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diff --git a/old/brtns10.txt b/old/brtns10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7b8458 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/brtns10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1756 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of History Of The Britons, by Nennius + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +History Of The Britons (Historia Brittonum) by Nennius + +Translated by J. A. 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Nennius, the lowly minister and servant of the servants of +God, by the grace of God, disciple of St. Elbotus,* to all the +followers of truth sendeth health. +* Or Elvod, bishop of Bangor, A.D. 755, who first adopted in the +Cambrian church the new cycle for regulating Easter. + +Be it known to your charity, that being dull in intellect and +rude of speech, I have presumed to deliver these things in the +Latin tongue, not trusting to my own learning, which is little +or none at all, but partly from traditions of our ancestors, +partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of +Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans, and the chronicles +of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymus, Prosper, Eusebius, +and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons, although our +enemies, not following my own inclinations, but, to the best of +my ability, obeying the commands of my seniors; I have lispingly +put together this history from various sources, and have endeavored, +from shame, to deliver down to posterity the few remaining ears of +corn about past transactions, that they might not be trodden under +foot, seeing that an ample crop has been snatched away already by +the hostile reapers of foreign nations. For many things have been +in my way, and I, to this day, have hardly been able to understand, +even superficially, as was necessary, the sayings of other men; +much less was I able in my own strength, but like a barbarian, +have I murdered and defiled the language of others. But I bore +about with me an inward wound, and I was indignant, that the name +of my own people, formerly famous and distinguished, should sink +into oblivion, and like smoke be dissipated. But since, however, +I had rather myself be the historian of the Britons than nobody, +although so many are to be found who might much more satisfactorily +discharge the labour thus imposed on me; I humbly entreat my +readers, whose ears I may offend by the inelegance of my words, +that they will fulfil the wish of my seniors, and grant me the easy +task of listening with candour to my history. For zealous efforts +very often fail: but bold enthusiasm, were it in its power, would +not suffer me to fail. May, therefore, candour be shown where +the inelegance of my words is insufficient, and may the truth of +this history, which my rustic tongue has ventured, as a kind of +plough, to trace out in furrows, lose none of its influence from +that cause, in the ears of my hearers. For it is better to drink +a wholesome draught of truth from the humble vessel, than poison +mixed with honey from a golden goblet. + +2. And do not be loath, diligent reader, to winnow my chaff, and +lay up the wheat in the storehouse of your memory: for truth regards +not who is the speaker, nor in what manner it is spoken, but that +the thing be true; and she does not despise the jewel which she has +rescued from the mud, but she adds it to her former treasures. + +For I yield to those who are greater and more eloquent than myself, +who, kindled with generous ardour, have endeavoured by Roman +eloquence to smooth the jarring elements of their tongue, if they +have left unshaken any pillar of history which I wished to see +remain. This history therefore has been compiled from a wish to +benefit my inferiors, not from envy of those who are superior to +me, in the 858th year of our Lord's incarnation, and in the 24th +year of Mervin, king of the Britons, and I hope that the prayers +of my betters will be offered up for me in recompence of my labour. +But this is sufficient by way of preface. I shall obediently +accomplish the rest to the utmost of my power. + + + + +II. The Apology of Nennius + + + +Here begins the apology of Nennius, the historiographer of the +Britons, of the race of the Britons. + +3. I, Nennius, disciple of St. Elbotus, have endeavoured to write +some extracts which the dulness of the British nation had cast away, +because teachers had no knowledge, nor gave any information in +their books about this island of Britain. But I have got together +all that I could find as well from the annals of the Romans as from +the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Hieronymus, Eusebius, Isidorus, +Prosper, and from the annals of the Scots and Saxons, and from +our ancient traditions. Many teachers and scribes have attempted +to write this, but somehow or other have abandoned it from its +difficulty, either on account of frequent deaths, or the often +recurring calamities of war. I pray that every reader who shall +read this book, may pardon me, for having attempted, like a +chattering jay, or like some weak witness, to write these things, +after they had failed. I yield to him who knows more of these +things than I do. + + + + +III. The History. + + + +4, 5. From Adam to the flood, are two thousand and forty-two +years. From the flood of Abraham, nine hundred and forty-two. +>From Abraham to Moses, six hundred.* From Moses to Solomon, and +the first building of the temple, four hundred and forty-eight. +>From Solomon to the rebuilding of the temple, which was under +Darius, king of the Persians, six hundred and twelve years are +computed. From Darius to the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, +and to the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, are five hundred +and forty-eight years. So that from Adam to the ministry of +Christ and the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, are five +thousand two hundred and twenty-eight years. From the passion of +Christ are completed nine hundred and forty-six; from his incarnation, +nine hundred and seventy-six: being the fifth year of Edmund, king +of the Angles. +* And forty, according to Stevenson's new edition. The rest of +this chronology is much contracted in several of the manuscripts, +and hardly two of them contain it exactly the same. + +6. The first age of the world is from Adam to Noah; the second +from Noah to Abraham; the third from Abraham to David; the fourth +from David to Daniel; the fifth to John the Baptist; the sixth +from John to the judgment, when our Lord Jesus Christ will come +to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. + +The first Julius. The second Claudius. The third Severus. The +fourth Carinus. The fifth Constantius. The sixth Maximus. The +seventh Maximianus. The eighth another Severus Aequantius. The +ninth Constantius.* +* This list of the Roman emperors who visited Britain, is omitted +in many of the MSS. + +Here beginneth the history of the Britons, edited by Mark the +anchorite, a holy bishop of that people. + +7. The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a Roman +consul. Taken from the south-west point it inclines a little +towards the west, and to its northern extremity measures eight +hundred miles, and is in breadth two hundred. It contains thirty +three cities,[1] viz. + +1. Cair ebrauc (York). +2. Cair ceint (Canterbury). +3. Cair gurcoc (Anglesey?). +4. Cair guorthegern [2] +5. Cair custeint (Carnarvon). +6. Cair guoranegon (Worcester). +7. Cair segeint (Silchester). +8. Cair guin truis (Norwich, or Winwick). +9. Cair merdin (Caermarthen). +10. Cair peris (Porchester). +11. Cair lion (Caerleon-upon-Usk). +12. Cair mencipit (Verulam). +13. Cair caratauc (Catterick). +14. Cair ceri (Cirencester). +15. Cair glout (Gloucester). +16. Cair luillid (Carlisle). +17. Cair grant (Grantchester, now Cambridge). +18. Cair daun (Doncaster), or Cair dauri (Dorchester). +19. Cair britoc (Bristol). +20. Cair meguaid (Meivod). +21. Cair mauiguid (Manchester). +22. Cair ligion (Chester). +23. Cair guent (Winchester, or Caerwent, in Monmouthshire). +24. Cair collon (Colchester, or St. Colon, Cornwall). +25. Cair londein (London). +26. Cair guorcon (Worren, or Woran, in Pembrokeshire). +27. Cair lerion (Leicester). +28. Cair draithou (Drayton). +29. Cair pensavelcoit (Pevensey, in Sussex). +30. Cairtelm (Teyn-Grace, in Devonshire). +31. Cair Urnahc (Wroxeter, in Shropshire). +32. Cair colemion (Camelet, in Somersetshire). +33. Cair loit coit (Lincoln). +[1] V.R. Twenty-eight, twenty-one. +[2] Site unknown. + +These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of Britain. +it has also a vast many promontories, and castles innumerable, built +of brick and stone. Its inhabitants consist of four different +people; the Scots, the Picts, the Saxons and the ancient Britons. + +8. Three considerable islands belong to it; one, on the south, +opposite the Armorican shore, called Wight;* another between +Ireland and Britain, called Eubonia or Man; and another directly +north, beyond the Picts, named Orkney; and hence it was anciently +a proverbial expression, in reference to its kings and rulers, +"He reigned over Britain and its three islands." +* Inis-gueith, or Gueith. + +6. It is fertilized by several rivers, which traverse it in all +directions, to the east and west, to the south and north; but +there are two pre-eminently distinguished among the rest, the +Thames and the Severn, which formerly, like the two arms of Britain, +bore the ships employed in the conveyance of riches acquired by +commerce. The Britons were once very populous, and exercised +extensive dominion from sea to sea. + +10.