his daies four Legions were in Britain Britain saith he is encompassed about with the Ocean and almost as big as our World the Romans there inhabiting have brought it under their Dominion and four Legions do keep in subjection an Island Peopled with so great a multitude To preserve all their Provinces the Romans had but twenty nine Legions out of which Britain had four by which we may see what a great proportion this Island bore to the whole World and how considerable a part thereof it was esteemed in those daies GALBA GALBA was chosen by the Souldiers Emperour he was nothing related to the Family of the Gaesars but undoubtedly of Noble Blood The name of Galba how given to his Ancestors is variously conjectured by Suetonius Among other Opinions he puts this down as probable that it was derived from the Gaulish word GALBA signifying Fatness which Mr. Cambden proves was also British and besides his Name we shall find very little of this Emperour relating to Britain This we read that he slew Petronius Turpilianus Lieutenant of this Island under Nero having no other Crimes to lay to his charge but that he continued faithful to his Master when other Governours of Provinces were engaged in Conspiracies He held the Empire but seven Months and then was slain by Otho's Conspiracies He was old and Covetous by which means he lost the love of his Souldiers he was generally esteemed a greater Man when private than a Prince and would alwaies have been accounted worthy of the Empire had he never been advanced to it He continued Trebellius Maximus in his Government of Britain whose actions shall be related under the next Emperour OTHO OTHO by the death of Galba assumed the Empire a Prince soft and effeminate Trebellius Maximus continued still Lieutenant of Britain a Man as was said before given to Ease and Sloth having no experience in War no Conduct but holding the Province at first by a kind of Court-like and affable Behaviour And now the Britains began to suck in the pleasures of Vice and to entertain the Luxuries of Rome so that Trebellius gave himself to Ease finding no great cause to molest the Britains who were so ready to comply with him in a lazy Cessation But the Roman Souldiers who had been alwaies kept in exercise or busied in some Expedition or other now being left to an Idle life as it alwaies happens fell to Civil Dissensions Trebellius by them was grown hated and despised as it seems for his niggardly and covetous Temper and this aversion they had entertained against their General was heightened by Roscius Gaelius Legate of the twentieth Legion an ancient Enemy of his insomuch that oftentimes by flight and hiding himself he escaped the fury of his Army afterwards debasing himself in a low and creeping manner he held a precarious Authority as if he and his Army had agreed that they should enjoy the Licentiousness of their living and he his safety But when the Civil Wars brake out between Otho and Vitellius then began Trebellius and Gaelius to flie into greater and more open Discords Trebellius laid to Gaelius his charge the spreading of Sedition and drawing the Souldiers from Discipline and Obedience on the other side Caelius upbraided him of defrauding and pillaging the Legions amidst these shameful Contentions the modesty of the Army was so corrupted and their Confidence grown to that height that the Auxiliary Forces stuck not publickly to give Ill language to their General and most of the Cohorts and bands of Souldiers openly withdrew unto Caelius Trebellius plainly perceived they fled unto Vitellius who by this time was Emperour for Otho governed but 95 daies VITELLIUS AFTER the flight of Trebellius the Province continued in quiet notwithstanding the Consular Lieutenant General was removed the two Legates of the Legions in his absence governed Affairs with equal and joynt Authority but Calius bore the chief sway as being the man of greatest Spirit Trebellius being come to the Emperour was received with little Honour as one that had run away from his Souldiers that Vectius Bolanus was placed in his stead After him was sent by the Emperour the fourteenth Legion who by Nero upon some occasions had been drawn out of Britain This Legion had stuck faithful to Otho against Vitellius and notwithstanding the death of Otho and the advancement of Vitellius yet continued they their Love to their former Prince insomuch that oftentimes flying out into Mutinies and not acknowledging themselves as a conquered Legion they were hardly quieted and with much difficulty removed into Britain And it appeareth out of Tacitus that during the Contention between Otho and Vitellius for the Empire many Forces were transported from Britain to serve in those bloody Wars so that the minds of the Souldiers as well in this Island as in other Provinces stood divided in their Affections And now hardly was Bolanus warm in his Government but Vespasian began to appear for the Empire and new Wars were beginning so that no doubt the fourteenth Legion discontented with Vitellius secretly favoured the cause of Vespatian Bolanus during these Commotions was not able to preserve Discipline much less to attempt any thing upon the Britains The Divisions continued the same in the Army as in the time of Trebellius only this difference that Bolanus was innocent and not hated for any Vices and carried himself so equally that though he had not the Authority of a General yet he ruled by the Affections of the Souldiery And now Vitellius fearing the Power of Vespatian whose Forces began daily to encrease wrote unto Bolanus for Aids but he was not able to send him any partly because the Britains were not sufficiently quieted but taking the advantage of these Diffensions among the Romans raised continually new Commotions and partly because the Souldiers of the fourth Legion incensed against Vitellius were sent for over by Letters from Mutianus in favour of Vespatian In this condition was Britain during the Government of Bolanus when Vitellius was deposed about the tenth Month of his reign He was a great Glutton and so inordinately given to the satisfying of his Appetite that it was the great employment of his Captains from all Provinces to provide him the most delicate Fares he is reported at one Supper to have been served with two thousand dishes of the choicest Fish seven thousand of Fowl and in the short time of his Reign Tacitus saith he had wasted nine hundred millions of Sestercies which amounteth to about seven millions sterling He was by nature bloody insolent and haughty during his Prosperity and as base and dejected in Adversity He had not courage after his Defeat to die like a Roman much less an Emperour but lived to the reproaches of an Ignominious death With his hands bound behind him and a Rope about his neck he was led through the Market place the People all along reviling him unto the place of Execution
more I could name had I time besides many Usages and Customes in England which participate of both Languages alike To instance in the Compounds of Iavel a British word signifying a Tenure among the Welch we find Gavel-kind Sand-Gavel Gavel Oat Swine-Gavel and many others Why therefore may not Ludgate be Luds-Gate although it hath both Languages mixt in it Let us hear therefore Verstegan's ingenious Derivation Ludgate saith he is as much as to say Leodgate or the Peoples-Gate Leod signifying People Here Mr. Sheringham asks him but a reasonable question What did the People pass only through this Gate and the Bards and Druids through the other only And I may demand of him also upon what grounds he supposeth the Concourse of People to have been greater through this Gate than any other Indeed since the Suburbs have been built and increased above the greatness of the City and since his MAJESTY and the late Kings of England for many successions have been pleased to live in the Western parts of them the Trade by necessity hath been drawn into these quarters and so Ludgate hath been made the greatest Thorow-fare but before the Suburbs were built or before they were brought into Credit by his MAJESTIES Royal Person and Court or when the Kings of England lived in the City it self How came Ludgate to be the Gate of the People more than of the rest Neither is Lelands Opinion any thing more to be embraced who calleth it Fludgate from the little Rivolet running beneath it It is a thousand pities for the sake of this invention that the Gate was not built upon the Rivulet but now as the case standeth this most miserable Derivation is not to be helped out but by a faith that is able to remove Mountains Let therefore King Lud enjoy the Honour of that Structure whose very mute Statue as Mr. Sheringham saith seems to call out against those who would deprive him of it But besides these two Magnificent Works the Wall and the Gate this Prince is said to have taken such exceeding delight in this City that he built himself a Palace not far from Ludgate supposed by some to have been in the place where the Bishop of Londons Palace stood Others think at Bernards Castle he is thought to have built a Temple also not far from his Court where St. Pauls Cathedral afterwards stood and by these great Works and his continual residence in that City the name of Troy-novant was changed into London or Lundain that is the residency of King Lud. The British Histories write that the changing the name from Troy-novant into Lundain was the cause of great dissension between King Lud and a bold Commander of those times Nennius who eagerly opposed this Innovation whereby the Memory of Troy which so long bad been preserved would be utterly abolished But this story is very much suspected of late to have been altogether Fabulous and there are other Derivations given of the Name of that most Famous City Erasmus brings it from a City in Rhodes called Lindus but this is rejected by Mr. Cambden who in the place of it puts down two Conjectures The first is That seeing the Britains called any place fenced with Trees a Town or City which they expressed by the word Lihwn that this City by way of Excellence might be named the Lihwn and afterwards by corruption London But the second is more probable That it was called London from Lihong signifying in the British Tongue a Ship and Dinas in the same Language a City so that it is as much as the City of Ships And to confirm this Opinion he proves that it was called Anciently Longidinium and by an Old British Bard Lihong-Porth that is a Harbour of Ships In my thoughts this seems to be the truest Etymologie of that most honourable City which in all Ages hath been a place of great Traffick and Commerce with the whole World and by the convenience of its Scituation upon so Navigable a River can receive Ships of great Burthen and in great Multitudes so that the Masts of them appear to be what the Britains called Llhwun namely Woods and Forrests As concerning the Name of TROY-Novant by which this City is supposed to have formerly been called because I am now taking my leave of the British History and am come to the time of the Romans I will freely put down my Conjecture Nant in the British Tongue or Novant for they are both one as Mr. Cambden shews signifies a Valley and Cre Cri or Cra a City and both taken from the Phoenicians as I have shewn by several Places in Cornwal Crinovant therefore is as much as the City of the Vallies for the People who were under the subjection of this City lived Low upon the River Thames and the whole Region in a manner lay in a Valley so that they may be supposed to have been called as other places have been upon the same account Noantes Novantes or Nantuates and this City Crinovant or the City of the Novantes the similitude of which Name as I have shewn in another place gave occasion to those who began the Trojan Original to call it Troy-novant or the New-Troy King LUD after he had Reigned eleven years and was Interr'd in his Temple near Ludgate left behind him two Sons Androgeus and Theomantius Com. Pal. saith that this Lud was Sir-named Immanuentius and was slain by his Brother Cassibelan at Troy-novant and that his eldest Son Androgeus was Sir-named Mandubratius and was the same Prince of the Trinobantes whom we find in Caesar's Commentaries to have sled into Gallia and to have put himself under the protection of Caesar. Of this Mandubratius I shall have occasion to speak in the History of the Romans in this Island whom we shall find Invading it in the next Kings Reign called cassibelanus And seeing now we are come to the Times of the Roman Histories the Authority of which is unquestionable I shall faithfully Collect the Government of Britain under their Emperours from the Latin Writers themselves yet not altogether so as to neglect absolutely the British Histories in the Lives of their Kings and the Circumstances of their Government This I do because that the Histories of the Romans concerning this Island as their Government in it is often broke off and interrupted and those Breaches are supplied by the continuance of the British Succession but I shall place the Roman History in the first place as infinitely surpassing the British in its Authority and all along the British History shall be set under it as attending only and subservient to it THE NAMES OF THE Roman Emperours WHO GOVERNED THIS ISLAND FROM The first Invasion thereof by Julius Caesar until it was quitted of the Roman Jurisdiction by Honorius immediately before the Entrance of the Saxons AND A Catalogue of the Lieutenants employed by them JULIUS CAESAR The first Invader of the Britains after whose Second
