history of the britons-第7部分

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！


the　unhappy　wretch　fled　for　refuge　to　the　province　Guorthegirnaim；*
so　called　from　his　own　name；　where　he　concealed　himself　with　his
wives：　but　St。　Germanus　followed　him　with　all　the　British　clergy；
and　upon　a　rock　prayed　for　his　sins　during　forty　days　and　forty
nights。
*　A　district　of　Radnorshire；　forming　the　present　hundred　of　Rhaiadr。

The　Blessed　man　was　unanimously　chosen　commander　against　the　Saxons。
And　then；　not　by　the　clang　of　trumpets；　but　by　praying；　singing
hallelujah；　and　by　the　cries　of　the　army　to　God；　the　enemies　were
routed；　and　driven　even　to　the　sea。*
*V。R。　This　paragraph　is　omitted　in　the　MSS。

Again　Vortigern　ignominiously　flew　from　St。　Germanus　to　the　kingdom
of　the　Dimetae；　where；　on　the　river　Towy；*　he　built　a　castle；　which
he　named　Cair　Guothergirn。　　The　saint；　as　usual；　followed　him　there；
and　with　his　clergy　fasted　and　prayed　to　the　Lord　three　days；　and
as　many　nights。　　On　the　third　night；　at　the　third　hour；　fire　fell
suddenly　from　heaven；　and　totally　burned　the　castle。　　Vortigern；
the　daughter　of　Hengist；　his　other　wives；　and　all　the　inhabitants；
both　men　and　women；　miserably　perished：　such　was　the　end　of　this
unhappy　king；　as　we　find　written　in　the　life　of　St。　Germanus。
*The　Tobias　of　Ptolemy

47。　Others　assure　us；　that　being　hated　by　all　the　people　of　Britain；
for　having　received　the　Saxons；　and　being　publicly　charged　by　St。
Germanus　and　the　clergy　in　the　sight　of　God；　he　betook　himself　to
flight；　and；　that　deserted　and　a　wanderer；　he　sought　a　place　of
refuge；　till　broken　hearted；　he　made　an　ignominious　end。

Some　accounts　state；　that　the　earth　opened　and　swallowed　him　up；
on　the　night　his　castle　was　burned；　as　no　remains　were　discovered
the　following　morning；　either　of　him；　or　of　those　who　were　burned
with　him。

He　had　three　sons：　the　eldest　was　Vortimer；　who；　as　we　have　seen；
fought　four　times　against　the　Saxons；　and　put　them　to　flight；
the　second　Categirn；　who　was　slain　in　the　same　battle　with　Horsa；
the　third　was　Pascent；　who　reigned　in　the　two　provinces　Builth
and　Guorthegirnaim；＇1＇　after　the　death　of　his　father。　　These
were　granted　him　by　Ambrosius；　who　was　the　great　king　among　the
kings　of　Britain。　　The　fourth　was　Faustus；　born　of　an　incestuous
marriage　with　his　daughter；　who　was　brought　up　and　educated　by
St。　Germanus。　　He　built　a　large　monastery　on　the　banks　of　the
river　Renis；　called　after　his　name；　and　which　remains　to　the
present　period。＇2＇
＇1＇　In　the　northern　part　of　the　present　counties　of　Radnor　and
Brecknock。
＇2＇　V。R。　The　MSS。　add；　'and　he　had　one　daughter；　who　was　the
mother　of　St。　Faustus。'

49。　This　is　the　genealogy　of　Vortigern；　which　goes　back　to
Fernvail；＇1＇　who　reigned　in　the　kingdom　of　Guorthegirnaim；＇2＇
and　was　the　son　of　Teudor；　Teudor　was　the　son　of　Pascent；　Pascent
of　Guoidcant；　Guoidcant　of　Moriud；　Moriud　of　Eltat；　Eltat　of
Eldoc；　Eldoc　of　Paul；　Paul　of　Meuprit；　Meuprit　of　Braciat；
Braciat　of　Pascent；　Pascent　of　Guorthegirn；　Guorthegirn　of
Guortheneu；　Guortheneu　of　Guitaul；　Guitaul　of　Guitolion；　Guitolion
of　Gloui。　　Bonus；　Paul；　Mauron；　Guotelin；　were　four　brothers；　who
built　Gloiuda；　a　great　city　upon　the　banks　of　the　river　Severn；
and　in　Birtish　is　called　Cair　Gloui；　in　Saxon；　Gloucester。　　Enough
has　been　said　of　Vortigern。
＇1＇　Fernvail；　or　Farinmail；　appears　to　have　been　king　of　Gwent
or　Monmouth。
＇2＇　V。R。　'Two　provinces；　Builth　and　Guorthegirnaim。'

