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ASSIZE OF BREAD. The first statute for the regulation of the sale of bread was 3 John, 1203. The chief justiciary, and a baker commissioned by the king, had the inspection of the assize. Matthew Paris. The assize was further regulated by statute in 51 Hen. III. 1266, and 8 Anne, 1710. Bread Act, Ireland, placing its sale on the same footing as in England, 1 Vict. 1838. Bread was directed to be sold by weight in London in 1822; the statute Assessa Panis" was repealed in 1824; and the sale of bread throughout the country was regulated in 1836.

BREAD-FRUIT TREE, a native of the South Sea islands. A vessel under captain Bligh was fitted out to convey some of these trees to various British colonies in 1789 (see Bounty), and again in 1791. The number taken on board at Otaheite was 1151. Some were left at St. Helena, 352 at Jamaica, and five were reserved for Kew Gardens, 1793. The tree was successfully cultivated in French Guiana, 1802.

BREAKWATERS. The first stone of the Plymouth breakwater was lowered 12 August, 1812. It stretches 5280 feet across the sound, is 360 feet in breadth at the bottom and more than 30 at the top, and consumed 3,660,000 tons of granite blocks, from one to five tons each, up to April, 1841, and cost a million and a half sterling. The architects were Mr. John Rennie and his son sir John. The

first stone of the lighthouse on its western extremity was laid I Feb. 1841. Breakwaters have been constructed at Holyhead, Portland, Dover, &c.

BREAST-PLATE. One was worn by the Jewish high priest, 1491 B.C. (Exod. xxxix.) Goliath "was armed with a coat of mail," 1063 B.C. (1 Sam. xvii.) Breast-plates dwindled to the diminutive gorgets. Ancient breast-plates are mentioned as made of gold and silver.

BRECHIN, Scotland; sustained a siege against the army of Edward 111., 1333. The battle of Brechin or Huntly-hill was fought between the earls of Huntly and Crawford, the latter defeated, 18 May, 1452. The see of Brechin was founded by David I. in 1150. One of its bishops, Alexander Campbell, was made prelate when but a boy, 1556. The bishopric, discontinued soon after the revolution in 1688, was revived in 1731.

BREDA, Holland, was taken from the Spaniards by prince Maurice, of Nassau, in 1590; retaken by the Spaniards, under Spinola, June, 1625; and by the Dutch, Oct. 1637. The "Compromise of Breda" was a proposal to Philip II., deprecating his harsh measures in the Netherlands, presented and refused in 1566. Our Charles II. resided here at the time of the restoration, and here he issued his declaration of a free general pardon, 4 April, 1660; see Restoration. Breda was taken by the French in 1793. The French garrison was expelled by the burgesses in 1813.

BREECHES. Among the Greeks, this garment indicated slavery. worn by the

It was

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BREHONS, ancient judges in Ireland, are said to have administered justice with religious impartiality, but in later times with a tendency to love of country. It was enacted by the statute of Kilkenny, that no English subject should submit to the Brehon laws, 40 Edw. III., 1365. These laws, however, were recognised by the native Irish till 1650. A translation of them was proposed in 1852, and a commission appointed. The publication of the "Ancient Laws of Ireland" by the government, began 1865.

BREITENFELD, see Leipsic.

founded in 788, and long an archbishopric, and one BREMEN (N. Germany), said to have been allowed a seat and a vote in the college of imperial of the leading towns of the Hanseatic League, was cities in 1640. In 1648 it was secularised and erected into a duchy and held by Sweden till 1712, when it was taken possession of by Denmark, by whom it was sold to Hanover in 1731. It was taken by the French in 1757, who were expelled by the Hanoverians in 1758. Bremen was annexed by Napoleon to the French empire in 1810; but its independence was restored in 1813, and all its old franchises in 1815. It became a member of the North German Confederation in 1866. Population of the province, 1871, 123,088; see Hanse Towns.

France.

Here

BRENNEVILLE, N.W. Henry I. of England defeated Louis VI. of France, who supported William Cliton, son of Robert, duke of Normandy, 20 Aug. 1119.

Here Edmund Ironside defeated the Danes, May, BRENTFORD, county town of Middlesex. 1016. It was taken by Charles I., after a sharp fight, 12 Nov. 1642.

BRESCIA, N. Italy (the ancient Brixia), became important under the Lombards, and suffered by the wars of the Italian Republics, being attached to Venice, It was taken by the French under Gaston de Foix, Feb. 1512, when it is said 40,000 of the inhabitants were massacred. It was retaken 26 May, 1516. It surrendered to the Austrian general Haynau, 30 March, 1849, on severe terms. It was annexed to Sardinia in 1859.

