them With theis ambassadors came also Comius of Arras whom we shewed you before to haue bene sent by Cesar into Britaine For at such tyme as he came of message from Cesar they layd hand on hym assone as he came out of hys shyp and cast him in pryson But after the foresayde ouerthrow they set him at libertye and wheÌ„ they came to sew for peace they laid the fault therof vpon the coÌ„mon people defiryng pardon of their vnskilfulnes and folly Cesar blaming theÌ„ in that hauing of their owne accord sent Ambassadors to hym into Gallia to sew for peace they hadde wythout cause moued war agaynst hym said he was contented to beare with their folly commaunding them to geue him pledges of the which they deliuered one half out of hande and thother half whych was to be fetched out of the further partes of the country they sayd they wold deliuer wythin few daies after In the meane season they bade that euery maÌ„ shuld returne home to hys own dwelling and the noble men resorting to Cesar from all sydes submitted themselues and their Cities vnto hym Peace beyng by thys meanes stablyshed after the .iiii. day of oure arryuall in Britayne the eightene shyps that we spake of before which hadde the horsemen to conuey ouer loosened froÌ„ the further hauen with a soft wynd The whych when they approched so nere Britayne that we myght see them out of our camp sodeinly there arose so great a tempest that none of them was able to kepe hys course but some were driuen backe agayne to the place they came fro and othersome were caste wyth great daunger downe to the lower part of the Iland whych is towarde the sonne settyng the whych neuerthelesse after they had cast Anchor beyng fylled wyth waues were of necessity in the dead of the night constreined to take the maine sea agein and so made toward the maine land It chaunced that the same night the mone was at the ful which is wont to cause spryng tydes in the Ocean and that was vnknowen to our meÌ„ So at one instant the tide filled both those galleyes wherin Cesar had coÌ„ueyed ouer his army and also those which he hadde drawen into harborough and besides that the tempest shaked the shyppes of Burthen that rode at Anchor Neyther could oure men eyther rule or helpe the matter by any meanes possible when the most of our shyps were thus broosed and weather beaten and the residew vnmeete to sayle in hauing loste theyr cables anchors and all the reste of theyr tackling the whole armye as it must nedes come to passe in such a case was greatlye disquietted For there were none other ships to coÌ„uey them ouer in agayne and al thyngs wanted wherwyth to repayre those and forasmuch as euery man looked assuredly to winter in Gallia there was no prouision of grayne made in those quarters agaynst the winter The whych thyngs being knowen the prynces of Britaine whych after the discomfiture had assembled to execute Cesars commaundements conferryng vpon the matter among themselues when they vnderstode that the Romanes waÌ„ted both horsmen ships and victuals and perceiued by the smalnes of our camp that there was but a thin company of vs whych were in dede conueyed in so much the lesse roume bycause Cesar had suffred hys Legions to bryng ouer no stuste nor baggage wyth theÌ„ They thought it best to rebell and stopping vs from victuals to prolong the matter vntyll wynter beleuing verely that if they myght geâ—te the maistry of theis or shet them vp froÌ„ returning no man would hereafter be so bold to passe into Britaine to make warre vpon them Wherfore coÌ„spiring together again they began to steale theÌ„selues by littel and littel out of the Camp to assemble theyr men priuely out of the country But Cesar although as yet he knew not what they were about to do yet not wythstanding both vppon the myschaunce of his ships and in that they made delay in deliueryng their hostages he misdemed that whych after came to passe in dede and therefore he layd before hande to haue a remedy agaynst all mischyeues For he both gathered corne dayly out of the country into hys camp and also wyth the tymber and yron of suche ships as were forest battred he mended the rest and suche other things as were necessary for the same purpose he wylled to be brought from the mayne land In accomplishinge whereof hys souldiors wrought so earnestly that with the losse of twelue ships the rest were so well mended that they might well be sayled in Whyle theis thinges were a dooyng as one of the Legions whiche is called the seuenth and was ordinarilye sent out for forrage was one day abroad no suspicion of war vnto that time rysing when some of the men were yet in the fieldes and some coming homeward to the camp those that warded at the gates of the camp brought Cesar word that they saw a greater dust than customably was woÌ„t to be raised the same way that the Legion was gone Cesar misdoubting the trueth of the matter that the disloyal Britons were practising of some newe deuyse commaunded those Cohorts that warded to go with him on the way and two other to supplye theyr roumes and the rest to arme themselues and folowe quickly after hym When he had gone a good prety way he might perceiue that his men were ouercharged with enemies had much a do to hold out that there was throwing of darts on all sides at the Legion whych had cast theÌ„selues close together For in asmuchas in all other quarters the corn was reaped down none staÌ„ding any where saue in thys one place our enemies mistrusting that our men wold come hither had lyen lurking in the woodes all the night before and when they saw our men had layde downe their weapons and disseuered themselues busy in mowyng and reapyng downe corne they brake out vpon them sodenlye and after they had slaine a fewe of them they chased the rest beinge out of aray and also enclosed theym wyth their horsmen and waggons Thys is their order of feight in waggons Fyrst they ryde rounde about on all parts casting of darts often tymes with the terriblenes of their horses and the ratlyng noise of their wheles they breake the aray And when they haue wound themselues in amonge the troopes of horsemen they leape oute of their wagons and feighte afoote In the meanewhile the wagoners withdrawe themselues somewhat out of the battell and set their wagons in such order that if they be ouercharged by the ennemye they may haue spedye and handesome recours vnto them By meanes wherof they are both as readye to remoue as the horsemen and as stedfaste to stande in the battel as the fotemen supply both dutyes in one And they are come to such a perfectnes by daylye practise and exercise that euen in steepe and fallinge places they wyll stoppe their horses ronnynge a full galloppe
