among them Sometimes Ambition only to encrease their Rule and Soveraignty prompted some to make Incursions on their Neighbours so that they who had the greatest desire to sit quiet were obliged to stand in a posture of Defence and to be alwaies ready against such Invasions whose greatest strength and force lay in their being swift and sudden Sometimes the Druid Interest engaged the Secular Power in its Quarrels every Prince desiring to advance a Creature of his own to the Primacy and Superintendency over the whole Island The whole Nation being alwaies in a Warlike posture it is no wonder to hear what some ancient Authors write of them That every one delighted in picking Quarrels that it was their daily exercise and pleasure to be Skirmishing that they were continually going out in Parties Fortisying and Intrenching many times rather out of delight than any necessity For being constrained to keep standing Forces it was absolutely requisite they should be kept in Exercise for it was impossible in the circumstances this Country was then in for any Prince though desirous of Peace to keep his Souldiers in Order and Discipline unless they were sometimes let loose and afforded those liberties and advantages which other men of Fortune had under more Ambitious and turbulent Governours But the greatest bone of Contention among them which never suffered these Dissensions to heal and close up was the eternal fewd as I suppose between the Inland Britains the first Possessours of the Island and those that came over from Gaul and Belgium These drave all the Ancient Inhabitants from all the Sea-Coasts seizing their Estates and securing the Trade of the Island into their own hands And although in process of time these different forts of People might mix very much in their Allyances Language Customes and Religions yet the first Injuries of the Invaders was no doubt upon occasion very often severely resented by the Inlanders and I believe in their common Union against Caesar and the Romans never heartily forgotten This being the condition of Affairs in Britain at that time it is no wonder that Caesar at his Arrival was much deceived in his expectations for by the small preparations he made at his first Invasion we may guess what a low opinion he had of the Temper Courage and Conduct of the Britains and at his second Attempt by the increase of his Levies and number of Ships being in all Eight hundred we may on the other side judge what warm entertainment he received the first time from them So that the Courage of the Britains and their skill in War is not to be questioned in respect they lived among themselves in the continual exercise of it It remains only that their Manner of Fighting with the several Customes they used differing from other Nations their Neighbours be described and explained The first and most memorable thing that occurs is their Fighting in Chariots after the manner of the Ancient Greeks as Diodorus Siculus expresses at the Trojan War Of this Custome of theirs I have treated in the Chapter of the Greeks and I doubt not since it was peculiar to the Britains and a few adjacent parts in Gaul that Coesar relates it for a wonder in the Western parts but that will be thought to proceed either immediately from that Nation or else from the Phoenicians As for the Names of the Charriots they fought in are clearly Phoenician as Benna Carrus or Carrum Covinus Essedum Rheda and so it is but reason to think primitively were introduced by them The Gracians added and altered them according to the Custome of their Country for one sort they called Petoritum from its four Wheels and of the ordinary Rheda they made their Epireda I suppose with two stories in it to carry the more Men. The Waggons and Chariots they thus fought in were exceedingly well Harnassed and Armed for at both ends of the Axeltrees they fastned Hooks and Scyths so that driving furiously into the Enemies battle they made whole Lanes of slaughtered Men the Scyths cutting them off in the middle who did not give speedy way and such as escaped them were caught up with the Hooks which were placed for that purpose so that hanging upon them they were miserable Spectacles and suffering intollerable pains and torments were constrained to write upon the Triumphs of their Conquerours being drag'd along before and behind their Chariot Wheels These sort of Chariots were called Covini and in the British Tongue at this day Cowain signifies to carry in a Wagon Lucan calls it constratus Covinus being possibly of an evener and broader make more open than their other sorts of Chariots and probably it carried no men at all but only him that guided it For we read in Tacitus that Covinarius is as much as to say Auriga And this they did that the Chariot might be more expedit and the Horses with more ease might draw the Scyths and Hooks through any opposition The Essedum called by the Phoenicians Dassedan by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was another sort of Chariots which I believe carried no Scyths or Hooks in which were only Armed men How the Britains used these we read in Caesar The Charioteers called Essedarii ride through all the parts of the Battle and bestowed their Darts with the terrible appearance of their Horses and the noise of their Wheels usually break their Ranks And when they have wrought themselves into the Enemies Horse they fling themselves from their Chariots and fight on foot the Chariot Guiders in the mean time withdraw a little way out of the Battle and place themselves so that if their Party were over-powered with the number of Enemies they might retreat with more ease and security By this means in their fighting they perform the nimbleness of Horse and the steadiness of Foot By daily use and exercise they arrived to that perfection that in the steepest descent of a Hill they could hold their Horses to a full Careere stop of a sudden turn short run upon the Spire-pole and Beam of the Chariot stand upright on the Yoak and Harness of their Steeds and immediately again whip into their Chariots This exceeding nimbleness and dexterity in the management of their Esseds oftentimes foiled Caesar and his heavy Legions Sometimes they would feign themselves to flie by that means to draw his light Souldiers to follow them and immediately turning again and skipping off their Chariots they often gave them notable Repulses driving them to their main Body where they were forced to shelter themselves Upon this very account they never fought thick or in clusters but dispersed themselves into diverse and distant stations which before hand was for the most part agreed upon relieving one another as they saw occasion and retiring when weary so came on again as they had refresht or relieved their Horses By this their scattered way of Fighting the Romans knew not which way to bend their main strength besides
looking on not being able to apply any Remedy Thus many of their Ships were utterly broken in pieces others having lost all their Tackling were rendred unserviceable This gave matter of great affliction to the Army and to Caesar himself who having not provided sufficient stores for his Souldiers was necessitated to Winter in Gallia and now saw himself sadly deprived of the means of conveying them thither having no other Ships for that service and besides wanted materials for the repairing of his broken and shattered Hulks The Britains considering all these Circumstances especially their Enemies want of Horse and imagining the Foot to be fewer indeed than they were from the narrow compass of the Roman Camp which was less than usual because Caesar by that means was minded to ease the Duty of his wearied Souldiers and the Legions besides had been transported without their Carriages resolves to renew the War and so hindring the Romans of Provisions to protract the business unto Winter Having entred into this Consultation they who left Hostages or out of curiosity had long resided amongst the Romans secretly one by one withdrew from the Camp and by degrees removed their Families and Cattle higher into the Continent encouraging one another once for all to redeem the Liberty of their Country not questioning but if they could intercept the Return of the Romans and destroy them none never after would venture to Invade their Nation Caesar though as yet he knew not of their designs yet suspecting that the loss received in his Navy might give Courage to the Enemy and occasion new Councels perceiving withal that the Hostages were privately retired others which were to be sent in cunningly delayed resolves to prepare for the worst and to that end laies in what provisions of Corn he could gather and with the scattered remnants of those Ships which were utterly broken patches up the remainder of his Fleet and what with Materials fetched from the Continent and the indefatigable diligence of his Men in a few daies all but twelve Ships were made fit for sayling In the mean time the seventh Legion being gone out according to their custome to Forrage there being no open breach made and many of the Britains still remaining about the Country and going and coming freely into the Romans Quarters news was brought unto Caesar from the Sentinels keeping Guard at the Camp-gate that they descried a greater Dust than ordinary arising upon that quarter of the Country to which the Legion had taken its March Caesar suspecting what indeed happened that the Britains had taken new Councels commands the Cohorts of his Guards to follow him thither ordering two others to succeed in their places and the rest speedily to Arm and come after When he had passed some distance from the Camp he perceived his Legion overborn by the Enemy and not able to sustain their violent Charges being already hudled up and on all sides sorely gauled by Darts and Javelins For the Britains finding that where the Romans the day before had been Reaping they had left part of the Crop and judging the next day they would return to the same place secretly in the Woods lodged an Ambuseado of Men who as soon as the Romans had laid by their Arms and were dispersed about their work suddenly brake in upon them and cutting off some routing the rest at last encompast them about with their Horse and Chariots The manner of the Britains fighting upon this and such like occasions was in this wise First They ride with their Charriots through all the parts of the Battle and fling Darts and with the terrible noise of their Horses and ratling of the Charriot-wheels they often break the ranks of the Enemy When they have wound themselves into the Troops of Horse they alight from their Charriots and fight on foot The Charrioteers in the mean time retire a little from the Battle and place themselves in such Order that in case their Party should be over-powr'd with the Multitude of Enemies they might have a safe Retreat so that at once they perform the swiftness of Horse and steadiness of Foot By daily exercise they are so expert at it that down the steepest Hill they will hold their Horses to a full Career stop of a sudden turn short and wind them about now running along upon the Beam then standing upright upon the Yoak and from thence nimbly recover their Boxes This sort of Fight is described by Caesar in this place to excuse the general rout of his Legion although they could not but be acquainted with the nature of the British Charriots even at their first Landing and it was but high time that he came to their relief for the Legion was sorely oppressed by the Enemy and in great confusion At his appearance the Britains retired having done sufficient execution for that day and Caesar was so sensible of his loss and the general consternation of his Army that he durst not venture at that time to think of Revenging it so that abstaining from Battle he only kept his ground for a while and then with his main Force retired within his Trenches carrying with him all the Forrage he had taken For many daies after the Weather continued so foul that the Romans kept themselves encamped and the Britains attempted nothing upon them but employed the time in dispatching of Curryers to all parts to signifie to what small numbers the Enemy was reduced and the great hopes of Booty and the freeing their Country for ever from the like Invaders if they could manfully beat the Romans from their Camp and so make them a severe Example This change of Councel from protracting the War to a speedy ending of it was not so successfully executed as rashly undertaken by the Britains for although from all quarters there flocked infinite numbers both of Horse and Foot yet were they too light and unarmed to engage with the heavy Legions whose strength consisted most in being united and compacted together whereas the advantage of the Britains was in quick Onsets and sudden Skirmishes and in being assailed rather than assailing However they gathered together about the Roman Camp which Caesar perceiving although he had but three hundred Horse which Comius of Arras had transported with him and knew well that the Britains though worsted might as before escape the pursuit yet resolves to give them Battle and so drew out for that purpose before his Camp After a small and trivial dispute the Britains not able to endure the force of the Legions flie in disorder and were pursued but with greater destruction of Towns and Villages than of their Persons Caesar burning every thing that lay in his way and not returning to his Camp without Blazing tokens of his Conquest The Britains after this Defeat resolve to make Conditions and to that end send Embassadours to Caesar who no doubt rejoyced at his good Fortune that having made no progress at all into the Island nor ever been