BRESLAU, in Silesia, was burnt by the Mongols in 1241, and conquered by Frederick II. of Prussia, Jan. 1741. A fierce battle took place here between the Austrians and Prussians, the latter under prince Bevern, who was defeated 22 Nov. 1757. Breslau was taken; but was regained 21 Dec. surrendered to them Jan. 1807, and again in 1813. same year. It was besieged by the French, and

BREST, a seaport, N. W. France, was besieged by Julius Caesar, 54 B.C.-possessed by the English, A.D. 1378-given up to the duke of Britanny, 1390. Lord Berkeley and a British fleet and army were repulsed here with dreadful loss in 1694. The magazine burnt, to the value of some millions of pounds sterling, 1744. The marine hospitals, with

fifty galley slaves, burnt, 1766. The magazine again destroyed by fire, 10 July, 1784. From this great depôt of the French navy, numerous squadrons were equipped against England during the late war, among them the fleet which lord Howe defeated on 1 June, 1794. England maintained a large blockading squadron off the harbour from 1793 to 1815; but with little injury to France. It is now a chief naval station, and is considered impregnable. The British fleet visited Brest, Aug. 1865.

BRETAGNE, see Brittany.

judge was fined 20,000l. for the like offence, 1616. Mr. Walpole, secretary-at-war, was sent to the Tower for bribery in 1712. Lord Strangford was suspended from voting in the Irish house of lords, for soliciting a bribe, Jan. 1784.

BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS. In 1854 an important act was passed consolidating and amending previous acts relating to this offence, from 7 Will. III. (1695) to 5 & 6 Vict. c. 184.

Messrs. Sykes and Rumbold fined and imprisoned for bribery 14 March, 1776

Messrs. Davidson, Parsons, and Hopping, imprisoned for bribery at Ilchester.

28 April, 1804

BRETHREN, see Bohemian and Plymouth Mr. Swan, M.P. for Penryn, fined and imprisoned,

Brethren.

BRETIGNY, PEACE OF, concluded with France, 8 May, 1360, by which England retained Gascony and Guienne, and acquired other provinces; renounced her pretensions to Maine, Anjou, Touraine, and Normandy; was to receive 3,000,000 crowns, and to release king John, long a prisoner. The treaty not being carried out, the king remained and died in England.

BRETON, see Cape Breton.

BRETWALDA (wide-ruling chief), one of the kings of the Saxon heptarchy, chosen by the others as a leader in war against their common enemies. The following are mentioned by Bede (492 to 642). Ella, king of Sussex; Ceawlin of Wessex; Ethelbert of Kent; Redwald of East Anglia; Edwin, Oswald, and Oswy of Northumberland. The title was bestowed upon Egbert, 828; see Britain.

BREVIARY (so called as being an abridgment of the books used in the Roman Catholic service), contains the seven canonical hours, viz., matins or lauds (began about 3 a.m.), primes (about 6), tierce (about 9), sexte (about 12), nones (about 2 p.m.), vespers (about 4), ccmplines (about 7). The breviary is ascribed to pope Gelasius I. about 492. It was first called the custos, and afterwards the breviary; came into use among the ecclesiastical orders about 1080; and was reformed by the councils of Trent and Cologne, and by Pius V., Urban VIII., and other popes. The quality of type in which the breviary was first printed gave the name to the printing type called brevier.

BREWERS are traced to Egypt. Brewing was known to our Anglo-Saxon ancestors. Tindal. "One William Murle, a rich maltman or bruer, of Dunstable, had two horses all trapped with gold, 1414." Stow. In Oct. 1851, there were 2305 licensed brewers in England, 146 in Scotland, and 97 in Ireland; total, 2548: these are exclusive of retail and intermediate brewers. There were 40,418 licensed brewers in the United Kingdom in 1858; the revenue from whom to the state was in that year 81,030l. In 1858 in England there were 205 great brewers; see Ale, Porter.

BRIAR'S CREEK (N. America), near which the Americans, 2000 strong, under general Ashe, were totally defeated by the English under general Prevost, 3 March, 1779.

