»9« Barhurij Castle. 



and completely routing and dispersing it. In the 22nd year of his 

 reign A.D. 556, Kynriek with his son Ceawlin had another battle 

 with the Britons, wliich was after this manner: to avenge the 

 defeat which they had sustained five years before, the Britons 

 assembled vast numbers of their bravest warriors and drew them up 

 near Banbury. Their battle array was formed in nine battalions— 

 a convenient number for military tactics— three being posted in the 

 van, three in the centre, and three in the rear, with chosen com- 

 manders to each ; while the archers and slingers and cavalry were 

 disposed after the Roman order. But the Saxons advanced to the 

 attack in one compact body with such fury, that the standards being 

 dashed together and borne down and the spears being broken, it 

 became a hand-to-hand fight with the sword. The battle lasted till 

 night-fall without either party being able to claim the victory. 

 Nor is that wonderful considering that the warriors were men of 

 such extraordinary stature, strength and resolution, while in our 

 days they are so degenerate, that when armies come into collision 

 one or other of them is put to flight at the first outset. Kynriek 

 having reigned 26 years, died A.D. 560, and Ceawlin, his son, 

 reigned in his stead 30 years." Such is the account, but the issue 

 of the contest is told in the subsequent history of Ceawlin's conquest. 

 If Aurelius Conan had commanded the Welsh there would be an 

 additional reason for believing, with Gibbon, at least the outline of 

 the story; for Aurelius would have belonged by descent to the 

 Romano- Brit faction that represented the portion of the people who 

 had inherited something of the culture and, doubtless, some of the 

 rules of war from the masters of the world. 



Shall we ask where was the field of battle ? Enquiries of this 

 kind have an interest where there are data on which to found 

 probable answers to them. All that we have to guide us is the 

 contour of the ground and the knowledge that Ceawlin's force 

 was marching from the south and might have aproached Barbury 

 by one of two routes. But we also may take it for granted 

 that, other than was the case at the battle of Old Sarum, the 

 fortress on the hill was not the goal of Ceawlin's march. The 

 Briton army was the object of his march, and Barbury could have 



