Britanniæ speculum, or, A short view of the ancient and modern state of Great Britain, and the adjacent isles, and of all other the dominions and territories, now in the actual possession of His present Sacred Majesty King Charles II the first part, treating of Britain in general.

CHAP. VIII. Of the quitting of Britain by the Ro∣mans: The State thereof after their departure.

IN this Island did the Roman Govern∣ment continue till the time of the Emperor Honorius,* 1.1 in the fifteenth year of whose Reign, being the Yeer of our Lord 410. and four hundred sixty and two yeers after the first Arrival of Ju∣lius Caesar on the British shore, the Bri∣tains, the Flower of whose Youth had been from time to time drawn out by the Romans, whose Forces also were now called from hence for the defence of Italy against the Goths, not ha∣ving Power sufficient to defend them∣selves from the Incursions of their Nor∣thern Enemies, sent their Messengers to the Emperor, humbly craving his Protection. But he, not able to afford them any Assistance, Rome it self being then besieged by Alaric, by whom it was the same year taken, sent them Letters, exhorting them to stand on their own Guard, and acquitting them of the Roman Jurisdiction.

* 1.2The Romans thus relinquishing all Care and Protection of Britain, the Government devolved on its own pet∣ty Princes, who independently ruled the several Provinces thereof. But they, unable to support themselves a∣gainst the daily Inroads of the Picts and Scots, again sent Letters to Ho∣norius, who, compassionating their Miseries, the Fear of Alaric being now over, sent a Legion to their Assistance, who, having with great Slaughter driven back the Picts be∣yond the Marches, and cleared the Frontiers, caused a Rampire to be built cross the Island from the Frith of Edenborough to the City Alcluith on Dunbritton, as Agricola formerly had done.

No sooner were the Romans depar∣ted to the defence of France, but the Picts, breaking down this Wall, slight∣ly cast up of Turfs only, and pour∣ing into the Province like a Torrent, laid all waste, whereever they came, the Scots likewise out of their Carroghs or Leather vessels, wherein they used to pass the Scitick Vale, landing in whole Swarms, and making havock of what∣ever came in their way.

The Britains, thus bandied between two merciless and insolent Enemies, yet once more sent Ambassadors to Rome, who with rent Garments, and Sand on their Heads, mournfully sup∣plicating Valentinian the third, then Emperor, that he would not suffer a Province, which had been so servicea∣ble to the Romans, to be the Subject of Barbarian Scorn and Insolence, excited in him such Pity of their Complaints, that to succor them he sent certain Regiments, who, coming unexpected∣ly upon those ravenous Spoilers, sur∣prised them with terrible Slaughter.

The Britains thus rescued, and the Province cleared of the Enemies, the Romans gave them their help to build another Wall of Stone, twelve foot high, and eight broad, traversing the Island in a direct Line from East to West, where Severus had walled be∣fore, between certain Cities, placed as Frontiers to keep off the Enemy, and along the South Shore, from whence Hostility was also feared, they erected Towers at certain distances for safety of the Coast.

This done, having instructed the Britains in the Art of War, leaving

them Patterns of their Arms and Wea∣pons, and exhorting them manfully to resist the Invaders of their Countrey, they took their last Farewel, never purposing to return.

The Romans being finally departed, and their Resolution of not returning known, the Scots and Picts, more confidently than ever issuing out of their Holes, seized upon all the North part of the Island even as far as the Wall, which, not fearing to be dis∣possest, they, as natural Inhabitants, planted and manured: Not content herewith, they assaulted the Garrison on the Wall, whence with their Hooks and Engines pulling down some, they put the rest to flight, themselves ta∣king possession of the Frontier Cities, and having with such ease broken in∣to the Province, pursued the Britains into the Inland Countreys, bringing destruction still along with them.

The better to withstand the fre∣quent Inroads of these cruel Enemies, the Princes, after the example of their Ancestors in the dayes of Julius Caesar, resolved to choose a General Captain of the whole Nation, and to establish the Kingdom in his Line.

