On　The　Ruin　of　Britain　（De　Excidio　Britanniae）
  by　Gildas
  Translation　by　J。A。　Giles
  The　Works　of　Gildas　surnamed　〃Sapiens〃；　or　The　Wise。
  I。　The　Preface
  1。　Whatever　in　this　my　epistle　I　may　write　in　my　humble　but　well
  meaning　manner；　rather　by　way　of　lamentation　than　for　display；
  let　no　one　suppose　that　it　springs　from　contempt　of　others　or　that
  I　foolishly　esteem　myself　as　better　than　they；　…for　alas！　the　subject
  of　my　complaint　is　the　general　destruction　of　every　thing　that　is
  good；　and　the　general　growth　of　evil　throughout　the　land；but
  that　I　rejoice　to　see　her　revive　therefrom：　for　it　is　my　present
  purpose　to　relate　the　deeds　of　an　indolent　and　slothful　race；　rather
  than　the　exploits　of　those　who　have　been　valiant　in　the　field*。
  I　have　kept　silence；　I　confess；　with　much　mental　anguish；　compunction
  of　feeling　and　contrition　of　heart；　whilst　I　revolved　all　these
  things　within　myself；　and；　as　God　the　searcher　of　the　reins　is
  witness；　for　the　space　of　even　ten　years　or　more；　＇my　inexperience；
  as　at　present　also；　and　my　unworthiness　preventing　me　from　taking
  upon　myself　the　character　of　a　censor。　　But　I　read　how　the
  illustrious　lawgiver；　for　one　word's　doubting；　was　not　allowed
  to　enter　the　desired　land；　that　the　sons　of　the　high…priest；　for
  placing　strange　fire　upon　God's　altar；　were　cut　off　by　a　speedy
  death；　that　God's　people；　for　breaking　the　law　of　God；　save　two
  only；　were　slain　by　wild　beasts；　by　fire　and　sword　in　the　deserts
  of　Arabia；　though　God　had　so　loved　them　that　he　had　made　a　way
  for　them　through　the　Red　Sea；　had　fed　them　with　bread　from　heaven；
  and　water　from　the　rock；　and　by　the　lifting　up　of　a　hand　merely
  had　made　their　armies　invincible；　and　then；　when　they　had　crossed
  the　Jordan　and　entered　the　unknown　land；　and　the　walls　of　the
  city　had　fallen　down　flat　at　the　sound　only　of　a　trumpet；　the
  taking　of　a　cloak　and　a　little　gold　from　the　accursed　things　caused
  the　deaths　of　many：　and　again　the　breach　of　their　treaty　with　the
  Gibeonites；　though　that　treaty　had　been　obtained　by　fraud；　brought
  destruction　upon　many；　and　I　took　warning　from　the　sins　of　the
  people　which　called　down　upon　them　the　reprehensions　of　the　prophets
  and　also　of　Jeremiah；　with　his　fourfold　Lamentations　written　in
  alphabetical　order。　　I　saw　moreover　in　my　own　time；　as　that　prophet
  also　had　complained；　that　the　city　had　sat　down　lone　and　widowed；
  which　before　was　full　of　people；　that　the　queen　of　nations　and
  the　princess　of　provinces　（i。e。　the　church）；　had　been　made
  tributary；　that　the　gold　was　obscured；　and　the　most　excellent
  colour　（which　is　the　brightness　of　God's　word）　changed；　that　the
  sons　of　Sion　（i。e。　of　holy　mother　church）；　once　famous　and　clothed
  in　the　finest　gold；　grovelled　in　dung；　and　what　added　intolerably
  to　the　weight　of　grief　of　that　illustrious　man；　and　to　mine；
  though　but　an　abject；　whilst　he　had　thus　mourned　them　in　their
  happy　and　prosperous　condition；　〃Her　Nazarites　were　fairer　than
  snow；　more　ruddy　than　old　ivory；　more　beautiful　than　the　saphire。〃
  These　and　many　other　passages　in　the　ancient　Scriptures　I　regarded
