history of the britons-第4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！


that　seven　emperors　went　into　Britain；　though　the　Romans　affirm
there　were　nine。
*　This　district；　in　modern　language；　extended　from　the　great　St。
Bernard　in　Piedmont　to　Cantavic　in　Picardy；　and　from　Picardy　to
the　western　coast　of　France。

28。　Thus；　aggreeably　to　the　account　given　by　the　Britons；　the
Romans　governed　them　four　hundred　and　nine　years。

After　this；　the　Britons　despised　the　authority　of　the　Romans；
equally　refusing　to　pay　them　tribute；　or　to　receive　their　kings；
nor　durst　the　Romans　any　longer　attempt　the　government　of　a　country；
the　natives　of　which　massacred　their　deputies。

29。　We　must　now　return　to　the　tyrant　Maximus。　　Gratian；　with　his
brother　Valentinian；　reigned　seven　years。　　Ambrose；　bishop　of　Milan；
was　then　eminent　for　his　skill　in　the　dogmata　of　the　Catholics。
Valentinianus　and　Theodosius　reigned　eight　years。　　At　that　time
a　synod　was　held　at　Constantinople；　attended　by　three　hundred　and
fifty　of　the　fathers；　and　in　which　all　heresies　were　condemned。
Jerome；　the　presbyter　of　Bethlehem；　was　then　universally　celebrated。
Whilst　Gratian　exercised　supreme　dominion　over　the　world；　Maximus；
in　a　sedition　of　the　soldiers；　was　saluted　emperor　in　Britain；　and
soon　after　crossed　the　sea　to　Gaul。　　At　Paris；　by　the　treachery
of　Mellobaudes；　his　master　of　the　horse；　Gratian　was　defeated　and
fleeing　to　Lyons；　was　taken　and　put　to　death；　Maximus　afterwards
associated　his　son　victor　in　the　government。

Martin；　distinguished　for　his　great　virtues；　was　at　this　period
bishop　of　Tours。　　After　a　considerable　space　of　time；　Maximus
was　divested　of　royal　power　by　the　consuls　Valentinianus　and
Theodosius；　and　sentenced　to　be　beheaded　at　the　third　mile…stone
from　Aquileia：　in　the　same　year　also　his　son　Victor　was　killed　in
Gaul　by　Arbogastes；　five　thousand　six　hundred　and　ninety　years
from　the　creation　of　the　world。

30。　Thrice　were　the　Roman　deputies　put　to　death　by　the　Britons；
and　yet　these；　when　harassed　by　the　incursions　of　the　barbarous
nations；　viz。　Of　the　Scots　and　Picts；　earnestly　solicited　the　aid
of　the　Romans。　　To　give　effect　to　their　entreaties；　ambassadors
were　sent；　who　made　their　entrance　with　impressions　of　deep　sorrow；
having　their　heads　covered　with　dust；　and　carrying　rich　presents；
to　expiate　the　murder　of　the　deputies。　　They　were　favourably
received　by　the　consuls；　and　swore　submission　to　the　Roman　yoke；
with　whatever　severity　it　might　be　imposed。

The　Romans；　therefore；　came　with　a　powerful　army　to　the　assistance
of　the　Britons；　and　having　appointed　over　them　a　ruler；　and　settled
the　government；　returned　to　Rome：　and　this　took　place　alternately
during　the　space　of　three　hundred　and　forty…eight　years。　　The
Britons；　however；　from　the　oppression　of　the　empire；　again　massacred
The　Roman　deputies；　and　again　petitioned　for　succour。　　Once　more
the　Romans　undertook　the　government　of　the　Britons；　and　assisted
them　in　repelling　their　neighbours；　and；　after　having　exhausted
the　country　of　its　gold；　silver；　brass；　honey；　and　costly　vestments；
and　having　besides　received　rich　gifts；　they　returned　in　great
triumph　to　Rome。

