theDanes，thePrussians，theRugians，arefaintlydescribed；andsomeadventurousHuns，whohadwanderedasfarastheBaltic，mightembarkonboardtheGermanvessels，fortheconquestofanewworld。^130Butthisarduousachievementwasnotpreparedorexecutedbytheunionofnationalpowers。Eachintrepidchieftain，accordingtothemeasureofhisfameandfortunes，assembledhisfollowers；equippedafleetofthree，orperhapsofsixty，vessels；chosetheplaceoftheattack；andconductedhissubsequentoperationsaccordingtotheeventsofthewar，andthedictatesofhisprivateinterest。IntheinvasionofBritainmanyheroesvanquishedandfell；butonlysevenvictoriousleadersassumed，oratleastmaintained，thetitleofkings。
Sevenindependentthrones，theSaxonHeptarchy，werefoundedbytheconquerors，andsevenfamilies，oneofwhichhasbeencontinued，byfemalesuccession，toourpresentsovereign，derivedtheirequalandsacredlineagefromWoden，thegodofwar。Ithasbeenpretended，thatthisrepublicofkingswasmoderatedbyageneralcouncilandasuprememagistrate。ButsuchanartificialschemeofpolicyisrepugnanttotherudeandturbulentspiritoftheSaxons:theirlawsaresilent；andtheirimperfectannalsaffordonlyadarkandbloodyprospectofintestinediscord。^131
[Footnote130:AllthesetribesareexpresslyenumeratedbyBede，l。i。c。15，p。52，l。v。c。9，p。190；andthoughIhaveconsideredMr。Whitaker\'sremarks，Hist。ofManchester，vol。ii。
p。538—543，IdonotperceivetheabsurdityofsupposingthattheFrisians，&c。，weremingledwiththeAnglo—Saxons。]
[Footnote*:ThistermtheHeptarchymustberejectedbecauseanideaisconveyedtherebywhichissubstantiallywrong。Atnooneperiodwerethereeversevenkingdomsindependentofeachother。Palgrave，vol。i。p。46。Mr。SharonTurnerhasthemeritofhavingfirstconfutedthepopularnotiononthissubject。
Anglo—SaxonHistory，vol。i。p。302。—M。]
[Footnote131:Bedehasenumeratedsevenkings，twoSaxons，aJute，andfourAngles，whosuccessivelyacquiredintheheptarchyanindefinitesupremacyofpowerandrenown。Buttheirreignwastheeffect，notoflaw，butofconquest；andheobserves，insimilarterms，thatoneofthemsubduedtheIslesofManandAnglesey；andthatanotherimposedatributeontheScotsandPicts。Hist。Eccles。l。ii。c。5，p。83。]
Amonk，who，intheprofoundignoranceofhumanlife，haspresumedtoexercisetheofficeofhistorian，strangelydisfiguresthestateofBritainatthetimeofitsseparationfromtheWesternempire。Gildas^132describesinfloridlanguagetheimprovementsofagriculture，theforeigntradewhichflowedwitheverytideintotheThamesandtheSevernthesolidandloftyconstructionofpublicandprivateedifices；heaccusesthesinfulluxuryoftheBritishpeople；ofapeople，accordingtothesamewriter，ignorantofthemostsimplearts，andincapable，withouttheaidoftheRomans，ofprovidingwallsofstone，orweaponsofiron，forthedefenceoftheirnativeland。
^133Underthelongdominionoftheemperors，BritainhadbeeninsensiblymouldedintotheelegantandservileformofaRomanprovince，whosesafetywasintrustedtoaforeignpower。ThesubjectsofHonoriuscontemplatedtheirnewfreedomwithsurpriseandterror；theywereleftdestituteofanycivilormilitaryconstitution；andtheiruncertainrulerswantedeitherskill，orcourage，orauthority，todirectthepublicforceagainstthecommonenemy。TheintroductionoftheSaxonsbetrayedtheirinternalweakness，anddegradedthecharacterbothoftheprinceandpeople。Theirconsternationmagnifiedthedanger；thewantofuniondiminishedtheirresources；andthemadnessofcivilfactionswasmoresolicitoustoaccuse，thantoremedy，theevils，whichtheyimputedtothemisconductoftheiradversaries。