For this high Dignity there were two considerable Competitors: Aure∣lius Ambrosius, descended of a noble Roman Family, and (as it is supposed) Son of Constantin, who in the dayes of Honorius pretended to the Roman Empire; and Vortigern, Prince of the Damnonii, or, as some write, Consul of the Gevissei, Inhabitants of the South-Western parts about Cornwal or South-Wales: Which Principality, it seems, he had governed well enough to be esteemed not unworthy to be preferred above his formerly Fellow-Princes.

Ambrosius therefore, with his Bro∣ther Ʋter Pendragon, retiring into les∣ser Britain in Gaul, quitted both his Pretence and Country to Vortigern, who, the Choice thus falling on him, was in the Year 438 anointed King: For, that in those ancient times of British Government the solemn Cere∣mony of anointing their Kings was in use in this Island, is clear from the Testimony of Gildas.

Vortigern, thus advanced to the Throne, governed a while his Prin∣cipality with Moderation. In the eighth year of his Reign the Picts,

who after their miraculous Discomfi∣ture by St. Germanus had for the most part kept within their own Territories, now breaking in afresh, miserably wasted all those Provinces of Britain, which had formerly been subject to the Romans: and this Invasion they continued the year following with such violence, that after much Blood∣shed, and horrible Devastation of the Countrey, the Britains, having no o∣ther Refuge, wrote to Aetius, then President of Gallia, this short, but lamentable, Epistle, recorded by Gil∣das.

To Aetius, the third time Con∣sul, the Groans of the Britains.

The Barbarians drive us to the Sea, the Sea beats us back upon the Barba∣rians. Between these two we are expos∣ed either to be slain with the Sword, or drowned: and to avoid both we find no Remedy.

But in vain were these Supplications, the Romans, who could scarce secure the heart of their Empire, infested with the Huns and Vandals, not be∣ing able to afford them any assistance. Many therefore of the Britains, see∣ing themselves thus rejected, wearied

with flying from place to place, and spent with the terrible Famin, which had long afflicted them, yielded them∣selves Slaves to their Savage Enemies; but others, more resolute, taught by their Miseries to seek aid from Hea∣ven, retired to inaccessible Mountains and Caves, whence with Courage and Success they often assaulted these rave∣nous Spoilers, recovering from them their Booty, and driving them back to their own Quarters.

These hostil Invasions therefore a while ceasing, the Britains set them∣selves to cultivate their Ground, which with scarce credible Plenty a∣bundantly recompenced their Labors.

No sooner were their Enemies de∣parted, and their pinching Hunger allaid, but their Piety likewise vani∣shed, in the room whereof succeeded excessive Luxury, accompanied with all sorts of Vices, infecting not the Laity only, but the Clergy also, who ought to have been Guides to others. And altho GOD sought to reclaim them by his Scourge of Pestilence, by which such Multitudes perished, that the Living were not sufficient to bury the Dead; yet were they with this

Severity nothing at all amended, but like Solomons Fool, tho scourged, yet they felt it not.

GODs Patience therefore being spent towards a People, which grew worse both by Prosperity and Adver∣sity, he so far infatuated their Coun∣sels, that they themselves invited from a remote Country Enemies, far more savage and barbarous than either the Picts or Scots.

The Northern Spoilers, whom fear of the Contagion had kept within their own Borders, the Infection now beginning to cease, readvanced into the Inland Countrey, against whose Incursions the better to provide, King Vortigern summoned a general Coun∣cel, where by common Advice it was resolved, that Ambassadors should be sent into Germany to hire the Saxons to their assistance: an Army of which in the year 449 landing in Britain under the Conduct of Hengist and Horsa, the Britains, by their Help overcoming their Enemies, who were come as far as Stamford in Lincoln∣shire, gave them great Possesions in that part of the same County, now called Lindsey, where they built Thong-Castle.

King Vortigern, falling in love with Rowena, Daughter to Hengist, divor∣ced his Queen, a vertuous Lady, by whom he had three Sons, named Vor∣timer, Catigern, and Pascentius, to make his Bed vacant for this Pagan, whom he bought of her Father with the Kingdom of Kent: who soon af∣ter, taking advantage at the Discon∣tent of the Britains for this Act of their King, pickt a Quarrel, and ma∣king a League with the Picts, laid wast the Countrey.