Britains who before had Intelligence that the Roman Army was in a Mutiny resolved against the Expedition and were negligent in preparing for them And now finding them safe Arrived on the shoar and in Weather when they least expected it bereaved of all other Counsels they betook themselves to the Woods and Marshes hoping this way to weary out the Romans and by a dodging War so to linger out the time as the Courage of their Enemies being spent and their Edge abated they might be forced to return without any great Exploit performed This Policy Cassibelan with success maintained in his Wars against Caesar and had it been prosecuted now with the same Constancy no doubt but that it would have had the same effect For we find that Plautius with heavy Marches and troublesome Journies had more labour and trouble to find them out than found to Conquer them The British Armies as well as their Counsels were divided both led on by two young Sons of Cunobeline deceased Caratacus and Togodumnus who upon what designs is not known keeping their Forces separate and being too hot and heady for the thoughts of Delay and rashly engaging one after the other were both overcome and put to flight first Caratacus and afterwards Togodumnus No wonder therefore if some of the British States relying not much on their Conduct desired to make their Peace with the Conquerour For after this Defeat the Boduni or Dobuni seated about Oxfordshire and Glocestershire and subject formerly to the Catuellani the Inhabitants of Buckinghamsbire Hertford and Bedfordshire submitted themselves and received a Garrison Plautius after this Success Marched on to a certain River where he found the Britains on the farther side encamped lying secure and careless because they thought the Romans without a Bridge could not possibly get over These Romans having Germans mixt with them who in Armour were accustomed to swim with ease against the strongest Currents were commanded to take the River and unawares to assail the Enemy but especially their Horse For the Germans having got footing on the other side fell unexpectedly on the British Camp and as they were ordered spent all their Darts and Javelins upon the Horse whereby they were so gauled that the Britains not able to sit them were forced to alight and those which drew the Charriots falling dead in their Geers and Harness were not only made useless but cumbersome The Britains being now many of them on foot and their Charriots unserviceable Plautius sends Vespatian who afterwards was Emperour with Sabinus his Brother to second the Attempt These coming on a sudden upon the Britains and assaulting them unawares did much Execution but the Britains with the rest of their Forces for that time retired The next day re-uniting they gave Battle to the Romans and with such Courage and Resolution that for a long while the Victory hung doubtful until Cajus Cidius Geta charged furiously upon them and engaging almost beyond recovery turned the scale on the Roman side for which great piece of Service although no Consul he obtained afterwards at Rome Triumphal Honours After this the Britains retired to the mouth of the Thames where being acquainted with the Shallows and Sand-banks they easily past it but the Romans unadvisedly following them were in great hazard to be lost upon those dangerous Flats but the Germans some by swimming others by help of a Bridge that was higher having got over so encompast the Britains that they made great slaughter of them but afterwards in the heat of Pursuit following too eagerly in blind Bogs and Marshes they lost many of their Companions Plautius thought it not safe to proceed any further having considered into what Traps the Britains had drawn him and fearing that through the ignorance of the Country he might be led into greater dangers With all he perceived that the Courage of the Enemy by so many Defeats was rather inflamed than quelled and that the death of their Prince Togodumnus who in one of the former Encounters had been slain had so enraged them that laying aside all thoughts of yeilding they were bent upon nothing but Revenge Besides he had lost many of his Souldiers the Countries he held were his rather by Courtesie than Compulsion and he well understood the faith of Revolters that upon the least turn of Fortune they were ready to wheel about and fall into their ancient Allegiance According to his Orders therefore he sent unto Claudius signifying in what posture his Affairs stood the danger of proceeding any further with those few Forces he had and the hopefulness of the design of Conquest if assisted with greater Numbers In the mean time he employed himself in securing what he had got and in placing Garrisons In the most necessary Passes so that with the residue of his Men he Encamped at the Mouth of the Thames to make good the Landing of new Supplies Claudius receiving this Intelligence being now the third time Consul and desirous of a Triumph chose Britain for his Province In his setting out from Ostia he had like by foul Weather to have been drowned upon the Islands Stachades then on the Coasts of Liguria where being at last set on shoar by Land he went to Marseilles then to Callice with such vast Preparations as argued the difficulty of the Enterprize he was undertaking For besides his Roman Legions and the Auxiliaries of Germans and Gauls he carried with him many Armed Elephants to terrifie the Britains and to amaze that Courage which to that time no Force could daunt With this Equipage he embarks and having in a short time crossed the Channel he joyns directly with Plautius who lay waiting for him at the Thames Mouth Then taking into his hands the entire Command of the whole Army he passes the River to find out the Enemy where he discovers them drawn up ready to give him Battle For the Britains were impatient of Delaies and had embraced those Counsels which had more heat and spirit than true Conduct and setled Resolution Never had the Conduct of Old Cassibelan been more necessary than at this time The Roman Army was great and unweildy requiring vast Provisions and lugging much Baggage after them their Courage in a little time would have been wearied and their Spirits spent and their Elephants once constrained to follow through Bogs and Marshes would have been foundered and rendred unserviceable And the first heat of the Army in receiving their Emperour being over no doubt but the Souldiery would have flagged in time and mouldered away But to engage with them just upon their receiving fresh Supplies when they were newly animated with the presence of their Emperour and the impressions of Joy not quite over argues the young and raw Counsels the Britains then were under And as this Fight was rashly undertaken so were the consequences fatal for the loss of Camalodunum or Malden the Royal Seat of Cunobelin followed it with the Surrender of many other Places of
in these words O fortunate Britain and more happy now than all other Lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar But whether his carriage in the Empire was equal to the moderation of his mind in refusing it I leave to others to judge who read his History intending to relate such passages only as concern the History of our Nation At his first entrance having pursued the relicks of the War begun by his Father against the Caledonians and other Picts and carried it on further to the Invading of the more Northern Nations and the Inhabitants of those Islands that are conscious saith he of the Suns setting partly by Force and partly by Treaty for he had greater Affairs called him to Rome he gained all to himself not sparing to allure with large Fees and stipends all such whom neither fair words nor force of Arms could oblige to his Party By such like Arts his open and prosessed Enemies he drew to his Friendship and his old Adversaries to be his especial Familiars This done he sailed into Batavia and there vanquished the Franckners afterwards the German and French Nations then levying Souldiers to the number of 90000 Foot and 8000 Horse many of which were raised in Britain he passed into Italy overthrew the Tyrant Maxentius who at Rome had challenged the Empire and about the fourth year returned again into Britain Some make his return into Britain before his engagement with Maxentius and that out of the words of Eusebius which nevertheless may relate to his after Troubles the words are these Constantine passed over to the Britains inclosed on every side with the Ocean whom when he had overcome he began to compass in his mind other parts of the World to the end he might come in time to succour those that wanted assistance And in another place After he had furnisht his Army with mild and modest Instructions of Piety he invaded Britain that he might likewise instruct those who dwelt environed round about with the Waves of the Ocean bounding the Suns setting as it were with those Coasts The memory of this happy Expedition is preserved to posterity in a Coyn of his the Reverse whereof beareth a Man on Horse-back with this Inscription round it ADVENTUS AUGUSTI and by these Letters P. L. N. at the bottom the place of the Mint is signified to have been at London But his Policy was wanting in this point that he was the first who made way for Barbarous People to break into Britain Germany and Gaul For when he had overcome the Northern Nations growing over-secure on that side he translated those Legions that lay in defence of the Marches partly into the East where he had built his new City Constantinople and in their stead built Forts and Holds and partly into Cities more remote from the said Marches so that soon after his death the Barbarians forcing the Towns and Fortresses brake into the Provinces in which respect he is blamed by Zosimus as the main and principal subverter of a most flourishing Empire From hence Malmsbury writeth That he brought from this Island a great power of British Souldiers by whose Industry and good Service having obtained Triumphal Victories to his hearts desire and attained to the Empire such of them as were past Service and had performed the painful part of Souldiers their full time he planted in a certain part of Gaul westward upon the very shoar of the Ocean where at this day their Posterity remaining are wonderfully grown even to a mighty People in Manners and Language much degenerating from our Britains But I fear he hath too boldly collected out of the words of Zosimus forasmuch as there is no particular place recorded by him where those Cities which he calleth More remote from the Marches were scituate and the Britains in Gaul are supposed more probably to be of an earlier Plantation in those parts About this time as plainly appeareth by the Code of Theodosius PACATIANUS was the Vicegerent in Britain for by this time the Province had no more Propraetors or Lieutenants but instead thereof was a Vicar substituted And seeing that by this Emperour the form of the Roman Government was altered in this Island it will not be amiss in this place to note summarily out of Mr. Cambden in what sort Britain was Ruled under him and afterwards in the next succeeding Ages He ordained four Prefects of the Praetorium to wit of the East of Illyricum of Italy and of Gaul Two Leaders or Commanders of the Forces the one of Footmen the other of Horse-men in the West whom they termed Praesentales For Civil Government there Ruled Britain the Praefect of the Praetorium or Grand Seneschal in Gaul and under him the Vicar General of Britain who was his Vicegerent and honoured with the Title of Spectabilis as much as to say Notable or Remarkable Him obeyed respectively to the number of the Provinces two Consular Deputies and three Presidents who had the hearing of Civil and Criminal Causes For Military Affairs there Ruled the Leader or Commander of the Foot-men in the West at whose disposition were the Comes that is the Count or Lieutenant of Britain the Count or Lieutenant of the Saxon-Coasts along Britain and the Duke of Britain stiled every one Spectabiles that is Remarkable The Comes of Britain seemeth to have Ruled the Inland-parts of the Island who had with him seven Companies of Foot and nine Cornets or Troops of Horsemen The Count or Lieutenant of the Saxon-Coasts namely who defended the Maritime parts against the Saxons and is named by Ammianus Comes maritimi tractus as much as to say Lieutenant of the Maritime tract for defence of the Sea-coast had seven Companies of Foot-men two Guidons of Horse-men the second Legion and one Cohort The General of Britain that is Duke of Britain who defended the Marches or Fronteirs against the Barbarians had the Command of thirty eight Garrison-Forts wherein kept their stations 14000 Foot and 900 Horse-men so that in those daies if Pancirolus hath kept just computation Britain maintained 19200 Foot-men and 1700 Horse-men ormuch thereabout in Ordinary Besides all these Comes Sacrarum largitionum to wit the Receiver of the Emperours Finances or Publick Revenues had under him in Britain the Rational or Auditor of the Sums and Revenues of Britain The Provost of the Augustian that is the Emperours Treasures in Britain and the Procurator of the Gynegium or Drapery in Britain in which the Cloaths of the Prince and Souldiers were woven The Comes Rerum privatarum had his Rational or Auditor of private State in Britain To say nothing of the Sword Fence-School Procurator in Britain whereof an old Inscription maketh mention and of other Officers of an Inferiour degree Thus much of the Civil Government administred by Constantine in this Island as for the change of Religion introduced by him I must refer you to the Ecclesiastical History of