fiue or six miles distaunce betweene the rerewarde of our enemies our foreward In the meane while Cesar called dayely vppon the Heduans for the grain that they had promised him by their common consent For by reason of the colde for asmuche as Gallia as is saide before is situate vnder the north clime not onely the corne was not rype in the fieldes but also there was not sufficient forrage to be gotteÌ„ As for that corne whiche he had broughte with hym by the Ryuer Arar coulde not handsomely serue his turne bicause the HeluetiaÌ„s had withdrawen them selues another waye from whom he was not minded to depart The Heduans made delaies from day to day saying it was a gatheringe it was a bringinge it woulde be there out of hande When Cesar perceiued hym self to be dalyed withall to long and that the daye was at hande that it shoulde be measured and deuided vnto his souldiours callinge vnto him their chiefe noblemen and Prynces of whom he had a great company in his Campe and amonges other Diuitiacus Liscus who at that tyme held the principall office which they call Uergobret whiche is an offyce that lasteth but froÌ„ yere to yere and for the tyme hath absolute power of life and deathe he sharpely blamed theim that wheras there was not any corne to be bought nor to be gotten in the fieldes in suche a time of necessitie his enemies being so neere at hand he was not succored nor relieued by them specially considering that for the most part at their entretance he had taken this war in hand Wherfore so muche the iuster cause he had to complaine in that he was disappointed by them Then at the lengthe Liscus prouoked thereto by Cesars wordes disclosed that which hitherto he hadde concealed Howe there were certaine persons of great aucthoritie among the common people that could do more than the magistrates Who with their lewd and sedicious talke did put the people in suche feare that they delyuered noâ— the corne as they ought to haue done by promis Alledgynge that if they could not nowe atteine the souereinâ—tie of Gallia theim selues it werâ— more reason to preferre therunto thâ— Galles rather than the Romaines For out of all doubt might the Romaines ones get the maystrye of the Heluetians they would bringe the Heduanes vnder coram as wel as al the rest of the Galles By these persons our counselles and all that was done in our camp were bewrayed to the ennemy Whose doinges it laye not in their hande to bridell for albeit that vtter necessitye compelled hym to declare thus much vnto Cesar yet was he not ignorante what perill he procured hym selfe in doing therof whiche was the onely cause whye he hadde concealed the matter as longe as he could Cesar perceyued by these wordes of Liscus that Dumnorix the brother of Diuitiacus was noted But because he woulde not haue those matters debated in the presence of many he soone dismissed the counsell kepyng Liscus stil with him When he had him alone he required those thinges of hym that hee had towched in the counsell and he vttred theim more at large and more boldely Cesar made pryuie enquirie for the same thinges at other mennes handes and founde them to be true in dede as that Dumnorix him selfe was a man of singular audacitie and in great fauoure with the coÌ„monaltie for his liberalitie desyrous of alteratioÌ„ that he had taken to ferm for many yeres to come at a small pryce as well the customes for all thynges that were conueyed in and out of the Realme as all other taxes impositions of the Heduanes bycause that wheÌ„ he had ones beaten the pryce no man durst set in his fote ageinst him By meanes wherof he had not onely his owne pryuate substance but also gotten abundantely wherewith to shewe him selfe lyberall abrode in so much that he founde a great number of horsemenne alwaies at his owne charges and kept theim about hym and that he was able to deale lyberally not onely with his owne countrie but also among the Cities that were his neighbours By meanes of whiche aucthoritie he had bestowed his mother in maryage to a man of the greatest linage and power in all Berrey taken a wife from amonge the Heluetians and had maried his suster by the mother syde and diuerse other of his kynneswomen into other Cities the whiche affinitie was an occasion that hee fauoured and wysshed wel to the Heluetians and bare ill wyll to the Romayns whom naturally he hated in his harte bycause that by their coming his power was abated and his brother Diuitiacus restored to as muche fauour and estimation as euer he hadde before For might the Romains haue il successe he was in good hope throughe helpe of the Heluetians to be made kinge where as if the Romaynes obteyned the superioritie hee was oute of all hope not onely of being kinge but also of that estimation the he then had Moreouer Cesar lerned by inquirie that in the battel of horsemen whiche he loste a fewe dayes before Dumnorix and his horsemen began fyrst to flye for he was capteyne of the men of Armes that the Heduans had sent to thayde of Cesar and that by their running away the rest of the men of armes were discomfited The whiche thinges being knowen wheÌ„ as besyde these superstitions he had other matters of certeintie to charge him withall as that he had ledde the Heluetians throughe the countrie of Burgundie that hee had caused hostages to be giuen betwene theÌ„ and that he had done all the said thinges not only without commaundemente of hym of the Citie but also without their knowledge for as much as he was accused to hym by the chiefe magistrate of the Heduanes hee thoughte it sufficiente cause eyther to ponnissh hym himselfe or to commaund the citie to se him ponnished But there was one thing that withstode all these matters namely that Cesar knew his brother Diuitiaâ—us to beare earnest good wil to the people of Rome and that he hartely loued hym and that he was a man of syngular faithefulnesse iustice and modestie Wherefore he was verrye lothe to offende his mynde with the ponnishemente of his brother And therefore he called Diuitiacus vnto him and remouinge his accustomed interpreters commoned with him by Caius Ualerius Troacillus chiefe gouernour of the Romane Prouince in Gallia his familiar friend whom he chiefly trusted vnto in al thinges Fyrst he put him in rememberaunce what had bene spoken before his face in the counsell of the Galles concerninge his broother Dumnorix and shewed him what euerye man seuerally had reported of hym to him in secret Desiryng perswading hym that without his displesure he might vppon sufficient tryal of the matter either procede ageinst him him selfe or else cause his Citie to proceede against him according to his desertes Diuitiacus embracinge Cesar with many teares began to entreate him that he wold not deale ouer streightly with his brother He
