PREFACE.

The Burning of the VillaThe Burning of the Villa.TheCountof theSaxon ShoreorThe Villa in VECTISA Tale of the Departure of the Romans from BritainBY THERev.ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.Author of “Stories from Homer”WITH THE COLLABORATION OFRUTH PUTNAMFifth ThousandLondonSEELEY, SERVICE & CO. LIMITED38Great Russell StreetEntered at Stationers’ HallBy SEELEY & CO.Copyright by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1887(For the United States of America).PREFACE.“Count of the Saxon Shore”was a title bestowed by Maximian (colleague of Diocletian in the Empire from 286 to 305A.D.) on the officer whose task it was to protect the coasts of Britain and Gaul from the attacks of the Saxon pirates. It appears to have existed down to the abandonment of Britain by the Romans.So little is known from history about the last years of the Roman occupation that the writer of fiction has almost a free hand. In this story a novel, but, it is hoped, not an improbable, view is taken of an important event—the withdrawal of the legions. This is commonly assigned to the year 410, when the Emperor Honorius formally withdrew the Imperial protection from Britain. But the usurper Constantine had actually removed the British army two years before; and, as he was busied with the conquest of Gaul and Spain for a considerable time after, it is not likely that they were ever sent back.A. J. C.R. P.CONTENTS.CHAP.PAGEI.A BRITISH CÆSAR1II.AN ELECTION13III.A PRIZE21IV.THE VILLA IN THE ISLAND32V.CARNA47VI.THE SAXON57VII.A PRETENDER’S DIFFICULTIES70VIII.THE NEWS IN THE CAMP83IX.THE DEPARTURE OF THE LEGIONS94X.DANGERS AHEAD107XI.THE PRIEST’S DEMAND115XII.LOST124XIII.WHAT DOES IT MEAN?135XIV.THE PURSUIT144XV.THE PURSUIT (continued)152XVI.THE GREAT TEMPLE164XVII.THE BRITISH VILLAGE173XVIII.THE PICTS182XIX.THE SIEGE194XX.CEDRIC IN TROUBLE207XXI.THE ESCAPE216XXII.A VISITOR224XXIII.THE STRANGER’S STORY234XXIV.NEWS FROM ITALY245XXV.CONSULTATION256XXVI.FAREWELL!266XXVII.MARTIANUS271XXVIII.A RIVAL281XXIX.AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL293XXX.AT LAST306LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.THE BURNING OF THE VILLAFrontispiecePAGECONSTANTINE ELECTED EMPEROR18THEPANTHERAND THE SAXON PIRATES28CEDRIC AT THE FORGE58JAVELIN THROWING78THE DEPARTURE OF THE LEGIONS104BRITISH CONSPIRATORS112THE CAPTURE OF CARNA128THE SACRIFICE166CEDRIC AND THE PICT196CEDRIC’S FURY212CEDRIC’S ESCAPE222CLAUDIAN’S TALE234THE COUNT RECEIVING THE LETTER OF HONORIUS252CARNA AND MARTIANUS276CARNA ON THE HILLSIDE304

The Burning of the VillaThe Burning of the Villa.

The Burning of the Villa.

TheCountof theSaxon ShoreorThe Villa in VECTISA Tale of the Departure of the Romans from BritainBY THERev.ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.Author of “Stories from Homer”WITH THE COLLABORATION OFRUTH PUTNAMFifth ThousandLondonSEELEY, SERVICE & CO. LIMITED38Great Russell Street

BY THERev.ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.Author of “Stories from Homer”WITH THE COLLABORATION OFRUTH PUTNAM

Entered at Stationers’ HallBy SEELEY & CO.Copyright by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1887(For the United States of America).

Entered at Stationers’ HallBy SEELEY & CO.

PREFACE.“Count of the Saxon Shore”was a title bestowed by Maximian (colleague of Diocletian in the Empire from 286 to 305A.D.) on the officer whose task it was to protect the coasts of Britain and Gaul from the attacks of the Saxon pirates. It appears to have existed down to the abandonment of Britain by the Romans.So little is known from history about the last years of the Roman occupation that the writer of fiction has almost a free hand. In this story a novel, but, it is hoped, not an improbable, view is taken of an important event—the withdrawal of the legions. This is commonly assigned to the year 410, when the Emperor Honorius formally withdrew the Imperial protection from Britain. But the usurper Constantine had actually removed the British army two years before; and, as he was busied with the conquest of Gaul and Spain for a considerable time after, it is not likely that they were ever sent back.A. J. C.R. P.

“Count of the Saxon Shore”was a title bestowed by Maximian (colleague of Diocletian in the Empire from 286 to 305A.D.) on the officer whose task it was to protect the coasts of Britain and Gaul from the attacks of the Saxon pirates. It appears to have existed down to the abandonment of Britain by the Romans.

So little is known from history about the last years of the Roman occupation that the writer of fiction has almost a free hand. In this story a novel, but, it is hoped, not an improbable, view is taken of an important event—the withdrawal of the legions. This is commonly assigned to the year 410, when the Emperor Honorius formally withdrew the Imperial protection from Britain. But the usurper Constantine had actually removed the British army two years before; and, as he was busied with the conquest of Gaul and Spain for a considerable time after, it is not likely that they were ever sent back.

A. J. C.

R. P.

CONTENTS.CHAP.PAGEI.A BRITISH CÆSAR1II.AN ELECTION13III.A PRIZE21IV.THE VILLA IN THE ISLAND32V.CARNA47VI.THE SAXON57VII.A PRETENDER’S DIFFICULTIES70VIII.THE NEWS IN THE CAMP83IX.THE DEPARTURE OF THE LEGIONS94X.DANGERS AHEAD107XI.THE PRIEST’S DEMAND115XII.LOST124XIII.WHAT DOES IT MEAN?135XIV.THE PURSUIT144XV.THE PURSUIT (continued)152XVI.THE GREAT TEMPLE164XVII.THE BRITISH VILLAGE173XVIII.THE PICTS182XIX.THE SIEGE194XX.CEDRIC IN TROUBLE207XXI.THE ESCAPE216XXII.A VISITOR224XXIII.THE STRANGER’S STORY234XXIV.NEWS FROM ITALY245XXV.CONSULTATION256XXVI.FAREWELL!266XXVII.MARTIANUS271XXVIII.A RIVAL281XXIX.AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL293XXX.AT LAST306

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.THE BURNING OF THE VILLAFrontispiecePAGECONSTANTINE ELECTED EMPEROR18THEPANTHERAND THE SAXON PIRATES28CEDRIC AT THE FORGE58JAVELIN THROWING78THE DEPARTURE OF THE LEGIONS104BRITISH CONSPIRATORS112THE CAPTURE OF CARNA128THE SACRIFICE166CEDRIC AND THE PICT196CEDRIC’S FURY212CEDRIC’S ESCAPE222CLAUDIAN’S TALE234THE COUNT RECEIVING THE LETTER OF HONORIUS252CARNA AND MARTIANUS276CARNA ON THE HILLSIDE304

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