(Hist. Of Manchester, book ii. c. 1.) See also Nennius,
sec.47.
43. At length Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, valiantly fought against
Hengist, Horsa, and his people; drove them to the isle of Thanet, and
thrice enclosed them within it, and beset them on the Western side.
The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to solicit large
reinforcements, and an additional number of ships: having obtained
these, they fought against the kings and princes of Britain, and
sometimes extended their boundaries by victory, and sometimes were
conquered and driven back.
44. Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the enemy;(1) the first
has been mentioned, the second was upon the river Darent, the third
at the Ford, in their language called Epsford, though in ours Set
thirgabail,(2) there Horsa fell, and Catigern, the son of Vortigern; the
fourth battle he fought was near the stone(3) on the shore of the Gallic
sea, where the Saxons being defeated, fled to their ships.
(1) Some MSS. here add, "This Vortimer, the son of
Vortigern, in a synod held at Guartherniaun, after the
wicked king, on account of the incest committed with his
daughter, fled from the face of Germanus and the British
clergy, would not consent to his father's wickedness; but
returning to St.
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