Trade But in Caesars daies we find the Greeks in the very heart of Gaul setled both in their Customes Language and Religions which in my opinion is a perfect demonstration that they had long before been in those Western Seas For can it be possible that a Nation coming so far as they and arriving at Britain and the Sea Coasts of Gaul could without Conquest fix themselves their Customes and Religions and not some hundred of years past Besides it is to be supposed the Greeks were much sooner in Britain than Gaul and much more conversant if we consider how the Gauls used to send their Children to be instructed of the Druids of Britain and how in this Island and in Man and Anglesey were publick Assemblies and general Rendevouz held by all the Learned to which People from neighbouring Nations and all Parts did repair In Caesars daies we find the Greek Language not only in Britain but even in those barren and Mountainous parts of Gaul which the Helvetii inhabited Learning by this time had found its way even unto those Parts out of which the Inhabitants themselves weary of their Country scarce could find a passage For the Helvetii after they had burnt their Houses and agreed upon a general March of the whole Nation to seek out some New Plantation the first difficulty we find them encountring with is how to get out of their Country so securely bounded as it was with Hills and Rivers that it seemed to them rather a Prison than a Defence and yet upon their return being beaten by Caesar there was found as he himself writes and brought to him Table Books written in Greek Letters wherein was Recorded exactly the number of all that went forth how many bore Arms besides old Women and Children We see what footing the Greeks had gotten in these parts in the daies of Caesar and therefore I leave it to the Reader to judge Whether in a hundred or two hundred years time Traders out of the Mediterranean could so fully plant themselves and their Language in these Parts as to be trusted with the managements of the Records of a whole Nation The Foot-steps of the Greeks are so ancient and frequent in these Islands that it has given occasion to many to think that they were the first Planters of them and the Reasons they give are these 1. They must needs be planted by Navigators because they are Islands 2. The Graecians in the first Ages of the World were esteemed among the best Navigators taking in the Ionians and the Inhabitants of the Mediterranean Islands all of Greek extraction and differing only in Dialect 3. It is certain that their Colonies were very numerous through all the Mediterranean and that they passed the Streights is undoubtedly true after Colaeus the Greek had first of all that Nation discovered the West Seas so that 't is probable they wan'ed not People to plant even in these Islands also as well as in several places in Lybia and Spain that lay to the Sea Coast. 4. They suppose the Greek Language or a Dialect thereof altogether used in these Islands till corrupted and grown out of use among the People It was preserved only entire among the Druids whom they cannot otherwise imagine could have that Language unless there had been some plantation of the People formerly in these parts What makes them the more confident in this Judgment is That the Druids had the very same Interests and used the very same practice as the Roman Clergy do in sticking fast to the Ancient Latin Tongue And they took notice of a great jealousie in the Druids least their Learning and Religion should be too much understood and divulged so that it was grown to that height that it was accounted almost unlawful to reveal any of their Mysteries or to set down in writing what they thought most safe and honourable for themselves to deliver by Tradition 5. Their manner and expert way of fighting in Chariots after the Ancient manner of Greece and the Countries adjoyning when it was unknown to the Roman Territories Now this is a great Argument of the Graecian Antiquity in these parts and Caesar in his Commentaries takes notice of it as a wonderful thing and a great novelty where he describes their way of Fighting and much admiring their dexterity and agility of Body their nimble and sudden turns and here it will not be amiss to put down his very words In Fighting for the most part the Britains employed their Charioteers first these drive about through all parts of the Battle and fling Darts and with the terrible sight of Horse and ratling noise of the Wheels they do most commonly break their Ranks and put them in disorder and after they have once forced themselves within the Troops of Horse-men they descend from their Chariots and fight on foot The Chariot Guiders in the mean time withdraw a little from the hurry and place themselves in such postures that if the other be overpowred by the number of Enemies they may readily and without hinderance retreat in safety Thus in their Fights they performed the quick motion of Horse-men and have the steadiness of Foot-men By daily practice and experience so ready in their Service that on the descent of steep Hills they can stop their Horses although in full Carreer quickly turn short and yet moderate their Course run along the spire-pole and beam of their Chariots rest upon the yoak and harness of their Horses and from thence jump again with ease into their Chariots Where by the by we may take notice that the expertness they had in their Chariots argues that they long had known the use of them and consequently that the Greeks had been longer in these Islands than is for the most part conceived and yet not so long as to be the first Planters and that the Nakedness and Painting of some of them was rather a corruption and degenerating from the Greeks Civility in those points than the reason of their Name For the Greeks are supposed to be here long before any such Custome and if at first the Greeks did find them Naked yet was it long before any such word as Brith was used among them which is not conjectured by Mr. Cambden to be long before Caesars time 6. There were two different Nations in Britain taken notice of by Caesar one of which proceeded out of Gaul to which People I think Mr. Cambdens Antiquities only refer who came out of a desire of Conquest and so planted themselves on the Sea Coasts The other sort were they within the Land of Ancienter date and settlement who acknowledged themselves to be derived from none of their Neighbours either because they were ignorant of their Original or perhaps thought according as the Greeks did that there was no greater honour than to be sprung from that Earth they possessed and so gave out according to the usual Custome of those times that they were Aborigines so that
hindered on all sides to make Excursions were obliged to close Marches not able to forrage in parts a thing very destructive to them in a strange Country so that by the conduct of Cassibelan their General the Roman Legions were in a manner made useless serving only as a Refuge for the Horse who were often beaten upon them It is very difficult to distinguish among so many Names they had of their Wagons and Charriots to what proper and particular uses they put them Their Carri or Carra from whence our word Cart proceeds were made use of in carrying of their Arms and Baggage and seem not to be engaged with the Enemy but were alwaies secured by a Trench and Rampier insomuch the Britains upon any Rout given to them retired and taking out their fresh Horses left their wearied ones to recruit The Benna called by the Germans at this day Benne and the French Banneau seems to be the same with Petoritum both receiving their names from their Wheels one from the Greeks the other from the Phoenicians but whether these were used for their pleasure only or in War is uncertain that they differed from all the rest in the numbers and make of their Wheels is unquestionable The Covinus was the Chariot with the Scyths and Hooks as Pomponius Mela witnesseth and their Esseda were not Armed Chariots but carried Men only in them as may be understood out of Caesars words where he saies That the ratling noise of the Wheels and terrible appearance of the Horses put his Men into dis-array making no mention of their Scyths which certainly he would have done if in these Esseda there had been any It is very probable in their first Skirmishes with Caesar they would not be brought to a set Battle as they used these Esseda only and reserved their Covini for other occasions as they should be offered Their Rheda from whence proceeds Rhediad a Course Rheder to Run Rhedecfd a Race in the British If we look to the Original being Rheda in the Phoenician Dialect as it is used in the Chaldee Paraphrase upon Exod. 14. 25. where mention is made of Charriots of AEgypt then we may conclude it was a Charriot of War but whether with Scyths or without is uncertain although the former be more probable seeing that the Eastern Countries as likewise AEgypt and Africa where many Colonies of the Phoenicians had seated themselves used the like But that it might be made and used without Scyths and was the Charriot wherewith they ran Races and at publick Games exercised themselves as it cannot be denied So Eporeda a City of the Salassians seems to testifie which received its Name according to Pliny from Horse-breakers and possibly might be called Hipporedia from them Add to this Rheda the Epitheda with a Greek addition to a Phoenician name and we have all the sorts of Charriots which were ever mentioned or may be gathered of the Gauls or Britains And we are to observe that Tacitus writes concerning the management of these Charriots that the greater Personage guided them and that his waiters and followers fought out of the same which is not taken notice of by Caesar and may not be used in his daies For we find in him that the Charriot Drivers often retired out of the Battle and there waited the success of those he had carried in that he might bring them off again which office can very hardly be supposed to be executed by their Princes and Leaders The Horses the Britains used in their Chariots according to Dio Nicaeus were small and swift but whether their breed was generally so or whether they chose them such as easier to be managed and fitter to climb Hills and endure Labour is not resolved me by any The Harness they put on them may be gathered to be not only substantial but curiously wrought and engraven upon out of the words of Propertius Esseda caelatis siste Britanna jugis The Battles A the Covinus or Cythed Chariot B the Essedum C the Epireda The Britains fought in Bodies called Caterva now Caturfa as the Romans had their Legions and the Macedonians their Phalanx and this Caterva we have shewn to be of Phoenician Derivation and to this word Mr. Cambden reduces Cad signifying War in the British Tongue and Kaderue a Legion Their strong Holds and Towns according to Caesar and Strabo were nothing else but a round spot of Ground fenced about with Trees fell'd down for that purpose and secured on all sides with a Ditch and Rampire and this served them in their Retreats and this is all that can be learnt of their general way of Fighting We will proceed now to particulars The Britains were very swift in Running neither did they burthen themselves with any Armour which they could not at their pleasure fling from them They had a Shield and short Spear in the nether part whereof hung a Bell by the shaking of which they thought to affright and amaze their Enemies They used Daggers also those that went Naked girded their Swords by their sides by an Iron Chain There is no mention made of Authors by what Names the British Arms were called The Gaulish Weapons are Spatha Gessum Lancea Sparum Cateia Matara or Mataris Thyreos and Cetrum or Cetra This Cetra is attributed to the Old Britains by Tacitus and we have shewn it to be the Phoenicians Cetera Many others of them are reduced by Mr. Cambden to the British Tongue and are supposed by him to be in his making the Gauls and Britains the same Nations used promiscuously by both those words cited by him I have proved to be Phoenician and by all probability brought by the Phoenicians into Gaul and Britain It will not be amiss to shew seeing the other Weapons might be in use here in Britain that they are also of Phoenician Derivation for seeing that the Phoenicians Traded into the Bretanick Islands it would be unreasonable to imagine that the Britains did not learn the use of the same Weapons from them as the Gauls may be proved to do setting aside that it is very probable that the Gauls as they sent their Children to be Instructed in this Island in Arts Sciences and Religion so might they learn of them also many things very conducible in their Wars The first sort of Weapon for we omit those we have spoken of in the Chapter of the Phoenicians is the Spatha the Italians Spada and the Spaniards Espada Isidore calls it Spata and saies it was a two edged Sword with which they cut and did not thrust for Polybius and Livy saies it had no point The Britains wore Daggers which served to thrust with some have derived it from the Chaldee word Sphud or Spud signifying a Spit which the Italians call Spedo the Dutch Spett we our selves call Spit and the Germans Spissz but the Derivation cannot hold with the description of the Spata which was
