Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/480

■^^ a Chap. XII. OF MANG HE'STIIL 4*5 Urge army into the country of the Britons, conduced by their king Colculla. Cormac in vain refitted his efforts, He was greatly diftreft. He applied to his fecond couiin Fingal, the young fovereign of Morven and pendragon of Caledonia. Fin- gal (ent him a body of auxiliaries.. The auxiliaries and the* principals were both defeated by the Belgae. The young mo- narch came over in perfon. His army confifted only of three* hundred men. He was joined by a new army of the Britons. At the head of both he attacked the vi&orious Belgse. They were not able to withftand him. Colculla was ffaia by the hanc£ of FingaL And all his army was difperfed $6 . This blow was a fevere one to the Belgae. It damped their* tnterprizing fpirit for many years. And the Britons, content to repel the invaders, and the infant weaknefs of many of their tribes requiring the repofe of peace, carried not the war after them, and invaded not the Belgic regions^ And the peace ap- pears to. have lafted for the remainder of the reign of Cormac through the whole reigns of Cairbre and Artho his lucceflbrs and for feme time during the minority of Cormac the fecond the fen of Artho. Recovered by fb long a peace and a&uatcd: by their former Ipirit, the Belgae made another effort about the" year 260. ft was their laft. It was a bloody one. It decidecfc the fate of the ifland. The Belgae under the conduft of Torlath advanced into the- Sritiih territories., Cuchullm met them with the Britons. Thejr fought. Torlath and Cuchullin were killed. But the Bclgasl- were routed 5 The Belgae advanced with another army. It was- ferprized by the Britons in the night and defeated *•. But the. enemy, making a forced march with a third' army to-Temora ! in Eaft-Meath, ferprized the capita!, feized the youiig monarch, and put him to death **. The army of the Britons marched with great expedition to prevent it. ft came too late. It was^ evetwhelmed with aftoniihment at the event. An4 it immedi- ately difperfed 6 The Belgae everywhere recovered themfefves r took advantage <*f the cettfofion, and wader the command of their king; r 57 • f t