77

THE HEPTARCHi?.

arms against the Britons in Cornwal, whom he chapdefeated in several battles ” 9 . He was recalled i.from the conquest of that country by an invasionmade upon his dominions by Bernulf, King ofIVlercia.

The Mercians, before the acceffion of Egbertshad very nearly attained the absolute sovereigntyin the heptarchy: They had reduced the East-Angles under subjection, and established tribut-ary princes in the kingdoms of Kent and Essex.Northumberland was involved in anarchy ; andno state of any consequence remained but that ofWessex, which, much inferior in extent to Mer-cia, was supported solely by the great qualitiesof its sovereign. Egbert led his army againstthe invaders; and encountering them atEllandumin Wiltshire, obtained a complete victory, andby the great slaughter which he made of themin their flight, gave a mortal blow to the powerof the Mercians. Whilst he himself, in prosecu-tion of his victory, entered their country on theside of Oxfordshire, and threatened the heart oftheir dominions; he sent an army into Kent,commanded by Ethelwolpli, his eldest son u °;and expelling Baldred, the tributary king, soonmade himself master of that country. The king-dom of Essex was conquered with equal facility;and the East-Angles , from their hatred to theMercian government, which had been established

1-9 Chron. Sax. p. 69.

Ethehverd, lib. 3. cap. r.