* Respecting the period when this island became inhabited +subsequently to the flood, I have seen two distinct relations. +According to the annals of the Roman history, the Britons deduce +their origin both from the Greeks and Romans. On the side of the +mother, from Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus, king of Italy, and +of the race of Silvanus, the son of Inachus, the son of Dardanus; +who was the son of Saturn, king of the Greeks, and who, having +possessed himself of a part of Asia, built the city of Troy. +Dardanus was the father of Troius, who was the father of Priam and +Anchises; Anchises was the father of Aeneas, who was the father +of Ascanius and Silvius; and this Silvius was the son of Aeneas +and Lavinia, the daughter of the king of Italy. From the sons +of Aeneas and Lavinia descended Romulus and Remus, who were the +sons of the holy queen Rhea, and the founders of Rome. Brutus +was consul when he conquered Spain, and reduced that country to +a Roman province. He afterwards subdued the island of Britain, +whose inhabitants were the descendants of the Romans, from Silvius +Posthumus. He was called Posthumus because he was born after the +death of Aeneas his father; and his mother Lavinia concealed +herself during her pregnancy; he was called Silvius, because he +was born in a wood. Hence the Roman kings were called Silvan, +and the Britons from Brutus, and rose from the family of Brutus. +* The whole of this, as far as the end of the paragraph, is +omitted in several MSS. + +Aeneas, after the Trojan war, arrived with his son in Italy; and +Having vanquished Turnus, married Lavinia, the daughter of king +Latinus, who was the son of Faunus, the son of Picus, the son of +Saturn. After the death of Latinus, Aeneas obtained the kingdom +Of the Romans, and Lavinia brought forth a son, who was named +Silvius. Ascanius founded Alba, and afterwards married. And +Lavinia bore to Aeneas a son, named Silvius; but Ascanius [1] +married a wife, who conceived and became pregnant. And Aeneas, +having been informed that his daughter-in-law was pregnant, ordered +his son to send his magician to examine his wife, whether the child +conceived were male or female. The magician came and examined the +wife and pronounced it to be a son, who should become the most +valiant among the Italians, and the most beloved of all men. [2] +In consequence of this prediction, the magician was put to death +by Ascanius; but it happened that the mother of the child dying +at its birth, he was named Brutus; ad after a certain interval, +agreeably to what the magician had foretold, whilst he was playing +with some others he shot his father with an arrow, not intentionally +but by accident. [3] He was, for this cause, expelled from Italy, +and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea, when he was exiled +on account of the death of Turnus, slain by Aeneas. He then went +among the Gauls, and built the city of the Turones, called Turnis. [4] +At length he came to this island named from him Britannia, dwelt +there, and filled it with his own descendants, and it has been +inhabited from that time to the present period. +[1] Other MSS. Silvius. +[2] V.R. Who should slay his father and mother, and be hated by +all mankind. +[3] V.R. He displayed such superiority among his play-fellows, +that they seemed to consider him as their chief. +[4] Tours. + +11. Aeneas reigned over the Latins three years; Ascanius thirty +three years; after whom Silvius reigned twelve years, and Posthumus +thirty-nine * years: the latter, from whom the kings of Alba are +called Silvan, was brother to Brutus, who governed Britain at the +time Eli the high-priest judged Israel, and when the ark of the +covenant was taken by a foreign people. But Posthumus his brother +reigned among the Latins. +* V.R. Thirty-seven. + +12. After an interval of not less than eight hundred years, came +the Picts, and occupied the Orkney Islands: whence they laid waste +many regions, and seized those on the left hand side of Britain, +where they still remain, keeping possession of a third part of +Britain to this day. * +* See Bede's Eccles. Hist. + +13. Long after this, the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain. +The first that came was Partholomus,[1] with a thousand men and +women; these increased to four thousand; but a mortality coming +suddenly upon them, they all perished in one week. The second +was Nimech, the son of...,[2] who, according to report, after +having been at sea a year and a half, and having his ships shat- +tered, arrived at a port in Ireland, and continuing there several +years, returned at length with his followers to Spain. After these +came three sons of a Spanish soldier with thirty ships, each of +which contained thirty wives; and having remained there during the +space of a year, there appeared to them, in the middle of the sea, +a tower of glass, the summit of which seemed covered with men, to +whom they often spoke, but received no answer. At length they +determined to besiege the tower; and after a year's preparation, +advanced towards it, with the whole number of their ships, and all +the women, one ship only excepted, which had been wrecked, and in +which were thirty men, and as many women; but when all had disem- +barked on the shore which surrounded the tower, the sea opened and +swallowed them up. Ireland, however, was peopled, to the present +period, from the family remaining in the vessel which was wrecked. +Afterwards, other came from Spain, and possessed themselves of +various parts of Britain. +[1] V.R. Partholomaeus, or Bartholomaeus. +[2] A blank is here in the MS. Agnomen is found in some of the +others. + +14. Last of all came one Hoctor,[1] who continued there, and whose +descendants remain there to this day. Istoreth, the son of +Istorinus, with his followers, held Dalrieta; Buile had the island +Eubonia, and other adjacent places. The sons of Liethali[2] obtained +the country of the dimetae, where is a city called Menavia,[3] and +the province Guiher and Cetgueli, [4] which they held till they +were expelled from every part of Britain, by Cunedda and his sons. +[1] V.R. Damhoctor, Clamhoctor, and Elamhoctor. +[2] V.R. Liethan, Bethan, Vethan. +[3] St. David's. +[4] Guiher, probably the Welsh district Gower. Cetgueli is Caer +Kidwelly, in Carmarthenshire. + +15. According to the most learned among the Scots, if any one +desires to learn what I am now going to state, Ireland was a +desert, and uninhabited, when the children of Israel crossed the +Red Sea, in which, as we read in the Book of the Law, the Egyptians +who followed them were drowned. At that period, there lived among +this people, with a numerous family, a Scythian of noble birth, +who had been banished from his country and did not go to pursue +the people of God. The Egyptians who were left, seeing the +destruction of the great men of their nation, and fearing lest he +should possess himself of their territory, took counsel together, +and expelled him. Thus reduced, he wandered forty-two years in +Africa, and arrived, with his family, at the altars of the Philis- +tines, by the Lake of Osiers. Then passing between Rusicada and +the hilly country of Syria, they travelled by the river Malva +through Mauritania as far as the Pillars of Hercules; and crossing +the Tyrrhene Sea, landed in Spain, where they continued many years, +having greatly increased and multiplied. Thence, a thousand and +two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea, they passed +into Ireland, and the district of Dalrieta.* At that period, Brutus, +who first exercised the consular office, reigned over the Romans; +and the state, which before was governed by regal power, was +afterwards ruled, during four hundred and forty-seven years, by +consuls, tribunes of the people, and dictators. +* North-western part of Antrim in Ulster. + +The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world; and in +the fourth, the Scots took possession of Ireland. + +The Britons who, suspecting no hostilities, were unprovided with +the means of defence, were unanimously and incessantly attacked, +both by the Scots from the west, and by the Picts from the north. +A long interval after this, the Romans obtained the empire of the +world. + +16. From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain, to the +fourth year of king Mermenus, are computed four hundred and twenty +eight years; from the nativity of our Lord to the coming of St. +Patrick among the Scots, four hundred and five years; from the +death of St. Patrick to that of St. Bridget, forty years; and from +the birth of Columeille[1] to the death of St Bridget four years.[2] +[1] V.R. Columba. +[2] Some MSS. add, the beginning of the calculation is 23 cycles +of 19 years from the incarnation of our Lord to the arrival of +St. Patrick in Ireland, and they make 438 years. And from the +arrival of St. Patrick to the cycle of 19 years in which we live +are 22 cycles, which make 421 years. + +17. I have learned another account of this Brutus from the ancient +books of our ancestors.