\jy\ J^ i On ^v r?n: (7£i ziCJ (7tr THE B O R D E R-H I S T O R Y O F ENGLAND and SCOTLAND, DEDUCED FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE UNION OF THE TWO CROWNS. COMPREHENDING A particular Detail of the Transactions of the Two Nations with one another; Accounts of remarkable Antiquities; and A Variety of interesting Anecdotes of the mod considerable Families and diftinguiihed Characters in both Kingdoms. By the late Mr. GEORGE RIDPATH, Minifter of Stitchill. Reviled and published By the Author's Brother, Mr. PHILIP RIDPATH, Minifter of Hutton. LONDON: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand ; A. Donaldson, in St. Paul's Church- Yard; J. Balfour, in Edinburgh; and R. Taylor, in Berwick. MDCCLXXVI. TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. MY LORD, HA D my excellent brother lived to publifh the following Work himfelf, I am perfuaded he would have fheltered it under your Grace's patronage. He always exprefled in the flrongeft terms his gratitude for the affability and condefcenfion that were fliown him, when he did himfelf the honour fometimes to wait on your Grace at Alnwick- Caftle : and he has more than once obferved to me, that the Duke of Northumberland would be in all refpects the moll proper Patron, to whom he could wifli to dedicate thefe Annals. Among the diftinguifhed Families on the Borders, the Houfe of PERCY will be allowed to have been one of the moll eminent in either kingdom : and to whom could a Hiflory of the Border-Wars with fo much proprie:y be inferibed, as to the prefent illuftrious Reprefentative of that great Family i Permit me, therefore, with all humility, to lay the following pages at your Grace's feet, and to folicit for the labours A 2 of :1 V IV DEDICATION. of my lamented brother, the favourable acceptance of the Duke of Northumberland. Intermixed with the general Hiftory of the two nations, your Grace will find many interefling events, that pe- culiarly related to the Percy Family. Indeed, for many ages, that martial race were fo intimately concerned in all the great tranfactions of this country, that the following Annals are, in fome meafure, a regular Hiftory of the Earls of Northumberland, and form an almofl continued nar- rative of the noble deeds and exalted characters of a Family, which being originally fprung from Kings and Princes, hath fince its fettlement in Britain produced perhaps more heroes and illuftrious men, than almoft any other family in Europe. The contemplation of their great atchievements will however excite this reflection ; that although the ancient fcenes of turbulence and confufion exhibited great abilities to view, and brought heroes and warriors upon the ftage; yet it is only in times of fecurity and quiet that mankind enjoy the comforts of life : and as the former Earls of Nor- thumberland acted a moft glorious part amidft the ancient wars on the Borders; fo your Grace is much more happily diftinguifhed for all the amiable and engaging qualities which polifh and adorn a more tranquil period. To pa- tronife fcience, to promote agriculture, to clothe thefe naked and long neglected marches of the kingdom with extenfive woods and plantations ; to reftore, with their fallen feats and caftles, the hofpitality and magnificence of our ancient barons, has been referved for your Grace ; and you will no lefs DEDICATION. lefs be admired and revered in future ages, for thefe happier arts of peace, than your heroic predeceilbrs for their martial talents. That your Grace, and your moll amiable and illuflrious Conforr, may long adorn the exalted rank you fo worthily pollers ; and continue to be juftly celebrated, as the diftin- guifhed patrons of learning, commerce, and of every elegant and ufeful art ; and that your noble defcendants may to the moft diflant ages tranfmit your honours, and following your examples, may Hill add new luflre to their high extraction, is the lincere and ardent wifh of, MY LORD, Your Grace's Moft obedient, and Moft devoted Humble fervant, PHILIP RIDPATH. ■ RE F A C E. THE Borders of the united kingdoms of England and Scotland were, from their fituation, the fcenes of the military enterprifes and exploits that happened betwixt the contending nations. They were likewife the fcenes and objeftfi of many a tranfaction of a civil nature; particularly, of the nego- ciation and conclulion of a very great number of treaties of peace and truce. A re r narrative, fupported by the beft authorities, of the remarkable events exhibisod upon the frontiers of the two kingdoms, is, in the following Work, offered to the Public. The relations of the military tranfactions are compiled from the mofl authentic hiftorians of England and Scotland, and all along connected with fo much of the hiftory of both nations, as feems neceffary for under- ftanding their circumftances, caufes, and confequences ; and for conveying to the reader, a knowledge of the characters of the principal perfons concerned in thefe fcenes of ftrife. Aware of the prejudices of the hillorians on both fides, the Author has been upon his guard, and has endeavoured to conduct his narrative of the Border- Wars with the ftricteft impartiality. And indeed it required all his caution and prudence, qualities which he eminently poffeffed, to avoid giving offence to either people, and to fleer with fafety through fo uncertain and difficult a period. "With regard to the civil tranfactions that happened upon the marches, the Author's account of them is chiefly taken from the valuable collection of archives publifhed by Mr. Rymer. This collection contains a feries of treaties and original papers relating to the borders, many of which have been but imperfectly considered, and in various inftances mifreprefented, even by the more accurate and voluminous inquirers of both kingdoms, whofe negligence in this refpect feems to have arifen from their attention to objects of a more general and interefting nature. The above-mentioned treaties, and thofe publifhed by Dr. Nichollon in his Border- Laws, the Author did therefore perufe, with the greateft care, and gives, it is hoped, a more accurate and better connected account of them than hath hitherto appeared ; by which feveral miftakes com- mitted by the moft exact compilers of the Scottifh and Englifh hiftories are cor- rected, and many of their defects fupplied. The Author hath all along illuftrated his narrative with notes, in which he has taken great pains to adjuft dates and to remove doubts and difficulties ; 4 and- vm PREFACE. and hath likewife enlivened them with anecdotes relating to remarkable perfons and antiquities, which could not with any propriety be received into the text. Thefe fhort difcufiions and anecdotes, may probably appear to many readers, the moft entertaining, and not the leaft uleful part of the work. As the firft intention of the Author was to publifh the hiftory and antiquities of Berwick *, and of the neighbouring country on the eaftern border; it mull be obferved, that the original defign had fo far engroffed his time and atten- tion, that the events on the Eaft Border are related more circumftantially and at large than thofe on the Weft. tr It is indeed to be regretted, that the Author did not live to give his finifh- ing hand to his Work, and to publifh it himfelf. But the Editor would fain hope, that the Border- Hiftory partakes of fewer difadvantages than moft pofthu- mous performances ; as it is the fruit of many years incefiant application, and as the Author was fcrupuloufly exact in executing every part of his laborious undertaking with all poffible accuracy. The Editor thinks himfelf obliged to inform the reader, that in the Author's MS. there was a gap of about twenty years of a very bufy period on the Borders, in Edward the Third's time, iubfequent to that prince's coming to the North to befiege Berwick. This deficiency the Editor was under a necef- fity of fupplying, which he confidered as a very difficult talk ; but fortunately difcovered among the Author's papers, fome notes that were of great ufe in filling it up. Some fmaller omiffions he has likewife fupplied ; and has added feveral notes for the illuftration of the text where he thought they were wanted. " The Author publifhed, in 1764, propofals for printing by fubfcription, the Hiftory and Anti- quities of Berwick, and of the neighbouring country on each fide of the eaftern border of Scotland and England (by which he meant Benvickftiire, or the Mers, with fome of the eaftern and northern parts of Roxburghfhire, on the fide of Scotland ; and thofe parts of Northumberland and the county of Durham, extending fouthward as far as Bamborough and Alnwick, on the fide of England) : But he afterwards enlarged his plan, and compofed the following extenfive work. THE THE BORDER- HISTORY O F ENGLAND and SCOTLAND. BOOK I. IT is agreed by the ableft inquirers into the hiftory of antiquities of Bri- tain, that the firft accounts of the ifland, that deferve any credit, are given us by the Romans. Nor did thefe conquerors penetrate into the more northern parts of Britain, before the time of Julius Agricola, who *• D - ?s. commanded the Roman forces under the Emperor Vefpafian. This illuf. Agric.^*! «, trious general began his conquefts, by fubduing the warlike inhabitants of ie - North-Wales, and the Ifle of Anglefey. He afterwards reduced the country Rom.'p.