rman tribe, is complicated by conflicting
statements; statements which connect them with (probably) _High_-German
Thuringians, Suevi, and Langobardi, and with (probably) _Slavonic_ Werini,
or Varni; whereas in England, they are scarcely distinguishable from the
_Low_-German Saxons. In the present state of our knowledge, the only safe
fact seems to be, that of the common relation of both _Angles_ and Saxons
to the present _English_ of England.

This brings the two sections within a very close degree of affinity, and
makes it probable, that, just as at present, descendants of the Saxons are
English (_Angle_) in Britain, so, in the third and fourth centuries,
ancestors of the Angles were Saxons in Germany. Why, however, the one name
preponderated on the Continent, and the other in England is difficult to
ascertain.

s. 55. The Frisians have been mentioned as a Germanic population _likely_
to have joined in the invasion of Britain; the _presumption_ in favor of
their having done so arising from their geographical position.

There is, however, something more than mere presumption upon this point.

Archbishop Usher, amongst the earlier historians, and Mr. Kemble amongst
those of the present day, as well as other intermediate investigators, have
drawn attention to certain important notices of them.

The main facts bearing upon this question are the following:--

1. Hengist, according to some traditions, was a Frisian hero.

2. Procopius wrote as follows:--[Greek: Brittian de ten neson ethne tria
poluanthropotata echousi, basileus te eis auton hekastoi ephesteken,
onomata de keitai tois ethnesi toutois Angiloi te kai Phrissones kai hoi
tei nesoi homonumoi Brittones. Tosaute de he tonde ton ethnon poluanthropia
phainetai ousa hoste ana pan etos kata pollous enthende metanistamenoi xun
gunaixi kai paisin es Phrangous chorousin].--Procop. B. G. iv. 20.

3. In the Saxon Chronicle we find the following passage:--"That same year,
the armies from among the East-Anglians, and from among the
North-Humbrians, harassed the land of the West-Saxons chiefly, most of all
by their 'aescs,' which they had built many years before. Then king Alfred
commanded long ships to be built to oppose the aescs; they were full-nigh
twice as long as the others; some had sixty oars, and some had more; they
were both swifter and steadier, and also higher than the others. They were
shapen neither like the _Frisian_ nor the Danish, but so as it seemed to