I. annals of a people, when their first leaders, known CHAP. in any true hiftory, were believed by them to be the fourth in defcent from a fabulous deity, or from a man exalted by ignorance into that character. The dark industry of antiquaries, led by imaginary analogies of names, or by uncertain traditions, would in vain attempt to pierce into that deep obfcurity which covers the remote hiftory of thofe nations. THESE two brothers, obferving the other provinces of Germany to be occupied by a warlike and neceffitous people, and the rich provinces of Gaul already conquered or over-run by other German tribes, found it eafy to perfuade their countrymen to embrace the fole enterprize which promised a favourable opportunity of difplaying their valour and gratifying their avidity. They embarked their troops in three veffels, and, about the year 449 or 450, carried over 1600 men, who landed in the ifle of Thanet, and immediately marched to the defence of the Britons against the northern invaders. The Scots and Picts were unable to refift the valour of these auxiliaries; and the Britons, applauding their own wisdom in calling over the Saxons, hoped thenceforth to enjoy peace and fecurity under the powerful protection of that warlike people. BUT Hengift and Horfa perceiving, from their eafy victory over the Scots and Picts, with what facility they might fubdue the Britons themselves, who had not been able to refift thofe feeble invaders, were determined to conquer and fight for their own grandeur, not for the defence of their degenerate allies. They fent intelligence to Saxony of the fertility and riches of Britain; and reprefented as certain the fubjection of a people fo long difufed to arms, who, being now cut off from the Roman empire, of which they had been a province during fo many ages, had not yet acquired any union Saxon Chronicle, p. 12. Gul. Malm. p. 11. Huntington, lib. 2. among I. CHAP. among themselves, and were deftitute of all affec tion to their new liberties, and of all national attach→ ments and regards'. The vices and pufillanimity of Vortigern, the British leader, were a new ground of hope; and the Saxons in Germany, following fuch agreeable profpects, foon reinforced Hengift and Horfa with 5000 men, who came over in seventeen veffels. The Britons now began to entertain ap prehenfions of their allies, whofe numbers they found continually augmenting; but thought of no remedy, except a paffive fubmiffion and connivance. This weak expedient foon failed them. The Saxons fought a quarrel, by complaining that their fubfidies were ill paid, and their provifions withdrawn*: And immediately taking off the mask, they formed an alliance with the Picts and Scots, and proceeded to open hoftility againft the Britons. THE Britons, impelled by thefe violent extremities, and roused to indignation against their treacherous auxiliaries, were neceffitated to take arms; and having depofed Vortigern, who had become odious from his vices, and from the bad event of his rafh counfels, they put themselves under the command of his fon Vortimer. They fought many battles with their enemies; and though the victories in these actions be difputed between the British and Saxon annalists, the progrefs ftill made by the Saxons proves that the advantage was commonly on their fide. In one battle, however, fought at Eglesford, now Ailsford, Horfa, the Saxon general, was flain, and left the fole command over his countrymen in the hands of Hengift. This active general, continually reinforced by fresh numbers from Germany, carried devaftation into the moft remote corners of Britain; and being chiefly anxious to fpread the terror of his arms, he fpared neither age, nor fex, nor condition, wherever he marched with his victorious 1 Chron. Sax. p. 12. Ann. Bevel. p. 49. cap. 15. Nonius, cap. 35. Gildas, § 23. k Bede, lib. 1. forces. forces. The private and public edifices of the Bri- CHA P. tons were reduced to afhes: The priests were flaughtered on the altars by thofe idolatrous ravagers : The bishops and nobility fhared the fate of the vulgar: The people, flying to the mountains and deferts, were intercepted and butchered in heaps: Some were glad to accept of life and fervitude under their victors: Others, deferting their native country, took fhelter in the province of Armorica; where, being charitably received by a people of the fame language and manners, they fettled in great numbers, and gave the country the name of Brittany1. THE British writers affign one caufe which facilitated the entrance of the Saxons into this ifland; the love with which Vortigern was at firft feized for Rovena, the daughter of Hengift, and which that artful warrior made ufe of to blind the eyes of the imprudent monarch". The fame hiftorians add, that Vortimer died; and that Vortigern, being reftored to