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MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.

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MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER
The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.
page 227



ravage the northern parts of the island. And when news of this was brought to Vortigern, he collected soldiers and marched across the Humber to meet them, and there was no great necessity for the citizens to fight ; for the Saxons who were present, fought so gallantly, that the enemies who were previously accustomed to be victorious, were now at once put to flight. Vortigern, therefore, having gained the victory by their means, increased his donations to them, and gave their general, Hengiet, a great deal of land in Lyndenseia (Lincoln* shire), to support himself and his comrades. But Hengist, as he was a crafty man, having ascertained the good-will which the king bore him, addressed him in this manner :— " My lord king, your enemies are disquieting you on every side, and threatening you, and saying that they will bring over Ambrosius Aurelius from the country of Armorica (Brittany), in order, when they have deposed you, to promote him to be king. If you please, therefore, we will send to our own country, and invite troops from thence, that our number may be increased." The king then adopted their advice and request, and desired Hengist to send to Germany, in order that the soldiers, who were invited over from thence, might bring speedy, aid to his timidity. Accordingly, without any delay, an embassy was sent to Germany, and the messengers, when they returned, brought with them eighteen ships filled with picked soldiers. They also brought the daughter of Hengist, Rowena by name, with whose beauty Vortigern was so charmed, that he begged her of her father. And Hengist, when he knew how easily moved the mind of the king was, granted him his daughter. Therefore Satan entered into his heart, inasmuch as he, being a Christian, was desirous to marry a pagan wife. So the king that very night married a pagan wife, who charmed him exceedingly. On which account he incurred the enmity of his wife, whose names were Vortimer, Catigern, and Pascentius. He had also a daughter by the same wife, whom he himself married, and had a daughter by her, for which he was excommunicated by Saint Germanus, and by the whole convention of bishops. The same year, as Sigisbert writes in his chronicle, Saint Germanus, having come to Ravenna, for the sake of the peace of the Armorican nation, and having been received with rever


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