days. The same year, Uther, the brother of Aurelius, the deceased king of Britain, having heard of the death of his brother, came in haste to Winchester, and having convoked the people and clergy of the kingdom, took upon himself the sovereignty of Britain. And remembering the star that has been already mentioned, he ordered two dragons to be made of gold, in the likeness of the dragon which he had beheld in the ray of the star, and he placed one in the church of the first see of Winchester, and retained the other to be borne * before himself in battle. Accordingly, from that time forth he was called in the British language Uther Pendragon. But in the language of the Angles, ÎFtijer Srafe ftcuriJ, and in Latin, Uther the Dragon's Head. On which account, to this very day the custom has prevailed among the kings of this land, of ordering a dragon, instead of a standard, to be borne before them in their warlike expeditions. About this time, Octa, the son of Hengist, and Eosa, his kinsman, having been released from the treaty which they had made with Aurelius, endeavoured to wage war against king Uther, and to extend their own territories. Accordingly, being accompanied with a very numerous multitude of Saxons, they invaded the northern provinces of Britain, and utterly destroyed the fortifications from Scotland down as far as York. Afterwards, when they had began to besiege the city of Alclud, Uther Pendragon arrived with all the strength of the district, and engaged in battle with them. The Saxons resisted manfully, and put the Britons to flight, and the pagans pursued them as far as Mount Danet ; when day dawned, the Britons occupied the mountain, and took it for their refuge, not knowing what to do. At last, they, with wise counsel, determined to make a nocturnal attack on the enemy, and to come upon them while asleep and unarmed. Being therefore arranged in battalions and armed, they marched upon the camp of the enemy, and attacked it vigorously. And the Saxons being thus surprised unexpectedly, could make no effectual resistance, while the others derived boldness from their deliberate design. A t last Octa and Eosa were taken prisoners, and the Saxons were completely routed. Then, when peace was restored everywhere, the king went to London, and caused Octa and Eosa t o be detained as prisoners in that city. And as the feast of Easter was at hand, he ordered the nobles of the kingdom to