that his Souldiers were on an unknown Coast their hands full their heavy bodies laden with Armour that at the same time they were to jump from their Ships stand among the Waves and engage the Enemy and on the other side that the Britains were on the dry ground or else in very shallow Water that they were light Armed and quick Motioned that they were acquainted with the shoars and their Horses accustomed to that kind of Duty yet all this seemeth to be confessing rather than excusing a Defeat The Romans being to encounter with all these Difficulties but especially with the undaunted Courage of the Britains and being gauled with this unusual manner of Fighting stood as men absolutely astonished not knowing which way to turn themselves until Caesar seeing them beginning flatly to yield to the impression of the Enemy draws off his Long-boats and Gallies from his Ships of Burthen and orders them to be placed against the open flank of the Enemy The very sight of this kind of Shipping amazed the Britains the swiftness of their motion and the number and ratling of the Oars but as on the other side they were exceeding surprizing to the Britains so they struck no less Courage and Resolution into the daunted Romans But the first impressions being over notwithstanding the force and greatness of their Gallies with which as being strongly workt by the multitude of Oars the Britains were almost overwhelmed yet left they not off still manfully to defend their Country and expose their Chariots and naked Bodies to the Ships and Armour of their Enemies Caesar finding that by plain Force he was not able to attain the Landing orders his Engines and Slings to be set up in all his Gallies and that they should be plaid against the open side of the Enemy And now whole showers of Stones and Darts were discharged upon the naked Britains and the Roman Ships something cleared of their close Engagers The Britains notwithstanding all these dangers did not quit their ground but with the loss of their lives and although the thick shot falling round about the Roman Fleet made them stand at a Bay yet durst not their Enemies venture to quit their Vessels fearing as is reported the depth of the Sea but more probably the re-advancement of the Enemy as soon as their Engines should leave working In this general Consternation of the Romans an Ensign-bearer of the tenth Legion having first invoked the Gods that what he intended might succeed to the good of his Legion breaks out into these words Fellow Souldiers desert if you please your Ensign and betray it to the Enemy I for my part will perform my Duty to the Common-wealth and my General having thus said with a loud voice he jumps into the Sea and advancing the Eagle he marcheth upon the Enemy The Souldiers began to recollect their Spirits and exhorting one another not to suffer the disgrace of loosing their Standard with one consent followed their resolute Leader Others incited by their Example do the like and now in several Bodies they advance to the Enemy Here began a terrible fight on both sides wherein the Romans received great damages partly for want of sure footing and partly because in eagerness to rescue their Ensign they observed no Order every one out of his Ship advancing to that standard that was next to him On the other hand the Britains managed their Advantages with great prudence and Resolution Where they saw the Enemy boggled either in the Depths or the Sands they presently assaulted them cuting them off in all Parties and wheresoever they perceived any few making up to their Standards driving furiously between they intercepted their passage and with ease dispatcht them Others there were who attempted the main Body which was gathering about the Standard and with their Darts very much anoyed them which Caesar perceiving he commanded all his Boats and Shallops to be filled with Souldiers and where he saw any distressed he received them into his protection By this means the Foot were all dis-embarkt and having got into some Order they made up to the Shoar where after a sharp dispute the wearied Britains were put to flight or rather retired having observed by the disburthening of all the Ships that the Romans had no Horse to follow them which indeed proved true by reason that through negligence they did not or by contrary Winds could not arrive so speedily as they were ordered This proved a great vexation to Caesar who never used to get Victories by halves and this is the first time we ever find him complaining against his Fortune The BRITAINS send for PEACE but upon an Accident to the ROMAN Fleet change Counsels THE Britains for what cause is uncertain but probably from Divisions in themselves and a Roman Party crept in amongst them send Embassadours to Caesar to Treat of Peace promising to give what Hostages he should demand and to submit to his disposal With these Embassadours Comius of Arras also returns whom I said before was sent by Caesar into Britain him after his Landing the Britains had apprehended as a Spie and having understood his Order had laden with Irons And now to ingratiate themselves with Caesar they send him back laying the envy of his Imprisonment upon the Common Rout and desiring that if in yeilding to the Multitude they had done imprudently they might obtain pardon for their Errour Caesar complaining that of their own accords having sent to him on the Continent for Peace they should give the first occasion of War was willing nevertheless to take their Acknowledgments and accept their Excuse but demands Hostages some whereof were immediately sent others that were to be fetcht higher in the Country they promised should be ready in a few daies The mean while the People being dis-banded and sent home the adjoyning Princes met together and submitted themselves and their States to Caesar at his Camp which is supposed to have been at Barham-Down The Peace thus Concluded an Accident happened that put the Britains upon new Counsels The eighteen Ships which transported the Horse being loosed from the Harbour with a small Gale in four daies sail came in sight of the Island and might be descried from the Camp when of a sudden a Tempest arising dispersed them some being cast back to the Port from whence they came others driven West-ward of the Island But finding no safety in those parts nor being able to ride at Anchor in such high Seas were forced at night to make for the Continent and as Orosius saith most of them perished The same night it happened the Moon being Full at which time the Floods are highest that unawares to the Romans the Spring-tide filled and covered those Gallies which had been haled on shoar and which were intended to serve for the transporting of the Army On the other hand the Ships of Burthen that lay off at Anchor were sorely shattered by the Tempest the Romans all the while
or South-Wales he gave him a great Overthrow After this Victory having encouraged his Souldiers in token of his Thankfulness he sacrifices to his Gods In this Battle Belinus was his General and Nenius his Brother performed great Acts for in a single combat with Caesar it so fell out that he got his Sword and by a furious blow made at him stuck it fast in his Shield And although he received his deaths wound with the stroak and the disarming of Caesar proved fatal to him yet afterwards with his own hands he slew Labienus one of the Roman Tribunes Caesar discomfited with the bad success of his Affairs bends all his thoughts in order to a speedy retreat from the Island and having patched up his Fleet sufficient to transport the remainder of his Army which by his losses was reduced to a small number leaving all his Baggage behind in the Night secretly embarks and with a still Wind as it were he steals from the Island CAESAR HIS Second Expedition INTO BRITAIN CAESAR having Arrived safe to the Continent long and in vain expected the Hostages of the Britains as his yearly custome was prepares for his Journey to Italy to spend the Winter at Rome but before he goes he leaves Orders with his Legate who had the charge of the Legions in their Quarters that during his Absence they should use all diligence in providing what possible Shipping they could and set all hands on work to repair his Old Vessels and build New ones To that purpose he gives them several Models after what fashion he would have them made First They were to be lower built than ordinary for the advantage of easier fraughtage and better haling ashoar and because he observed that by the often changes of Tides the British Seas did not run so high as the Mediterranean In the next place They were to be broader thereby to be of greater Burthen and to be more able to transport a considerable number of Horse which Caesar was resolved in his next years Expedition should not be wanting Lastly He leaves Commands to make them fit for Rowing for which purpose their Low-building was very advantagious And as for Materials to strengthen and fortisie them he provided them out of Spain These Orders were diligently executed by his Legates during his absence so that at his return he finds six hundred in readiness new built according to the prescribed Model and twenty eight Ships of Burthen and what with Adventures and other Hulks above two hundred Cotta one of the Legates and Overseers of this work wrote them as Athenaeus saith in all a thousand Caesar having commended his Souldiers for their diligence and his Officers for their care and trust Commands them by a day to be ready at the Port Iccius now Bulloigne where they all met accordingly except forty which by contrary Winds and ill Weather were beaten back into the Port of the Meldi from whence they had set out Caesar in the rest about Sun-set embarks with five Legions of Foot amounting according to the computation of some to 620000 Romans and their Allies and two thousand Horse leaving behind him three Legions of Foot and two thousand Horse to make good the Port against his Return Having weighed Anchor he stands for Britain with a slack South west Wind but at Mid-night is becalmed so that not able to hold on his course he is driven at random by the Current and at Day-break descries the Island to bear left of him turning therefore about with the Tide which now changed with all his Fleet he began to make for that place which the year before he had found so convenient for Landing The Souldiers with all alacrity tugged at the Oars and although the Gallies were heavy laden and drew much water yet by their indefatigable labour they kept course with Ships under sail At Noon Caesar arrives with all his Navy on the Coast and finds no Enemy to oppose his Landing for the Britains terrified with the sight of so vast a Fleet which seemed to cover the Seas had forsaken the defence of their Shoars and withdrawn into the Higher Countries Caesar forthwith landing his Men chooseth a convenient place to Encamp and having learnt of some Fugitives the place to which the Britains had retired leaving his Ships at Anchor upon a plain and open shoar with ten Cohorts and three hundred Horse under the Command of Q. Atrius to guard them about the third Watch of the same night with his main Body he advances into the Country to find out the Enemy After twelve miles March he descries them drawn up on the banks of a River commonly thought the Stowr in Kent The Britains with their Horse and Chariots had possest themselves of the Upper-ground and began now to oppose the March of the Romans with smart charges but being driven from their ground by the Enemies Cavalry they retired into the Woods to a Fortification made strong both by Art and Nature and cast up as is thought after the British manner during some Civil War among themselves The Passages on all sides were blocked up with huge Trees which were felled and laid over thwart one another The Britains in dispersed Parties fought within their Trenches and suffered not the Romans to enter their Works but the Souldiers of the seventh Legion having raised a Mount and marching on close and knit together under the coverts of their Sheilds which lay like a Roof upon them without much loss of blood took the place and so drave the Britains from their Holds Caesar forbad any pursuit to be made as wanting the knowledge of the places and judging it more convenient great part of the day being spent to employ the remainder in sortifying another Camp and refreshing his Souldiers The next Morning he sent out early three Bodies of Horse and Foot in Parties to seek out the Enemy and pursue them They had not gone so far but the last of them were in sight when in post-haste News is brought from Q. Atrius that the Fleet that night by a sudden Tempest arising had suffered a grievous Wrack that many of them lay split upon the shoar that through the violence of the Weather the Anchors and Cables being broken the industry of the Sea-men could not hinder but that many of them fell foul on one another and were dasht in pieces At the news of this Disaster Caesar commands the Forces that were upon their March to hault and give over the design for the present in following the Enemy In all haste he returns to the Ships and there with his own eyes is witness of the sad Ruines of his Navy About sorty Ships were utterly lost others although put upon great difficulty yet seemed not past hopes of recovery To that end therefore he drew out of his Legions such Shipwrights as he had with him and sends over into the Continent for others withal writing to Labienus with those Legions he had to fall a
