Part 3 (1/2)

(Hist. Of Manchester, book ii. c. 1.) See also Nennius, sec.47.

43. At length Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, valiantly fought against Hengist, Horsa, and his people; drove them to the isle of Thanet, and thrice enclosed them within it, and beset them on the Western side.

The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to solicit large reinforcements, and an additional number of s.h.i.+ps: having obtained these, they fought against the kings and princes of Britain, and sometimes extended their boundaries by victory, and sometimes were conquered and driven back.

44. Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the enemy;(1) the first has been mentioned, the second was upon the river Darent, the third at the Ford, in their language called Epsford, though in ours Set thirgabail,(2) there Horsa fell, and Catigern, the son of Vortigern; the fourth battle he fought was near the stone(3) on the sh.o.r.e of the Gallic sea, where the Saxons being defeated, fled to their s.h.i.+ps.

(1) Some MSS. here add, ”This Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, in a synod held at Guartherniaun, after the wicked king, on account of the incest committed with his daughter, fled from the face of Germa.n.u.s and the British clergy, would not consent to his father's wickedness; but returning to St. Germa.n.u.s, and falling down at his feet, he sued for pardon; and in atonement for the calumny brought upon Germa.n.u.s by his father and sister, gave him the land, in which the forementioned bishop had endured such abuse, to be his for ever. Whence, in memory of St. Germa.n.u.s, it received the name Guarenniaun (Guartherniaun, Gurthrenion, Gwarth Ennian) which signifies, a calumny justly retorted, since, when he thought to reproach the bishop, he covered himself with reproach.”

(2) According to Langhorne, Epsford was afterwards called, in the British tongue, Saessenaeg habail, or 'the slaughter of the Saxons.'

(3) V.R. ”The Stone of t.i.tulus”, thought to be Stone in Kent, or Larger-stone in Suffolk.

After a short interval Vortimer died; before his decease, anxious for the future prosperity of his country, he charged his friends to inter his body at the entrance of the Saxon port, viz. upon the rock where the Saxons first landed; ”for though,” said he, ”they may inhabit other parts of Britain, yet if you follow my commands, they will never remain in this island.” They imprudently disobeyed this last injunction, and neglected to bury him where he had appointed.*

* Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln; Geoffrey, at London.

45. After this the barbarians became firmly incorporated, and were a.s.sisted by foreign pagans; for Vortigern was their friend, on account of the daughter* of Hengist, whom he so much loved, that no one durst fight against him-in the meantime they soothed the imprudent king, and whilst practising every appearance of fondness, were plotting with his enemies. And let him that reads understand, that the Saxons were victorious, and ruled Britain, not from their superior prowess, but on account of the great sins of the Britons: G.o.d so permitting it.

For what wise man will resist the wholesome counsel of G.o.d? The Almighty is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, ruling and judging every one, according to his own pleasure.

After the death of Vortimer, Hengist being strengthened by new accessions, collected his s.h.i.+ps, and calling his leaders together, consulted by what stratagem they might overcome Vortigern and his army; with insidious intention they sent messengers to the king, with offers of peace and perpetual friends.h.i.+p; unsuspicious of treachery, the monarch, after advising with his elders, accepted the proposals.

* V.R. Of his wife, and no one was able manfully to drive them off because they had occupied Britain not from their own valour, but by G.o.d's permission.

46. Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty, prepared an entertainment, to which he invited the king, the n.o.bles, and military officers, in number about three hundred; speciously concealing his wicked intention, he ordered three hundred Saxons to conceal each a knife under his feet, and to mix with the Britons; ”and when,” said he, ”they are sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out, 'Nimed eure Saxes,'

then let each draw his knife, and kill his man; but spare the king, on account of his marriage with my daughter, for it is better that he should be ransomed than killed.”*

* The VV. RR. Of this section are too numerous to be inserted.

The king with his company, appeared at the feast; and mixing with the Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with their tongues, cherished treachery in their hearts, each man was placed next to his enemy.

After they had eaten and drunk, and were much intoxicated, Hengist suddenly vociferated, ”Nimed eure Saxes!” and instantly his adherents drew their knives, and rus.h.i.+ng upon the Britons, each slew him that sat next to him, and there was slain three hundred of the n.o.bles of Vortigern. The king being a captive, purchased his redemption, by delivering up the three provinces of East, South, and Middle s.e.x, besides other districts at the option of his betrayers.

47. St. Germa.n.u.s admonished Vortigern to turn to the true G.o.d, and abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; but the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the province Guorthegirnaim,* so called from his own name, where he concealed himself with his wives: but St.

Germa.n.u.s followed him with all the British clergy, and upon a rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty nights.

* A district of Radnors.h.i.+re, forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr.

The Blessed man was unanimously chosen commander against the Saxons. And then, not by the clang of trumpets, but by praying, singing hallelujah, and by the cries of the army to G.o.d, the enemies were routed, and driven even to the sea.*

*V.R. This paragraph is omitted in the MSS.

Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germa.n.u.s to the kingdom of the Dimetae, where, on the river Towy,* he built a castle, which he named Cair Guothergirn. The saint, as usual, followed him there, and with his clergy fasted and prayed to the Lord three days, and as many nights. On the third night, at the third hour, fire fell suddenly from heaven, and totally burned the castle. Vortigern, the daughter of Hengist, his other wives, and all the inhabitants, both men and women, miserably perished: such was the end of this unhappy king, as we find written in the life of St. Germa.n.u.s.

*The Tobias of Ptolemy

47. Others a.s.sure us, that being hated by all the people of Britain, for having received the Saxons, and being publicly charged by St. Germa.n.u.s and the clergy in the sight of G.o.d, he betook himself to flight; and, that deserted and a wanderer, he sought a place of refuge, till broken hearted, he made an ignominious end.

Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed him up, on the night his castle was burned; as no remains were discovered the following morning, either of him, or of those who were burned with him.