of 



63 



Christian, and her husband inclined to her faith. Glou- 

 cester, where they held their court, was a place of great 

 antiquity. It was one of the twenty-eight cities which 

 the Britons erected, previous to their conquest by the 

 Romans, and was called Caer-Glou, or Caer-Gloyw, 

 which signified, in their language, the bright or splendid 

 town, from its situation on an eminence at the termina- 

 tion of the flat and marshy part of the kingdom of 

 Mercia, and being well watered with an ample river. 



Wolfere presided over the dominions which his father 

 confided to his care, with equal wisdom and considera- 

 tion ; but within the range of the highest window of his 

 palace, grievous sights were witnessed at one time, by 

 those who had the hardihood to look for them. A dread- 

 ful battle was fought in the neighbourhood of Corinium, 

 at about twelve miles distant, between the fierce king, for 

 whom Wolfere ruled, and the King of Wessex. Corinium 

 was much fallen from its ancient grandeur : it had been, 

 in former times, the seat of arts and elegance ; Roman 

 generals lived the'fe, and there Constantine occasionally 

 resided; but war and time had greatly changed its once 

 royal aspect, though still a considerable city, and having 

 within its precincts a store of goods and cattle. Penda 

 desired to possess them, and the hard victory which he 

 gained before the walls gave the inhabitants an earnest of 

 the calamities that awaited them. The consequences of 

 this great victory were severely felt in the kingdom of 

 Wessex, and again, throughout the wide expanse of the 