^i. north from Chefhire to the Solway Frith ; and from thence to the mouth of the Tyne erected a chain of forts, which were afterwards conneded by the wall of Adrian, and contributed much to its ftrength. In his third cam- paign, which was in the 8oth year of the chriftian sera, he entered the country which was afterwards called Scotland, and penetrated as far as the viu A 6" c * Frith of Tay *. He appears to have marched through the high country, °' which lies to the weft of the Eaftern Lowlands of Scotland ; and at proper places in his progrefs erected forts, by means of which, he maintained, through winter, the ground he had gained in fummer. His fourth cam- a. d. i t , paign was employed in thoroughly fubduing and fecuring the countries to Tacit. v; t . the lbuth of the Friths of Forth and Clyde; for which purpofe he erected A e ric - c -*3» a chain of forts between thefe Friths, by means whereof, and the Friths themfelves, the Northern Britons were Ihut up as it were in another ifland -f-. It is probable that, by thefe conquefts of Agricola, the people inhabiting the country which afterwards became the borders between Scotland and * The words of Tacitus arc, Vajlatis ufque adTaum (trjluario nomtn e/lj nationlbus S.ime un- derftartd by Taus, Tweed ; but if Tweed were meant,, the name of Ejluary or Frith would »iot be juftly applied to it. Befides, the account Tacitus gives of Agricola's employment in his fourth campaign, fhews that he had penetrated in the former far beyond the Tweed T It is evident, from various urqueftionable authorities, that many ancient writers confidered this part of Scotland, as a diilin- t h e Frith of Solway to near the mouth of Tyne, for the fecurity of the fouthern and more valuable parts of the ifiand. About the beginning of Amoninus's reign, the northern Britons having invaded fome part of the country adjacent to Adrian's rampart, and which Capiioiiws. ftill continued under the protection of the Romans, they were repelled by Paufan. in Lollius Urbicus, and this general, in order to prevent the like incurfions, and Bnt'iW2 fl 5ly mentioned but the firlt Antoninus, nor is there any certain date but what relates to his time. Brit. Rom. p. 53. + Their name is derived from the Britilh word meatb, a plain. Dio fays, they had no towns ; but it is evident from Ptolemy's geography, that there were fome towns at that time in the South of Scot- land. Dio alfo mentions Severus's returning, after he had made peace with the Caledonians, into the country of friends or allies, (as tvj 0Oj XI ) which Carte interprets of the country between Adrian's wall and the Friths, which though not reduced into the form of a province, was inhabited by people that were dependants and allies of the Romans. [But why may not piW denote the Roman province itfelf ?] But that the inhabitants of this country were the Msatre of Dio, is inferred from his faying, That, at the time of Severus's expedition, " there were two nations of the Britons that ," remained unconquered, the Caledonians and the Msatjc, whereof the latter dwelt next the B z « wall % THE BORDER-HISTORY OF Scotland, while the mountainous parts were poffefTed by the Caledonians ; but it is doubted whether thefe Maeatae were the inhabitants of the South of Scotland or of the lower tracts of country to the north of Edinburgh Frith ; although the former opinion feems more probable. The ancient hiftorians defcribe the Caledonians and Mseats as entirely refembling each other in their manners and cuftoms, both in war and peace. Their arms were the fame as thofe ufed by their anceftors in the time of Agricola. For offence they were provided with a fhort fpear, a broad fword, a durk, and javelins; for defence they had nothing but a fmall target. They lived in tents, having no houles, towns, or tillage. Hence their food was chiefly the milk, and flefh of their cactle, and the game they took in hunting, to- gether with the roots and fruits that the foil naturally yielded. They are faid to have had fome fort of food, or rather medicine, a quantity of which no bigger than a bean, prevented all fenfe of hunger and thirft; and this they made ule of in their long marches. They abstained totally from fifh, though their feas and rivers produced it in great plenty. Inttead of drefs, they painted their bodies, which were moftly naked, with the figures of va- B;on. rious kinds of animals. They had * wives in common ; and property in other ujerom. matters was very little regarded by them. They were fwift and lure of foot ; patient of toil, hunger, thirft, and other hardihips. They had horfes fmall but fleet, and retained their ancient cuftom of fighting in chariots. In almoft all thefe particulars, and alio in their language, they refembled the Brigantes, with whom they appear to have been originally the fame people. After the peace which had been concluded with thefe Barbarians had continued about ten years, they renewed their attacks upon the Roman pro- vince, and were at firft repulfed by the Roman generals, but returning again Kero^.an. 1. 3. t0 ^ cnar g e w | t h redoubled fury, they diftreflfed the Roman forces fo much, that the governor was obliged to requeft frefh fupplies to be fent him. This Dio, 1. 76. engaged the emperor Severus, a prince of a martial fpirit and great talents, * 1 n .„« to undertake in perfon an expedition into Britain. The reftlefs Barbarians, filled with terror on hearing of the emperor's arrival in the ifland, fent am- baffadors to fue for peace ; but Severus having detained them, until he was ready to begin his march, fet out with a mighty army, refolving to pene- trate to the moft diftant fhores of the ifland. He was fo diftrefled and in- '* wall that divides the ifland into two parts, and that the Caledonians were beyond thefe." Now, according to Tacitus, the country of the Caledonians began from Antoninus's rampart ; and, therefore, the M.-eati mull have lain between the walls of Adrian and Antoninus. That the poiTeffion ihe Romans had of the country between thefe walls was very fhort and uncertain, and that Adrian's rampart or Severus's wall was the moft ufual boundary of the Roman province, is inferred from various infcriptions, found in the ftations upon that wall or near it, relating to both former and latter emperors, while there are no fuch evidences of lading Roman fettlements in the country adjacent to the rampart of Antoninus* Carte, p. 14.1, Horfley, p. 73. Goodall's Preface to Fordun, c. 8. Innes's EiTay, c. 2. * That the Caledonians had wives in common, the author relates upon the authority of Dio and St. Jerome ; and Casfar gives much the fame account of the Southern Britons : there is fome reafon, however, to think, that their opinion is unjuftly founded on the promifcuous manner of" living in thofe nations ; fo very much different from that of the Romans. firra A,D. icS, r ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. 5 firm with the gout, that he was obliged to be carried in a litter-, but the vigour of his mind, and the feverity of his difcipline, overcame all difficulties. By the continued hard labour of his foldiers, he opened or made ways over mountains, and through forefts and morafles *. At laft, returning from his tedious progrefs, in which he had employed many months, he gave peace to the Barbarians, on their yielding up their arms, and part of their country. But that he did not confider this acquifuion of territory as fecure, or of much value, appears from his contenting himfelf with ftrengthening the ancient defence of the Roman province, which Adrian had erected, by building a (tone wall in the neighbourhood of that emperor's rampart. Spart; an .p. 3^5. This work was completed in the year before he died, and is celebrated by an a. D. zio. ancient author as the chief glory of his reign j. The death of Severm, which happened at York, was probably a deliver- ance of the northern Britons from utter deftruction. For before he died, encouraged, as is likely, by the accounts they had of the declining ftate of his health, they had violated the late peace, and renewed their hoftile in- curfions. Severus lent out againft them his eldeft fon Baflianus, firnamed Caracalla, with orders to fpare neither age nor fex ; but the emperor foon after dying, his fon, eager to afllime polTeffion of the empire, made peace with the Barbarians, by reftoring to them the country J they had yielded to his father; and he and his brother Geta, foon after let out to accompany d;o , their father's afhes to Rome. Hc'odian.' The affairs § of Britain are fcarce mentioned by hiftorians, from the time of this expedition of Severus, until the reign of Dioclefian, which was an a. d. *u. interval of more than feventy years. Soon after Diocletian's acceffion to the £ urel - vutor * empire, Caraufius, by birth a Menapian or Batavian, of low extraction, e2, Paneg, became fo formidable, by the riches he acquired in the command he had over 9 " the Roman navy, which was {rationed at Boulogne, for the defence of the coafts or feas of France and Britain, againft the northern Barbarians, that Maximian, Dioclefian's colleague in the empire, gave orders to feize and put him to death : Caraufius, informed of his danger, pafled over to Britain ; where by bribes and careffes he attached wholly to his interefts the legion and auxiliary forces there ftationed, and, with their approbation, aflumed the purple. The power and fuccefles of Caraufius at fea, made it fo dif- ficult for Maximian to accomplifh a defcent on Britain, or to defend the neighbouring coafts againft his attacks, that he was glad to conclude a peace * What part of their country this was is not dear ; ii is probable it was the South of Scotland, or the country between the walls. Hoifley, p. 62, 63. + It was this emperor alfo who divided the Roman province into two governments or prefec- tures, called Britannia Superior and Britannia Inferior; the former containing the more fouthern counties of England and the principality of Wales, and the latter the counties to the north of thefe, fo far as the Roman dominions extended. % This, 'tis likely, was the country between the wa'ls, except a few advanced Itafions ; which, by the Itinerary, probably written in the time of Caracalla, appear to have been retained by the Romans. § Of the thirty tyrants, by whom the empire was torrvto pieces about A. D. 260, Lollianus, Viftorinus, Poithumus, the Tetrici, and Matius, feem to have been governors of this ifhnd; their coins being daily found in it in great plenty. Camden's Iutrod. p. 90, Horfley, Br. Rom. p. 68. with. A.D. 2ZS, 6 Hiftor, Br. p. ioj. Ed. Gale A.D. 293? Eumen, Pancg. 