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An abridgment of The history of England, to the death of George ii
An abridgment of The history of England to the death of George ii Author:Oliver Goldsmith Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: tinued ftill more boldly to infeft the northern parts; and croffing the Friths, which the Romans could not guard, in little wicker boats, covered with leather, f... more »illed the country wherever they came with .laughter and confrernation- The Romans, therefore, finding itjmpoffible to ftand their ground in Britain, in the reign of the emperor Valentinian took their laft leave of the ifland, after being mafters of it for near four hundred years, and now left the natives to the choice of their own government and kings. They gave them'the bef t in- ftrudlions the calamitous times would permit, for x- ercifing their arms, and repairing their ramparts, and helped them to erett a-new a wall of frone built by the emperor Severus acrofs the ifland, which they had not at that time artizans fkilful enough among them- fclves to repair. Chap. n. Thf SAXONS, THE Britons beinii now kft to themfefves, con- fidered their new liberties as their greateft cala-- mity. The Picts and Scots uniting together, began to look upon Britain as their own, and attacked the northern wall which the Romans had built to keep off their incurfions, with fuecefs. Having thus opened t- themfeves a paffage, they ravaged t!.e whole country with impunity, while,the Britons fought precarious fhcker in their woods ;:nd mountains. It was in this deplorable and enfeebled ftate that the Britons had recourfe to the Saxons, a brave people ; who, for their ftrength and valour, were formidable to all the German nations around them, and fup- pofed to be more than a match for the gods them- B 4 felvtst chapter{Section 4felves. They were a people reftlefs and bold, who confidered war as their trade i and wtre,. in confe- uence, taught to confider victory as a doubtful advantage, but courage as a certain good. A nation,...« less