building as fast as he could and in the mean time sets himself to the Repairing of his shatter'd Vessels And although it seemed a difficult task to be undertaken yet he thought most convenient to draw his Ships into the Camp and encompass them within the same Trenches In these Affairs he spends ten daies giving no respit to his Souldiers either day or night until he had drawn them all within the Works and strongly secured them with Ditches and Rampiers Having thus made every thing sure and leaving the same Guards upon them as before he returns to the place from whence he had driven the Britains where he finds far greater numbers re-assembled The Britains in a General Councel of all the States invested Cassibelan with the full power and management of the whole War His Territory was bounded on the South by the Thames which divided it from the Provinces of Kent and Surry and it extended eighty Miles from the Sea Before the Arrival of Caesar he was in continual Wars with the Neighbouring Cities but in the common danger of Forraign Invasion they unanimously chose him for his right experience in Martial Affairs to be their Leader Having gathered great Forces together the first thing he undertook was to oppose the licentious Marches of the Roman Cavalry and if possible to cut them off To this end with his Horse and Charriots he gives them a sharp Charge but finding himself over-match'd he retreats to the Woods and Hills giving liberty to the Romans to pursue who too eagerly following in the Chase were many of them cut off by the Britains who sometimes rallied and sometimes came out in fresh Parties against them After this the Britains for some time did not appear but lay secretly hid in the edges of the Woods insomuch that the Romans not suspecting any Enemy laid down their Arms and betook themselves to the entrenching and fortifying their Camp Whilst they were in this General security every man employed in his particular work the Britains of a sudden brake out of their Coverts and furiously assaulted an inconsiderable Body that kept Guard before the Trenches Here was some Execution made and when Caesar took the Alarum he sent two of the principal and choicest Cohorts drawn out of two Legions to rescue them but they being terrified with the Novelty and fierceness of the Fight stood like Men in a Maze having not the power to joyn Parties insomuch that the Britains perceiving a Gap betwixt them brake through and so returned in safety to their main Body In this daies Engagement Q. Laberius Durus a Tribune was slain on the Roman side In this sort of Skirmishing lay the especial advantage of the Britains and Caesar himself confesseth who in this Engagement stood as Spectatour only that the Roman way both of Arming and Fighting was not so well fitted to this kind of Enemy for the heavy Armour of the Legionaries suffered them not to be quick in following the sudden flights of their Enemies and it was a breach of Discipline to stir from their Ensigns As for the Horse they never engaged without manifest disadvantage for the Britains out of design would often give back and when they had drawn them off some distance from the Legons would turn upon them and jumping from their Charriots assault them on foot so that it was equally hazardous to the Roman Cavalry whether they gave back or advanced besides the Britains never fought thick but scattered and in great distances having set stations allotted to which upon occasion they retired and from whence releif was sent of fresh Parties to bring off the wearied These Advantages at first were wisely made use of by Cassibelan and it argues his great experience in War for by this means the heavy Legions were wearied and soyled their Spirits spent upon an unstable and dodging Enemy Their Courage turned into Vexation to be mastered by those whom they were sure they could Overcome in the grapling And had Cassibelan stood steady to his Resolutions and not suffered the greatness of his Spirit to consult more with his Honour than Interest the Romans must of necessity have been obliged either to quit the Country or by flinging off their Armour to conform to the same manner of Fighting Next day the Britains kept the Hills some distance from the Camp and all the Morning shewed themselves in small Parties now profering Battle now Retiring then in light Skirmishes engaging then presently again Retreating not thinking it convenient to engage too deeply with the Roman Cava'ry At Noon Caesar sent out three Legions and all his Horse under pretence of Forrage but withal commands that the Foot should not go far from their Ensigns and that the Horse should keep up close with them The Eritains who expected not such order in Forragers as their Custome was with great fury flew upon them but were mightily deceived in their Expectations for the Romans stood ready to receive them The Britains perceiving their mistake suddenly recoyled but it proved too late for the Roman Cavalry seconded by their Foot who kept up with them so closely pursued that the Britains had not leisure to Rally to stand or come down from their Chariots but were in great confusion many of them slain and the rest generally routed After this Overthrow Cassibelan entred upon New Counsels and resolved in a manner to change the whole nature of the War He perceived there was nothing to be attempted upon the main Body of the Romans wherefore he signified his Resolutions never after to put his Affairs into the hazard of a pitcht Battle and disbanded many Auxiliary Forces that from all parts had been sent unto him with the choicest of his Men and four thousand Wagons he set himself to attend Caesar in his March judging these a sufficient Number to hinder the licentious Incursions of the Enemy and by the advantage he had in the knowledge of the Country he knew he was secure from being forced to flight Caesar understanding his design drew his Army upon the Fronteirs of his Kingdom which was bounded by the Thames a River fordable only at one place and that with great difficulty about Coway near Oatlands as is supposed Arriving hither he perceived the Enemy in great numbers drawn up on the other side to oppose his Passage if he should attempt it the Bank being all set with Piles of Wood sharpned at the end after the manner of Pallisado's and the Ford as he learnt from the Captives and Runagates knocked full of sharp Stakes lying hid under Water This excellent design of Cassibelan being Treacherously discovered had not the hoped-for success For the Romans with greater care and circumspection entred the River the Horse first and afterwards the Foot wading up to the Neck in Water The Britains who expected them to fall into Disorder and Confusion and were ready to make use of the Advantage perceiving them to avoid the Stakes and to pass them without any annoyance
tenth Archbishop of Canterbury from St. Augustine who in the year of our Lord 798 procured the priviledge of having Church-yards in Cities from the Pope Whoever of the Ancient and Primitive Christians made mention of burying any body in Churches or in those Times of the dedication of Churches to Saints or that the Blessed Virgin Mary was called upon and worshipped by her Contemporaries And this is to be observed that there is no mention made concerning Dedication before the time of the building of that Church which is reported to have been in the year from the Passion 31 nor in the time of Joseph of Arimathea or about five hundred years afterwards until St. David who was made Archbishop of Menew Anno Dom. 519. and held that Seat 65 years for he is reported to have lived 145 years that first discovered it THE CONTINUATION OF THE Roman History UNDER CLAUDIUS BY HIS LIEUTENANTS AULUS PLAUTIUS left by Claudius in Britain after the Emperours departure gave himself to the diligent prosecution of the War and so behaved himself in quieting the Rebelling Countries and gaining new Conquests even to the West of the Island that Claudius decreed he should have a petty Triumph and at his Entrance into Rome himself went to meet him giving him the Right-hand both in his going and coming Neither were the Actions of Vespatian afterwards Emperour less remarkable in this War for partly under the Conduct of Claudius himself and partly of Plautius he fought thirty Battles with the Britains two most powerful Nations and above twenty Towns together with the Isle of Wight he brought to his Subjection for which Worthy Deeds he received Triumphal Ornaments and a little while after two Sacerdotal Dignities and a Consulship His Son TITUS served under him in quality of a Tribune and was much renowned for his Valour and Diligence He had the good Fortune to rescue and releive his Father and his Modest Behaviour was as signal as his Courage as appearreth by many Inscriptions upon his Images dispersed through the Provinces of Germany and Britain OSTORIUS SCAPULA succeeded Plautius in the quality of a Propretor a Man no less experienced in Martial Affairs At his first entrance into Command he was welcomed with many Commotions and Troubles for that part of Britain which was not yet subdued broke in upon their Neighbours who had entred into League or made any Submission to the Romans wasting their Fields and with so much the more vigour for that they thought this new General not yet acquainted with his business nor having experience of his Army would not be able to Revenge it especially considering that the Winter season was drawing on and the time unsit for Action But Ostorius knowing that the first Success makes the greatest impressions of Fear or Confidence resolves to put a stop to their Inroads betimes before they proceeded too far and to that intent he snatched with him some of his lightest Cohorts and unexpectedly set upon them killing many and following them that sted so clofely that he gave them not time to Rally and lest for the future he might be continually plagued with a dangerous and unfaithful Peace which would be alwaies beating up his Quarters and give neither to himself nor his Souldiers any rest he disarms all whom he suspected might Revolt and set Garrisons on the two Rivers Sabrina and Antona thereby to tie up the Incursions of the Enemy By this means he reduced the most Southerly parts of the Island into the nature of a Province and to secure his Conquests the better he gives several Cities to Cogidunus to be held of the Romans under the Title of a King by which Bribe he engaged him deeply to his Party it being an ancient practice of that State to flatter Princes for their advantage and by a specious shew of Honour and Respect to make them Instruments of their own Ambition and Vassals to their will a haughty Pride observable in Commonwealths First they drew them up with the Plumes of Majesty and seemed to adore them and afterwards their turns once served with as great Contempt and Ingratitude they trampled upon them And this I take notice of here because Tacitus seems to glory in it and it way possibly be the Humors of others as well as the State of Rome The Iceni or the People of Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and Huntingtonshire a potent Nation and not yet wasted by War because they had voluntarily entred into Alliance with the Romans finding that upon the least suspicion they might be disarmed as well as their Neighbours and perceiving that they should be enclosed in the Roman Line which was stretched as far as the Severn and Avon or as some think the Trent Northward could not brook these proceedings of Ostorius so took Arms and by their Example encouraged many of their Neighbours to do the like This done they encampt in a place chosen for that purpose casting up a Rampier of Earth and leaving the Entrance narrow for fear the Enemies Horse might break in upon them Ostorius although he had not his Legions with him but only his Auxiliary Forces yet resolved if he could to break down this Fence which he perceived was but rudely thrown up and setting all his Cohorts to work the Horse also allighting to that Service he giving the signal at once they rent down the Works and fell upon the Enemy and levelled their narrow Trenches Here the Britains were sorely streightned but knowing that if they were overcome the reward of their Revolt would be slavery and that if they had a mind to escape their own Fortifications were against them They did whatever men in Anger and despair could do bravely revenging themselves upon the Enemy In this Battle M. Ostorius the Son of the Lieutenant gained the Honour of having saved a Citizen But at length being overcome other States by their sad Example were confirmed in their Obedience to the Romans having hitherto waited the success of the Iceni standing in a doubtful posture between War and Peace After this success Ostorius marches into the Country of the Cangi supposed to be a small Territory in Somersetshire for I cannot imagine them to be the Inhabitants betwixt the Iceni and the Humber because they lay not in the way to the Irish Seas as by the following Progress we may imagine the Cangi did where he plundered and laid waste their Fields they not daring to give him Battle And if at any time they ventured out of their secret Coverts to fall in the Reer and endeavoured to cut off his Marches they alwaies met with sharp entertainment At last he came to the Irish Sea where News was brought him that the Brigantes supposed the Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lancashire the Bishoprick of Durham Westmoreland and Cumberland were up in Arms. Upon this he resolves to return being fully purposed not to attempt any new Design till he had fully quieted these Commotions behind him
