Great change produced in Britain by the Romans--Its ancient features contrasted with its appearance after their departure-- Picturesque description of Britain--First dawn of Christianity --Progress of the Britons in civilization--Old British fortifications--Change in the costume of the Britons--Decline in their martial deportment--Their ancient mode of burial-- Description of early British barrows--Ascendancy of rank p. 56 CHAPTER VIII. THE ANCIENT SAXONS. Origin of the early Saxons--Description of their habits and arms --Their religion--The halls of Valhalla--Their belief in rewards and punishments after death--Their ancient mythology described--Superstitions of the early Saxons--Their ancient temples and forms of worship--Their picturesque processions --Dreadful punishments inflicted upon those who robbed their temples--Different orders of society--Their divisions of the seasons--Their bravery as pirates, and skill in navigation p. 64 CHAPTER IX. HENGIST, HORSA, ROWENA, AND VORTIGERN. Landing of Hengist and Horsa, the Saxon chiefs--Their treaty with Vortigern and the British chiefs--The British king allots them the Isle of Thanet as a residence, on condition that they drive out the Picts and Scots--Success of the Saxons--Arrival of more ships--Landing of the Princess Rowena--Marriage of Vortigern and Rowena--Quarrel between the Britons and Saxons --Description of their first battle by the old Welsh bards-- The Britons led on by the sons of Vortigern--Death of Horsa, the Saxon chief--Rowena's revenge--Pretended reconciliation of the Saxons, and description of the feast where the British chiefs were massacred--Terrible death of Vortigern and the fair Rowena p. 72 CHAPTER X. ELLA, CERDRIC, AND KING ARTHUR. Arrival of Ella and his three sons--Combat between the Saxons and Britons beside the ancient forest of Andredswold--Defeat of the Britons, and desolate appearance of the old forest town of Andred-Ceaster after the battle--Revengeful feelings of the Britons--Establishment of the Saxon kingdom of Sussex-- Landing of Cerdric and his followers--Battle of Churdfrid, and death of the British king Natanleod--Arrival of Cerdric's kinsmen--The Britons again defeated--Arthur, the British king, arms in defence of his country--His adventures described --Numbers of battles in which he fought--Death of king Arthur in the field of Camlan--Discovery of his remains in the abbey of Glastonbury p. 83 CHAPTER XI. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAXON OCTARCHY.