Vortimer, nothing was attempted against the Saxons, but in the meane
time Hengist by colorable craft procured his sonne in law Vortigerne
to come to a banket at his house, with three hundred other Britains,
and when he had made them well and warme with often quaffing and
emptieng of cups, and of purpose touched euerie of them with one
bitter tawnt or other, they first fell to multiplieng of malicious
words, and after to blowes that the Britains were slaine, euerie
mothers sonne so yéelding vp their ghosts euen amongst their pots. The
king himselfe was taken, and to redéeme himselfe out of prison, gaue
to the Saxons thrée prouinces, and so escaped out of bondage.

Thus by what meane soeuer it came to passe, truth it is (as all
writers agrée) that Hengist got possession of Kent, and of other
countries in this realme, and began to reigne there as absolute
[Sidenote: 476.]
lord & gouernor, in the yéere of our Lord (as some write) 476, about
the fift yéere of Vortigerns last reigne: but after other, which take
the beginning of this kingdome of Kent to be when Hengist had first
gift therof, the same kingdome began in the yéere 455, and conteined
the countrie that stretcheth from the east Ocean vnto the riuer of
[Sidenote: Kingdome of Kent.]
Thames, hauing on the southeast Southerie, and vpon the west
London, vpon the northeast the riuer of Thames aforesaid, and the
countrie of Essex.

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