Britain, or a chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Ilands adioyning, out of the depth of antiqvitie : beavtified with mappes of the severall Shires of England / written first in Latine by William Camden ; Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland.

  • William Camden
Date:
1610
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Britain, or a chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Ilands adioyning, out of the depth of antiqvitie : beavtified with mappes of the severall Shires of England / written first in Latine by William Camden ; Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    156/1348 page 128
    (ate eat ea NR NBR dro Be Keg MS * Orkney Tile S. * Mare Frefi- cuin, Aurelius Am. Gildas cal- leth him, Am: bro&us Aure- lianus, * prets, for Britans. Germany ; which fhould keep watch and ward upon the borders,and annoy the ene- mies by land & {ea.Guortigern(faith Ninnius)by thead vice of Hengift lent for Ocf baand Ebiffato come and aid him: who being embarked in 40. Cyules or Pinnaces, and failing a~ bout the Picts coafts wasted the ifles called Or cades, yea and cot many Iles and Ceuntreys beyond the * Frith, as farre as to the confines of the Pici s. Bur at length, after they had begun to fallinlove with the Lands, the civill fafhions, andtiches of Britaine, prefu- viduals their quatrell, they entred into league with the Picts, and raifed a moft bloo- kill and flay them in every place being put in affright and amazedneffe , their fields they harrie, their cities theyrace, and after many doubtfull events of battell, fought againft thofe two bulwarks of warre, Aurelius Ambrofius, who here tooke upon him toweare the purple robe, wherein his parents were killed , and that warlike Arture, their ancient poffeffions.. At which time, to {peake all ina word, the moft miferable Inhabitants fuffred whatfoever either conqueror might dare, or the conquered feare. For, freth fupplies of aide flocked together daily out of Germanie, which ftill fhould renewwatre upon warre againft the wearied Britans: to wit, Saxons; Iutes, (for fo one from another,although generally they were called Englifh, & Saxons.But let us treat of thefein feverall, and fummarily, that if it be poffible wemay havea fight of our originall, and firft cradles. Howbeit, firft will I adde hereto that which Witichindus, being himfelfe both à Saxon borne, and alfo a writer of good antiquitie, hath related, as touching the ,comming in of the Saxons. Brifame (faith hee) being by Ve(pafian the Emperour long fince reduced among Provinces, and under the vaffalage of the Romanes landing them in 3, that it feemed deftitute, and abandoned of tbe Romans helpe. For, the people of Rome after s, warres, was not able to aff their friends with fupply of accuftomed aides. Yet neverthe- 45 theleffe,the Romanes baving built a mightie perce of worke for the defence of the Country, reaching between the confines from [ea to fea, where it was thonght that the encmies would »» affaile the Inhabitants, leftthe Land. But no difficultie it was for the enemie fiercely bent 3) «nd alwaies ready to wage warre ( efpecially where they deale with a nation, feeble and una- 39 the worthy and fortunate exploits atchieved by the Saxons,they fend an humble Fmbaffage , o require their helping hand: and fo the Embaffadours having audience given them, came “forth and []ake, as followeth. Moft noble Saxons, The poore and diffreffed * Brets out- ,, ving that yce would not denie ws your helpeand fuccour. A large and (jatious Land, plen- ,ifull and abundant in all things, they yeeld wholly to be at your devotion and command. 5 Hitherto have we lived liberally under the patronage and protection of the Romanes : after ,, the Romans, we know none of mare proweffethan your [elves: and therefore wee feeke for , refuge under the wings of your valour. So that wee may by your pui[[ant vertue and arms, , be found onely fuperiour to our encmies, whatfervice foever ye impo[e upon us , willing we ,, are to abide the fame. — To this petition the Peeres and Nobles of the Saxons briefly made s, commoditie, With joy returnethefe Embaffadours home, and with this wifbed-for tidings, 5, make their counirey-mén more joyfull. Hereupon according to promife, anarmie [ent inte required no great labour: the enemies who had long fince heard of the Saxons, were | 1 | terrified A
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