Valour of king Vortimer. In the year of grace 455, the 7th year from their arrival in Britain, the Angles, with Vortigern, having recovered their strength, began again to provoke king "Vortimer to battle. Both armies having met at Ailesford,* they fought long and fiercely ; till at length the weight of the battle was turned against the Saxons, and they fled from the field. The Britons pursued them fiercely, and slew an immense number ; and having dispersed the remainder, Vortimer returned home in triumph. Not long after this, Vortimer, with his brothers, Catigern and Pascentius, and the whole population of the island, made war on the Saxons ; and both sides being assembled, their forces were drawn up for battle. Horsa, Hengist's brother, on whom Vortigern had bestowed the province of Kent, and who had been made king by his countrymen, attacked with such fury the troops of Catigern, that they were routed and scattered like dust. Moreover he struck Catigern from lus horse and slew him. At the sight of which, king Vortimer, his brother, rushed on Horsa and slew him ; and then routing the rest, the whole weight of the battle turned against Hengist ; who, not being able to withstand the valour of Vortimer, at length, but not without having inflicted severe loss on the Britons, fled from the battle, a thing he had never done before. How, on the death of Horsa, the Saxons made Hengist king of Kent. In the year of grace 456, the Saxons, on the death of Horsa, raised his brother Hengist to the throne of Kent. In the same year he is said to have fought three battles with the Britons ; but not being able to resist the strength of Vortimer, he fled to the isle of Thanet, where the enemy daily harassed him by sea. At length, having with difficulty reached their vessels, the Saxons returned to Germany, leaving their wives and children behind, f • Allesthorp in the original is evidently Eaglesford or Ailesford, on the banks of the Medway. It is called Elstree by Henry of Huntingdon, and Episford by Nennius. + Henry of Huntingdon, whose words are here copied by Wendover, Gildas, and Nennins, all agree that the Saxons were at this time obliged to leave England.