would be to their greater Honour if with a small Power they should win the fame of a whole Army withal he ordered them that they should keep close and first with their heavy Darts gall the Britains afterwards press upon them with their Swords and Pikes in their Shields and follow the slaughter in a Body well wedged together That they should not scatter and disperse for Plunder but that after the Victory every thing would be their own The Souldiers received these Exhortations of their General with such alacrity that the Legionaries began already to try their Arms and sit themselves for the engagement and they shewed such great handiness in it having been experienced thereto in many Battles that Suetonius perceiving their Joy and Readiness was even certain of the event and so gave the signal for the Onset And first of all the Legion which for some time had kept its ground and been defended by the narrowness of the place as a sure Fortification at last watching its opportunity when the Britains had spent their Darts at random and were advancing to a nearer engagement they prest in upon them in a close Body after the nature of a Wedge and so worked themselves into the Enemies Battle that they soon broke and dispersed it And now the same resolution was found in the Auxiliary Forces and the Horse with their long Spears flung down all that came near them and brake in pieces some Parties who stood yet united Now the Britains began to betake themselves to flight but were hindred by the multitude of their own Charriots which had blockt up the passage for their Retreat so that they yielded their necks to the slaughter which was so great that it is reported fourscore thousand died upon that small spot of ground Neither did the Romans in their Rage spare any for even the Women and Cattle served to make up the heap of dead Carkasses And all this was performed on the Roman side with the loss only of four hundred and as many more wounded Boadicia after the fatal Defeat of so great an Army which is reckoned no less than two hundred and thirty thousand ended her daies with Poyson or as others say sickned out of Grief and died To war this QVEEN doth with her Daughters moue She for her Wisdom followed They for Loue What Roman force Such joined powers could quell Before so murdering Charmes whole Legions fell Thrice happy Princess had she rescued So Her Daughters honour and her Countrys too But they being ravish't made her vnderstand T is harder Beauty to secure then Land Yet her Example teaching them to dye Virtue the roome of Honour did Supply SHE is described by the Greek Historian of stature bigg and tall of a Grim and sternvisage but withal modest and chearful a rough and hoarse voice her Hair of a bright Yellow hanging in Tresses to her very skirts about her Neck she had a Chain of Gold and was apparelled in a loose Garment of changable Colours wearing a Kirtle there under very thick plated in her hand she carried a Spear she was highly devoted to ANDATE the Goddess of Victory and seemed much to triumph in her self for in her address to that Female Deity she used these expressions I being a Woman adore thee O ANDATE a Woman The same Historian likewise delivers the manner of the Fight otherwise and that the Victory was not obtained with so little difficulty but that the Britains would have renewed the Battle had not the death of their Queen discouraged them but I rather follow the report of Tacitus who wrote next to these times and who may be supposed to have truer intelligence in that some Circumstances of her life relating to the British Affairs engaged him to more particular Enquiries after them The death of Boadicia was attended on the Roman side with that of Paenius Posthumus Camp-Master of the second Legion who having expected to have heard of the ruine of Suetonius and the defeat of his two Legions being informed on the contrary of their great success fell upon his Sword and so by a Roman death in some measure attoned for the breach of Roman discipline in not obeying his general Pardon and by this means he escaped the punishment that might have followed and delivered himself from the Clamours of his Legion whom by his cautious Counsels he had defrauded of part of his glory Thus was the Island by one Battle restored again to the Romans which by the absence of Suetonius in the Isle of Anglesey had been well nigh lost but neither yet could the Britains think of totally submitting but many of them who were principally involved in the guilt of this Revolt and who feared the vindicative nature of the Roman General which begun already to appear stood out in a posture of defence Suetonius to make an end of this War kept the Field and by removing his Tents as he saw occasion continually awed the Britains And now Nero sent unto him new Supplies out of Germany two thousand Legionary Souldiers and Auxiliary Cohorts and one thousand Horse by whose coming they of the ninth Legion had their Companies made up and compleated with heavy Armed Souldiers The Cohorts and other Troops were lodged in new Winter Quarters and those Nations who continued in open Hostility or in doubtful Allegiance were prosecuted with Fire and Sword But nothing so much afflicted the Britains as Famine having generally neglected the tilling of the Ground and employed all hands in carrying on the War hoping by the Defeat of the Romans to have served themselves of their Provisions Nevertheless many Warlike Nations could not be brought to any Compliance but were encouraged to stand out for that they had heard of great Clashings between Suetonius and the new Procurator Julius Classicianus who was sent to succeed Catus in that employment This Classicianus had entertained some grudges against the General and preferred his private Resentments before the Publick good He gave out That a New Governour was to be expected who should be void of Rancour and not hurried on with the pride and insolence of a Conquerour one that should with more Clemency and less Partiality consult the condition of the Conquered And it is certain that Suetonius though other waies a Worthy person carried himself too Imperiously over the Britains and revenging the Injuries which he thought done to himself by their Revolt oftentimes went beyond the bounds of Justice or Moderation He writ Letters also to Rome in which he signified That no end of the War was to be expected unless Suetonius was removed and ascribed all the Losses received to his ill Conduct and his good success not his well management but the Fortune of the Common-wealth To compose these Differences between the Lieutenant and Procurator and to view the State of Britain Nero sent Polycletus his Free-man hoping by his Authority not only to put an end to the Dissension but to compose
Sciences and by commending the Wits of Britain before the Students of Gallia he brought them who hated the Roman Language to be in love with the Latin Eloquence Now came the Roman garb to be in fashion and the Gown no stranger among them and by degrees the materials of Vice and Voluptuous life proud Portico's Bathes and the elegance of Banquetting was by the ignorant called Civility when indeed it was but a badge of their Slavery and Bondage In the third years Expedition he discovered new Nations wasting the Country as far as the Frith to Taus and by the terrour of his Marches heawed the Enemy that they durst never interrupt his building of Forts and laying yoaks upon their Necks even then when they might have taken the advantage as once it fell out of his Forces scattered and detained by Tempest In the building of these Garrisons the skilful took notice that never any Captain with greater Judgment and fore-sight chose out his places to fortifie No Sconce or Fortress of his raising was ever taken by force or surrender or quitted by flight but of these he made continual eruptions into the Country laying in Provisions for a whole year that if at any time his Men were besieged they might patiently wait the convenience of Relief By this means his Souldiers lived fearless in Winter every Garrison being a guard to its Neighbour and the hopes of the Enemy were frustrated who alwaies reckoning in the Winter season to make up the loss received in Summer found that both times were equally disadvantagious to them In all these Actions Agricola never ascribed ambitiously to himself what was well done by others If an Officer or Souldier deserved Commendation he would be sure to be the first that gave it and that without any reservations to himself If towards some he was Passionate to others he was as Affable and kind to the good but to lewd and bad Persons sowr and uneasie His Choler was vented in his words and none ever needed ever to fear his secret Thoughts or close Reservments for he chose rather to offend any man than hate him And now died TITUS who for these great Atchievments of Agricola was fifteen times saluted Imperator The Honour he got by the Actions of so great a General he rewarded with triumphal Ornaments a good Prince who died to the great grief of the whole World not without suspicion of Poyson from his Brother and Successor Domitian And this is sufficiently to be said in his Character that for his goodness he was generally called the Joy and delight of Mankind DOMITIAN THE first year of Domitian and the fourth of Agricolas's Government in Britain was spent in securing what the Summer before had been newly gotten in the Island and had the Courage of his Souldiers been answerable to the Conduct of the General and the Fortune of the Common-wealth by the loss of Titus not seemed at a stand the utmost Bounds of Britain might at this time been laid open to the Romans for Glota and Bodoteia now Dun Britton and Edinburrough Fryths running from both Seas far into the Continent and disjoyned only by a neck of Land together with all the Creeks and Havens on this side were held by Roman Garrisons and the Enemies as it were driven and penn'd up in another Island In the fifth year of his Expedition as soon as ever the Seas were open he took Shipping and passed to Nations till then unknown supposed to be the North parts of Scotland the Orcades and other Islands adjacent These in many prosperous Battles he subdued and in those Parts which lay next unto them he placed Garrisons and Souldiers not out of fear to hold but hopes of gaining further Ireland he understood lay between Britain and Spain and very opportunely for the Gallick and although not so great as Britain yet under the same Climate the Nature and Customes of the People not much different but the Ports and Harbours better known as lying opener to the World and more frequented by Traders This Island if he could bring to Obedience he thought would be of great importance to the Common-wealth and by joyning Commerce would unite and link together the strongest Members of the Empire But as it stood separate from the rest it was of dangerous consequence and might be prejudicial to the Britains if once the Roman Arms were removed and the name of Liberty lost among them He used often to say That with one Legion and some Auxiliary Forces it might be obtained and that he had such a purpose is manifest for that he entertained a Prince of that Nation from his Country by Civil Commotions and under the colour of Courtesie and Kindness kept him with him for a fit occasion But the next year he was called away by nearer Concerns he feared a general Rising of the Nations beyond Bodotria understanding that the Britains had Way-laid all the passages by Land to amaze and divert them he commanded his Fleet to coast it along the Shoars and himself with eaven marches kept close to it This policy of Agricola's succeeded well and the shew of his Navy was as helpful to him as its force for the Britains at once beholding the Fleet and Army were utterly disheartned and as afterwards was learnt from Fugitives complained that the Sea as well as the Land conspired to their ruine and that now the Ocean it self their last refuge was taken from them But on the other hand the Romans were mutually encouraged at the sight of each other and the Marriners and Souldiers often meeting in the same Camp with Military vaunts extolled their own Atchievments the Land-men bragging of the Woods and Mountains they had passed and the Enemies they had overcome the Sea-men on the other side not a little magnifying their dangers in Storms and Tempest and the glory in having subdued the Ocean The Calidonians were now generally in Arms and the noise of it was as great as the preparations It was spread abroad that of their own accords without provocation they had begun the War and attacked many Castles which opinion of being The Challengers struck great Terrour into the Romans There were them who under the name of Cautious Counsel endeavoured to conceal their Fears and advised that it was safest to withdraw beyond Bodotria and more honourable to retreat from the Country than be driven out of it Agricola took other Resolutions understanding that the Enemy was advancing in three Bodies and lest he might be over-powr'd in Numbers and over-match'd in the knowledge of Places he likewise marched in three Divisions The Enemy learning his changed Counsels joyning Forces in the night time set upon the ninth Legion in their Camp and killing their Sentinels brake in upon the rest who were surprized between sleep and fear And now some Execution was begun when Agricola having by Scouts learnt out the March of the Enemy he followed them at their heels and commanded the