* After the deluge, the three sons of Noah +severally occupied three different parts of the earth: Shem extended +his borders into Asia, Ham into Africa, and Japheth in Europe. +* This proves the tradition of Brutus to be older than Geoffrey +or Tyssilio, unless these notices of Brutus have been interpolated +in the original work of Nennius. + +The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus, with his three sons, +Hisicion, Armenon, and Neugio. Hisicion had four sons, Francus, +Romanus, Alamanus, and Brutus. Armenon had five sons, Gothus, +Valagothus, Cibidus, Burgundus, and Longobardus. Neugio had three +sons, Vandalus, Saxo, and Boganus. From Hisicion arose four +nations--the Franks, the Latins, the Germans, and Britons: from +Armenon, the Gothi, Balagothi, Cibidi, Burgundi, and Longobardi: +from Neugio, the Bogari, Vandali, Saxones, and Tarinegi. The +whole of Europe was subdivided into these tribes. + +Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir;* Fethuir, the son +of Ogomuin, who was the son of Thoi; Thoi was the son of Boibus, +Boibus of Semion, Semion of Mair, Mair of Ecthactus, Ecthactus of +Aurthack, Aurthack of Ethec, Ethec of Ooth, Ooth of Aber, Aber of +Ra, Ra of Esraa, Esraa of Hisrau, Hisrau of Bath, Bath of Jobath, +Jobath of Joham, Joham of Japheth, Japheth of Noah, Noah of Lamech, +Lamech of Mathusalem, Mathusalem of Enoch, Enoch of Jared, Jared +of Malalehel, Malalehel of Cainan, Cainan of Enos, Enos of Seth, +Seth of Adam, and Adam was formed by the living God. We have +obtained this information respecting the original inhabitants of +Britain from ancient tradition. +* This genealogy is different in almost all the MSS. + +18. The Britons were thus called from Brutus: Brutus was the son +of Hisicion, Hisicion was the son of Alanus, Alanus was the son +of Rhea Silvia, Fhea Silvia was the daughter of Numa Pompilius, +Numa was the son of Ascanius, Ascanius of Eneas, Eneas of Anchises, +Anchises of Troius, Troius of Dardanus, Dardanus of Flisa, Flisa +of Juuin, Juuin of Japheth; but Japheth had seven sons; from the +first named Gomer, descended the Galli; from the second, Magog, the +Scythi and Gothi; from the third, Madian, the Medi; from the fourth, +Juuan, the Greeks; from the fifth, Tubal, arose the Hebrei, Hispani, +and Itali; from the sixth, Mosoch, sprung the Cappadoces; and from +the seventh, named Tiras, descended the Thraces: these are the sons +of Japheth, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech. + +19.* The Romans, having obtained the dominion of the world, sent +legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of them hostages and +tribute, which they received from all other countries and islands; +but they, fierce, disdainful, and haughty, treated the legation +with contempt. +* Some MSS. add, I will now return to the point from which I made +this digression. + +Then Julius Caesar, the first who had acquired absolute power at +Rome, highly incensed against the Britons, sailed with sixty +vessels to the mouth of the Thames, where they suffered shipwreck +whilst he fought against Dolobellus, (the proconsul of the British +king, who was called Belinus, and who was the son of Minocannus +who governed all the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea), and thus Julius +Caesar returned home without victory, having had his soldiers +Slain, and his ships shattered. + +20. But after three years he again appeared with a large army, +and three hundred ships, at the mouth of the Thames, where he +renewed hostilities. In this attempt many of his soldiers and +horses were killed; for the same consul had placed iron pikes in +the shallow part of the river, and this having been effected with +so much skill and secrecy as to escape the notice of the Roman +soldiers, did them considerable injury; thus Caesar was once more +compelled to return without peace or victory. The Romans were, +therefore, a third time sent against the Britons; and under the +command of Julius, defeated them near a place called Trinovantum +[London], forty-seven years before the birth of Christ, and five +thousand two hundred and twelve years from the creation. + +Julius was the first exercising supreme power over the Romans who +invaded Britain: in honour of him the Romans decreed the fifth month +to be called after his name. He was assassinated in the Curia, in +the ides of March, and Octavius Augustus succeeded to the empire +of the world. He was the only emperor who received tribute from +the Britons, according to the following verse of Virgil: "Purpurea +intexti tollunt aulaea Britanni." + +21. The second after him, who came into Britain, was the emperor +Claudius, who reigned forty-seven years after the birth of Christ. +He carried with him war and devastation; and, though not without +loss of men, he at length conquered Britain. He next sailed to +the Orkneys, which he likewise conquered, and afterwards rendered +tributary. No tribute was in his time received from the Britons; +but it was paid to British emperors. He reigned thirteen years +and eight months. His monument is to be seen at Moguntia (among +the Lombards), where he died in his way to Rome. + +22. After the birth of Christ, one hundred and sixty-seven years, +king Lucius, with all the chiefs of the British people, received +baptism, in consequence of a legation sent by the Roman emperors +and pope Evaristus.* +* V.R. Eucharistus. A marginal note in the Arundel MS. adds, +"He is wrong, because the first year of Evaristus was A.D. 79, +whereas the first year of Eleutherius, whom he ought to have +named, was A.D. 161." Usher says, that in one MS. of Nennius he +found the name of Eleutherius. + +23. Severus was the third emperor who passed the sea to Britain, +where, to protect the provinces recovered from barbaric incursions, +he ordered a wall and a rampart to be made between the Britons, the +Scots, and the Picts, extending across the island from sea to sea, +in length one hundred and thirty-three miles: and it is called in +the British language Gwal.* Moreover, he ordered it to be made +between the Britons, and the Picts and Scots; for the Scots from +the west, and the Picts from the north, unanimously made war +against the Britons; but were at peace among themselves. Not long +after Severus dies in Britain. +*Or, the Wall. One MS. here adds, "The above-mentioned Severus +constructed it of rude workmanship in length 132 miles; i.e. from +Penguaul, which village is called in Scottish Cenail, in English +Peneltun, to the mouth of the river Cluth and Cairpentaloch, where +this wall terminates; but it was of no avail. The emperor Carausius +afterwards rebuilt it, and fortified it with seven castles between +the two mouths: he built also a round house of polished stones on +the banks of the river Carun [Carron]: he likewise erected a +triumphal arch, on which he inscribed his own name in memory of +his victory. + +24. The fourth was the emperor and tyrant, Carausius, who, incensed +at the murder of Severus, passed into Britain, and attended by the +leaders of the Roman people, severely avenged upon the chiefs and +rulers of the Britons, the cause of Severus.* +* This passage is corrupt, the meaning is briefly given in the +translation. + +25. The fifth was Constantius the father of Constantine the Great. +He died in Britain; his sepulchre, as it appears by the inscription +on his tomb, is still seen near the city named Cair segont (near +Carnarvon). Upon the pavement of the above-mentioned city he sowed +three seeds of gold, silver and brass, that no poor person might +ever be found in it. It is also called Minmanton.* +* V.R. Mirmantum, Mirmantun, Minmanto, Minimantone. The Segontium +of Antoninus, situated on a small river named Seiont, near Carnarvon. + +26. Maximianus[1] was the sixth emperor that ruled in Britain. It +was in his time that consuls[2] began, and that the appellation of +Caesar was discontinued: at this period also, St. Martin became +celebrated for his virtues and miracles, and held a conversation +with him. +[1] This is an inaccuracy of Nennius; Maximus and Maximianus were +one and the same person; or rather no such person as Maximianus +ever reigned in Britain. +[2] Geoffrey of Monmouth gives the title of consul to several +British generals who lived after this time. It is not unlikely +that the town, name, and dignity, still lingered in the provinces +after the Romans were gone, particularly as the cities of Britain +maintained for a time a species of independence. + +27. The seventh emperor was Maximus. He withdrew from Britain +with all his military force, slew Gratian, the king of the Romans, +and obtained the sovereignty of all Europe. Unwilling to send +back his warlike companions to their wives, children, and possessions +in Britain, he conferred upon them numerous districts from the lake +on the summit of Mons Jovis, to the city called Cant Guic, and to +the western Tumulus, that is, to Cruc Occident.* These are the +Armoric Britons, and they remain there to the present day. In +consequence of their absence, Britain being overcome by foreign +nations, the lawful heirs were cast out, till God interposed with +his assistance. We are informed by the tradition of our ancestors +that seven emperors went into Britain, though the Romans affirm +there were nine. +* This district, in modern language, extended from the great St. +Bernard in Piedmont to Cantavic in Picardy, and from Picardy to +the western coast of France. + +28. Thus, aggreeably to the account given by the Britons, the +Romans governed them four hundred and nine years. + +After this, the Britons despised the authority of the Romans, +equally refusing to pay them tribute, or to receive their kings; +nor durst the Romans any longer attempt the government of a country, +the natives of which massacred their deputies. + +29. We must now return to the tyrant Maximus. Gratian, with his +brother Valentinian, reigned seven years. