384 MATTHEW OE WESTMTJT8TEB. A.D. 798. Likewise, being softened by the request of Ethelhard, archbishop of Canterbury, he would have willingly restored to him the dignities of which archbishop lambert had been deprived, as has been stated before, if an untimely death had not removed him from mankind, for he died on the hundred and forty-first day after the decease of his father, and so gave all the people of his kingdom cause for great grief, on which I think that we ought not to suppose that so noble a youth died for his sins, but rather that he was taken away because his father had spilt much to strengthen himself in his kingdom. He was succeeded in the kingdom of Mercia by Kenulf, a noble man, the son of Cuthbert, and great-great-grandson of king Wibba, who reigned twenty-four years. He by his wife Alfritha became the father of Kenelm, who was afterwards a Saint, and of two daughters, Quendrida and Burgenilda. The same year, after the before-mentioned king of Mercia, Kinulf, had been invested with the crown of the kingdom, he displayed his character religious in his palace, and in war victorious as a Hon. And Ethelhard, archbishop of Canterbury, and Eanbald, archbishop of York, came to him, and consulted him respecting the lost dignities of the church of Canterbury. And when the king fully understood how much wickedness his predecessor Offa had committed in mutilating the diocese of Canterbury, he with great devotion restored the custom of antiquity. Accordingly, Ethelhard sending letters, both from himself and from all the bishops in England, to Pope Leo, the successor of Adrian, and himself discharging the especial functions of an ambassador, obtained what he asked. On which account it is related, very highly to the praise and glory of that archbishop, that he restored the pristine dignity of the see, which it behoves you his successors carefully to guard. The same year, Mildred, bishop of Worcester, died, and was succeeded by Weremund ; and again, in the same year, Eanbald, archbishop of York, received the pallium, and afterwards ordained Eadred as successor to Ethelbert, uniting bishop Higbald with him to the honour of the pontificate ; and this happened on the twenty-ninth of October, at a place which is called Wudaford. A.D . 798. Kinulf, king of Mercia, traversed the. province of Kent in a hostile manner, and ravaged it, and took prisoner their king Eadbert, who was sumamed Pren, and who was unable to contend with him, and brought him back with