assistance of the Romans first having tried what they could do by freeing themselves from Forreign Yoak grown as weary of their Liberty as they had been formerly of Bondage sent unto Honorius humbly craving his Protection to which Message they received no other answer but in Words by which he exhorted them to stand upon their own Guard and so quitted them of the Roman Jurisdiction Thus ended this famous Empire of the Romans first in Britain and not long after in Italy it self having born chief sway in this Island though never wholly conquered nor at one time intirely possest for the space of four hundred sixty two years if we account from the first arrival of Julius Caesar to the taking of Rome by Alarick in which year Honorius wrote those Letters of Discharge Britain thus deserted by the Romans was left unable to defend it self having all the flower and choice of her Youth drawn out to serve in the Roman Garrisons abroad whilest others had forsaken their Country to follow the Ambition of such Tyrants whom they had headily advanced to the Purple Robe and having Possessions given them in Gaul never returned so that before I proceed to set down the Calamities of the Britains when left to themselves and their own Counsels it will not be amiss to shew how from time to time the Romans drew out their Youth and what numbers attended the Tyrants which were so frequently advanced in the latter daies of the Empire when there was no end of their Levies out of Britain To begin with the Romans first Trebellius Maximus transported into Germany a great number of British Souldiers to make good the Faction of Vitellius against Otho Honorius Flaccus in the same cause sent out eight thousand chosen Souldiers Albinus in the bloody Battle at Lyons against Severus the Emperour lost fifty thousand Men most of which were of the British Cavalry This loss laid the Province naked and left it open to the Insolence and Violence of Forreign Invaders and Constantine the Great as Malmsbury reporteth carried out such numbers with him that to their Assistance especially he owed his Victories and the Empire of the whole World Afterwards he planted them on the West-coast of France called Armorica next drawing out those Souldiers who lay for the defence of the Marshes and Fronteirs he seated them in other parts of the Continent carried some into the East and instead of those Living-strengths he built Castles and Forts which seized by the Enemy proved continual annoyances to the Britains Maximus the Tyrant who slew Gratian the Emperour levied vast numbers of Britains and transported them into Gaul and Ninnius writeth that he would not send them home again but gave unto them many Countries even from the Pool or Meer which lieth above Mount Jovis unto the City that is called Cantguic and unto Curcocchidient And he that annexed brief Notes unto Ninnius reporteth how truly I cannot tel the Armorican Britains which are beyond Sea attending Maximus in his Expedition when they could not return wasted the Western-coasts of Gaul and when they had married their Wives and Daughters cut out all their Tongues for fear lest the succeeding Progeny should learn their Mother Language whereupon we call them in our Tongue Lhet vydion that is Half-silent or Tongue-ty'd because they speak confusedly Constantius who was elected only for his Name transported most of the flower and strength of the Britains into Gallia and Spain where in his Quarrel many of them perished and the rest never returned having Seats allotted them in the West of Gaul or else followed the Emperour in his Wars Hence it is that Prosper Aquitanus wrote thus At this instant of time in respect of the decay of the Roman Forces the power and strength also of the Britains was brought low and unable to make resistance For which cause and occasion our Historiographer of Malmsbury speaks thus When the Tyrants had rid the Country of all save half Barbarians none were there either in Towns or Cities but who gave themselves upto Epicurism Britain now forgetting the use and practice of good Arts and wanting assistance of vigorous Youth for a long time lay open to the Mercy of Ravening mouths that confin'd upon her which was evidenced by the Incursions of the Picts and Scots many lost their lives Cities were subverted Villages fired insomuch as all lay naked and low to express the Rage and Fury of merciless Invaders The Islanders in this streight after they had buryed their Wealth much of which hath been since found chose rather to flie unto the Mountain-Country than to stand the hazard of a set Battle purposing after that to go to Rome to request assistance But to little purpose for Valentinian the Third as he was not able to recover either Spain France or Asrick Provinces rent by violence from him so could he not be able to answer their expectation And Gildas for this very cause much pities the dejected case of the Britains For saith he Britain was despoyled of all their Armed-men her Military Forces Governours although cruel they were and of a mighty number of her stout hard-hearted Youths For besides those whom the Tyrant and Usurper Maximus and the last Constantine carried with them it appeareth by ancient inscriptions and the Book called Notitia Provinciarum that these Companies here-under written were employed by the Romans in War dispersed in Parties over their Provinces which exhausted very much the principal fighting men in Britain it self Ala Britannica Milliaria Ala quarta Britonum in AEgypto Cohors prima AElia Britonum Cohors tertia Britonum Cohors septima Britonum Cohors 26 Britonum in Armenia Britanniciani sub Magistro peditum Invicti juniores Britanniciani inter Auxilia Palatina Exculcatores Jun. Britan. Britones cum Magistro Equitum Galliarum Invicti Juniores Britones intra Hispanias Britones Seniores in Illyrico So that it will be no wonder when we shall read the following Calamities and downfall of the Britains that being reduced to so small a number and worn out with the continual Incursions of their Enemies the Picts and Scots deserted by their Ancient Protectours the Romans they were constrained to call in another Nation to their assistance who quickly imposed a Yoak upon them so much the more heavy and grievous than the former inasmuch as the Roman Civility exceeded the Rudeness of the Primitive Saxons But before we proceed to these Relations let us see the British History in the daies of this Honorius THE British History In the Daies of HONORIUS UNTO VORTIGERN Who brought in the SAXONS THE Britains upon dislike to Honorius for that he had slain Stilico who by the report of our Histories did great Service for them chose Marcus for their King but him not found agreeable to their humour they slew and set up Gratianus Municeps in his stead a Britain born but a great Tyrant so that not enduring him above four months they kill'd
lessened and judging withal that Superiority was due to him not only from that but other Kingdoms from the priority of time wherein Kent was settled taking up Arms began to invade his Neighbours and by open claim to assert the Right of an universal Monarchy But not well weighing the strength of his Neighbours and measuring his own Power rather by the number of his Levies than the goodness of his Men by long peace unaccustomed to War he was miserably baffled by Keaulin King of the West-Saxons an old experienced Souldier who with Cutha his Son leading an Army trained up in Wars and well fledged with Victories obtained against the Britains twice defeated him and at last drove him into his own Territories The first place of Battel is not mentioned that which seemeth to be the last was at Wiphandun wherein two Kentish Earls Oslave and Cnebban lost their lives And this is the first War the Saxons had among themselves since their entring the Island Ethelbert taught by these defeats that the success of War depends not on the eagerness of desire to conquer but the steady management of the means referred the repairing of his losses to a more convenient time and the event proved accordingly for being come to riper years and Keaulin his grand Opposer removed by death in a short time he stretched his Empire over the most considerable parts of the Island all the Kingdoms on this side Humber either by force or composition being brought entire under his obedience And he is worthily reckoned the sixth Monarch of the English men Thus grown great he takes to wife Bertha the French King Chilperick's Daughter whom St. Gregory as will appear in his Epistle writ to her calls Adelberga she was a Christian and by Covenant of Marriage was to enjoy the exercise of her Religion to that end she brought over with her Letard a Bishop under whose care and instructions he daily exercised the Christian Profession The King as yet and all his People continued in the worship of the Saxon Idolatry and whether by the negligence of Letard who perhaps contented himself in the freedom of private devotion or that the King taken up in Wars had not the leasure to examine into their Faith or lastly that God in his infinite wisdom reserved the Conversion of our Nation to other hands certain it is that neither the example of the Queen nor the preaching of Letard have left any tokens or Records of effects proportionable to such advantages as might be expected from an open and sincere Profession St. Gregory in one of his Epistles following highly taxes the negligence of the French Clergy in not taking care of the Saxons Cenversion and Bede out of Gildas laies it to the charge of the British But in what capacity as to Life and Manners they were in to perform so charitable an office take out of Gildas himself as it is most elegantly translated by Mr. Milton Nothing better were the Clergy but at the same pass or rather worse than when the Saxons came first in unlearned unapprehensive yet impudent subtle Prowlers Pastors in name but indeed Wolves intent upon all occasions not to feed the flock but to pamper and well line themselves not called but seizing on the Ministry as a Trade not as a Spiritual charge teaching the People not by sound Doctrine but by evil Example usurping the Chair of Peter but through the blindness of their own Worldly lusts they stumble upon the Seat of Judas deadly haters of truth broachers of lies looking on the poor Christian with eyes of pride and contempt but sawning on the wickedest Rich men without shame great promoters of other mens Alms with their set exhortations but themselves contributing ever least slightly touching the many vices of the Age but preaching without end their own grievances as done to Christ seeking after preferments and degrees in the Church more than after heaven and so gained make it their whole study how to keep them by any tyranny Yet lest they should be thought things of no use in their eminent places they have their nicities and trivial points to keep in awe the superstitious Multitude But in true saving knowledge leave them still as gross and stupid as themselves bunglers at the Scripture nay forbidding and silencing them that know but in Worldly matters practiced Cunning jhisters in that only art and symony Great Clerks and Masters bearing their heads high but their thoughts object and low He taxes them also as gluttonous incontinent and daily drunkards And what shouldst thou expect from these poor Laity So he goes on These beasts all belly shall these amend thee who are themselves laborious in evil doings shalt thou see with their eyes who see right forward nothing but gain leave them rather as bids our Saviour left ye fall both blindfold into the same perdition Are all thus Perhaps not all or not so grossly But what availed it Eli to be himself blameless while he connived at others that were abominable Who of them hath been envied for his better life who of them hath hated to consort with these or withstood their entring the Ministery or endeavoured zealously their casting out Yet some of these perhaps by others are legended for great Saints This was the state of the Church among the Britains scarce likely to convert others who were so much perverted among themselves but whether or no they were in a condition among so much hostility to preach the Gospel of Peace supposing they had men well-meaning thereunto amongst them in a thing so far distant is not easily determinable Certain it is that the Conqueror with less prejudice receives Religion from any than the persons conquered And this might be the cause that notwithstanding the Christian Faith shone round about yet the intire Conversion of the Saxons is owing to the See of Rome which at that time was possessed by GREGORY afterwards Sirnamed the Great and for his upright behaviour in this and other like occasions worthily Cannoniz'd for a Saint Now the first occasions of this great work and the methods by which it proceeded because it hath been of so high concern to our Nation as which still bears influence among us I shall not stick more particularly to relate out of faithful Historians and Ancient Records yet extant The Original motives which induced Gregory to this great undertaking Venerable Bede thus relates as he received it down by tradition The Report goeth that on a certain day when upon the coming of Merchants lately arrived great store of Wares was brought together into the Market-place at Rome for to be sold and many Chapinen flocked together for to buy Gregory also himself among others came thither and saw with other things Boyes set to sale for Bodies fair and white of Countenance sweet and amiable having the Hair also of their head as lovely and beautiful whom when he wistly beheld he demanded as they say from what Country or Land they
