22
THE SAXONS IN ENGLAND.
[book I.
From what has preceded it will be inferred that
I look upon the genuine details of the German
conquests in England as irrevocably lost to us.
So extraordinary a success as the conquest of this
island by bands of bold adventurers from the con-
tinent, whose cognate tribes had already come into
fatal collision with not only the Gallic provincials,
but even the levies of the city itself1, could hardly
have passed unnoticed by the historians of the em-
pire : we have seen however that only Prosper Tyro
and Procopius notice this great event, and that
too in terms which by no means necessarily imply
Philolog. Trans, ɪ. 171 seq. The amount of Keltic words yet current
in English may of course be accounted for in part, without the hypo-
thesis of an actual incorporation ; but many have unquestionably been
borrowed, and serve to show that a strong Keltic element was permitted
to remain and influence the Saxon. That it did so especially in local
names is not of much importance, as it may be doubted whether con-
quest ever succeeded in changing these entirely, in any country.
* I borrow from Hermann Miiller’s instructive work, Der Lex Salica
und der Lex Angliorum et Werinorum Alter und Heimat, p. 209, the
following chronological notices of the Franks in their relations to the
Roman empire :—
A.D. 250. Franks, the inhabitants of marshes, become known by their
predatory excursions.
280. Franks, transplanted to Asia, return.
287. Franks occupy Batavia ; are expelled.
291. Franks in the Gallic provinces.
306. Constantine chastises the Franks. They enjoy consideration
in the service of Rome.
340. Wars and treaties with the Franks.
366. Julian treats with the Franks on the lower Rhine.
358. He treats with Franks in Toxandria.
359. Salic Franks in Batavia.
395. Stilicho treats with the Franks.
408. The Vandals invading Gaul are defeated by the Franks.
414. War with the Franks.
416. The Franks possess the Rhine-Iand.
437. Chlojo bursts into Gaul and takes Cambray.
CH. I.J
SAXOX AND WELSH TRADITIONS.
23
a state of things consistent with the received ac-
counts. The former only says indefinitely, that
about 441, Britain was finally reduced under the
Saxon power ; while Procopius clearly shows how
very imperfect, indeed fabulous, an account he had
received1. Could we trust the accuracy and cri-
tical spirit of this writer, whom no less a man than
Gibbon has condescended to call the gravest histo-
rian of his time, we might indeed imagine that we `
had recovered one fact of our earliest history, which
brought with it all the attractions of romance. An
Angle princess had been betrothed to Radigér,
prince of the Varni, a Teutonic tribe whose seats
are subsequently described to have been about the.
shores of the Northern Ocean and upon the Rhine,
by which alone they were separated from the
Franks2. Tempted however partly by motives of
policy, partly perhaps by maxims of heathendom,
he deserted his promised bride and offered his hand
to Theodechild, the widow of his father, and sister
of the Austrasian Theodberht3. Like the epic he-
roine Brynhildr, the deserted lady was not disposed
1 Procop. Bel. Got. iv. 20.
2 Ouapvoi μev υπip*Iστpov πoτaμbv ιδpvvτaι∙ διηκoυσ*ι δ< ⅛χpι re
Ωκeavbv τov apκτωov, кал πoτaμov 'Pηvov* oσπep aυτoυς re διopιfeι, κal
Φpaγγoυς κaι ταλλα cθvη, A τavτy ιδpυvτaι. oυτoι aπavτeς9 oσoι τoπaλaιbv
aμφ∖ tPηvov εκaτepωθev πoτaμbv ωκηvτot ιδioυ μcι> τιvoς ov6μaτoς cκaστoι
μ*τfλaγχavov......tπικowης δe Γepμavo∖ eκaλoυvτo aτravτe:... Ovapvoi δe
κaι Φpaγγoι τoυτi μovov τoυ 'Pηvoυ τb υδωp μcτaξυ eχovσιv∙ Bel. Got.
iv. 20.
3 Procopius tells us that this was done by the dying father’s advice,
and in consonance with the law of the people. fPαδιγep δe ð πaιs ζvvoι~
κιζ(σθω TTj μητpυιa τoλoιπbv rŋ aυτoυ9 κaθaπcp <5 πdrpιoς ημιv sφiη(Ti
vdμoς. Ibid. Conf. Bed. Hist. Eccl. ii. 5.