This Ethelbert, in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince, but yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against some of his enimies:  for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling [Sidenote:  Hen.  Hunt. Alias Wiphanduae.] king of Westsaxons, he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne, where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins, beside other people.  This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons, one against another within this land, after their first comming into the same.  And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567, being the second yeere of the emperour Iustinus.

[Sidenote:  570.  CUTHA.  Aileburie.] About the yeere 570, Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with the Britains at Bedford, vanquished them, & tooke from them 4 townes, [Sidenote:  581.] Liganbrough, Eglesbrough or Ailesburie, Besington, and Euesham.  Also about the yeere of our Lord 581, the foresaid king Cheuling incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth, and obteining the vpper hand, tooke from them the cities of Bath, Glocester, and Cirencester.  At this battell fought at Diorth, were present three kings of the Britains, whose names were these:  Coinmagill, Candidan, and Farimnagill, which were slaine there through the permission of almightie God as then refusing his people, the which through their heinous sinnes and great wickednesses, had most greeuouslie offended his high and diuine maiestie, as by Gyldas it may euidentlie appeare.  For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord, and were become abhominable in his sight, euen from the prince to the poore man, from the priest to the Leuit, so that not one estate among them walked vprightlie, but contrarie to dutie was gone astray, by reason whereof the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies.

[Sidenote:  His brother as Matt.  West. saith.] Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of the reigne of his successor Careticus, Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley, [Sidenote:  H.  Hunt.] or (as some bookes haue) Frithenlie, where Cutwine was slaine, & the Englishmen chased:  but yet Cheuling repairing his armie, wan the victorie, and chasing the Britains, tooke from them manie countries, [Sidenote:  Matt.  West.] and wan great riches by the spoile.  But Matth.  West. saith, that the victorie aboad with the Britains, and that the Saxons were chased quite out of the field.  The Scotish writers record, that their king Aidan (who is noted to haue beene the 49 successiuelie possessing the regiment of that land, partlie with griefe of hart for the death of Columba a graue and wise gentleman, whome he tenderlie loued, and partlie with age [for he was growne horieheaded, and had reigned 34 yeeres] ended his life) was there in aid of the Britains, and Brudeus king of the Picts (betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was fought) in aid of the Saxons:  but the same writers name the place Deglaston, where this battell was made, and the forces of both sides by a sharpe incounter tried.