On the Ruin of Britain
On The Ruin of Britain (De Excidio Britanniae)
by Gildas
Translation by J.A. Giles
The Works of Gildas surnamed "Sapiens", or The Wise.
I. The Preface
1. Whatever in this my epistle I may write in my humble but well meaning manner, rather by way of lamentation than for display, let no one suppose that it springs from contempt of others or that I foolishly esteem myself as better than they; -for alas! the subject of my complaint is the general destruction of ...