The abbeie of Malmesburie.] man, and was first made abbat of Malmesburie, in the yeere of our Lord 675 by Eleutherius then bishop of the Westsaxons, by whose diligence that abbeie was greatlie aduanced, being afore that time founded by one Medulfe a Scotish man, but of so small reuenues afore Aldhelms time, that the moonks were scarse able to liue thereon.  Also the same Aldhelme was a great furtherer vnto king Inas in the building of Glastenburie.

[Sidenote:  ETHELARD. 728. Matth.  West. saith 727.] Ethelard, the coosen of king Inas, to whome the same Inas resigned his kingdome, began to gouerne the Westsaxons in the yeere of our Lord 728, or rather 27, which was in the 11 yeere of the emperor Leo Isaurus, in the second yeere of Theodorus king of France, and about the 8 or 9 yeere of Mordacke king of the Scots.  In the first yeere of Ethelards reigne, he was disquieted with ciuill warre, which one Oswald a noble man, descended of the roiall bloud of the Westsaxon kings, procured against him:  but in the end, when he perceiued that the kings power was too strong for him, he fled out of the countrie, leauing it thereby in rest.

[Sidenote:  Matth.  West. 729.  Blasing stars.] In the yeere 729, in the moneth of Ianuarie there appeered two comets or blasing starres, verie terrible to behold, the one rising in the morning before the rising of the sunne, and the other after the setting thereof:  so that the one came before the breake of the day, and the other before the closing of the night, stretching foorth their fierie brands toward the north; and they appeered thus euerie morning and euening for the space of a fortnight togither, menacing as it were some great destruction or common mishap to follow.  The Saracens shortlie after entred France, and were ouerthrowne.  Finallie, when king Ethelard had reigned the terme of foureteene yeeres currant, he departed this life.

[Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. ] Now when Wichtred king of Kent had gouerned the Kentishmen by the space of 33 yeeres, with great commendation for the good orders which he caused to be obserued amongst them, as well concerning matters ecclesiasticall as temporal, he departed this life, leauing behind him three sonnes, who successiuelie reigned as heires to him one after another (that is to say) Edbert 23 yeeres, Ethelbert 11 yeeres currant, and Alrike 34 yeeres, the which three princes following the steps of their father in the obseruance of politike orders & commendable lawes, vsed for the more part their fathers good lucke and [Sidenote:  Beda. lib. 5. cap. 24.] fortune, except that in Ethelberts time the citie of Canturburie was burned by casuall fire, and Alrike lost a battell against them of Mercia, whereby the glorie of their times was somewhat blemished:  for so it came to passe, that whatsoeuer chanced euill, was kept still in memorie, and the good haps that came forward, were soone forgotten and [Sidenote:  731.] put out of remembrance.  In the yeere of