BRIBERY forbidden (Deut. xvi. 19). Samuel's sons were guilty of it, 1112 B.C. (1 Sam. viii. 3.) Thos. de Weyland, a judge, was banished for bribery in 1288; he was chief justice of the common pleas. William de Thorpe, chief justice of the king's bench, was hanged for bribery in 1351. Another

and sir Manasseh Lopez sentenced to a fine of 10,000l. and two years' imprisonment for bribery at Grampound

. Oct. 1819 1831

The members for Liverpool and Dublin unseated The friends of Mr. Knight, candidate for Cambridge,

convicted of bribery.

. 20 Feb. 1835

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Sudbury disfranchised, 1848; St. Alban's also Elections for Ludlow and Cambridge made void Elections at Derby and other places declared void for bribery

In the case of Cooper v. Slade, it was ruled that the payment of travelling expenses was bribery,

1840 1852

1853

17 April, 1858

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BRICKS were used in Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome; in England by the Romans about 44. Made under the direction of Alfred the Great, about 886. Saxon Chron. The size regulated by order of Charles I., 1625. Taxed, 1784. The number of bricks which paid duty in England in 1820 was 949,000,000; in 1830, above 1,100,000,000; in 1840, 1,400,000,000; and in 1850, 1,700,000,000. The duties and drawbacks of excise on bricks were repealed in 1850. In 1839 Messrs. Cooke and Cunningham brought out their machinery by which, it is said, 18,000 bricks may be made in ten hours. Messrs. Dixon and Corbett, near Newcastle, in 1861, were making bricks by steam at the rate of 1500 per hour. The machinery is the invention of Clayton & Co., London.

BRIDEWELL, once a palace of king John, near Fleet-ditch, London, 1210, was given to the city for a workhouse by Edward VI., 1553. The New Bridewell prison, erected in 1829, was pulled down in 1864; that of Tothill-fields was rebuilt in 1831.

BRIDGES were first of wood. There are ancient stone bridges in China. Abydos is famous for the bridge of boats which Xerxes built across the Hellespont, 480 B.C. Trajan's magnificent stone bridge over the Danube, 4770 feet in length, was built in A.D. 105. Brotherhoods for building

bridges existed in S. France about 1180. The Devil's bridge in the Canton of Uri was built on two high rocks; and many stories have been invented to account for it. At Schaffhausen an extraordinary bridge was built over the Rhine, 400 feet wide: there was a pier in the middle of the river, but it is doubtful whether the bridge rested upon it; a man of the lightest weight felt the bridge totter under him, yet waggons heavily laden passed over without danger. The bridge was destroyed by the French in 1799.

Triangular bridge at Croyland abbey referred to in a charter dated

A stone bridge erected at Bow, near Stratford, by queen Matilda

Bishop's bridge, Norwich.

London bridge: one existed about 978; one built of wood, 1014: one by Peter of Colechurch, 11761209; new bridge finished

churches for charitable purposes are now discontinued. A lawyer's brief is an abridgment of his client's case.

BRIENNE (N. E. France). Here the allied armies of Russia and Prussia, under Blücher, were defeated by the French, 29 Jan. 1814.

BRIGANDAGE: for recent cases, see Italy, 1861-71; Greece, 1870; Spain, 1870.

BRIGHTON, formerly Brighthelmstone, a fishing town, Sussex, was made a place of fashionable resort by the prince of Wales, afterwards George IV.

Here Charles II. embarked for France after the battle of Worcester

943 about 1100-18

1295

.

Visit of the prince of Wales

1651 1782

He founded the Pavilion

1784

.

1831

1777

It was greatly enlarged and made to resemble the Kremlin at Moscow, 1784-1823; sold to the town for 53,000l..

1849

The Block-house swept away

26 March, 1786

1796

Part of the cliff fell; great damage

16 Nov. 1807

1825

The first large iron bridge erected over the Severn, Shropshire

Sunderland bridge by Wilson, 100 feet high, an arch, with a span of 236 feet

The chain suspension bridge at Menai Strait Old Westminster, opened, 1750; old Blackfriars, 1759; Waterloo, 1817; Southwark, 1819; Hungerford, 1845; Chelsea, 1858: Vauxhall, 1816. A railway bridge 24 miles long projected over the Firth of Forth (not executed) The very wide Victoria bridge, over the Thames (by which the London, Chatham and Dover railway enters the Victoria station, Pimlico); founded by lord Harris

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22 Feb. 1865 For details see separate articles, and also Tubular bridge, Niagara, Victoria bridge, &c. New York and Brooklyn bridge, 5862 feet long; 1600 central span; 130 feet high; (erecting) July, 1872

BRIDGEWATER, Somersetshire, was incorporated by king John, in 1200. In the war between Charles I. and the parliament, the king's forces burnt part of the town, 1643. Here stood an ancient castle in which the ill-advised duke of Monmouth lodged when proclaimed king in 1685. The town was disfranchised for bribery, 1870.

