they would have found their united strength sufficient to have repelled the attempts of invasion, by any foreign enemy. But enervated by luxury, and weakened by dissensions, they found themselves in a worse state, as to self defence, than on the arrival of Julius Cæsar. In this sad situation without union, order, or discipline, and attacked on all sides by inveterate foes, through infatuation or despair, they adopted the most impolitic of all expedients for national safety, that of calling in the assistance of one barbarous nation, to drive out another; which quickly in the sequel, subjected them to a new and heavier yoke.

Of the melancholy effects, which took place during those times of confusion, and trouble, the British Historians, Gildas and Nennius, indisputable authorities, give ample testimony; and their narratives are not simply relations, but pictures of the period, drawn by men who depict, as though they had been eye witnesses; and seem to speak of the different scenes as though they had both seei. and felt, and that in language correspondent to the circumstances they relate.

On the arrival of the new race of settlers, the Saxons, besides the many sovereignties into which the island was then divided, a personal competition appears to have existed between one, that tyrannised over the other princes, named Gwtheyrn *, and a chieftain of Roman parentage, called Ambrosius, but by the Welsh, Emrys Wledig, or Emrys the chief. During this contest, to repel the incursions of the Scots and Picts, Gwrtheyrn called in the assistance of the Saxons, an army of whom arrived under their leaders Hengist and Horsa, sons of Woden. The Saxon General having driven back the enemy, and discovered the pusillanimity of the British monarch, turned his attention towards establishing his troops, and securing for himself a portion of the territories he had defended: this plan, through the treachery or incapacity of Gwtheyrn, he was enabled to accomplish. The insulted and enraged Britons proceeded to depose the traitorous monarch, and placed Emrys Wledig, on the throne

*By most English writers called Vortigern.

in his read; who is described as brave, modest, and sincere, and whose parents had worn the imperial purple. For a time he prevailed against the Saxons,but fresh troops arriving under the command of Ella, they were enabled to become victorious; and to extend their territory. On the death of Emrys, his brother Uther, commonly called, from his office, Pendragon, was elected to the sovereign dignity. The intestine warfare was continued between the Britons and Saxons with varied success; but numerous hordes continually arriving from the northera hive of population, the latter became formidable in several parts of the island. Arthur, the son, and successor of Uther, so celebrated in the annals of fame, though the existence of such a personage has been doubted by some t, and denied by others, for a series of years conducted the war against the invaders; and in many desperately-fought battles led on the Britons to decisive victory.

At the time this prince held the Pendragonate, it appears that Wales was divided into two sovereignties, for, by virtue of being chief ruler, he demanded, in the year 518, for the warfare in which he was engaged, the assistance of Caron, king of Scotland; Maelgwyn, the sovereign of Northwales; Meyric, prince of South-wales; and Cador, duke of Cornwall; and at the same time received the support of his nephew Howel, king of Armorica in Gaul. During this and the late reign the ancient Britons had attained the meridian of their glory, but the period, assigned in the concatenation of events, for the fall of their empire, approximated to a close; though the beams which threw a degree of radiance on its decline, lingered for a time in the west, until gradually receding from the sight, not a single ray was visible in the horizon. The death

Gildas Hist. Nennius Hist.

↑ Milton is sceptical upon this point.

Lord Lyttleton's History of Henry 11. But for the refutation of both opinions, see the able and unanswerable defence made by Turner, in his History of the Anglo Saxons, Vol. I. p. 101.

Warrington's History of Wales, Vol. 1. p. 196.

Ceath of Arthur, decided the fate of Britain. The splendour, which had distinguished the preceding era, kaving principally derived its lustre from the virtue, and the valour of a few individuals, who took the lead in the contest, became clouded by the opposite qualities, so conspicuous in the princes of the subsequent period. The Britons, constrained by necessity to take up arms, were frequently victorious; though their successes. are so magnified and accompanied with so much of the marvellous in the detail, as not only to surpass all credibility, but even to render problematical the very existence of the conquerors. And could they have abstained from intestine quarrels, and thoroughly united in the common cause, they might yet have recovered and preserved their country. But this lesson, which prudence dictated, they could not even learn from disastrous experience. So that whenever they obtained the least respite from their foreign foes, they relapsed into civil dissensions; by which they not only exhausted their military strength, but were diverted from adopting the means by which they might have prevented the return of the enemy, and provided for their own security. Arthur had appointed his nephew Constantine, son of Cador, duke of Cornwall, as successor to the pendragonate; and the appointment was confirmed by the elective voice of the people. The Saxons to excite divisions, espoused the cause of the sons of Mordred, the late regent; and while the Britons were settling the dispute, their wily adversaries were rapidly extending the bounds of their empire. During these troubles many of the people submitted to the Saxons, and the Scots; others, to preserve their freedom, fled into distant countries, to Armorica and Bretagne; some retired with their effects into the wilds of Devon and Cornwall; some took shelter in the mountainous part of the north of England; but by far the greatest number found refuge in the fastnesses of Wales; where they defended and preserved their independence, long after the expiration of the Saxon dynasty. At the period, when the latter had conquered the greater part of Britain, and made their approaches to the borders of Cambria, the country appears to have

