* 1.1XVII. CHAP.
1.2. &c. The Brittains lamentable de∣mand of succours: in vain.
6. &c. They call in the Saxons, to their destruction.
* 1.21. IN these times the Vandals by their in∣cursions and numerous Armies grei∣vously oppr••s'd the Roman Empire. Which opportunity being observ'd by the Picts & Scotts, they likewise broke their limitts, and miserably wasted the Provinces of Brittany which had been subject to the Romans. This hapned in the eighth year of Vortigerns raign.
* 1.32. The year following they continued their invasion with such extreme violence, and were so weakly resisted by the Brittains sortned with luxury, that after much blood∣shed, and horrible wasting of the countrey, their only refuge was to the Romans, whom with the most humble and passionate Pray∣ers they solicited to afford them succour.
3. Their short, but lamentable Epistle directed to Aetius Generall of the Roman for∣ces is thus recorded by Gildas:* 1.4 To Aetius third time Consul: The groans of the Brittains. Our barbarous enemies drive us to the Sea: the Sea beates us back upon our barbarous Enemies. Between these two we are expos'd either to be slain with the sword, or drownd: and to avoyd both we find no remedy.
4. But these letters avayld nothing: for the Romans with much adoe being scarce able to secure the heart of their Empire, could not defend the remote bounds. So that the Brittains wanting arms, and much more wanting hearts, became dayly a prey to their enemies. With this calamity another was ioynd much more terrible, which was extre∣mity of famine (saith S. Beda)* 1.5 which forc'd many of them to render themselves slaves to their Savage enemies: Only a few being by these miseries taught the wisedome to seek aid from heaven, retir'd into inaccessible mountains & caves, from whence they took the courage often times with good successe to sett upon their Ene∣mies, busy only in heaping spoyles, which they recover'd from them, and drove them back into their own quarters.
5. But this refreshment lasted but awhile,* 1.6 because their Piety and recourse to Divine help presently vanish'd. For as the same Authour from Gildas declares,* 1.7 After the Hostile invasions of their enemies ceased, the Island began to abound with all manner of fruits and provisions, beyond what any former age could remember: And as their plenty abounded, so did their luxury: which was quickly accompa∣nied with all sorts of vices: especially cruelty to one another, hatred of Divine Truth, &c.
6. Gods patience therefore being spent towards a people which grew worse both by prosperity and adversity, he brought upon them Enemies far more Savage and barbarous then either the Picts or Scotts: Or rather he so infatuated the reprobat Brit∣tains, that they themselves invited from a remote countrey those new Enemies to con∣sume them. These were the Saxons, the Angli and Iutes, Nations of Germany, terrible for their undaunted courage and agility, saith Paulus Diaconus: most formidable to the Ro∣man••,* 1.8 because most sudden and violent in their enterprises,* 1.9 saith Marcellinus: Esteemd the most warlick Nations among the Germans for strength of bodies, courage of minds, and pa∣cience to suffer all corporall labours and incommo∣dities, saith Zosimus.* 1.10
7. But before we particularly relate the last fatall Tragedy of the ruine of the Brittish Kingdom and State in this Island, some more speciall occurrents hapning at the same time, and relating to Ecclesiasticall affaires, require first to be dispatch'd, that they may not interrupt the contexture of that dismall story.