THE SCENE: In the 5th Century AD, Britain was still reeling from the unilateral departure of the Romans. Desperate to shore up his Kingdom’s defenses against waves of invaders, King Voltigern made an alliance with a group of Saxon raiders that would forever alter the island of Britain.
THE TEXT: About this time there landed in certain parts of Kent three vessels of the type which we call longships. They were full of armed warriors and there were two brothers named Hengist and Horsa in command of them. A that moment Vortigern was at Durobernia, which is now called Canterbury, for it was his custom to visit that city very frequently. When messengers reported to him that unknown men, and, what is more, men of huge statute, had landed in enormous ships, Vortigern made peaceful overture to them and ordered them to be led into his presence. As soon as they were brought in, he fixed his eyes on the two brothers, for they stood out among the others because of their noble bearing and their good looks. Vortigern examined all the others and then asked what country they had traveled from and why they had come to the land over which he ruled. Hengist started to reply for the others, for his greater maturity and good sense made him their natural lead.
“Most noble of all Kings,” he said, “Saxony is our homeland, one of the provinces of Germany. We have been banished from out own country on the simple pretext that the tradition of that kingdom demanded such action: for in our homeland it is the custom that, whenever there occurs a surplus of population of men, the leaders of the different provinces meet together and order the young men of the entire realm to gather before them. They then cast lots and so pick out the most able and the strongest, who must journey off to foreign lands and seek a living for themselves. They chose these young men whom you see in your presence and ordered them to obey the tradition handed down from ancient time. We duly obeyed the decrees, whose authority is sanctioned by their antiquity. We put to sea and with only Mercury to guide us we journeyed to your kingdom.”
When he heard the name Mercury mentioned, the King looked them full in the face and asked them what their religion was. “We worship the gods of our own country,” replied Hengist: “Saturn, Jove and the others who rule over this world, and more especially Mercury, whom in our language we call Woden. Our ancestors dedicated the fourth day of the week to him, and down to our time that day is called Wednesday from his name. Next after him we worship the goddess who is the most powerful of them all, Freia by name, to whom they dedicated the sixth day, which after her we call Friday.” “I am greatly grieved,” replied Vortigern, “by your belief, which, indeed, can better be called unbelief; but all the same I am delighted that you have comes, for either God Himself, or someone else, has brought you here to help me at a most convenient moment. My enemies harass me on every side; and if you share with me the hardship of my battles, then I will welcome you in all honour to my kingdom and enrich you with gifts of all sorts and with grants of land.” The barbarians agreed to this without more ado. A treaty was made between them and they took up residence in the palace itself.
– Geoffrey of Monmouth, The History of the Kings of Britain, 12th Century AD
