Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
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A67492
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The natural history of Gloucester-shire by Abel Wantner.
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Wantner, Abel.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing W712; ESTC R28381
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2,821
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5
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THE NATURAL HISTORY OF Gloucester-shire By ABEL WANTNER Citizen of GLOUCESTER CHAP. I. Of the Ancient City of Gloucester from its Original AFTER such time as Julius Cesar had compel'd the Britains to become Tributaries to the Roman Empire Ann. Mundi â—0â—5 He by reason of the Civil wars that arose at Rome was obliged to continue at Home for many Years During which time either through his remiss Government or else being not mindful of those Kingdoms and Provinces which had sorn Allegiance unto him they revolt from their Obedience infomuch that after his Decease the succeeding Emperours viz. Octavian Augustus Tiberius Claudius and Cajus Caligula thought it more Prudence carefully to preserve what they had already gotten rather than uncertainly to grasp at any more By which means Britain was left as it were almost forgotten until one Bericus a Noble-man Born in Britain who for Sedition and other high Misdemeanours was expel'd his Native Country greatly solicited Claudius the Son of Drucis who was newly chosen Emperour by the Pretorian Souldiers Ann. Dom. 43. to reduce Britain again to the Roman Obedience who being over-perswaded thereunto Claudius Cesar raiseth a powerful Army out of Gaul or France and other Places and sends them against Britain under the Conduct of Aulus Plautius his Praetoria or Deputy Ann. Dom. 44. who having crossed the Seas landeth his Army without Opposition and giveth Battle to Togodumus their King whom he forceth to a Retreat But in this their good Success they did not long continue for the Britains did so assault the Romans with their daily Fighting and Skirmishing that Aulus Plautius was constrained to send to Rome for Claudius Cesar according to his own Appointment before if Occasion so required who after some Dangers upon the Seas safely arrived in Britain and soon joins his Forces with Aulus Plautius his Deputy The Success of whose War according to Dion was the taking of Camolodunum now Maldon in Essex the chief Seat of the British Kings the Subjection of that part thereof next the Gauls the disarming of the Inhabitants and the placing of a Colony of old Roman Souldiers therein Claudius Cesar being the first that ever fixed a compleat Conquest in Britain These Things being happily atchiev'd Cesar at the End of six Months returned to Rome leaving Publius Ostorius Scapula his Praetoria or Deputy to end the War who soon reduced the higher Part of Britain into the Form of a Roman Province taking the Dobunies who then possess'd Oxford shire and Gloucester-shire into his Protection But our British Historians viz. Jeffery of Monmouth Llanquet and Others relate these Things far otherwise saying That Arviragus the Youngest Son of Cunobeline nor Togodumus was King of the Britains Ann. Dom. 45. In which Year say they Claudius Cesar came in Person against Britain who when he could not obtain it by Force of Arms came to a Composition with Arviragus and gave him his Daughter Jennissa in Marriage which Marriage say they was consummated at Gloucester Hereupon King Arviragus to make the Town more famous where this Marriage was solemnized did not only Beautify the same but he likewise greatly Enlarged it with new Buildings and gave it the Name of Claudia-Castria or Castrum alluding to Claudius Cesar's Name But William of Malmsbury an approved Author tells you that these were idle Fables begun by Jeffery of Monmouth and carried on by their Historians and Commentators Men altogether ignorant and unskilful in Antiquity whose Truth and Authority is so much to be doubted that no Man of Sense will give any Credit to them Now Dr. Plott in his History of Oxford-shire pag. 135. saith That if it be urged out of Ponticus Virinius and some Others that the Emperour Claudius was at Gloucester and that he either Enlarged or Built that City after his own Name in Memory of the Marriage of his Daughter Jennissa with Arviragus the then King of the Britains Nevertheless saith he it must be answered That notwithstanding the Name of Claudius-Castrum now Gloucester yet in all likelihood there was never any such Matter for neither Suetonius nor Dion who both lived in his time and had each of them born the Office of Conful do make mention of any such Name as Jennissa or that she was so disposed of by him in Marriage altho' they both do number up how many Children Claudius Cesar had Besides all this the Dr. further adds How was it possible that Claudius Cesar who came hither and returned back to Rome in six Months should have so much time as to come to Gloucester being a Place far in the Country much more to build or re-edify that City For Dion expresly faith that Claudius Cesar was but sixteen Days in Britain and in all Probability those sixteen Days were spent in ordering his Army and that Arviragus was not known to Claudius Cesar but that he rather lived in the time of Domitian the sixth in Succession after him Now altho' it cannot be certainly proved by any reputable Author who was Gloucester's first Founder yet most certain it is that the Romans did Build it and that of set Purpose to be like a Yoke as it were upon the Necks of the Silures a fierce and warlike People who then possess'd all that Tract of Ground which lieth between the two great Rivers viz. Wye and Severn called by the ancient Britains Vaga and Hafferne of purpose to curb their violent Incursions And it is altogether as certain that the Emperour Antoninus gave it the Name of Glevum and that he there planted a Colony of Roman Soldiers which were called according to Ptolomy Coloni-Glevum or the White Colony and to confirm the same the learned Cambden in his former Treatise saith fol. 36. That there was an ancient Inscription found upon a Quadrant Stone in the Walls of Bath viz. Dec. Colonia Glev vixit Ann. LXXXVI It farther appears that after the Exturpation of the Romans that the Saxons gave it the Name of of Glav-cester which Word according to Ninius as Mr. Cambden well observeth came from Glev and so proportionably Glevum from the British Word Caire-Glow which signifieth white fair or splendid derived or taken from the High Duke Glovi or Glovis Great-Grandfather to King Vortigern from whence Glovernia after whom the Latines called it Gloucestriae and the Vulgar Gloucester c. Having thus far spoken of its Original Foundation and Name come we in the next place to treat of the Honour and Reputation it had in the time of the Britains with other Remarks to the Conquest and from thence you have Variety of Observations to the Reign of King Henry the Eighth who made it a City I find nothing recorded by any reputable Author concerning the City or Town of Gloucester during the time that the Romans were here in Britain Neither have I met with any thing that may be termed remarkable till the coming in of Hengist Prince of the Pagan Saxons who through their perfidious Treachery slew four Hundred and Sixth of the British Nobility upon the Plain of Amsbury within three Miles of Salisbury at a Place called since Stone-Henge which Stones are said to have been there erected as a Monument or Memorial of that most bloody and barbarous Slaughter Amongst whom at that time was the valiant Eldol Duke of Gloucester Brother unto Eldade Bishop of Gloucester Who finding of a Stake which by chance lay on the Ground He with his own Hands slew according to Sr. William Dugdale Seventeen of those Saxons and afterwards made his Escape to his Dukedome of Gloucester where he raised what Forces he could procure and at Place called Maezbel on the North of Humber meets with Hengist gives him Battle and defeats his Army Cambden out of Higden sol 208. Aethelstan the 25th King of the West-Saxons Died at Gloucester but was Buried at Malmsbury in Wilt-shire Ann. Dom. 940. King Edward the Confessor held a famous Parliament at Gloucester Ann. Dom. 1503. During which time Gruffith King of South-Wales Rebelled and with thirty Sail of Danish Ships entereth the River Severn doing great Spoil to the Country But at last he was taken at Bullen-Dane the same we now call Bully and there Beheaded and afterwards his Head was presented to King Edward at Gloucester