breaking out besides AEtna Epopos Mosychlus Lemnos Liparae were so called From Heat Sulchi from Cold Calaris From the North-Wind called by the Phoenicians Carban Carbasia took name from the South Lacter from the West Jammona From Darkness the Cimmerii From Greatness Cibara Samatho Symaethus Cypara From Length Motyr from Breadth Ampsaga from Narrowness Massicytus Ichus Ocha Capsa From the gaping of the Earth Chalcis Nisyrus From Bending Lydia Hexi Camicus Cephalaedis From its Round form Gaulus From its sharp Point Drepanum Lindus From its inward Position Bithinia From its Corners Carna and Syme For extream Distance Mauritania Iberia Cerne Acabe the Mountain Cassius From Rocks and Stony places Tyrus Cilicia Celenderis Cragus Ios Scyrus Seriphus Prepesinthus Pholegandrus Cythera Cytheron Solois Dertossa Mountains Ilipa Ilerda Illiberis Gebennae Allabroges Elymi Phocenses Entella Eryx Alontium Abacaenum Inessa Hibla Herea Maro Arne Helicon Samos Zacynthus Telus Mylias From being in low Places Hispalis Amyca Ustica Nantuates From Firmness Strength and Defence Amanus Itanus Butoe Neetum Herbita took their Names Byrsa Cersina Tarraco Acesta Echesta Acragas from their Forts Pachinus from its Watch-Tower From the Pleasantness of the Places the ELYSIAN Fields the description and name of which Places the Greeks had from the Phoenicians and turned into Fables Hypsa Enna Ichana Aganippe Jalissus Zuchabari From its Antiquity Utica took name From its new Foundation Carthada or Carthago which is as much as The NEW CITY CHAP. IV. Whether the First Planters of this Island came by Sea or Land and Whether BRITAIN was ever part of the Continent THAT this ISLAND hath been joyned to the Opposite Continent by a narrow Isthmus between Dover and Bullen or thereabouts hath been the Opinion of many As of Antonius Volsius Dom. Marius Niger Servius Honoratus our Country man John Twine and the French Poet Du Bartas That this has been the fortune of most Islands in the World we may read in Pliny who makes Cyprus to be rent from Syria Eubaea from Baotia Besbicus from Bithinia with divers others nay the Confinity of the two Promontories of Calpe and Abyla in the Streights of Gibraltar has been the cause why some have imagined that Europe and Africa were in Ancient times conjoyned and hath given occasion to some Geographers themselves to make Africk part of Europe As these Opinions carry some pleasure with them by reason of the Novelty and strangeness of them so do we find they were most made use of by men of Fancy rather than Judgment to imbellish and adorn their Histories with that they might render thereby more delightful to the Reader Among which not to name many Pliny may be reckoned for one whom we alwaies find catching at any thing that was strange and uncoutch'd and although his History by some might be thought the more delightful yet assuredly to such as understand it it proves more suspected and so less useful But that this should be used by the Poets is no wonder whose business is not to follow Truth exactly but content themselves with the Possibility of things studying alwaies what Opinion is most pleasant Of this nature was he who turned the Verses of Sicily unto Britany Britannia quondam Gallorum pars una fuit sed Pontus aestus Mutavêre situm rupit confinia Nereus Victor abscissos interluit aequore Montes Britain and Gaul was once one piece of Land Till furious Billows did divide the Strand Now Nereus 'twixt two Cliffs victorious rides And washes both the Shoars with swelling Tides We shall find this such a Trade amongst the Poets that Lucan was hard at work about the Isthmus in Peloponnesus for after that the Sea had play'd upon it for the space of two or three pretty Ingenious Verses at last down fell that little Damm which Five thousand years separated the two Seas And with no small noise and impetuosity Ionium AEgeo frangit Mare I must confess Judicious Virgil treating of the Narrow Seas between Sicily and Italy speaks of the breach the Sea made Hesperium Siculo latus abscidit but puts in the word Siculum to corroborate his Authority without which he judged the Opinion too light and trivial The very Name of Sicily which before was called Trinacria and the Promontory Regium upon the very Streight of Sicily betokening by its signification a BREACH because at that very place the Sea breaking through the Earth might be some inducement for any to think it once part of Italy The constant Tradition in all Ages has been so and to this day it is accounted part of Naples or Naples part of it as mens thoughts shall please to render it so that the King of Spain is stiled REX UTRIUSQUE SICILIAE But for this Island of BRITAIN there was never any such Tradition neither doth there remain any signs or tokens of any name of a place that signifies any thing relating to it nay on the contrary Dover where this Breach is supposed as it is derived in great probability by Mr. Lambard it comes from the word Dufyrrha which in the British Language betokeneth a place steep and upright an evident sign of the Antiquity of those Cliffs and Breaches so that what may be gathered out of the Name is not indifferent but makes absolutely to the contrary Indeed for the Isle of Wight being part of England there is some probability from the Name as it signifies in the British Tongue SEPARATION When Mr. Cambden had sought on both Shoars to find some Place or Promontory whose Name might have any thing in it that signified a BREACH but finding none yet will needs set down Vitland which we call Vitsan near unto Backness in all likelyhood was that Itium Caesar writes of from whence into Britain he Records was the best and convenientest passage and so continued until Vitsan Haven was quite stopped up It is to be observed that in such Breaches the Name and Memory of the Separation ought to be sought for on that side of the Shoar which containeth the Minor part of the Division As for Example The word SICILY was given to Trinacria and not to Italy And WIGHT to that little Island and not to England For to speak properly Sicily and Wight were separated from Italy and England and not Italy and England from them so that if we enquire for the Memory of this Breach made between France and England we must examine our own Shoar where we can find nothing that makes for it but absolutely against it The word Vitsan I lately spake of must be derived from Gwith or it maketh nothing for their Opinion and I leave it to any to judge whether Vitland or Vitsand formerly called Itium by Caesar can claim its derivation from thence or whether upon that account it is any thing more reasonable to ground a Separation once made from the Continent than by the word Dehofden by which name the Dutch call their Streights and which signifies two Promontories who
Neither could I find any other Reason excepting the general decay of the Sea in all Parts why those Coasts once lying under Water ever became dry Lands That this has happened in other parts of the World is plain viz. That the Water hath left many places it once possessed Hybanda an Island once of Ionia in Pliny's daies was Two hundred stadia from the Sea likewise Ortygia is now become a Peninsula by a neck of Ground the Sea hath either left or flung up I am very certain there are many more Examples in the World of Peninsula's made than destroyed Here I am not to be understood as though I speak of the Lunary Tide but of the general and constant Flux of Waters Let A be this Isthmus that disjoyns C France and B Britain D D D the North Sea about the thirteenth Parallel and uttermost parts of Scotland now this North Sea equally slows upon the Isthmus A and the same opposite Parallel E so that when the Flood is at A or between Dover and Bullen it will likewise be the same time at E about South Wales and so going round about the Point F it comes to the other side of the Isthmus A and there raises the Waters at G so that the passage of the North Sea lying so open by E and F there can be no difference of the height of Waters at A and G which cannot be in the Red Sea there being no passage for the Red Sea into the Mediterranean nor is it possible that the Waters of the Mediterranean can be raised on the other side of that Isthmus by the Red Sea there being no way for the Waters of the Red Sea to come into the Mediterranean but round about Africk and so thorow the Streights of Gibraltar The like may be said of that Isthmus of ground in the West Indies between Pannama and Nombre de Dios for now there is no passage from the Pacifick Sea Core Mar del Zur into the Atlantick Ocean so that one Sea may be higher than another but it cannot be so with this English Isthmus as hath been already shewn But granting that the North Sea about Britain D D D be higher than the Southern Sea coming in at F yet will not the Shoar H which we suppose to be Holland and the Neatherlands be any thing the more under Water by reason of the Isthmus A stopping the passage of the Water because as was said before of the free course of the Northern Sea by E F and G to the same Isthmus on the South-side So that if we could make an Isthmus from England to France yet would it not endanger the Low Countries as we see in the Isthmus in Peloponnesus the Sea is equally high on both sides because of the short passage the Waters have round that Peninsula so although the nature of one side of the Sea and its scituation should be higher yet it comes to a Level because in so short a turn it would raise the Waters on the other side But how comes it to pass that the Sea on the North side of the Isthmus is higher than the South when as the Inland Sea lying on the north and west of the Red Sea is lower But this amongst Verstegans other Opinions and Demonstrations saies is plain as from the Current of Water which runs from the North Sea so that Old Shippers of the Neatherlands say The Voyage from Holland to Spain is shorter by a day and a halfs sayling than from Spain to Holland This may proceed from several Reasons as the insensible quickness of some Winds from some Corners over others and the conveniency of Sea-Marks which are not the same in going and returning although in the same Voyage The Arguments to prove that the Sea was higher on the North side than the South side of this supposed Isthmus are taken from the sundry flats on the North side whereby the bottom of the Sea is supposed to be higher than the bottom of that Sea on the South side and consequently the SEA also To consute this let us first consider If there had been such an Isthmus of Land the Sea working forceably upon it from the North side would have carried the Earth of that Isthmus southward so that for some space of Sea the bottom would be shallower Southerly than Northerly but we find it to the contrary for on the North side the Ryff which is supposed a Relick of that Isthmus we find twenty five Fathom on the South twenty seven besides farther you go Northerly the deeper the Sea is excepting some Shelves as off of Harlem eight or nine miles within the Sea begins De breed Verthien reaching along the Coast of Holland to the Plain of Ameland where it endeth To manifest this I will set down the sounding of the North-Sea from the Foreland Depths of the North Sea from the Fore-land IN the Channel from England Fore-land and the Sands of Flanders you have twenty four Fathom without the Shoald between Zealand and the Texell is twenty six Fathom as far as the Shoald which the Fishers call Dog sand or Doggar bank In the Channel on England side over against Yarmouth is thirty five Fathom And against Flambrough and Scarborough point is thirty eight Fathom where the White-shelf called Dog-sand beginneth from nine to sixteen Fathom and so reaches Northward so that the Depth encreases Northwards excepting these Shoalds All these things laid together any Judicious mans Opinion may be convinced that the Isthmus here supposed is a meer Fiction and that it could not be the cause of drowning the Neatherlands they having been Sea long after this Isthmus could ever be in the World as I have shewn Were there an Isthmus now risen out of the Earth it could not in the least endanger the Neatherlands I shall add this that in those Countries that are Peninsula's we see the Isthmus lies on the end and not on the sides of the Country and where the Sea hath made a separation yet there has remained some Neck of Ground that hath shot it self into the Sea sharper and sharper till it ended in a Point an evident sign that the Sea has wrought away the Earth before it But to make a Neck of Ground on the flat part of England and France of twenty miles in length and six in breadth to be joyned to a Couple of plain and flat Clyffs seems rather to build a Bridge than to evidence an Isthmus As for that Argument How Wolves and Foxes came into England I think it altogether unnecessary to build them a Passage for the same Reasons that induced Noah to preserve their kind would also perswade men to Transport them for their nature was not unknown to Noah neither are those Creatures without their use in Countries that are not thoroughly Inhabited God having so ordered the natures of Animals that one should destroy another least the Beast of the field should too much increase upon Man So that in
all taken Prisoners The Silures made good use of this good success and in scornful manner sent about the Captives to the Neighbouring States as Presents at once revenging themselves on the Romans and encouraging others to assist them in their Revolt by making them partake of the guilt And that these Captives might be more acceptable they sent along with them much spoil by all which Arts they procured many to declare for them Ostorius now tired out with so vexatious an Enemy and sensible how he lost daily in his Reputation died for very anguish and grief the Britains triumphing that although no particular Fight yet the adverse War had taken off so considerable a Commander Caesar hearing of the death of his Lieutenant immediately chooses AULUS DIDIUS to succeed him giving him Orders to hasten to his Command the Affairs of Britain being in that tottering condition that they wanted a speedy Governour He came not so soon hither but that before his Arrival a Legion under Manlius Valens met with an unlucky and disasterous Fight The losses on the Roman side though great enough yet were higher reported by the Silures partly to hearten their new Allies and partly to discourage the new Governour But he made better use of it and in his Letters to Rome raising the Defeat much higher thinking thereby that if he should quell the Britains the Honour would be greater and the Disgrace less if he failed THE LIFE OF CLAUDIUS ABOUT this time died CLAUDIUS the first Emperour that subdued this Island and reduced it into the nature of a Province much celebrated for his British Conquests the only honour of his Reign but far happier in the choice of worthy Commanders than his own Conduct The calamity of Britain was so much the more to be lamented in that it stooped to a Prince of very small Endowments and yet worshipped him as a God whom Historians can scarce allow to be a Man For as he was desirous of Glory which in him could rather be called Instinct than Vertue so was he withal so dull and stupid that in his Child-hood he was the grief of all his Parents and in his riper years the Laughing-stock of Galigula and the sport of the whole Court. After his Inauguration which was attended with odd circumstances