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so intolerable an enemy to the Republic, that he ravaged almost all Europe, attacking and destroying
cities and castles. At the same time there was a famine at Constantinople, and soon after a plague
followed; moreover, a great part of the wall of that city, with fifty-seven towers, fell to the ground.
Many cities also went to ruin, and the famine and pestilential state of the air destroyed thousands
of men and cattle.
CHAP. XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the great famine, drove the barbarians out of
the their territories, and soon after there ensued, along with abundance of corn, decay of
morals, pestilence, and the downfall of the nation.
IN the meantime, the aforesaid famine distressing the Britons more and more, and leaving to
posterity a lasting memory of its mischievous effects, obliged many of them to submit themselves
to the depredators; though others still held out, putting their trust in God, when human help failed.
These continually made raids from the mountains, caves, and woods, and, at length, began to inflict
severe losses on their enemies, who had been for so many years plundering the country. The bold
Irish robbers thereupon returned home, intending to come again before long. The Picts then settled
down in the farthest part of the island and afterwards remained there; but they did not fail to plunder
and harass the Britons from time to time.
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Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England The Venerable Bede
Now, when the ravages of the enemy at length abated, the island began to abound with such
plenty of grain as had never been known in any age before; along with plenty, evil living increased,
and this was immediately attended by the taint of all manner of crime; in particular, cruelty, hatred
of truth, and love of falsehood; insomuch, that if any one among them happened to be milder than
the rest, and more inclined to truth, all the rest abhorred and persecuted him unrestrainedly, as if
he had been the enemy of Britain. Nor were the laity only guilty of these things, but even our Lord s
own flock, with its shepherds, casting off the easy yoke of Christ, gave themselves up to drunkenness,
enmity, quarrels, strife, envy, and other such sins. In the meantime, on a sudden, a grievous plague
fell upon that corrupt generation, which soon destroyed such numbers of them, that the living
scarcely availed to bury the dead: yet, those that survived, could not be recalled from the spiritual
death, which they had incurred through their sins, either by the death of their friends, or the fear
of death. Whereupon, not long after, a more severe vengeance for their fearful crimes fell upon the
sinful nation. They held a council to determine what was to be done, and where they should seek
help to prevent or repel the cruel and frequent incursions of the northern nations; and in concert
with their King Vortigern, it was unanimously decided to call the Saxons to their aid from beyond
the sea, which, as the event plainly showed, was brought about by the Lord s will, that evil might
fall upon them for their wicked deeds.
CHAP. XV. How the Angles, being invited into Britain, at first drove off the enemy; but not
long after, making a league with them, turned their weapons against their allies.
In the year of our Lord 449, Marcian, the forty-sixth from Augustus, being made emperor with
Valentinian, ruled the empire seven years. Then the nation of the Angles, or Saxons, being invited
by the aforesaid king, arrived in Britain with three ships of war and had a place in which to settle
assigned to them by the same king, in the eastern part of the island, on the pretext of fighting in
defence of their country, whilst their real intentions were to conquer it. Accordingly they engaged
with the enemy, who were come from the north to give battle, and the Saxons obtained the victory.
When the news of their success and of the fertility of the country, and the cowardice of the Britons,
reached their own home, a more considerable fleet was quickly sent over, bringing a greater number
of men, and these, being added to the former army, made up an invincible force. The newcomers
received of the Britons a place to inhabit among them, upon condition that they should wage war
against their enemies for the peace and security of the country, whilst the Britons agreed to furnish
them with pay. Those who came over were of the three most powerful nations of Germany Saxons,
Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people, of Kent, and of the Isle of Wight,
including those in the province of the West-Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite
to the Isle of Wight. From the Saxons, that is, the country which is now called Old Saxony, came
the East-Saxons, the South-Saxons, and the West Saxons. From the Angles, that is, the country
which is called Angulus, and which is said, from that time, to have remained desert to this day,
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Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England The Venerable Bede
between the provinces of the Jutes and the Saxons, are descended the East-Angles, the
Midland-Angles, the Mercians, all the race of the Northumbrians, that is, of those nations that dwell
on the north side of the river Humber, and the other nations of the Angles. The first commanders
are said to have been the two brothers Hengist and Horsa. Of these Horsa was afterwards slain in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]