OF DEVONSHIRE. Ill 



unworthy ruler, sought aid from the Saxons.* 

 Under Hengist and Horsa,t these deceitful friends 

 learned to despise the weakness of both parties ; the 

 northern frontier, which was assigned them to de- 

 fend, afforded shelter but to a fresh horde of assail- 

 ants ; and the Britons were soon driven again to 

 contend in arms, for their rights and property. The 

 defeat and death of Horsa seemed at first to favor 

 their righteous cause, and the successes gained against 

 them by the renowed prince Arthur long afforded 

 theme for romance % and lay ; but the short sword, 

 and close attack of the Pagans, for such tlie Saxons 

 were, gradually prevailed over the missiles of the 

 cross. Some fled to found for themselves a n^w name 

 and country on the opposite shores ofliretagne; 

 others sought refuge among the fastnesses of the 

 west, and there, while the Saxons overran all the 

 fairer portions of the island, long maintained them- 

 selves in a rugged state of freedom. 



Hooker, the antiquary, who was chamberlain of 

 Exeter in Elizabeth's reign, telb us, that they 

 called their territories Danmonia,§ the country of 

 the vallies, and that it once stretched eastward as far 

 as the Belgae (Firbolg) or Somerset ; a boundary 

 that, with some partial encroachments, mpde and 



* " The Saxons dressed with some degree of eleganoe, a luxury 

 unknown to the Britons ; the women used linen garments, trim- 

 med and striped with purple ; their hair was bound in wreaths, 

 or fell in curls on their shoulders, their arms were bare and their 

 bosoms uncovered." — Lord Lyttletons Letters, 



t They are called by Gildas, and from him by Bede, the sons 

 of Woden — a mythology invented, as is probable, by the Welch 

 bards, to palliate their country's defeat. — Stillingfleet, Orig. Brit, 



X It is to be regretted that so much of romantic scandal has 

 found its way into volumes of sober history. 



§ " William of Malmesbury, Florence of Worcester, Roger 

 of Houedon, and others, stile Devonshire by name Domnonia, 

 perhaps all from JButf neittt i- ^-j ^ow valleyes in British ; wher- 

 in are most habitations of the countrey, as judicious Camden 

 teaches me." — Drayton s Volyolhion, (note.) 