and settle themselues in And at the fyrst comming thither of our armye they made often salyes out of the towne skyrmished wyth our men Afterward being enuironed wyth a Rampyre of twelue foote of fiftene myles compasse about beset with castels as thycke as one could stande by another they helde themselues wythin the towne When they saw the Uines framed the mount raysed and a turret a buylding a farre of at the first they began to laugh at it to make a continuall seoffyng at it froÌ„ the wall that so huge an engine should be rered so great a distaunce of demaunding in maner of scorne wyth what handes or wyth what strength specially men of so small a stature for in respect of theyr owne taâ—nes and goodly personages al the Galles for the most part accompt vs but dwarfs hoped to place a towre of such workmanshyp vpon the wall of the towne But when they saw it remoued and approchyng nere the walles abashed at the straunge and vnaccustomed sight therof they sent ambassadors to Cesar for peace who spake to this effect That they beleued the Romanes did not make way without the assistens of the Goddes whych coulde with suche expedicion set forwarde engines of so greate a heighth and bring theim to encounter at hande Wherefore they sayde they submytted theym selues and all that they had vnto theyr curtesy desyring and humbly beseching that if of his mere clemency and gentilnes which by report he had extended towards other he could vouchesafe to saue the Aduaticks he wolde not bereue them of theyr armor For almost al their neybors were enemyes vnto theym and had spight at theyr valeant dooings from whom they were not able to defend themselues yf they shuld deliuer vp theyr armor So that it were better for theym yf they shuld be put to that extremity to suffer ani displeasure whatsoeuer at the hands of the people of Rome than to be butcherlye murthered by theym among whom they had bene wont to reigne like lordes Cesar made aunswer herunto that he wold saue their Citye rather of hys owne accustomed gentilnesse then for any desart of theirs so that they yeelded before the battell Ram touched the wal but no condicion of yelding should be accepted wythout deliuery of their armor For he wold do by theÌ„ as he had done by the Neruians and geue commaundement to their neighbors that they shoulde not offer any kinde of wrong to such as had submitted them selues to the people of Rome When word herof was brought to the Citye they sayd they were contented to do whatsoeuer shoulde be commaunded theym Herupon casting a great quantity of armor ouer the wall into the diche that was before the town insomuch that the heapes of armor dydde ryse welnere to the top of the wall and the rampier and yet as afterwarde was found concealing and kepyng styll wythin the towne aboute the third part they set open their gates and for that daye vsed theym selues peaceably Toward night Cesar coÌ„maunded the gates to be shet hys souldiors to get theÌ„ out of the town that the townesmen shoulde not receyue any displeasure by them in the night tyme. But they hauing layde theyr heads together before as afterward was vnderstood forasmuch as they beleued that our meÌ„ vpon their submission wold eyther set no watch nor ward at all or at leastwyse kepe it more slightly partlye with suche armor as they had reteyned and concealed and partly with tergats made of bark or wrought of wicker which vppon the sodeine they had couered ouer wyth leather as the shortnes of the time required in the third watch wheras the ground was least steepe to come vp the hill to our fortifications yssued sodeinly out of the town wyth al their power But sygnification was soone made hereof by fyres as Cesar had commaunded before and spedye resort was made thither from the bulwarkes Neuerthelesse oure enemyes stood stoutly to theyr tacklyng as became valeant men to do in the last hope of theyr welfare feightyng in a place of disaduauntage agaynst such as threw darts at them from the towres and mounts consideryng there was none other shyft to saue theÌ„ selues then by their manhode In conclusion wyth the slaughter of a fower thousand men the rest were dryuen backe into the towne The next daye after when Cesar came to break open the gates and no man stood at defence he sent in our souldiors sold all the spoile of the town Such as had bought it made an accomt to hym of the nuÌ„ber of thre fifty thousand folk by the pol. The same time P. Crassus whoÌ„ he had sent with one legion to the Uenets People of Uannes Uuels People of Perche Osisines People of Landriguer Curiosolits People of Cornewall Sesuvians People of Roane Aulerks People about Renes Al peoeple of Britaine and Normandye and Rhedones which are hauen townes stand vpon the Ocean sea aduertised hym that all those Cities had yelded wer brought in subiection to the people of Rome After that theis things were dispatched al Gallia brought in peaceable obedience ther went such a report and estimatioÌ„ of thys warre among other barbarous people that from such natioÌ„s as inhabited beyond the Rhine were sent Ambassadors vnto Cesar profering to geue him hostages and do what so euer he shuld commaund them The which ambassades Cesar for asmuch as he had then hast into Italy A part of a country now called Sclauony Illyricum commaunded to repaire to hym agayne in the beginning of the next sommer And so when he had distributed hys legions into garrisons for the winter season among the The country about Charters Carunes The country of Aniow AndiaÌ„s The couÌ„tri about towres beneth the ryuer of Loyre Turones which wer cities nere to those places where he had made war be toke his way in to Italy And for theis things vpon the sight of Cesars letters general supplycation was proclaymed in Rome for fiftene days whych thyng before that time had hapned to no man FINIS THE THIRD BOKE of C. Iulius Caesars Commentaries of his warres in Gallia AT SVCH TYME AS Cesar tooke his iorney into Italy he sent Seruius Galba wyth the twelueth Legion and part of hys horsemen against the People betwene Geneua and S. Mawryce Antuats The country about S. Mawrice Ueragrines The country about Sion in Ualoys Being al people in about the Alpes and Sedunes which inhabit al the countryes froÌ„ the borders of the Allobrogians to the lake Leman and the riuer Rhone vnto the top of the Alpes The cause of his sending thither was that he wold haue the ways ouer the Alpes whych Merchaunts could not passe without great daunger and great 〈◊〉 paying hereafter set open By gaue him leaue to place one Legion there in garrison if he thought good so Galba hauing foughte certayn prosperous battels and