of folly although Majesty covered his face yet through all even then were his defects visible They adored him most whose approaches were at greater distance and though he awed the World yet was he made a Property to his Wives and Domesticks After thirteen years swaying rather holding the Scepter he was poysoned by his Wife Agrippina and whilest the Romans were employed in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or making him a God there were others no less busie in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conversion into a Mushrome her beloved but fatal Diet. But one Action of his is not to be omitted He abolished the Religion of the Druids throughout all Gallia the exercise whereof for its bloody Rites and Ceremonies had been only banished the City by Augustus And no doubt he would have done the same through Britain had the success of his Arms been as great here towards the end of his Reign as the beginning In the time of this Emperour there served in Britain three Legions viz. the second Legion Augusta the ninth Legion Hispaniensis and the fourteenth named Gemina Martia Victrix NERO. NERO succeeded in the Empire a Prince idle and dissolute he continued Didius in his employment but afterwards was minded to withdraw all his Forces from Britain and to dismantle the Country but shame deterred him and a fear least by that means he should seem to dislike the Counsels of Claudius which at that time were very popular Didius was well stricken in years and therefore better fitted for the present Affairs which required rather a Cautious than an Active Commander and so we find him for having in some measure put a stop to the Incursions of the Silures and cooped them up within their bounds he set himself altogether to secure what his Predecessors Plautius and Ostorius had gained But least it might be said he did nothing in the Island he built here and there a few Garrisons higher in the Country And now there brake out a dissension among the Britains which continued for many years for it seemeth by Tacitus who relateth it entirely in two distinct places that it began under this Didius and lasted to the daies of Vespasian and was the occasion of much vexation to the Romans during their Civil Wars with Galba Otho and Vitellius The occasion and progress of it I will set down together although it was the business of many years following with the same Reasons for so doing that Tacitus gives for fear least if told in parcels it would not be so well fitted for memory After Caratacus had been taken there was none in the whole Island that was thought equal in Arms to VENUTIUS a Prince of the Brigantes He was by nature fierce and by inclination a most mortal hater even of the name of a Roman But this his Austereness to them was something allayed by his marriage with Cartismandua a Queen of great power and authority and a constant Favouress of the Roman Interest not only to oblige her the more he dissembled his hatred to the Romans totally closed with them and so submitted to their Protection But nothing could engage the heart of treacherous Cartismandua but she who had betrayed her Country proved false to her Lord and Husband forsaking him and descending to the embraces of of Vellocatus his Groom whom afterwards she made Partner of her Bed and Kingdom Venutius deeply touched with this open Injury raised Forces against her and her Paramour and first the War continued between them only the Good will of the Country being on Venutius his side and on hers Lust treachery and deceit This one would have thought was a very unequal match and yet it held up long on both sides for Cartismandua by usual arts and practices had trained and got into her possession the Brother and near Relations of Venutius which for some time strengthned her Party having so many of the Royal Family at her disposal But the People fearing the cruelty of her nature that in time she might do Violence to them and jealous to be brought under the uncomely subjection of a Woman the Male Issue being extinct unanimously declared in favour of Venutius and for the liberty of his Brother and Relations And now there seemed nothing could hinder the punishment of her Adulteries but the Interposition of the Romans And Venutius perceiving them to draw together and knowing well the Obligations that Queen had done them in betraying Caratacus and adorning the Triumph of Claudius kept a jealous eye over them and found that they held secret Intelligence with her and seemed to defer the owning of her Cause only till greater strength should arrive This
he resolves to prevent in time and therefore with what Forces he had he set furiously on those Cohorts who were already assembled and at the first charge made great slaughter of them and so presently with some losses retired There was a Legion coming to joyn with them under the Conduct of Caesius Nasica for Didius was old and did all by Deputies Venutius advised of this resolves to be before hand with him meets them in their Journey sets upon them and with the like success retreated Cartismandua now reduced to the greatest extremities thought of nothing but securing her Person by escape to that end she sent to the Romans for a Guard which being granted to her through many Skirmishes and great difficulties got up to her and with much adoe rescued her but the Kingdom was left to Venutius and the War to the Romans to manage Cartismandua as appeareth by Tacitus sheltered her self for a long time under the protection of the Romans bereaft of her Kingdom and in vain expecting assistance from them who either could not or were unwilling to engage too deeply in her Quarrel for it may be more than conjectured out of the same Author that the Romans did yield to Venutius the quiet possession of the Kingdom and would never have molested him could he have but have forgotten that sensible Injury of theirs in interposing their Authority in his domestick Affairs the maintaining the Rebellion of an Adulteress and the open protecting of her Such little favour found she with those persons whom she thought she had so infinitely engaged so that we may leave her like a Strumpet following of the Camp hated by the Britains and without question derided and despised by the generous Romans And no doubt she proved the burthen and clog of their Affairs for in their difficulties during the Civil Wars of Rome under the three succeeding Emperours she was the hated cause that drew the Arms of Venutius upon them VERANIUS a Propetor succeeded Didius a rigid and strict Commander nd perhaps the loose discipline of the Romans under his Aged Predecessor required in him more than ordinary Severity He found at his arrival things in no good posture great slaughter had been made of the Romans which he endeavoured to revenge on the Silures but having made a few inroads into their Country he was prevented by death from proceeding any further leaving this behind him either out of flattery to his Master Nero or insight into the Country that in two years had he lived he would have conquered it all PAULINUS SUETONIUS next obtained the Province who was esteemed a Souldier inferiour to none of his time for two years together he reigned prosperously subduing many Nations and fortifying what he had got with new Garrisons Encouraged with this success and having no small thoughts within him for he was emulous of the glory of Corbalo a Souldier of great reputation in that Age he began to think of new Islands to Conquer Mona or Anglesey at that time was very populous from the concourse of people that fled thither for security and a place of no small annoyance to the Romans for it administred great assistance to the Britains upon all their occasions in their Revolts To Invade this he first built flat-bottomed Boats to carry over his Foot the Horse followed either upon the flats and shallows or else where it was deeper swam it Upon the Shoar slood ready to receive them a strange medly of an Army supposed of Men Women and Priests the Men were well Armed and stood thick the Women and Priests ran up and down after the manner of Furies the former with their Hair ruffled about their ears and in black Garments and the Druids carried Torches before them and with their hands lifted up to heavan poured forth direful Execrations The Romans astonisht at the novelty of the sight stood still as Stocks not being able to stir a foot though receiving many wounds At last a wakened and encouraged by their General and animating one another not to fear a rout of Mad-women and Lunaticks they bore on the Standards trampled down all before them and ran Men and Torches on a heap together Then he placed Garrisons on the Conquered cutting down the Groves consecrated to their bloody Superstition for they held it lawful to sacrifice Captives and to consult their Gods by prying into the Entrails of men But whilst he was busie in this Island his absenoe gave occasion to a general Revolt of the Britains many sore grievances were complained of among which these were reckoned as the chief Prasutagus King of the lceni having for many years hoorded up great store of Wealth to secure it to his two Daughters at his death made Caesar Co-heir with them not doubting but by that signal Testimony of his good will to the Emperour he should preserve his Family from Oppression and his Daughters from dishonour It fell out quite contrary for under pretence of taking possession of the Emperours share his Kingdom was laid waste and robbed by the Centurions and his House ransackt throughout by the ravenous Collectors who behaved themselves with all the licentiousness of Conquerors his Wife Boadicia they whipt her two Daughters ravished c. as if the whole Kingdom by Testament had been left to them The Chiefest of the lceni were dispossest of their ancient Inheritances and the Royal Family turned out and used as Slaves As these unsufferable Insolencies were the cause of the Revolt of the Iceni so the Trinobantes wanted not matter of complaint especially against the Veterans whom they hated with a mortal hatred For they being made a new Colony at Camalodunum now Malden in Essex they violently thrust out the Inhabitants from their Houses seized their Lands and Estates insulting over them as Captives and Slaves anddomineering like Lords in their lawful Possessions The other Souldiers likewise complied with the Veterans and encouraged them in their Licentious proceedings being of the fame Gang and out of hopes hereafter to enjoy the same Liberty The Temple dedicated to Claudius was cause also of great heart-burnings they lookt upon it as the monument and badge of their eternal Servitude and the Priests therein officiating under the pretence of Religious offerings and dues grievously extorted from the People and Catus Decianus the Procurator or Receiver of Tribute renewed the consiscation of their Goods and though they pleaded the remitment thereof by Claudius and a Temple for that purpose erected to his Clemency yet with great Injustice he over-ruled them And which was a more general Oppression Seneca whom one would think a Saint in his Writings having drawn in the Britains to take of him vast sums of mony to the value of 1000000 l. sterling upon promise of easie Loan and to take their own time for the payment on a sudden called it all in at once and that with great violence and extortion The Britains therefore meeting together discoursed their
and his Transactions in Britain his life and death Helvius Pertinax AFTER Commodus was slain PERTINAX was in the Night by Laetus saluted Emperour an Aged Commander and who partly by living long and partly by worthy Actions in the Wars amongst which the British were the chief had worn out the memory of his mean and servile Birth After his admission to the Empire the Senate made Addresses to him that he would admit of Albinus to be his Associate in the Empire This Albinus as hath been shewn before had infinitely obliged the States when he was Lieutenant in Britain by making an Oration against Monarchy which was the cause of their so exceeding affection towards him at this time But Pertinax who in his youth had learned that two of a Trade could never agree and who inwardly knew the disposition of Albinus that he who was so humble and servile to the Senate when a Private man would be but a proud and troublesome Companion in the Throne utterly rejected the motion But that he might not altogether seem to slight the Senate sent him into Britain again with a new Commission to be his Lieutenant Albinus thus removed Pertinax kept a watchful eye over him and sought all means to bring him into disgrace and hatred with the Souldiers to which end he publisht a Letter of Commodus written to his Praefects wherein the Ambitious nature of Albinus seemed to be set forth It was thus Anrelius Commodus Severus To the Praefects Greeting I Suppose you have heard how it was given out that I was slain by a conspiracy of my Domesticks as likewise the Oration of Albinus to my Souldiers that followed thereon wherein he ingratiates himself with the Senate and that not without reason for in that he saith there ought to be a single Person in the Common-wealth and asserts that the whole management of Affairs should of right be in the dispose of the Senate what doth he but by the name of the Senate seek Empire to himself Take heed therefore diligently for you know the Man how he is to be avoided both by Souldiers and People This Letter Pertinax divulged as a mark upon Albinus which so incensed him that he was one of the chief Conspiratours in his death exhorting Julianus who had been fellow Consul with Pertinax to assassine him so that this good Old Emperour was slain by the Praetorian Bands whom in vain he had endeavoured to reduce to Discipline which was the cause of their hatred to him Laetus who had brought him to accept of the Empire either out of Treachery or Fear dared not to interpose in his rescue He reigned according to Eutropius three months Julius Capitolinus and Aurelius Victor write eighty five daies Dio. Herodian and Spartianus two months and twenty eight daies Didius Julianus AFTER the death of Pertinax the Praetorian Bands by a Common-Cryer set the Empire to sale and Julianus who bad