A.D. 460.  Arthur.

About this time lived King Arthur (if the whole story be not a fable) who was so famous for beating the Saxons in several battles.

  A.D. 600.  Austin.

The Britons received Christianity very early, and, as is reported, from some of the Disciples themselves:  So that, when the Romans left Britain, the Britons were generally Christians.  But the Saxons were heathens, till Pope Gregory the Great sent over hither Austin the monk, by whom Ethelbert king of the South-Saxons, and his subjects, were converted to Christianity; and the whole island soon followed the example.

  A.D. 819.  Egbert.

[Footnote 4:  The edition of 1765 gives the date as 819, but according to Dr. Stubbs, Egbert became bretwalda in 828. [W.S.J.]]

After many various revolutions in this island among the kingdoms of the Saxons, Egbert, descended from the West-Saxon kings, became sole monarch of England.

  Angles.

The language in Britain was British, (now called Welsh) or Latin; but, with the Saxons, English came in (although extremely different from what it is now).  The present names of towns, shires, &c. were given by them; and the whole kingdom was called England from the Angles, who were a branch of the Saxons.

  Danes.

As soon as the Saxons were settled, the Danes began to trouble and invade them, as they (the Saxons) had before done the Britons.

These Danes came out of Germany, Denmark, and Norway, a rough warlike people, little different from the Saxons to whom they were nigh neighbours.

  Edgar.

After many invasions from the Danes, Edgar King of England sets forth the first navy.  He was entitled King of all Albion, (an old name of this island) and was the first absolute monarch.

He made peace with the Danes, and allowed them to live in his dominions mixed with the English.

In this prince’s time there were five kings in Wales, who all did him homage for their country.

  A.D. 978.  Danes massacred.

These Danes began first to make their invasions here about the year 800, which they after renewed at several times, and under several leaders, and were as often repulsed.  They used to come with vast numbers of ships, burn and ravage before them, as the cities of London, Winchester, &c.  Encouraged by success and prey, they often wintered in England, fortifying themselves in the northern parts, from whence they cruelly infested the Saxon kings.  In process of time they mixed with the English (as was said before) and lived under the Saxon government:  But Ethelred, then King of England, growing weary of the Danish insolence, a conspiracy is formed, and the Danes are massacred in one day all over England.

  Sweyn.

Four years after, Sweyn, King of Denmark, to revenge the death of his subjects, invades England; and, after battles fought and much cruelty exercised, he subdues the whole kingdom, forcing Ethelred to fly into Normandy.