has feldom wanted the imputation of cruelty, as thofe terrors which are opposed without fear, are often inflicted without regret. The Saxons are reprefented as a very cruel nation; but, we must remember, that their enemies have drawn the picture.

It was upon this people, that Vortigern turned his eyes for fuccour against the Picts and Scots, whofe cruelties, perhaps, were still more flagrant. It certainly was not without the most preffing invitations, that the Saxons. deigned to efpouse their caufe; and we are yet in poffeffion of the form of their requeft, as left us by Wittichindus, a cotemporary historian of fome credit. "The poor and diftreffed Britons, "almost worn out by hoftile invasions, and

harraffed by continual incurfions, are hum"ble fuppliants to you, moft valiant Saxons, "for fuccour. We are poffeffed of a wide, ex“tended, and a fertile country; this we yield "wholly to be at your devotion and command. "Beneath the wings of your valour we seek "for fafety, and shall willingly undergo what"ever services you may hereafter be pleased "to impofe."

It was no difagreeable circumftance to these conquerors, to be thus invited into a country which they had, for ages before, been D 3 forming

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forming defigns. In confequence, therefore, of Vortigern's folemn invitation, they arrived with fifteen hundred men, under the command of Hengift and Horfa, who were brothers, and landed on the ifle of Thanet. There they did not long remain inactive; but, being joined by the British forces, they boldly marched against the Picts and Scots, who had advanced as far as Lincolnshire, and foon gained a complete victory over them.

Hengift and Horfa poffeffed great credit among their countrymen at home, and had been much celebrated for their valour and the fplendor of their descent. They were believed to be fprung from Woden, who was worshipped as a God among this people, and were faid to be no more than the fourth in defcent from him. This report, how fabulous foever, did not a little contribute to encrease their authority among their affociates; and being fenfible of the fertility of the country to which they came, and the barrennefs of that which they had left behind, they invited over great numbers of their countrymen to become sharers in their new expedition. It was no difficult matter to perfuade the Saxons to embrace an enterprize, which promifed at once, an opportunity of difplaying their valour, and of re

warding

warding their rapacity. Accordingly, they fent A. D. 450. over a fresh supply of five thousand men, who paffed over in seventeen veffels.

It was now, but too late, that the Britons began to entertain apprehenfions of their new allies, whofe numbers they found augmenting as their fervices became lefs neceffary. They had long found their chief protection in pasfive fubmiffion; and they refolved, upon this occafion, to bear every encroachment with patient refignation. But the Saxons being determined to come to a rupture with them, eafily found a pretext, in complaining, that their fubfidies were ill paid, and their provifions. withdrawn. They therefore, demanded that thefe grievances fhould be immediately redreffed, otherwife they would do themselves justice; and, in the mean time, they engaged in a treaty with the Picts, whom they had been. called in to reprefs. The Britons, impelled by the urgency of their calamities, at length took up arms; and having depofed Vortigern, by whofe counsel and vices they were thus reduced to an extremity, they put themselves under the command of Vortimer, his fon. Many were the battles fought between these enraged nations, their hatred to each other being still more enflamed by the difference of their reli

gion, the Britons being all Chriftians, and the Saxons still remaining in a state of idolatry. There is little to entertain the reader in the narration of battles, where rather obftinate valour than prudent conduct procured the victory; and, indeed, the accounts given us of them are very oppofite, when described by Britifh and Saxon annalifts. However, the progrefs the latter still made in the island, fufficiently proves the advantage to have been on their fide; although, in a battle fought at Eglesford, Horfa, the Saxon general, was flain.

But a fingle victory, or even a repetition of fuccefs, could avail but little against an enemy continually reinforced from abroad; for Hengift, now becoming fole commander, and procuring conftant fupplies from his native country, carried devastation into the most remote corners of Britain. Chiefly anxious to spread the terror of his arms, he fpared neither fex, age, or condition, but laid all the country defolate before him. The priests and bishops found no protection from their facred calling, but were flaughtered upon their altars. The people were maffacred in heaps; and fome, chufing life upon the most abject terms, were contented to become flaves to the victors. It was about this time, that numbers, deferting

their native country, fled over to the province of Armorica, fince called Brittany, where they fettled in great numbers, among a people of the fame manners and language with themselves.

The British hiftorians, in order to account for the eafy conqueft of their country by the Saxons, affign their treachery, not lefs than their valour, as a principal caufe. They alledge that Vortigern was artfully inveigled into a paffion for Rowena, the daughter of Hengift; and, in order to marry her, was induced to fettle the fertile provinces of Kent upon her father, from whence the Saxons could never after be removed. It

is alledged alfo that, upon the death of Vortimer, which happened fhortly after the victory he obtained at Eglesford, Vortigern his father was reinstated upon the throne. It is added that this weak monarch accepting of a festival from Hengift, three hundred of his nobility were treacherously flaughtered, and himself detained as a captive.

Be these facts as they may, it is certain that the affairs of the Britons gradually declined, and they found but a temporary relief in the valour of one or two of their fucceeding kings, After the death of Vortimer, Ambrofius, a Briton, though of Roman defcent, was invested with the command, and in fome measure proved

fuc