do so remain to the glory of God, and firmly continue so to all eternity for evermore. For I, Withred, an earthly king, instigated by the King of heaven, and burning with the zeal of righteousness, have learned from the institutes of our forefathers, that no layman has a right to possess himself of a church, nor of any of the things which belong to a church. And hence strictly and faithfully do we appoint and decree, and in the name of the Almighty God and of all his saints we forbid to all kings our successors, and to ealdormen, and all laymen any lordship whatever over the churches, and over all their possessions, which I, or my elders of olden days, have given as an everlasting inheritance to the glory of Christ and of our lady St. Mary, and of the holy apostles. And observe, when it shall happen that a bishop, or an abbat, or an abbess, shall depart this life, let it be made known to the archbishop, and by his counsel and advice, let such an one be chosen as shall be worthy. And let the archbishop inquire into the life and purity of him who is chosen to such a duty, and in nowise let any one be chosen to such a duty without the counsel of the archbishop. It is the duty of kings to appoint earls and ealdormen, shire-reeves and doomsmen, and of the archbishop to instruct and advise the community of God, and bishops, and abbats, and abbesses, priests and deacons, to choose and appoint, and consecrate and stablish them by good precepts and example, lest any of God's flock stray and be lost.
A. 695. 696.
A. 697. This year the South-humbrians slew Ostritha, Ethelred's queen, Egfrid's sister.
A. 698.
A. 699. This year the Picts slew Beort the ealdorman.
A. 700. 701.
A. 702. This year Kenred succeeded to the kingdom of the South-humbrians.
A. 703. This year bishop Hedda died, and he held the bishopric at Winchester twenty-seven years.
A. 704. This year Ethelred the son of Penda, king of the Mercians, became a monk, and he had held the kingdom twenty-nine years; then Kenred succeeded to it.
A. 705. This year Alfrid king of the North-humbrians died at Driffield on the nineteenth before the Kalends of