2. A.D. 306. Am. Mar. Excerpt. Coilus. Eum. Pan, 9. Praffefli Prstorio, See above, p. 5. Magiftri Mili- lum, Camden, In- trod. p. 95. T H E 1 R a-R DER -HISTORY OF . with him, on the hard terms of acknowledging him as a partner in the em- pire with Dioclefian and himfelf. Caraufius, thus fixed in the feat of govern- ment, exerted his power with great conduct and vigour for feven years. He repelled the northern Barbarians, and according to Nennius, repaired the rampart between the Forth and Clyde, erecting i'even new callles to increafe its ftrength. Allectus, one of Caraufius's officers, having put his mailer to death, feized the government of Britain, and after having re;ained it three years, loft his life, in repelling an invafion of Conftantius Chlorus, the father of Conftantine the Great. The emperors Dioclefian and Maximian had raifed Conftantius and Maximian Galerius to the dignity of Casfars ; and in the divifion, which was made at that time of the empire, Britain was a part of Conftantius's (hare ; the death of Allectus having put him in poffeffion of the Roman province in that ifland. He reigned over it all the reft of his Jife, much beloved by his fubjects for his great and amiable qualities. Even the northern people gave him no difturbance, until the laft year of his reign, in which he made a fuccefsful expedition againft them, and afterwards died at York. Conftantius, about fifteen months before his death, upon the refignation of Dioclefian and Maximian, had, in conjunction with Galerius, been railed to the dignity of Emperor. He declared, on his death-bed, his lbn Con- ftantine his fuccelTor, who was acknowledged as fuch by the army im- mediately after his father expired. Helena, the mother of this eminent per- fon, was a native of Britain ; and is faid to have been the daughter of Coil a Britifti prince *, in alliance with the Romans, whole dominions molt probably lay in the South of Scotland. Conftantine, by force, money, or addrefs, quickly compofed the diforders on the frontiers of the province ; and Bri- tain, during the reft of his reign of thirty years, feems to have remained in peace. Under Conftantine's government, the administration of civil and military affairs in the empire was new modelled -, and of confequen.ee new charges and titles of authority were introduced into Britain. The civil affairs f of the empire being managed by four chief prefects ; thofe of Bri- tain were under the direction of the prasfect of Gaul, who exercifed his office here by a deputy or vicar. Under this chief deputy, were two other confular deputies, one for each of the provinces, poflelled by the Romans; and thefe latter deputies had under them three judges called Prefidents, who determined all caufes criminal and civil. The military affairs of the weftern empire were under the direction of two Majlers of the Soldiers, one of the horfe, and another of the foot. To the latter belonged the department of Britain •, and the officers he had in that ifland immediately fubject to him, were, the Count of Britain, the Count of the Saxon Shore in Britain, and the Duke of Britain. The firft had the command of the forces in the interior * The diftridt of the fhire of Air, called Kyle, is thought to have borrowed ics name from this prince. •f- This account given by Camden, feems to have been taken by him (fays Horfley) cliii-fiy from the Notitia, and Pancirollus's annotations on it. According to Horfley's obfervations, it is not altogether correct. Br. Rom. p. 71. part ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. 7 part of the country, the fecond was charged with the defence of the coaft againft the Saxons, and the' lail with the defence of the northern marches ■: againft the Barbarians. This Duke of Britain, had the command of thirty- eight garrifons, confining of fourteen thoufand foot and nine hundred horie •, which was more than two- thirds of the whole Roman forces in the ifland. There is little evidence of any coniiderable progrefs made by Chriftianity in thecme. Roman province, before the reign of ConAantius and his fon Conftantine ■, the former of whom ihewed great favour to Chriftians, and the latter openly profefied their religion. The Britifli church in the time of Conftantine had grown fo confiderable, that bifhops were fent from it, to attend councils on the continent. Upon the death of Conftantine in 337, Britain, in confequence of the di vifion of the empire made by that emperor among his three ions, became fubject to Conftantine, the eldeft of them. This prince being ilain about a d. 340, three years after, in a battle with his brother Conftans near Aquileia, the t-ibanius. latter obtained the pofiefiion of Britain, together with the reft of the weftern Am Mar empire. Conftans after having reigned about ten years, was depoied and flain by Magnentius ; and this cruel tyrant having kept the weftern empire in fubjection about four years, was overcome and purfued to deftrudlion by Conftantius, who, in confequence, became mailer of the Roman empire in its whole extent, and continued fo to his death, which happened feven years after that of Magnentius. Julian, the coufm of Conftantius, and who, a. d. 361. before the death of the latter, was far advanced in the enterprife of de- pofing him, was his fuccefibr in the whole empire ; but after enjoying it about a. d. 363, twenty months, was flain in his expedition againft the Perfians ; and in him ended the imperial line of the family of Conftantine. The hiftory of thefe emperors contains very few events relating to Britain. It is however in this period that the Scots begin to be mentioned along with the Pifts, as di- ftreffing by their incurfions the Roman province. Conftans made an expe- Amm ' an< dition againft them in the year 343 : and the year before Conftantius's death, Ai D> . e<3t Julian fent over Lupicinus, a man celebrated for his military talents, to de- fend the province againft the fame invaders *. Jovian, * The Scots arc, after this period, mentioned by hillorians as the allies of the Pifls, and as almoft always combined with the latier in their irtcurfions into the Roman province. The novelty Innes'sCrit. ti" of their name, and their being firft heard of about this time, gives countenance to the opinion of p> 53S,— 544. their having pa/Ted over from the continent into Britain, in fome of the migrating fhoals fo com- mon in thofe days. The conformity of their language, manners, and cultoms, to thofe of the old Irifh, fliew thefe latter and the Scots to have been originally the fame people ; and the Trill;, as their traditions report, derive their anceftors from Spain. What renders this probable is, that in the ancient names of fome places and people fettled in the north of Spain, there are veftiges of a Scythian extraction : and this leads alfo to a probable etymology of the name of Scott, which differs not much from Scytba or Scythe. Camden obferves, that the Brkons, in their ancient tongue, call both the nations, Scytbs and Scots, by the fame name. And the Germans, as it is remarked by Inr.es, name the Scytbs and Scots by the fame word Scutten. The name of Scots, for a long time, was given promifcuou/ly to the Irifh, and to the inhabitants of the weftern highlands and ifles of Scotland, and the country of the former was alfo called Scotia. The Scottifh hillorians derive Fergus their firll king from Ireland ; and Rede, who is feveral centuries older than the oldeft remaining hiftorians of the Scots, and by his vicinity to Scotland Hlffr Ecc ' b > u had* ,# 8 THE BORDER- HISTORY OF Jovian, the fucceffor of Julian, after reigning only eight months, was fuc- a.d. 364. ceeded by Valentinian ; during whofe reign Britain continued to be more and more Preface to Temora Edw. Llhvvd. Camden's Britan. had accefs to know the traditions prevailing amongft that people in his time, relates, that th; Scots of Ireland, paffing over from that ifland, under the conduit, of Reuda, obtained from the Picts, either by force or frientijhip, the country that they afterwards poffeiTed. According to the fame author, the Picts came originally from Scythia, which may well enough be underltood to denote Denmark, Norway, and the other countries round the BaUick ; and took pofleffion of the northern parts of Britain ; to which the Britons, the inhabitants of the fouthern parts, and who came originally from Gaul, had not yet extended themfelves. The Picts, in their migration, having been driven round the north of Britain, on the coafts of the Scots in Ireland, were directed by them to fettle in the vacant part of the great ifland they had left behind them, to which they accordingly returned ; the Scots are alfo faid to have given them their daughters for wives, which was the beginning of a clofe and lading alliance between the nations. Goodall'sPreface Againft thefe traditions, which mud be allowed to very vague, and in fome refpects improbable, to Fordun.p. 7. are brought as evidences of the internal kind, that the Scots and Piets were originally from Gaul, as well as the Britons; and that probably they were the firft colonies that came from that country, and were driven northwards by others of the fame race who fucceeded them, and by the Roman conquefts. Their name of Caledonians, the moil ancient of the names given them by the Roman hiftorians, denotes Gauls or Celts of the Hills. The people themfelves call their language Galic. Many Celtic words aie found in it. Their country they call Albin, and themfelves Albanich, from the mcit ancient known name of the ifland. It is affirmed by thofe who are acquainted with their language, that when compared with the Irifh, it bears evident marks of being the original tongue, and that the Irifh is only a dialed of it. There is no veflige of any tradition amongft them of their having came over from Ireland. On the contrary, their mod ancient poems, which in the main feem to be founded on truth, derive the northern Irifh from them. In the inconfiderable remains alfo of the Pictifh language, in the names of fome of their kings, and of the rivers and mountains of their country, there are the fame traces of a Celtic extract : whence it is inferred, that the Scots and Picts were originally the fame people ; but in procefs of time, became con- fiderably different, in their manners, cultoms, and dialect, from the difference between the countries they inhabited, and the different kind of life which, in confequence thereof, they led. The nature and pofuion of the country of the Picts made them alfo much more liable than the Scots to admixtures of other people ; and it is conjectured that great numbers of the fouthern Britons, taking refuge amongft them from the Roman tyranny, taught them the cultom of painting their bodies, which was never done by the ancient inhabitants of the Highlands, and was difufed by the provincial Britons after their becoming fubject to the Romans. And hence, from this cultom, the lowland Scots were by the Romans called Picts. There is another etymology given us of the names, Scots and Picts, by the Rev. D'. M'Pher- fon, in his Critical Diifertations, which the author would have probably taken notice of in the foregoing note, had