I97739: ELESA (Elistus) of Ancient Saxony (0439

Notes

aka Aelle (Ella) of ELISENS; (beyond here fictional?)
Wife: (missing)
Possible Children: daughter of Elesa; Cerdic (Cedric) of the GEWISSAE (ANCIENT SAXONY)

"§ 23. Then all the councillors, together with that proud tyrant Gurthrigern [Vortigern], the British king, were so blinded, that, as a protection to their country, they sealed its doom by inviting in among them (like wolves into the sheep-fold) the fierce and impious Saxons, a race hateful both to God and men, to repel the invasions of the northern nations. Nothing was ever so pernicious to our country, nothing was ever so unlucky. What palpable darkness must have enveloped their minds--darkness desperate and cruel! Those very people whom, when absent, they dreaded more than death itself, were invited to reside, as one may say, under the selfsame roof. Foolish are the princes, as it is said, of Thafneos, giving counsel to unwise Pharaoh. A multitude of whelps came forth from the lair of this barbaric lioness, in three cyuls, as they call them, that is, in three ships of war, with their sails wafted by the wind and with omens and prophecies favorable, for it was foretold by a certain soothsayer among them, that they should occupy the country to which they were sailing three hundred years, and half of that time, a hundred and fifty years, should plunder and despoil the same. They first landed on the eastern side of the island, by the invitation of the unlucky king, and there fixed their sharp talons, apparently to fight in favor of the island, but, alas! more truly against it. Their mother-land, finding her first brood thus successful, sends forth a larger company of her wolfish offspring, which, sailing over, join themselves to their bastard-born comrades. From that time the germ of iniquity and the root of contention planted their poison amongst us, as we deserved, and shot forth into leaves and branches. The barbarians being thus introduced as soldiers into the island, to encounter, as they falsely said, auy dangers in defence of their hospitable entertainers, obtain an allowance of provisions, which, for some time being plentifully bestowed, stopped their doggish mouths. Yet they complain that their monthly supplies are not furnished in sufficient abundance, and they industriously aggravate each occasion of quarrel, saying that unless more liberality is shown them, they will break the treaty and plunder the whole island. In a short time, they follow up their threats with deeds.
§ 24. For the fire of vengeance, justly kindled by former crimes, spread from sea to sea, fed. by the hands of our foes in the east, and did not cease, until, destroying the neighboring towns and lands, it reached the other side of the island, and dipped its red and savage tongue in the western ocean. In these assaults, therefore, not unlike that of the Assyrian upon Judea, was fulfilled in our case what the prophet describes in words of lamentation: "They have burned with fire the sanctuary; they have polluted on earth the tabernacle of thy name." And again, "0 God, the Gentiles have come into thine inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled," etc. So that all the columns were levelled with the ground by the frequent strokes of the * See aiso pp. 200-202.
[p.268]battering-ram, all the husbandmen routed, together with their bishops, priests, and people, whilst the sword gleamed, and the frames crackled around them on every side. Lamentable to behold, in the midst of the streets lay the tops of lofty towers, tumbled to the ground, stones of high walls, holy altars, fragments of human bodies, covered with livid clots of coagulated blood, looking as if they had been squeezed together in a press; and with no chance of being buried, save in the ruins of the houses, or in the ravening bellies of wild beasts and birds; with reverence be it spoken for their blessed souls, if, indeed, there were many found who were carried, at that time, into the high heaven by the holy angels. So entirely had the vintage, once so fine, degenerated and become bitter, that, in the words of the prophet, there was hardly a grape or ear of corn to be seen where the husbandman had turned his back.
§ 25. Some, therefore, of the miserable remnant, being taken in the mountains, were murdered in great numbers; others, constrained by famine, came and yielded themselves to be slaves for ever to their foes, running the risk of being instantly slain, which truly was the greatest favor that could be offered them: some others passed beyond the seas with loud lamentations instead of the voice of exhortation. "Thou hast given us as sheep to be slaughtered, and among the Gentiles hast thou dispersed us." Others, committing the safeguard of their lives, which were in continual jeopardy, to the mountains, precipices, thickly wooded forests, and to the rocks of the seas (albeit with trembling hearts), remained still in their country.15 But in the meanwhile, an opportunity happening, when these most cruel robbers were returned home, the poor remnants of our nation (to whom flocked from divers places round about our miserable countrymen as fast as bees to their hives, for fear of an ensuing storm), being strengthened by God, calling upon him with all their hearts, as the poet says, "With their unnumbered vows they burden heaven," that they might not be brought to utter destruction, took arms under the conduct of Ambrosius Aurelianus, a modest man, who of all the Roman nation was then alone in the confusion of this troubled period by chance left alive. His parents, who for their merit were adorned with the purple, had been slain in these same broils, and now his progeny in these our days, although shamefully degenerated from the worthiness of their ancestors, provoke to battle their cruel conquerors, and by the goodness of our Lord obtain the victory.