C 3

have been divided into six principalities, under so many reguli, aud Maelgwyn king of Northwales, was invested with the sovereign dignity, about the year 552. The contest was continued under several succeeding monarchs, till the death of Cadwalader, in the year 703, closed the imperial dignity, which for many centuries had been annexed to the British government; during which time the paramount princes chiefly resided at Diganwy, on the water of Conway, and at Caer Segont near Caernarvon.

Rodric Moelwynoc, nominally succeeded to the sovereignty in 720. By continual and unhappy divisions, the strength of the country was so diminished, as to become unable successfully to resist the incursions of the Saxons. The Mercians, under king Offa, frequently laid waste the country, and at length wrested a portion from the Welsh princes, and to prevent the new occupants from the retaliating vengeance of the Welsh, Offa caused that famous boundary to be made, from the mouth of the river Dee to the Wye, which still goes under the appellation of Clawdd Offa, or Offa's Dyke. By this the region was considerably narrowed, and nearly reduced to its present limits. Though the Saxons made frequent inroads, yet they do not appear to have had any permanent footing in the country; so that, though the page of History relates many sanguinary conflicts which took place between them, and the Weish, yet scarcely any vestiges remain to mark the incursions of the invaders.

The Danes had called off the attention of the Saxons from the Welsh who from this circumstance were left for many years to enjoy a season of unusual tranquillity. But instead of taking the advantage of this fortunate conjuncture, a fatal plan was adopted, and irréparable measures ensued. Roderic, who succeeded Mervyn to the sovereignty of Wales, in the year 843, divided his dominions into three principalities, which during his life were governed by chieftains, acting under his authority. These

*

British Antiquities revived by Vaughan of Hengwrt.

These separate sovereignties he left to his three sons. In the year 877, Anarawd became prince of Northwales, called by the Welsh Gwynedd; and the royal residence was at Aberfraw in Anglesea. Cadell received the portion of South Wales, and had his palace at Dinevwr in Caermarthenshire, Mervin possessed Powys-land, and a palace at Mathraval in Montomeryshire. This division of the country has usually been considered as first made by Roderic. But from a very old treatise still extant of the British laws, it appears, that after the death of Vortipor, or Vortimor, the inhabitants of Venedotia, Powys, and Dimetia, assembled together for the purpose of electing a new king, and that in consequence of the triple choice, Ma elgwyn prince of North Wales became their sovereign. To this fact also the British chronicles bear ample testimony. Indeed partition of some kind, in cases where the monarch left more than one son, naturally happened by the ancient law of Gavel-kind Little is heard of Wales in history during the Danish dynasty. The Danes made some incursions on the coast, but effected no permanent conquest of the country.

*

On the accession of William the first to the throne of Eng land, the Welsh, having refused the annual tribute to the crown of London, which had been extorted from them as a mark of submission by king Edgar, the conqueror invaded their country with a powerful army, quickly awed them into submission, obliged them to do homage and take an oath of fealty, as due from vassals to their superior Lord. From this period the English monarchs preferred a claim to Wales, as their heritable property.

On

A. D. 872. The country of Wales was divided into three kingdoms between the three sons of Rhedri, or Rodric, viz. Cadell the eldest son had Cere. digion and Dyved; Anarawd, the second, had Gwynedd; and Mervyn the third had Powys; leaving the district between the Severn and the Wye, to the descendants of Caradoc Vreichvas, or the brawny arm; and Morganwy with Gwent to the descendants of Morgan the courteous; so that Wales andthe nation of the Cymry, became governed by five royal tribes. Chronicle of Jevan Brecon, in the Myvyrian Archaiology.