This festival was held at midnight, as near as the age of the moon permitted to the 10th of March, which was their New Year's Day. From the use of the mistletoe by the Ancient Britons, it is probable the custom arose of decking the houses with that plant at Christmas time, a remnant of Druidism which is still practised.

After the conquest of Britain by the Romans, those politic foreigners quickly perceived that the power of the Druids would be incompatible with their own rule, and they pursued them with unrelenting malice, until A.D. 61, when Suetonius Paulinus attacked them in Anglesea, and almost destroyed them.

The costume of the original inhabitants of this island, was of the

most simple description. In the summer time they were almost without clothing, such parts of their bodies as were not covered by the home woven tartan, being stained of a blue colour by means of a pigment extracted from the plant called woad. They also decorated their skin with representations of the heavenly bodies, dragons, and figures of demons; they appear to have had some skill in working metals, for their hands and arms were adorned with rings and bracelets of silver and gold.

Such was the state of ancient Britain when Julius Cæsar, after his legions had over-run the neighbouring countries of Gaul, sought some other land to conquer; and having heard much of the riches of the soil, and the fertility of the neighbouring island, that great general determined to enrich his triumphal car, on returning to Rome, with spoils drawn from a region, which, up to that date, had been regarded by his fellow citizens as having a scarcely real existence.

BRITISH ORNAMENTS.

Cæsar then became at once the conqueror, and the historian of

B.C. 54.]

CONQUEST OF BRITAIN BY THE ROMANS.

7

Britain. The influence of his conquests has passed away, but it is a tribute to the enduring power of literature, that we are now, after the lapse of more than nineteen centuries, deriving our knowledge from the written legacies he bequeathed to future generations.

ROMAN GALLEY.

The Romans carved their name in indelible traces over the face of the island. Huge entrenched camps, surrounded with ramparts of earth, were erected in every commanding position, and their enduring qualities are so great, that many of them are even now in existence, testifying to the power and the civilization of the conquerors. From these camps roads were carried over hills, streams, and torrents, and through deep valleys and treacherous marshes, as nearly in straight lines as circumstances would permit; many of them are used at this distance of time. Beautiful villas were erected, with their entire suite of rooms; these are also frequently brought to light, and the elegance of their mosaics, and the beauty of their adornments, render them a rare prize to the antiquary and the archæologist.

In order to protect England from the Picts and Scots, who were never subdued by the Romans, the Emperor Adrian erected a strong rampart of earth from the mouth of the Tyne to the Solway Frith; but this being found insufficient for its purpose, Antoninus Pius constructed a second line of defences from the Frith of Forth to that of the Clyde.

The invincible Picts and Scots laughed at the earthen ramparts of the lordly Roman, and continued their incursions. The Emperor Severus then undertook and carried out that splendid work, a wall of cemented stone, sixty-eight miles long, twelve feet high, and eight thick, whose traces still remain to testify our ancient history.

The departure of the Romans, with other incidents of their occupation, will be detailed in future paragraphs.

ROMAN STANDARDBEARER.

CESAR'S STANDARD-BEARER.-B.C. 54.

WHEN Julius Cæsar prepared to land his troops in Britain, August 26th, 54, B. C., he found the warriors of the nation he came to invade strongly posted at the part of the country where Deal now stands. The Britons were mostly in chariots armed with scythes, which they managed with such dexterity as for a time to inspire terror in the minds of even the brave tenth legion.

The standard-bearer, seeing the hesitation, first invoking the divine protection, scized the eagle and plunged into the sea, crying aloud, "Follow me, my fellow-countrymen, unless you will betray the Roman eagle into the hands of the enemy; for my part I am determined to discharge my duty to Cæsar and the Commonwealth.” All who heard this speech and witnessed the bravery of the speaker, plunged into the sea and advanced to the shore, where, after a severe battle, the natives were defeated, and the whole Roman army landed.

CARACTACUS.-A.D. 52.

From the time of Julius Cæsar to that of Claudius, little appears

BRITISH CHARIOT AND ARMS.

to have been done to secure the submission of the Britons, but the latter Emperor having heard that his legions were much harassed by a British Prince, named Caractacus, resolved to command his army in person.

He came to Britain, and after remaining some time returned to Rome, leaving his soldiers under the orders of Vespasian, who afterwards became a Roman Emperor, and whose son Titus, the conqueror of Jerusalem, and successor to his father in the imperial dignity, fought as a private soldier in Britain.