Liseaux Eburouiks and Lexobians hauing kylled their Senotors bycause they wolde not be the authors of thys war had shet their gates ioyned themselues wyth Uiridouix Besydes theis a great multitude of vnthrifts and cut throtes were flocked thither out of all Gallia of those sorte of rascals whom hope of spoile and desyre of warre had wythdrawen from husbandrye and daylye labor Sabinus therefore helde him selfe wythin his Camp in a place mete for all purposes When Uiridouix being encamped against him a two myles of did daily bring forth hys armye and offer him battell insomuch that now Sabinus began not only to be despised of his enemies but also to be cried out vpon and taunted of his own souldiors And he gaue hys enemies so much cause to think that he stood in feare of them that now they durst approche euen to the trenche of hys Camp The which he did bicause he thought it was more then a Lieuetenant ought to doe to encounter with so great a multitude of enemies specially in thabsence of his generall onlesse it were in an indifferent place or vppon some occasion of aduauntage geuen When he had thus confirmed thē in this opinion of his fearfulnesse he chose out a mete person for the purpose a suttle fellowe one of the Galles that he had in his retinew for his ayd and persuaded him with great rewards and large promises to steale ouer to his ennemies geuing him instructions what he should do Thys fellow comming thither like a runnagate reported what feare the Romanes stoode in and declared howe sore the Uenets had distressed Cesar him selfe assuring them that the next nyght after at the furthest Sabinus wold steale priuelye with his armye out of hys camp and take his way toward Cesar to succour him When this was hearde they cryed out all with one voice that so faire an occasiō of good successe ought not to be let slip and that the Camp was to be assaulted out of hande Manye things pricked forward the Galles in this deuice as the pawsyng of Sabinus the dayes before the warranting of the runagate the want of victualles for the whiche they hadde made verye slender prouision the hop◠of the good successe of the warres about Uānes and bicause men commonly are willing to beleue such thyngs as they woulde haue come to passe Moued with theis perswasions they wolde not suffer Uiridouix and the reste of the Capteynes to depart out of counsell before they had graunted theym that they should arme theym selues and march to our Camp The which thing being agreed vnto they came meryly toward vs wyth theyr shreds and fagots that they had gathered to fyll vp the dyches as if the vyctory had bene theyr own out of al cry The place where our tents wer pitched was somewhat highe rysing by littel and littel from the bottome about a thousand paces Hyther they came runnyng a great pace to thintent they wolde geue the Romanes as littel leysure as they could to gather together and arme themselues insomuche that by that tyme they came there they were cleane out of breath Sabinus after he had encouraged hys men gaue them token of encounter whyche they sore desired And perceyuyng hys enemyes to be troubled wyth the burthēs that they bare commaunded yssue to be made out vpō them sodenly at two gates It came to passe by meanes of thaduauntage that we had of the groūd through thunskylfulnes of our enemyes that had ouerweried thēselues before and through the prowesse of our owne souldiors practysed in former conflicts that they were not able to abyde one pushe of vs but by and by tourned their backs Whom combered in that sort our men freshe and lusty encounteryng with slew a great number of them and our horsmen ouertaking the rest left but few of theym that saued theym selues by flyght So all at one tyme Sabinus was certified of the battel on the sea and Cesar of Sabines victorye and immediatly therupon all the Cities yelded to Titurius For as the harts of the Balles are cherefull and forward to take warres in hand so are theyr courages faynte and nothyng stout to beare out aduersities At the same tyme almoste P. Crassus comming into Aquitaine the which as is sayd before both for the largenesse of the Countryes and multitude of people is to be counted a third part of Gallia when he perceyued that he must make warre in such a place where a few yeares before Lucius Ualerius Preconius a Lieuetenant was put to flyght and his army slayn and from whence L. Manlius the Uiceconsull was glad to scape by flyght wyth the losse of all hys stuffe and cariages he sawe it stode him in hand to looke well aboute hym and to take good heede Wherfore hauing made prouisiō of graine gotten aid as well of horsmē as footmen and moreouer called vnto him by name many valeant personages oute of Tolowse Caracassone and Narbone which are Cities bordering vpon the Prouince of Gallia he led his army into the coūtry of the People about Tolouse Sontiats The Sontiats hauing knowledge of hys comming before assembled a great power both of footmen also of horsmen wherein consisted their chief strength and encountryng our army by the way first begā the battel wyth theyr horsmen The which being put to flight as our men of armes chaced theym sodenlye they shewed their footmen whom they had laid in a valley for a stale They setting on our men disordered began the battell again The feight was long and cruel the Sontiats for the trust they had in theym selues by reason of their former vyctoryes thynking that the welfare of Aquitaine consisted in their manhod and prowesse and our men desyring to shew what they could do without their Generall and without the rest of their Legions hauing but a yong man to theyr Capteine At length our enemyes ouercome wyth woundes tooke them to flyght Of whom after that a great number had bene slayne Crassus in his way began to assault the head Citie of the Sontiats and when he saw theym stande stoutly at defence he builded Uines and Towres They on thother syde somtime issuing out and sometyme drawyng Mines to the Mount and Uines in which feat the Aquitaines are very cunning bicause that amōg thē in many places are yron mynes when thei perceiued our men to take so good hede of them that they could nothyng at all by those meanes auaile sent Ambassadors to Crassus and desyred that he wold take theym to mercy The whych request obteyned they deliuered their armor as was commaunded them Whyle the mindes of all oure men were busyed herabout out of another part of the towne Adcantuan chief gouernor of the Citie wyth syxhundred sworne brethren whome they call Soldures whose state and condicion is suche that they participate and enioy alike all commodities of thys lyfe wyth them to whō they haue vowed their frendship and that if any thing happen vnto them otherwyse