YettheBritonswerenotignorant，theycouldnotbeignorant，ofthemanufactureortheuseofarms；thesuccessiveanddisorderlyattacksoftheSaxonsallowedthemtorecoverfromtheiramazement，andtheprosperousoradverseeventsofthewaraddeddisciplineandexperiencetotheirnativevalor。
[Footnote132:SeeGildasdeExcidioBritanniae，c。i。p。l。
edit。Gale。]
[Footnote133:Mr。WhitakerHist。ofManchester，vol。ii。p。
503，516hassmartlyexposedthisglaringabsurdity，whichhadpassedunnoticedbythegeneralhistorians，astheywerehasteningtomoreinterestingandimportantevents]
WhilethecontinentofEuropeandAfricayielded，withoutresistance，totheBarbarians，theBritishisland，aloneandunaided，maintainedalong，avigorous，thoughanunsuccessful，struggle，againsttheformidablepirates，who，almostatthesameinstant，assaultedtheNorthern，theEastern，andtheSoutherncoasts。Thecitieswhichhadbeenfortifiedwithskill，weredefendedwithresolution；theadvantagesofground，hills，forests，andmorasses，werediligentlyimprovedbytheinhabitants；theconquestofeachdistrictwaspurchasedwithblood；andthedefeatsoftheSaxonsarestronglyattestedbythediscreetsilenceoftheirannalist。HengistmighthopetoachievetheconquestofBritain；buthisambition，inanactivereignofthirty—fiveyears，wasconfinedtothepossessionofKent；andthenumerouscolonywhichhehadplantedintheNorth，wasextirpatedbytheswordoftheBritons。ThemonarchyoftheWestSaxonswaslaboriouslyfoundedbytheperseveringeffortsofthreemartialgenerations。ThelifeofCerdic，oneofthebravestofthechildrenofWoden，wasconsumedintheconquestofHampshire，andtheIsleofWight；andthelosswhichhesustainedinthebattleofMountBadon，reducedhimtoastateofingloriousrepose。Kenric，hisvaliantson，advancedintoWiltshire；besiegedSalisbury，atthattimeseatedonacommandingeminence；andvanquishedanarmywhichadvancedtothereliefofthecity。InthesubsequentbattleofMarlborough，^134
hisBritishenemiesdisplayedtheirmilitaryscience。Theirtroopswereformedinthreelines；eachlineconsistedofthreedistinctbodies，andthecavalry，thearchers，andthepikemen，weredistributedaccordingtotheprinciplesofRomantactics。
TheSaxonschargedinoneweightycolumn，boldlyencounteredwiththeirshordswordsthelonglancesoftheBritons，andmaintainedanequalconflicttilltheapproachofnight。Twodecisivevictories，thedeathofthreeBritishkings，andthereductionofCirencester，Bath，andGloucester，establishedthefameandpowerofCeaulin，thegrandsonofCerdic，whocarriedhisvictoriousarmstothebanksoftheSevern。
[Footnote134:AtBeran—birig，orBarbury—castle，nearMarlborough。TheSaxonchronicleassignsthenameanddate。
CamdenBritannia，vol。i。p。128ascertainstheplace；andHenryofHuntingdonScriptorespestBedam，p。314relatesthecircumstancesofthisbattle。Theyareprobableandcharacteristic；andthehistoriansofthetwelfthcenturymightconsultsomematerialsthatnolongerexist。]Afterawarofahundredyears，theindependentBritonsstilloccupiedthewholeextentoftheWesterncoast，fromthewallofAntoninustotheextremepromontoryofCornwall；andtheprincipalcitiesoftheinlandcountrystillopposedthearmsoftheBarbarians。
