HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAPTER I.

BRITAIN.

The Britons; Ireland and Scotland (1)—the Roman conquest; invasion of Julius Cæsar; description of the Britons (2)—— Claudius; Caractacus (3)—destruction of the Druids; Queen Boadicea (4)-Agricola (5)-Hadrian and Severus (6)—the British Church; St. Alban (7).

I. The British Isles.—England has its name from the Angles or English, of whom we shall not speak till our next chapter, as they were not the first owners of the land. They found already dwelling in it a Celtic race, the Britons, who are the earliest inhabitants of whom we have any historic knowledge, and who still exist as a people under the name of Welsh. These are supposed to have conquered, and rooted out from the country, a savage race, remains of whose weapons and tools have been found in their tombs or cromlechs. The Island of Ierne, Scotia, or Ireland was inhabited by another Celtic people, the Scots, who afterwards colonized or conquered a district of Caledonia or North Britain, which thus came to be called from them Scotia or Scotland.

2. The Roman Conquest. Julius Cæsar.-At the time when our knowledge of the Britons begins, the Romans were the most powerful nation of the world; and it was their

great general, Caius Julius Cæsar, who first attempted to conquer Britain, hitherto only known to those merchants who traded with the tribes on the sea-coast. Cæsar first passed over into Britain in Aug. 55 B.C., landing at Deal. The next year he came again, but neither time did he make any lasting conquest, or leave any troops behind him. He only saw the southern part of the island, and gives to the Kentish people the praise of being the most civilized of the Britons. The population was large, the buildings and cattle numerous. The Britons stained themselves blue with woad, which gave them a terrible appearance in battle. They employed both cavalry and chariots, and were remarkable for their skill in driving, and the activity with which they leapt down to fight on foot and sprang back again to their cars. Their priests were called Druids, and human sacrifices were offered to their gods. After Cæsar's two expeditions, Britain became much better known to the rest of the world. At the beginning of the Christian æra, its exports are said to have comprised corn and cattle, gold and silver, tin, lead, and iron, skins, slaves, and hunting dogs. Pearls were also found, but of a poor kind.

3. Claudius. In the time of the Emperor Claudius, who himself came over here in A.D. 43, the Romans really began to conquer Britain. One who struggled the hardest against the invaders was Carádoc, called by the Romans Caractacus, King of a tribe dwelling by the Severn; but he was at last taken and sent prisoner to Rome. When he saw the stately streets, he expressed his wonder that men who had such wealth at home should covet his poor cottage in Britain; and the Emperor, struck with his bold bearing, instead of putting him to death, the usual fate of a captive, gave him his freedom.

4. Boadicea. In A.D. 61 Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman governor, being determined to root out the Druids, attacked

their sacred isle of Mona (now Anglesey). A strong force of Britons defended the shore; the Druids stood around, calling down the wrath of heaven upon the invaders; women with streaming hair and torches in their hands rushed wildly to and fro. For a moment the Romans quailed with superstitious terror; but, recalling their courage, they advanced, and warriors, Druids, priestesses, were overwhelmed, the altars destroyed, and the sacred groves cut down. Meanwhile the subject Britons broke out into revolt under the leadership of Buddug or Boadicea, widow of a King of the Icenians, a tribe dwelling in what are now Norfolk and Suffolk. Boadicea, having offended the Roman officer commanding at Camulodunum (Colchester), had by his orders been publicly scourged, and her two daughters had been subjected to brutal outrage. Breathing vengeance, the highspirited Queen gathered together her own and the neighbouring tribes, stirred them by a fiery speech, and herself led them to battle. They massacred the garrisons and burnt the Roman towns of Londinium (London), Verulamium (St. Albans), and Camulodunum; but, on the return of Suetonius, they were defeated with great slaughter near Londinium. Boadicea died soon after-a natural death, as some say; according to others, she poisoned herself in despair.

5. Agricola.—The true conqueror of Britain was Cnaus Julius Agricola, a wise and good man, who was its governor from A.D. 78 to 84. He built a line of forts between the Firths of Forth and Clyde to keep off the wild North-Britons whom he could not subdue, sailed round the north of the island, and found out the Orkneys. He ruled with justice, checked the extortions of the Roman tax-gatherers, and encouraged the natives to build temples, courts of justice, and good dwelling-houses. Towns were raised throughout the land, and excellent roads made, some of which remain at this day. Many Romans settled in Britain, of whose