31。　After　the　above…said　war　between　the　Britons　and　Romans；　the
assassination　of　their　rulers；　and　the　victory　of　Maximus；　who
slew　Gratian；　and　the　termination　of　the　Roman　power　in　Britain；
they　were　in　alarm　forty　years。

Vortigern　then　reigned　in　Britain。　　In　his　time；　the　natives　had
cause　of　dread；　not　only　from　the　inroads　of　the　Scots　and　Picts；
but　also　from　the　Romans；　and　their　apprehensions　of　Ambrosius。*
*　These　words　relate　evidently　to　some　cause　of　dispute　between
the　Romans；　Ambrosius；　and　Vortigern。　　Vortigern　is　said　to　have
been　sovereign　of　the　Dimetae；　and　Ambrosius　son　to　the　king　of
the　Damnonii。　　The　latter　was　half　a　Roman　by　descent；　and　naturally
supported　the　Roman　interest：　the　former　was　entirely　a　Briton；
and　as　naturally　seconded　by　the　original　Britons。

In　the　meantime；　three　vessels；　exiled　from　Germany；　arrived　in
Britain。　　They　were　commanded　by　Horsa　and　Hengist；　brothers；　and
sons　of　Wihtgils。　　Wihtgils　was　the　son　of　Witta；　Witta　of　Wecta；
Wecta　of　Woden；　Woden　of　Frithowald；　Frithowald　of　Frithuwulf；
Frithuwulf　of　Finn；　Finn　of　Godwulf；　Godwulf　of　Geat；　who；　as　they
say；　was　the　son　of　a　god；　not＇1＇　of　the　omnipotent　God　and　our
Lord　Jesus　Christ　（who　before　the　beginning　of　the　world；　was　with
the　Father　and　the　Holy　Spirit；　co…eternal　and　of　the　same　substance；
and　who；　in　compassion　to　human　nature；　disdained　not　to　assume
the　form　of　a　servant）；　but　the　offspring　of　one　of　their　idols；
and　whom；　blinded　by　some　demon；　they　worshipped　according　to　the
custom　of　the　heathen。　　Vortigern　received　them　as　friends；　and
delivered　up　to　them　the　island　which　is　in　their　language　called
Thanet；　and；　by　the　Britons；　Ruym。＇2＇　　Gratianus　Aequantius　at
that　time　reigned　in　Rome。　　The　Saxons　were　received　by　Vortigern；
four　hundred　and　forty…seven　years　after　the　passion　of　Christ；
and；＇3＇　according　to　the　tradition　of　our　ancestors；　from　the
period　of　their　first　arrival　in　Britain；　to　the　first　year　of
the　reign　of　king　Edmund；　five　hundred　and　forty…two　years；　and
to　that　in　which　we　now　write；　which　is　the　fifth　of　his　reign；
five　hundred　and　forty…seven　years。
＇1＇　V。R。　not　the　God　of　gods；　the　Amen；　the　Lord　of　Hosts；　but　one
of　their　idols　which　they　worshipped。
＇2＇　Sometimes　called　Ruoichin；　Ruith…in；　or　〃river　island；〃　separated
from　the　rest　of　Kent　and　the　mainland　of　Britain　by　the　estuary
of　the　Wantsum；　which；　though　now　a　small　brook；　was　formerly
navigable　for　large　vessels；　and　in　Bede's　time　was　three　stadia
broad；　and　fordable　only　at　two　places。
＇3＇　The　rest　of　this　sentence　is　omitted　in　some　of　the　MSS。

