doubt of his real existence. But poets, though they disfigure the most certain history by their fictions, and use strange liberties with truth where they are the sole historians, as among the Britons, have commonly some foundation for their wildest exag gerations.

Cerdic died in 534, leaving his dominions to his son Cynric, who ruled till his death in 560, and considerably extended his kingdom, the capital of which was Winton-ceaster, or Winchester, the ancient Venta Belgarum. Cynric was succeeded by his son Ceawlin.

§ 8. Fourth settlement of the German invaders, A.D. 527.—These invaders were also Saxons. They founded the kingdom of the East-Sexe or Essex, to which the Middle-Sexe or Middlesex also belonged. Æscevine or Ercemvine was the first king of Essex; but his son Sieda, who married a daughter of Ethelbert of Kent, appears as a subject of his father-in-law; and Essex, though styled a kingdom, seems always to have been subject to the neighboring kings.

§ 9. Fifth settlement of the German invaders.-The four preceding invasions had been made by the Jutes and Saxons; but the next two settlements consist of Angles. Toward the middle or end of the 6th century, for the exact date is unknown, some Angles, apparently divided into two tribes, the North-Folk and the South-Folk, founded the kingdom of East Anglia, comprising the modern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and parts of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. Hardly any thing is known of the history of East Anglia. Uffa is said to have been the first king, and his descendants were styled Uffingas, just as the race of Kentish kings were called Æscingas.

§ 10. Sixth Settlement of the German invaders, about A.D. 547.— The country to the north of the Humber had been early separated into two British states, namely, Deifyr (Deora rice), extending from the Humber to the Tyne, and Berneich (Beorna rice), lying between the Tyne and the Forth. These names, afterward Latinized into Deira and Bernicia, were retained till a late period. The two countries were separated by a vast forest occupying the district between the Tyne and the Tees, or the modern bishopric of Durham. According to some traditions, Hengist had penetrated as far as these countries, and founded states there for his son Ochta, and for Ebusa the son of Horsa; but it seems more probable that his expeditions were not carried beyond Lincolnshire. It can not be doubted, however, that the Angles were settled in parts of Northumbria at an early period; though it was not till the arrival of Ida, who landed at Flamborough Head in 547, with a powerful body of Anglian warriors, that the Angles obtained the su

A.D. 519-626.

THE HEPTARCHY.

27

premacy in the north of the island. Ida became King of Bernicia, and transmitted his power to his son; and a separate Anglian kingdom was founded in Deira by Ella. These two kingdoms remained for some years in a state of hostility with one another; but they were united in the person of Ethelfrith or Ædelfrid, grandson of Ida, who had married a daughter of Ella, and who expelled her infant brother Edwin. It was not, however, till the accession of Edwin in 617 that the united kingdoms seem to have assumed the name of Northumbria, which was long the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon states.

§ 11. The country to the west of East Anglia and Deira was Known by the name of the March or boundary, and was conquered by Anglian chieftains, who were for some time subject to the kings of Northumbria. It was erected into an independent state by Penda about 626, under the name of the March or Mercia, which was subsequently extended to the Severn, and comprised the whole of the centre of England. It was divided by the Trent into North and South Mercia.

§ 12. Thus after a century and a half was gradually established in Britain what has been called the Heptarchy, or seven Saxon kingdoms, namely, Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Essex, East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. But this term is incorrect: there were never exactly seven independent kingdoms coexistent; and if the smaller and dependent ones are reckoned, the number must be considerably increased. The Britons, or ancient Celtic inhabitants, had been driven into the western parts of the island, and formed several small states. In the extreme southwest lay Damnonia, called also West Wales, the kingdom of Arthur, occupying at first the present counties of Cornwall and Devonshire, but limited at a later period, after the separation of Cernau, or Cornwall, to Dyvnaint, or Devonshire. In Somersetshire, Wiltshire, and Dorsetshire, which had been occupied by the Saxons at an early period, a large native population still maintained its ground, as was likewise the case in Devonshire long after its occupation by the Saxons; whence the inhabitants of that district obtained the name of the "Welsh kind." Cambria, or Wales, was divided into several small kingdoms or principalities. The name of Welsh (Wälsch), it may be observed, is the Saxon term for foreigners, and is still applied by the Germans to the Italians. The history of the Celts, who dwelt in Cumbria, to the north of Wales, is involved in obscurity. Cumbria, or Cumberland, properly so called, included, besides the present county, Westmoreland and Lancashire, and extended into Northumbria, probably as far as the modern Leeds. Caerleol, or Carlisle, was its chief city. North of Cumbria, between the two Roman walls, and to the east of the kingdom of

Map of Britain, showing the Settlements of the Anglo-Saxons.

Bernicia, were situated two other British kingdoms: Reged, in the southern portion of the district, nearly identical perhaps with Annandale, in Dumfriesshire; and Strathclyde, embracing the counties of Dumbarton, Renfrew, and Dumfries, and probably also those of Peebles, Selkirk, and Lanark. These kingdoms were sometimes united under one chief, or Pendragon, called also Tyern, or tyrannus, who, like other British princes, regarded himself as the successor, and even as the descendant, of Constantine or Maximus.