BRIDGEWATER CANAL, the first great work of the kind in England, was begun by the duke of Bridgewater, the father of canal navigation in this country, in 1759, and opened 17 July, 1761. James Brindley was the engineer. It commences at Worsley, seven miles from Manchester; and at Barton Bridge is an aqueduct which, for upwards of 200 yards, conveys the canal across the river Irwell. The length of the canal is about twentynine miles.

BRIDGEWATER TREATISES. The rev. Francis, earl of Bridgewater, died in April, 1829, leaving by will 8,000l. to be given to the author or authors, appointed by the president of the Royal Society, who should write an essay "on the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, as manifested in the creation." The essays (by sir Charles Bell, Drs. T. Chalmers, John Kidd, William Buckland, William Prout, Peter M. Roget, and the revs. William Whewell and William Kirby) were published 183335

Chain-pier, 1134 feet long, 13 wide, completed 1823
Brighton made a parliamentary borough
The railway to London opened

1832

. 21 Sept. 1841

Collision of trains in Clayton tunnel, 23 persons

killed and many wounded. 25 Aug. 1861 Volunteer reviews here on Easter Mondays, 1862-6-1870-2 1865-6 New pier erected Great aquarium inaugurated by prince Arthur, 30 Mar. ; and formally opened by the mayor, 10 Aug. 1872 British Association meet here 14 Aug.,,

BRILL or BRIEL, Holland. A seaport, seized by the expelled Dutch confederates, became the seat of their independence, 1572. Brill, given up to the English in 1585 as security for advances made by queen Elizabeth to Holland, was restored in 1616.

BRISSOTINS, see Girondists.

BRISTOL (W. England), built by Brennus, a British prince, 380 B.C., is mentioned in A.D. 430 as a fortified city. It was called Caer Oder, a city in the valley of Bath; and, sometimes Caer Brito, the British city, and by the Saxons Brightstowe, pleasant place. Gildas and Nennius speak of Bristol in the 5th and 7th centuries. From the 12th to the 18th century it was, next to London, the most flourishing port in England; it has since been surpassed by Liverpool. See under Orphan-houses. Taken by the earl of Gloucester, in his defence of his sister Maud, the empress, against king Stephen

Eleanor of Brittany (daughter of Geoffrey, son of Henry II.) dies in the castle after 39 years' imprisonment

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BRIEFS are the letters of the pope despatched Riot on account of a toll; the troops fire on the

to princes and others on public affairs, and usually written short, without preface or preamble, and on paper; in which particulars they are distinguished from bulls. The latter are ample, and written on parchment. Briefs are sealed with red wax and the seal of the fisherman, or St. Peter in a boat, and alway in the presence of the pope. The queen's letters, called "briefs," authorising collections in

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Trial of rioters (four executed); 22 transported,

2 Jan.; suicide of col. Brereton, during trial by court-martial

.9 Jan. 1832 Aug. 1836 30 June, 1841 8 Dec. 1864 19 Sept. 1865 BRISTOL, SEE OF, one of the six bishoprics erected by Henry VIII. out of the spoils of the dissolved monasteries, 1542. The cathedral was the church of the abbey of St. Austin, founded here by Robert Fitz-Harding, son to a king of Denmark, and a citizen of Bristol, 1148. The see is valued in the king's books at 3381. 88. 4d. Paul Bushe, provincial of the Bons-hommes, was the first bishop, in 1542deprived for being married, 1554. The see of Bristol was united by an order in council with that of Gloucester, in 1836. The cathedral (under repair since 1844) was reopened in 1861.

Meeting of British Association.
Railway to London completed
Clifton suspension-bridge opened
Industrial Exhibition opened

BISHOPS OF BRISTOL.

1803. Hon. G. Pelham, translated to Exeter, 1807.
1807. John Luxmoore, translated to Hereford, 1808.
1808. Wm. Lort Mansell, died, 27 June, 1820.
1820. John Kaye, translated to Lincoln, 1827.
1827. Robert Gray, died 28 Sept. 1834.
1834. Joseph Allen, the last bishop, translated to Ely
in June, 1836. (In October the diocese was
united with Gloucester.)

