THE

HISTORY

OF

ENGLAND,

FROM

THE ROMAN PERIOD

ΤΟ

THE PRESENT TIME.

BY

THOS. S. BIRKBY, M. C.P.

BANBURY.

LONDON:

MILNER AND SOWERBY,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

226. K. 157.

MORE than two thousand years ago the land we live in was named Britain. It was inhabited by wild and savage people called Britons. They worshipped idols of wood and stone as well as the sun, moon, and stars. The priests were called Druids, and their places of worship were formed of immense stones standing in a circle. Here they often offered up the prisoners, taken in war, as sacrifices.

The Britons wore skins of wild beasts, some went naked, and stained themselves blue.

We do not know much of them at this remote period: but 55 years before Jesus Christ was born, a celebrated Roman general, Julius Caesar, invaded this country. His soldiers soon subdued

the ancient inhabitants, and taught them how to build houses of stone or brick-how to cultivate the land instead of living on wild animals, and wild berries--how to dress differently; and best of all, the Britons learnt something of the true God, during the time the Romans remained here.

In the early part of the fifth century, the emperor Honorius was compelled to withdraw his forces from Britain for the defence of Italy against a warlike race of people living in 409 Germany, called the Goths. For a short time, Britain was governed by Roman deputies who were often very unpopular; and at last the Britons threw off the yoke and placed themselves under the magistracy of the Civitates. After they had formed