THE HEPTARCHY.

55

Queen on his side; and she effectually represent- chap.ed to her husband the infamy of delivering up to i.certain destruction their royal guest, who hadfled to them for protection against his cruel andjealous enemies " Redwald, embracing moregenerous resolutions , thought it safest to preventAdelfrid, before that prince was aware of hisintention, and to attack him while he was yetunprepared for defence. He marched suddenly with .an army into the kingdom of Northumberland,and fought a battle with Adelfrid; in whichthat monarch was defeated and killed, after re-venging himself by the death of Regner, son ofRedwald* 7 . His own sons, Eanfrid, Oswald,and Oswy, yet infants, were carried into Scot-land ; and Edwin obtained possession of the crownof Northumberland.

Edwin was the greatest prince of the. heptar-chy in that age, and distinguished himself, bothby his influence over the other kingdoms ”, andby the strict execution of justice in his owndominions. He reclaimed his subjects from thelicentious life , to which they had been accustom-ed ; and it was a common faying, that duringhis reign a woman or child might openly carryevery where a purse os gold, without any dan-ger of violence or robbery. There is a remark-able instance, transmitted to us, of the affection

W.Malmes. lib I. cap. z. H. Hunting, lib. z. Bede.

' Bede, lib. 2. cap. 12. Brompton, p. 781.

' Chron. Sax. p. 27.

E 4