the Doctor's book been publiihed when he was employed in this part of his work. This ingenious author obferves, that in the Galic tongue Sccde fignifies a corner, or fmall di- vision of a country ; that Scot, in the fame language, is of much the fame import with little or contemptible; and that Scottan, literally fpeaking, fignifies a fmall flock, and metaphorically, it Hands for a fmall body of men. For fome one of the reafons couched under thefe difparaging epithets, he thinks it probable, that the Picts, who were at firlt more numerous and powerful than the Caledonians, gave the opprobrious appellation of Scot to the anceltors of the Scotifh nation. With regard to the Picts, he informs us, that the Highlanders who fpeak the ancient language of Caledonia, exprefs the name of that once famous nation who were at laft fubdued by the Scots, by the word Piflijb; and that one of the ideas affixed to the word PiBJich or Piftijh, is that odious one which the Englifh exprefs by the word plunderer, or rather thief; and therefore he thinks it not unlikelv, that their neighbours may have given that title to a people addicted 10 theft and depreJjtion. See M'Pheribn's Difleitations on the Antiquity, Sec. of Scotland, p. 107, 108, 111. The Rev. Mr, Whitaker, a learned antiquarian, and a man of genius and penetration, in his "rnuine hitlory of the Britons afferted againft Mr. M'l'herfon, gives a very probable account of the fir ft peoplin? of Britain and Ireland, and of the etymology of the names of thefe iflands and their ancient inhabitant*. According ENGLANDANDSCOTLAND. a more infefted by Barbarians. The Scots and Picts, combined with the Am-nian, I. *i. Atacotti and Saxons, over-ran the whole province ; committing every where tht molt dreadful depredations. Neclaridius, the count of the tea coaft, and Fullofaudes, the imperial general, together with a great part of the Roman forces under their command, were flain by thofe invaders. The emperor informed of thele difafters, after trying in vain fome other methods to reftore quiet and fafety to his Britifh dominions, found himfelf obliged to fend over Theodofius, the father of the emperor of that name, at the head of a confiderable body of good forces, both legionaries and auxiliaries. Theo- dofius was one of the mod illuftrious commanders of that age ; and added greatly to his fame, by the addrefs, activity, and refolution he difplayed, in repelling the'Barbarians, and reftoring peace and fecurity through the Britifh province : he purfued with unremitting vigour the invaders both by land and fea; until he had fully recovered .all that the Romans had ever polTeiTed in the ifland. He repaired the walls and forts on the northern frontiers; and a. d. j6j. having fubdued and fettled in peace the country betwixt the wall of Severus and the rampart of Antonine, which had been for fome time pofiefled by the Barbarians, he added it as a fifth province to the * four, into which the Ammian. ibid, fouthern part of the ifland was divided. A particular prefident or governor was fet over it ; and by order of the emperor it received the name of Valentia f. The late calamities of the Roman province had been very much owing to the negligence and corruption of the perfons intruded with its defence ; of whom none were found more guilty, than thofe employed on According to this author, Britain was peopled from Gaul, about iooo years before the Chriftian sera commenced ; and Ireland received its firlt inhabitants from Britain about 350 years before Chtift, and was afterwards fupplied with frelli Iwarms of people from the fame country. The firit fettlers in Ireland, originally denominated Gael and Briton 1 , Mr. Whitaker obferves, received the defignation of Scott as the difcriminative mark of [heir emigration from Britain. To this day, ha fays, the Irifh diilinguilh the Scottim language, by the title of Scot-bbearla, and the Scottilh nation by the name of Kin fcuit. And Scuite, he add.% fignifies in the Irifh of the Highlands of Scotland at prefent, an emigrant, a wanderer, and a refugee. Mr. Whitaker farther informs us, that a colony of Scots from Ireland, under the command of Fergus, fettled in •Argylefhire and the counties adjacent, with the abfolute confent of the Caledonians, the ancient inhabitants of the country, in the year 320 ; and firft fixed the appellation of Sco:s in the ifland of Britain; by which name the whole inhabitants of North Britain were afterwards diftinguiflied. The fame author gives an etymology of Pi3, different from that of Dr. M'Pherfon. See Mr., Whi taker's arguments and authorities in the work above mentioi ed, and in his Hiilory of Mancheiler. • The names of the four provinces into which the Southern parts of Britain were divided, were, Flavia Caefarienfi , Britannia Prima, Britannia Secunda, and Maxima Cajfarienfis. When this divjficn took place is not certainly known. f Camden (Vol. II. Brit. c. 1047). Gale and others, are of opinion, that Valentia was the South of Scotland, together with Northumberland ; or the country between Severus's wall and the Friths of Forth and Clyde: but to others it feems more probable, that Valentia was fome part of the country next to the wall on the fouth, which the Barbarians had feized and Theo- dofius recovered. This opinion is favoured by the Notitia Imperii, which was written after the conquells of Theodofius, making mention of Valentia, as one of the governments into which Britain was divided, and yet not taking noiice of one ftation or garrifon beyond the wall of Severu". Befides, in the inferiptions found r.igh Antoninus's wall in Scotland, there is mention made of fo few Emperors, that this wall appears not to have continued long as a fixed brundary between the Romans and the barbarous nations. Brit. Rom. p. 73. 479. Prsf. ad Fordun C the W THE BORDER-HISTORY OF the frontiers. An order of men diftinguilhed by the name of Areani, had been eftablifhed by the Romans on the extreme borders of their dominions, to difcover and give fpeedy intelligence of the motions of the Barbarians. Thofe employed in this fervice, on the marches towards the Scots and Picls, Theodofius cafhiered, and difmiffed with dilgrace, having convicted them of various abufes, and particularly of having been feduced by bribes to give intelligence to the enemy. Valentinian, dying in 375, was fucceeded in the weftern empire, by his a.d. 379. ion Gratian, who four years after, affumed Theodofius, the .fon of the fa- ££{*£»* mous comir >' n dev of the fame name juft mentioned, as his partner in the empire. Maximus, a Spaniard by birth, had at that time the command of the army in Britain ; and having ferved there, under Theodofius the father, in the fame rank with that general's fon, who was now raifed to the purple, his envy and refentment on that account are faid to have co operated with his ambition, in making him afpire to the fame dignity. His reputation and talents being no way inferior to his high views, he eafily gained over the army, and was by them faluted Emperor. Having acquired a farther in- creale of fame, by repelling and routing the Pids * and Scots, he palled over into Gaul, accompanied not only by the Roman forces, but by a vaft num- a.d. 3S3. ber of the Britifh youth. His good fortune attended him to the continent, where having defeated and (lain Gratian near Lyons, he held Gaul, Spain, and Britain, the countries that had been fubjecl: to that emperor, for five a. d. 388. years. But his ambition inciting him to make a conqueft alfo of Italy and Africa, which were fubject to Valentinian the brother of Gratian, Theodo- fius interpofing in the defence of the young prince, defeated the armies of Maximus, and the tyrant himfelf being feized, was put to death near Aquiieia. Four years after Valentinian was cut off by the treachery of Arbogaftes, a Frank, who had been firft promoted by Gratian, and during the childhood of Valentinian had been raifed to the chief command of the army, by the choice of the foldiers. In the room of Valentinian, Arbogaftes raifed to the empire of the weft, Eugenius, a creature of his own : but both the one and a. d. 394 . the other were foon after conquered and deftroyed by Theodofius. Under this emperour Chryfantus acquired great fame, by his wife and vigorous ad- a. d. 395. miniftration of the affairs of Britain. Soon after, Theodofius dying, left the empire to his two fons Arcadius and Honorius ; the latter being a mere child under the tuition of Stilicho. The reigns of thefe two princes proved a period very fatal to the empire, by the incurfions of innumerable fwarms of Barbarians on all fides. Stilicho, an able ftatefman and general, though of infatiable ambition- and covetoufnefs, repelled for a while, with • According to the Scottifh hiftorians, Mjximus encouraged and a (Tilled the Pifts in a cruel war againft tie Scots, in which the greater! part of the latter nation, wi;h their king Eugenius and his fon, being cut off, thofe who remained, rather than fubmit to the tyranny of their conquerors, retired to Ireland and Norway. Fordun, I. 2. c. 27. But this calamity of the Scots is placed' by Forrlun about the year 360, which was long before the time of Maximus. The learned author or the Preface to the laft edition of Kordun, renders the hiitory of the expulfion of the Scots from Britain very doubtful. Cap. 6. ice alio Innes, p. 652. much A. D. 592. Socrates ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. rj much glory and fuccefs, the fierce and numerous invaders. He is in par- ci»oJ. At Laud. ticular celebrated by Claudian, for the effectual meafures he took. to defend tr d P ': U m. Britain againft the Scots, Pifts, and Saxons. But when Alaric the Goth, had entered Italy in 403, Stilicho was obliged to recall * the legion, cm- a. d. 4 oj. ployed in defence of the northern frontiers of the Britifb province. About four years after, fiich multitudes of northern nations poured into a. d. w Gau', and there fixed their abode, that the communication between Rome and Britain was aim oft wholly cut off. This afforded a pretence for the Roman foldiery ftill remaining in the ifland, to elect an emperour for their own protection, and for repelling the Barbarians. Not being content with the choice they had made, firft of Marcus, then of Gratian, they foon put them to death; and afterwards chofe Conftantine a common foldier, on the account of his name, which being the fame with that of Conftantine the Great, who had been raifed to the imperial dignity in this ifland, they re- garded as a happy omen of fuccefs. Nor were their hopes altogether fruf- sofomen. 