History Of The Britons (Historia Brittonum) by Nennius
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64. Oswald son of Ethelfrid, reigned nine years; the same is
Oswald Llauiguin;[1] he slew Catgublaun (Cadwalla),[2] king of
Guenedot,[3] in the battle of Catscaul,[4] with much loss to his
own army. Oswy, son of Ethelfrid, reigned twenty-eight years and
six months. During his reign, there was a dreadful mortality
among his subjects, when Catgualart (Cadwallader) was king among
the Britons, succeeding his father, and he himself died amongst
the rest.[5] He slew Penda in the field of Gai, and now took
place the slaughter of Gai Campi, and the kings of the Britons,
who went out with Penda on the expedition as far as the city of
Judeu, were slain.
[1] Llauiguin, means the "fair," or the "bounteous hand."
[2] This name has been variously written; Bede spells it Caedualla
(Cadwalla); Nennius, Catgublaun; the Saxon Chronicle, Ceadwalla;
and the Welsh writers, Cadwallon and Kalwallawn: and though the
identity of the person may be clearly proved, it is necessary to
observe these particulars to distinguish him from Cadwaladr, and
from another Caedualla or Caedwalla, a king of the West Saxons;
all of whom, as they lived within a short time of each other,
have been frequently confounded together.--Rees's Welsh Saints.
[3] Gwynedd, North Wales.
[4] Bede says at Denis's brook.
[5] The British chronicles assert that Cadwallader died at Rome,
whilst Nennius would lead us to conclude that he perished in the
pestilence at home.
65. Then Oswy restored all the wealth, which was with him in the
city, to Penda; who distributed it among the kings of the Britons,
that is Atbert Judeu. But Catgabail alone, king of Guenedot,
rising up in the night, excaped, together with his army, wherefore
he was called Catgabail Catguommed. Egfrid, son of Oswy, reigned
nine years. In his time the holy bishop Cuthbert died in the
island of Medcaut.* It was he who made war against the Picts,
and was by them slain.
* The isle of Farne.
Penda, son of Pybba, reigned ten years; he first separated the
kingdom of Mercia from that of the North-men, and slew by treachery
Anna, king of the East Anglians, and St. Oswald, king of the North
Men. He fought the battle of Cocboy, in which fell Eawa, son of
Pybba, his brother, king of the Mercians, and Oswald, king of the
North-men, and he gained the victory by diabolical agency. He
was not baptized, and never believed in God.
66. From the beginning of the world to Constantinus and Rufus,
are found to be five thousand six hundred and fifty-eight years.
Also from the two consuls, Rufus and Rubelius, to the consul
Stilicho, are three hundred and seventy-three years.
Also from Stilicho to Valentinian, son of Placida, and the reign
of Vortigern, are twenty-eight years.
And from the reign of Vortigern to the quarrel between Guitolinus
and Ambrosius, are twelve years, which is Guoloppum, that is
Catgwaloph.* Vortigern reigned in Britain when Theodosius and
Valentinian were consuls, and in the fourth year of his reign the
Saxons came to Britain, in the consulship of Felix and Taurus, in
the four hundredth year from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
* In Carmarthenshire. Perhaps the town now called Kidwelly.
>From the year in which the Saxons came into Britain, and were
received by Vortigern, to the time of Decius and Valerian, are
sixty-nine years.
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