  as　a　kind　of　mirror　of　human　life；　and　I　turned　also　to　the　New；
  wherein　I　read　more　clearly　what　perhaps　to　me　before　was　dark；
  for　the　darkness　fled；　and　truth　shed　her　steady　light…I　read
  therein　that　the　Lord　had　said；　〃I　came　not　but　to　the　lost　sheep
  of　the　house　of　Israel；〃　and　on　the　other　hand；　〃But　the　children
  of　this　kingdom　shall　be　cast　out　into　outer　darkness；　there
  shall　be　weeping　and　gnashing　of　teeth：〃　and　again；　〃It　is　not
  good　to　take　the　children's　meat　and　to　give　it　to　dogs：〃　also；
  〃Woe　to　you；　scribes　and　pharisees；　hypocrites！〃　　I　heard　how
  〃many　shall　come　from　the　east　and　the　west　and　shall　sit　down
  with　Abraham；　Isaac；　and　Jacob　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven：〃　and　on
  the　contrary；　〃I　will　then　say　to　them　'Depart　from　me；　ye　workers
  of　iniquity！'〃　　I　read；　〃Blessed　are　the　barren　and　the　teats
  which　have　not　given　suck；〃　and　on　the　contrary；　〃Those；　who　were
  ready；　entered　with　him　to　the　wedding；　afterwards　came　the　other
  virgins　also；　saying　'Lord；　Lord；　open　to　us：'　to　whom　it　was
  answered；　'I　do　not　know　you。'〃　　I　heard；　forsooth；　〃Whoever　shall
  believe　and　be　baptized；　shall　be　saved；　but　whoever　shall　not
  believe　shall　be　damned。〃　　I　read　in　the　words　of　the　apostle　that
  the　branch　of　the　wild　olive　was　grafted　upon　the　good　olive；　but
  should　nevertheless　be　cut　off　from　the　communion　of　the　root　of
  its　fatness；　if　it　did　not　hold　itself　in　fear；　but　entertained
  lofty　thoughts。　　I　knew　the　mercy　of　the　Lord；　but　I　also　feared
  his　judgment：　I　praised　his　grace；　but　I　feared　the　rendering　to
  every　man　according　to　his　works：　perceiving　the　sheep　of　the
  same　fold　to　be　different；　I　deservedly　commended　Peter　for　his
  entire　confession　of　Christ；　but　called　Judas　most　wretched；　for
  his　love　of　covetousness：　I　thought　Stephen　most　glorious　on
  account　of　the　palm　of　martyrdom；　but　Nicholas　wretched　for　his
  mark　of　unclean　heresy：　I　read　assuredly；　〃They　had　all　things
  common：〃　but　likewise　also；　as　it　is　written；　〃Why　have　ye
  conspired　to　tempt　the　Spirit　of　God？〃　　I　saw；　on　the　other　hand；
  how　much　security　had　grown　upon　the　men　of　our　time；　as　if　there
  were　nothing　to　cause　them　fear。　　These　things；　therefore；　and
  many　more　which　for　brevity's　sake　we　have　determined　to　omit；
  I　revolved　again　and　again　in　my　amazed　mind　with　compunction
  in　my　heart；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　〃If　God's　peculiar　people；
  chosen　from　all　the　people　of　the　world；　the　royal　seed；　and　holy
  nation；　to　whom　he　had　said；　'My　first　begotten　Israel；'　its
  priests；　prophets；　and　kings；　throughout　so　many　ages；　　his
  servant　and　apostle；　and　the　members　of　his　primitive　church；　were
  not　spared　when　the　deviated　from　the　right　path；　what　will　he　do
  to　the　darkness　of　this　our　age；　in　which；　besides　all　the　huge
  and　heinous　sins；　which　it　has　common　with　all　the　wicked　of　the
  world　committed；　is　found　an　innate；　indelible；　and　irremediable
  load　of　folly　and　inconstancy？〃　　〃What；　wretched　man　（I　say　to
  myself）　is　it　given　to　you；　as　if　you　were　an　illustrious　and
