on the ruin of britain-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


persecution；　that　Britain　might　not　totally　be　enveloped　in　the
dark　shades　of　night；　he；　of　his　own　free　gift；　kindled　up　among
us　bright　luminaries　of　holy　martyrs；　whose　places　of　burial　and
of　martyrdom；　had　they　not　for　our　manifold　crimes　been　interfered
with　and　destroyed　by　the　barbarians；　would　have　still　kindled
in　the　minds　of　the　beholders　no　small　fire　of　divine　charity。
Such　were　St。　Alban　of　Verulam；　Aaron　and　Julius；　citizens　of
Carlisle；　*　and　the　rest；　of　both　sexes；　who　in　different　places
stood　their　ground　in　the　Christian　contest。

*　Or　Caerleon。

11。　The　first　of　these　martyrs；　St。　Alban；　for　charity's　sake
saved　another　confessor　who　was　pursued　by　his　persecutors；　and
was　on　the　point　of　being　seized；　by　hiding　him　in　his　house；　and
then　by　changing　clothes　with　him；　imitating　in　this　example　of
Christ；　who　laid　down　his　life　for　his　sheep；　and　exposing　himself
in　the　other's　clothes　to　be　pursued　in　his　stead。　　So　pleasing
to　God　was　this　conduct；　that　between　his　confession　and　martyrdom；
he　was　honoured　with　the　performance　of　wonderful　miracles　in
presence　of　the　impious　blasphemers　who　were　carrying　the　Roman
standards；　and　like　the　Israelites　of　old；　who　trod　dry…foot　an
unfrequented　path　whilst　the　ark　of　the　covenant　stood　some　time
on　the　sands　in　the　midst　of　Jordan；　so　also　the　martyr；　with　a
thousand　others；　opened　a　path　across　the　noble　river　Thames；
whose　waters　stood　abrupt　like　precipices　on　either　side；　and
seeing　this；　the　first　of　his　executors　was　stricken　with　awe；
and　from　a　wolf　became　a　lamb；　so　that　he　thirsted　for　martyrdom；
and　boldly　underwent　that　for　which　he　thirsted。　　The　other　holy
martyrs　were　tormented　with　divers　sufferings；　and　their　limbs
were　racked　in　such　unheard　of　ways；　that　they；　without　delay；
erected　the　trophies　of　their　glorious　martyrdom　even　in　the　gates
of　the　city　of　Jerusalem。　　For　those　who　survived；　hid　themselves
in　woods　and　deserts；　and　secret　caves；　waiting　until　God；　who
is　the　righteous　judge　of　all；　should　reward　their　persecutors
with　judgment；　and　themselves　with　protection　of　their　lives。

12。　In　less　than　ten　years；　therefore；　of　the　above…named　persecution；
and　when　these　bloody　decrees　began　to　fail　in　consequence　of　the
death　of　their　authors；　all　Christ's　young　disciples；　after　so
long　and　wintry　a　night；　begin　to　behold　the　genial　light　of　heaven。
They　rebuild　the　churches；　which　had　been　levelled　to　the　ground；
they　found；　erect；　and　finish　churches　to　the　holy　martyrs；　and
everywhere　show　their　ensigns　as　token　of　their　victory；　festivals
are　celebrated　and　sacraments　received　with　clean　hearts　and　lips；
and　all　the　church's　sons　rejoice　as　it　were　in　the　fostering
bosom　of　a　mother。　　For　this　holy　union　remained　between　Christ
their　head　and　the　members　of　his　church；　until　the　Arian　treason；
fatal　as　a　serpent；　and　vomiting　its　poison　from　beyond　the　sea；
caused　deadly　dissension　between　brothers　inhabiting　the　same　house；
and　thus；　as　if　a　road　were　made　across　the　sea；　like　wild　beasts
of　all　descriptions；　and　darting　the　poison　of　every　heresy　from
their　jaws；　they　inflicted　dreadful　wounds　upon　their　country；
which　is　ever　desirous　to　hear　something　new；　and　remains　constant
long　to　nothing。

13。　At　length　also；　new　races　of　tyrants　sprang　up；　in　terrific
numbers；　and　the　island；　still　bearing　its　Roman　name；　but　casting
off　her　institutes　and　laws；　sent　forth　among　the　Gauls　that　bitter
scion　of　her　own　planting　Maximus；　with　a　great　number　of　followers；
and　the　ensigns　of　royalty；　which　he　bore　without　decency　and
without　lawful　right；　but　in　a　tyrannical　manner；　and　amid　the
disturbances　of　the　seditious　soldiery。　　He；　by　cunning　arts　rather
than　by　valour；　attaching　to　his　rule；　by　perjury　and　falsehood；
all　the　neighbouring　towns　and　provinces；　against　the　Roman　state；
extended　one　of　his　wings　to　Spain；　the　other　to　Italy；　fixed
the　seat　of　his　unholy　government　at　Treves；　and　so　furiously
pushed　his　rebellion　against　his　lawful　emperors　that　he　drove
one　of　them　out　of　Rome；　and　caused　the　other　to　terminate　his
most　holy　life。　　Trusting　to　these　successful　attempts；　he　not
long　after　lost　his　accursed　head　before　the　walls　of　Aquileia；
whereas　he　had　before　cut　off　the　crowned　heads　of　almost　all
the　world。

14。　After　this；　Britain　is　left　deprived　of　all　her　soldiery
and　armed　bands；　of　her　cruel　governors；　and　of　the　flower　of
her　youth；　who　went　with　Maximus；　but　never　again　returned；　and
utterly　ignorant　as　she　was　of　the　art　of　war；　groaned　in　amazement
for　many　years　under　the　cruelty　of　two　foreign　nationsthe
Scots　from　the　north…west；　and　the　Picts　from　the　north。

