The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops, did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree, dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church:  but it profited litle, as appeareth by that which Beda writeth.  About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome, to common with pope Boniface, for necessarie causes touching the church of England, and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season, for ordinances to be made touching the state of religious men, and sate in the same synod, that with subscribing he might also by his authoritie confirme that which was there orderlie decreed.  This synod was holden the third kalends of March, in the last yeere of the emperour Phocas, which was about the yeere after the birth of our Sauiour 610.  Melitus at his returne brought with him from the pope, decrees commanded by the said pope to be obserued in the English church, with letters also directed to archbishop Laurence, and to king Ethelbert.

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Cadwan is made king of the Britains in the citie of Chester, he leuieth a power against Ethelfred king of the Northumbers, couenants of peace passe betwixt them vpon condition, the death of Ethelbert king of Kent, where he and his wife were buried, of his lawes; Eadbald succeedeth Ethelbert in the Kentish kingdome, his lewd and vnholie life, he is an enimie to religion; he is plagued with madnesse; Hebert king of the Eastsaxons dieth, his three sonnes refuse to be baptised, they fall to idolatrie and hate the professours of the truth, their irreligious talke and vndutifull behauiour to bishop Melitus, he and his fellow Iustus passe ouer into France, the three sonnes of Hebert are slaine of the Westsaxons in battell, the Estsaxons by their idolatrie prouoke archbishop Laurence to forsake the land, he is warned in a vision to tarie, whereof he certifieth king Eadbald, who furthering christianitie, sendeth for Melitus and Iustus, the one is restored to his see, the other reiected, Melitus dieth, Iustus is made archbishop of Canturburie, the christian faith increaseth.

THE XXIIIJ.  CHAPTER.

[Sidenote:  CADWAN king of Britaine] After that the Britains had c[=o]tinued about the space almost of 24 yeeres without anie one speciall gouernour, being led by sundrie rulers, euer sithens that Careticus was constreined to flee ouer Seuerne, and fought oftentimes not onelie against the Saxons, but also [Sidenote:  613] one of them against another, at length in the yeere of our Lord 613, they assembled in the citie of Chester, and there elected Cadwan that before was ruler of Northwales, to haue the souereigne rule & gouernement ouer all their nation, and so the said Cadwan began to reigne as king of Britaine in the said yeere 613.  But some authors say, that this was in the yeere 609, in which yeere Careticus the British king departed this life.  And then after his deceasse the Britains or Welshmen (whether we shall call them) chose Cadwan to gouerne them in the foresaid yeere 609, which was in the 7 yeere of the emperour Phocas, and the 21 of the second Lotharius king of France, and in the 13 yeere of Kilwoolfe king of the Westsaxons.