swiftest of his Horse and his lightest Foot to play on their backs and the whole Army anon to second them with a shout The Britains hearing the Enemy in the Rear were disheartned especially when the day appearing discovered their glittering Ensigns and the Romans took courage and began to fight now not as men doubtful of Victory but ambitious of Honour Now might be seen the Roman Souldiers of their own accord breaking into the Camp and others fighting to get out both Parties contending which should have the most Glory the one in bringing assistance the other in not seeming to have wanted it In this Fight the Britains were vanquished and had they not betook themselves to their old Refuge the Woods and Boggs that day had made a total end of the War After this success the Souldiers were full of life and spirit nothing now seemed hard unto them they generally cried all out to be led into Caledonia and to the utmost bounds of British Earth Nay they who before were for wary and saving Counsel now lookt as big and talked as boasting as any Such is the hard condition of War all challenging a part in what succeeds but the miscarriages were laid upon one The Britains acknowledged themselves beaten not by the Courage of the Souldiers but the cunning and Conduct of the General and therefore they had no less thoughts of themselves than before but made new Levies in order to prosecute the War and before hand carried their Wives and Children into places of security and sent about through the Cities to enter into a Union which was afterwards ratisied with solemn Rights and Sacrifices In the mean time a Cohort of Usipians raised in Germany and sent into Britain having slain a Centurion and other Souldiers that were appointed to exercise them in their Arms took to Sea in three Pinnaces and having killed some of the Marriners whom they suspected the rest they constrained to do their Office Thus having escaped and none knowing what was become of them having no Pilate they were carried at random as the Tide and Wind drave them to and fro the Island using Piracy where they landed But at length as they were reduced to extremity they drew Lots to eat one another and through wonderful difficulties having been driven round the North of the Island they were taken first by the Suevians and afterwards by the Freisians and then sold into Britain where they were discovered These were the first which discovered to the Romans that BRITAIN was an Island The beginning of the next Summer Agricola having sent out his Fleet to scour along the Coast and strike Terrour into the Enemy himself with a flying Army consisting chiefly of Britains whose Courage and Faith he had long experienced came as far as the Mountain Grampius upon which the Enemy was embattled For the Britains not daunted with the ill success of the last Fight and looking for nothing but Revenge or Slavery were got thirty thousand together and more daily expected to come up The Aged themselves would not be exempted from this daies service but as they had been Famous in their time so every one carried before him some Badge or Trophy of his youthful Archievments Amongst the rest Galgacus chief in Authority and Birth when the Army cried out for the signal of Battle to be vgien is said to have spoken to this purpose GALCACUS his SPEECH to his Souldiers before Battle AS often as I consider the cause of the War and our present necessity I am strongly perswaded that this day and this chearful Consent of yours will give beginning and life to the Liberty of all Britain We have every one been made sensible of Slavery no part of the Earth hath protected us from Injury nay the Sea it self is not secure whilest the Roman Fleet there so dreadfully appears to us Arms and Battle which to the Valiant are Honourable prove now the safest refuge of Cowards Hitherto in all the Battles fought against the Romans with various success we have alwaies been esteemed hitherto as a forlorne Hope and upon occasions a powerful Reserve because we the noblest of the Island and seated in the most bidden retirements of it have never so much as seen the Shoars of a truckling Nation or polluted our Eyes with any contagion of Slavery Placed in the extreams of the Earth and Liberty we have lived in the inmost Chambers of Honour beyond which there is no more Earth and besides which there is no Freedom Now the end of Britain is discovered and things known carry less shew and appearance there are no Nations behind to amuse the Enemy Rocks and Waves are on that side and on this Romans whose Pride in vain Ye may seek to satisfie with Service and Submisdemeancur Robbers of the World that having now left no Land to plunder ransack the Sea it self If the Enemy be rich they are greedy of his Wealth if poor they covet Glory whom not the East or West could ever satisfie The only Men in the World that with equal appetite seek out the Rich and the Needy To rob kill and plunder they call Empire and when they have brought desolation to a Country they call it Peace Nature by nearest ties has linkt our Children and Relations to us yet these are taken away and pressed into other Service Our Wives and Sisters if they escape violent Force yet suffer dishonour when they come as Guests or Friends Our Goods and Fortunes they exhaust in Tributes our Corn must supply their Granaries and they wear out our Bodies in cleansing of Woods and Boggs amidst a thousand Stripes and Indignities Slaves which are born to Bondage are sold once for all and afterwards kept at their Masters charges but Britain daily buyes its Bondage and daily maintaineth it And as in a private Family the last Comer is the sport and scorn of his fellow Servants so we who shall newly come to slavery shall be laughed at by the old Drudges of the World It is not to be doubted but our destruction is sought for we have no Fields to Till no Mines to dig in nor no Havens to be cleansed to what purpose therefore should they reserve us a Line The Courage and fierceness of the Subject pleaseth not the jealous Soveraign and our Distance and Secrecy the more safety it yieldeth to us the more to them it is suspected so that laying aside all hopes of Pardon at last take courage as well they who have any respect to their safety as such whose Honour is nearest to them The Brigantes under the Conduct of a Woman fired a whole Colony and forced the Castles and had not the happiness of the success led them into a Sloth and Security they might totally have shaken off the yoak from their gauled Necks We as yet in our full strength and never tamed by any born and not redeemed into Liberty must urge for an Encounter if ever we will shew what manner
of Men Calidonia hath reserved in store Do you think the Romans are as valiant in War as they are wanton in Peace They are grown great by our Divisions and vainly ascribe to the glory of their own Arms what proceeds from their Enemies Dissensions Composed they are of different Nations which Union as Success only holds together so Adversity will quickly dissolve unless ye suppose the Gauls and Germans and which is a shame to be spoken the Britains who at the present serve to uphold Forraign Usurpation can possibly have any faith or affection for them who have been longer their Enemies than Masters No it is Terrour and Fear those weak procurers of Affection that keep them as yet in Obedience which if once removed you will find that whom they feared they will hate All the Incitements to Victory are on our side the Romans have no Wives to encourage them to fight no Parent to upbraid them if they flie Most have either no Country at all or some other a few fearful Persons trembling and gazing at the strangness of the Haven it self the Sea and Woods The Gods have delivered them as it were mewed up and fettered into our hands let not the vain shew and glittering of Gold and Silver dazle you a thing which neither defends in it self or annoyeth In their very Battle we shall find of our side the Britains will own their Friends the Gauls will remember their former Liberty and the Germans will generally forsake them as not long since did the Usipians We have nothing afterwards to fear the Castles are empty the Colonies are made up of nothing but Aged and Impotent persons Between unjust Governours and stubborn Subjects the free Cities are generally discontented and factious Here is a General here an Army these be the Tributes there be the Mines with the train of Slaveries that unseparably attend upon bondage all which must for ever be undergone or in this one Battle revenged Wherefore going to Battle bear in your minds the freedom of your Ancestors and the danger of your Posterity The Britains received this Oration with great testimonies of Joy as Songs confused Noises after the Custome of their Country and a dissonant sort of Howling which shewed their Approbation And now the Battle began to glitter and every one to put himself into array When Agricola scarce able to repress the heat of his Souldiers yet thinking it convenient to say something he thus delivered himself in this Speech AGRICOLA his SPEECH to his Army before Battle THIS is the Eighth year Fellow Souldiers wherein your faithful Service and diligence under the vertue and Fortune of the Roman Empire hath subdued Britain in so many Expeditions so many Battles either by Courage against the Enemy or Patience and Labours We have ran through the greatest Difficulties and conquered even Nature it self neither had you reason to be weary of your General or I of my Souldiers insomuch as we have exceeded the Limits I of my Predecessors and You of former Armies The utmost bounds of BRITAIN we now hold not by Fame and Report but with our Arms and Pavilions and we have the honour both to Discover and to Subdue In your wearisome Marches when the passing of Boggs Rivers and Mountains has tyred you how often have I heard the valiant Souldier say When shall we meet the Enemy When shall we fight Behold they shew themselves from their secret lurking places now you have your desires now is there room for your Valour to be shewn every thing is as you could wish if you Conquer but if you lose the day all is against you For as to have gone so much ground escaped the Woods passed the Friths were things in Our coming great and honourable so if we fly before the Enemy the very same will be our hindrance and destruction For neither have we the same knowledge of Places as they or if we had yet want we Provisions but Hands we have and Weapons and in them all things For my part I have been long since resolved that to Retreat is neither safe for Souldier nor General and that a commendable death is to be preferred before the reproaches of an Ignominious life and that Safety and Honour are now inseparably conjoyned and let the worst happen yet how glorious will it be to die in the uttermost end of the World and Nature If new Nations and unknown Enemies were before us I should exhort you by the Examples of other Armies but now I shall only lay before you your own victorious Exploits Ask your own Eyes are not these the very same who last year stole upon the Camp by night whom with shouts only you overcame These of all the Britains have been the nimblest in running away and therefore are the last remaining Just as in Woods and Forrests the strongest Beasts must be chased away by main force whilest the timerous and fearful are driven on by the noise only of the Hunter so the hardy part of the British Nation is already dispatcht the rest is but a herd of Rascally Cattle whom that at last you have found proceeds not from their Resisting but being discovered no further can they run but stand now like Stocks fixed to the ground they treadon and afford to you an occasion of a worthy and memorable Victory Make an end now of your Warfare and to fifty years Labours add a great and concluding Day by this means you will approve to your Country that it could never be justly laid to your charge that you protracted the War in not pulling up the last Root of Rebellion Whilest Agricola was yet speaking the eagerness of the Souldiers evidently appeared but the end of his Oration was received with loud and joyful Acclamations every one stood to his Arms and shewed his alacrity by impatience to follow on Agricola ordered the Battle after this manner His Body was made up of eight thousand Auxiliary foot three thousand Horse were placed in the Wings the Legions were set in the Reer before the Camp To the greater glory of the Victory if it could be won without loss of Roman Blood otherwise for assistance and succour if the Auxiliaries should be repelled The British Army for shew and terrour was drawn up upon a Rising ground the first Battalion stood on the Plain the next higher behind as the Hill ascended the middle of the Plain was filled with the clattering noises of Charriots and Horse-men ranging up and down Agricola perceiving the Enemy exceeded him in number and fearing that at once they might attack him in the Front and Flanks displayed his Army in length and although by that means his Fore-battle was something of the thinnest and many counselled to take in the Legions yet he stood firm to his Resolution and allighting from his Horse placed himself before the Standards The Fight began at distance with missive Weapons wherein the Britains shewed wondrous skill and dexterity with short Swords or broad