  learned　teacher；　to　oppose　the　force　of　so　violent　a　torrent；
  and　keep　the　charge　committed　to　you　against　such　a　series　of
  inveterate　crimes　which　has　spread　far　and　wide；　without　inter…
  ruption；　for　so　many　years？　　Hold　thy　peace：　to　do　otherwise；　is
  to　tell　the　foot　to　see；　and　the　hand　to　speak。　　Britain　has
  rulers；　and　she　has　watchmen：　why　dost　thou　incline　thyself　thus
  uselessly　to　prate？〃　　She　has　such；　I　say；　not　too　many；　perhaps；
  but　surely　not　too　few：　but；　because　they　are　bent　down　and　pressed
  beneath　so　heavy　a　burden；　they　have　not　time　allowed　them　to　take
  breath。　　My　senses；　therefore；　as　if　feeling　a　portion　of　my　debt
  and　obligation；　preoccupied　themselves　with　such　objections；　and
  with　others　yet　more　strong。　　They　struggled；　as　I　said；　no　short
  time；　in　fearful　strait；　whilst　I　read；　〃There　is　a　time　for
  speaking；　and　a　time　for　keeping　silence。〃　　At　length；　the　creditor's
  side　prevailed　and　bore　off　the　victory：　if　（said　he）　thou　art　not
  bold　enough　to　be　marked　with　the　comely　mark　of　golden　liberty
  among　the　prophetic　creatures；　who　enjoy　the　rank　as　reasoning
  beings　next　to　the　angels；　refuse　not　the　inspiration　of　the
  understanding　ass；　to　that　day　dumb；　which　would　not　carry　forward
  the　tiara'd　magician　who　was　going　to　curse　God's　people；　but　in
  the　narrow　pass　of　the　vineyard　crushed　his　loosened　foot；　and
  thereby　felt　the　lash；　and　though　he　was；　with　his　ungrateful
  and　furious　hand；　against　right　justice；　beating　her　innocent
  sides；　she　pointed　out　to　him　the　heavenly　messenger　holding　the
  naked　sword；　and　standing　in　his　way；　though　he　had　not　seen　him。＇
  *　Notwithstanding　this　remark　of　Gildas；　the　Britons　must　have
  shown　great　bravery　and　resolution　in　their　battles　against　the
  Saxons；　or　they　would　not　have　resisted　their　encroachments　so
  Long。　　When　Gildas　was　writing；　a　hundred　years　had　elapsed；　and
  The　Britons　still　possessed　a　large　portion　of　their　native　country。
  Wherefore　in　zeal　for　the　house　of　God　and　for　his　holy　law；
  constrained　either　by　the　reasonings　of　my　own　thoughts；　or　by
  the　pious　entreaties　of　my　brethren；　I　now　discharge　the　debt　so
  long　exacted　of　me；　humble；　indeed；　in　style；　but　faithful；　as　I
  think；　and　friendly　to　all　Christ's　youthful　soldiers；　but　severe
  and　insupportable　to　foolish　apostates；　the　former　of　whom；　if　I
  am　not　deceived；　will　receive　the　same　with　tears　flowing　from
  god's　love；　but　the　others　with　sorrow；　such　as　is　extorted　from
  the　indignation　and　pusillanimity　of　a　convicted　conscience。
  2。　I　will；　therefore；　if　God　be　willing；　endeavour　to　say　a　few
  words　about　the　situation　of　Britain；　her　disobedience　and　subjection；
  her　rebellion；　second　subjection　and　dreadful　slaveryof　her
  religion；　persecution；　holy　martyrs；　heresies　of　different　kinds
  of　her　tyrants；　her　two　hostile　and　ravaging　nationsof　her　first
  devastation；　her　defence；　her　second　devastation；　and　second
  taking　vengeanceof　her　third　devastation；　of　her　famine；　and
  the　letters　to　Agitius*…of　her　victory　and　her　crimesof　the
  sudden　rumour　of　enemiesof　her　famou