1. 9. irated : for Conftantine palling over to the continent, reduced to his obedi- ence a great part of Gaul and Spain, and Honorius, unable to relift him, acknowledged him as his partner in the empire. But Conftantine, en- couraged by the fuccefs of Alaric the Goth, who took and facked Rome in 410, foon after entered Italy, with a view of feizing the few provinces which ftill continued fubject to Honorius. But a traitorous fervanc of Ho- norius, with whom Conftantine correfponded, being detected and put to death, Conftantine returned quickly into Gaul, whither he was foon after followed, and befieged in Aries, the ufual feat of his empire, by Conftantius, A,D, * n ' an able general fent againft him by Honorius. By this time Gerontius, one of the chief props of Conftantine's greatnefs, had rebelled againft him, put to death his fon Conftans, and conferred the title of Emperor on Maximus, a creature of his own. On the other hand, an army of Franks and other Germans, under Edobeccus, attempted to raife the fiege of Aries. Con- ftantius prevailed againft both the friends and enemies of Conftantine ; and reduced him to the neceffity of furrendering himfelf and his fon Julian prifoners, on the promife of their lives being laved. But this engagement was disregarded by Honorius ; who ordered them both to be put to death. When the power of Conftantine grew contemptible by the indolence and luxury into which he funk, foon after he had eftablifhed his dominion on the continent; when his authority was farther weakened by the rebellion of Gerontius ; while at the fame time Italy, and Rome, the ancient feat of empire, became the prey of the Goths ; the inhabitants of Britain, and of the maritime coafts of Gaul, endeavoured to provide for their fecurity, by eftablifhing governments of their own modelling, and afferted their ancient Zoz " nl "• " For this we have the authority of the fame poet ; which feems to be one of the cleared evidences of the Scots being at that time fettled in Britain, near the limits of the Roman province. Venit et extremis legio praetenta Britannis, Qiik Scoto dat fisna truci, ferroque notatas Perlegit exanimes, Pidlo moriente, figuras, Claudiam. C 2 indepen- I2 THE BORDER-HISTORY OF independence, by expelling th£ Roman governours, where any fuch re- mained. But thefe efforts proved in both countries very infignificant, again ft the multitudes and ferocity of barbarous invaders. The Britons were the lefs able to repell thefe Barbarians, as both Maximus and Conftantine had carried over to the continent, vaft numbers of the men fitteft for war, who never after returned to their native country. Being therefore reduced to great extremities, by the repeated invafions of the Scots and Picts, they had recourfe to the Emperor Honorius for aid j who judged it fo 'impracti- cable to reftore or maintain the Roman power in Britain, that, inftead of Giia» devoid, fending them forces, he exhorted them to take courage and exert their own ptit. c it, i», ftrength in defence of their country. But their diftrefs (till continuing, they ' 3 ' ' 4 * renewed their fupplications, entreating the emperour to fend to their affiltance Bed. i. i.c.ia a fingle legion. A legion was accordingly fent, which encountered and deftroyed a great number of the invaders, and obliged the reft to retire beyond the Friths of Forth and Clyde. By the advice of the Roman com- manders, who were foon obliged to return with the victorious legion into Gaul, the Britons repaired the wall of Antoninus, for a bulwark againft the northern invaders : but the materials employed in this work, being only fods and earth, the Barbarians foon broke through it, and paffing at the fame time the Friths in their curroghs, plundered and deftroyed the unhappy Britons with the fame cruelty as before. In thefe circumftances, fupplications for aid were again renewed in the molt piteous (train, to their ancient mafters and protectors •, whofe condition by this time at home, was little better than that of their fuppliants. Another legion however was obtained; which arriving in harveft, when the Scots and PicTts were fcattered over the fields, deftroying, or reaping fecurely, the fruits of the labours of their wretched neighbours, fpread among the plunderers a general confternation and deftruction, the few who efcaped retiring beyond the Friths, whither they ufed to carry off the booty they gained in their annual incurfions. The Romans likewife affifted the Britons in repairing the ftone-wall of Severus, which was a bulwark of far greater ftrength than the rampart of Antonine, and free from the inconveniency of the adjacent Friths, which the invaders eafily crofted in their fmall veftels. To guard however againft fuch defcents on the fouth of the repaired wall, towers were erected near the coafts, from which there was an extenfive profpect into the fea. The Romans alfo, who, while, the lords of Britain, induftrioufly kept the inhabitants ignorant of every thing relating to the military art, now gave them patterns to direct their workmen, in making arms ; and having endeavoured to roufe a military fpirit by their exhortations, bade the ifland a final farewell. The time when cane, vol. ;. thefe two legions were fent into Britain is fomewhat uncertain. If, as is re- p ' I?2 ' lated by fome authors, they were fent over by Actius the great minifter and general of Valentinian II. and if the laft of them was commanded by Gallio of Ravenna, they muft have come into Britain in the year 425 and 426. But Lib. i.e. n, 13. the venerable Bede feems to place the expeditions of thefe legions, before the end of the reign of Honorius, which happened in 423. The . C. IS, ENGL AND AND SCOTLAND. i 3 The departure of the Romans, with the declaration they had made, of their not intending to return, could not be Jong concealed from the Scots and Picts, who apprehending no farther difturbance, from a people that had been fo long a terror to them, palfed their Friths in great multitudes, and took poiieflion of the ibuth country to the fouth of them, as far as the wall. They proceeded next to attack the wall itfelf, aflailing with their miflile weapons its timid and unwarlike defenders, and pulling them with hooked darts to the ground. The Britons, unable to bear fuch furious and repeated aflaults, abandoned their bulwark, and the fortified towns in its neighbour- hood ; their relentlefs adverfaries purfuing them with fire and fword, and fpreading defolation into the mod diftant parts of their country. The mifer- Bsd. 1. 1. able Britons fought fhtlter in their woods, mountains, and caves, and many GiIda '» c - 's* of them purchafed their lives at the price of their liberty. But the invaders growing fecure by the long impunity wherewith they had carried on their ravages, thole Britons who had not fubmitted to the yoke, fuddenly breaking forth from their retreats, attacked their fcattered foes, made a great (laughter of them, and obliged the reft to feek their fafety by a precipitate flight. The Scots, after their lofs, are faid to have retired to their Highlands and Iiles, from whence they were not long in returning; and the Picls thenceforth contented themfelves with their fettlements to the north of the wall ; from which they ibmetimes made plundering inroads into the lands of their enemies, on the fouth of it. Befides the ignorance and inexperience of the Britons in the art of war, another principal caufe of the extreme impotence and mifery into which they fell, after the departure of the Romans, was the want of a common head, to combine and direct their councils and efforts. Their fituation, with regard to government, became much the fame, as when the Romans firft arrived in the ifiand. A number of little potentates, bearing the titles of kings and princes, were raifed to the fovereignty in different diftriefs, who tyrannized over their fubjecls-, and inftead of refilling the common enemy, were embroiled in perpetual quarrels with each other. At length a fenfe of their common danger, determined them to confer the chief com- Carte » vo1 - '• mand of their armies on Vortigern, who was originally king of a fmall part wei?h wthirn of Wales ; and had acquired great fame, by fome fuccefsful exploits in war. Vortigern was ambitious of extending and retaining his power, and with this view was the chief author of the deiperate and fatal meafure of calling over the Saxons to Britain. Certain intelligence was pretended to be received, of a defign formed by the Scots and Pi3'3« wounded in the battle of Cambalon, in the year 542. The renewed invafions of the Saxons and their wars with the Britons, iffued in the eftablifhrnent of feven Saxon kingdoms, commonly known by the name of the Heptarchy. Thefe kingdoms were erected at different periods ; as the different Saxon leaders made their fucceffive invafions, and Nen. Hid. Brit, furmounted the oppofition they had to druggie with. Among thefe Oita,* Mumef. ). 