But in Britain the invader was met by a courage almost equal to his own.

Instead of quartering themselves quietly, like their fellows abroad, on subjects who were glad to buy peace by obedience and tribute, the English had to make every inch of Britain their own by hard fighting.
This stubborn resistance was backed too by natural obstacles of the gravest kind.

Elsewhere in the Roman world the work of the conquerors was aided by the very civilization of Rome.

Vandal and Frank marched along Roman highways over ground cleared by the Roman axe and crossed river or ravine on the Roman bridge.

It was so doubtless with the English conquerors of Britain.