For several ages, they were almost all Romans, or, in other words, the ancient natives; and they preserved the Roman language and laws, with some remains of the former civility.

But the priests in the Heptarchy, after the first missionaries, were wholly Saxons, and almost as ignorant and Barbarous as the laity.

They contributed, therefore, little to no improvement of society in knowledge or the arts.] [** Bede, lib.iii.cap.

26.] [*** Bede, lib.v.cap.23.Bedae Epist.

ad Egbert.] [**** Bedse Epist.