A Nation Declines

Fame alia virulentiore tacitus pullulante. quiescente autem vastitate tantis abundantiarum copiis insula affluebat ut nulla habere tales retro aetas meminisset, cum quibus omnimodis et luxuria crescit. Crevit etenim germine praepollenti, ita ut competentur eodem tempore diceretur: 'Omnino talis auditur fornicatio qualis nec inter gentes.' Non solum vere hoc vitium, set et omnia quae humanae naturae accidere solent, et praecipue, quod et nunc quoque in ea totius boni evertit statum, odium veritatis cum assertoribus amorque mendacii cum suis fabricatoribus, susceptio mali pro bono, veneratio nequitiae pro benignitate, cupido tenebrarum pro sole, exceptio satanae pro angelo lucis. Ungebantur reges non per Deum sed qui ceteris crudeliores exstarent, et paulo post ab unctioribus non pro veri examinatione trucidabantur aliis electis trucioribus. Si quis vero eorum mitior et veritati aliquatenus propior videretur, in hunc quasi Britanniae subversorem omnia odia telaque sine respectu contorquebantur, et omnia quae displicuerunt deo et quae placuaerunt aequali saltem lance pendebantur, si non gratiora fuissent displicentia; ita ut merito patriae illud propheticum, quod veterno illi populo denuntiatum est, potuit aptari, ‘Filii’ inquiens ‘sine lege, dereliquistis Deum, et ad iracundiam provocastis sanctum Israel. Quid adhuc percutiemini apponentes iniquitatem? Omne caput languidum et omne cor maerens: a planta pedis usque ad verticem non est in eo sanitas.’   De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae, Sanctus Gildas Sapiens

Another more virulent hunger was silently growing. As the devastations quietened the island became rich with an abundance of affluence such that no age after remembered having such things, and along with it luxury grew. Indeed it grew with such strong root that it might well be said at that same time: 'Such fornication is not heard about even among the Gentiles.'1 But it was not spring for this vice alone, but also for all those vices which human nature is accustomed to fall into, especially the vice which presently overturns the condition of all good: the hatred of truth along with her advocates and the love of falsehood together with its fabricators, the taking up evil for good, the veneration of iniquity rather than kindness, the desire for darkness rather than the sun, the welcoming of Satan as an angel of light. Kings were anointed, not in the name of God, but such as they excelled others in cruelty, and after a little while, without an examination of truth, they were butchered by those who anointed them for different elected savages. If any one of them seemed to be more mild and nearer to truth, against him were turned, without respect, the hatred and weapons of all, as if he would be the overthrow of Britain; and all things which displeased God and all things which pleased Him had equal weight in the balance, if things displeasing were not preferred; thus to this land the saying of the prophet which denounced an ancient people was apt to be applied with merit: ' Sons without the law, you have forsaken God and moved the Holy One of Israel to anger. Why will you be beaten any more by adding to iniquity? Every head is weak and every heart groans; from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no health in it.' 2 On The Destruction and Ruin of Britain, Saint Gildas the Wise 1 1 Cor 5.1 2 Is 1. 4-6