32。　At　that　time　St。　Germanus；　distinguished　for　his　numerous
virtues；　came　to　preach　in　Britain：　by　his　ministry　many　were　saved；
but　many　likewise　died　unconverted。　　Of　the　various　miracles　which
God　enabled　him　to　perform；　I　shall　here　mention　only　a　few：　I
shall　first　advert　to　that　concerning　an　iniquitous　and　tyrannical
king；　named　Benlli。*　The　holy　man；　informed　of　his　wicked　conduct；
hastened　to　visit　him；　for　the　purpose　of　remonstrating　him。　　When
the　man　of　God；　with　his　attendants；　arrived　at　the　gate　of　the
city；　they　were　respectfully　received　by　the　keeper　of　it；　who
came　out　and　saluted　them。　　Him　they　commissioned　to　communicate
their　intention　to　the　king；　who　returned　a　harsh　answer；　declaring；
with　an　oath；　that　although　they　remained　there　a　year；　they　should
not　enter　the　city。　　While　waiting　for　an　answer；　the　evening　came
on；　and　they　knew　not　where　to　go。　　At　length；　came　one　of　the
king's　servants；　who　bowing　himself　before　the　man　of　God；　announced
the　words　of　the　tyrant；　inviting　them；　at　the　same　time；　to　his
own　house；　to　which　they　went；　and　were　kindly　received。　　It
happened；　however；　that　he　had　no　cattle；　except　one　cow　and　a
calf；　the　latter　of　which；　urged　by　generous　hospitality　to　his
guests；　he　killed；　dressed　and　set　before　them。　　But　holy　St。
Germanus　ordered　his　companions　not　to　break　a　bone　of　the　calf；
and；　the　next　morning；　it　was　found　alive　uninjured；　and　standing
by　its　mother。
*　King　of　Powys。　　V。R。　Benli　in　the　district　of　Ial　（in　Derbyshire）；
in　the　district　of　Dalrieta；　Belinus；　Beluni；　and　Benty。

33。　Early　the　same　day；　they　again　went　to　the　gate　of　the　city；
to　solicit　audience　of　the　wicked　king；　and；　whilst　engaged　in
fervent　prayer　they　were　waiting　for　admission；　a　man；　covered
with　sweat；　came　out；　and　prostrated　himself　before　them。　　Then
St。　Germanus；　addressing　him；　said　〃Dost　thou　believe　in　the　Holy
Trinity？〃　　To　which　the　man　having　replied；　〃I　do　believe；〃　he
baptized；　and　kissed　him；　saying；　〃Go　in　peace；　within　this　hour
thou　shalt　die：　the　angels　of　God　are　waiting　for　thee　in　the　air；
with　them　thou　shalt　ascent　to　that　God　in　whom　thou　has　believed。：
He；　overjoyed；　entered　the　city；　and　being　met　by　the　prefect；　was
seized；　bound；　and　conducted　before　the　tyrant；　who　having　passed
sentence　upon　him；　he　was　immediately　put　to　death；　for　it　was　a
law　of　this　wicked　king；　that　whoever　was　not　at　his　labour　before
sun…rising　should　be　beheaded　in　the　citadel。　　In　the　meantime；
St。　Germanus；　with　his　attendants；　waited　the　whole　day　before
the　gate；　without　obtaining　admission　to　the　tyrant。

34。　The　man　above…mentioned；　however；　remained　with　them。　　〃Take
care；〃　said　St。　Germanus　to　him；　〃that　none　of　your　friends　remain
this　night　within　these　walls。　　Upon　this　he　hastily　entered　the
city；　brought　out　his　nine　sons；　and　with　them　retired　to　the　house
where　he　had　exercised　such　generous　hospitality。　　Here　St。　Germanus
ordered　them　to　continue；　fasting；　and　when　the　gates　were　shut；
〃Watch；〃　said　he；　〃and　whatever　shall　happen　in　the　citadel；　turn
not　thither　your　eyes；　but　pray　without　ceasing；　and　invoke　the
protection　of　the　true　God。〃　　And；　behold；　early　in　the　night；
fire　fell　from　heaven；　and　burned　the　city；　together　with　all　those
who　were　with　the　tyrant；　so　that　not　one　escaped；　and　that　citadel
has　never　been　rebuilt　even　to　this　day。

35。　The　following　day；　the　hospitable　man　who　had　been　converted
by　the　preaching　of　St。