Stelle Asciti aliquando in Brittanniam pre...; (Vita Sancti Eadmundi regis Anglorum et martyris (985 - 987), Ch. 1 (ed. Winterbottom, pp. 68-9)) [4887]

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ID 4887
Text Vita Sancti Eadmundi regis Anglorum et martyris (985 - 987) Abbo of Fleury
Quotation Asciti aliquando in Brittanniam precario munere in perniciosum auxilium tres Germaniae populi, hoc est, Saxones, Iuti et Angli, primum Brittonibus interdiu fuere praesidii. Qui cum saepius bello lacessiti se et suos defensarent fortiter, illi uero ignauiae operam dantes, quasi prolaetarii ad solam uoluptatem domi residerent, fisi de inuicta fortitudine stipendianorum militum quos conduxerant, ipsos miseros indigenas domo patriaque pellere deliberant: factumque est. Et exclusis Britonibus statuunt inter se diuidere uictores alienigenae insulam, bonis omnibus fecundissimam, indignum iudicantes eam ignauorum dominio detineri, quae ad defensionem suam idoneis posset prebere sufficientem alimoniam et optimis uiris. Qua occasione inducti orientalem ipsius insulae partem, quae usque hodie lingua Anglorum Eastengle vocatur, sortito nomine Saxones sunt adepti, Iutis et Anglis ad alia tendentibus, in quibus suae sortis funiculo potirentur, ne esset cum sodalibus ullum de possessione litigium, quibus suppeteret amplitudo terrae ad regnandi emolumentum. Vnde contigit ut, per regiones et prouincias diuisa, plurimis primum ducibus, deinde regibus sufficeret una eademque Britannia.
Translation Three peoples of Germania were once received with a doubtful reward for treacherous help: namely, the Saxons, Jutes and Angles, who at first subject to the Britons. Who, although they had often been bloodied in battle and defended themselves and their own strongly, began instead to give their attentions to idleness, and remained at home, giving their attentions only to pleasure like base commoners, trusting in the unconquered bravery of the mercenary soldiers which they had hired, who in turn decided to drive the miserable natives from their house and homeland; which they did. And when the Britons had been expelled, the victors decided amongst themselves to divide the island which they had taken from the foreigners, which was exceedingly fertile in all good things, deeming it unworthy that it should be held in the dominion of the idle, who could not offer sufficient reward to the best men, who were able to defend them. And so on this occasion they were deceived, and the Saxons drew by name the eastern part of the island, which into the present day in the English language is called Eastengle (East Anglia), while the Jutes and Angles went to other regions which they drew as their share, so that there should be no dispute amongst these allies as to who owned what, since the expanse of the land offered them ample territory to rule. From this it came about that, once it had been divided into regions and provinces, Britain came to be ruled at first by dukes (duces), and then by kings (reges). (Trans. Laura Gazzoli)
Quotation source Ch. 1 (ed. Winterbottom, pp. 68-9)
Temporal Coverage 410 - 596
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Spatial Coverage Objects
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