threatened Britain with an invasion, served rather to expose him to ridicule than the island to danger. At length, the Romans, in the reign of Clau'dius,* began to think seriously of reducing them under their dominion. The expedition for this purpose was conducted in the beginning by Plau'tius and other commanders, with that success which usually attended the Roman arms. 3. Carac'tacus was the first who seemed willing, by a vigorous effort, to rescue his country, and repel its insulting and rapacious conquerors. This rude soldier, though with inferior forces, continued, for above nine years, to oppose and harass the Romans; till at length he was totally routed and taken prisoner by Osto'rius Scap'ula, who sent him in triumph to Rome. 4. While Carac'tacus was being led through Rome, he appeared no way dejected at the amazing concourse of spectators that were gathered upon this occa sion; but casting his eyes on the splendours that surrounded him, "Alas!" cried he, "how is it possible that a people possessed of such magnificence at home, could envy me a humble cottage in Britain ?" The emperor was affected by the British hero's misfortunes, and won by his address He ordered him to be unchained on the spot, and set at liberty with the rest of the captives. 5. The cruel treatment of Boadi'cea, queen of the Ice'ni drove the Britons once more into open rebellion. Prasat' agus, king of the Ice'ni, at his death had bequeathed on half his dominions to the Romans, and the other to his daughters, thus hoping, by the sacrifice of a part, to secure the rest to his family. But it had a different effect; for the Roman procurator immediately took possession of the whole and when Boadi'cea, the widow of the deceased attempted to remonstrate, he ordered her to be scourged like a slave, and made slaves of her daughters. 6. These outrages were sufficient to produce a revolt throughout the island. The Ice'ni, as being the most deeply interested in the quarrel, were the first to take arms; all the other states soon followed the example; and Boadi'cea, a woman of great beauty and masculine spirit, was appointed to head the common forces, which amounted to two hundred and thirty thousand fighting men. 7. These, exasperated by their wrongs, attacked several of the Roman settlements and colonies with success: Suetoni'us, who commanded the Roman forces, hastened to relieve London, which was ai *The son of Drusus, and successor of Calig'ula ready a flourishing colony; but found, on his arrival, that it would be requisite for the general safety to abandon that place to the merciless fury of the enemy. 8. London was soon, therefore, reduced to ashes; such of the inhabitants as remained in it were massacred; and the Romans, with all other strangers, to the number of seventy thousand. were cruelly put to the sword. Flushed with these successes, the Britons no longer sought to avoid the enemy, but boldly came to the place where Suetoni'us awaited their arrival, posted in a very advantageous manner with a body of ten thousand men. 9. The battle was obstinate and bloody. Boadi'cea herself appeared in a chariot with her two daughters, and harangued her army with masculine intrepidity; but the irregular and undisciplined bravery of her troops was unable to resist the cool intrepidity of the Romans. They were routed with great slaughter; eighty thousand perished in the field, and an infinite number were made prisoners; while Boadi'cea herself, fearing to fall into the hands of the enraged victor, put an end to her life ry poison. 10. The general who firmly established the dominion of the Romans in this island was Ju'lius Agric'ola,* who governed it during the reigns of Vespa'sian,† Ti'tus,‡ and Domi'tian, and distinguished himself as well by his courage as humanity. For several years after the time of Agric'ola, a profound peace seems to have prevailed in Britain, and little mention is made of the affairs of the island by any historian. 11. At length, however, Rome, that had for ages given laws to nations, and diffused slavery and oppression over the known world, began to sink under her own magnificence. Mankind, as if by a general consent, rose up to vindicate their natural freedom; almost every nation asserting that independence of which they had been so long unjustly deprived. 12. During these struggles the British youth were fre quently drawn away into Gaul, to give ineffectual succour * Julius Agricola was the father-in law of Ta'citus, the celebrated his torian. + Vespa'sian was the tenth Roman emperor; he was valiant, but very varicious. Ti'tus was the eleventh Roman emperor, the son of Vespa'sian, he was good a man that he was called the "delight of mankind." Domitian was the twelfth Roman emperor, and brother to Titus; he was a great persecutor of the Christians, and of a most cruel disposition. B to the various contenders for the empire, who, failing in every attempt, only left the name of tyrants behind them.* In the mean time, as the Roman forces decreased in Britain the Picts and Scots† continued still more boldly to infest the northern parts; and crossing the friths, which the Romans could not guard, in little wicker boats covered with leather, filled the country, wherever they came, with slaugh ter and consternation. 13. The Romans, therefore, finding it impossible to stand their ground in Britain, in the reign of the emperor Valentin'ian took their last leave of the island, after being masters of it for nearly four hundred years, and now left the natives to the choice of their own government and kings. They gave them the best instructions the calamitous times would permit, for exercising their arms, and repairing their ramparts; and helped them to erect a new wall of stone across the island, for they had not, at that time, artisans skilful enough among themselves to repair that which had been built by the emperor Sev'erus. The ruins of this wall, and the fortresses by which the Roman colonies were defended, are among the most interesting relics of antiquity in England. Questions for Exumination. 1. What prevented Augustus from visiting Britain? Did Tiberius make an attempt upon Britain? 2. What exposed Caligula to ridicule? 