Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
The Britons consulted what was to be done, and where they should seek
assistance to prevent or repel the cruel and frequent incursions of the
northern nations; and they all agreed with their King Vortigern to call
over to their aid, from the parts beyond the sea, the Saxon nation;
which, as the event still more evidently showed, appears to have been
done by the appointment of our Lord Himself, that evil might fall upon
them for their wicked deeds.
In the year of our Lord 449, Martian being made emperor with
Valentinian, and the forty-sixth from Augustus, ruled the empire seven
years. Then the nation of the Angles, or Saxons, being invited by the
aforesaid king, arrived in Britain with three long ships, and had a
place assigned them to reside in by the same king, in the eastern part
of the island, that they might thus appear to be fighting for their
country, whilst their real intentions were to enslave it. Accordingly
they engaged with the enemy, who were come from the north to give
battle, and obtained the victory; which, being known at home in their
own country, as also the fertility of the country, and the cowardice of
the Britons, a more considerable fleet was quickly sent over, bringing a
still greater number of men, which, being added to the former, made up
an invincible army. The newcomers received of the Britons a place to
inhabit, 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, and those
also 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 Anglia, and which is said, from that time, to remain
desert to this day, between the provinces of the Jutes and the Saxons,
are descended the East Angles, the Midland Angles, 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 English.
The two first commanders are said to have been Hengist and Horsa. Of
whom Horsa, being afterwards slain in battle by the Britons, was buried
in the eastern parts of Kent, where a monument, bearing his name, is
still in existence. They were the sons of Victgilsus, whose father was
Vitta, son of Vecta, son of Woden; from whose stock the royal race of
many provinces deduce their original. In a short time, swarms of the
aforesaid nations came over into the island, and they began to increase
so much, that they became terrible to the natives themselves who had
invited them. Then, having on a sudden entered into league with the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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