CHAPTER IV

THE BIRTH OF THE ENGLISH NATION

21. The Ancient Germans

Cæsar

The famous Commentaries of CESAR contain the first accurate and comprehensive account of the primitive Germans, the ancestors of the English. In connection with the excerpt given, the Germania of TACITUS may be read with profit.

The Germans differ much from these usages, for they have neither Druids to preside over sacred offices, nor do they pay great regard to sacrifices. They rank in the number of gods those alone whom they behold, and by whose instrumentality they are obviously benefited, namely, the sun, fire, and the moon; they have not heard of the other deities even by report. Their whole life is occupied in hunting and in the pursuits of the military art; from childhood they devote themselves to fatigue and hardships. Those who have remained chaste for the longest time, receive the greatest commendation among their people...

They do not pay much attention to agriculture, and a large portion of their food consists in milk, cheese, and flesh; nor has any one a fixed quantity of land or his own individual limts; but the magistrates and the leading men each year apportion to the tribes and families, who have united together, as much land as, and in the place in which, they think proper, and the year after compel them to remove elsewhere. For this enactment they advance many reasons-lest seduced by long-continued custom, they may exchange their ardour in the waging of war for agriculture; lest they may be anxious to acquire extensive estates, and the more powerful drive the weaker from their possessions; lest they construct their houses with too great a desire to avoid heat and cold; lest the desire of wealth spring up, from which cause divisions and discords arise; and that they may keep the common people in a contented state of mind, when each sees his own means placed on an equality with [those of] the most powerful.

It is the greatest glory to the several States to have as wide deserts as possible around them, their frontiers having been laid waste. They consider this the real evidence of their prowess, that their neighbours shall be driven out of their lands and abandon them, and that no one dare settle near them; at the same time, they think that they shall be on that account the more secure, because they have removed the apprehension of a sudden incursion. When a State either repels war waged against it, or wages it against another, magistrates are chosen to preside over that war with such authority, that they have power of life and death. In peace there is no common magistrate, but the chiefs of provinces and cantons administer justice and determine controversies among their own people. Robberies which are committed beyond the boundaries of each State bear no infamy, and they show that these are committed for the purpose of disciplining their youth and of preventing sloth. And when any of their chiefs has said in an assembly "that he will be their leader, let those who are willing to follow, give in their names"; they who approve of both the enterprise and the man arise and promise their assistance and are applauded by the people; such of them as have not followed him are accounted in the number of deserters and traitors, and confidence in all matters is afterwards refused them. To injure guests they regard as impious; they defend from wrong those who come to them for any purpose whatever, and esteem them inviolable; to them the houses of all are open and maintenance is freely supplied.

(Cæsar's Commentaries on the Gallic War, book VI, c. 21, 22, 23,

22. The Coming of Hengist and Horsa

Be de

The accounts of the coming of the Teutons to the Isle of Thanet are extremely unsatisfactory. Although this is the case, yet to the student of history the beginning of the Teutonic invasion of Briton is of such importance as to demand an illustration. The statement of BEDE possesses at least an element of probability.

They consulted what was to be done, and where they could 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... In the year of our Lord 449... then the nations 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 MidlandAngles, 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 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 Picts, whom, they had by this time repelled by the force of their arms, they began to turn their weapons against their confederates. At first, they obliged them to furnish a greater quantity of provisions; and, seeking an occasion to quarrel, protested, that unless more plentiful supplies were brought them, they would break the con

federacy, and ravage all the island; nor were they backward in putting their threats in execution. In short, the fire kindled by the hands of these pagans, proved God's just revenge for the crimes of the people; not unlike that which, being once lighted by the Chaldeans, consumed the walls and city of Jerusalem. For the barbarous conquerors acting here in the same manner, or rather the just Judge ordaining that they should so act, they plundered all the neighbouring cities. and country, spread the conflagration from the eastern to the western sea, without any opposition, and covered almost every part of the devoted island. Public as well as private structures were overturned; the priests were everywhere slain before the altars; the prelates and the people, without any respect of persons, were destroyed with fire and sword; nor was there any to bury those who had been thus cruelly slaughtered. Some of the miserable remainder, being taken. in the mountains, were butchered in heaps. Others, spent with hunger, came forth and submitted themselves to the enemy for food, being destined to undergo perpetual servitude, if they were not killed even upon the spot. Some, with sorrowful hearts, fled beyond the seas. Others, continuing in their own country, led a miserable life among the woods, rocks, and mountains, with scarcely enough food to support life, and expecting every moment to be their last.

(Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, book I, c. 16. A. Giles, London, 1894.)

Ed.

1.J..

23. England becomes One Kingdom

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The development of the over-lordship of the kings of Wessex, and the establishment of the dynasty of its ruler Ecgbert as Bretwalders of England, is set forth in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This old chronicle is unique among histories, stretching as it does from the beginning of the Christian era to 1154 A.D. and being contemporary history from the fifth century. It is believed to have been an annual compilation, made at one of the chief monasteries, and its authority is in the main accepted. There are several manuscript copies extant. Details supplementary to the statements of the chronicle of the progress of the union of England into one kingdom under Ecgbert - from whom every Sovereign of England, including the Danish kings and William the Conqueror, has claimed descent may be found in BEDE'S Ecclesiastical History.

KENT BEGUN

A. 455. This year Hengist and Horsa fought against king Vortigern at the place which is called Ægels-threp [Ayles

ford] and his brother Horsa was there slain, and after that Hengist obtained the kingdom, and sc his son.

SUSSEX BEGUN

A. 477. This year Ælla, and his three sons, Cymen, and Wlencing, and Cissa, came to the land of Britain with three ships, at a place which is named Cymenes-ora, and there slew many Welsh, and some they drove in flight into the wood that is named Andreds-lea.

WESSEX BEGUN

A. 495. This year two ealdormen came to Britain, Cerdic and Cynric his son, with five ships, at the place which is called Cerdics-ore, and the same day they fought against the Welsh.

NORTHUMBRIA BEGUN

A. 547. This year Ida began to reign, from whom arose the royal race of North-humbria; and he reigned twelve years, and built Bambrough, which was at first enclosed by a hedge, and afterwards by a wall.

SUPREMACY OF NORTHUMBRIA

A. 617. This year Ethelfrid the king of the North-humbrians was slain by Redwald king of the East-Angles, and Edwin the son of Alla succeeded to the kingdom, and subdued all Britain, the Kentish-men alone excepted. And he drove out the ethelings, sons of Ethelfrid; that is to say, first Eanfrid, Oswald, and Owsy, Oslac, Oswudu, Oslaf, and Offa.

A. 792.

SUPREMACY OF MERCIA

This year Offa, king of the Mercians, commanded the head of king Ethelbert to be struck off. And Osred, who had been king of the Northumbrians, having come home after his exile, was seized and slain on the 18th before the Kalends of October; and his body lies at Tinemouth.

A. 796. This year Kenulf, king of the Mercians, laid. waste Kent as far as the marshes, and took Pren their king, and led him bound into Mercia, and let his eyes be picked out and his hands be cut off.

SUPREMACY OF WESSEX

A. 823. This year there was a battle between the Welsh and the men of Devon at Camelford: and the same year Egbert king of the West-Saxons and Bernulf king of the Mercians fought at Wilton, and Egbert got the victory, and there was great slaughter made.