3. Who was the first person that was willing to repel the invaders? How long did Caractacus harass the Romans? 4. What remarks did Caractacus make on witnessing the splendour of Rome? 5. What caused the Britons to rebel? Who commanded Boadicea to be ill treated? 6. What were the consequences? 7. Who commanded the Roman forces at that time? 8. What was the fate of London and its inhabitants? 9 Describe Boadicea's conduct, and the result of this battle. 10 At what time did peace prevail in Great Britain? 11. What was the situation of Rome at this time? 12. What were the nations that infested the northern parts? 13. When did the Romans take their leave of Britain? And how long had they been masters of it? According to the "Notitia Imperii," no less than twelve British corps of infantry and cavalry were constantly dispersed in the distant provinces of the empire; while foreign soldiers were, according to the invariable policy of the Romans, stationed in Britain. + The names by which the inhabitants of Scotland were at that time dis tinguished. "The Picts (so called from Pictich, a plunderer, and not from Picti, painted), and the Scots from Scuite, a wanderer, in the Celtic tongue were only different tribes of Caledonians."-Dr. Henry. CHAPTER II. THE SAXONS. SECTION I. But hark! what foreign drum on Thanet's isle And greet their hosts with false, insidious hand. Dibdin. 1. (A. D. 447.) THE Britons, being now left to them selves, considered their new liberties as their greatest calamity. The Picts and Scots, uniting together, began to look upon Britain as their own, and attacked the northern wall, which the Romans had built to keep off their incursions, with success. Having thus opened to themselves a passage. they ravaged the whole country with impunity, while the Britons sought precarious shelter in the woods and moun tains.* 2. It was in this deplorable and enfeebled state that the Britons had recourse to the Saxons, a brave people; who, for their strength and valour, were formidable to all the German nations around them, and supposed to be more than a match for the gods themselves. They were a people restless and bold, who considered war as their trade; and were, in consequence, taught to consider victory as a doubtful advantage, but courage as a certain good. 3. A nation, however, entirely addicted to war, has seldom wanted the imputation of cruelty, as those terrors which are opposed without fear are often inflicted without regret. The Saxons are represented as a very cruel nation: but we must remeniber that their enemies have drawn the picture. 4. It was no disagreeable circumstance to these ambitious people to be invited into a country upon which they had for ages been forming designs. In consequence, therefore, of the solemn invitation of Vor'tigern, who was then king of Bri. tain, they arrived with fifteen hundred men, under the command of Hen'gist and Hor'sa, who were brothers, and *In this extremity, they made application for succour to Etius, prefect of Gaul, in the following remarkable words:-"The groans of the wretched Britons, to the thrice-appointed Consul tius.-The barbarians drive us into the sea, and the sea forces us back on the swords of the barbarians, so that we have nothing left us but the wretched choice of being either drowned or murdered." Etius was, however, too closely engaged in opposing Attala, the renowned king of the Huns (who, from the havoc he made wherever nis sword was drawn, was denominated "The scourge of God"), to bestow any attention on the Britons. landed on the isle of Than'et.* 5. There they did not long remain inactive; but being joined by the British forces, they boldly marched against the Picts and Scots, who had advanced as far as Lincolnshire, and soon gained a complete victory over them. (A. D. 450.) The Saxons, however, being sensible of the fertility of the country to which they came, and the barrenness of that which they had left behind, invited over great numbers of heir countrymen to become sharers in their new expedi tion. 6. Accordingly they received a fresh supply of five thousand men, who passed over in seventeen vessels, anu soon made a permanent establishment in the island. The British historians, in order to account for the easy conquest of their country by the Saxons, assign their treachery, not less than their valour, as a principal cause. 7. They allege, that Vor'tigern was artfully inveigled into a passion for Rowe'na, the daughter of Hen'gist; and, in order to marry her, was induced to settle the fertile province of Kent upon her father, from whence the Saxons could never after be removed.t It is alleged, also, that upon the death of Vor'timer, which happened shortly after the victory he obtained at Eg'glesford, Vor'tigern, his father, was reinstated upon the throne. 8. It is added, that this weak monarch, accepting of a festival from Hen'gist, three hundred of his nobility were treacherously slaugh tered, and himself detained as a captive. After the death of Hen'gist, several other German tribes allured by the success of their countrymen, went over in great numbers. 9. A body of Saxons, under the conduct of Ella and his three sons, had some time before laid the foundation of the kingdom of the South Saxons, though not without great opposition and bloodshed. This new kingdom included Surry, Sussex, and the New Forest: and extended to the frontiers of Kent. 10. Another tribe of the Saxons, under the command of Cerdic, and his son Kenric, landed in the west, and from thence took the name of West Saxons. These met with *Than'et is an island of Kent. Margate and Ramsgate are its principal towns. + Our old English historians say, that when the beautiful Rowe'na was first introduced to Vor'tigern, "she presented him, on her knee, with a cup of wine, saying Waes heal, hlaford cyning,' or 'Be of health, Lord King! te which Vortigern, being instructed in the custom, answered, Drine hea!, or, 'I drink your health. "It is proper here to observe, however, that some able historians have declared, that no authentic documents exist concerning these stories of Vor'tigern and Rowe'na, or of the slaughter of the British nobles: and that they are inclined to believe the whole a fiction, or, at least very much exaggerated. |