beings next to the angels, refuse not the inspiration of the
understanding ass, to that day dumb, which would not carry forward
the tiara'd magician who was going to curse God's people, but in
the narrow pass of the vineyard crushed his loosened foot, and
thereby felt the lash; and though he was, with his ungrateful
and furious hand, against right justice, beating her innocent
sides, she pointed out to him the heavenly messenger holding the
naked sword, and standing in his way, though he had not seen him.]

* Notwithstanding this remark of Gildas, the Britons must have
shown great bravery and resolution in their battles against the
Saxons, or they would not have resisted their encroachments so
Long. When Gildas was writing, a hundred years had elapsed, and
The Britons still possessed a large portion of their native country.

Wherefore in zeal for the house of God and for his holy law,
constrained either by the reasonings of my own thoughts, or by
the pious entreaties of my brethren, I now discharge the debt so
long exacted of me; humble, indeed, in style, but faithful, as I
think, and friendly to all Christ's youthful soldiers, but severe
and insupportable to foolish apostates; the former of whom, if I
am not deceived, will receive the same with tears flowing from
god's love; but the others with sorrow, such as is extorted from
the indignation and pusillanimity of a convicted conscience.

2. I will, therefore, if God be willing, endeavour to say a few
words about the situation of Britain, her disobedience and subjection,
her rebellion, second subjection and dreadful slavery--of her
religion, persecution, holy martyrs, heresies of different kinds
--of her tyrants, her two hostile and ravaging nations--of her first