most was admitted He was scarce warm in his seat when News was brought that Syria had set up their own General Pescennius Niger and Germany Septimius Severus the latter of whom he never suspected and so was less prepared against He obtained of the Senate that he should be declared an Enemy to the Common-wealth and a day praefixt wherein his Souldiers upon pain of high Treason should come in and Valerius Catulinus was sent to succeed him and Aquilius a Centurion in case of a Refusal to resign his Command had private Orders to kill him All this prevailed not for Severus diligent in his business by quick marches hastned to Rome which so amazed Julianus that he sent Embassadours to him at Ravenna desiring him to accept of half the Empire but Severus disdaining his Profers and still marching Julianus was flain by the same Souldiers that had advanced him who by that action sought to ingratiate themselves with Severus so that he enjoyed his Bargain as Eutropius saies seven months but Spartianus two months only and five daies Dio. saies sixty six daies Albinus being still Lieutenant in Britain Septimius Severus SEVERUS by the death of Julianus having possession of Rome and the Senate the principal strength of the Empire began now to turn his thoughts toward the subduing of Pescennius Niger who all this while contented himself with the name of an Emperour and carefully spent his time at Antioch in the sports and jollities of his Inauguration but before he could safely undertake his Expedition two obstacles were to be removed First the Praetorian Bands and then Albinus who had the possession of the Army in Britain a Party no less stubborn and dangerous To remove the first he commanded them to appear unarmed before him when upbraiding them with their Treachery to Pertinax he casheir'd and banisht them an hundred miles from Rome whereby he not only brake the knot of these Janisaries but infinitely obliged the People This great work being performed the next difficulty is Albinus but he was not so easily to be removed wherefore he craftily ordains him his Caesar and Successour and to create in him a firmer belief of his sincerity he wrote Letters to him wherein he declared how himself being an Old man and Gouty his Sons but Children the Common-wealth stood in need of such a one as he of so full Age and so great Experience These Jacoals took with Albinus so that Severus being now eased of the fear of the British Army marched into Syria in a pitcht Battle overcame Niger and slew him He took the City Bizantium subdued the Adiabenes and Arabians and being full of Honour and Victory returned to Rome All this while Albinus in Britain was dreaming of his Succession but Severus being impatient of an arrival in Power and now desirous of establishing his Posterity in the Empire began to think of making him away To that purpose he sent Murtherers underhand to dispatch him who being discovered by Albinus too late began to take upon him the Empire which during the absence of Severus Britain being so nigh to Rome he might easily have seized Severus finding his Practices discovered disowned them and sent Heraclitus to take possession of Britain Albinus refused to Resign declares for the Empire erects his own Statues and stamped his picture on his Coyns and to justifie himself with the choice of all Britain entred France and near unto Lyons took the Field against Severus He on the contrary declared Albinus Traytour and enemy to the States and assembling all his Forces meets him on the said place and gives him Battle The Army of Albinus as saith Herodian by the Judgment of such of those times who reported more for truth than favours sake far exceeded in Courage that of Severus and was equal to the best of his Illyrian Souldiers the Prime men of the other Party At the first Onset the dispute was hot between them and the Victory for a long time inclined to neither side till the
extendeth or the Mediterranean Gulf doth reach Neither are we ignorant although through fear of You that Infection spread through the bowels of Britain only and proceeded no farther with what rage it might have advanced it self elsewhere if it could have been assured of means to have ranged abroad so far as it desired for it was bounded in by no border of Mountain or River which by Garrisons appointed may be guarded and defended but was as free as the Ships themselves and might notwithstanding we have your Valour and Fortune to relieve us be continually at our elbows to affright us so far as either Sea reacheth or Wind bloweth For that incredible boldness and undeserved success of a few silly Captive Franks in the daies of PROBUS the Emperour came to our remembrance who conveying away certain Vessels from the Coast of Pontus wasted both Greece and Asia and not without great hurt and damage coasting upon Lybia at length took the City Saragose in Sicily a Port-Town in times past highly renowned for Victories at Sea and afterwards passing the Streights of Gibraltar came into the Ocean and so with the Fortunate success of many rash and presumptuous Attempts plainly shewed that nothing can be safe from the desperate boldness of Pirates wherever Ships can touch and have success So therefore by this Your Victory not Britain alone is delivered from Bondage but to all Nations safety is restored which might by the use of the Seas come to as great Perils in time of War as to gain of Commodities in time of Peace Now Spain to pass over the Coast of Gallia with her shoars almost in sight is in security Now Italy now Africk now all Nations even to the Fens of Maeotis are void of perpetual Cares neither are they less joyful the fear of Danger being taken away which to feel as yet necessity had not brought them but they rejoyce so much the more for this that by the direction of Your providence and the powerful concurrence of Your fortune so great a combination of Sea-men is broken their quarters beat up and Britain it self which had given harbour and protection to so long a Conspiracy was made sensible at last of your Victory by her restitution to peace and quietness Not without good cause therefore immediately when You her long wished Revenger and Deliverer was arrived Your Majesty was met with great Triumph and the Britains full of unspeakable Joy ran forth and presented themselves before you with their Wives and Children adoring not only your self whom they esteemed as one descended from Heaven but even the sails and tacklings of that Ship which had brought your Divine Presence on their Shoars And as soon as You had set foot on Land they were ready to prostrate themselves before you that you might as it were walk over the Necks of them who desired you above all things to do it Nor was it a wonder they were so Joyful seeing after their miserable Captivity so many years continued after so long abusing their Wives and the enslaving of their Children at length were they reitored to Liberty at length made Romans at length refreshed with the true light of the Imperial Rule and Government For besides the same of your Clemency and Goodness which was sounded forth by all Nations in Your Countenance Caesar they visibly read the Characters of all Vertues in your Face Gravity in your Eyes Mildness in your Ruddy complexion Bashfulness in your words Justice all which things as by Regard they acknowledged so with shouts of Joy they signified aloud To You they bound themselves by Vow to You they bound their Children yea and to your Children they devoted all the posterity of their Race and Off-spring We truly O perpetual Parents and Lords of Mankind implore this of the Immortal Gods with most earnest supplication and hearty prayer That our Children and their Children and such as shall spring from their Loyns for ever may be dedicated unto You and to those whom you now bring up or shall bring up bereafter For what greater happiness can we wish to them that shall succeed us than to be made partakers of that Felicity which at present we our selves enjoy The Roman Common-wealth doth now intirely possess in Peace and Union whatever formerly at sundry times and in scattered parcels belonged to it and that huge and vast Power which with its own burthen was sunk and riven asunder is now again closely compacted and joyned together by the sure ligaments of the Imperial Government For there is no part of the Earth or Region under Heaven but is either quieted by Fear subdued by Force or else won by Clemency Is there any thing else remaining behind to which the power and ambition of Man can extend beyond the Ocean what is there more than Britain which is so recovered by You that those Nations also adjoyning to it are subject to your Commands There is no occasion to invite you further except the ends of the Ocean which Nature forbiddeth should be sought for All is Yours Most Invincible Princes that is accounted worthy of you hence it proceedeth that you may equally provide for all since all is in your Majesties possession And therefore as heretofore Most Excellent Emperour DIOCLESIAN by Your appointment Asia supplied the Desert places of Thracia with Inhabitants transplanted thither as afterwards Most Excellent Emperour MAXIMIAN by Your orders the Franks at length brought to a pleasant subjection and reduced to Laws have Peopled and manured the empty possessions of the Nervians and the Neighbourhood of Trier so now by your Victories Invincible Constantius Caesar whatsoever lay vacant about Amiens Beavois Trois and Langres begins to flourish with Inhabitants of sundry Nations Moreover Your most loyal City of Autun for whose sake I have a peculiar cause to rejoyce by means of this glorious Victory in Britain hath received many and divers Artificers of whom these Provinces abounded and now by their Workmanship the same City riseth up by repairing her ancient Houses and restoring her publick Buildings and Temples so that now she accounteth her Ancient and friendly Incorporation with Rome renewed with advantage and that she hath You for her Founder SOME OBSERVATIONS Out of the fore-going PANEGYRICK THis is the sum and substance of that Panegyrick inticuled to MAXIMIAN out of which the History of the Wars against Carausius and Alectus is gathered I need not repeat those several Expressions therein which evidently set forth the considerable Power of this Nation united together though under Usurpers their dreadful Preparations by Sea which not only gave Alarums to Spain Gallia and Africk but even to Italy it self and as far as the Mediterranean extended The subduing of these Rebels was esteemed a Victory in which the power and strength of the whole Empire was engaged and that action of Constantius in firing of his Ships at his landing plainly shewed that he reckoned himself fighting for the last stake So
at the sacking of Anxur a Town of the Volsci the Footmen entred into pay and three years after the Horsemen a Footmans pay being but three Asses the least piece of Mony currant amongst them an Horsemans pay was about seven pence being to find themselves necessary Rayment and Provisions out of it Julius Caesar raised it to six or seven of these Asses a day Augustus after the settlement of the Common-wealth setled the Souldiers pay allowing them ten Asses a day so that this pay Monthly amounted to the value of a Roman Crown which was the double value of the French Crown Thus was the Art Military which at first was an honourable Calling by the Ambition of some Princes and the necessity of others made a Mercenary trade and way of livelyhood and which afterwards proved one of the causes of the ruine of the Empire What number a Legion consisted of is uncertain the difference arising from the diversity of times At first it consisted of 3000 Foot and 300 Horse but afterwards increased to four or five thousand and Caius Marius made it up of his own accord without any Decree of Senate to 6200 which number it seldom exceeded Now as of what Number a Legion consisted was uncertain so was the number of Legions afterwards themselves At first they were but four each Consul had two under his command afterwards according as the necessity and circumstance of time required they came to be X XIV XIIX XX and in process of time more Every Legion had a peculiar Name by which it was distinguisht from the rest which it commonly took either from the order of the Muster or Inrollment as first second third and ninth Legion or from the place of the Warfare as Macedonica Britannica or from their General as Augusta Vitelliana or from some Accident as Victrix Fulminatrix A Legion consisted of ten Companies or Cohorts and every Cohort consisted of three small Companies or Maniples viz. a Maniple of the Hastati a Maniple of the Principes and another of the Triarii These three sorts of Souldiers were separated by distance of place from front to back so was every Battle divided into his Maniples and these were divided by little allies and waies one from another that the Hastati who ever in front began the Battle if they found themselves unable to sustain the shock of the Enemy might retreat and withdraw themselves through those Allies into the distances which were between the Principes and Triarii where they rested themselves while the Principes charged the Enemy But if the Officers thought it convenient they clapt them both into one Body and so charged the Enemy in gross and in case this did not take effect to their minds they retired again into the distances between the Triarii and so they gave the last onset all three Bodies being united together This way of fighting was commonly used by Caesar who never was known to have used the former but only in a case of great necessity in his Wars against the Britains These three several sorts of Souldiers made three several sorts of Battles The Hastati who were alwaies placed in the Front were called Acies prima behind these in convenient distance stood the Principes termed Acies secunda and behind them in like manner the Triarii and made Aciem tertiam The Velites are omitted as being no part of their standing Battles and the other three sorts of Souldiers to be distinguisht from these were termed Milites subsignani for these Velites being not divided into Bands had consequently no Ensigns of their