[Sidenote:  Simon Dun. 764.] This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne, and shortlie after, that is to say, in the yeare of our Lord 764, there fell such a maruellous great snow, and therwith so extreame a frost, as the like had not beene heard of, continuing from the beginning of the winter, almost till the middest of the spring, with the rigour whereof, trees and fruits withered awaie, and lost their liuelie shape and growth:  and not onelie feathered foules, but also beasts on the land, & fishes in the sea died in great numbers.  The same yeare died Ceolwulf then king of Northumberland, vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of [Sidenote:  Moonks licenced to drinke wine.] histories of the English nation.  After that he was become a moonke in the monasterie of Lindesferne, the moonks of that house had licence to drinke wine, or ale, whereas before they might not drinke anie other thing than milke, or water, by the ancient rule prescribed them of the bishop Aidan first founder of the place.  The same yeare sundrie cities, townes, and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier chancing on the sudden, as Stretehu, Giwento, Anwicke, London, Yorke, Doncaster, &c.

After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares, he resigned his kingdome.  But [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. Altred began his reigne in the yeare 765 as Sim.  Dun. saith.] other write that he reigned 11 yeares, and was in the end slaine by treason of his successor Altred.  This Altred reigned ten years ouer the Northumbers, and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his [Sidenote:  Henr.  Hunt. Matth.  West. Ethelbert.] owne subiects.  Then was Ethelbert, named also Edelred, the sonne of the foresaid Moll, made king of Northumberland, and in the fift yeare of his reigne, he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his countrie named Edelbald and Herebert, who mouing warre against him, had slaine first Aldulfe the sonne of Bosa the generall of his armie at Kingescliffe; and after Kinewulfe and Egga, other two of his dukes, at Helatherne in a sore foughten field:  so that Ethelbert despairing of all recouerie, was constrained to get him out of the countrie.  And thus was the kingdome of Northumberland brought into a miserable state, by the ambitious working of the princes and nobles of the same.

[Sidenote:  Henr.  Hunt. Iohn Capgraue. Matth.  West. and others.  Ethelbert king of Eastangles.] After that Ethelbert king of Eastangles was dead, his sonne Ethelbert succeeded him, a prince of great towardnesse, and so vertuouslie brought vp by his fathers circumspect care and diligence, that he vtterlie abhorred vice, and delighted onelie in vertue and commendable exercises, for the better atteining to knowledge and vnderstanding of good sciences.  There remaine manie sundrie saiengs & dooings of him, manifestlie bearing witnesse that there could not [Sidenote:  The saieng of king Ethelbert.] be a man more honorable, thankefull, courteous or gentle.  Amongest other he had this saieng oftentimes in his mouth, that the greater that men were, the more humble they ought to beare themselues:  for the Lord putteth proud and mightie men from their seates, and exalteth the humble and meeke.