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423.

* Reftitutus,

A. B. of

was fore afflicted, and facked by the
Goths and Vandals. The Emperor
Arcadius died in Peace at Conftanti-
nople, and his Brother Honorius at
Rome.

A. D.

ing Part of their Treasures here in the Earth. But during their Stay in this Ifland, they had much difpeopled it of its Natives, having levied as many Companies, Cohorts, and Enfigns of flout Britains from hence,

423. Heodofius, the Son of for the Service of Armenia, Egypt,

Arcadius, was now Emperor, when the Roman Greatnefs was almoft quite fallen. His Kinfman Valentinian he chofe for his Affociate, making him Emperor of the Weft. At this Time the Britains were forely diftreffed by the continual Disturbers of their Peace, the Scots and Pics; therefore they fent their Ambaffadors to Rome, with their Garments rent, and Duft upon their Heads, bewailing their moft London. miferable Eftate; and craving the Emperor's Aid; who fent a Regiment of Soldiers into Britain under Gallio: Which Captain did fome prefent Kindness for them; but in fhort time was called over with his Legion into Gallia, to fecure the Country about Paris. At his Departure, he advifed the Britains to ftand upon their own Guard, and for the future to provide for their own Safety, and not to depend up on any Succours from the Romans, who had their Hands full of Troubles near Home.

Thus about 500 Years after the Romans had fwayed in Britain, they took their final Farewell of it, bury

TH

Illyricum, their Frontier Countries, as from any other of their Provinces whatsoever. Some of these British Soldiers, after they were wearied out in the Wars, had Armorica in France affigned them (by Conftantine the Great) for their good Service in the Wars; from whom, that Country of Armorica was called Little Britain. Hither in the time of Gratian the Emperor, was Ursula the Daughter of Dinoth, Regent of Cornwal, fent, with Eleven thousand Virgins, in order to have been married with their Countrymen; but all of them perished e'er they arrived, fome being drowned in the Sea by a Tempeft, the Remainder put to the Sword by the barbarous Huns and Pias, because they refufed to yield their Chaftities to their filthy Lufts.

The Romans made four famous Highways in England, namely, Ikenild-fireet or way, the Fofs, Ermonfireet, and Watling-freet:

About A. D. 400, Pelagius, a Britain, brought up in the Monaftery of Bangor, did much difturb the Peace of the Church by his heretical Opinions.

SAXON

HE Southern or more civilized Britains being now grown very low, and exceedingly weakned (what with the Romans exporting their valiant Countrymen to ferve in Foreign Countries, what with their own civil Diffenfions, the Romans forfaking them, and the

S.

Calamities of Scarcity and Famine) their veterane Foes the Scots, Pics, and Irish, hereupon take their Op; portunity fo miferably to infeft and trouble them, that no longer able to defend and fecure themselves, they fupplicate Aid out of Germany, from the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons,

then

then inhabiting Jutland, Holstein, and the Sea coafts along to the River Rhine. Of thefe to the Number of Nine Thousand, under the Command of the two Brethren, Hengift and Harfa, entered Britain at Ebf feet in the Iland of Thanet, about 450 Years after the Birth of Chrift. There they were received with great Joy, and faluted with Songs after the accustomed Manner of the Britains, who appointed them that Ifland for their Habitation. And not long after, Hengift obtained of Vertigern King of the Britains, the Property of fo much Ground as he could inclofe with a Bulls-hide, which cutting into Thongs, he there built the Caftle called from thence Thong Castle: To which Place he invited Vertigern, who there fell in Love with Rowena, the Daughter or Niece of Hengift; upon which

Match Hengift began to grow bold, 423. and to think of making this Ifland C his Inheritance. In order to which, he fent for fresh Forces to come over to him; which being arrived, they fought and made Occafions of Quarrels with the Natives, driving the Inhabitants before them from their wonted Poffeffions, every_several Captain accounting that Part of the Country his own, where he could overmatch the Britains, commanding in it as abfolute King: By which Means the Land became burthened with seven of them at the firft, at one and the fame Time. But although the Land was divided into feven feveral Kingdoms, and each of them bearing a Sovereign Command within its own Limits; yet one of them ever feemed to be fupreme over the reft.

The SAXON Heptarchy.

HE Kingdom of Kent confifting of that County only which Vortigern had given to Hengif in Favour of Rowena, was the firft Dominion of the Saxons fevenheaded Kingdom, and began in or near the Year of our Lord 455, continuing 372 Years. In it there ruled feventeen Kings fucceffively; the first of which was Hengift; and the firft Chriftian King thereof was Ethelbert, furnamed Pren.

The South Saxons Kingdom, containing the Counties of Suffex and Surrey, commenced in A. D. 488, continuing 113 Years; Ella being the first King, and Ethelwolph the firft Chriftian King thereof.

