第 7 节
作者:套牢      更新:2021-02-24 22:41      字数:9322
  the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the province Guorthegirnaim;*
  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。
  * A district of Radnorshire; forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr。
  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。*
  *V。R。 This paragraph is omitted in the MSS。
  Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St。 Germanus to the kingdom
  of the Dimetae; where; on the river Towy;* 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。
  *The Tobias of Ptolemy
  47。 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;'1' 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。'2'
  '1' In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor and
  Brecknock。
  '2' V。R。 The MSS。 add; 'and he had one daughter; who was the
  mother of St。 Faustus。'
  49。 This is the genealogy of Vortigern; which goes back to
  Fernvail;'1' who reigned in the kingdom of Guorthegirnaim;'2'
  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。
  '1' Fernvail; or Farinmail; appears to have been king of Gwent
  or Monmouth。
  '2' V。R。 'Two provinces; Builth and Guorthegirnaim。'
  50。 St。 Germanus; after his death; returned into his own country。
  *At that time; the Saxons greatly increased in Britain; both in
  strength and numbers。  And Octa; after the death of his father
  Hengist; came from the sinistral part of the island to the kingdom
  of Kent; and from him have proceeded all the kings of that province;
  to the present period。
  * V。R。 All this to the word 'Amen;' in other MSS。 is placed after
  the legend of St。 Patrick。
  Then it was; that the magnanimous Arthur; with all the kings and
  military force of Britain; fought against the Saxons。  And though
  there were many more noble than himself; yet he was twelve times
  chosen their commander; and was as often conqueror。  The first
  battle in which he was engaged; was at the mouth of the river
  Gleni。'1'  The second; third; fourth; and fifth; were on another
  river; by the Britons called Duglas;'2' in the region Linuis。
  The sixth; on the river Bassas。'3' The seventh in the wood Celidon;
  which the Britons call Cat Coit Celidon。'4' The eighth was near
  Gurnion castle;'5' where Arthur bore the image of the Holy Virgin;'6'
  mother of God; upon his shoulders; and through the power of our
  Lord Jesus Christ; and the holy Mary; put the Saxons to flight;
  and pursued them the whole day with great slaughter。'7' The ninth
  was at the City of Legion;'8' which is called Cair Lion。  The
  tenth was on the banks of the river Trat Treuroit。'9' The eleventh
  was on the mountain Breguoin; which we call Cat Bregion。'10' The
  twelfth was a most severe contest; when Arthur penetrated to the
  hill of Badon。'11' In this engagement; nine hundred and forty fell
  by his hand alone; no one but the Lord affording him assistance。
  In all these engagements the Britons were successful。  For no
  strength can avail against the will of the Almighty。
  '1' Supposed by some to be the Glem; in Lincolnshire; but most
  probably the Glen; in the northern part of Northumberland。
  '2' Or Dubglas。  The little river Dunglas; which formed the
  southern boundary of Lothian。  Whitaker says; the river Duglas;
  in Lancashire; near Wigan。
  '3' Not a river; but an isolated rock in the Frith of Forth; near
  the town of North Berwick; called 〃The Bass。〃  Some think it is
  the river Lusas; in Hampshire。
  '4' The Caledonian forest; or the forest of Englewood; extending
  from Penrith to Carlisle。
  '5' Variously supposed to be in Cornwall; or Binchester in Durham;
  but most probably the Roman station of Garionenum; near Yarmouth;
  in Norfolk。
  '6' V。R。 The image of the cross of Christ; and of the perpetual
  virgin St。 Mary。
  '7' V。R。 For Arthur proceeded to Jerusalem; and there made a cross
  to the size of the Saviour's cross; and there it was consecrated;
  and for three successive days he fasted; watched; and prayed;
  before the Lord's cross; that the Lord would give him the victory;
  by this sign; over the heathen; which also took place; and he took
  with him the image of St。 Mary; the fragments of which are still
  preserved in great veneration at Wedale; in English Wodale; in
  Latin Vallis…doloris。  Wodale is a village in the province of
  Lodonesia; but now of the jurisdiction of the bishop of St。 Andrew's;
  of Scotland; six miles on the west of that heretofore noble and
  eminent monastery of Meilros。
  '8' Exeter。
  '9' Or Ribroit; the Brue; in Somersetshire; or the Ribble; in
  Lancashire。
  '10' Or Agned Cathregonion; Cadbury; in Somersetshire; or Edinburgh
  '11' Bath。
  The more the Saxons were vanquished; the more they sought for new
  supplies of Saxons from Germany; so that kings; commanders; and
  military bands were invited over from almost every province。  And
  this practice they continued till the reign of Ida; who was the
  son of Eoppa; he; of the Saxon race; was the first king in Bernicia;
  and in Cair Ebrauc (York)。
  When Gratian Aequantius was consul at rome; because then the whole
  world was governed by the Roman consuls; the Saxons were received
  by Vortigern in the year of our Lord four hundred and forty…seven;
  and to the year in which we now write; five hundred and forty…seven。
  And whosoever shall read herein may receive instruction; the Lord
  Jesus Christ affording assistance; who; co…eternal with the Father
  and the Holy Ghost; lives and reigns for ever and ever。  Amen。
  In those days Saint Patrick was captive among the Scots。  His
  master's name was Milcho; to whom he was a swineherd for seven
  years。  When he had attained the age of seventeen he gave him his
  liberty。  By the divine impulse; he applied himself to reading of
  the Scriptures; and afterwards went to Rome; where; replenished
  with the Holy Spirit; he continued a great while; studying the
  sacred mysteries of those writings。  During his continuance there;
  Palladius; the first bishop; was sent by pope Celestine to convert
  the Scots 'the Irish'。  But tempests and signs from God prevented
  his landing; for no one can arrive in any country; except it be
  allowed from above; altering therefore his course from Ireland;
  he came to Britain and died in the land of the Picts。*
  * At Fordun; in the district of Mearns; in Scotland…Usher。
  51。 The death of Palladius being known; the Roman patricians;
  Theodosius and Valentinian; then reigning; pope Celestine sent
  Patrick to convert the Scots to the faith of the Holy Trinity;
  Victor; the angel of God; accompanying; admonishing; and assisting
  him; and also the bishop Germanus。
  Germanus then sent the ancient Segerus with him as a venerable
  and praiseworthy bishop; to king Amatheus;'1' who lived near; and
  who had prescience of what was to happen; he was consecrated bishop
  in the reign of that king by the holy pontiff;'2' assuming the
  name of Patrick; having hitherto been known by that of Maun;
  Auxilius; Isserninus; and other brothers were ordained with him
  to inferior degrees。
  '1' V。R。 Germanus 〃sent the el