own but were distributed amongst other Companies so that every Maniple had forty Velites attending upon it When the Consuls had pitcht upon the number of Souldiers they gave the Oath the Tribunes pickt out the poorest and weakest sort and called them Velites who sustained the same place as our forlorn hope but those that promised in the aspect better Valour and besides Persons of more considerable Fortunes were termed Hastati the strongest and lustiest body'd Men from the prime of their Age were termed Principes and the eldest and best experienced Triarii As a Maniple contained two Centuries or Orders so a Century consisted of an hundred Men and was the least Company in a Legion but when a Legion was ready to joyn Battle with the Enemy the least Body it contained was a Maniple The two Orders being joyned together in every Order was a Centurion or Captain and a Lieutenant also whom they termed Optio or Turgiductor Those that had Command over a thousand Footmen were called Tribuni militum he that was Generalissimo and had the Command of the whole Army was called Imperator and his Lord Lieutenant Legatus The chiefest Weapon used by them was the Pile which is described thus by Polybius To be a casting-Dart the staff whereof is almost three Cubits long and had an hands breadth in thickness the Staves were armed with an head of Iron equal in length to the Staff it self but in that sort half the head was fastned up to the middle of the Staff with plates of Iron like the head of an Halbert and the other half stuck out of the end of the Staff like a Pike containing about one fingers breadth in thickness and so decreasing less and less unto the point which was barbed This Head was so slender that the weight of the Staff would bend it as it stuck Lipsius saith an hands breadth for the Staff in thickness was too unweildy to be managed by any mans hand therefore he interprets it to be four Inches in circuit if the Staff were either round or square But Patricius in his Parallel maketh the Staff to have an hands breadth in the Butt end but the rest of the Staff he maketh to decrease Taper-wise unto the head of the Iron where it hath the thickness of a mans singer and so it answereth both in form and weight to a Pestle from whence it had its name as Varro noteth Quod hostes feriret ut Pilum The Legionary Souldiers had no other offensive Weapon than one or two Piles at most and their Swords by which it may be gathered all their Victories came by buckling at hand-blows for they came alwaies so near before they cast their Pile that they left themselves no more time than might conveniently serve to draw their Swords Neither would their Arms of defence which were compleat besides a large Target which they carried on their left Arm suffer them to make any long pursuit or continued chase whensoever a light armed Enemy did make any speedy Retreat This Target according to Polybius contained two foot and a half in breadth and four foot in length of what form or fashion soever they were of There were two sort of Targets in use amongst the Legionaries the one oval the other of equal latitude and resembled the fashion of a Gutter-tyle and was called Scutum imbricatum The substance of this Target was a double Board
King and his Nobility which seemeth to me very improbable having before shewn that the occasion of that invitation was solely grounded upon the Politick intentions of causing the King to fall in love with his Daughter meerly to gain the Crown This Vortigern was Duke of the Guises a Prince of a Noble extract Vortimer and Pascentius were his Issue by his first Wife By Rowena the Daughter of Hengist he had a Daughter whom afterwards he incestuously married of whom he begat a Son named Faustus who after mature judgment knowing himself to be the Off-spring of such impious Parents hoping thereby to divert those heavy Judgments which by reason thereof might otherwise fall upon him spent his time in continual Prayers and solitary Meditations The Nobility and Clergy being much disturbed at the sordid and inhumane Actions of this Prince endeavoured what in them lay to reclaim and reprehend his Insolencies and more especially to shew their dislike to his incestuous Marriage with his own Daughter and the spreading of the poysoning Doctrine of Pelagianisme which was again about to revive by the promotion of his Saxon kindred as appears by their second meeting in Councel which was as followeth Concilium aliud Britannicum à Sancto Germano Altisiodorensi Episc. magnoque Clericorum Laicorum numero contra renascentia ut videtur Pelagianae Haeresis virgulta contra incestuosas Regis Vortigerni cum filiâ suâ nuptias celebratum EOdem anno viz. 449 nunciatum est in Britannia Pelagianam perversitatem iterato paucis Authoribus de novo pullulasse rursusque ad Beatissimum Virum Germanum preces Saccrdotum omnium deseruntur ut causam DEI quam prius obtinucrat tuerctur Quornm petitioni festinus obtemperat Nam adjuncto sibi Severo totius Sanctitatis viro qui erat Discipulus Beatissimi Patris Lupi Trecassenorum Episcopi tunc Treveris ordinatus Episcopus gentibus primae Germaniae verbum Dci praedicabat mare conscendit consentientibus elementis tranquillo navigio Britannias petiit Praedicationis igitur antidoto vulnera sanat incredulitatis apostema Blasphemiae doctrinae curat medicina omniumque sententia pravitatum perversitas cum suis authoribus condemnatur factumque est ut in illis locis multò ex eo tempore sides intemerata perduraret It a compositis omnibus beati Sacerdotes ea qua venerant prosperitate redierunt Et super haec omnia mala adjiciens Guorthigirnus accepit filiam suam proximam in uxorem sibi quae peperit ei filium hoc autem cum compertum est à Sancto Germano venit corripere Regem cum omni Clero Britonum dum conventa esset Magna Synodus Clericorum Laicorum in uno Concilio ipse Rex praemonuit filiam suamut exiret ad Conventum ut daret filium suum in sinum Germani diceretque quod ipse erat pater cjus ipsa secit sicut edocta erat Sanctus Germanus eum benignè accepit dicere coepit Tibi Pater ero necte permittam nisi mihi novacula cum forcipe pectineque ad Patrem tuum carnalem tibi dare liceat Mox ut audivit puer obedivit verbo Senioris Sancti ad Avum suum carnalem patremque carnalem Guorthigirnum pertexit dixit illi Pater meus Tu caput meum tonde comam capitis mei pecte Ille autem siluit puero respondere noluit sed surrexit iratusque est vehementer ut à facie Sancti Germani sugeret quaerebat maledictus est damnatur â Beato Germanno omni Concilio Britonum Thus translated A second British Councel held by St. German Bishop of Auxerre and a great number of the Clergy and Laity against the arriving of the Pelagian Heresie and against the Incestuous marriage of King Vortigern with his Daughter THe same year viz. 449. 't was reported that the Pelagian Heresie in BRITAIN by the means of some few Abettours and Authors began to revive and bud out again afresh whereupon the prayers and earnest desires of the Clergy were forthwith sent to that Holy Man St. German beseeching him once more to take upon him the Cause of GOD in which but a little before he had been so victorious The Good Man very readily condescended to a compliance with their desires For joyning with himself in this Affair Severus a Man of eminent Sanctity who had been the Disciple of St. Loup Bishop of Troy's and then ordained Bishop of Triers and who had preached the Word of God to the People of the I'rov nce of Germania prima took Shipping and happily the Elements consenting arrived in Britain where by the antidote of Preaching he perfectly healed the wounds of Incredulity and by the medicine of his Doctrine cured the Imposthume of Blasphemy This Perversity or Heresie with its Authors in the Judgment of all men being condemned for a long time after the Faith remained pure and undefilable in these places All things being thus composed these Blessed Priests returned with the same happiness they arrived Besides all these Evils Vortigern took his own Daughter to Wife which bore him a Son but when this was fully known to St. German he came to reprehend the King with all the British Clergy but whilest a great Senate of Clergy and Laity were consulting the King praeinstructed his Daughter that she should go to the Assembly and deliver up her Son into St. German's Arms and say that he was the Father of it and so she did as she had been taught St. German received the Child with a great deal of Courtesie and began to say I will be to thee a Father but I will not suffer thee unless I have a Razor with a pair of Scissors and Comb which shall be lawful for thee to present to thy Carnal Father The Child as soon as he heard it very readily obeyed the good Old Man and going towards his carnal Grandfather and carnal Father Vortigern said My Father clip and comb the Hair of my head at which the King was silent and would return no Answer again to the Child but rose up exceeding angry seeking how he might conveniently flie from the face of St. German so that he was censured and condemned not only by St. German but all the British Clergy For some time many of Vortigern's Subjects as we have shewn at first applauded his Vertues but by the proofs of his succeeding Actions were sound to be vailed over only with the appearance of a dissembling Sanctity How long did he commit that Incestuous Marriage with his own Daughter yea the Off-spring of a Pelagian before it was discovered to the Councel How unworthily did he discard his first Wife who was a Christian to obtain through the dictates of his untamable Lusts and Concupiscence the Pagan Daughter of Hengist How politick was he in endeavouring to acquit himself of the blame and reproof of a whole Senate for begetting a Son of his own
myrck kvedium enn fyrer Wytrum Monnum Lifthvedenn ad yrkia og Semia huor Ithret sem ei throtnandi Uants Brunner seerer fornar kienningar og feeder ee uyat till kvedskaparius ollum merkiskalldum et hana Bilia med Idne grunda og giegnd tettrivid hafa huer eff hunernen sit Naffn hloted hefer Edda is an Art which out of the most ancient Mythology of ingenious Men and Names variously found out teacheth the use and exercise of the Norwegian Poesie which to the Vulgar is obscure to the Wise pleasant to hear and artificial which like a Fountain continually running suggests Old words and daily creates New for the benefit of Rythmical writing to all good Poets who can with judgment use it And Saxo Grammaticus thus in brief describes it Edda est Mythologia Poetica veterum Islandorum It was composed above six hundred years ago and as to the main is in much credit with the chiefest and most authentick of our Historians To begin then with this EDDA concerning the Expedition of WODEN out of Asia Oden haffde Spadem og so kona hauns og aff theim Uisendum faun hann thad ad Naffn hauns munde uppe bera hellski Norduralfu heim stus og tygnad umm framm Alla Konga Fyrer tha sok fysest hanu ad Byria fetd sina aff Curckflande og hafde med sier myken fiolda Lids Buga menn oc Gamla karla og konur og hoffou med seit marga Gersemelega hlute en huet sem their for yfer land that bar agyeete myked af theim Sagt so their thottu lykare Gudum enn Monnum og their gefa ei Stad ferd Sinne fyrr cim their koma Nordue thad land et nuer Itallad Sar land that dualde Odenn langa bryd og eignadest Byda thad laud. Sem Odenn hafde Skipt thui lande med Sonum sinum tha Birlade hann ferd Syna Nordur og kom ithad lande er their kalla Reidgotoland og esgnadest ithuilande alt thader hann vild eog sette that till Landradanda sonn finu et skioldur hiel hanns son var fridleifur thaduun er su eettkommen er Skioidungar veita thad erudana Kongar oc thad heiter nu Iotland er tha var kall ad Reidgotaland 〈◊〉 thad for hann Nordut that sem nu heitter Suythiod that var sa Kongur er Biliffe er Neffudur enn er hann spyt till ferda theitta Asiae Manna er Efer voru kailader for hand mote theinn og Baud ad Odenn stilde slyke valid hafa thans Ryke sem han vilde sialfur sa Cyme filgde ferd theirra ad huar sem their duoldust i Londum tha var thar ar og fridur og truda aller ad their veere thesz Radande thui thad Sau Menn ad their voru Olyker odrum Monnum theim er their 〈◊〉 du sted ad 〈◊〉 og wite thar chotte Odenn goder Landkofter ogkaug 〈◊〉 that Borgar stad sem ut heiter Sigtun Chad vat aff-hanns Naffue og gaff sier Kongdom og kalladest Sydanni Niordur og thui fiimst Striffad freede Bokum ad Niordur hafe heited hiim fyrste Saga Kongur er thad till thess ad Odenn hefur 〈◊〉 thar Goffgastur Oden Skipade that hoffdingium i tha lyking sem vered haffde i Croja sette Colff hofudmen i Stadnum ad deema Lomoslog 〈◊〉 Skypade hann Riettum ollum sem fyrr 〈◊〉 vered i Croja og Cyrkyar voru vaner Thus rendred out of Rossenius his Translation This Oden was a Magician as likewise his Wife whereby he foreknew that his Name should be celebrated above all Kings in the North. For which cause be began his Journey from Turkland taking along vast Treasures of Silver and Gold and Precious things Through what Countries soever they passed they were highly cried up as seeming Gods rather than Men thus they staid not till they came into the land of the North now called Saxony where for many years Odin lived and possessed the whole Country about so that in the Division to his Sons he gave to Vegdeggus East Saxony to Begdegus 〈◊〉 to Siggo Francia himself went into another Country which was then called Reidgotoiand where he did whatever pleased him Over this Country he set his Son Skiold of whom was born Fridleit whose Posterity was named Skioli dungar or the Off spring of Skiold from which Stem the Kings of Denmark descended This Reidgotolandia is now called Jutlandia Farther he removed his Seat to the place now called Suithiod where Gylfus was then King who when he heard of the coming of these Asiaticks whom the Edda calls Asae he went out and met them profering Odin what part soever he would take of his Empire For so great fortune attended these Asians that wheresoever they aboded Peace and Prosperity flourished and every one was fully perswaded that these Blessings proceeded from them for this especially affected their minds that for knowledge beauty strength and singular shape of Body they never had seen the like Odin perceived this Land was pleasant and fertile therefore he chose a place to build a City on which at this day according to his or rather his Sons name is called Sigtunum where exercising Kingly Authority he called himself Niord wherefore in the Annals of the Ancients it is found that the first King of the Suevi was called Niord because Odin was the most glorious although others held the Kingdom before him In the City Sigtun he constituted Twelve of the Chief Citizens in imitation of Troy as Conservators of the Laws and to execute Justice after the Customes of Turkland From this Constitution of WODEN saith Mr. Sheringham whereby he ordained Twelve of the principal Citizens as preservers of the Law and to give their Judgment or Verdict for so the words import proceeded perhaps that Custome among us never to be enough praised whereby to Twelve good Freeholders called by us a Jury is trusted the whole weight of Justice and Determination of all Causes both of Life and Estate but this by way of digression Another narration of the Progress of WODEN agreeing with that of the Edda is taken out of an Ancient Norway Chronicle the Author of it as Stephanius thinks was Sturlaeson a Writer of good account and credit the whole story is too large to set down I shall only mention what more particularly relates to the present purpose It is thus That part of Asia looking to the East which is bounded by the River Tanais had formerly for its Metropolis a City named Asgard wherein Ruled with great Authority a mighty Hero named OTHIN to twelve of the chief Senatours who excell'd in Piety and Wisdom and therefore were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diar i. e. Gods or Divine Persons and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drotuar i. e. Lords he gave power to order Religious affairs and Ceremonies and to hear and determine Civil Causes and Suits This Othin had two Brothers the Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ue the younger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uelir or Uuli These two upon the absence of Othin at any time managed the whole State Upon