Caractacus drew his army together at a place called Caer-Caradoc, in Shropshire, and awaited the Roman onslaught. But being defeated, he fell into the conqueror's hands, and was sent captive to Rome. His fame had preceded him, and when he made his public entry the whole city came forth to see the brave barbarian, who for so many years had hurled scorn and defiance at the imperial legions.

The British Prince, laden with fetters, walked with a stately step, but his brothers, wife, and daughter, melted into tears.

On being questioned by Claudius, he exclaimed, "Alas! is it possible that a people possessed of such magnificence at home should covet my humble cottage in Britain."

Claudius, to his honour, received his noble captive enemy graciously, restored him to the liberty he pined for, and, it is said, invested him with a princely authority over a considerable part of Britain.

BOADICEA.-A.D. 61.

This famous heroine was Queen of the Iceni, a people who inhabited that part of our island now called Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, and Huntingdon.

She was, in the reign of Nero, taken and scourged by the Roman soldiers. In a few days, her wrongs being made known, she found herself at the head of an immense army, and was for some time enabled to set the Roman power at defiance.

She destroyed their colonies at Chester, St. Albans, and London, and after killing 70,000 of her enemies, encamped in the neighbourhood of the latter city.

It is said her army consisted of 230,000 warriors. Suetonius, the Roman general, collected about 10,000 picked men, and advanced to the shock. When the Britons observed the approach of their enemies, Boadicea, clad in royal robes, holding a spear in her right hand, her long yellow locks floating in the wind, rode through her army exhorting and encouraging her warriors.

A most furious encounter followed, but although the heroic Queen did all that lay in her power to woo victory to her standard, her undis ciplined troops could not resist the well trained valour of their Roman enemies, and after the slaughter of 80,000 Britons, she was defeated, when, unable to survive her disgrace, she put an end to her life by poison. The scene of this engagement was near King's Cross, and the locality is to this day known as Battle Bridge.

THE COLONY OF BRITTANY.-A.D. 388.

BOADICEA.

Maximus, a Roman officer, having united himself in marriage to a British Princess, and having been appointed to the command of the legions in Britain, aspired to the imperial dignity. The Emperor Gratian associated with himself Theodosius, a military officer of great distinction, in the government of the empire, and Maximus choosing to fancy he was neglected in this arrangement, proclaimed himself Emperor in Britain. Not contented with this, he carried an army of Britons into Gaul, and meeting Gratian near Lyons, defeated and slew him in a desperate engagement.

Maximus, inflated with success, declared his son Victor partner in the government, and advanced, as he hoped, to further conquests. He had penetrated to Italy, when Theodosius fought with and conquered him. Maximus was put to death.

The unhappy Britons who had followed his fortunes were now in a wretched condition; they found themselves in a foreign country, without a leader to conduct them or ships to carry them home. In their

ANCIENT BRITISH CANOE.

distress they directed their march to the north-west shore of France, with the hope of finding passage to Cornwall. In this they

were, however, disappointed, but having met with a kind reception from the Belge who inhabited those parts, they settled there, and never returned to their native land. Their number was very considerable, and they gave the name of Brittany to the country.

DEPARTURE OF THE ROMANS.-A.D. 449.

The Goths, under Attila, were approaching the centre of the empire, and all the legionaries were recalled to give strength to Rome.

It had been the policy of the Roman conquerors to render the inhabitants of Britain as effeminate and unwarlike as possible; no sooner were they left to their own resources than the Picts and Scots poured into the country, carrying fire and sword wherever they appeared.

The departure of the Romans was regarded as a public calamity, and the Britons having met in solemn council, resolved to address themselves to Etius, the Roman prefect of Gaul, a very brave and renowned general. The letter ran thus:

"TO ETIUS, THRICE CONSUL, THE GROANS OF THE BRITONS.

"The barbarians drive us into the sea, the sea throws us back to the barbarians; so that we have nothing left us but the wretched choice of being either drowned or butchered."

All their passionate entreaties were in vain. Etius might pity, but could not assist them; and in their distress they called in the aid of some Saxons, who had been committing ravages on the southern coasts, under the leadership of Hengist.

The ambassadors were successful in their application, and the Saxons came to the assistance of the Britons.

HENGIST AND HORSA.-A.D. 449.

After repelling the invasion of the Picts and Scots, Hengist, finding the country pleasant to live in, informed the King, Vortigern, that it was necessary to send to Germany for assistance.

The Saxons soon, however, threw off the mask of friendship, and attacked the Britons with the view of making themselves masters of the country. Vortimer, the heroic son of Vortigern, raised an army, and fought many battles with the invaders, in one of which it is recorded that he pulled up a tree by its roots, and with it killed the Saxon chief Horsa.