§ 26. After this, sometimes our countrymen, sometimes the enemy, won the field, to the end that our Lord might in this land try after his accustomed manner these his Israelites, whether they loved him or not, until the year of the siege of Bath-hill, when took place also the last almost, though not the least slaughter of our cruel foes, which was (as I am sure) forty-four years and one month after the landing of the Saxons, and also the time of my own nativity. And yet neither to this day are the cities of our country inhabited as before, but being forsaken and overthrown, still lie desolate; our foreign wars having ceased, but our civil troubles still remaining. For as well the remembrance of such a terrible desolation of the island, as also of the unexpected recovery of the same, remained in the minds of those who were eye-witnesses of the wonderful events of both, and in regard thereof, kings, public magistrates, and private persons, with priests and clergymen, did all and every one of them live orderly according to their several vocations. But when these had departed out of this world, and a new race succeeded, who were ignorant of this troublesome time, and had only experience of the present prosperity, all the laws of truth and justice were so shaken and [p.269]subverted that not so much as a vestige or remembrance of these virtues remained among the above-named orders of men, except among a very few who, compared with the great multitude which were daily rushing headlong down to hell, are accounted so small a number, that our reverend mother the church, scarcely beholds them, her only true children, reposing in her bosom." ^[S3753]

Notes

Some loose Mortons Grouped here for Research purposes - relationship of kids on this card to each other is not determined yet, but each ones descendants are. please write [email protected].
From: Peggy Fountain Taylor "PFTaylor" Email: [email protected] posted to [email protected] 2001/06/14 "Virginia State Library in Richmond: from the Genealogy of VA Families in the Wm. and Mary Quarterly History Magaziine and published in 1982 by Genealogical Publishing Co. It begins with John Morton who married Joane Hughes, Widow. pp805-815. This is a paper on the MORTON FAMILY OF HENRICO, PRINCE EDWARD AND BRUNSWICK
COUNTIES, VA. Also, the Virginia Historical Magazine gives the History of Hampden-Sydney College Vol 1. to 1856. The title of the articles is Trustees of Hampden-Sidney College. These Mortons were influential in focusing on education for their youth and eventually were on the Board of Trustees of H-S College.

the Northern Neck Mortons who eventually fanned out to Frederick CO, VA and the mountains near Loudon and Winchester,were Church of England (mainly) while the more southern Mortons were Presbyterian.

Robert de Mortaine is so long ago that I never even figured him into the lineage, even though I have read that bit of information. I began with John Morton who lived in 1694 in the Northern Neck of VA. The only other possibility of lineage was a William Morton who settled in 1632 in the Lower Norfolk County on the Elizabeth River Parish. He had a son John Morton and two others. BUT, I haven't been able to tie him together with the John Morton of 1694. It is possible, but since I don't know for certain, I just get on with the rest of the family. I do believe that I have heard the de Mortaine was an ancestor but one would have to get into the Public Records in London to document that, if then possible."

Notes

The Hundred Years War began during Edward's reign. This war was sparked by the cooperation of the French with the Scots in their continuing rebellion against England, fighting in Gascony, and Edward's claim to the throne of France through his mother. The early portion of the war was a success because of Edward's oldest son, the Black Prince.

Half of the population of Europe died in the Black Death, which swept through England and northern Europe from 1348-1350. The plague weakened the English military and in 1375 Edward signed the Treaty of Bruges. This treaty left Edward with only England, Calais, Bordeaux, and Bayonne.

Parliament was officially divided into two houses during Edward III's reign, and English replaced French as the official language. Edward's wife died in 1369, and he took a mistress, Alice Perrers. During the final year of Edward's reign, the Black Prince died. This left Edward in a great state of grief.

^[S1061]

My Southern Family

ELESA (Elistus) of Ancient Saxony

0439 - 0514

ID Number: I97739

Notes

Sources

Robert L. BARROW

6 Jun 1858 - ABT Mar 1940

ID Number: I44393

Sources

Tandy CAMPBELL

ABT 1780 - ____

ID Number: I59931

Sources

Aurelius J. MARTIN

1867 - 1913

ID Number: I76451

Sources

(RESEARCH QUERY) MORTON

____ - ____

ID Number: I51306

Notes

Sources

Rachel PENN

1607 - ____

ID Number: I5316

Sources

King EDWARD III PLANTAGENET of England

13 Nov 1312 - 21 Jun 1377

ID Number: I26102

Notes

Sources

Robert Rittenhouse STRINGFELLOW

15 Apr 1773 - 4 Oct 1858

ID Number: I92372

Sources

Johanna THOMAS

ABT 1720 - ____

ID Number: I28472

Sources

Benjamin WATKINS

ABT 1780 - ____

ID Number: I53676

Sources

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