Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/222

204 ON THE CITY OF ANDERIDA, OR ANDREDESCEASTER. and in the night by assaults. There was no day, there was no night, wherein unfavourable and fresh messengers would not exasperate the minds of the Saxons ; but thereby rendered the more ardent, they would beset the city with continual assaults. Always, however, as they assailed, the Britons would press them behind with archers, and with darts thrown with thongs ; therefore quitting the walls, the pagans would direct their arms and steps against them. Then the Britons, excelling them in fleetness, would run into the woods; and again come upon them from behind when they moved toward the walls. By this artifice the Saxons were long annoyed, and an immense slaughter of them was made, until they divided the army into two parts, so that, while one part should attack the walls, they might have behind a line of warriors arrayed against the charges of the Biitons. But then the citizens, worn down by daily want of food, when they could no longer sustain the weight of the assailants, were all devom^d by the edge of the sword, with the women and little ones, so that not even a single one escaped. And because they had suffered such losses there (the Saxons) so (utterly) destroyed the city, that it was never afterwards rebuilt. Only the site, as of a very noble city, is pointed out desolate to those who may pass by ^." Such are the words of Henry of Huntingdon, who wrote in the twelfth century. He does not give the precise date of the event, but places it between the fortieth and the forty-seventh years of the coming of the Saxons to England, " adventus Angloruni;" that is, between A.D. 489 and 496. The Saxon Chronicle names the year 490 ; other authors slightly differing years. Now upon the above detailed description it must be ^ Regnum Sudsexe incipit, quod Ella dentibusque ad moenia rursum a tergo diu et potentissime tenuit. Venerant au- aderant. Hac arte Saxones diu fatigati tern ei auxiliares a patria sua, &c. Fretus sunt, et innumera strages eorum fiebat, igitur copiis ingentibus obsedit Andrede- donee in duas partes exercitum diviserunt, cester, urbeni munitissimam. Congregati ut dum una pars urbem expugnaret, esset sunt igitur Britatini quasi apes, et die eis a tergo contra Brittonum excursus expugnabant obsidentes insidiis, et nocte bellatorum acies ordinata. Tunc vero incursibus. Nullus dies erat, nulla nox cives diuturna fame contriti, cum jam erat, quibus sinistri et recentes nuntii pondus infestantium perferre nequirent, Saxonum animas non acerbarent; iude omnes ore gladii devorati sunt, X;um niuli- tamen ardentiorcs effecti, continuis insul- eribus et parvulis, ita quod nee unus solus tibus urbem infestabant. Semjjer vero evasit. Va (juia tot ihi danina toleraverant dum assilirent instabant eis Brittones a extranei, ita urbem destruxerunt, quod nun- tergo cum viris sagittariis et amentatis quampostea reasdificataest. Locus tantum telorum missilibus. Dimissis igitur moe- quasi nobilissinise urbis transeuntibus os- nibus, gressus et arma dirigebant in eos tenditur desolatus. — Savile's Rer. Angl. I'agani. Tunc Brittones eis celeritate Script, post Bed. Frankfort, 1601, p. 312. pr;tstantiores silvas cursu jjctcbant : ten-