he takes up the Lot which hath the sign of the Cross they shall be innocent that have sworn but if he take up the other then every one of the seven shall make his own Lot that is a Taene made of a Twig and shall sign it with his own mark so distinctly that he and the rest that stand about may know it again to be his This done they shall wrap them all up in a clean Cloth and then lay them on the Altar or Relicks then the Priest if any be present or if not as was said before some innocent Child shall take them one by one from the Altar and as they come demanding at every one whose Lot it is shall deliver it to the true party that knoweth it to be his own he whose Letter is last of all drawn shall be forced to make composition for the Man-slaughter the rest whose Lots came before shall go free Had not this custome by deciding Controversies by Lot been used in a Religious way by the Heathen Saxons the Christians had never brought it into the Church who though they thought it necessary to comply with some Customes which the headiness of those times would not be weaned from yet they never thought fit to advance them to a higher nature so that what was here performed on the Christian Altars was no more than what had been done on the Heathen before the Object only of the worship being changed from Tanfana their God of Lots to the true GOD who knoweth all things Alfur by this name they called their Elves inhabiting Rocks and Caves and the Sacrifices to them were called Alfblot they were supposed not above a cubit long the Goths called them Dwergh and the Saxons Dpeng and Dpeonh from hence we call a little Man a Durgin at this day The chief of these Elves or Fairy's was Mod Sognor the second Durin c. their Nation was divided into Guttels or Trulls and Coballs good and evil Spirits but of this enough We read of another famous Idol among the Saxons named Irman-saul the Original of its name is variously guessed at some would have it written Metmes saul i. e. the Pillar of Hermes or Mercury who appears was worshipped by the Germans Verstegan calls him Ermensewl and as he thinks more rightly Ermesewl as much as to say the Pillar or Stay of the Poor from Saul or Sewl a Pillar and Earm with the Netherlands Arm signifying Poor but this is a more Novel opinion and grounded upon no foundation much like them who will needs have him Mars and Ermensaul to be nothing but Arms-Sawl or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saul Mars his Pillar or the Pillar of Arms. His Effigies represented a Man in Armour in his right hand a Military Engine or Standard bearing a Rose to signifie that as that flower was but of short continuance and no sooner blown than withered so was the event of Battles In his left hand he held a pair of Scales the emblem of War to shew that as one side riseth so the other falleth Upon his Breast he carried a Bear to intimate the inward Courage of mind and on his Shield a Lion to set forth how Valour should be invincible in Onset He was placed in a field of Flowers to intimate that nothing is sweeter to a Souldier than the field strowed with Enemies His Statue was found at Mersburge with this Inscription DUX EGO GENTIS SAXONUM VICTORIAM CER TAM POLLICEOR M E VENERANTIBUS The Inscription being Latin it should seem that it was the Statue of some Hero set up by the Saxons after their acquaintance with the Romans And because the proper name of it is Irmen Saul not Hermes Saul for how came the Germans to be acquainted with the Greek name of Mercury Schedius with great reason guesseth it was the Effigles of Harminius Captain of the Cherusti a Saxon Nation in the daies of Augustus Caesar and that by corruption of time for Harmans Saul it came to be pronounced Irman Saul which alteration is so small and the divise of the Statue agreeth so exactly with the History of Harminius that his opinion seemeth more than probable For never man deserved more to be placed in the number of the Gods than this HARMINIUS who by Roman Writers themselves is stiled The Deliverer of Germany and is confessed to have given the Roman Empire then in its full strength such a blow as made the foundation of it shake for a long time after His History therefore I shall not think impertinent or tedious to deliver because it condubeth to the Illustration of this Monument and to the Honour of our Ancestors who at the first grapling with the Roman Eagles under the Conduct of this Harminius gave them such sensible marks of their power and policy as their Emperour himself at that time nor their Writers after could never dissemble Quinctilius Varus a man of a quiet disposition and easy parts more accustomed to the slow method of Camps than the quick motions of War dull and covetous was Commander of the German Army who thinking the Germans had nothing of Man in them but voice and figure began to cast with himself that whom the Sword could not tame Laws and Jurisdiction might allure and temper With this design having entered the midst of Germany he set up his Courts and Tribunals and drew out the Summer in hearing and determining Causes But they who in the midst of their fierceness had secret reserves of cunning and craft a Nation full of subtilty and deceit now with feigned processes and seeming hot accusations of one another then when the Cause was decided with high prayers of the Roman Justice which ended those Controversies by Hearing which used to be determined by the Sword drew Quinctilius into so great security that he thought himself rather a Judge in the Roman Courts than a General in the midst of Germany Whereupon a young Gentleman of a sudden apprehension and quick wit by name HARMINIUS the Son of Sigimer a Prince of that Country of a lively Countenance and carrying the sparkes of disdain in his eyes who had served formerly under the Romans and attained to the Equestral Order seeing the pride of Quinctilius increase with his security entered into thoughts how he might ease his Nation from that growing Insolence For now the Germans generally began to be weary of Quinctilius who with his Rods and Axes exercised a too arbitrary and lordly power over them wherefore taking into his Conspiracy a few of the chief of his Country namely Liber a Priest of the Catti Segimund the Son of Segestus a Priest of the Cherusci Veromarus Egmarus and his Son Sosithacus Berthorites Theodoricus all Saxon Princes he began to put his designs in execution but he could not carry it so privately but that intelligence was brought to Quinctilius of the design by Segestes the Father of Segimund one of the Conspirators but Quinctilius not
Fish which we call a Pearch he was covered over with a loose Garment tied to him with a Linnen girdle his Feet naked he held a Wheel and a Pitcher full of all sores of fruits Roses and Apples His naked Head signified that God ought to be worshipped with pure mind and uncovered By his Linnen-garment was expressed Liberty for the inviolable defence of which they ought to resist their Enemies even with hazard of their lives as a Pearch doth a Pike The Wheel was to put them in mind of Unity that they should unanimously and with joynt force resist the Enemy By the Linnen-girdle was noted Friendship which ought to be preserved without spot or blemish The Pitcher with the Fruit denoted Time which produceth all things for the use of Man Thus Schedius Verstegan describeth him after this manner The last to make up here the number of seven was the Idol Scater fondly of some supposed to be Saturnus for he was otherwise called Crodo This goodly God stood to be adored in such manner as I have here pictured him First on a Pillar was placed a Pearch on the sharp-prickled back whereof stood this Idol He was lean of visage having long hair and a long beard and was bare-headed and bare-footed In his Left hand he held up a Wheel and in his Right he carried a Pail of water wherein were flowers and fruits His long Coat was girded unto him with a Towel of white Linnen his standing on the sharp finns of this Fish was to signifie that the Saxons for their serving him should pass stedfastly and without harm in dangerous and difficult places By the Wheel was betokened the knit Unity and conjoyned Concord of the Saxons and their concurring together in running one course By the Girdle which by the wind stream'd from him was signified the Saxons freedom By the Pail with flowers and fruits was declared that with kindly Rain he would nourish the 〈◊〉 to bring forth such Fruits and Flowers and the day unto which we yet give the 〈◊〉 of Saturday did first receive by being unto him celebrated the appellation Whence he had this description and Theology or why he called Crodo Seater I know not unless we allow him a liberty as he usually takes of seigning what best makes for his own purpose That Crodo was the same with Saturn some have imagined from a derivation of their own wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Crodo carry a marvellous similitude but how Crodo and Seater come to be the same if Seater be not Saturn which Verstegan saith is a fondness to think I consess I have not yet learned and till we hear of such a God in more anthentick History than his I think it will be the wisest way to lot Crodo alone and grant that Saturday was dedicated to Saturn by the Saxons after their acquaintance with the Romans though we know not the name by which it was originally called We read in Pontanus that the Danes called it Leftverda which seemeth to have respect either to the publick Bathings they used on that day or else to the consummation of Marriage after both Parties the day before had made their addresses to Frigga for Lowen loffte and Bruy loffte signisie in the German Tongue Nuptial Ceremonies and Croelowelfe with the Danes is a Contract Wormius writing of this God whom he calls Crodan intimates contrary to Verstegan that he was taken for Saturn They relate saith he that Crodan was instead of Saturn namely the President of Evil and Mischief hence En Crodan skalck signifies a man given to all wickedness At Hartisborg he had a Statue and Pillar together with the fore-mentioned Jedutt or Jodutt Thurius calls him Croto who says his Statue at Hercynopolis was destroyed by Charlemain Besides this long Catalogue they had other Idols as Goea the Daughter of Thor from whose name they called February Goe-monat Vagnoft and Hading Presidents of War Rostiph the Fore-feer Rostar the Cruel Fro or Froto the Servant of the Gods Methot their Priest Blakulla the Goddess of the Sea Minning a notable Satyr with many others too tedious to be repeated But before I conclude the History of the Saxon Gods I will give one instance more because it relates to what was said before concerning the analogy between the Saxons and Romans as to many points of their worship whereby the Reader may be able to guess how it came to pass that Nations so far distant from one another so different in Language and Manners and so late acquainted should nevertheless have many things so exactly agreeing Part of the Suevians saith Tacitus sacrifice unto ISIS for the cause and original of this forreign Worship I have little to say unless the figure it self fashioned after the manner of a Brigandine sheweth that the Religion was brought to them It is not impossible but the Saxons between the time of Jùliùs Caesar and the daies of Tacitus might have learnt the worship of this Isis from the Romans as the sorm of the Image noted by Tacitus might seem to imply For not long before Tacitus Drusus had made good progress into Germany and those Parts the Saxons inhabited as we find in Florus a Roman Author Drusus saith he for the defence of the Province placed every where Forts and strong Holds upon these Rivers The Mosel the Elbe and Weser and upon the Rhine he erected above fifty Castles By the name of Castles the Ancients meant not only Forts but Cities and possibly these places built by Drusus might by the negligence of Northern Writers be attributed as they often are to Julius Caesar who according to his own writings was not above eighteen daies journey beyond the Rhine Caesar never makes mention of Isis in reckoning the Gods of the Germans and therefore it may be thought that the Saxons learnt her Worship afterwards And there is no time so probable as during the continuance of Drusus in Germany who without doubt was the first that laid the Roman yoke upon their Necks to the well fastning of which it was alwaies thought necessary to injoyn the Roman Gods as well as Customes Language and Laws Now it may possibly be the time that those seven Towns were erected to the Honour of Seven of the Roman Deities the building whereof by the Northern Writers is vainly attributed to Julius Caesar namely Saterburg to the honour of Saturn Hamburgh to Jupiter-Hammon Marsburgh to Mars Solwedel to the Sun Magdeburgh to Venus Heresburgh to Mercury Luneburgh to the Moon and now it may be also that Isenberg might be dedicated to the Honour of this ISIS And indeed we find that the Roman Souldiers paid their Vows to ISIS in Germany as appears by this Inscription there found ISIDI SACRUM SEX POMPEIUS SEX L. SYRUS MIL. LEG V. AUG VS L. M. And another found in Bavaria ISIDI MYRIONYMAE SACRUM FESINUS T. JULI SUTURNINI G. P. P. SERRARI POSUIT FORTUNATUS EJUSDEM SER. T S
