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.They all threaten you, and say, they are going tobring over Aurelius Ambrosius from Armorica, to depose you, and makehim king.If you please, let us send to our country to invite over somemore soldiers, that with our forces increased we may be better able tooppose them.But there is one thing which I would desire of yourclemency if I did not fear a refusal.Ó Vortigern made answer, ÒSend yourmessengers to Germany, and invite over whom you please, and you shallhave no refusal from me in whatever you shall desire.Ó Hengist, with alow bow, returned him thanks, and said, ÒThe possessions which youhave given me in land and houses are very large, but you have not yetdone me that honour which becomes my station and birth, because,among other things, I should have had some town or city granted me,that I might be entitled to greater esteem among the nobility of yourkingdom.I ought to have been made a consul or prince, since myancestors enjoyed both those dignities.Ó ÒIt is not in my power.Ó repliedVortigern, Òto do you so much honour, because you are strangers andpagans; neither am I yet so far acquainted with your manners andcustoms, as to set you upon a level with my natural born subjects.And,indeed, if I did esteem you as my subjects, I should not be forward to doso, because the nobility of my kingdom would strongly dissuade mefrom it.Ó ÒGive your servant.Ó said Hengist, Òonly so much ground in theplace you have assigned me, as I can encompass with a leathern thong,for to build a fortress upon, as a place of retreat if occasion shouldrequire.For I will always be faithful to you, as I have been hitherto, andpursue no other design in the request which I have made.Ó With thesewords the king was prevailed upon to grant him his petition; andordered him to despatch messengers into Germany, to invite more menover speedily to his assistance.Hengist immediately executed his orders,and taking a bullÕs hide, made one thong out of the whole, with which beencompassed a rocky place that he had carefully made choice of, andwithin that circuit began to build a castle, which, when finished, took itsname from the thong wherewith it had been measured; for it was101Geoffrey of Monmouthafterwards called, in the British tongue, Kaercorrei; in Saxon, Thancastre,that is, Thong Castle.Chapter 12.Vortigern marries Rowen the daughter of Hengist.In the meantime, the messengers returned from Germany, witheighteen ships full of the best soldiers they could get.They also broughtalong with them Rowen, the daughter of Hengist, one of the mostaccomplished beauties of that age.After their arrival, Hengist invited theking to his house, to view his new buildings, and the new soldiers thatwere come over.The king readily accepted of his invitation, butprivately, and having highly commended the magnificence of thestructure, enlisted the men into his service.Here he was entertained at aroyal banquet; and when that was over, the young lady came out of herchamber bearing a golden cup full of wine, with which she approachedthe king, and making a low courtesy, said to him, ÒLauerd king wachtheil!Ó The king, at the sight of the ladyÕs face, was on a sudden bothsurprised and inflamed with her beauty; and calling to his interpreter,asked him what she said, and what answer he should make her.ÒShecalled you, ÔLord king,ÕÓ said the interpreter, Òand offered to drink yourhealth.Your answer to her must be, ÔDrinc heil!ÕÓ Vortigern accordinglyanswered, ÒDrinc heilÓ and bade her drink; after which he took the cupfrom her hand, kissed her, and drank himself.From that time to this, ithas been the custom in Britain, that he who drinks to any one says,ÒWacht heil!Ó and he that pledges him, answers ÒDrinc heil!,Ó Vortigernbeing now drunk with the variety of liquors, the devil took thisopportunity to enter into his heart, and to make him in love with thedamsel, so that he became suitor to her father for her.It was, I say, bythe devilÕs entering into his heart, that he, who was a Christian, shouldfall in love with a pagan.By this example, Hengist, being a prudent man,discovered the kingÕs levity, and consulted with his.brother Horsa andthe other ancient men present, what to do in relation to the kingÕsrequest.They unanimously advised him to give him his daughter, and inconsideration of her to demand the province of Kent.Accordingly the102Geoffrey of Monmouthdaughter was without delay delivered to Vortigern, and the province ofKent to Hengist, without the knowledge of Gorangan, who had thegovernment of it.The king the same night married the pagan lady, andbecame extremely delighted with her; by which he quickly brought uponhimself the hatred of the nobility, and of his own sons.For he hadalready three sons, whose names were Vortimer, Catigern, andPascentius.Chapter 13.The bishops, Germanus and Lupus, restore theChristian faith that had been corrupted in Britain.Octa and Ebissa are four times routed by Vortimer.AT that time came St.Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, and Lupus,bishop of Troyes, to preach the gospel to the Britons [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]