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, +was then eminent for his skill in the dogmata of the Catholics. +Valentinianus and Theodosius reigned eight years. At that time +a synod was held at Constantinople, attended by three hundred and +fifty of the fathers, and in which all heresies were condemned. +Jerome, the presbyter of Bethlehem, was then universally celebrated. +Whilst Gratian exercised supreme dominion over the world, Maximus, +in a sedition of the soldiers, was saluted emperor in Britain, and +soon after crossed the sea to Gaul. At Paris, by the treachery +of Mellobaudes, his master of the horse, Gratian was defeated and +fleeing to Lyons, was taken and put to death; Maximus afterwards +associated his son victor in the government. + +Martin, distinguished for his great virtues, was at this period +bishop of Tours. After a considerable space of time, Maximus +was divested of royal power by the consuls Valentinianus and +Theodosius, and sentenced to be beheaded at the third mile-stone +from Aquileia: in the same year also his son Victor was killed in +Gaul by Arbogastes, five thousand six hundred and ninety years +from the creation of the world. + +30. Thrice were the Roman deputies put to death by the Britons, +and yet these, when harassed by the incursions of the barbarous +nations, viz. Of the Scots and Picts, earnestly solicited the aid +of the Romans. To give effect to their entreaties, ambassadors +were sent, who made their entrance with impressions of deep sorrow, +having their heads covered with dust, and carrying rich presents, +to expiate the murder of the deputies. They were favourably +received by the consuls, and swore submission to the Roman yoke, +with whatever severity it might be imposed. + +The Romans, therefore, came with a powerful army to the assistance +of the Britons; and having appointed over them a ruler, and settled +the government, returned to Rome: and this took place alternately +during the space of three hundred and forty-eight years. The +Britons, however, from the oppression of the empire, again massacred +The Roman deputies, and again petitioned for succour. Once more +the Romans undertook the government of the Britons, and assisted +them in repelling their neighbours; and, after having exhausted +the country of its gold, silver, brass, honey, and costly vestments, +and having besides received rich gifts, they returned in great +triumph to Rome. + +31. After the above-said war between the Britons and Romans, the +assassination of their rulers, and the victory of Maximus, who +slew Gratian, and the termination of the Roman power in Britain, +they were in alarm forty years. + +Vortigern then reigned in Britain. In his time, the natives had +cause of dread, not only from the inroads of the Scots and Picts, +but also from the Romans, and their apprehensions of Ambrosius.* +* These words relate evidently to some cause of dispute between +the Romans, Ambrosius, and Vortigern. Vortigern is said to have +been sovereign of the Dimetae, and Ambrosius son to the king of +the Damnonii. The latter was half a Roman by descent, and naturally +supported the Roman interest: the former was entirely a Briton, +and as naturally seconded by the original Britons. + +In the meantime, three vessels, exiled from Germany, arrived in +Britain. They were commanded by Horsa and Hengist, brothers, and +sons of Wihtgils. Wihtgils was the son of Witta; Witta of Wecta; +Wecta of Woden; Woden of Frithowald; Frithowald of Frithuwulf; +Frithuwulf of Finn; Finn of Godwulf; Godwulf of Geat, who, as they +say, was the son of a god, not[1] of the omnipotent God and our +Lord Jesus Christ (who before the beginning of the world, was with +the Father and the Holy Spirit, co-eternal and of the same substance, +and who, in compassion to human nature, disdained not to assume +the form of a servant), but the offspring of one of their idols, +and whom, blinded by some demon, they worshipped according to the +custom of the heathen. Vortigern received them as friends, and +delivered up to them the island which is in their language called +Thanet, and, by the Britons, Ruym.[2] Gratianus Aequantius at +that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons were received by Vortigern, +four hundred and forty-seven years after the passion of Christ, +and,[3] according to the tradition of our ancestors, from the +period of their first arrival in Britain, to the first year of +the reign of king Edmund, five hundred and forty-two years; and +to that in which we now write, which is the fifth of his reign, +five hundred and forty-seven years. +[1] V.R. not the God of gods, the Amen, the Lord of Hosts, but one +of their idols which they worshipped. +[2] Sometimes called Ruoichin, Ruith-in, or "river island," separated +from the rest of Kent and the mainland of Britain by the estuary +of the Wantsum, which, though now a small brook, was formerly +navigable for large vessels, and in Bede's time was three stadia +broad, and fordable only at two places. +[3] The rest of this sentence is omitted in some of the MSS. + +32. At that time St. Germanus, distinguished for his numerous +virtues, came to preach in Britain: by his ministry many were saved; +but many likewise died unconverted. Of the various miracles which +God enabled him to perform, I shall here mention only a few: I +shall first advert to that concerning an iniquitous and tyrannical +king, named Benlli.* The holy man, informed of his wicked conduct, +hastened to visit him, for the purpose of remonstrating him. When +the man of God, with his attendants, arrived at the gate of the +city, they were respectfully received by the keeper of it, who +came out and saluted them. Him they commissioned to communicate +their intention to the king, who returned a harsh answer, declaring, +with an oath, that although they remained there a year, they should +not enter the city. While waiting for an answer, the evening came +on, and they knew not where to go. At length, came one of the +king's servants, who bowing himself before the man of God, announced +the words of the tyrant, inviting them, at the same time, to his +own house, to which they went, and were kindly received. It +happened, however, that he had no cattle, except one cow and a +calf, the latter of which, urged by generous hospitality to his +guests, he killed, dressed and set before them. But holy St. +Germanus ordered his companions not to break a bone of the calf; +and, the next morning, it was found alive uninjured, and standing +by its mother. +* King of Powys. V.R. Benli in the district of Ial (in Derbyshire); +in the district of Dalrieta; Belinus; Beluni; and Benty. + +33. Early the same day, they again went to the gate of the city, +to solicit audience of the wicked king; and, whilst engaged in +fervent prayer they were waiting for admission, a man, covered +with sweat, came out, and prostrated himself before them. Then +St. Germanus, addressing him, said "Dost thou believe in the Holy +Trinity?" To which the man having replied, "I do believe," he +baptized, and kissed him, saying, "Go in peace; within this hour +thou shalt die: the angels of God are waiting for thee in the air; +with them thou shalt ascent to that God in whom thou has believed.: +He, overjoyed, entered the city, and being met by the prefect, was +seized, bound, and conducted before the tyrant, who having passed +sentence upon him, he was immediately put to death; for it was a +law of this wicked king, that whoever was not at his labour before +sun-rising should be beheaded in the citadel. In the meantime, +St. Germanus, with his attendants, waited the whole day before +the gate, without obtaining admission to the tyrant. + +34. The man above-mentioned, however, remained with them. "Take +care," said St. Germanus to him, "that none of your friends remain +this night within these walls. Upon this he hastily entered the +city, brought out his nine sons, and with them retired to the house +where he had exercised such generous hospitality. Here St. Germanus +ordered them to continue, fasting; and when the gates were shut, +"Watch," said he, "and whatever shall happen in the citadel, turn +not thither your eyes; but pray without ceasing, and invoke the +protection of the true God." And, behold, early in the night, +fire fell from heaven, and burned the city, together with all those +who were with the tyrant, so that not one escaped; and that citadel +has never been rebuilt even to this day. + +35. The following day, the hospitable man who had been converted +by the preaching of St. Germanus, was baptized, with his sons, and +all the inhabitants of that part of the country; and St. Germanus +blessed him, saying, "a king shall not be wanting of thy seed for +ever." The name of this person is Catel Drunlue:* "from hence- +forward thou shalt be a king all the days of thy life." Thus was +fulfilled the prophecy of the Psalmist: "He raiseth up the poor +out of the dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill." +And agreeably to the prediction of St. Germanus, from a servant +he became a king: all his sons were kings, and from their offspring +the whole country of Powys has been governed to this day. +* Or Cadell Deyrnllug, prince of the Vale Royal and the upper +part of Powys. + +36. After the Saxons had continued some time in the island of +Thanet, Vortigern promised to supply them with clothing and +provision, on condition they would engage to fight against the +enemies of his country. But the barbarians having greatly increased +in number, the Britons became incapable of fulfilling their +engagement; and when the Saxons, according to the promise they +had received, claimed a supply of provisions and clothing, the +Britons replied, "Your number is increased; your assistance is +now unneccessary; you may, therefore, return home, for we can no +longer support you;" and hereupon they began to devise means of +breaking the peace between them. + +37. But Hengist, in whom united craft and penetration, perceiving +he had to act with an ignorant king, and a fluctuating people, +incapable of opposing much resistance, replied to Vortigern, "We +are, indeed, few in number; but, if you will give us leave, we +will send to our country for an additional number of forces, with +whom we will fight for you and your subjects." Vortigern assenting +to this proposal, messengers were despatched to Scythia, where +selecting a number of warlike troops, they returned with sixteen +vessels, bringing with them the beautiful daughter of Hengist. +And now the Saxon chief prepared an entertainment, to which he +invited the king, his officers, and Ceretic, his interpreter, +having