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FROM ENGLISH CHRONICLERS 11
stantly he fought and strove against the Angle race, or against
Welsh, or against Picts, or against Scots. 1
603
BEDE, HISTORIA ECCLESIASTICA, I, 34 ; VOL. I, PP. 71-72. 2
How Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians, crushed the
nations of the Scots in battle, and expelled them from the terri-
tories of the Angles.
In these times Ethelfrid, a most powerful king, and very
eager for glory, reigned over the kingdom of the Northum-
brians ; and he more than all the princes of the Angles wasted
the nation of the Britons, so that he seemed comparable
with Saul, at one time king of the Israelite nation
with this exception only, that he was ignorant of the
divine religion. For no one among tribunes, 3 no one among
kings, after expelling or subduing the inhabitants made more
of their lands either tributary to the English nation or
habitable by them. And to him deservedly might that saying
be applied which the patriarch pronounced, blessing his son,
upon the person
of Saul :
" Benjamin is a ravening wolf ; in
the morning shall he devour the prey, in the evening shall he
4
divide the spoil."
Wherefore Aidan, king of the Scots who dwell in Britain,
was disturbed by his advance, 5 and came against him with a
huge and mighty army; but he was conquered, and fled
away with few. For almost all his army was slain in a
most renowned place which is called Degsastan ; that is,
Degsa
stone. 6
1 Ceolwulf reigned for fourteen years, according to the A.S.C., MSS.
A,B,C,E, and Fl. of W. ; seventeen years, according to the Pref., MSS. A and
?B (v. E. and PL, i, 2 ; ii, 2-3), where, however, the chronology is different.
This annal seems highly improbable as regards Scotland.
2
A.S. Vers., i, 92. Cf. Bede, H.E., V, 24, Recapit., i, 353. A.S.C., MS. E,
MSS. A,B,C, s.a. 603. Fl. of W., i, 11. W. of M., G. R., i, 47. H. of H., 55.
3 "
More than all English-kind and aldermen," A.S. Vers.
4
Genesis XLIX, 27.
"
And drew him into a war against his will," says W. of M., G.R., u.s.
6
Perhaps Dawstane, near Jedburgh.
A.S.C., MS. E, foolishly reads : "In this year Aidan, king of Scots
fought against the Dalriada and against Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians,
at Degsastan." Aidan, the son of Gabran, became king of Dalriada in 574.
His name is spelt Aedan by Bede ; dSgihan by A.S.C., MS. E, and insertion
in MS. A; Edan by W. of M ; Ean, Sigebert of Gemblours, in M.G.H., SS.,
vi, 322. (Cf. Plummer, Bede, ii, 64-66.)
The place of the battle is named Dcegsan stane, by A.S.C., MS. E ;
Dcegstane, ins. in MS. A; cet Egesan stane, MSS. B,C.