and had begon to fortify hys camp and that no enemy in the while appered as oure men were dispersed aboute their work sodenly they came flying out of all parts of the wood gaue charge vpon our men Our men taking weapon quicklye draue theym back into the woods and after they had slayne a great number of them they folowed them so farre in somewhat vnhandsome places that they lost a few of their company The rest of the dayes ensuyng Cesar began to fell the woods and to th entent no assault shoulde sodenlye be made vpon our men vnwares from eyther syde as they were workiÌ„g vnarmed all the wood that was cut downe he caused to be layd wyth the â—ops turned to the ennemy and stacked it vp on both sides like a rampire When with wonderful spede we had in few dayes ryd a great deale of grounde so that we had nowe gayned theyr cattel and hyndermost cariages and yet they withdrewe theym still into thicker woods such tempests ensued that of necessity we were constreyned to leaue of our woorke and the rayne contynued so long that oure men were not able to lie any lengar in the fields And therfore when Cesar had wasted all their country and burnt vp theyr townes buildings he led backe hys armye agayne and placed them in garrison among the * Aulerks and * Lexobians and thother cities that had made this last warre FINIS THE FOVVRTH BOKE of C. Iulius Caesars Commentaries of his warres in Gallia THE WINTER THAT folowed whiche was the same yeare that Cneus Pompeius M. Crassus were CoÌ„sulles the * Usipits Germanes and lykewise the * Teuetheres wyth a greate multitude of men passed the Ryuer of Rhine not farre from the place where it falleth into the sea The cause of theyr fleetyng was for that they hadde manye yeares together bene vexed and oppressed with war by the Sweuians and could not be suffred to tyll theyr lande in quiet The Nation of the Sweuians is of all the Germanes greatest and most warlike They are reported to haue a hundred shyres from eche of the whych they yearlye take a thousand armed men and send them out of their country a warfare they that tary at home doe find both them and themselues Theis againe ordinarily the next yere after go to the warres and thother remayne at home So neither the tillage of their land nor the discipline and practise of war is decayed Howbeit among them there is not any pece of priuate or seueral ground Neither is it lawful for theÌ„ to abide aboue one yere in a place to dwel neyther do they liue much by corne but for the most part by mylke and cattell and they vse huÌ„ting very much The which thing for the kind of meat and daily exercise and lyberty of lyfe inasmuche as froÌ„ their childhod being acquainted with no duety nor nurture they are not in any thyng broken of their willes doeth bothe nouryshe theyr strength and maketh theym men of vnmeasurable big bodies And now they haue brought theÌ„ selues to such a custome that euen in most cold places they haue none other rayment than leather Ierkins whych are so short that a great part of theyr bodies are left bare and that they washe them selues in the runnyng waters They suffer merchants to resort vnto them but that is rather bycause they wolde haue chapmen to vtter such things vnto as they haue gotten in the warres than for any nede they haue of ought to be brought in vnto theym Moreouer the beastes which the Galles do most delight in and whych they pay for excessiuely the Germanes occupy not if they be brought to theÌ„ out of any other country but such as are bred among them though they be littel tittes yll shapen they make by dailye exercise to be very good of labor In encountres of horsemen oftentimes they lyght from their horses and feight a foote accustoming their horses to keepe a standinge vnto whome they retyre quickly again when nede requireth Neyther in their maner is any thing counted more shameful or cowardly than to vse saddels And therefore a very few of them dare aduenture against saddled horses be there neuer so great a number of them In anye wyse they suffer no Wyne to bee brought in vnto them bycause they thinke that thereby men are weakened and disabled to endure paynes As touchyng theyr publyke estate they count it the greatest praise that can be for the fieldes to lye waste a great waye of from the marches of their country For that is as muche to say that a great number of cities were not able to withstand their puyssance And therfore from one syde of Sweueland it is reported that the fields lye wast sixhundred miles of together On another syde dwel iust by theym the People of the countrye about Colon on thother 〈◊〉 of Rhyne Ubians whose Citie was sometyme both large and florishing according to the maner of the Germanes they be somwhat more ciuill than other people of the same nation and sort bycause they border vpon the Rhyne and merchants resort much vnto them and they them selues by reasoÌ„ of their nerenesse vnto Gallia are inured wyth theyr maners Albeit that the Swenians many times and in many battels put them to theyr shyftes and coulde not dryue them out of theyr countrye by reason of the largenes and puissance of their Citie yet notwythstandyng they made theym tributaries and brought them lower and made them weaker In the same cace were the Usipits Teucthers whom we spake of before who when they had many yeres withstood the force of the Sweuians were for all that at the laste put out of their possessions and after three yeres wandering in many places of Germany came to the Rhine wheras the Menapians did inhabit Theis Menapians had lands houses and townes on bothe sydes the Riuer Howbeit being striken wyth feare at the commyng of so great a multitude they remoued out of their â—ouses that they had beyond the ryuer and dysposing garrisons on this side the Rhine prohibited the Germanes to passe ouer They hauing tryed al meanes when as they durst neyther attempt to passe by force for want of ships nor could get ouer by stelth for the Menapians which watched theÌ„ made as though they wold haue returned home into their own countrye and going back three days iorney returned againe and coming all that waye on horsebacke in one night surprised the Menapians nothing at al knowing or mystrusting any such matter who being aduertised by their skoults of the departure of the Germanes had wythout feare retourned into theyr dwellings on thothersyde of the Rhine Theis being slaine they tooke their shyppes and passyng the streame before that part of the Menapians whych were quietlye at home in their houses on this side the Rhine could be certified of theyr doings tooke all their houses and kept theym selues the rest of the winter wyth theyr prouision Cesar being aduertised herof