previously enjoined his daughter to serve them so profusely +with wine and ale, that they might soon become intoxicated. This +plan succeeded; and Vortigern, at the instigation of the devil, +and enamoured with the beauty of the damsel, demanded her, through +the medium of his interpreter, of the father, promising to give +for her whatever he should ask. Then Hengist, who had already +consulted with the elders who attended him of the Oghgul[1] race, +demanded for his daughter the province, called in English, Centland, +in British, Ceint, (Kent.) This cession was made without the +knowledge of the king, Guoyrancgonus,[2] who then reigned in Kent, +and who experienced no inconsiderable share of grief, from seeing +his kingdom thus clandestinely, fraudulently, and imprudently +resigned to foreigners. Thus the maid was delivered up to the +king, who slept with her, and loved her exceedingly. +[1] V.R. Who had come with him from the island of Oghgul, Oehgul +(or Tingle), Angul. According to Gunn, a small island in the +duchy of Sleswick in Denmark, now called Angel, of which Flensburg +is the metropolis. Hence the origin of the Angles. +[2] V.R. Gnoiram cono, Goiranegono, Guiracgono. Malmesbury, +Gorongi; Camden, Guorong, supposed to mean governor, or viceroy. + +38. Hengist, after this, said to Vortigern, "I will be to you +both a father and an adviser; despise not my counsels, and you +shall have no reason to fear being conquered by any man or any +nation whatever; for the people of my country are strong, warlike, +and robust: if you approve, I will send for my son and his brother, +both valiant men, who at my invitation will fight against the +Scots, and you can give them the countries in the north, near the +wall called Gual."[1] The incautious sovereign having assented +to this, Octa and Ebusa arrived with forty ships. In these they +sailed round the country of the Picts, laid waste the Orkneys, and +took possession of many regions, even to the Pictish confines.[2] +[1] Antoninus's wall. +[2] Some MSS. add, "beyond the Frenesic, Fresicum (or Fresic) sea," +i.e. which is between us and the Scotch. The sea between Scotland +and Ireland. Camden translates it "beyond the Frith;" Langhorne +says, "Solway Frith." + +But Hengist continued, by degrees, sending for ships from his own +country, so that some islands whence they came were left without +inhabitants; and whilst his people were increasing in power and +number, they came to the above-named province of Kent. + +39. In the meantime, Vortigern, as if desirous of adding to the +evils he had already occasioned, married his own daughter, by whom +he had a son. When this was made known to St. Germanus, he came, +with all the British clergy, to reprove him: and whilst a numerous +assembly of the ecclesiastics and laity were in consultation, the +weak king ordered his daughter to appear before them, and in the +presence of all to present her son to St. Germanus, and declare +that he was the father of the child. The immodest* woman obeyed; +and St. Germanus, taking the child, said, "I will be a father to +you, my son; nor will I dismiss you till a razor, scissors, and +comb, are given to me, and it is allowed you to give them to your +carnal father." The child obeyed St. Germanus, and going to his +father Vortigern, said to him, "Thou art my father; shave and cut +the hair of my head." The king blushed, and was silent; and, +without replying to the child, arose in great anger, and fled from +the presence of St. Germanus, execrated and condemned by the whole +synod. +[1] V.R. "Immodest" is omitted in some MSS. + +40. But soon after, calling together his twelve wise men, to +consult what was to be done, they said to him, "Retire to the +remote boundaries of your kingdom; there build and fortify a city[1] +to defend yourself, for the people you have received are treacherous; +they are seeking to subdue you by stratagem, and, even during your +life, to seize upon all the countries subject to your power, how +much more will they attempt, after your death!" The king, pleased +with this advice, departed with his wise men, and travelled through +many parts of his territories, in search of a place convenient +for the purpose of building a citadel. Having, to no purpose, +travelled far and wide, they came at length to a province called +Guenet;[2] and having surveyed the mountains of Heremus,[3] they +discovered, on the summit of one of them, a situation, adapted to +the consturction of a citadel. Upon this, the wise men said to +the king, "Build here a city: for, in this place, it will ever be +secure against the barbarians." Then the king sent for artificers, +carpenters, stone-masons, and collected all the materials requisite +to building; but the whole of these disappeared in one night, so +that nothing remained of what had been provided for the constructing +of the citadel. Materials were, therefore, from all parts, procured +a second and third time, and again vanished as before, leaving and +rendering every effort ineffectual. Vortigern inquired of his wise +men the cause of this opposition to his undertaking, and of so much +useless expense of labour? They replied, "You must find a child +born without a father, put him to death, and sprinkle with his +blood the ground on which the citadel is to be built, or you will +never accomplish your purpose." +[1] V.R. You shall find a fortified city in which you may defend +yourself. +[2] V.R. Guined, Guoienet, Guenez, North Wales. +[3] V.R. Heremi, Heriri, or Eryri, signifying eagle rocks, the +mountains of Snowdon, in Carnarvonshire. The spot alluded to is +supposed to be Dinas Emrys, or the fortress of Ambrosius. + +41. In consequence of this reply, the king sent messengers through- +out Britain, in search of a child born without a father. After +having inquired in all the provinces, they came to the field of +Aelecti,[1] in the district of Glevesing,[2] where a party of boys +were playing at ball. And two of them quarrelling, one said to +the other, "O boy without a father, no good will ever happen to +you." Upon this, the messengers diligently inquired of the mother +and the other boys, whether he had had a father? Which his mother +denied, saying, "In what manner he was conceived I know not, for +I have never had intercourse with any man;" and then she solemnly +affirmed that he had no mortal father. The boy was, therefore, +led away, and conducted before Vortigern the king. +[1] V.R. Elleti, Electi, Gleti. Supposed to be Bassalig in +Monmouthshire. +[2] The district between the Usk and Rumney, in Monmouthshire. + +42. A meeting took place the next day for the purpose of putting +him to death. Then the boy said to the king, "Why have your +servants brought me hither?" "That you may be put to death," +replied the king, "and that the ground on which my citadel is to +stand, may be sprinkled with your blood, without which I shall be +unable to build it." "Who," said the boy, "instructed you to do +this?" "My wise men," answered the king. "Order them hither," +returned the boy; this being complied with, he thus questioned +them: "By what means was it revealed to you that this citadel +could not be built, unless the spot were previously sprinkled with +my blood? Speak without disguise, and declare who discovered me +to you;" then turning to the king, "I will soon," said he, "unfold +to you every thing; but I desire to question your wise men, and +wish them to disclose to you what is hidden under this pavement:" +they acknowledging their ignorance, "there is," said he, "a pool; +come and dig:" they did so, and found the pool. "Now," continued +he, "tell me what is in it;" but they were ashamed, and made no +reply. "I," said the boy, "can discover it to you: there are two +vases in the pool;" they examined and found it so: continuing his +questions, "What is in the vases?" they were silent: "there is a +tent in them," said the boy; "separate them, and you shall find +it so;" this being done by the king's command, there was found in +them a folded tent. The boy, going on with his questions, asked +the wise men what was in it? But they not knowing what to reply, +"There are," said he, "two serpents, one white and the other red; +unfold the tent;" they obeyed, and two sleeping serpents were +discovered; "consider attentively," said the boy, "what they are +doing." The serpents began to struggle with each other; and the +white one, raising himself up, threw down the other into the middle +of the tent, and sometimes drove him to the edge of it; and this +was repeated thrice. At length the red one, apparently the weaker +of the two, recovering his strength, expelled the white one from +the tent; and the latter being pursued through the pool by the +red one, disappeared. Then the boy, asking the wise men what +was signified by this wonderful omen, and they expressing their +ignorance, he said to the king, "I will now unfold to you the +meaning of this mystery. The pool is the emblem of this world, +and the tent that of your kingdom: the two serpents are two dragons; +the red serpent is your dragon, but the white serpent is the +dragon of the people who occupy several provinces and districts of +Britain, even almost from sea to sea: at length, however, our +people shall rise and drive away the Saxon race from beyond the +sea, whence they originally came; but do you depart from this +place, where you are not permitted to erect a citadel; I, to whom +fate has allotted this mansion, shall remain here; whilst to you +it is incumbent to seek other provinces, where you may build a +fortress." "What is your name?" asked the king; "I am called +Ambrose (in British Embresguletic)," returned the boy; and in +answer to the king's question, "What is your origin?" he replied, +"A Roman consul was my father." + +Then the king assigned him that city, with all the western +Provinces of Britain; and departing with his wise men to the +sinistral district, he arrived in the region named Gueneri, where +he built a city which, according to his name, was called Cair +Guorthegirn.