaeg, 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 contest* took place between the people of Kent and Mercia, at a place called Cittanford :f 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 Ofia 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. CHAP. XX.— O f the acts of Bertric, king of the West-Saxons. A. 783. In the same year Bertric received the kingdom of the West-Angles, whose lineage traces up to Cerdic. A. 786. After three years, he took in marriage Offa's daughter Eadburga. HERE ENDS BOOK THE SECOND, AND THE PROLOGUE OF BOOK THE THIRD BEGINS. AFTE R what has been written in the foregoing pages, it remains that we declare the contents of our third book. We exhort you, therefore, most beloved object of my desire, that the present work may not be thought tedious by you for ite length of reading, since to thee especially I dedicate this. Wherefore, the farther my mind digresses, the more does my affectionate love generate and expand itself. HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE, * The term * civile bellum '—civil tear 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.' t This should be Ottanford, or Otford, in Kent, a place of great antiquity.