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A History of Whitby, and Streoneshalh Abbey (v. 1)
A History of Whitby and Streoneshalh Abbey - v. 1 Author:George Young Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. II. Saxon Period. [THE Saxons began to make their piratical descents on the British coasts so early as the latter part of the third century : for we ... more »find that Carausius distinguished himself by his naval victories, over the fleets of these barbarians ; and in the early part of the reign of Constantino the great, a new officer was appointed in Britain, to guard the coast against their attacks, denominated the count of the Saxon shore; by which name, on account of the frequent descents of the Saxons, the shore of Britain on the east and south, was then designated. The Saxons are described as one of the bravest nations presented to us in the whole compass of ancient history. Strength of body, patience in warlike labours, a ferocious courage, and a formidable activity, are the qualities by which they have been commemorat- ed.f Such is the character given of that people who were ultimately doomed to have the dominion of Britain, who were to give laws and manners to a degeneraterace, a people depressed into pusillanimity, under the slavish government of the Romans, whose imbecility was such, from continued oppression, that they could not defend themselves without the intervention of a foreign aid. Accustomed to a predatory and piratical life, the Saxons braved every element; neither the stormy ocean of the Germans, nor the dangerous shores of Britain could depress their ardour for plunder and conquest. The frowning clouds of winter darting the lightning's flash amidst the howling of the midnight storm, sheltered their designs from the view of an unsuspecting foe. But while we display a gleam of the brightest part of their character, let us not overlook one of the most horrible traits that can degrade the reputation of a people, a crime that casts the most odious shade ove...« less