out such of the Centurions and Tribunes of the souldiers seuerally by name as he had learned by the report of Cicero to haue behaued themselues most valiantlye As concerninge the myschaunce of Corta and Sabinus he learned the trueth more exactlye by hys prisoners The next day in an open assembly he declareth the whole matter as it was done and comforted and encouraged his souldiers He told them that the losse whych was receâ—ued throughe the faulte and rashnesse of the Lieuetenant was so much the lesser to bee made accoÌ„pt of in asmuch as the displesure being by the fauor of the Goddes immortal and through theyr prowesse recouered neyther theyr enemies had anye long continuance of their ioye nor themselues long coÌ„tinuance of their sorow In the meane while the men of Rhemes with incredible swiftnes caryed tydings to Labienus of Cesars victory insomuch that whereas he was about threescore miles from the place where Cicero wintred and that Cesar came thyther after the nyneth howre of the day before the next midnyght there arose a noyse before the gates of his camp wherby the men of Rhemes gaue vnderstanding to Labienus of the victory with great reioycing for the same When newes hereof was brought to the Treuires Induciomarus who was fully minded to haue assaulted Labienus in his camp the next day fled away in the night conueyed home all his army againe Cesar sent back Fabius wyth hys Legion into hys wintring place and himself determined to winter about Samarobrina with thre legions in thre seueral garrisons And forasmuch as all Gallia was in such an vprore he determined to tary with his army al the winter For after the time that the displeasure which we had receiued by the death of Sabinus was blowen abrode almoste all the Cities of Gallia began to consult of war sending messsengers and ambassadours into all partes laying wayte to know what others purposed and deliberatinge where it were best to begin the war They held night counsels in places far from resort Neither passed there anye part of al the whole winter almost but that Cesar was continually troubled with tidings of the metinges conspyracies and insurrections of the Galles AmoÌ„g other thinges he was aduertised from L. Roscius Thresorer of the host whom he had made captaine of the .xiii. Legion that a great power was asseÌ„bled out of the Cityes of littel Britayne to assaile him and that thei were not past an eyght myles from the place where he wyntred but as soone as they heard newes of Cesars victory they departed in suche sorte as that theyr departure myght seme to be a running away But Cesar sommonyng before him the noble men of euery citie partly by putting them in feare in declaryng that he knewe of their doings partly by entreating them gentlye kept the greater part of Gallia in dew obedience quietnes Notwithstanding the Senones whych is a citie verye stronge and of much authority among the Galles laid wayt by commoÌ„ consent to haue slayne Cauarine whom Cesar had made kyng ouer theÌ„ whose brother Moritasgus held the kingdome at the coming of Cesar into Gallia as many of his auncestors had done before The which thing when he foreseing had fled vnto Cesar they pursewed hym to the vttermost borders of theyr territory and vtterlye expulsed him both froÌ„ hys kingdome and country and therwythall sending Ambassadours vnto Cesar to excuse the matter when as he commauÌ„ded al their counsell to come before him they refused to obey him So much it auayled among those barbarous people that there were some found whyche durst geue thaduenture to rebel For herevpon ensued suche an alteration of mindes throughe all Gallia that setting aside the Heduanes and the men of Rhemes whom Cesar had euer in chief estimacioÌ„ th one for their continual faithfulnes toward the people of Rome froÌ„ of olde time thother for their late frendship in theis wars of Gallia there was in maner no citye whych we had not cause to suspect And I do not thynke that thys their doing is a matter so much to be wondred at partly for manye other causes but inespecially considering howe great a corsye it was to theyr hartes for them which bare awaye the renowne of cheualry and feates of warre from all other nations to haue lost so much of that theyr estymacion that they should be brought in subiection and bondage to the people of Rome the Treuires and Induciomarus let passe no part of all the whole winter wythout sending Ambassadors ouer the Rhine styrring the Cities to war and promosing monye affirming that a great part of our army was slain and that the remnant was verye small How beit they were not able to persuade anye of the Germanes to passe the Rhine who aunswered that they had learned twyse alredy by experyence namelye in the war of Ariouistus and the passynge ouer of the Teuctheres that it was not for theÌ„ to trye the courtsye of fortune anye more Albeit that Induciomarus were disappointed of thys hope yet notwtstanding he nothing forslowed to muster souldiers to train them before hand to get horses of hys neighbors and to allure to him with promis of great rewards the outlawes condeÌ„ned persons of al Gallia By meanes wherof he gate himself such estimacion through all Gallia that Ambassades resorted to hym from al places sekyng hys fauor and frendshyp as wel in publyque affayres as pryuate matters When he sawe such voluntary resort vnto hym and that on th one side the Senones and Caruntes were prycked forward with remorce of conscience for theyr heynous offens and that on thotherside the Neruians and Aduatickes prepared war agaynst the Romanes so that he should haue ynow that wold be glad to assyst hym of theyr owne accorde whensoeuer he began to set forward he sommoned a counsell in armour This is the manner of the Galles when they begin any wars wherin by a common law al the yong stryplinges are wont to come together in armor and he that commeth last of theym is in the open syght of the rest with all kinde of most cruell torments put to death In thys counsell he condemned his sonne in lawe Cingetorix a Prince of the contrarye faction whom wee declared before to haue forsakeÌ„ him and yelded vnto Cesar for a traitor and did confiscate hys goods When thys was done he declared in the counsel that he was sent for by the Senones and Caruntes and diuers other cityes of Gallia He sayd he wolde go thyther through the Countrye of the men of Rhemes and wast theyr fieldes and ere euer he so dyd that he wolde assault the Camp of Labienus therwythall he gaue commaundement what he wold haue done Labienus forasmuch as he had encamped hymselfe in a place bothe by nature and mannes hand very strong and defenfible feared not anye daunger that could happen to hym to hys Legion Neuertheles he minded not to let slyp any occasion that might turn to hys