Besides those Britons who found shelter in these western and mountainous regions from the fury of the Saxon invaders, great numbers of them, under the conduct of their priests and chieftains,

A.D. 626.

THE BRETWALDAS.

29

abandoned altogether their native shores, and settled in Armorica, on the western coast of France, which from them derived its subsequent name of Bretagne, or Brittany.

Nothing can more evidently show the completeness of the conquest made by the Anglo-Saxons than the fact that their language forms to this day the staple of our own; but with regard to their treatment of the conquered land, and their relations toward the natives, we are almost entirely in the dark. It is usually stated that the Saxons either exterminated the original population, or drove it into the western parts of the island; but there are good reasons for believing that this was not completely the case; and we may conclude from the Welsh traditions, and from the number of Celtic words still existing in the English language, that a considerable number of the Celtic inhabitants still remained upon the soil as the slaves or subjects of their conquerors.*

*

§ 13. To detail the obscure and often doubtful history of the several Anglo-Saxon states would afford neither amusement nor instruction, and we shall therefore content ourselves with selecting the more remarkable events that occurred down to the time when all the kingdoms were united under the authority of Egbert. The dignity of Bretwalda, that is, supreme commander or emperor Britain, which was often the subject of contention among the different Anglo-Saxon sovereigns, affords some slight bond of connection to their histories, and it is to this point that we shall first direct our attention.†

of

The

The institution of a Bretwalda among the Anglo-Saxons was probably neither derived from their native customs, nor an assumption of the Roman imperial power before exercised in the island, but rather a measure sometimes adopted from the necessity of uniting under a common chief against the Britons, the Picts, and the Scots. The dignity was perhaps an elective one. first who held the office, according to Beda, was Ella, king of the South Saxons; but we know not on what account, nor by what means, he obtained the dignity. Ceawlin, King of the West Saxons, or Wessex, the grandson of Cerdic, was the second Bretwalda. The Escing, Ethelbert of Kent, disputed the title with him, but was overthrown in a great battle at Wibbandun (Wimbledon in Surrey). Ceawlin was a conqueror, and united many districts to his kingdom; but from some unknown cause, the termination of his reign was singularly unprosperous. His own subjects, and

*This subject is more fully discussed in the Notes and Illustrations (C). The existence of the Bretwaldas, at least in the earlier times, is disputed by Mr. Hallam and Mr. Kemble. But they are expressly mentioned by Beda, who calls their dignity ducatus or leadership, in the Saxon Chronicle, where these princes are termed Bretwaldas, and in charters.

even his own relations, united against him with the Britons and Scots; he was defeated in a great battle at Wodnesbeorg, in the year 591, and died in exile two years afterward.

*

$14. After the expulsion of Ceawlin, Ethelbert of Kent obtained the dignity of Bretwalda, to which he had for so many years aspired. The most memorable event of his reign was the introduction of Christianity among the Anglo-Saxons, for the reception of which faith the mind of Ethelbert had been prepared through his marriage with the Christian princess Bertha, daughter of Caribert, King of Paris. But the immediate cause of its introduction was a casual incident which occurred at Rome. It happened that Gregory, who, under the title of the Great, afterward occupied the papal chair, had observed in the market-place of Rome three Saxon youths exposed to sale, whom the Roman merchants, in their trading voyages to Britain, had bought of their mercenary parents. Struck with the beauty of their fair complexions and blooming countenances, Gregory asked to what country they belonged; and being told they were Angles, he replied that they ought more properly to be denominated angels: it were a pity that the prince of darkness should enjoy so fair a prey, and that so beautiful a frontispiece should cover a mind destitute of internal grace and righteousness. Inquiring farther concerning the name of their province, he was informed that it was Deira, a district of Northumbria. "Deira," replied he, "that is good! They are called to the mercy of God from his anger (de ira). But what is the name of the king of that province ?" He was told it was Ella, or Alla. "Allelujah!" cried he; "we must endeavor that the praises of God be sung in their country." Moved by these allusions, which appeared to him so happy, he determined to undertake himself a mission into Britain, and, having obtained the Pope's approbation, prepared for the journey; but his popularity at home was so great, that the Romans, unwilling to expose him to such dangers, opposed his design; and he was obliged for the present to lay aside all farther thoughts of executing that pious purpose.

After his accession to the pontificate, Gregory, anxious to convert the British Saxons, pitched on Augustine, a Roman monk, and sent him, with forty associates, to preach the gospel in this island. These missionaries, terrified with the danger which might attend their proposing a new doctrine to so fierce a people, of whose language they were ignorant, stopped some time in France, and sent back Augustine to lay the hazards and difficulties before

*The celebrated story is told by Beda (ii., 89), and is copied from him, with slight variations, by all other medieval writers. It is related more fully and accurately by Mr. Stanley (Historical Memorials of Canterbury, p. 7, eq.) than by any other modern writer.