The Weft Saxon Kingdom, containing the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorfet, Somerset, Wilts, Berks, and Hampshire, began A. D. 519, continuing 300 Years; Cherdick being the first King, and Hin

gils the firft Chriftian King thereof.

The Eaft Saxon Kingdom, containing the Counties of Effex, Middlefex, and Part of Hertfordshire, began in A. D. 527, continuing 281 Years; Erchenwin being the firft King thereof, and Shebert the first Christian King.

The Kingdom of Northumberland, containing the Counties of York, Durham, Lancaster, Weftmoreland, Cumberland, and Northumberland, began in A. D. 527, continuing 379 Years; Ella and Ida the firft Kings thereof, and Edwin the firft Chaiftian King.

The Kingdom of Mercia, containing the Counties of Oxford, Gloucester, Worcester, Salop, Cheshire, Stafford, Warwick, Buckingham, Bedford, Huntingdon, Part of Hertfordshire, Northampton Rutland, Lincoln, Leicester, Derby, and Not C 4

tingham,

tingham, began in A. D. 582, continuing 202 Years, Cerde being the firft King, and Peada firft Chriftian King thereof.

The Kingdom of the Eaft Angles, containing the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridge, began in A. D. 775, continuing 353 Years, Uffa being the firft King, and Redwald the firft Chriftian King thereof. Its laft King was Edmond, whom the Danes, for his conflant Profeffion of the Chriftian Faith, moft barbarously flew at a Village then called Heglefdune, where, when the Danes were departed, his Head

and Body were buried, and the Town, upon Occafion thereof, called St. Edmonds-bury. After the Death of this Edmond, the Kingdom of the Eaft-Angles was poffeffed by the Danes, till fuch Time that Edward, furnamed the Elder, expulfed them, and joined it a Province to the Weft Saxons: But the Britains, during the Time of the Heptarchy, continued in the Defence of their own rightful Inheritance, with great Difdain and valorous Refiftance, as much as in them lay, oppofing the Saxon Yoke.

The BRITISH Princes, who contended with the SAXONS to maintain their Country's Rights, were thefe chiefly; First,

Ortigern, at that time King, by

the Election of the Britains, when the Saxons were firft invited into the Land. This Vortigern reigning first 16 Years, and then depoted for his Favours to the Saxons, was retained in Durance all the Reign of Vortimer his Son, after whofe Death he was re eftablished; but oppreffed by the Saxons, and purfued by Aurelius, he fled into Wales, where in a Caftle, which he built by Melius's Di

Cation in the Mountains, then, with his Daughter, whom he had taken to Wife, were burnt to Ashes.

Ortimer, for his Father's Abufe Government, was conftitued King of the Britains. He gave unto the Saxons four famous Overthrows, almoft to their utter Expulfion. After his laft Victory over them, he caufed his Monument to be erected at the Entrance into Thanet, whither he had driven the Saxons, even in that fame Place of the Overthrow; which Monument was called Lapis titulo, now the StoBr, wherein he commanded his Bo

dy to be buried, to the farther Ter

ror of the Saxons; that in beholding this his Trophy, their Hearts might be daunted at the Remembrance of their great Overthrow. But Rowena procured his Death by Poifon. He reftored the Chriftian Religion, then forely decayed, and rebuilt the Churches deftroyed by the Pagan Danes.

A of that confrontine, who was Urelius Ambrofius, defcended elected here, only in Hope of his lucky Name. He was very fuccefsful against the Saxons; but, as fome fay, was poifoned by the Procurement of Pafcentius, the youngest Son of Vortigern. Others report, that he was flain in the Field by the Saxons, and that the Britains erected that famous Monument called Stonebenge, anciently Gloria Gigantum, over the Place where he was flain and buried; though, according to the Saying of fome, Aurelius Ambrofius caufed the Monument of Stonehenge to be erected in Memorial of the Maffacre of 300 of the

Nobility

Nobility of the Britains by the Sax Bs, who were there buried. He built Ambresbury in Wilts.

A. D. 497.

Ter Pendragon, the Brother of Ambrofius, was in all his Wars against the Saxons moft victorious and fortunate. He was furnamed Pendragon, either becaufe at his Birth there appeared a fiery Comet fomewhat refembling a Dragon's Head, or because of his Serpentine Wisdom, or from his

was a huge broad Stone, in which 586.
a leaden Crofs was faftened, and
therein this Infcription, Hic jacet,
&c. Here lies King Arthur, buried
in the Ifle of Avalonia. By him lay
his Queen Guenavor, whofe Treffes
of Hair finely platted, of a golden
Colour, feemed perfect and entire,
till but being touched they moul-
dred to Duft. These Relicks were
re-buried in the great Church.