scyldig se man se ê§ana sie he age healf ê§ Æ¿iae daet Æ¿eorc If a Free man shall do it on that forbidden time he shall suffer the Mulct of Pillory and the Informer shall have half as well of the Mulct as the Wirgild Wirgild signifies a Composition made by the Party or his Friends for a fault committed This is all that we find upon Record either in Church or State that particularly relateth to King Wigtred He left Issue Edbert Ethelbert and Alric who all reigned in their turns EDBERT EDBERT the first Son of Wigtred reigned peaceably twenty three years nothing is left memorable upon Record during his Reign save that two blazing Comets appeared one before the Sun in the morning the other after him at night both darting their beams to the North. It was thought to portend the Desolations afterwards made by the Saracens who brake into France but were soon after expelled ETHELBERT the Second ETHELBERT the Second and second Son of Withred succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom He reigned for the space of eleven years and hath left nothing behind of Name or Issue He was buried among his Ancestors at Canterbury ALRIC ALRIC the third Son of Withred and last of the Royal Family of Hengist held the Scepter thirty four years He was slain in the battel of Otteford by the hands of OFFA the Mercian King whose overthrow saith Malmsbury was less dishonourable as vanquisht by so great a Monarch The Saxon Annals of 784 mention one EALMUND now reigning in Kent but he is no where else mentioned The following Kings either by wealth or faction obtained the Kingdom ETHELBERT the Third ETHELBERT the Third Sirnamed Pren the Annals call him Eadbright by what means is unknown usurped the Regal Power After two years reign contending with Kenulph the Mercian King who invaded his Territories he was taken Prisoner and led captive into Mercia and there for a while detained During his Imprisonment Cuthred was appointed by Kenulph to govern Kent and Simeon writes that Kenulph commanded to put out his eyes and cut of his hands but upon what occasion or whether the sentence was executed he hath left us in the dark Certain it is that Kenulph having finisht his Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire either out of commiseration of Human chance or relenting so severe a punishment or else to render the dedication of his Temple more illustrious taking this Princely Captive by the hand he led him to the High-Altar and there in the presence of Cuthred his Vice-Roy in Kent and ten Earls thirteen Bishops and many other Nobles he gave him his Liberty without Ransom and free leave to return to his Dominions But coming to Kent he was not received but retired to a private life and this is he and not the former Ethelbert whom the Annals of Canterbury affirm to be buried at Reculvers in the Isle of Tanct where he may be supposed to have lived after his expulsion a place most convenient and oftentimes used for such inglorious retreats He reigned only three years CUTHRED CUTHRED was created by Kenulph Vice-Roy of Kent but our Historians make him King and Usurper however he sate in the Throne but three years and we hear nothing of him but that he was present at the release of his Predecessor which should seem to argue that he was not the cause of his being kept out from the Crown BALDRED BALDRED last King of Kent was vanquished by Egbert the West-Saxon who seized his Dominion after he had reigned eighteen years and forced him to flie beyond the River Thames at which time this Kingdom and not long after the rest of the Heptarchy were reduced under the intire obedience of that Monarch THE KINGDOM OF THE East-SAXONS Contained Counties Essex Middlesex Part of Hartfordshire KINGS Sledda Sebert Sered Seward Sigibert the First Sigibert the Second Sigibert the Third Swithelm Sighere Sebba Offa. Selred Suthred SLEDDA SLEDDA the tenth from Woden is generally esteemed the first founder of the East-Saxon Kingdom though some following Huntington give the honour to Erchenwine his Father of whom nevertheless they tell us nothing saving his Name and Pedigree relating neither the number of his Forces the place of his landing or so much as the least encounter with the Britains In the same obscurity we might have passed over Sledda his Son had he not ennobled himself by the marriagt of Ricula Daughter of Emerick King of Kent and Sister to Ethelbert the first Christian Prince and Great Monarch of the English-men And indeed the whole transactions of this Province seem all along to have been redeemed from oblivion not by the glory or worth of its Princes or the greatness of its own proper atchievments but by the conjunction is had with other Kingdoms more powerful and the lustre it borrowed from neighbouring Princes with whom it was often linked in action In its beginning it was tributary to Kent and received its Protection from thence and this is the reason I have placed it next in order and though afterwards it came to be in a manner absolute yet it never rose to that height as to have one Monarch that could pretend to give Laws to other Kingdoms of the Saxons as all the rest at one time or another did It was bounded on the East with the Sea on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne on the North with the River Stour But these two latter limits often varied according to the encroachments of the Mercians made upon them in the West and the East-Angles and those of Northumberland on the North. Neither is the time of the beginning of this Kingdom more certain some place it as high as the year 516 under Erchinwin others eleven years after in the year 527 and the fifteenth of Oisc second King of Kent Some begin it at the first year of this Sledda's Reign which they will have to be in the year 587 but leaving them in their Disagreement I shall begin the computation of this Kingdom from the death of Sledda who having reigned without any actions recorded the space of many years departed this life Anno 596 leaving issue Sebert and Segebald SEBERT SEBERT the eldest Son of Sledda succeeded his Father nothing more famous than he saving that he was the first introducer of the Christian Faith into this Province He was converted at the perswasions of his Uncle Ethelbert and the preaching of Melitus afterwards Bishop of London and received Baptism at his hands in his chief City of London where by the assistance of King Ethelbert then chief Monarch of the English-men he founded a stately Church or rather repaired and enlarged the old Structure dedicating it to the honour of St. Paul constituting it the Cuthedral of the See of London This Church Ethelbert then present endowed with good possessions as in his Grant to Melitus is evident by this following Record AETHELBERT Rex
He that shall put out an Oxes eye shall pay five pence a Cows one shilling Of yearly Barley every Season shall be given 6 pound c. Here wanteth something Of a yoke of Oxen borrowed If a Boor shall hire a yoke of Oxen and hath Corn enough he shall pay the whole hire with Corn but if he want sufficient Corn he shall pay half in Corn and half in other goods Of Church Dues Every one shall pay his Church-dues at that place where he resided in the midst of winter Of him of whom Pledg is required If at any time a Pledg is required of a person accused and he hath not to lay down in pledg before his cause is heard and another will lay down pledg for him upon condition that the other may be in his custody till he receiveth his goods laid down for him and the second time the accused be forced to give Pledg and the party that first engaged will not again be security and so his cause fall it shall not be restored to the Surety what he laid down in the first cause Of the departure of a Boor keeper of the Peace A Boor that is keeper of the Peace if he leaves his house and goes to another place to dwell in he shall have power to carry with him his Overseer his Smith and a Nurse Of them who possess Lands He that possesseth 20 hides of land and is going to another place shall leave behind him 12 hides ready sown he that holdeth 10 shall sow six hides he that hath 3 hides and is a departing shall leave half an one sown If any one hath hired Roods of land of the Lord and hath plowed them and the Lord not content with the rent and service requireth more work and duty than was bargained for the Tenant shall not be bound to hold on those conditions unless the Lord give him an House neither shall he be prohibited plowing Of a Boor keeper of the Peace banished If a Boor keeper of the Peace shall be banished for any misdemeanour his house shall not be a refuge for him Of Wool A sheep shall not be sheared until Midsummer or the Fleece shall be redeemed with two pence Of the estimation of Men. Out of the estimation of the head of a Man that whilst he lived is valued at 200 s. there shall be substracted 30 s. to recompence his death to the Lord out of the estimation of the head of a Man valued at 600 s. 80 shall be substracted out of the estimation of the head valued at 1200 shillings an hundred and twenty shillings shall be substracted Of Maintenance to be allowed Out of 10 hides of land for maintenance shall be given 10 fats of Hony 300 loaves 12 gallons of Welch-Ale 30 gallons of small Ale 2 grown Oxen or 10 Weathers 10 Geese 20 Hens 10 Cheeses 1 gallon of Butter 5 Salmons 20 pound of Fodder and an hundred Eeles Of estimation by the head If any one be required to pay to the valuation of his head and being about to swear confesseth what in words before he denied nothing shall be demanded of him for penalty before he pay the whole value of his head Of a Robber that hath been Amerced the price of his head and is taken A Robber having been punished the price of his head and taken if he escape the same day the intire penalty shall not be again required if he was taken about night but if theft was committed before the foregoing night they shall pay who took him before as they can agree with the King or his Justices Of a Welch Servant killing a free English man If a Welch Servant shall kill an English man his Master shall deliver him into the hands of the Lord or the dead man's Relations or redeem him with 60 s. But if he will not part with mony let him free his Servant and let the friends of the slain sue for the value of his life If the freed Servant hath friends that will uphold his cause if not let him look to himself It is not required of a Free-man to pay with Servants unless he will redeem with a price the penalty of Capital enmity nor for a Servant to pay with Free-men Of things stolen and found with another Goods stolen and found with another if if he that vents them being called to an account will not take upon him the goods or the sale of them and yet confesseth that he sold some other goods to the party then it is the part of the Buyer to confirm by oath that he sold those very goods and no other Of the death of a God-father or God-son If any one kill a God-son or his God-father let him pay the same to the Relations as he doth to the Lord to satisfie for his death and his payment for the proportion of the value of the slain is to be more or less according as if payment were to be made to a Lord for his Servant But if the dead party the King received at the Font let satisfaction be made to him as well as to the Relations But if his life was taken away by a Relation substraction must be made of the mony to be paid to the God-father as it useth to be done when mony is paid to the Master for the death of his Servant If a Bishop's Son be killed let the penalty be half BUt this King INA is more especially celebrated by the Monkish Writers of those times for a great favourer of a Monastick life and a supporter of its Interest as well by his own profession of the same as by large Revenues and great Priviledges granted to its maintenance and honour But the chief of all his works was his stately Church at Glastenbury a place so renowned for its ancient Sanctity as being the first Seat of Christianity in this Island that our Ancestors called it The first Land of God The first Land of Saints in Britain The beginning and foundation of all Religion in Britain The Tomb of Saints The Mother of Saints The Church founded and built by the Lord's Disciples In the first planting of Faith in this Island there had been built as hath been shewn in the foregoing History by Joseph of Arimathea Philip or some of their Disciples a little Cell or Chappel for the exercise of Religion by those Primitive Apostles This being by this time decayed was afterwards repaired or rather a new one built in the same ground by Devi Bishop of St. Davids which also exposed to ruine was again kept up at the cost and charges of twelve Men coming from the North. But now NIA having well settled his Kingdom demolished that ruinous building and in the room of it erected a most stately and magnificent Church dedicating it to CHRIST and his two Apostles Peter and Paul guilding it throughout with gold and silver after a most sumptuous manner Upon the highest coping thereof he caused to be written in large Characters