Resistancebecamemorelanguid，asthenumberandboldnessoftheassailantscontinuallyincreased。Winningtheirwaybyslowandpainfulefforts，theSaxons，theAngles，andtheirvariousconfederates，advancedfromtheNorth，fromtheEast，andfromtheSouth，tilltheirvictoriousbannerswereunitedinthecentreoftheisland。BeyondtheSeverntheBritonsstillassertedtheirnationalfreedom，whichsurvivedtheheptarchy，andeventhemonarchy，oftheSaxons。Thebravestwarriors，whopreferredexiletoslavery，foundasecurerefugeinthemountainsofWales:thereluctantsubmissionofCornwallwasdelayedforsomeages；^135andabandoffugitivesacquiredasettlementinGaul，bytheirownvalor，ortheliberalityoftheMerovingiankings。^136TheWesternangleofArmoricaacquiredthenewappellationsofCornwall，andtheLesserBritain；andthevacantlandsoftheOsismiiwerefilledbyastrangepeople，who，undertheauthorityoftheircountsandbishops，preservedthelawsandlanguageoftheirancestors。TothefeebledescendantsofClovisandCharlemagne，theBritonsofArmoricarefusedthecustomarytribute，subduedtheneighboringdiocesesofVannes，Rennes，andNantes，andformedapowerful，thoughvassal，state，whichhasbeenunitedtothecrownofFrance。^137
[Footnote135:CornwallwasfinallysubduedbyAthelstan，A。D。
927—941，whoplantedanEnglishcolonyatExeter，andconfinedtheBritonsbeyondtheRiverTamar。SeeWilliamofMalmsbury，l。
ii。，intheScriptorespostBedam，p。50。ThespiritoftheCornishknightswasdegradedbyservitude:anditshouldseem，fromtheRomanceofSirTristram，thattheircowardicewasalmostproverbial。]
[Footnote136:TheestablishmentoftheBritonsinGaulisprovedinthesixthcentury，byProcopius，GregoryofTours，thesecondcouncilofTours，A。D。567，andtheleastsuspiciousoftheirchroniclesandlivesofsaints。ThesubscriptionofabishopoftheBritonstothefirstcouncilofTours，A。D。461，orrather481，thearmyofRiothamus，andtheloosedeclamationofGildas，aliitransmarinaspetebantregiones，c。25，p。8，maycountenanceanemigrationasearlyasthemiddleofthefifthcentury。Beyondthatera，theBritonsofArmoricacanbefoundonlyinromance；andIamsurprisedthatMr。WhitakerGenuineHistoryoftheBritons，p。214—221shouldsofaithfullytranscribethegrossignoranceofCarte，whosevenialerrorshehassorigorouslychastised。]
[Footnote137:TheantiquitiesofBretagne，whichhavebeenthesubjectevenofpoliticalcontroversy，areillustratedbyHadrianValesius，NotitiaGalliarum，subvoceBritanniaCismarina，p。98
—100。M。D\'Anville，Noticedel\'AncienneGaule，Corisopiti，Curiosolites，Osismii，Vorganium，p。248，258，508，720，andEtatsdel\'Europe，p。76—80，Longuerue，DescriptiondelaFrance，tom。i。p。84—94，andtheAbbedeVertot，Hist。
Critiquedel\'EtablissementdesBretonsdanslesGaules，2vols。
in12mo。，Paris，1720。Imayassumethemeritofexaminingtheoriginalevidencewhichtheyhaveproduced。
Note:CompareGallet，MemoiressurlaBretagne，andDaru，HistoiredeBretagne。TheseauthorsappeartometoestablishthepointoftheindependenceofBretagneatthetimethattheinsularBritonstookrefugeintheircountry，andthatthegreaterpartlandedasfugitivesratherthanasconquerors。I
observethatM。LappenbergGeschichtevonEngland，vol。i。p。
56supposesthesettlementofamilitarycolonyformedofBritishsoldiers，Militeslimitanei，laeti，duringtheusurpationofMaximus，381，388，whogavetheirnameandpeculiarcivilizationtoBretagne。M。LappenbergexpresseshissurprisethatGibbonhererejectstheauthoritywhichhefollowselsewhere。—M。]
ChapterXXXVIII:ReignOfClovis。
PartV。