50。　St。　Germanus；　after　his　death；　returned　into　his　own　country。
*At　that　time；　the　Saxons　greatly　increased　in　Britain；　both　in
strength　and　numbers。　　And　Octa；　after　the　death　of　his　father
Hengist；　came　from　the　sinistral　part　of　the　island　to　the　kingdom
of　Kent；　and　from　him　have　proceeded　all　the　kings　of　that　province；
to　the　present　period。
*　V。R。　All　this　to　the　word　'Amen；'　in　other　MSS。　is　placed　after
the　legend　of　St。　Patrick。

Then　it　was；　that　the　magnanimous　Arthur；　with　all　the　kings　and
military　force　of　Britain；　fought　against　the　Saxons。　　And　though
there　were　many　more　noble　than　himself；　yet　he　was　twelve　times
chosen　their　commander；　and　was　as　often　conqueror。　　The　first
battle　in　which　he　was　engaged；　was　at　the　mouth　of　the　river
Gleni。＇1＇　　The　second；　third；　fourth；　and　fifth；　were　on　another
river；　by　the　Britons　called　Duglas；＇2＇　in　the　region　Linuis。
The　sixth；　on　the　river　Bassas。＇3＇　The　seventh　in　the　wood　Celidon；
which　the　Britons　call　Cat　Coit　Celidon。＇4＇　The　eighth　was　near
Gurnion　castle；＇5＇　where　Arthur　bore　the　image　of　the　Holy　Virgin；＇6＇
mother　of　God；　upon　his　shoulders；　and　through　the　power　of　our
Lord　Jesus　Christ；　and　the　holy　Mary；　put　the　Saxons　to　flight；
and　pursued　them　the　whole　day　with　great　slaughter。＇7＇　The　ninth
was　at　the　City　of　Legion；＇8＇　which　is　called　Cair　Lion。　　The
tenth　was　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Trat　Treuroit。＇9＇　The　eleventh
was　on　the　mountain　Breguoin；　which　we　call　Cat　Bregion。＇10＇　The
twelfth　was　a　most　severe　contest；　when　Arthur　penetrated　to　the
hill　of　Badon。＇11＇　In　this　engagement；　nine　hundred　and　forty　fell
by　his　hand　alone；　no　one　but　the　Lord　affording　him　assistance。
In　all　these　engagements　the　Britons　were　successful。　　For　no
strength　can　avail　against　the　will　of　the　Almighty。
＇1＇　Supposed　by　some　to　be　the　Glem；　in　Lincolnshire；　but　most
probably　the　Glen；　in　the　northern　part　of　Northumberland。
＇2＇　Or　Dubglas。　　The　little　river　Dunglas；　which　formed　the
southern　boundary　of　Lothian。　　Whitaker　says；　the　river　Duglas；
in　Lancashire；　near　Wigan。
＇3＇　Not　a　river；　but　an　isolated　rock　in　the　Frith　of　Forth；　near
the　town　of　North　Berwick；　called　〃The　Bass。〃　　Some　think　it　is
the　river　Lusas；　in　Hampshire。
＇4＇　The　Caledonian　forest；　or　the　forest　of　Englewood；　extending
from　Penrith　to　Carlisle。
＇5＇　Variously　supposed　to　be　in　Cornwall；　or　Binchester　in　Durham；
but　most　probably　the　Roman　station　of　Garionenum；　near　Yarmouth；
in　Norfolk。
＇6＇　V。R。　The　image　of　the　cross　of　Christ；　and　of　the　perpetual
virgin　St。　Mary。
＇7＇　V。R。　For　Arthur　proceeded　to　Jerusalem；　and　there　made　a　cross
to　the　size　of　the　Saviour's　cross；　and　there　it　was　consecrated；
and　for　three　successive　days　he　fasted；　watched；　and　prayed；
before　the　Lord's　cross；　that　the　Lord　would　give　him　the　victory；
by　this　sign；　over　the　heathen；　which　also　took　place；　and　he　took
with　him　the　image　of　St。　Mary；　the　fragments　of　which　are　still
preserved　in　great　veneration　at　Wedale；　in　English　Wodale；　in
Latin　Vallis…doloris。　　Wodale　is　a　village　in　the　province　of
Lodonesia；　but　now　of　the　jurisdiction　of　the　bishop　of　St。　Andrew's；
of　Scotland；　six　miles　on　the　west　of　that　heretofore　noble　and
eminent　monastery　of　Meilros。
＇8＇　Exeter。
＇9＇　Or　Ribroit；　the　Brue；　in　Somersetshire；　or　the　Ribble；　in
Lancashire。
＇10＇　Or　Agned　Cathregonion；　Cadbury；　in　Somersetshire；　or　Edinburgh
＇11＇　Bath。