* +* An ancient scholiast adds, "He then built Guasmoric, near +Lugubalia [Carlisle], a city which in English is called Palmecaster." +Some difference of opinion exists among antiquaries respecting the +site of vortigern's castle or city. Usher places it at Gwent, +Monmouthshire, which name, he ways, was taken from Caer-Went, near +Chepstow. This appears to agree with Geoffrey's account, {illegible} +See Usher's Britan. Eccles. cap. v. p.23. According to others, +supposed to be the city from the ruins of which arose the castle +of Gurthrenion, in Radnorshire, Camden's Britannia, p.479. Whitaker, +however, says that Cair Guorthegirn was the Maridunum of the +Romans, and the present Caermarthen. (Hist. Of Manchester, book +ii. c. 1.) See also Nennius, sec.47. + +43. At length Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, valiantly fought +against Hengist, Horsa, and his people; drove them to the isle of +Thanet, and thrice enclosed them within it, and beset them on the +Western side. + +The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to solicit large +reinforcements, and an additional number of ships: having obtained +these, they fought against the kings and princes of Britain, and +sometimes extended their boundaries by victory, and sometimes were +conquered and driven back. + +44. Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the enemy;[1] +the first has been mentioned, the second was upon the river Darent, +the third at the Ford, in their language called Epsford, though +in ours Set thirgabail,[2] there Horsa fell, and Catigern, the son +of Vortigern; the fourth battle he fought was near the stone[3] +on the shore of the Gallic sea, where the Saxons being defeated, +fled to their ships. +[1] Some MSS. here add, "This Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, in +a synod held at Guartherniaun, after the wicked king, on account +of the incest committed with his daughter, fled from the face of +Germanus and the British clergy, would not consent to his father's +wickedness; but returning to St. Germanus, and falling down at his +feet, he sued for pardon; and in atonement for the calumny brought +upon Germanus by his father and sister, gave him the land, in which +the forementioned bishop had endured such abuse, to be his for ever. +Whence, in memory of St. Germanus, it received the name Guarenniaun +(Guartherniaun, Gurthrenion, Gwarth Ennian) which signifies, a +calumny justly retorted, since, when he thought to reproach the +bishop, he covered himself with reproach." +[2] According to Langhorne, Epsford was afterwards called, in the +British tongue, Saessenaeg habail, or 'the slaughter of the Saxons.' +[3] V.R. "The stone of Titulus, thought to be Stone in Kent, or +Larger-stone in Suffolk. + +After a short interval Vortimer died; before his decease, anxious +for the future prosperity of his country, he charged his friends +to inter his body at the entrance of the Saxon port, viz. upon the +rock where the Saxons first landed; "for though," said he, "they +may inhabit other parts of Britain, yet if you follow my commands, +they will never remain in this island." They imprudently disobeyed +this last injunction, and neglected to bury him where he had ap- +pointed.* +* Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln; Geoffrey, at London. + +45. After this the barbarians became firmly incorporated, and +were assisted by foreign pagans; for Vortigern was their friend, +on account of the daughter* of Hengist, whom he so much loved, +that no one durst fight against him-in the meantime they soothed +the imprudent king, and whilst practising every appearance of +fondness, were plotting with his enemies. And let him that reads +understand, that the Saxons were victorious, and ruled Britain, +not from their superior prowess, but on account of the great sins +of the Britons: God so permitting it. + +For what wise man will resist the wholesome counsel of God? The +Almighty is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, ruling and +judging every one, according to his own pleasure. + +After the death of Vortimer, Hengist being strengthened by new +accessions, collected his ships, and calling his leaders together, +consulted by what stratagem they might overcome Vortigern and his +army; with insidious intention they sent messengers to the king, +with offers of peace and perpetual friendship; unsuspicious of +treachery, the monarch, after advising with his elders, accepted +the proposals. +* V.R. Of his wife, and no one was able manfully to drive them +off because they had occupied Britain not from their own valour, +but by God's permission. + +46. Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty, prepared +an entertainment, to which he invited the king, the nobles, and +military officers, in number about three hundred; speciously +concealing his wicked intention, he ordered three hundred Saxons +to conceal each a knife under his feet, and to mix with the Britons; +"and when," said he, "they are sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out, +'Nimed eure Saxes,' then let each draw his knife, and kill his +man; but spare the king, on account of his marriage with my daughter, +for it is better that he should be ransomed than killed."* +* The VV. RR. Of this section are too numerous to be inserted. + +The king with his company, appeared at the feast; and mixing with +the Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with their tongues, +cherished treachery in their hearts, each man was placed next to +his enemy. + +After they had eaten and drunk, and were much intoxicated, Hengist +suddenly vociferated, "Nimed eure Saxes!" and instantly his +adherents drew their knives, and rushing upon the Britons, each +slew him that sat next to him, and there was slain three hundred +of the nobles of Vortigern. The king being a captive, purchased +his redemption, by delivering up the three provinces of East, +South, and Middle Sex, besides other districts at the option of +his betrayers. + +47. St. Germanus admonished Vortigern to turn to the true God, +and abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; but +the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the province Guorthegirnaim,* +so called from his own name, where he concealed himself with his +wives: but St. Germanus followed him with all the British clergy, +and upon a rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty +nights. +* A district of Radnorshire, forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr. + +The Blessed man was unanimously chosen commander against the Saxons. +And then, not by the clang of trumpets, but by praying, singing +hallelujah, and by the cries of the army to God, the enemies were +routed, and driven even to the sea.* +*V.R. This paragraph is omitted in the MSS. + +Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germanus to the kingdom +of the Dimetae, where, on the river Towy,* he built a castle, which +he named Cair Guothergirn. The saint, as usual, followed him there, +and with his clergy fasted and prayed to the Lord three days, and +as many nights. On the third night, at the third hour, fire fell +suddenly from heaven, and totally burned the castle. Vortigern, +the daughter of Hengist, his other wives, and all the inhabitants, +both men and women, miserably perished: such was the end of this +unhappy king, as we find written in the life of St. Germanus. +*The Tobias of Ptolemy + +47. Others assure us, that being hated by all the people of Britain, +for having received the Saxons, and being publicly charged by St. +Germanus and the clergy in the sight of God, he betook himself to +flight; and, that deserted and a wanderer, he sought a place of +refuge, till broken hearted, he made an ignominious end. + +Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed him up, +on the night his castle was burned; as no remains were discovered +the following morning, either of him, or of those who were burned +with him. + +He had three sons: the eldest was Vortimer, who, as we have seen, +fought four times against the Saxons, and put them to flight; +the second Categirn, who was slain in the same battle with Horsa; +the third was Pascent, who reigned in the two provinces Builth +and Guorthegirnaim,[1] after the death of his father. These +were granted him by Ambrosius, who was the great king among the +kings of Britain. The fourth was Faustus, born of an incestuous +marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and educated by +St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the banks of the +river Renis, called after his name, and which remains to the +present period.[2] +[1] In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor and +Brecknock. +[2] V.R. The MSS. add, 'and he had one daughter, who was the +mother of St. Faustus.' + +49. This is the genealogy of Vortigern, which goes back to +Fernvail,[1] who reigned in the kingdom of Guorthegirnaim,[2] +and was the son of Teudor; Teudor was the son of Pascent; Pascent +of Guoidcant; Guoidcant of Moriud; Moriud of Eltat; Eltat of +Eldoc; Eldoc of Paul; Paul of Meuprit; Meuprit of Braciat; +Braciat of Pascent; Pascent of Guorthegirn, Guorthegirn of +Guortheneu; Guortheneu of Guitaul; Guitaul of Guitolion; Guitolion +of Gloui. Bonus, Paul, Mauron, Guotelin, were four brothers, who +built Gloiuda, a great city upon the banks of the river Severn, +and in Birtish is called Cair Gloui, in Saxon, Gloucester. Enough +has been said of Vortigern. +[1] Fernvail, or Farinmail, appears to have been king of Gwent +or Monmouth. +[2] V.R. 