Royal Banner, wherein was pour 4:2C%

trayed a Dragon with a Golden Head. When he had reigned eighteen Years, he died of Poifon put into a Well, whereof he ufually drank.

A. D.

A. D. Onftantine, the Son of Ca-
dor, Duke of Cornwall,
and Coufin to King Arthur by Mar-
riage, and his adopted Heir, was
flain by Conanus, when he had been
King three Years, and was buried
at Stone-henge.

516.ur, the Son of Pen- A. D.

dragon, begotten upon the Lady Igren, Dutchess of Cornwall, was crowned King of Britain at 15 Years of Age, about A. D. 516. Twelve Battles he fought against the Saxons with great Manhood and Victory, the laft of which was fought at Bath, or Bathen bill, where the Britains gave the Saxons a very great Overthrow. But Mordred, a Prince of the Picts, whofe Mother was Pendragon's Sifter, affecting the Crown, upon the Pretence of Arthur's reputed Baftardy, made many Attempts against him; and laftly, at Cambalu, now Camelford in Cornwall, encountring King Arthur, gave him

felf flain by Arthur in that Place. From which Place this renowned King was carried to Glaftenbury, where he died of his Wounds in A. D. 542, whofe Body was there buried, and after 600 Years was digged up by the Command of Henry the Second. His Bones of great Bignefs, and Skull, wherein were perceived ten Wounds, were found in the Trunk of a Tree; over him

Urelius Conanus, King

545: Arthur's Nephew, detained his Uncle in perpetual Imprifonment, and flew his two Coufins, because they had more Right to the Crown than himself.

V

A. D.TOrtiporus in many Battles
578. vanquished the Saxons,
and valiantly defended his Subjects;
but was otherwise very wicked.

A. D.

581. M.Algo Conamus, in Arms

and Dominions, was ftronger and greater than any other British Potentate, faith Gildas.

A. D.

C

121

Areticus fowed, Civil Wars amongst his Subjects the Britains, which occafioned them to forfake him, and to leave him to the Mercy of the Saxons, who purfuing after him, he fled into Cirencester for Safety; but by the Advice of his Purfuers, certain Sparrows being taken, and Fire faftened to their Feet, were let fly into the City, who lighting among Straw, fet it on Fire, whence the City was burnt to the Ground; but

Careticus

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685. Careticus efcaped, and fled for Safety unto the Mountains of Wales, where he died.

C

A. D. Adwan maintained him-
62:
635
felf and his Subjects in
great Honour and Peace. His firkt
Affairs against the Saxons were to
revenge the Deaths of his Britains,
and harmlefs Monks of Bangor,
flain by wild Ethelfred, the mighty
King of Northumberland.

The Monaftery of Bangor, in North Wales, was fituated in the fruitful Valley now called the English Mailor, containing within it the Quantity of a Mile and a half of Ground. This Monaftery, as faith Bernard Clarivalentius, was the Mother of all others in the World. Whofe Monks diftributed themselves into feven Portions, every one numbering 300 Souls, and all of them living by the Labour of their own Hands. Many of these Monks affembled at Chefer, Caer-Legion, to affift their Brethren the Britains with their Prayers against Ethelfred, furnamed the Wild, King of Northumberland, who with his Pagan Soldiers fet upon the Britains, difcomfited their Hoft, and put to the Sword Twelve hundred of thefe Christian Monks.

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ble triumphantly riding on Horféback, being artificially caft in Brass, the Britains placed upon Ludgate, to the farther Fear and Terror of the Saxons.

A. D. 685.

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C

44dwallador, the Son of with great Valour fought against the Saxons ; but his Nobles diffenting and warring among themselves, did much endamage his very hopeful Undertakings and by the all-difpofing hand of Providence fo great a Dearth befel, that Herbs and Roots were the Commons chiefeft Suftenance. Mortality and Peftilence likewife raging fo forely and fuddenly, that People in their eating, drinking, walking, and fpeaking, were furprized by Death, and in fuch Numbers, that the living were scarce fufficient to bury the dead: Which Calamities lafted no less than eleven Years, whereby the Land became defolate; infomuch that the King, and many of the British Peers, were forced to feek and eat their Bread in foreign Parts. But the deftroying Angel, by God's Appointment, having fheathed his devouring Sword, Cadwallador was minded to have returned into his native Country, with fome Aids which he had procured of his Coufin Alan, King of Little Britain, + but was forbid by an Angel, as he thought, and commanded to go to Rome, and there take upon him the Habit of Religion; which accordingly he did, and died at Rome, where, in St. Peter's Church he was buried, being the last King of the Britains Blood, about A. D. 689.

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The most powerful Kings of the SAXON Heptarchy, were,

4. D.
5th Year after his Ar-
rival in Britain, began his King-

445.

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Kings befide) doth derive his Original from Prince Waden, and his

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