The　more　the　Saxons　were　vanquished；　the　more　they　sought　for　new
supplies　of　Saxons　from　Germany；　so　that　kings；　commanders；　and
military　bands　were　invited　over　from　almost　every　province。　　And
this　practice　they　continued　till　the　reign　of　Ida；　who　was　the
son　of　Eoppa；　he；　of　the　Saxon　race；　was　the　first　king　in　Bernicia；
and　in　Cair　Ebrauc　（York）。

When　Gratian　Aequantius　was　consul　at　rome；　because　then　the　whole
world　was　governed　by　the　Roman　consuls；　the　Saxons　were　received
by　Vortigern　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　four　hundred　and　forty…seven；
and　to　the　year　in　which　we　now　write；　five　hundred　and　forty…seven。
And　whosoever　shall　read　herein　may　receive　instruction；　the　Lord
Jesus　Christ　affording　assistance；　who；　co…eternal　with　the　Father
and　the　Holy　Ghost；　lives　and　reigns　for　ever　and　ever。　　Amen。

In　those　days　Saint　Patrick　was　captive　among　the　Scots。　　His
master's　name　was　Milcho；　to　whom　he　was　a　swineherd　for　seven
years。　　When　he　had　attained　the　age　of　seventeen　he　gave　him　his
liberty。　　By　the　divine　impulse；　he　applied　himself　to　reading　of
the　Scriptures；　and　afterwards　went　to　Rome；　where；　replenished
with　the　Holy　Spirit；　he　continued　a　great　while；　studying　the
sacred　mysteries　of　those　writings。　　During　his　continuance　there；
Palladius；　the　first　bishop；　was　sent　by　pope　Celestine　to　convert
the　Scots　＇the　Irish＇。　　But　tempests　and　signs　from　God　prevented
his　landing；　for　no　one　can　arrive　in　any　country；　except　it　be
allowed　from　above；　altering　therefore　his　course　from　Ireland；
he　came　to　Britain　and　died　in　the　land　of　the　Picts。*
*　At　Fordun；　in　the　district　of　Mearns；　in　Scotland…Usher。

51。　The　death　of　Palladius　being　known；　the　Roman　patricians；
Theodosius　and　Valentinian；　then　reigning；　pope　Celestine　sent
Patrick　to　convert　the　Scots　to　the　faith　of　the　Holy　Trinity；
Victor；　the　angel　of　God；　accompanying；　admonishing；　and　assisting
him；　and　also　the　bishop　Germanus。

Germanus　then　sent　the　ancient　Segerus　with　him　as　a　venerable
and　praiseworthy　bishop；　to　king　Amatheus；＇1＇　who　lived　near；　and
who　had　prescience　of　what　was　to　happen；　he　was　consecrated　bishop
in　the　reign　of　that　king　by　the　holy　pontiff；＇2＇　assuming　the
name　of　Patrick；　having　hitherto　been　known　by　that　of　Maun；
Auxilius；　Isserninus；　and　other　brothers　were　ordained　with　him
to　inferior　degrees。
＇1＇　V。R。　Germanus　〃sent　the　el