'Two provinces, Builth and Guorthegirnaim.' + +50. St. Germanus, after his death, returned into his own country. +*At that time, the Saxons greatly increased in Britain, both in +strength and numbers. And Octa, after the death of his father +Hengist, came from the sinistral part of the island to the kingdom +of Kent, and from him have proceeded all the kings of that province, +to the present period. +* V.R. All this to the word 'Amen,' in other MSS. is placed after +the legend of St. Patrick. + +Then it was, that the magnanimous Arthur, with all the kings and +military force of Britain, fought against the Saxons. And though +there were many more noble than himself, yet he was twelve times +chosen their commander, and was as often conqueror. The first +battle in which he was engaged, was at the mouth of the river +Gleni.[1] The second, third, fourth, and fifth, were on another +river, by the Britons called Duglas,[2] in the region Linuis. +The sixth, on the river Bassas.[3] The seventh in the wood Celidon, +which the Britons call Cat Coit Celidon.[4] The eighth was near +Gurnion castle,[5] where Arthur bore the image of the Holy Virgin,[6] +mother of God, upon his shoulders, and through the power of our +Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy Mary, put the Saxons to flight, +and pursued them the whole day with great slaughter.[7] The ninth +was at the City of Legion,[8] which is called Cair Lion. The +tenth was on the banks of the river Trat Treuroit.[9] The eleventh +was on the mountain Breguoin, which we call Cat Bregion.[10] The +twelfth was a most severe contest, when Arthur penetrated to the +hill of Badon.[11] In this engagement, nine hundred and forty fell +by his hand alone, no one but the Lord affording him assistance. +In all these engagements the Britons were successful. For no +strength can avail against the will of the Almighty. +[1] Supposed by some to be the Glem, in Lincolnshire; but most +probably the Glen, in the northern part of Northumberland. +[2] Or Dubglas. The little river Dunglas, which formed the +southern boundary of Lothian. Whitaker says, the river Duglas, +in Lancashire, near Wigan. +[3] Not a river, but an isolated rock in the Frith of Forth, near +the town of North Berwick, called "The Bass." Some think it is +the river Lusas, in Hampshire. +[4] The Caledonian forest; or the forest of Englewood, extending +from Penrith to Carlisle. +[5] Variously supposed to be in Cornwall, or Binchester in Durham, +but most probably the Roman station of Garionenum, near Yarmouth, +in Norfolk. +[6] V.R. The image of the cross of Christ, and of the perpetual +virgin St. Mary. +[7] V.R. For Arthur proceeded to Jerusalem, and there made a cross +to the size of the Saviour's cross, and there it was consecrated, +and for three successive days he fasted, watched, and prayed, +before the Lord's cross, that the Lord would give him the victory, +by this sign, over the heathen; which also took place, and he took +with him the image of St. Mary, the fragments of which are still +preserved in great veneration at Wedale, in English Wodale, in +Latin Vallis-doloris. Wodale is a village in the province of +Lodonesia, but now of the jurisdiction of the bishop of St. Andrew's, +of Scotland, six miles on the west of that heretofore noble and +eminent monastery of Meilros. +[8] Exeter. +[9] Or Ribroit, the Brue, in Somersetshire; or the Ribble, in +Lancashire. +[10] Or Agned Cathregonion, Cadbury, in Somersetshire; or Edinburgh +[11] Bath. + +The more the Saxons were vanquished, the more they sought for new +supplies of Saxons from Germany; so that kings, commanders, and +military bands were invited over from almost every province. And +this practice they continued till the reign of Ida, who was the +son of Eoppa, he, of the Saxon race, was the first king in Bernicia, +and in Cair Ebrauc (York). + +When Gratian Aequantius was consul at rome, because then the whole +world was governed by the Roman consuls, the Saxons were received +by Vortigern in the year of our Lord four hundred and forty-seven, +and to the year in which we now write, five hundred and forty-seven. +And whosoever shall read herein may receive instruction, the Lord +Jesus Christ affording assistance, who, co-eternal with the Father +and the Holy Ghost, lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. + +In those days Saint Patrick was captive among the Scots. His +master's name was Milcho, to whom he was a swineherd for seven +years. When he had attained the age of seventeen he gave him his +liberty. By the divine impulse, he applied himself to reading of +the Scriptures, and afterwards went to Rome; where, replenished +with the Holy Spirit, he continued a great while, studying the +sacred mysteries of those writings. During his continuance there, +Palladius, the first bishop, was sent by pope Celestine to convert +the Scots [the Irish]. But tempests and signs from God prevented +his landing, for no one can arrive in any country, except it be +allowed from above; altering therefore his course from Ireland, +he came to Britain and died in the land of the Picts.* +* At Fordun, in the district of Mearns, in Scotland-Usher. + +51. The death of Palladius being known, the Roman patricians, +Theodosius and Valentinian, then reigning, pope Celestine sent +Patrick to convert the Scots to the faith of the Holy Trinity; +Victor, the angel of God, accompanying, admonishing, and assisting +him, and also the bishop Germanus. + +Germanus then sent the ancient Segerus with him as a venerable +and praiseworthy bishop, to king Amatheus,[1] who lived near, and +who had prescience of what was to happen; he was consecrated bishop +in the reign of that king by the holy pontiff,[2] assuming the +name of Patrick, having hitherto been known by that of Maun; +Auxilius, Isserninus, and other brothers were ordained with him +to inferior degrees. +[1] V.R. Germanus "sent the elder Segerus with him to a wonderful +man, the holy bishop Amathearex." Another MS. "Sent the elder +Segerus, a bishop, with him to Amatheorex." +[2] V.R. "Received the episcopal degree from the holy bishop +Amatheorex." Another MS. "Received the episcopal degree from +Matheorex and the holy bishop." + +52. Having distributed benedictions, and perfected all in the name +of the Holy Trinity, he embarked on the sea which is between the +Gauls and the Britons; and after a quick passage arrived in Britain, +where he preached for some time. Every necessary preparation being +made, and the angel giving him warning, he came to the Irish Sea. +And having filled the ship with foreign gifts and spiritual +treasures, by the permission of God he arrived in Ireland, where +he baptized and preached. + +53. From the beginning of the world, to the fifth year of king +Logiore, when the Irish were baptized, and faith in the unity of +the individual Trinity was published to them, are five thousand +three hundred and thirty years. + +54. Saint Patrick taught the gospel in foreign nations for the +space of forty years. Endued with apostolical powers, he gave +sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf, +cast out devils, raised nine from the dead, redeemed many captives +of both sexes at his own charge, and set them free in the name of +the Holy Trinity. He taught the servants of God, and he wrote +three hundred and sixty-five canonical and other books relating +to the catholic faith. He founded as many churches, and consecrated +the same number of bishops, strengthening them with the Holy Ghost. +He ordained three thousand presbyters; and converted and baptized +twelve thousand persons in the province of Connaught. And, in +one day baptized seven kings, who were the seven sons of Amalgaid.[1] +He continued fasting forty days and nights, on the summit of the +mountain Eli, that is Cruachan-Aichle;[2] and preferred three +petitions to God for the Irish, that had embraced the faith. +The Scots say, the first was, that he would receive every repenting +sinner, even at the latest extremity of life; the second, that +they should never be exterminated by barbarians; and the third, +that as Ireland[3] will be overflowed with water, seven years +before the coming of our Lord to judge the quick and the dead, the +crimes of the people might be washed away through his intercession, +and their souls purified at the last day. He gave the people his +benediction from the upper part of the mountain, and going up +higher, that he might pray for them; and that if it pleased God, +he might see the effects of his labours, there appeared to him an +innumerable flock of birds of many coulours, signifying the number +of holy persons of both sexes of the Irish nation, who should come +to him as their apostle at the day of judgment, to be presented +before the tribunal of Christ. After a life spent in the active +exertion of good to mankind, St. Patrick, in a healthy old age, +passed from this world to the Lord, and changing this life for a +better, with the saints and elect of God he rejoices for evermore. +[1] King of Connaught. +[2] A mountain in the west of Connaught, county of Mayo, now +called Croagh-Patrick. +[3] V.R. that no Irishman may be alive on the day of judgment, +because they will be destroyed seven years before in honour of +St. Patrick. + +55. Saint Patrick resembled Moses in four particulars. The angel +spoke to him in the burning bush. He fasted forty days and forty +nights upon the mountain. He attained the period of one hundred +and twenty years. No one knows his sepulchre, nor where he was +buried; sixteen[1] years he was in captivity. In his twenty-fifth +year, he was consecrated bishop by Saint Matheus,[2] and he was +eighty-five years the apostle of the Irish. It might be profitable +to treat more at large of the life of this saint, but it is now +time to conclude this epitome of his labours.[3] +[1] V.R. Fifteen. +[2] V.R. By the holy bishop Amatheus. +[3] Here ends the Vatican MS. collated by Mr. Gunn. + +[Here endeth the life of the holy bishop, Saint Patrick.] +(After this, the MSS. give as 56., the legend of king Arthur, +which in this edition occurs in 50.) + + + + +Genealogy of the kings of Bernicia.