cause of dispute
between the Romans, Ambrosius, and Vortigern. Vortigern is
said to have been sovereign of the Dimetae, and Ambrosius
son to the king of the Damnonii. The latter was half a
Roman by descent, and naturally supported the Roman
interest: the former was entirely a Briton, and as naturally
seconded by the original Britons.

In the meantime, three vessels, exiled from Germany, arrived in
Britain. They were commanded by Horsa and Hengist, brothers, and sons of
Wihtgils. Wihtgils was the son of Witta; Witta of Wecta; Wecta of Woden;
Woden of Frithowald; Frithowald of Frithuwulf; Frithuwulf of Finn; Finn
of Godwulf; Godwulf of Geat, who, as they say, was the son of a god,
not(1) of the omnipotent God and our Lord Jesus Christ (who before
the beginning of the world, was with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
co-eternal and of the same substance, and who, in compassion to
human nature, disdained not to assume the form of a servant), but the
offspring of one of their idols, and whom, blinded by some demon, they
worshipped according to the custom of the heathen. Vortigern received
them as friends, and delivered up to them the island which is in
their language called Thanet, and, by the Britons, Ruym.(2) Gratianus
Aequantius at that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons were received by
Vortigern, four hundred and forty-seven years after the passion of
Christ, and,(3) according to the tradition of our ancestors, from the
period of their first arrival in Britain, to the first year of the reign
of king Edmund, five hundred and forty-two years; and to that in
which we now write, which is the fifth of his reign, five hundred and
forty-seven years.

(1) V.R. not the God of gods, the Amen, the Lord of Hosts,
but one of their idols which they worshipped.

(2) Sometimes called Ruoichin, Ruith-in, or "river island,"
separated from the rest of Kent and the mainland of Britain
by the estuary of the Wantsum, which, though now a small
brook, was formerly navigable for large vessels, and in
Bede's time was three stadia broad, and fordable only at two
places.

(3) The rest of this sentence is omitted in some of the MSS.

32. At that time St. Germanus, distinguished for his numerous virtues,
came to preach in Britain: by his ministry many were saved; but many
likewise died unconverted. Of the various miracles which God enabled
him to perform, I shall here m