The Saxons Power increasing by the coming over of fresh Supplies, the British Laity first, and afterwards the Clergy represented their Danger to the King, whom, either not be∣lieving, or not regarding their Com∣plaints, they in the sixteenth year of his Reign deserted, and followed his Son Vortimer (choosing him, as some say, for their General, or, as others, for an Associate to his Father in the Kingdom) under whose Conduct they had many Conflicts with the Saxons, and that with various Success: in one of which, the Vant-guard being led by Aurelius Ambrosius, newly come out of Little Britain to assist Prince

Vortimer, the main Body by Vortimer himself, and the Rere by his Bro∣ther Catigern, Catigern was slain, and buried at Alestrew, now called Ayles∣ford in Kent, where a Monument erected for him, is at this day cor∣ruptly called Keith-Coty-House.

This Proceeding of the Britains (tho the more excuseable, in that they did not presume to depose their King, which yet Parker in his Antiquities of the British Church not only affirms they did, but (like a true Calvinist) commends them for so doing; but only without, or (perhaps) against his Consent chose themselves a Lea∣der against their Enemies) as it was not justifiable, nor yet approved by all the Britains, many of which took not well this advancing of the Son a∣gainst the good Liking of the Father: so was it fatal to Vortimer himself, who, having six years enjoyed this Dignity, lost both that and his Life, being poysoned by the Procurement of Rowena. After his Death Ambro∣sius returned again into Britain in France.

Hengist and his Saxons, who under Pretence of a Treaty of Peace had

slain three hundred of the British Nobility, and by detaining Vortigern Prisoner had extorted from him the Counties of Essex, Sussex, Surrey, Nor∣folk, and Suffolk for his Ransom, growing daily more and more pow∣erful, whilst Vortigern lurkt inglori∣ously in his Castle Gener•• amidst the inaccessible Mountains of the Coun∣trey, now called Cambria or Wales, and the middle Provinces of the Realm, left without any Defender, being exposed to the fury of the Ene∣my, the Britains, deserted by their King, were forced to seek one a∣broad.

They directed therefore Messengers into Little Britain to Ambrosius and his Brother Ʋter Pendragon, beseech∣ing them with all speed to quit that Country, and repair into their own, to the end that expelling both the Saxons, and their hated King Vorti∣gern, they might receive the Crown of Britain.

The Princes upon this Invitation returned, attended with Ships, and armed Souldiers, and being arrived here, had a great Battel with Hen∣gist, wherein tho the Britains were

worsted, yet the Saxons received such Loss, that they both gladly continu∣ed quiet. The Fury of the Saxons thus allayed, Ambrosius marched into Wales, where setting fire to the Castle of King Vortigern, he consumed both him and his to Ashes: After whose Death by Consent of the Nobles he assumed the Crown Anno CHRISTI 481.

In the Year of our Lord 496. Pas∣centius, the Son of Vortigern, with an Army of Germans came against Ambro∣sius, by whom being discomfited, he fled into Scotland: Whence about five years after returning with an Army, and understanding, that Ambrosius lay sick, he hired a certain Saxon, named Copa, who, feigning himself to be a British Monk and a Physician, poysoned the King, Pascentius in the mean time and all his Captaines being slain by Ʋter Pendragon, who in the head of the Kings Forces marched out against him.

The Line of Vortigern being thus extinct, and Ambrosius now dead, the Realm was without any Competitor governed by Ʋter Pendragon, under whom and his Successors the Britains

had continual Struglings with the Saxons, by whom being at last outed of the best part of their Country, they retired beyond the River Severn, and in those parts fortified themselves, a Period being put to the British Kingdom in the Year of our Lord, 688. about two hundred seventy eight years after that Honorius had by Letters of Discharge quitted the Bri∣tains of the Roman Jurisdiction, two hundred and fifty from the Reesta∣blishing of the British Monarchy by the Election of King Vortigern, two hundred thirty nine after the first Arrival of Hengist and his Saxon Auxiliaries, and in the third Year of Cadwalladar, who was the last, that was dignified with the Title of King of Britain, his Successors being stiled Kings and Princes of Wales.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Britain quitted by the Romans.
• * 1.2

  State thereof after their Depar∣ture.