28. The Romans had kept possession of Britain for more than three hundred years, when it happened that great armies of barbarians went to fight against Rome, and all the soldiers were sent for, to try to drive them away again; so that this country was left unprotected, for it was the Roman soldiers who had kept enemies from coming here. 29. The Britons hoped they would come back again, as they did more than once; but affairs got worse and worse at Rome, so the rulers there sent word to the British princes, that they did not wish to keep the island any longer, therefore the Britons might consider themselves a free people. But was freedom a blessing to them? I think we shall find it was not. QUESTIONS. 3. By whom was Britain first invaded? 4. When did the Romans again appear? 5. Was this conquest a good or bad thing for the Britons, and why? 8. What occasioned the revolt of the Iceni? 10. Who headed the insurrection, and what were its consequences? 13. Who was Agricola? 14. How were the Roman soldiers employed in time of peace? 15. Tell me of the improvements made in Britain by the Romans. 25. What became of the Druids? 28. When and why did the Romans leave Britain? CHAPTER III. THE SAXON HEPTARCHY. [Illustration: A SAXON SHIP.] 1. It is now time to tell you something about the Picts and Scots. They were the people of Scotland, and were called by the Romans Caledonians, which meant men of the woods, because they were very rude and fierce, and lived among woods and wilds. 2. They had always been sad enemies to the Britons; but the Romans had kept them away, and the good governor Agricola built a row of strong forts, all across their country, and placed soldiers in them, to make the Caledonians keep on the other side. 3. However, they sometimes managed to break through; so the Emperor Severus, who was here from the year 207 to 211, had a stone wall built across that narrow part, where Northumberland joins Cumberland, and it was so strong, that parts of the banks and forts are still remaining. 4. But when all the Roman soldiers were gone, the Picts and Scots began to come again, and robbed the people of their corn and cattle, and stole their children for slaves, and did a great deal of mischief. 5. Now, if the British princes had agreed among themselves, and joined together to drive out these terrible foes, things might have gone on very well; but they were foolish enough to quarrel, and go to war with one another; while some of the captains, who wanted to be princes, got a number of soldiers to help them, and took possession of different places, where they called themselves kings, and made the people obey them. 6. They did not continue the good Roman laws; nor elect magistrates to keep order in the cities, as used to be done while the Romans were here; and tillage was neglected, because the farmers were afraid their crops would be destroyed, so that numbers of people died of famine.