BRITAIN (called by the Romans Britannia,* from its Celtic name Prydhain, Camden). The earliest records of the history of this island are the manuscripts and poetry of the Cambrians. The Celts, the ancestors of the Britons and modern Welsh, were the first inhabitants of Britain. It is referred to as the Cassiterides or tin-islands by Herodotus, 450 B.C.; as Albion and Ierne (England and Ireland) by Aristotle, 350 B.C., and Polybius, 260 B.C. Britain, including England, Scotland, and Wales, was anciently called Albion, the name of Britain being applied to all the islands collectively-Albion to only one. Pliny; see Albion, England, Scotland, and Wales.

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748. Ethelbert II.,

760. Alric,

26 Aug.

55

Cymbeline (Cunobelin), king of Britain

Second invasion; he defeats Cassivelaunus, British general

54

4

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Caractacus defeated by Ostorius, 50; carried in chains to Rome

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Romans defeated by Boadicea, queen of the Iceni: 70,000 slain, and London burnt: she is defeated by Suetonius; 80,000 slain

61

Agricola, governor, conquers Anglesey, and overruns Britain in seven campaigns, and reforms the government

He defeats the Caledonians under Galgacus; sur-
renders the islands

The emperor Adrian visits Britain, 120; and builds
a wall from the Tyne to the Solway
Lucius, king of the Britons, said to have sent an
embassy on religious affairs to pope Eleutherius,

78-84

84

121

SOUTH SAXONS. [Sussex and Surrey.]

491. Ella, a warlike prince, succeeded by

514. Cissa, his son, whose reign was long and peaceful, exceeding 70 years.

[The South Saxons then fell into an almost total de-
pendence on the kingdom of Wessex.]

648. Edilwald, Edilwach, Adelwach, or Ethelwach.
686. Authun and Berthun, brothers; reigned jointly:
vanquished by Ina, king of Wessex, 689; kingdom
conquered in 725.

WEST SAXONS. [Berks, Hampshire, Wilts, Somerset,
Dorset, Devon, and part of Cornwall.]

519. Cerdic.
about 181 534. Cynric, or Kenric, son of Cerdic.
560. Ceawlin, son of Cynric; banished; dies in 593.
591. Ceolric, nephew to Ceawlin.

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€35. Cadwallo: went to Rome, to expiate his deeds of blood, and died there.

688. Ina or Inas, a brave and wise ruler; journeyed to Rome; left an excellent code of laws.

728. Ethelheard, or Ethelard, related to Ina. 740. Cuthred, brother to Ethelheard.

754. Sigebright, or Sigebert, having murdered his friend Cumbran, governor of Hampshire, was slain by one of his victim's retainers.

755- Cynewulf, or Kenwulf, or Cenulpe, a noble youth of the line of Cerdic; murdered.

784. Bertric, or Beorhtric; poisoned by drinking of a cup his queen had prepared for another.

800. EGBERT, afterwards sole monarch of England, and Bretwalda.

EAST SAXONS. [Essex, Middlesex, and part of Herts.] 526, 527, or 530, Erchenwin, or Erchwine. 587. Sledda; his son.

597. St. Sebert, or Sabert; son; first Christian king. 614. Saxred or Sexted, or Serred, jointly with Sigebert

and Seward; all slain.

623. Sigebert II. surnamed the little; son of Seward. 655. Sigebert III. surnamed the good; brother of Sebert: put to death.

661. Swithelm (or Suidhelm), son of Sexbald.

663. Sigher, or Sigeric, jointly with Sebbi, or Sebba, who became a monk.

693. Sigenard, or Sigehard, and Suenfrid. 700 Offa; became a monk at Rome.

709. Suebricht, or Selred.

738. Swithred, or Swithed; a long reign. 792. Sigeric; died in a pilgrimage to Rome. 799. Sigered.

823. Kingdom seized by EGBERT of Wessex.

NORTHUMBRIA. [Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, and Northumberland.]

Northumbria was at first divided into two governments, Bernicia and Deira; the former stretching from the Tweed to the Tyne, and the latter from the Tyne to the Humber.

547. Ida, a valiant Saxon.

560. Adda, his eldest son; king of Bernicia.

Ella, king of Deira; afterwards the sole king of
Northumbria (to 587).

567. Glappa, Clappa, or Elapea: Bernicia.

572. Heodwulf; Bernicia

573. Freodwulf; Bernicia,

580. Theodoric; Bernicia.

588. Ethelric; Bernicia.

593. Ethelfrith, surnamed the Fierce.

617. Edwin, son of Ella, king of Deira in 590; a great prince. Slain in battle with Penda, of Mercia. 634. Eanfrid rules in Bernicia, and Osric in Deira; both put to death.

