A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE For the next hundred years the shire remained a part of the great ealdordom of the Mercians with no distinct history. It was not included in the ealdordom of Leofwine, ' dux Wicciarum provinciarum,' separated from Mercia before 994/° which apparently corresponded to the old diocese of Worcester, including Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and part of Warwickshire," for when Eadric, who became ealdorman of the Mercians in 1007, with premeditated double treachery deserted Cnut in 10 16 and joined Eadmund at Aylesford he brought over the Magesaetas with him. Later in the year at Assandun Eadric and the Magesaetas set an example of treacherous flight before a blow had been struck." In the subsequent partition of England, Mercia fell to Cnut. The death of Eadmund on 30 November and the acquisition of the whole kingdom by Cnut was followed in 10 17 by the appointment of Eadric Streona to the new office of earl of the Mercians.'" In the same year, however, Eadric was put to death. The subsequent distribution of the western provinces of Mercia is uncertain. Freeman believed that Leofwine, the ealdorman of the Hwiccas, was pro- moted to Eadric's earldom, but that Ranig was appointed at the same time to a new ealdordom, that of the Magesaetas. He certainly signed as ' dux ' in 1018,'^ though his name does not appear in connexion with any particular folk until 1 04 1. He probably held his office in subordination to the great earl Leofric.'" In 1041 the inhabitants of Worcestershire resisted Harthacnut's gelds and the citizens of Worcester slew two of his huscarles. In consequence the forces of the West Saxons, Northumbrians, and Mercians under their earls were called out against them, and Ranig, who is styled earl of the Magesaetas, also accompanied the expedition with his folk.'" The shire was harried and the city burned. Shortly after the accession of Edward the Confessor in 1042,'* possibly on the death of Ranig, Herefordshire was transferred to Swegen, Godwin's eldest son, whose earldom included also Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Somer- set, and Berkshire. This change removed the Magesaetas from Leofric's sphere of influence and placed them under the rival house of Godwin. It is noteworthy that this is the first designation of the district by Florence by its modern name of Herefordshire.'^ The chief event of Swegen's government was his interference in Welsh feuds. In 1045 Gruffydd ab Llywelyn, king of Gwynedd, was contesting the possession of South Wales with Gruffydd ab Rhydderch, and in the course of the campaign nearly all Deheubarth, which was coterminous with Herefordshire, was laid waste. In 1046 Swegen joined his forces to those of GrufFydd of Gwynedd, and took part in a successful campaign." On his return he sent for Eadgifu, abbess of Leo- '= Kemble, Cod. Difl. Nos. 696, 698, 1,303. " Freeman, Old Engl. Hist. 39, 82 ; 'Norman Conj. (1877), i, 738. '» Jng/.-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 258. " Jngl.-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 282, 283 ; Flor. Wore. Chron. (ed. Thorpe), i, 175-8 ; Simeon of Durham, Opera (Rolls Ser.), ii, 152. '" Angl.-^ax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 284, 285. Cod. Dipl. Nos. 728, 739, 755. " Freeman, Norman Conq. (1877), i, 520, ii, 573 ^^ Flor. Wore. Chron. i, 195-6. " Cod. Dipl. No. 767. Freeman thinks that Swegen was made an Earl at the Gem6t which placed Edward on the throne ; Norman Conq. ii, 367. " Flor. Wore. Chron. i, 205. Ramsay needlessly questions the accuracy of the list. Foundations of Engl. i, 440. '* Provincia Herefordensis. " Jngl.-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 302. 350
