other feemed to encrease in the fame proportion.

During these struggles the British youth were frequently drawn away into Gaul, to give ineffectual fuccour to the various contenders for the empire, who, falling in every attempt, only left the name of tyrants behind them. In the mean time, as the Roman forces decreased in Britain, the Picts and Scots continued ftill more boldly to infeft the northern parts; and croffing the friths, which the Romans could not guard, in little wicker boats, covered with leather, filled the country whereever they came with flaughter and confternation. When repulfed by fuperior numbers, as was at firft always the cafe, they retired with the fpoil, and watched for the next opportunity of invafion, when the Romans were drawn away into the remoter parts of the island.

Thefe enterprises were often repeated, and as often repreffed, but ftill with diminishing vigour on the fide of the defendants. The fouthern natives being accustomed to have recourfe to Rome, as well for protection as for laws, made fupplications to the emperors, and had one legion fent over for their defence. This relief was in the beginning attended with the defired effect, the barbarous invaders were re

pulfed

pulfed and driven back to their native deserts and mountains. They returned, however, when the Roman forces were withdrawn; and although they were again repulfed by the affiftance of a legion once more fent from Rome, yet they too well perceived the weakness of the enemy, and their own fuperior skill in arms.

At length, in the reign of Valentinian the Younger, the empire of Rome began to tremble for its capital, and being fatigued with diftant expeditions, informed the wretched Britons, whom their own arts had enfeebled, that they were now now no longer to expect foreign protection. They accordingly, drew away from the island all the Romans, and many of the Britons who were fit for military fervices. Thus, taking their last leave of the ifland, they left the natives to the choice of their own government and kings. They gave them the beft inftructions the calamitous times would permit, for exercifing their arms, and repairing their ramparts. They helped the natives to erect a new a wall of ftone built by the emperor Severus across the island, which they had not at that time artizans fkilful enough among themfelves to repair. Having thus prepared for their departure in a friendly manner, the Romans left the island, never more

to

to return, after having been mafters of it dur- A. D. 488. ing the courfe of near four centuries.

It may be doubted, whether the arts which
the Romans planted among the islanders were
not rather prejudicial than serviceable to them,

as they only contributed to invite the invader,
without furnishing the means of defence. If
we confider the many public ways, and villas
of pleasure that were then among them, the
many fchools inftituted for the inftruction of
youth, the numberlefs coins, ftatues, teffelated
pavements, and other curiofitics that were
common at that time, we can have no doubt
but that the Britons made a very confiderable
progrefs in the arts of peace, although they
declined in thofe of war. But, perhaps, an
attempt at once to introduce thefe advantages
will ever be ineffectual. The arts of peace
and refinement muft rife by flow degrees in
every country, and can never be propagated
with the fame rapidity by which new govern-
ments may be introduced. It will take, per-
haps, a course of fome centuries, before a bar-
barous people can entirely adopt the manners
of their conquerors; fo that all the pains be-
ftowed by the Romans in educating the Bri-
tons, only ferved to render them a more de-
firable object of invafion, and dressed them up
as victims for fucceeding flaughter.

CHAP.

30

CHA P. III.

The BRITONS and SAXONS.

THE

HE Britons being now left to themfelves, confidered their new liberties as their greateft calamity. They had been long taught to lean upon others for fupport; and that now taken away, they found themselves too feeble to make any oppofition. Far from practifing the leffons they had received from the Romans, they aggravated their misfortunes with unavailing complaints, which only ferved to render them ftill more contemptible. Unaccustomed both to the perils of war, and to the cares of civil government, they found themselves incapable of forming, or executing any measures for refifting the incurfions of their barbarous invaders. Though the Roman foldiers were drawn away, their families and defcendants were still spread over the face of the country, and left without a fingle perfon of conduct or courage to defend them. To complete the measure of their wretchedness, the few men of any note who remained among them, were infected with the ambition of being

foremost

foremost in command; and difregarding the common enemy, were engaged in diffenfions among each other.

In the mean time, the Picts and Scots uniting together, began to look upon Britain as their own, and attacked the northern wall with redoubled forces. This rampart, though formerly built of ftone, had been fome time before repaired with fods; and, confequently, was but ill fitted to reprefs the attacks of a perfevering enemy. The affailants, therefore, were not at the trouble of procuring military engines, or battering rams to overthrow it, but with iron hooks pulled down the inactive defenders from the top, and then undermined the fortification at their leifure. Having thus opened to themselves a paffage, they ravaged the whole country with impunity, while the Britons fought precarious fhelter in their woods and mountains.

In this exigence, the unhappy Britons had a third time recourfe to Rome, hoping to extort by importunity, that affiftance which was denied upon prudential motives. Atius, the renowned general of Valentinian, had about that time gained confiderable advantages over the Goths, and feemed to give fresh hopes of reftoring the Roman empire. It was to him. they