THE WARRIOR QUEEN.

15

12. Although the Britons would, of course, much rather have been free, yet they learned very much from their conquerors. The Romans were at that time the most civilised and learned people in the world. They taught the Britons to make good roads, to build houses, to cultivate the ground, and many other useful things. Many of the Britons, too, in course of time, were glad to send their sons to be educated at the schools which the Romans provided.

Char'i-ot, a kind of car or carriage, used formerly in war.
Roy'al robes, the dress she wore as a queen.

SUMMARY.

While the Roman general was in Anglesey a war broke out in the East of Britain. Queen Boadicea and her daughters had been cruelly treated by the Romans. The Britons were angry, and raised an army. They went to London, and killed all the people in it. The Roman general marched quickly from Anglesey. A battle was

fought near London. The Britons were defeated, and the queen poisoned herself. While the Romans were in the country, they taught the Britons many useful things.

BOADICEA.

1. When the British warrior queen,
Bleeding from the Roman rods,
Sought with an indignant mien,
Counsel of her country's gods,

2. Sage beneath the spreading oak
Sat the Druid, hoary chief;
Every burning word he spoke
Full of rage, and full of grief:-

3. "Rome shall perish !-write that word
In the blood that she has spilt;
Perish, hopeless and abhorred,
Deep in ruin as in guilt.

4. "Rome, for empire far renowned,
Tramples on a thousand states;
Soon her pride shall kiss the ground—
Hark! the Gaul is at her gates!

5. Regions Cæsar never knew
Thy posterity shall sway;
Where his eagles never flew,
None invincible as they."-

6. Such the bard's prophetic words,
Pregnant with celestial fire,
Bending as he swept the chords
Of his sweet but awful lyre.

7. She, with all a monarch's pride,
Felt them in her bosom glow;
Rushed to battle, fought, and died;
Dying, hurled them at the foe :—

8. "Ruffians, pitiless as proud,

Heaven awards the vengeance due;
Empire is on us bestowed,

Shame and ruin wait for you."

Ab-hor', to hate fiercely.

Be-stow'ed, given.

Cæsar, a Roman emperor.
Ce-les'ti-al, heavenly.
In-dig'nant mien, angry look.
In-vinc'ib-le, not to be conquered.
Lyre, a musical instrument, a
kind of harp.

-William Cowper.

Preg'nant with ce-les'ti-al fire,
full of life, greatly in earnest.
Pro-phet'ic, telling what is to
happen hereafter.
Re'gions, lands, countries.
Sage, wise or wisely.

Venge'ance, punishment upon
another for some wrong which
has been done.

EARLY ENGLISH DAYS.

V. EARLY ENGLISH DAYS.

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1. The Romans held possession of Britain for nearly 400 years, when they were obliged to send all the soldiers they could to Rome to prevent that city from falling into the hands of an enemy.

2. As soon as the Romans left Britain the Picts and Scots, who dwelt in that part of our island, now called Scotland, invaded the country. As the Britons could not themselves drive back the Picts and Scots, they sought help from some sea-rovers, who lived along the coast of Europe, in the countries now known to us as Belgium, Holland, and Denmark.

3. Just at the very time when the Britons needed help, three long ships full of the sea-rovers appeared off the coast of Kent. They were commanded by two brothers, named Hengist and Horsa.

4. At the request of Vortigern, the British king, Hengist and Horsa landed with their men, and soon made the Picts and Scots go back to their own country.

5. As a reward for their help, the Britons gave their new friends part of the Isle of Thanet, on the coast of Kent.

6. Hengist had brought over with him his beautiful daughter, named Rowena. At a great feast she took a cup of wine to Vortigern, and said, "Good king, I wish you health." The king was so pleased with Rowena that he married her.

7. After the marriage Vortigern gave more land to Hengist and Horsa, and allowed them to send for large numbers of their friends.

E. H. III.

B

8. These sea-rovers who came over to Britain belonged to three different tribes-the Saxons, the Jutes, and the Angles or English. When the Britons would not give them any more land, they fought for it, and gradually gained the whole of the country.

9. The Angles obtained most land, and, therefore, the name of the country was changed from Britain to Angle-land or England. It was thus that the people came to be afterwards known as the English.

10. The Britons were treated much better by the Romans than by these new invaders. The Romans only wished to conquer the inhabitants, and afterwards to teach and protect them. The sea-rovers acted very differently. They not only wanted to conquer the Britons, but tried to destroy as many of them as they could, and to drive the rest into the western part of the country.

SAXON WARRIOR.

KING ALFRED AND THE DANES.

SUMMARY.

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The Romans left Britain after having held possession of it for nearly 400 years. Then the Picts and Scots invaded it. The Britons asked some sea-rovers, under Hengist and Horsa, to drive them back. They did so. The Isle of Thanet was given to them as a reward. The British king, Vortigern, married Hengist's daughter Rowena. Many more sea-rovers then came over to Britain. They belonged to three different tribes-the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons. They took the whole country from the Britons. The Angles gained most land. Then the name of the country was changed to Angle-land or England, and the people were called the English. The sea-rovers tried to destroy the Britons, or to drive them into the west of the country.

VI.-KING ALFRED AND THE DANES.

1. About three hundred years after the arrival of the English, the country was invaded by the Danes. They came from Norway and Sweden, and were a cruel and barbarous people.

2. One of the best of the old English kings, and the one who most successfully opposed the Danes, was named Alfred. When he began to reign, the country was in a sad state. Many of the cities, towns, and villages, were in ashes, and the best of the English soldiers had been killed.

3. Alfred, however, had to begin at once to fight the Danes. He fought battle after battle. Sometimes he conquered, sometimes he was defeated. To prevent other Danes from coming into the country he built a number of ships, and thus he was the first king to form a British navy.

4. At last Alfred was obliged to retreat to the woods and moors for safety. For a time he lived in a cow-herd's cottage. One day the cow-herd's wife set him to watch the cakes she was baking,