one Uiridomarus of like age and estymation but vnlyke of birth whom Cesar vppon the commendation of Diuitiacus had raised from lowe degree to greate honor came both together into the order of knighthod called therunto of him by name Betwene theis two was contencion for the souereintye And in the foresayd controuersye of the magystrates th one of theym had helde tothe nayle with Conuictolitane and thother wyth Cottus Now Eporedorix hauing knowledge of Litauicus enterpryse about mydnight bare woorde of it to Cesar. He besought hym that he wold not suffer the Citye to renounce the frendshyp of the people of Rome throughe the lewd counsell of light yong men the whych he foresawe woulde come to passe if so many thousand men shuld ioyne themselues wyth his enemyes the welfare of whoÌ„ neyther theyr kinsfolke might neglect nor the Citye make smal accompt of Cesar being striken in great heauines at this newes bicause he had always borne a special fauor to the common weale of the Heduanes wythout makinge any doubting in the matter led out of hys camp fowre Legions wel appointed and al his horsmen Neyther had he leysure to drawe hys Campe closer together in asmuch as the matter semed to stand altogether vppon spedy dispatch So he left C. Fabius his Lieuetenant wyth two Legions to depend his camp and when he had commaunded the brothers of Litauicus to be apprehended he founde that they were fled to the ennemye a littel before When he had encouraged his souldiers that they shuld not be discontented wyth the trauell of theyr iorney in the time of necessity they went all very willingly and at a xxv miles ende espying the host of the Heduanes he sent hys horsemen to them to let them and stay theym of theyr iourney geuinge streyght charge to them all that they shoulde not flea any man Eporedorix and Uiridomarus whoÌ„ they thought to haue ben put to death he wylled to shewe themselues amoÌ„g the formost horsmen and to cal to their acquaintance When this was knowen and the deceipt of Litauicus brought to lyght the Heduanes began to holde vp theyr handes to geue signification that they wold yelde themselues and throwing away their weapons to desier to haue theyr liues spared Litauicus wyth hys reteâ—â—ers to whome by the custome of the Galles it is not lawfull to forsake theyr maisters euen in most extremity fled to Gergouia Cesar after he had sent messengers to the City of the Heduanes to declare vnto theym that he had of his courtesie saued them whoÌ„ by the lawe of armes he might haue put to the swoorde and geuen three howres respit to hys armye to take theyr rest in remoued hys Campe to Gergouia He was scarce halfe onward on hys way but that horsmen came to him from Fabius and told him in how great daunger the matter stode They shewed hym that the Campe was assaulted with a great power freshe alwayes succeding in the roumes of theÌ„ that were weary and ouertrauelling oure men wyth continuall toyle who by reason of the largenes of the camp were fain to abide euermore at one part of the Rampyre wythout shifting of theyr places manye were wounded wyth shot of arrowes and all other kinde of artillerye for the wythstandinge wherof tâ—eir engines did them great case at theyr comming away Fabius reseruing two gates had caused the residewe to be stopped vp rered vp penthouses vppon the Rampire preparing himself to the like aduenture agaynst the next daye When Cesar knew this he made such spede through the wyllingnes of his souldyers that the next morninge by the sunne risinge he returned into hys camp while theis things were a doing at Gergouia the Heduanes immediatly vpon the fyrst rumor that Litauicus spred among them tooke no leysure to examine the trueth of the matter But being driueÌ„ a head some through couetousnes and some through irefulnes and rashnesse as it is in dede a peculier fault ingraffed by nature in that sorte of people to take euery lyght report for a matter of certainty they riffled the goods of the Romane Citizens murdered diuers of theim and tooke dyuers of theym prisoners to bee theyr slaues The matter was not so soone set a broche but Convictolitane helped to further it and prouoked the people to a frenzie to th entent that when they had commytted so heynous an act they might be ashamed to be reformed Mar. Aristius Tribune of the souldiers as he was taking his iourney towarde hys Legion they conueied out of the towne of Cauillone vpon faythfull promis of securitye The like also they compelled theym to do that abode there in the way of traffique And when they had theym wythout they set sodenly vpon them by the way and strypped them of all that euer they had The Souldiers standinge at defence they besieged a whole daye and a night after that many were slaine on both sides they raysed a greater multitude agaynste them In the meane whyle when tidinges was brought that all theyr Souldiers were in Cesars power to do with them what he list they came ruÌ„ning to Aristius and told him that nothing had bene done by commauÌ„dement of the counsell promising to make inquisition for the goods that had bene ryffled They ceased vppon the goods of Litauicus and hys brothers as forfeited and sent commissioners to Cesar to make theyr purgation All the whych was done for none other entent but to get theyr people out of hys handes For being defiled with so heynous a crime and led wyth couetousnesse of the goods that thei had gotten bicause the case appertained to many and moreouer being afrayd of punishment they began to consult secretly of warre and sollicited thother cityes by ambassades The whyche theyr doinges although that Cesar vnderstode yet he spake vnto their Commissioners as gently as he could deuise saying he had not any thyng the worse opinioÌ„ of the whole City for those thynges that the common people had done of lightnesse for want of skill nor yet that he bare the Heduanes any lesse good wyl than he did before Loking in dede for a greater insurrection in Gallia least he myght be beset of all the Cityes at ones he toke counsell after what sort he might depart froÌ„ Gergouia and gather to gether all his whole power agayne that his departure rising vpon feare of rebellion myght nor seeme a running away As he was deuising her of there seemed a fytte occasion to happen of bringing the matter wel to passe For as he came into hys lesser Camp to see how the workes went forwarde he perceyued that the hyl where hys enemyes lay the whyche heretofore could scarslye be sene for the multitude that swarmed vppon it was nowe quite naked and voyd of men Wondering at it he demaunded the cause of hys runnagates of whom a great number resorted to him day by day It was the opinion of them all the whyche thing Cesar vnderstoode by hys spyes also that the
