II. BOOK position the Cimbri, the Jutes, the Angles, and others not so discernible, added their numbers to the formidable league; which lasted until their expedition to Britain', and then began to dissolve. WITHOUT detaining the reader by a detail of the modern chorography answering to the position of these tribes2, it may be sufficient to state concisely, that the progress and leagues of the Saxon states enlarged gradually from the Elbe to the Weser; from the Weser they reached to the Ems; and still augmenting, they diffused themselves to the Rhine with varying latitude, as the Francs, many of whose allies they seduced, quitting that region, and abandoning their exploits on the ocean, marched upon Gaul. The extension of this new confederation was favoured by the change of policy and position adopted by the Francs. As this people stood foremost to the Roman vengeance, they experienced its effects. They had many distressing wars to maintain, which in time compelled them to abandon maritime expeditions, and to consolidate their strength for their continental conflicts. Their ultimate successes made this warfare the most popular among them. Hence, the nearer we approach the period of the invasion of England, we find the Francs less and less united with the Saxons on the ocean, and even wars begin to be frequent between the rival friends. As the former moved 1 Spener's Notitia, 363-370. That the Saxons of the fifth century were an association of peoples, was remarked by Stillingfleet, Orig. Brit. 305.; and Langhorn, Elench. Ant. Alb. 342. See also Freret, Mem. Ac. Inscr. xxxiii. p. 134.; and 2 Gibbon, 523. 2 This may be seen as to the Chauci, Spener, 302-313. Cluverius, lib. iii. p. 72. Cellarius, Ant. Geog. i. p. 298.-As to the Frisii, Spener, 314–332. Cluv. p. 55. Cell. 295.- As to the Chamavi, Sp. 260, &c. The same authors treat of the others. V. onward, to the conquests of Belgium and Gaul, CHAP. the Saxons appear to have been the only nation, under whose name the vessels of piracy were navigated. Saxons were the enemies every where execrated, though under this title several nations fought. Some of the tribes on the maritime coast, who had composed the league of the Francs, abandoned it, to share the easier warfare and ampler booty of the Saxons. At last this successful people diffused themselves into the interior of Germany so victoriously, that the vast tracts of country embraced by the Elbe, the Sala, and the Rhine, became subjected to their power3, in addition to their ancient territory from the Elbe to the Eyder. An old Belgic chronicle in rhyme, makes Neder Sassen, Lower Saxony, to have been confined by the Scheld and the Meuse"; but this is a larger extent than others admit. 3 That continental Saxony at last extended to the Rhine, is affirmed by Adam of Bremen, p. 3.; and see the later writers. Chrytaus, 72.; et Proem. Krantz Saxon. p. 5. Spener Notit. 2. vol. 400-413. Eginhart, the secretary of Charlemagne, says, p.7., that in his time, Saxony Germaniæ pars non modica est. 4 The Saxon poet commemorates the Saxons to have retained this region in the time of Charlemagne : Saxonum populus quidam quos claudit ab austro Albia sejunctum positos Aquilonis ad axem, Hos Northalbingos patrio sermone vocamus. Ap. Du Chesne, Hist. Fran. Script. 2. p. 160. Oude bocken hoor ick gewagen, Schilt. Thes. 706. I have heard that old books say, BOOK II. BUT those allies of the Saxons with whom the history of Britain is most connected, were the The Jutes. Jutes and Angles. The Jutes inhabited Jutland, or rather that part of it which was formerly called South Jutland, but which is now known as the duchy of Sleswick. The little band first introduced into England by Hengist and Horsa were Jutes. Their name has been written with all the caprices of orthography." The Angles. THE Angles have been derived from different parts of the north of Germany. Engern, in Westphalia, was a favourite position, because it seemed to suit the geography of Tacitus. Angloen, in Pomerania, had good pretensions, from the similarity of its name; and part of the duchies of Mecklenburg and Lunenburg was chosen out of respect to Ptolemy; but the assertion of Bede and Alfred, which Camden has adopted, has, from its truth, prevailed over all. In the days of Tacitus and Ptolemy, the Angli may have been in Westphalia or Mecklenburg, or elsewhere; but at the era of the Saxon invasion they were resident in the district of Anglen, in the duchy of Sleswick. Whilom was called Nether Saxony, Also that the stream Of the Maes and the Rhine confined it: The Scheld was its western end. 6 Chrytæus, Saxon. 