Inacenturyofperpetual，oratleastimplacable，war，muchcourage，andsomeskill，musthavebeenexertedforthedefenceofBritain。Yetifthememoryofitschampionsisalmostburiedinoblivion，weneednotrepine；sinceeveryage，howeverdestituteofscienceorvirtue，sufficientlyaboundswithactsofbloodandmilitaryrenown。ThetombofVortimer，thesonofVortigern，waserectedonthemarginofthesea—shore，asalandmarkformidabletotheSaxons，whomhehadthricevanquishedinthefieldsofKent。AmbrosiusAurelianwasdescendedfromanoblefamilyofRomans；^138hismodestywasequaltohisvalor，andhisvalor，tillthelastfatalaction，^139wascrownedwithsplendidsuccess。ButeveryBritishnameiseffacedbytheillustriousnameofArthur，^140thehereditaryprinceoftheSilures，inSouthWales，andtheelectivekingorgeneralofthenation。Accordingtothemostrationalaccount，hedefeated，intwelvesuccessivebattles，theAnglesoftheNorth，andtheSaxonsoftheWest；butthedecliningageoftheherowasimbitteredbypopularingratitudeanddomesticmisfortunes。Theeventsofhislifearelessinterestingthanthesingularrevolutionsofhisfame。Duringaperiodoffivehundredyearsthetraditionofhisexploitswaspreserved，andrudelyembellished，bytheobscurebardsofWalesandArmorica，whowereodioustotheSaxons，andunknowntotherestofmankind。TheprideandcuriosityoftheNormanconquerorspromptedthemtoinquireintotheancienthistoryofBritain:theylistenedwithfondcredulitytothetaleofArthur，andeagerlyapplaudedthemeritofaprincewhohadtriumphedovertheSaxons，theircommonenemies。Hisromance，transcribedintheLatinofJeffreyofMonmouth，andafterwardstranslatedintothefashionableidiomofthetimes，wasenrichedwiththevarious，thoughincoherent，ornamentswhichwerefamiliartotheexperience，thelearning，orthefancy，ofthetwelfthcentury。TheprogressofaPhrygiancolony，fromtheTybertotheThames，waseasilyingraftedonthefableoftheAeneid；andtheroyalancestorsofArthurderivedtheiroriginfromTroy，andclaimedtheiralliancewiththeCaesars。HistrophiesweredecoratedwithcaptiveprovincesandImperialtitles；andhisDanishvictoriesavengedtherecentinjuriesofhiscountry。ThegallantryandsuperstitionoftheBritishhero，hisfeastsandtournaments，andthememorableinstitutionofhisKnightsoftheRoundTable，werefaithfullycopiedfromthereigningmannersofchivalry；andthefabulousexploitsofUther\'ssonappearlessincrediblethantheadventureswhichwereachievedbytheenterprisingvaloroftheNormans。Pilgrimage，andtheholywars，introducedintoEuropethespeciousmiraclesofArabianmagic。Fairiesandgiants，flyingdragons，andenchantedpalaces，wereblendedwiththemoresimplefictionsoftheWest；andthefateofBritaindependedontheart，orthepredictions，ofMerlin。EverynationembracedandadornedthepopularromanceofArthur，andtheKnightsoftheRoundTable:theirnameswerecelebratedinGreeceandItaly；andthevoluminoustalesofSirLancelotandSirTristramweredevoutlystudiedbytheprincesandnobles，whodisregardedthegenuineheroesandhistoriansofantiquity。Atlengththelightofscienceandreasonwasrekindled；thetalismanwasbroken；thevisionaryfabricmeltedintoair；andbyanatural，thoughunjust，reverseofthepublicopinion，theseverityofthepresentageisinclinedtoquestiontheexistenceofArthur。^141
[Footnote138:Bede，whoinhischroniclep。28placesAmbrosiusunderthereignofZeno，A。D。474—491，observes，thathisparentshadbeen\"purpurainduti；\"whichheexplains，inhisecclesiasticalhistory，by\"regiumnomenetinsigneferentibus，\"l。i。c。16，p。53。TheexpressionofNenniusc。
44，p。110，edit。Galeisstillmoresingular，\"UnusdeconsulibusgentisRomanicaeestpatermeus。\"]
[Footnote139:Bytheunanimous，thoughdoubtful，conjectureofourantiquarians，AmbrosiusisconfoundedwithNatanleod，whoA。D。508losthisownlife，andfivethousandofhissubjects，inabattleagainstCerdic，theWestSaxon，Chron。Saxon。p。17，18。]