635. Oswald slain in battle.

642. Osweo, or Oswy; a reign of great renown. 670. Ecfrid, or Egfrid, king of Northumbria.

685. Alefrid, or Ealdferth.

705. Osred, or Ealdferth.

716. Cenric; sprung from Ida.

718. Osric, son of Alefrid.

729. Ceolwulf; died a monk.

737. Eadbert, or Egbert; retired to a monastery, 757. Oswulf, or Osulf; slain in a sedition. 759. Edilwald, or Mollo; slain by Alred. 765. Alred, Ailred, or Alured; deposed. 774. Ethelred, son of Mollo; expelled.

778. Elwald, or Celwold; deposed and slain. 789. Osred, son of Alred; fled.

790. Ethelred restored; afterwards slain. 794. Erdulf, or Ardulf; deposed.

806. Alfwold.

808. Erdulf restored.

809. Eanred.

841. Kingdom annexed by EGBERT.

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629. Sigebert, half-brother to Erpwald. 632. Egfrid, or Egric; cousin to Sigebert. 635. Anna, or Annas; a just ruler; killed. 654. Ethelric, or Ethelhere; slain in battle. 655. Ethelwald; his brother. 664. Aldulf, or Aldwulf. 713. Selred, or Ethelred. 746. Alphwuld.

749. Beorna and Ethelred, jointly. 758. Beorna alone.

761. Ethelred.

790. Ethelbert, or Ethelbryght; treacherously put to death in Mercia in 792, when Offa, king of Mercia, overran the country, which was finally subdued by EGBERT.

870. St. Edmund (vassal king) slain by the Danes. MERCIA. [Gloucester, Hereford, Chester, Stafford, Worcester, Oxford, Salop, Warwick, Derby, Leicester, Bucks, Northampton, Notts, Lincoln, Bedford, Rutland, Huntingdon, and part of Herts.]

586. Crida, or Cridda, a noble chieftain. 593. [Interregnum-Ceolric.]

597. Wibba, a valiant prince, his son.
615. Ceorl, or Cheorl; nephew of Wibba.

626. Penda; fierce and cruel; killed in battle.
655. Peada, son of Penda; killed to make way for
656. Wulfhere (brother); slew his two sons.
675. Ethelred; became a monk.

704. Cenred, or Cendred; became a monk at Rome.
709. Ceolred, Celred, or Chelred; son of Ethelred.
716. Ethelbald; slain in a mutiny by his successor,
755. Beornred, or Bernred; himself slain.

Offa; formed the great dyke near Wales.

794. Egfrid, or Egferth, son of Offa; died suddenly. Cenulph, Cenwulf, or Kenulph; slain.

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819. Kenelm, or Cenelm, a minor; reigned five months; killed by his sister Quendreda.

Ceolwulf, uncle to Kenelm; expelled. 821. Beornwulf; killed by his own subjects. 823. Ludecan; a valiant ruler; slain. 825. Withlafe, or Wiglaf.

838. Berthulf, or Bertulf.

852. Burhred, or Burdred.

874. Ceolwulph; deposed by the Danes, 877[The kingdom merged into that of England.] BRITANNIA TUBULAR BRIDGE, see Tubular Bridge.

BRITANNY, see Brittany.

BRITISH, see Architects; Antiquaries; Banks, Joint Stock; Guiana, Honduras, National, Medical, Orphans, Societies.

BRITISH AMERICA (see America) comprises the dominion of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward's Island, Labrador, British Columbia and Vancouver's Island. Population about 3,648,000 (1871).

Delegates from the first six provinces met at Quebec on 10 Oct., and agreed to the basis of a Federal union, with the queen as the executive (represented by the governor-general), a legislative council of 96 members for life, and a house of commons of 194 members, 20 Oct. 1864.

The secretary for the colonies, Mr. Cardwell, expressed his approval of the plan, 3 Dec. 1864.

The plan opposed by New Brunswick, 7 March, 1865. Messrs. Cartier and Galt came to England to advocate it, April, 1865.

Act for the union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, under the name of "the dominion of Canada," brought into parliament by the earl of Carnarvon, 19 Feb., passed 29 March, 1867.

(The British government guaranteed a subsidy of 3,000,000l. to complete the intercolonial railway.) By the British North America act, the parliament of Canada may establish new provinces, 29 June, 1871.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION for the Advancement of Science, was established by sir David Brewster, sir R. I. Murchison, &c., in 1831. Professor John Phillips was secretary till 1863. It holds

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