tion north of the Firths of Forth and
Clyde), they encouraged the Christmas festivities and did much to
civilise the people whom they had conquered and whom they governed for
more than three hundred years. They built towns in different parts of
the country and constructed good roads from one town to another, for
they were excellent builders and road-makers. Some of the Roman
emperors visited Britain and others were chosen by the soldiers of
Britain; and in the reigns of Constantine the Great and other tolerant
emperors the Britains lived like Romans, adopted Roman manners and
customs, and some of them learned to speak the Latin language.
Christian churches were built and bishoprics founded; a hierarchy was
established, and at the Council of Arles, in 314, three British
bishops took part--those of York, London, and Camulodunum (which is
now Colchester or Malden, authorities are divided, but Freeman says
Colchester). The canons framed at Arles on this occasion became the
law of the British Church, and in this more favourable period for
Christians the Christmas festival was kept with great rejoicing. But
this settled state of affairs was subsequently disturbed by the
departure of the Romans and the several invasions of the Anglo-Saxons
and the Danes which preceded the Norman Conquest.

[Illustration]

CHRISTMAS AGAIN IN TROUBLOUS TIMES: THE DEPARTURE OF THE ROMANS AND
THE INVASION OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS.

The outgoing of the Romans and the incoming of the Angles, the Saxons,
and the Jutes disastrously affected the festival of Christmas, for the
invaders were heathens, and Christianity was swept westward before
them. They had lived in a part of the Continent which had not been
reached by Christianity nor classic culture, and they worshipped the
false gods of Woden and Thunder, and were addicted to various
heathenish practices, some of which now mingled with the festivities
of Christmastide. Still, as these Angles came to stay and have given
their name to our country, it may be well to note that they came over
to Britain from the one country which is known to have borne the name
of Angeln or the Engle-land, and which is now called Sleswick, a
district in the middle of that peninsula which parts the Baltic from
the North Sea or German Ocean. The Romans having become weakened
through their conflicts with Germany and other nations, at the
beginning of the fifth century, the Emperor Honorius recalled the
Roman legions from Br