[Footnote140:AsIamastrangertotheWelshbards，Myrdhin，Llomarch，andTaliessin，myfaithintheexistenceandexploitsofArthurprincipallyrestsonthesimpleandcircumstantialtestimonyofNennius。Hist。Brit。c。62，63，p。114。Mr。
Whitaker，Hist。ofManchester，vol。ii。p。31—71hadframedaninteresting，andevenprobable，narrativeofthewarsofArthur:thoughitisimpossibletoallowtherealityoftheroundtable。
Note:IpresumethatGibbonmeansLlywarchHen，ortheAged。
—TheElegiesofthisWelshprinceandbardhavebeenpublishedbyMr。Owen；towhoseworksandintheMyvyrianArchaeology，slumbersmuchcuriousinformationonthesubjectofWelshtraditionandpoetry。ButtheWelshantiquarianshaveneverobtainedahearingfromthepublic；theyhavehadnoMacphersontocompensateforhiscorruptionoftheirpoeticlegendsbyforcingthemintopopularity。—SeealsoMr。SharonTurner\'sEssayontheWelshBards。—M。]
[Footnote141:Theprogressofromance，andthestateoflearning，inthemiddleages，areillustratedbyMr。ThomasWarton，withthetasteofapoet，andtheminutediligenceofanantiquarian。IhavederivedmuchinstructionfromthetwolearneddissertationsprefixedtothefirstvolumeofhisHistoryofEnglishPoetry。
Note:Thesevaluabledissertationsshouldnotnowbereadwithoutthenotesandpreliminaryessayofthelateeditor，Mr。
Price，which，inpointoftasteandfulnessofinformation，areworthyofaccompanyingandcompletingthoseofWarton。—M。]
Resistance，ifitcannotavert，mustincreasethemiseriesofconquest；andconquesthasneverappearedmoredreadfulanddestructivethaninthehandsoftheSaxons；whohatedthevaloroftheirenemies，disdainedthefaithoftreaties，andviolated，withoutremorse，themostsacredobjectsoftheChristianworship。Thefieldsofbattlemightbetraced，almostineverydistrict，bymonumentsofbones；thefragmentsoffallingtowerswerestainedwithblood；thelastoftheBritons，withoutdistinctionofageorsex，wasmassacred，^142intheruinsofAnderida；^143andtherepetitionofsuchcalamitieswasfrequentandfamiliarundertheSaxonheptarchy。Theartsandreligion，thelawsandlanguage，whichtheRomanshadsocarefullyplantedinBritain，wereextirpatedbytheirbarbaroussuccessors。Afterthedestructionoftheprincipalchurches，thebishops，whohaddeclinedthecrownofmartyrdom，retiredwiththeholyrelicsintoWalesandArmorica；theremainsoftheirflockswereleftdestituteofanyspiritualfood；thepractice，andeventheremembrance，ofChristianitywereabolished；andtheBritishclergymightobtainsomecomfortfromthedamnationoftheidolatrousstrangers。ThekingsofFrancemaintainedtheprivilegesoftheirRomansubjects；buttheferociousSaxonstrampledonthelawsofRome，andoftheemperors。Theproceedingsofcivilandcriminaljurisdiction，thetitlesofhonor，theformsofoffice，theranksofsociety，andeventhedomesticrightsofmarriage，testament，andinheritance，werefinallysuppressed；andtheindiscriminatecrowdofnobleandplebeianslaveswasgovernedbythetraditionarycustoms，whichhadbeencoarselyframedfortheshepherdsandpiratesofGermany。Thelanguageofscience，ofbusiness，andofconversation，whichhadbeenintroducedbytheRomans，waslostinthegeneraldesolation。AsufficientnumberofLatinorCelticwordsmightbeassumedbytheGermans，toexpresstheirnewwantsandideas；^144butthoseilliteratePaganspreservedandestablishedtheuseoftheirnationaldialect。^145Almosteveryname，conspicuouseitherinthechurchorstate，revealsitsTeutonicorigin；^146andthegeographyofEnglandwasuniversallyinscribedwithforeigncharactersandappellations。