15。　The　Britons；　impatient　at　the　assaults　of　the　Scots　and　Picts；
their　hostilities　and　dreadful　oppressions；　send　ambassadors　to
Rome　with　letters；　entreating　in　piteous　terms　the　assistance　of
an　armed　band　to　protect　them；　and　offering　loyal　and　ready
submission　to　the　authority　of　Rome；　if　they　only　would　expel　their
foes。　　A　legion　is　immediately　sent；　forgetting　their　past　rebellion；
and　provided　sufficiently　with　arms。　　When　they　had　crossed　over
the　sea　and　landed；　they　came　at　once　to　close　conflict　with　their
cruel　enemies；　and　slew　great　numbers　of　them。　　All　of　them　were
driven　beyond　the　borders；　and　the　humiliated　natives　rescued
from　the　bloody　slavery　which　awaited　them。　　By　the　advice　of　their
protectors；　they　now　built　a　wall　across　the　island　from　one　sea
to　the　other；　which　being　manned　with　a　proper　force；　might　be　a
terror　to　the　foes　whom　it　was　intended　to　repel；　and　a　protection
to　their　friends　whom　it　covered。　　But　this　wall；　being　made　of
turf　instead　of　stone；　was　of　no　use　to　that　foolish　people；　who
had　no　head　to　guide　them。

16。　The　Roman　legion　had　no　sooner　returned　home　in　joy　and
triumph；　than　their　former　foes；　like　hungry　and　ravening　wolves；
rushing　with　greedy　jaws　upon　the　fold　which　is　left　without　a
shepherd；　and　wafted　both　by　the　strength　of　oarsmen　and　the
blowing　wind；　break　through　the　boundaries；　and　spread　slaughter
on　every　side；　and　like　mowers　cutting　down　the　ripe　corn；　they
cut　up；　tread　under　foot；　and　overrun　the　whole　country。

17。　And　now　again　they　send　suppliant　ambassadors；　with　their
garments　rent　and　their　heads　covered　with　ashes；　imploring
assistance　from　the　Romans；　and　like　timorous　chickens；　crowding
under　the　protecting　wings　of　their　parents；　that　their　wretched
country　might　not　altogether　be　destroyed；　and　that　the　Roman
name；　which　now　was　but　an　empty　sound　to　fill　the　ear；　might
not　become　a　reproach　even　to　distant　nations。　　Upon　this；　the
Romans；　moved　with　compassion；　as　far　as　human　nature　can　be；　at
the　relations　of　such　horrors；　send　forward；　like　eagles　in　their
flight；　their　unexpected　bands　of　cavalry　by　land　and　mariners
by　sea；　and　planting　their　terrible　swords　upon　the　shoulders　of
their　enemies；　they　mow　them　down　like　leaves　which　fall　at　the
destined　period；　and　as　a　mountain…torrent　swelled　with　numerous
streams；　and　bursting　its　banks　with　roaring　noise；　with　foaming
crest　and　yeasty　wave　rising　to　the　stars；　by　whose　eddying
currents　our　eyes　are　as　it　were　dazzled；　does　with　one　of　its
billows　overwhelm　every　obstacle　in　its　way；　so　did　our　illustrious
defenders　vigorously　drive　our　enemies'　band　beyond　the　sea；　if
any　could　so　escape　them；　for　it　was　beyond　those　same　seas　that
they　transported；　year　after　year；　the　plunder　which　they　had
gained；　no　one　daring　to　resist　them。

18。　The　Romans；　therefore；　left　the　country；　giving　notice　that
they　could　no　longer　be　harassed　by　such　laborious　expeditions；
nor　suffer　the　Roman　standards；　with　so　large　and　brave　an　army；
to　be　worn　out　by　sea　and　land　by　fighting　against　these　unwarlike；
plundering　vagabonds；　but　that　the　islanders；　inuring　themselves
to　warlike　weapons；　and　bravely　fighting；　should　valiantly　protect
their　country；　their　property；　wives　and　children；　and；　what　is
dearer　than　these；　their　liberty　and　lives；　that　they　should　not
suffer　their　hands　to　be　tied　behind　their　backs　by　a　nation　which；
unless　they　were　enervated　by　idleness　and　sloth；　was　not　more
powerful　than　themselves；　but　that　they　should　arm　those　hands
with　buckler；　sword；　and　spear；　ready　for　the　field　of　battle；
and；　because　they　thought　this　also　of　advantage　to　the　people
they　were　about　to　leave；　they；　with　the　help　of　the　miserable
natives；　built　a　wall　different　from　the　former；　by　public　and
private　contributions；　and　of　the　same　structure　as　walls　generally；
extending　in　a　straight　line　from　sea　to　sea；　between　some　cities；
which；　from　fear　of　their　enemies；　had　there　by　chance　been　built。
They　then　give　energetic　counsel　to　the　timorous　natives；　and
leave　them　patterns　by　which　to　manufacture　arms。　　Moreover；　on
the　south　coast　where　their　vessels　lay；　as　there　was　some
apprehension　lest　the　barbarians　might　land；　they　erected　towers
at　stated　intervals；　commanding　a　prospect　of　the　sea；　and　then
left　the　island　never　to　return。

19。　No　sooner　were　they　gone；　than　the　Picts　and　Scots；　like
worms　which　in　the　heat　of　the　mid…day　come　forth　from　their
holes；　hastily　land　aga