[Sidenote: _Gyldas_.]
Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga
of the Hunnes, but rehearsing this great destruction of the land,
declareth (as before ye haue heard) that the Scots and Picts were
the same that did all the mischiefe, whome he calleth two nations of
beyond the seas, the Scots comming out of the northwest, and the Picts
out of the northeast, by whome (as he saith) the land was ouerrun, and
brought vnder foot manie yeares after. Therefore the Britains being
thus vexed, spoiled, and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts
(if we shall so take them) sent messengers with all speed vnto Rome
to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine.
Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the
[Sidenote: 414.]
yeere 414, which easilie repelled the enimies, and chased them backe
with great slaughter, to the great comfort of the Britains, the which
by this meanes were deliuered from danger of vtter destruction, as
they thought.
But the Romans being occasioned to depart againe out of the land,
appointed the Britains to make a wall (as had beene aforetime by the
emperours Adrian, Antoninus and Seuerus) ouerthwart the countrie
[Sidenote: _Beda_ and _Polychron._]
from sea to sea, stretching from Penuelton vnto the citie of Aclud,
whereby the enimies might be staid from entring the land: but this
wall being made of turfs and sods, rather than with stones, after
the departure of the Romans was easilie ouerthrowne by the Scots
and Picts, which eftsoones returned to inuade the confines of the
Britains, and so entring the countrie, wasted and destroied the places
[Sidenote: _Beda_ and _Polychron.
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