the throne, accepted of a banquet from Hengift at Stonehenge, where 300 of his nobility were treacherously flaughtered, and himself detained captive". But thefe ftories feem to have been invented by the Welth authors, in order to palliate the weak refiftance made at firft by their countrymen, and to account for the rapid progrefs and licentious devaftations of the Saxons °. AFTER the death of Vortimer, Ambrofius, a Briton, though of Roman defcent, was invested, with the command over his countrymen, and endeavoured, not without fuccefs, to unite them in their refiftance against the Saxons. Those contefts increased the animofity between the two nations, and roused the military fpirit of the ancient inhabitants, which had before been funk into a fatal lethargy. 1 Bede, lib. 1. cap. 15. Usher, p. 226. Gildas, § 24. Hengift, I. CHAP. Hengift, however, notwithstanding their oppofition, ftill maintained his ground in Britain; and in order to divide the forces and attention of the natives, hẹ called over a new tribe of Saxons, under the command of his brother Octa, and of Ebiffa, the son of Octa; and he fettled them in Northumberland. He himself remained in the fouthern parts of the island, and laid the foundation of the kingdom of Kent, comprehending the county of that name, Middlefex, Effex, and part of Surry. He fixed his royal feat at Canterbury; where he governed about forty years, and he died in or near the year 488; leaving his new-acquired dominions to his pofterity. THE fuccefs of Hengift excited the avidity of the other northern Germans; and at different times, and under different leaders, they flocked over in multitudes to the invasion of this ifland. These conquerors were chiefly compofed of three tribes, the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes', who all paffed under the common appellation, fometimes of Saxons, fometimes of Angles; and speaking the fame language, and being governed by the fame inftitutions, they were naturally led, from thefe caufes as well as from their common intereft, to unite themselves against the ancient inhabitants. The refiftance however, though unequal, was ftiil maintained by the Britons; but became every day more feeble: And their calamities admitted of few intervals, till they were driven into Cornwal and Wales, and received protection from the remote fituation or inacceflible mountains of thofe countries. THE firft Saxon ftate, after that of Kent, which was established in Britain, was the kingdom of South-Saxony. In the year 477, Ælla, a Saxon Bede, lib. 1. cap. 15. Ethelwerd, p. 833. edit. Camdeni. Chron. Sax. p. 12. Ann. Beverl. p. 78. The inhabitants of Kent and the itle of Wight were Jutes. Effex, Middlesex, Surry, Suffex, and all the fouthern counties to Cornwal, were peopled by Saxons: Mercia, and other parts of the kingdom, were inhabited by Angles. Chron. Sax. p. 14. Ann. Beverl. p. 81. I. chief, brought over an army from Germany; and CHAP. landing on the fouthern coaft, proceeded to take poffeffion of the neighbouring territory. The Britons, now armed, did not tamely abandon their poffeffions; nor were they expelled, till defeated in many battles by their warlike invaders. The most memorable action, mentioned by hiftorians, is that of Meacredes-Burn'; where, though the Saxons seem to have obtained the victory, they fuffered fo confiderable a lofs, as fomewhat retarded the progrefs of their conquefts. But Ella, reinforced by fresh numbers of his countrymen, again took the field against the Britons; and laid fiege to AndredCeafter, which was defended by the garrifon and inhabitants with defperate valour. The Saxons, enraged by this refiftance, and by the fatigues and dangers which they had fuftained, redoubled their efforts against the place, and when mafters of it, put all their enemies to the fword without diftinction. This decifive advantage fecured the conquefts of Ella, who affumed the name of King, and extended his dominion over Suffex and a great part of Surry. He was stopped in his progrefs to the east by the kingdom of Kent: In that to the weft by another tribe of Saxons, who had taken poffeffion of that territory. THESE Saxons, from the fituation of the country in which they fettled, were called the Weft-Saxons, and landed in the year 495, under the command of Cerdic, and of his fon Kenric'. The Britons were, by past experience, fo much on their guard, and fo well prepared to receive the enemy, that they gave battle to Cerdic the very day of his landing, and though vanquished, ftill defended, for fome time, their liberties against the invaders. None of the other tribes of Saxons met with fuch vigorous refistance, or exerted fuch valour and perfeverance in Hen. Hunting. Will, Malm. lib. 1. cap. 1. p. 12. Chron. Sax. p. 15. pushing Saxon Chron. A. D. 435. Flor. Wigorn. lib. z. C 4 |