Gents Mag 1856 part 1 p.408

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	Gentleman's Magazine 1856 part 1 p.408 was taken from it which now stands in Bewcastle churchyard. (Rev. J. Maughan.) Soon after their marriage, the "Alcfrith" and "Cyneburga" of the monument agreed to live together as brother and sister; and she gathered round her many young women, of noble as well as plebeian rank, who regarded her as their spiritual mother. "Oswu cyning elt" (Oswiu King the elder), father of Alcfrid, succeeded S. Oswald in 642. In many respects a good king, his memory is stained with the murder of S. Oswin, who had governed the provinceof Deira for seven yeras, in 650. By Oswiu's persuassions, Sigebert, King of the East Saxons, was converted to Christianity, and baptised at Walbottle, A.D. 654. "Eanflaed Cyngn," also named on the column, was the second wife of Oswiu, and the early patroness of St. Wilfrid - the "Wilfrid preaster" of the stone. "Ecgfrid cyning," son of Oswiu, appears to have borne the title of king in the lifetime of his father - to whose throne he succeeded in 670, and ruled one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms in the heptarchy. Of "Oslaac cyning," whose name is written on the monument, we have but one notice in history. Under the year 617, the Saxon Chronicle names him as an AEtheling driven out by Edwin, after his victory over Ethelfrid. Thus, as in a Saxon charter, after the act of donation, we have the names, in order of their dignity, of the witnesses thereto, so here, on the funeral monument of King Alcfrid, after the inscription to his memory, we have the names of those who, we may believe, assisted at his obsequies - his father Oswiu, his mother-in-law Queen Eanfled, his widow Cyneburga, his uncle Oslac, his brother Ecgfrid, and his chaplain Wilfrid, bishop-elect of York; and, above them all, the holy name of Jesus, reminding us of that beautiful prayer which is to be found in some ancient liturgies:- "Almighty and everlasting God, who hast created and redeemed us, mercifully regard our prayers, that, Thy grace being poured into our hearts, we may rejoice that our names are written in heaven beneath the glorious name of Jesus, the head of the book of eternal predestination, through the same Jesus Christ out Lord." ... ...
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