History of the Britons
by Nennius
The History
46 to 49
46. Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty,
prepared an entertainment, to which he invited the king, the
nobles, and military officers, in number about three
hundred; speciously concealing his wicked intention, he
ordered three hundred Saxons to conceal each a knife under
his feet, and to mix with the Britons; "and when," said he,
"they are sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out, 'Nimed
eure Saxes,' then let each draw his knife, and kill his man;
but spare the king, on account of his marriage with my
daughter, for it is better that he should be ransomed than
killed."1
The king with his company, appeared at the feast; and
mixing with the Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with
their tongues, cherished treachery in their hearts, each man
was placed next to his enemy.
After they had eaten and drunk, and were much
intoxicated, Hengist suddenly vociferated, "Nimed eure
Saxes!" and instantly his adherents drew their knives, and
rushing upon the Britons, each slew him that sat next to
him, and there was slain three hundred of the nobles of
Vortigern. The king being a captive, purchased his
redemption, by delivering up the three provinces of East,
South, and Middle Sex, besides other districts at the option
of his betrayers.
47. St. Germanus admonished Vortigern to turn to the true
God, and abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his
daughter; but the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the
province Guorthegirnaim,2 so called from his own
name, where he concealed himself with his wives: but St.
Germanus followed him with all the British clergy, and upon
a rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty
nights.
The Blessed man was unanimously chosen commander against
the Saxons. And then, not by the clang of trumpets, but by
praying, singing hallelujah, and by the cries of the army to
God, the enemies were routed, and driven even to the
sea.3
Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germanus to
the kingdom of the Dimetae, where, on the river
Towy,4 he built a castle, which he named Cair
Guothergirn. The saint, as usual, followed him there, and
with his clergy fasted and prayed to the Lord three days,
and as many nights. On the third night, at the third hour,
fire fell suddenly from heaven, and totally burned the
castle. Vortigern, the daughter of Hengist, his other wives,
and all the inhabitants, both men and women, miserably
perished: such was the end of this unhappy king, as we find
written in the life of St. Germanus.
48. Others assure us, that being hated by all the people
of Britain, for having received the Saxons, and being
publicly charged by St. Germanus and the clergy in the sight
of God, he betook himself to flight; and, that deserted and
a wanderer, he sought a place of refuge, till broken
hearted, he made an ignominious end.
Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed
him up, on the night his castle was burned; as no remains
were discovered the following morning, either of him, or of
those who were burned with him.
He had three sons: the eldest was Vortimer, who, as we
have seen, fought four times against the Saxons, and put
them to flight; the second Categirn, who was slain in the
same battle with Horsa; the third was Pascent, who reigned
in the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim,5
after the death of his father. These were granted him by
Ambrosius, who was the great king among the kings of
Britain. The fourth was Faustus, born of an incestuous
marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and educated
by St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the banks of
the river Renis, called after his name, and which remains to
the present period.6
49. This is the genealogy of Vortigern, which goes back
to Fernvail,7 who reigned in the kingdom of
Guorthegirnaim,8 and was the son of Teudor;
Teudor was the son of Pascent; Pascent of Guoidcant;
Guoidcant of Moriud; Moriud of Eltat; Eltat of Eldoc; Eldoc
of Paul; Paul of Meuprit; Meuprit of Braciat; Braciat of
Pascent; Pascent of Guorthegirn, Guorthegirn of Guortheneu;
Guortheneu of Guitaul; Guitaul of Guitolion; Guitolion of
Gloui. Bonus, Paul, Mauron, Guotelin, were four brothers,
who built Gloiuda, a great city upon the banks of the river
Severn, and in Birtish is called Cair Gloui, in Saxon,
Gloucester. Enough has been said of Vortigern.
Notes
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1
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The VV. RR. Of this section are
too numerous to be inserted.
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2
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A district of Radnorshire,
forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr.
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3
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V.R. This paragraph is omitted
in the MSS.
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4
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The Tobias of Ptolemy
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5
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In the northern part of the
present counties of Radnor and
Brecknock.
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6
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V.R. The MSS. add, 'and he had
one daughter, who was the mother of St.
Faustus.'
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7
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Fernvail, or Farinmail, appears
to have been king of Gwent or Monmouth.
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8
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V.R. 'Two provinces, Builth and
Guorthegirnaim.'
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History of the Britons
by Nennius
The History, 43 to
45 <<< Contents
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History, 50
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