1. tne broker of Hengift, and Ebufa, Oita's fon, paffing over at Hengift's call c 3. from the Continent in forty fhips, after fome vain efforts of the Pids to expel them, made good a fettlement, which for about a hundred years con- tinued to depend upon the kingdom of Kent. The Picts, who, from the time of the departure of the Romans, had poflefled the country on the 5 north ENGLANDANDSCOTLAND. ij north of the wall, either now yielded that part of their dominions wholly to the Saxons, or fhared it with them : and Droftan, who was then king of the Pi<5ts, entering into a league with them, they waged war jointly againfl: the Britons, who are faid to have been aided in thefe wars by the Scots. During this firft period of the fettlement of the Saxons in the northern parts of Britain, their hiftory is involved in the greateft obfcurity. It is agreed that the firft who acquired among them the title of a king was Ida. This prince, like the other Saxon monarchs, derived his defcent from Woden, from whom he is faid to have fprung by the line of Woden's third fori. He brought over with him from the Continent, an army of his countrymen in fixty fhips, with which he landed at Flamborough : and his high extraction, joined to talents for war and government that were worthy of it, foon railed him to the royal dignity over the companions of his expedition, and thofe of his countrymen who were already fettled in thefe parts. His dominions feem to have conlifted folely or chiefly of the country called Bernicia *, which was the name given by the Saxons, to that part of England which lies to the north of the river Tyne, or wall of Severus ; and which extended, during fome part of the Saxon government, as far as the Edinburgh Frith. This chron. Sar. firft king of the Northumbrians built the caftle of Bamborough on the fea- Bed ' '" 3 ' c " *" coaft over againfl Fern-Ifland, in a fituation very ftrong and confpicuous ; and in honour of Bibba his queen, gave it the name of Bibbanburgh, which in progrefs of time was afterwards contracted into the name it now bears : the reign of Ida was contemporary with that of the Scottifh king Eugene III. who, firmly maintaining the alliance which his predecefibrs had made with * The limit of Bernicia on the fouth is fometimes faid by the ancient Englifh writers to be the Tyne, and fometimes the Tees. In the fame manner its northern limit is fometimes faid to be the Frith of Forth, at other times the Tweed. It is probable that, at different periods of time, its aftual limits did thus vary. Nennius reprefents the Saxons under Oita and Ebufa, as receiving this country by the gift of Vortigrrn ; but Vortigem had it not to give. He fays, that thefe invaders having failed around (circa) the Pid~ls, laid wafte the Orkney Iflands, and then came and feized feveral diftricls beyond the Frith, (Mare Freficum) which he defcribes as lying between the Saxons and Scots, as far as the confines of the Pic~b that is, their confines with England. Malmefbury fays, that having in feveral conflicts, overcome the inhabitants who refuted, they admitted the reft to terms of peace ; but that they continued a hundred years, all but one, content with their dependence on the kings of Kent: at the end of which period their dependent Mate (Ducatus) was changed into a kingdom * ; Ida being advanced firft among them to the royal dignity, but whether by „,. , conquer!, or the choice of his fubjefts, he could not determine. Fordun relates, that Oita and Ford \ '\ ',-" Embufa (Ford. Embufa) came to fettle in the northern parts, in confequence of an embaffy fent beforehand from Hengift to Droftan the Pidlifh king, and a confederacy concluded between thefe princes, whence the Saxons were heartily welcomed by the Pjfts, and making an addition to their ftrength, by degrees engaged them in wars with the Scots and Britons. Bede (1. i. c. ic.) who iruy well be confidered as the bell of thefe authorities, mentions a league which the Savons foon concluded with the Pifts. Vaughan in his remarks on the Britifh Chronology fays, that _ the Saxons and Pi&s were mingled together, and lived in a very friendly manner all over arte • vo ' ,, ' Lothian, and even in the city of Edinburgh, for above izo years after, at the time of the battle of Ardcrydd. Nennius c. 64. fays, that Ida was the firft king of Bernicia, that is, adds he, Iberneick. Flor. Vig. mentions alfo Ida as the firft king of the Bernician3. The etymology of Berwick, as ex- prefling a ttivn of the Birnicians, is not the leaft probable of thofe given by Camden. the \ 16 THE BORDER-HISTORY Qf» the Britons, w.s, in conjun&ion with them, engaged in continual wars, with. various iiiccefs, againlt their common enemies the Picts and Saxons. Ida, after a nrolperous reign of twelve years, was llain in battle, by Owen, Tifieffin, a fon of Uria,n Rhcgad, a gallant Briton. After his death, the country of quoted b/carte, the Saxons to the north of the Humber, became divided into two kingdoms, vol. i. p. 109. tna t part of it which lay between the lout hern frontiers of Bernicia and the Humber, bearing the name of Deira. Bernicia continued fubject to the defendants of Ida-, and Deira * was governed by Ella, a kinfman of Ida, tracing his original to Woden in a different line. The reigns of the fix im- mediate fucceilbrs of Ida 7 were fhort, and without any events that arc marked in hiftory. Ethelric the latl of thole fix, and one of Ida's Ions, mounted the Bernician throne in the year 586-, but was fo much exhaulted *j i 1 r lmef - by age and infirmities, that the government, during the fe.ven years of his reign, was wholly in the hands of his fon Ethelfrid. Ella king of Deira dying in 588, whofe hiftory is equally obfcure with that of his co-temporary kings of Bernicia, gave the ambition of Ethelfrid a favourable opportunity of reducing the two Northumbrian kingdoms into one. For although he had married Acca the daughter of Ella, he fcrupled not to avail himfelf of Bed. 1. 1. e. 34. the minority of his brother-in-law Edwin, who was a child of three years old at his father's death, to pofiefs himfelf of Deira. This great enlargement of his dominion, joined to his martial fpirit and thirft for glory, made Ethelfrid a very formidable prince. He conquered and planted with his Saxons, or rendered tributary, more of the country pofiefied by the Britons, .than any other of the Saxon potentates ; and gave Aidankingof the Scots, who, as an ally of the Britons, invaded his dominions with a very numerous army, A. d. 603. fo terrible an overthrow, that the Scots did not attempt any expedition into the country of the Saxons for feveral generations following j. Meanwhile Edwin the heir of the late king of Deira, who, on Ethelfrid's ufurpation of his father's dominions, had been conveyed to fome fafe retreat, grew up to maturity. He had found protection in his tender years in fome ?. is. of the Britifh and Saxon kingdoms ; but the power and greatnefs of Ethel- * Selden reprefents the princi polities of Deira or Deireland and Bernicia as earldpms given in perpetuity ; of which the intlances were not frequent during the S ixon period. Tlu'fe Eol ardoms, lays he, began in Oita, brother to Hengilt king of Kent, and L.bufa his fon, who having con- quered by Herigill's commillion thofe northern parts, held them as Eoldordoms or Earldoms, of the kings of Kent, and by that name tranfoiitled them to their heirs, who ufed no other title than Eolderman or Dux or Comes, until Ida in 567, took on him the name of king of all Nor- thumberland. Tit. Hon. p. j it. f Tliefe were Glappi, who died in 1,60, Adda in 56S, Ealdric (al. Ethelric; in 575, Theodiic in 579, Fdthwold (al. Fridwald) in 58 3, Ethelric (al. Huifa) in $93. Carte's Table. Sim. Dun. in Pref. Hoved. Prol. p. 401. Nenn. Ap. t. J Bede fays, that they had not done it, from the time of that overthrow, until the time he was writing his hiftoiy ; that is, about the year 730. This battle was fought at Degfaftan, which Bede cails.a moll famous place, perhaps from the fame of that battle ; but it is now wholly unknown. There is fome refemblance to the name in Detchin. Dr. Gibfon, in his explication of names of places fubjoined to the Saxon Chronicle, thinks it is Daufton near Carlille in Cumberland. The bifhop of Catlifle thinks, it was Dawfton near Jedburgh. Smith Not. ad Bed. frid, ENGLANDANDSCOTLAND. 17 frid, rendered the exercife of hofpitality, towards the young rival of his throne, very hazardous. Hence the exiled prince became involved in great difficulties, and was often obliged to change his habitation. His lalt refuge was at the court of Redowald king of the Eaft Angles : Redowald was a brave prince, but Ethelfrid had far more power-, and the danger from this power was greatly increafed by its propinquity. The Northumbrian king employed both promiles and threatenings, to induce Redowald to deliver up Edwin into his hands. The danger at laft appeared fo imminent, that Redowald refolved for his own fafety, to deliver up the unhappy refugee, notwithftanding the promiles of protection he had given to Edwin, upon his arrival at his court. At this critical moment Redowald's queen interpofed, and reprefented to her hufband, in fuch horrid colours, the bafenefs of the deed he was about to commit, that he altered his purpofe, and refolved to run all hazards, rather than thus (lain his honour and truth. Accordingly, having absolutely rejected all Ethelfrid's inftances, he led an army againft him with great expedition ; placing his hopes of fucceis in a fudden and vigorous attack. Ethelfrid difdaining to be thus braved, met his adverfary chron. s ax . near the river Idle, in Nottinghamfhire, with an inferiour force; and fell, A - D - 6, 7- fighting bravely in the field of battle, after having reigned twenty-four years. Edwin, who had a great fhare in obtaining this vicfory, was at once railed by it, to the polfelTion of all the dominions of Ethelfrid, whofe fons were obliged to abandon their father's kingdom and feek refuge in Scotland. Eugene, limamed Buyd, the fon of Aidan, reigned there ; and notwith- ftanding the fatal overthrow given about fourteen years before by their father Ford. 1. 