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gave the treasures, and that Penda divided them amongst 
his allies; whereas he says that Oswiu offered and Penda 
refused them. I prefer the former, and believe that Penda 
accepted the ransom, but refused to make peace; and that 
Oswiu, driven to desperation, collected his forces, and by the 
suddenness and impetuosity of his assault gained the victory. 
Of the identity of Iudeu with Loidis there can be no doubt. 
The error in the first letter of the name has arisen from the 
great similarity of the letters I and i in the MSS. of the 
period to which the original of the British story belongs, i.e., 
the eighth century.* The place where Penda's forces were 
encamped is called in the earliest MSS. Manau, in the others 
Manu ; this difference is of slight importance. The scene of 
the battle is called in the first Gai ; but in the others Giti. 
The annals of Cambria give Gaii, but as they are part of 
the same volume with the first, they can scarcely be con- 
sidered a separate authority, and I think we are justified in 
preferring the reading Giti, in which three distinct tran- 
scripts of an ancient original agree. This may be for Witi, 
since not only Gu, but G also, is constantly written for W ; 
and if it be so, then in Manu and Witi, we have a 
clear indication of the locality of this battle. Manu, 
where Penda was encamped, is Meanwood, and Witi is 
Weetwood, a little farther from Leeds, where, perhaps, 
his forces, thrown into confusion by the unexpected 
attack of Oswiu, attempted to make a stand and were 
defeated. The river which arrested them in their flight is 
undoubtedly the Aire, and the nearest point to Weetwood on 
this river is the neighbourhood of Kirkstall,t where, as it 
* The latest notice in these genealogies beiug that of Eadberht, who became 
King of Northuinbria, A.D. 738. Of the similarity of these two letters a better 
illustration cannot be given than the single word " ignobilis," copied from the 
earliest MS. of Venerable Bseda's Ecclesiastical History. See Plate III. 
f I had fixed upon the neighbourhood of Kirkstall as the probable locality of 
Winwaed, before I was informed of the letter of Gale to Thoresby suggesting 
Winnet, and mentioning Speed's conjecture as to the scene of the battle. 
