it, and diuers of them slaine, so that the Scots and Picts entred vpon them and pursued them in more cruell maner than before, so that the Britains being chased out of their cities, townes, and dwelling houses, were constreined to flie into desert places, and there to remaine and liue after the maner of sauage people, and in the end began to rob and spoile one another, so to auoid the danger of staruing for lacke of food:  and thus at the last the countrie was so destroied and wasted, that there was no other shift for them that was left aliue to liue by, except onelie by hunting and taking of wild beasts and foules.  And [Sidenote:  Hector Boet. Rebellion.] to augment their miserie, the commons imputing the fault to rest in the lords and gouernors, arose against them in armes, but were vanquished and easilie put to flight at two seuerall times, being beaten downe and slaine (through lacke of skill) in such numbers, especiallie the latter time, that the residue which escaped, withdrew into the craggie mounteins, where within the bushes and caues they kept themselues close, sometimes comming downe and fetching away from the heards of beasts and flocks of sheepe which belonged to the nobles and gentlemen of the countrie, great booties to relieue them withall.  But at length oppressed with extreme famine, when neither part could long remaine in this state, as needing one anothers helpe, necessitie [Sidenote:  Ciuill warre decaied the force of the Britains.  What mischiefe follow of ciuill warres.] made peace betwixt the lords and commons of the land, all iniuries being pardoned and cleerelie forgiuen.  This ciuill warre decaied the force of the Britains, little lesse than the tyrannicall practises of Maximus, for by the auoiding of the commons thus out of their houses, the ground laie vntilled, whereof insued such famine for the space of three yeeres togither, that a woonderfull number of people died for want of sustenance.

Thus the Britains being brought generallie into such extreame miserie, [Sidenote:  Actius.] they thought good to trie if they might purchase some aid of that noble man Actius, which at that time remained in France as yet called Gallia, gouerning the same as lieutenant vnder the emperor Honorius:  and herevpon taking counsell togither, they wrote a letter to him, the tenor whereof insueth.

To Actius thrise consull.

“The lamentable request of vs the Britains, beseeching you of aid to bee ministred vnto the prouince of the Romane empire, vnto our countrie, vnto our wiues and children at this present, which stand in most extreame perill.  For the barbarous people driue vs to the sea, and the sea driueth vs backe vnto them againe.  Hereof rise two kinds of death, for either we are slaine, or drowned, and against such euils haue we no remedie nor helpe at all.  Therefore in respect of your clemencie, succor your owne we most instantlie require you, &c.”