Signs in the heavens. In the year of our Lord 776, fiery and fearful signs were seen in the heavens after sunset ; and serpents appeared in Sussex, as if they had sprung out of the ground, to the great astonishment of all. Leo Zaccarus emperor. In the year of our Lord 777, on the death of the emperor Constantius, Leo Zaccarus obtained the Boman empire, and reigned five years. liishop Pethwin. In the year of our Lord 778, Pethwin, bisnop of Witern, that is, of Candida Casa, ended his days, in the thirteenth year of his episcopate, and was succeeded by Athelbert. The same year, Athelwold and Herebert, earls of the kingdom of the Northumbrians, rebelled against their king, and slew Aidulf, general of king Ethelred's army, at Cunesclive, after which they slew the king's generals, Kinewulf and Eggen, in a great battle ; but king Ethelred fled from the face of them, and they made Alfwold king, who reigned ten years. King Offa lakes the castle of Densington. In the year of our Lord 779, Offa, the warlike king of the Mercians, fought with Kinewulf, king of the West-Saxons, at the siege of the castle of Bensington ; but Kinewulf was worsted in the fight and fled, and the irresistible Offa reduced the castle under his dominion. In the year of our Lord 780, Ethelred, the deposed king of the Northumbrians, returned first to the city of Bebba [Bamborough], and afterwards to Kinoth, king of the Picts, where he ended his life. War among the Northumbrians. In the year of our Lord 781, the nobles of Northumberland burnt in their own houses a certain governor and his justiciary for their excessive severity. In the same year also Kinewulf, bishop of Lindisfarne, died, and was succeeded by Higbald.