65. Pont. Chor. Dann. 655. 8 7 As Geatum, Giotæ, Jute, Gutæ, Geatani, Jotuni, Jetæ, Juitæ, Vitæ, &c. The Vetus Chronicon Holsatia, p. 54., says the Danes and Jutes are Jews of the tribe of Dan! and Munster as wisely calls the Helvetii, Hill-vitæ, or Jutes of the hills! 8 Bede's words are: "De illa patria, quæ Angulus dicitur et ab eo tempore usque hodie, manere desertus inter provincias Jutarum et Saxonum perhibetur," lib. i. c. 15. His royal translator's expressions are similar: "Is tha land betwyh Geatum and Seaxum. Is sæd of thære tide the hi thanon gewiton oth to dæge tha hit west wunige," THE duchy of Sleswick extends from the river Levesou, north of Kiel, to the Tobesket, on which stands Colding; but that particular position, which an ancient Saxon author calls Old England, extends from the city of Sleswick to Flensberg. Sleswick was the capital of Anglen, and was distinguished, in the eleventh century, for its population and wealth." p. 483. Alfred, in his Orosius, alluding to the Danish countries on 9 Pontanus, Geographia, 655, 656. It is our Ethelwerd who gives us the ancient scite of the Angles most exactly. Anglia vetus sita est inter Saxones et Giotos, habens oppidum capitale quod sermone Saxonico Sleswic nuncupatur, secundum vero Danos, Haithabay, p. 833. Some, who admit this situation, will not allow that the Angli were German emigrants. Schilter's Glos. p. 49.-Wormius derives them from the Jutes. Literat. Runica, p. 29. This is a mere supposition. As Tacitus notices Angli in Germany, but does not specifically mention Jutes, a speculative reasoner might with greater probability, make the Angli the parents of the Jutes. That they were kindred nations, is clear from the identity of their language. Our Kentish Jutes have always talked as good English as our Mercian, and Norfolk, and Yorkshire Angles. Jutes, Angles, and Saxons, seem to have been coeval twigs of the same Teutonic branch of the great Scythian or Gothic tree. Some dialectic differences of pronunciation may be traced, but no real diversity of language. V. II. CHAP. VI. Sequel of their History to the Period of the ANGLO-SAXON Invasion. BOOK WHILE the Saxons were in this state of progressive greatness, in the fourth century, the prosperity and contiguity of Britain invited their frequent visits; and their attacks were favoured by the incursions of other enemies, who are called by the historians Picti, Scoti, and Attacotti. A.D. tain: 368. In a similar combination of hostilities, NectariThe Saxons dus, the commander of the Saxon shore, was slain, attack Bri- and the general of the island, Fullo-faudes, perished in an ambush. Several officers were sent by the Roman emperors to succeed them; but their exertions being inadequate to the necessity, Theodosius, an experienced and successful leader, was appointed by Valentinian in their room. The Picts and the co-operating tribes attacked from the north, while the Saxons and their allies assaulted the maritime coasts. Theodosius, from Richborough, marched towards London, and dividing his army into battalions, correspondent to the positions of the enemies, he attacked the robbers incumbered with their plunder. The bands that were carrying away the manacled inhabitants and their cattle, he destroyed, and regained the spoil; of this he distributed a small share among his wearied soldiers; the residue he restored to its owners, and entered by Theodo. the city, wondering at its sudden deliverance, with sius. the glories of an ovation. are defeated |