forming themselves into a sort of commonwealth according to their own
pleasure. This rebellion of _Britain_ and the _Celtic_ nations happened
when _Constantine_ usurped the kingdom_. So also _Procopius_, _lib._ 1.
_Vandal._ speaking of the same _Constantine_, saith: Constantine _being
overcome in battle, was slain with his children:_ [Greek: Bretannian men
toi Rômaioi anasôsasthai ouketi echon; all' ousa hypo tyrannous ap' autou
emene.] _Yet the _Romans_ could not recover _Britain_ any more, but from
that time it remained under Tyrants_. And _Beda_, l. 1. _c._ 11. _Fracta
est Roma à Gothis anno 1164 suæ conditionis; ex quo tempore Romani in
Britannia regnare cessaverunt_. And _Ethelwaldus_: _A tempore Romæ à Gothis
expugnatæ, cessavit imperium Romanorum à Britannia insula, & ab aliis; quas
sub jugo servitutis tenebant, multis terris_. And _Theodoret_, _serm._ 9.
_de curand. Græc. affect_. about the year 424, reckons the _Britons_ among
the nations which were not then in subjection to the _Roman_ Empire. Thus
_Sigonius_: _ad annum 411, Imperium Romanorum post excessum Constantini in
Britannia nullum fuit_.

Between the death of _Constantine_ and the reign of _Vortigern_ was an
interregnum of about 14 years, in which the _Britons_ had wars with the
_Picts_ and _Scots_, and twice obtained the assistance of a _Roman_ Legion,
who drove out the enemy, but told them positively at their departure that
they would come no more. Of _Vortigern_'s beginning to reign there is this
record in an old Chronicle in _Nennius_, quoted by _Camden_ and others:
_Guortigernus tenuit imperium in Britannia, Theodosio & Valentiniano Coss._
[viz. A.C. 425.] _& in quarto anno regni sui Saxones ad Britanniam
venerunt, Felice & Tauro Coss._ [viz. A.C. 428.] This coming of the
_Saxons_, _Sigebert_ refers to the 4th year of _Valentinian_, which falls
in with the year 428 assigned by this Chronicle: and two years after, the
_Saxons_ together with the _Picts_ were beaten by the _Britons_. Afterwards
in the reign of _Martian_ the Emperor, that is, between the years 450 and