5 . to his, he received and entertained them with much hofpitality. Edwin, exalted to power in mature years, and his virtues and talents having under- gone the difcipline of adverfity, foon became the greateft prince of the Heptarchy. He was one of thofe, who, by reducing to a ftate of depen- dence the other kingdoms, attained the dignity and title of Monarch ; and Bed. 1« *• was the fifth who was diltinguifhed by that appellation. It is related, that he c ' 5 ' ' 9 ' fubjected to his government, the whole of Britain inhabited either by the Britons or Saxons, and reduced the Ifles of Man and Anglefey under the power of the Englilh. But a principal part of the eminence and fame of Edwin, arofe from his being the firft chriftian king of Northumberland. About twenty years before the beginning of Edwin's reign, Ethelbert king of Kent, and his fubjecls, had been converted to the chriftian faith, by the miniftry of the Monk Auguftine, who was lent for that purpofe from Rome by Pope Gregory, firnamed the Great. Ethelbert, having married Bertha a chriftian princefs, the daughter of Caribert king of Paris, permitted her the free exercife of her religion ; and it was chiefly the zeal of that princefs, and her influence with her hufband, that procured the million of Auguftine, and his favourable reception at the court of Kent. A like influence operated with equal fuccefs in the firft converfion of the Northumbrians to chriltianity. Edwin, during his exile, had taken to wife Quenburg, daughter of Ceorl king of Mercia, who bore him two fons Osfrid and Edfrid : but after her death and his own advancement to the Northumbrian throne, he folicited D Eadbald, 18 THE BORDER-HISTORY OF Eadbald, who had fucceeded his father Ethelbert in the kingdom of Kent, to give him his filler Edelberga to wife. This requeft could no otherwife be obtained, than on the condition that the princefs, with all her attendants, fhould have entire freedom to obfcrve the chriftian faith and worfhip. Edwin readily engaged to grant the defired liberty ; and even expreffed a willingnefs on his own part, to be inftructed in the chriftian doctrine. Appearances fo promifing, encouraged the king of Kent to fend along with his daughter an eminent churchman named Paulinus, who before his fetting out, was Bet'/Vc^q. 01 *dained a bifhop by Juftus archbifhop of Canterbury. Edwin is celebrated for making the merits and evidences of chriftianity the fubject of his ferious a. d. 627. and mature examination, before he determined to embrace it. He firft al- ii*, c. 14. lowed Paulinus to baptize Eanfied, his infant daughter by Edelberga, and about a year after was baptized himfelf at York, in a church built haftily of wood, and dedicated to St. Peter. He appointed York to be the feat of Paulinus's bifhoprick ; and by the advice of that prelate, fet about building a large * church of ftone, inclofing and comprehending within it the wooden fabric juft mentioned. Edwin's converfion was accompanied with that of his family and nobles, together with a great multitude of his other fubjects. During the remaining fix years of his reign, Paulinus laboured with apofto- lical diligence and fuccefs, in converting the Northumbrians. It is peculiarly related, that while he attended the king and queen at one of their royal manors called f Adgebrin, fituated in the province of the Bernicians, he was wholly employed during thirty-fix days, from morning to evening, in instructing the people, who flocked to him from all the neighbouring places and villages, and afterwards baptifing them in the neighbouring river of Glen. Bet'ifj.^Vio. ^ Ut t ' iei " e P rom ifi n g beginnings of chriftianity among the Northumbrians foon underwent a fad reverfe. For Penda, king of Mercia, a very am- bitious and warlike prince, envious of Edwin's greatnefs, and difdaining to pay him tribute, entered into a league againft him with Cadwallo, a king of the Britons of a character much reiembling his own, and who by Penda's aid had lately recovered the pofieffion of his dominions. Thefe princes invaded the Northumbrian kingdom whh a very numerous army. Edwin, perhaps not aware of their preparations, encountered them, with a much inferior force, in the foreft of Hatfield in Yorkfhire, where his courage and conduct promifed, for fome time, to fupply the defect of bis numbers : but Osfrid his eldeft fon being flain at his fide by an arrow, he ruftied, in the madnefs of his grief and refentment, into the thickeft of his foes, and, being * This was finilhed and burnt anno 1069. Being rebuilt by the archbifhop Thomas the elder, it was again burnt in n 37. At laft in the time of Edward 1. under Treafurar John, and the archbifhops Romanus, Melton, and Thortfby, it was advanced to its prefent grandeur. Smith in Not. ad Bed. p. 91:. f From the refemblance of the name, and neighbourhood of the Glen ; Camden fuppofes this f lace to have been lituated where the prefent village of Yeverin ftands. This royal refidence, as Uede immediately adds, was deferted in the time ot the following kings; and another built in its (lead at Mclmin, which, according to Camden, is the fame with Milfield. Camden, vol. ii. p. 1097. g pierced ENGL A N D AND SCOTLAND. x 9 pierced with many wounds, loft at once the victory and his life. The two conquerors ravaged and deftroyed the Northumbrian dominions without mercy, efpecially Cadwallo, who, though a chriftian, fhewed no regard to the new converts. Paulinus fled with the queen and the children fhe had born to Edwin, into Kent, where the queen became the Abbefs of a monaftery, and Paulinus bilhop of Rochefter. Edfrid the fecond of Edwin's fons furreridered himfelf to Penda; by whom he was put to death. Edwin's fon by Edelberga, and grandfon by his fon Osfrid, were carried by the queen into Kent ■, and thence lent over to France, where they died in their infancy, and fo the male line of Edwin became extinct. The deftruction of Edwin and his family, and the calamities that followed, Bed. i. 3 . «. t. were the occafion of the Northumbrian provinces being again divided into two kingdoms. Ofric, the fon of Elfric, brother to Ella the father of Edwin, was acknowledged as heir to the throne of Deira ; while Eanfrid the fon of Ethelfrid returning from Scotland, where he had together with his brothers, and many of the young nobles of the Northumbrian kingdom, remained in exile fince the beginning of Edwin's reign, mounted the throne of Bernicia. Ofric had been one of Paulinus's converts to the chriftian faith; and the fons of Ethelfrid had been inftrucled in that religion, and received baptifm in Scotland. Donald, firnamed Brek, who then reigned in that kingdom, actuated by a zeal for the chriftian religion, which prevailed over his pre- judices againft the Saxons, fent home his Northumbrian guefts, accompanied with a numerous band of Scottifh warriors. But each of the new kings re- lapfed after their exaltation into heathenifm, and their reigns were very fhort. Cadwallo, the great enemy of the Northumbrians, being rafhly befieged in York by Ofric, fallied fuddenly forth, and deftroyed almoft all the befieging army together with their king. Afterwards, Eanfred, coming without due precaution towards Cadwallo to treat of peace, was alfo cut off by that tyrant. Both thefe kings fell in the firft year of their reign. But Ofwald, another fon of Ethelfrid, by Acca the filter of Edwin, had the honour of revenging the fufferings of his country and untimely fall of its kings. For having with a fmall but refolute band attacked Cadwallo at the head of a mighty army, at a place called * Heaumfield on the north of the Roman wall, not far from Hexham, the tyrant was flain and -f- his army wholly dif- comfited. In confequence of this great fuccefs, Ofwald became king of all Northumberland ; and attained to a degree of honour and power far fur- palTing what . any of his predeceffors in that kingdom had enjoyed ; his dominion being iubmitted to, not only by the Saxons and Britons, but alfo Bed ' '" 3 ' c,e ' by the Scots and Picts. * Now probably Bingfield, Smith's App. to Bede, No. 13. t Fordun, following Adamnanus, afcribes Ofwald's viftory to the protection of St. Columba, and the encouragement which that Saint gave him, in a virion preceding the battle; and relates that Ofwald, in teftimony of his gratitude, built churches and oratories in honour of Columba, in feveral places of his kingdom ; as at Lindisfarn, Toplefwale, and elfewhere. Scot. Chron. C. 22. 49. D 2 Ofwald zo rHE BORDER-HISTORY OF Bed. i.j, c. 3. Ofwald was a zealous Chriftian; and it was one of his firft and chief cares to have his people inftru&ed in the true religion, which, during the fliort reign of Edwin in Northumberland, had not taken fufficient root, to be able to refill the late ftorms. The natural refource of Ofwald for the inftruments of carrying on this work, was the country where he himfelf had been educated in the chriftian faith. Accordingly, he applied to thole, who prefided in matters of religion among the Scots ; who having conferred epifcopal ordination, on Aidan a monk of their chief monaftery of Icolm- kill *, fent him into Northumberland. Ofwald gave him a moil favourable reception, and at Aidan's own defire affigned him for the feat of his bifhop- A. d. 635. j-jd^ t ] ie fmall ifland of Lindisfarn -f, a fituation refembling that of the famous feminary which he had left. The pious zeal, auitere life, and paftoral virtues of Aidan were very illuftrious ; and the affection and regard which Ofwald mewed him, were proportioned to his extraordinary merits. The king, during his long exile among the Scots, having accjuired a perfect knowledge of their language, was often at pains to explain the fermons and difcourfes of Aidan to his courtiers. So favourable a difpofition in the Englifli king, encouraged many other Scottifh monks to come into Northumberland, who applied themfdves with great diligence to inftruct and baptize the ignorant pagans ; Ofwald, for their encouragement, erecting churches and convents, and endowing them with lands and revenues. But the reign of this hopeful young prince came foon to a period. For Penda king of Mercia, who was ftill a pagan, and entertained the fame indignant jealoufy of Ofwald's greatnefs, as he had formerly done of Edwin's, led an army againft him ; and put an end to his life and reign, in a battle fought at f A^Juft 2 ' Maferferth, afterwards called Ofweftree, in Shropfhire. Penda, after his viftory, ravaged all Northumberland, and penetrated as far as the royal refidence of Bamburgh. Having in vain attempted to reduce this ftrong place by a fiege, he collected a great quantity of wood and other combufti- bles, the ruins of villages deftroyed in the neighbourhood, of which he made a vaft pile near the walls ; and fetting fire to it at a time when the wind favoured his defign, he attempted to burn the place. But the wind fuddenly changing drove the flames upon the befiegers, fcorching fome, and terrifying all; after which they immediately abandoned their enterprife. This deliver- • This ifland was originally called / or Bit. The addition, Colmkill, exprefles its being the feat of Columba, who, in the year 565, came over from Ireland to convert the Northern Piils to the chrillian faith, and received this ifland from them, for eredling a monaftery. Bed. 1. 3. c. 4. Ninian, a Briton, had long before converted the Southern Pifts, and built the church of Candida-Cafa, facred to St. Martin, which in Bcde's time was fubjeft to the Englifh. Bed. ibid. Ninian is related to have gone to Rome, anno 370, in the time of Pope Damafus, and to have been ordained a biihop to the Britons by Siricius, anno 39^ . On his return he paid his refpecls to St. Martin ; and on this occafion dedicated his church to him, as was ufual in thofe times. He died at Canda-Cafa or Whkherne anno 432, which was the year of St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland, as Palladius in the p'eceding year had ccme to Scotland. Smith ad Bed. p. 106. f Bede's defcription of Lindisfarn, afterwards called Holy Ifland, is; Qui locus accedente ac ricedenle reumati, bis quotidie injl.ir infula: maris circumluitur undis, bis renudato littore contiguus tarts redditur. ancc j Auguft. ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. ance was afcribed to the prayers of Aidan bifhop of Lindisfarn •, who .< fake of a more retired devotion, fojourned at that time, as he was often wont, in one of the Fame Iflands. Ofwald's great zeal for the convetfiori of his peop'e, his benignity to the monks, and his being cut off by a pagan prin e, who cruelly mangled his dead body, procured him the honours of a * faint ;'; and a martyr. His arms were preferved as relicks in St. Peter's church at e * me Bamburgh, and were believed to remain -f- incorrupted, by virtue of a ' blefling pronounced on them by Aidan for being the inftruments of a fignal charity to the poor. Ofwald had taken to wife Earifleda, the daughter of Edwin, and left by her a fon in his childhood, but Ofwy Ofwald's brother Bed. ;t>. c. 141 fucceeded him in the kingdom. His government however extended only at fir ft over Bernicia •, Ofwin the fon of Oliic, who h;;d been ten years an exile among the weft Saxons, obtaining . poffeffion of the kingdom of Deira, which his father, as was above related, had held for a very fhort period after the death of Edwin. Ofwin's generofity, and other virtues, greatly endeared him to his fubjecls -, but could not defend him againft the ambition and fuperior power of the king of Bernicia. The two princes took the field with their armies, in order to decide their quarrels-, but Ofwin perceiving his forces greatly inferiour, and unwilling that their blood fhould befnedin vain, difmiffed them, and fought concealment, until better times, in the houfe of Earl Hunwald, a nobleman on whofe fidelity he entirely relied. But Hun- wald bafely betrayed him, and by Ofwy's command, he was cruelly put to death in the ninth year of his reign. On the account of his many virtues, A. d. 651. particularly his wonderful humility, Ofwin was greatly beloved by Aidan Bede" 61 ^' bifhop of Lindisfarn, who furvived him only twelve days. It would feem that Ofwin did not know his own ftrength, or wanted the talents neceffary to employ it with effect. For after his death, Ofwy was not able to eftablifh his dominion over the Deirans ; who placed Adelwald the fon of Ofwald on their throne. * According to Malmefburv, Ofwald gave the fir (I fruits of faintlhip to his nation; no Angle before him having had the glory of working miiaclei. Many of thefe are related by Bede to have been performed by Ofwald's relick?. f Aidan being feated at table with the king on Eafter-day, one of the king's fervants who had the charge of the poor, informed him that there was a multitude cf poor in the ilreets, begging the royal alms : on which the king immediately ordered the meat on his table to be diitributed to the beggars, and a filver platter, on which the meat was ferved up, to be broken into pieces, and thefe, to be diftributed in like manner, on which the bifhop feizing his right hand, prayed that it might never grow old. And fo it came to pafr, for his hands being cut off, after he was flain, together with his arm, they have hitherto remained incorrupted, and are preferved in the royal city, which from the ancient name of a queen is called Bebba, inclofed in a filver coffer in St. Peter's church, where due veneration is paid them by all. Bed. ib. Simeon of Durham, or Turgor, fays, that Ofwald's head, was buried in the church of Lindif- farn, and was afterwards kept in the fame fhrine with the incorrupted body of St. Cuchberr. He adds, that his hands and arms were buried in the royal city, t n |jm. word - The king himfelf *on fuch occafions came thither, with only five or burgh. fix fervants, and departed immediately after finifhing his devotions in the church. And if at any time he and his attendants took a refrefhment there, they were contented with the fimple daily food of the monks, and defired nothing more. For the whole attention of thefe teachers, was employed in the fervice of God, and not about worldly gains ; their whole care was be- llowed on their hearts, not on their bellies. Whence the religious habit was at that time in great veneration ; fo that wherever any prieft or monk arrived, he was welcomed with joy as the fervant of God; even when he was ob- ferved on the road, the people ran to him and bowing their heads, joyfully received from him his benediclion, or the fign of the crofs ; at the fame time, listening refpedtfully to his advices and inftructions. On Sundays they flocked to churches or monafteries, not for the food of their bodies, • The remainder of thefe relics of Aidan he le r t in the church of Holy Ifland, commanding them to be buried in Secretario ejus, (fiBedr). Yet the monks of Glaflonb'ufy pretended that the body of Aidan was buried with them : an i it feefns rhat this pretence was not wholly without fourdation : for a MS. of John Weffington, Prior of Durham, fay , that King Edmund, in his northern expedition, carried off to Glaftonbury fome of the boi.es of Bifliop Aidan. Smith Not. ad Bed. p. i;r. f There was alfoa difference between the churches on the continent, and the ancient churches in Britain, in the manner of the clergy clipping their hair. The former had adopred the fafhion of making bare the crown of the head ; fo as to make the hai' that furrounded the bare part, reprefent, as they imagined, our Saviour's crown of thorns. The latter clipped ihe hair on the forehead from ear to ear. The difpute concerning thefe fafhions of the clerical tonfure, was agitated with little lefs warmth than that concerning Eafter, and the Scottim clergy were equally tenacious of their old cuftom in the one as in the other, but ENGLANDANDSCOTLAND. 45 but to hear the word of God. And if any prieft happened to come inio any of their villages, the inhabitants inltantly aflembling, requeued of him the word of life. Nor had the priefts and clerks any other end in going to thefe villages, than to preach, baptize, vifit the fick, and, in one word, to take care of fouls •, and io remote were they from all contagion of covetoufnejs, Ab ?™ m that none of them would accept of territories and polfeffions for building monaiteries, unlels compelled to it by the powerful men of the itate i which cuftom remained in all points the fame, for fome time after, in the churches of the Northumbrians. Such was the ftate of the Northum- brian church about feventy years before Bede wrote his hiftory : but in this account, he evidently enough hints the degeneracy that had fince taken place ; which he explains more fully in his letter to Egbert archbilhop of York. Ofwy was not only fuccefsful in his wars againft the Mercians, but made Bed. 1. 2 . c. 5 . conquefts alfo on the other fide, over the Scots and Picts ; fubjecting and '• *■ Ci ■*■ rendering tributary to him the greateft part of their country. It feems fuf- ficiently evident that thefe conquefts could not have been made, till after the deftrucYion of Penda the Mercian, and it is not improbable that the religious differences which occafioned the retreat or expulfion of the Scottifh and Pictifh clergy *, had an influence in producing thofe wars, which were at- tended with fo much fuccefs on the fide of the Englifh. Six years after the council of Whitby, Ofwy died ; and his fon Alchfrid, whom he had afTumed A - J? 6 ?°- as his partner in the kingdom, being dead before him, Egfrid another of his fons fucceeded to all his dominions. Egfrid was a warlike prince, and fuccefsful in feveral of his enterprifes. The Picts attempting to free themfelves from the yoke impofed upon them by Ofwy, and for this purpofe having collected a great army out of all the EAKusVit. northern parts of the ifland, received a total defeat from Egfrid •, wherein Wiifr - c - *7« the Daughter was fo great, that two rivers being filled with the dead bodies a. d. 6 79 . of the vanquifhed, the victors are faid to have paffed over them dry lhod. Egfrid alfo conquered Lincolnfhire, then a part of the Mercian kingdom : but though he was driven out of this province five years after, he was not a. d. C84. thereby difcouraged from invading and ravaging Ireland. In the year after his Irifh expedition, he invaded the territories of the Picts ; but thefe peopie, by appearing to fly before him, having decoyed him into a tract of country, full of inacceffible mountains, fuddenly ruflied from their retreats, and cut in pieces the king himfelf f, with the greateft part of his army. The Picts, in * The return of Co'man and his clergy to their own country, happened in the firft year of the Scott (Ti King Maid* in; and Forilun afcribes it to the bad treatment they had received, that there ■was little peace betwixt the Scots and Northumbrians, during all Maldwin's reign : but the war- was carried on by mutual defolating incurfions, without any general aftion, whofe memory has been tranfmitted to poflerity. Ford. vol. i. p. 154. •f According to the Appendix to Nennius, Egfrid was killed by Brude, who was king of the Pifts, and commanded them in this battle. Gale, vol. i» p. 126. Bede, in his life of St. Cuthbert, relates, that the Saint foretold this tragical end of Egfrid, the year before it happened, to the king's filler Elfled, who was abbefs of the Convent at Cailifle, E and 26 THE BORDER-HISTORY OF a.d. 685. i n confequence of this victory, recovered their lands on the fouth of Forth, which the Northumbrians had for fome time held in fubjection. The Scots alio, who bordered on the Northumbrian kingdom to the weft, and fome part of the Britons, regained their liberty ; nor did the Northumbrians ever after recover this heavy blow, or regain that afcendant over their neighbours, which they formerly poffeffed. It was chiefly during the reign of Egfrid, that the monk Cuthbert be- came eminent by his zeal and wonderful aufterities, which, joinrd to the tales of his miracles, and of his dead body remaining incorrupted, railed c d'b Vlt k ,rn to tr,e frft place among the Engliih faints. While he tended as a fhep- sim. Dun. herd in the night his mailer's flocks on the fide of Leder, and was praying h.d. e. 1. 1 . w j tr , i^ b