* +* These titles are not part of the original work, but added in +the MSS. by a later hand. + + + +57. Woden begat Beldeg, who begat Beornec, who begat Gethbrond, +who begat Aluson, who begat Ingwi, who begat Edibrith, who begat +Esa, who begat Eoppa, who begat Ida. But Ida had twelve sons, +Adda, Belric, Theodric, Ethelric, Theodhere, Osmer, and one queen, +Bearnoch, Ealric. Ethelric begat Ethelfrid: the same is Aedlfred +Flesaur. For he also had seven sons, Eanfrid, Oswald, Oswin, +Oswy, Oswudu, Oslac, Offa. Oswy begat Alfrid, Elfwin, and Egfrid. +Egfrid is he who made war against his cousin Brudei, king of the +Picts, and he fell therein with all the strength of his army, and +the Picts with their king gained the victory; and the Saxons never +again reduced the Picts so as to exact tribute from them. Since +the time of this war it is called Gueithlin Garan. + +But Oswy had two wives, Riemmelth, the daughter of Royth, son of +Rum; and Eanfled, the daughter of Edwin, son of Alla. + + + + +The genealogy of the kings of Kent. + + + +58. Hengist begat Octa, who begat Ossa, who begat Eormenric, +who begat Ethelbert, who begat Eadbald, who begat Ercombert, who +begat Egbert. + + + + +The origin of the kings of East-Anglia. + + + +59. Woden begat Casser, who begat Titinon, who begat Trigil, who +begat Rodmunt, who begat Rippa, who begat Guillem Guercha,* who +was the first king of the East Angles. Guercha begat Uffa, who +begat Tytillus, who begat Eni, who begat Edric, who begat Aldwulf, +who begat Elric. +* Guercha is a distortion of the name of Uffa, or Wuffa, arising +in the first instance from the pronunciation of the British writer; +and in the next place from the error of the transcriber--Palgrave. + + + + +The genealogy of the Mercians. + + + +60. Woden begat Guedolgeat, who begat Gueagon, who begat Guithleg, +who begat Guerdmund, who begat Ossa, who begat Ongen, who begat +Eamer, who begat Pubba.* This Pubba had twelve sons, of whom two +are better known to me than the others, that is Penda and Eawa. +Eadlit is the son of Pantha, Penda, son of Pubba, Ealbald, son of +Alguing, son of Eawa, son of Penda, son of Pubba. Egfert, son of +Offa, son of Thingferth, son of Enwulf, son of Ossulf, son of +Eawa, son of Pubba. +* Or Wibba. + + + + +The kings of the Deiri. + + + +61. Woden begat Beldeg, Brond begat Siggar, who begat Sibald, +who begat Zegulf, who begat Soemil, who first separated[1] Deur +from Berneich (Deira from Bernicia.) Soemil begat Sguerthing, who +begat Giulglis, who begat Ulfrea, who begat Iffi, who begat Ulli, +Edwin, Osfrid and Eanfrid. There were two sons of Edwin, who fell +with him in battle at Meicen,[2] and the kingdom was never renewed +in his family, because not one of his race escaped from that war; +but all were slain with him by the army of Catguollaunus,[3] king +of the Guendota. Oswy begat Egfrid, the same is Ailguin, who +begat Oslach, sho begat Alhun, who begat Adlsing, who begat Echun, +who begat Oslaph. Ida begat Eadric, who begat Ecgulf, who begat +Leodwald, who begat Eata, the same is Glinmaur, who begat Eadbert +and Egbert, who was the first bishop of their nation. +[1] V.R. Conquered. +[2] Hatfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. See Bede's Eccles. +Hist. +[3] Cadwalla, king of the Western Britons. + +Ida, the son of Eoppa, possessed countries on the left-hand side +of Britain, i.e. of the Humbrian sea, and reigned twelve years, +and united* Dynguayth Guarth-Berneich. +* V.R. United the castle, i.e. Dinguerin and Gurdbernech, which +two countries were in one country, i.e. Deurabernech; Anglice +Diera and Bernicia. Another MS. Built Dinguayrh Guarth Berneich. + +62. Then Dutgirn at that time fought bravely against the nation +of the Angles. At that time, Talhaiarn Cataguen* was famed for +poetry, and Neirin, and Taliesin and Bluchbard, and Cian, who is +called Guenith Guaut, were all famous at the same time in British +poetry. +* Talhaiarn was a descendant of Coel Godebog, and chaplain to +Ambrosius. + +The great king, Mailcun,* reigned among the Britons, i.e. in the +district of Guenedota, because his great-great-grandfather, Cunedda, +with his twelve sons, had come before from the left-hand part, i.e. +from the country which is called Manau Gustodin, one hundred and +forty-six years before Mailcun reigned, and expelled the Scots +with much slaughter from those countries, and they never returned +again to inhabit them. +* Better known as Maelgwn. + +63. Adda, son of Ida, reigned eight years; Ethelric, son of Adda, +reigned four years. Theodoric, son of Ida, reigned seven years. +Freothwulf reigned six years. In whose time the kingdom of Kent, +by the mission of Gregory, received baptism. Hussa reigned seven +years. Against him fought four kings, Urien, and Ryderthen, and +Guallauc, and Morcant. Theodoric fought bravely, together with +his sons, against that Urien. But at that time sometimes the enemy +and sometimes our countrymen were defeated, and he shut them up +three days and three nights in the island of Metcaut; and whilst +he was on an expedition he was murdered, at the instance of Morcant, +out of envy, because he possessed so much superiority over all +the kings in military science. Eadfered Flesaurs reigned twelve +years in Bernicia, and twelve others in Deira, and gave to his wife +Bebba, the town of Dynguaroy, which from her is called Bebbanburg.* +* Bambrough. See Bede, iii. 6, and Sax. Chron. A.D. 547. + +Edwin, son of Alla, reigned seventeen years, seized on Elmete, and +expelled Cerdic, its king. Eanfled, his duaghter, received baptism, +on the twelfth day after Pentecost, with all her followers, both +men and women. The following Easter Edwin himself received baptism, +and twelve thousand of his subjects with him. If any one wishes +to know who baptized them, it was Rum Map Urbgen:* he was engaged +forty days in baptizing all classes of the Saxons, and by his +preaching many believed on Christ. +* See Bede's Eccles. Hist. From the share which Paulinus had in +the conversion of the Northumbrian king, it has been inferred +that he actaully baptized him; but Nennius experssly states, that +the holy sacrament was administered by Rhun, the son of Urien. +The Welsh name of Paulinus is Pawl Hen, or Polin Eagob. + +64. Oswald son of Ethelfrid, reigned nine years; the same is +Oswald Llauiguin;[1] he slew Catgublaun (Cadwalla),[2] king of +Guenedot,[3] in the battle of Catscaul,[4] with much loss to his +own army. Oswy, son of Ethelfrid, reigned twenty-eight years and +six months. During his reign, there was a dreadful mortality +among his subjects, when Catgualart (Cadwallader) was king among +the Britons, succeeding his father, and he himself died amongst +the rest.[5] He slew Penda in the field of Gai, and now took +place the slaughter of Gai Campi, and the kings of the Britons, +who went out with Penda on the expedition as far as the city of +Judeu, were slain. +[1] Llauiguin, means the "fair," or the "bounteous hand." +[2] This name has been variously written; Bede spells it Caedualla +(Cadwalla); Nennius, Catgublaun; the Saxon Chronicle, Ceadwalla; +and the Welsh writers, Cadwallon and Kalwallawn: and though the +identity of the person may be clearly proved, it is necessary to +observe these particulars to distinguish him from Cadwaladr, and +from another Caedualla or Caedwalla, a king of the West Saxons; +all of whom, as they lived within a short time of each other, +have been frequently confounded together.--Rees's Welsh Saints. +[3] Gwynedd, North Wales. +[4] Bede says at Denis's brook. +[5] The British chronicles assert that Cadwallader died at Rome, +whilst Nennius would lead us to conclude that he perished in the +pestilence at home. + +65. Then Oswy restored all the wealth, which was with him in the +city, to Penda; who distributed it among the kings of the Britons, +that is Atbert Judeu. But Catgabail alone, king of Guenedot, +rising up in the night, excaped, together with his army, wherefore +he was called Catgabail Catguommed. Egfrid, son of Oswy, reigned +nine years. In his time the holy bishop Cuthbert died in the +island of Medcaut.* It was he who made war against the Picts, +and was by them slain. +* The isle of Farne. + +Penda, son of Pybba, reigned ten years; he first separated the +kingdom of Mercia from that of the North-men, and slew by treachery +Anna, king of the East Anglians, and St. Oswald, king of the North +Men. He fought the battle of Cocboy, in which fell Eawa, son of +Pybba, his brother, king of the Mercians, and Oswald, king of the +North-men, and he gained the victory by diabolical agency. He +was not baptized, and never believed in God. + +66. From the beginning of the world to Constantinus and Rufus, +are found to be five thousand six hundred and fifty-eight years. + +Also from the two consuls, Rufus and Rubelius, to the consul +Stilicho, are three hundred and seventy-three years. + +Also from Stilicho to Valentinian, son of Placida, and the reign +of Vortigern, are twenty-eight years. + +And from the reign of Vortigern to the quarrel between Guitolinus +and Ambrosius, are twelve years, which is Guoloppum, that is +Catgwaloph.* Vortigern reigned in Britain when Theodosius and +Valentinian were consuls, and in the fourth year of his reign the +Saxons came to Britain, in the consulship of Felix and Taurus, in +the four hundredth year from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus +Christ. +* In Carmarthenshire. Perhaps the town now called Kidwelly. + +>From the year in which the Saxons came into Britain, and were +received by Vortigern, to the time of Decius and Valerian, are +sixty-nine years. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of History Of The Britons, by Nennius + |