concerning his doinges in Gallia nothinge comparable eyther to the things he wrate before or since and I haue finyshed his last booke which he left vnperfect from the things that were done at Alexandria vnto the ende not of the ciuill discord wherof we see no ende but of the life of Caesar. The which who so euer shall reade wold God they knewe howe vnwillinglye I toke vpon me to wright them to th entent I be not blamed of folly and arrogancy for intermedling my self with Caesars wrightings For all men agree vppon this that there is no thing done so workmanly by others whiche giueth not place to the elegancy of theis commentaries which were put foorth by him to th entent that wrighters should not want the knowledge of so noble dedes and they are so highly allowed by the iudgement of all men that occasion of matter maye seeme not to be ministred but rather to be quight taken from other wrighters The which thing I must nedes more wonder at than all others For other know how wel exquisitely I know besides also howe easly swiftly he performed thē There was in Caesar not only abundance of matter and elegancy of wrighting but also most certain knowledge how to expresse his deuises and conceites For my part I had not so good chaūce as to be present at the warres of Aegipt and Affricke the which warres although they be partlye knowen to me by the report of Cesar yet notwithstandinge we are wont to heare those thinges that wyth their straungenes do delight vs or make vs to maruel after another sort than those things which wee are minded to report againe as vprighte witnesses But whiles I vnaduisedlye gather together al the causes of excuse for the which I shoulde not be compared with Caesar I do◠thereby runne in daunger of the reproche of arrogancye in that I surmise any man to be so far ouersene to compare me wyth Caesar. Fare well THE EIGHTH BOKE of A. Hircius concerninge those things that were left vnperfect by C. Iulius Caesar of the wars in Gallia AFTER THAT ALL Gallia was subdued forasmuche as Cesar had respited no part of the former sommer frō warre he was desirous to refresh his souldiers after so great peynes taken wyth the rest of the wynter season when newes was brought him that manye Cityes at the self same time did lay theyr heades together agayne about war and make conspiracies Whereof there was reported a very likelye cause in that it was knowē to al the Galles that there coulde not anye power so greate be assembled into one place as should be able to wythstande the Romanes Neyther yf many Cityes at ones made warre in diuers places at one instant could the army of the people of Rome haue sufficient eyther of ayd or of time or of menne of war to pursew al at ones And there ought not any City to refuse the lot of theyr misfortune if by the respit therof the rest might set themselues at libertye The whyche opinion to th entent it shoulde not settle in the mynds of the Galles Cesar leauing M. Antonius hys Threasorer wyth charge of hys winter garrisons wēt wyth a strong company of horsemen the last daye of December from Bibracte to hys .xii. Legion whyche he had placed not far from the borders of the Heduanes in the Countrye of Berrey and taketh thereunto the xi Legion whyche was next vnto it Leauinge two Cohortes to defende hys stuffe and cariages he ledde the rest of hys army into the most plentifull fieldes of Berrey the whyche being a large Countrye and full of Townes coulde not be kept in awe wyth the garrison of one Legion but that they prepared for war and made conspyracyes By the sodeine comming of Cesar it came to passe whyche must nedes happen to such as are vnprouided and scattered abrode that such as were tillynge the ground wythout feare were surprised in the fieldes by our horsmen before they coulde get theym into the Townes For at that tyme the common token of inuasion whyche is wont to be perceyued by burning of houses was by Cesars commaundement laid away least they should either want forrage and corne if they were minded to make anye further rode into the Countrye or els that theyr enemyes for feare of the fyers should conuey themselues out of the way After that many thousandes of men had bene taken the mē of Berrey being sore afrayd suche of them as could escape out of the Romanes handes at theyr first comming vpon confidence eyther of the old acquaintance and familiaritye that had bene priuatly betwene them by reason of resortinge a guestwyse one to another or of theyr mutuall agrement and partaking in the same deuyses fled into the next cities but all was in vaine For Cesar by great iorneis came so sodeinly vpō all places that he gaue not any city leisure to think of the saufgard of other folks rather than of themselues Throughe the which spede he bothe kept his friendes faythfull vnto hym and put the wauering sort in such feare that he compelled them to be glad to receiue peace The matter standyng in thys case when the mē of Berrey saw that throughe Cesars gentelnesse there was yet a way for thē to return into hys fauour againe and that the next Cityes had delyuered him hostages and were therupon receyued to mercye wythout further punnishment they themselues did in lyke wise Cesar for bicause his men had paciently endured so great trauell in the winter days in most combersome ways in vntollerable cold and continued most earnestly in the same to the vttermost promised to geue to his souldiers * Which after iiii s. the ownce amoūteth to .xxv. s a piece C C. sefterties a piece and to the * After the same rate amounted to xii li. x. s. a piece capteines two thousād a piece in the name of a pray and so sēding hys Legions againe into theyr wintering places he himself returned to Bibracte the .xl. day after his setting foorth There as he was minystring of Iustice the men of Berrey sent messengers vnto him desyring helpe agaynst the Caruntes whom they complayned to make war vpon thē Upon the receit of thys newes whē he had not lien in garrisō past eightene dayes he draweth the xiiii and xvi Legions out of garrison frō the riuer of Soane where he had placed thē for the spedy purueiance of corne and victuall as was shewed you in the laste booke and wyth those two Legions went to persecute the Caruntes When our enemyes hearde of the comming of our army the Caruntes moued wyth the calamitye of others left vp theyr townes and villages that they dwelled in whyche they had made vpon the sodein wyth littell cotages for necessities sake to kepe of the winter for sins they were conquered a late they had lost many of their walled townes and fled scattering abroade Cesar forasmuch as he woulde not put hys souldiers to