Targets they either avoided the Darts or shoke them off and in return liberally bestowed whole showers of their own Agricola perceiving the disadvantage exhorted three Batavian Cohorts and two of the Tungrians that they would bring the Battle to dint of Sword and hand-stroaks which they easily performed being fitted thereto by long exercise The Britains on the other side having little Targets and huge unweildy Swords without points were not so well prepared for the thrust and close and could not endure this sort of grapling so that when the Batavians came to exchange blows with them and to make at their Faces with their pointed Targets and pointed Tucks they easily bore them down and in prosecuting their Victory advanced to the side of the Hill The rest of the Cohorts mixing emulation with force and striking at all that were near them run on in the same course of Victory leaving for haste many behind them half-dead and some untoucht In the mean while the Horse-men fled and the Charriots brake into the Foot but they who had lately terrified others were now distressed themselves being toiled with the thick Ranks of the Enemy or bogled in the uneavenness of the ground Neither was the form of this Fight like a loose skirmishing of Horse-men but each maintaining his ground endeavoured by the weight of their Beasts to bear down the Enemy Now might be seen Charriots without Guiders and the affrighted Horses running too and fro and over-bearing all that met them or thwarted their way When those Britains who had not yet engaged but kept the tops of the Hills as despising the fewness of the Enemy began to draw down by degrees and by taking a compass to fall upon the Romans in their Reer Agricola having suspected their intention with four Squadron of Horse which he had reserved for such a purpose opposed their descent and drave them back with as great violence as they had come on pursuing them to their main Body And now the Counsel of the Britains was turned upon their own heads for Agricola commanded some Troops to be taken from the Front of the Battle and ordered them to second the Horse and fall upon the back of the Enemy Then might have been seen in the open fields a great and dismal spectacle pursuing wounding taking killing those that were taken when others were offered Now whole Regiments of the Britains according to their several dispositions some though Armed and in more number yet turned their backs to the sewer others unarmed ran desperately upon the Weapons of the Enemy Every where lay scattered Arms Bodies and mangled Limbs the ground was covered with Blood and many wallowed in their own Gore yet left not off to give some proofs of their last Anger and Revenge And now a Party of the Britains had secretly possest themselves of some passages in the Woods through which as the Romans advanced and with more heat than discretion pursued the Chase set upon them and unawares dispatched many which had not Agricola perceived and timely prevented the Romans through their over-confidence in the midst of Victory had received a notable Overthrow For he sent some of his best and readiest Cohorts to scour the Woods and guard the Passages and some Troops of Horse were ordered to ride up and down and observe the Coasts and others where the entrances of the Forrests were thicker to allight from their Horses and stand to their Posts which the Britains observing and finding now that the Romans followed the Pursuit close and regularly they all fled not as before in whole Troops and Companies but scattered and dispersed every one for his own security taking into By-paths and out of fear avoiding Friends as well as Enemies until Night and fulness of Blood put an end to their Chase. Of the Britains ten thousand were slain of the Romans three hundred and forty amongst which Aulus Atticus Commander in chief of a Cohort through Youthful heat and the fierceness of his Horse was carried on into the midst of his Enemies The night was spent with joy by the Romans who were full of Victory and Spoil but the poor Britains wandring up and down and Men and Women howling together lugg'd on the wounded and cried help to those that were not hurt Some forsake their Houses others of their own accord out of despite fire their own Houses themselves choosing out Holes to lurk in which they as soon left to find out others Sometimes they communicated Counsels together and then they had some glimmerings of hope other whiles nothing but despair seizes them and then they raged at the sight of their dearest Pledges And it is certain that many with a cruel Compassion laid violent hands on their Wives and Children to secure them from the greater violence of the Romans The day appearing gave an opener Testimony and prospect of the Victory every where desolation and silence the Hills forsaken the Cottages smoaking afar off the Scouts sent abroad brought word that nothing appeared no foot-steps of a general Flight could be discovered nor any Britains drawn in Companies together Hereupon Agricola because the Summer was spent and no fit Season to divide his Forces brings them entire into the Borders of the Horesti supposed the Inhabitants of Eske-Dale in Scotland where receiving Hostages he commanded the Admiral of his Fleet to sail round Britain sending him Forces for that purpose but the Terrour of the Navy was gone before himself with slow and easie Marches to the end he might awe the new Conquered Nations with the delaies of his passage and so by degrees placed his Men in their Winter quarters The Navy with prosperous Winds and good success safely arrived at the Port Trutulensis supposed Richborough near Sandwich from whence it departed and coasting along the nearest side of Britain returned thither again And now most probably if not in the fifth year of Agricola as hath been mentioned the Romans might subdue the Isles of Orkney which others with less reason following Orosius ascribe unto Claudius And this discovery of Britain by the Romans to be an Island was in the eighty sixth year after Christ and the fourth of Domitians Reign Agricola without any amplifying Terms signified the state of Affairs in Britain by Letters to Domitian who after his usual Custome received them with a joyful Countenance yet within was he sad at heart And certainly the Courage of this Prince cannot be better described than in his carriage to this worthy General For being inwardly pricked to think that by his own counterfeit Triumph over the Germans to fill out which for want of true Captives he was forced to buy such as by their Hair and Attire might Personate them he would now become the scorn and derision of the World when they should hear of the great and true Victories of Agricola so many thousand slain and the Fame of such Atchievments spread quite abroad and fearing withal that the name of a Private man
Albinians fighting most valiantly repulsed the others and Severus himself flying from the Battle flung off his Purple Robe and falling from his Horse hid himself Now the British Forces thinking the Victory had been their own began carelessly to pursue displaying their Ranks in thinner arraies and without Order fell on the backs of their Enemies when Laetus one of Severus his Captains who all this while stood aloof expecting the issue of the Fight came upon them with his fresh and unfoiled Troops with a purpose and resolution now to take the Empire upon himself for he heard that Severus was slain and charging fiercely upon them who little expected a new Enemy he totally routed and put them to flight Severus perceiving the Battle returned reassumes his Purple Robe recovers his Horse and rallying those that were scattered came in at the end of the day pursuing what remained and having slain Albinus with a number of others obtained a most fortunate Victory And now having alone the Sovereignty of the whole World and finding by experience that Britain was a Province too great and powerful to be trusted in the hands of one Man he divided it into two Governments committing the North part thereof to Virius Lupus as Propraetor and Lieutenant whom Ulpian the Civil Lawyer nameth President and to Heraclytus the South Mr. Speed gathereth by a Coyn of Severus minted in his second Consulship which fell in the year of our Saviour 198 about the death of Albinus that the Britains gave not at first their Obedience and Servitude to Severus until he had made the purchase of it with his Sword the brand of which he hath left to Posterity in figuring the Goddess Victory seated upon Spoyls and writing upon a Shield VICTORIA BRITANNIAE Virius Lupus who had the Government of the North had to do with two sorts of People the Meatae and Caledonians the former whereof lived upon the Wall that divided the South of the Island from the North the Caledonians inhabited higher both of them a sierce and barbarous Nation To suppress these he raised many Castles and entred at last into League with the Caledonians upon promise that they would be assistant to him in keeping under the Meatae but the Caledonians not performing the Articles and Lupus upon hopes of their Aid adventuring too far was constrained in the end to redeem his own Peace and a few Prisoners with a great sum of Mony And being not able after many Losses and Calamities sustained to repress the sudden inroads and assaults of the Enemy he wrote unto Severus in plain terms the state of Affairs and that the Island wanted his presence The memory of this Virius Lupus among other great works done by him here in Britain is preserved in an Altar dug up dedicated to the Goddess FORTUNE upon the occasion of his repairing a Bath or Hot-house at a Town called the Lavatrae now Bows upon Stanmoor in Richmondshire It was done for the sake of the Thracian Cohort who lay there Ingarrisoned for the Romans DEAE i. FORTUNAE VIRIUS LUPUS LEG AUG PR PR BALINEUM VI. IGNIS EXUST UM COH I. THR ACUM REST ITUIT CURANTE VAL. FRON TONE PRAEF EQ ALAE VETTO Severus though well stricken in years and withal exceeding Gouty yet desirous among the rest of his Titles to add that of BRITANNICUS but especially to withdraw his Sons given to licentious Rioting from the delights and pleasures of Rome and the bewitching Vanities of the Theatres full gladly and thankfully taketh hold of this good occasion The Britains hearing of his coming send Embassadours for Peace whom after he had on purpose detained to gain time till his Forces were ready he dismisses them without effect and leaving his younger Son Geta whom he created Augustus at his first arrival into Britain to govern the Southern parts of the Island which were in obedience assisted by AEmilius Papinianus the famous Lawyer whose Tribunal Seat was held at York himself with his eldest Son Antonine the debauchest of the two marched into the North where being busied in cutting down Woods making Bridges and cleansing Fenns and Marishes he fought no Battle howbeit what with the Ambuscado's of his Enemies and what with sickness he lost fifty thousand of his Men for the Britains sometimes trayling them on with a few Cattle turned out enclosed them in the midst of Sloughs and Quagmires where they chose rather themselves to kill such as were faint and could not shift away than leave them there a prey to the Caledonians thus writeth Dio. But Herodian hath recorded That in certain light Skirmages although the barbarous Britains kept the fenny Boggs and most thick Woods out of which they might more safely break upon the Romans yet he had the better of them and enforced them to a League wherein they were constrained to yield to him a considerable part of their Country These difficulties in Person Severus underwent and desisted not although through weakness carried in a Litter till he had marched through with his Army to the utmost Northern point of the Isle But that which is accounted the most Magnificent of all his other Deeds on the Frontiers of what he had firmly conquered he built a Wall cross the Island from Sea to Sea Orofius adds it fortified with a deep Trench and at certain distances many Towers or Battlemen's Some are of opinion that it was the same with Agricola's Fence between Dunbritton and Edinborough-Friths and that which Lollius Urbicus afterwards repaired But others with more reason place it upon Hadrian's Wall or nigh unto it I shall not undertake to decide the Controversie but shall give some Reasons why the latter opinion seemeth more probable and shall endeavour to wipe away some difficulties which hitherto have puzled the minds of many concerning the number of Miles it is said to extend in length SEVERVS his WALL FIrst that WALL which runneth through the high part of Cumberland from the Bay of Itun otherwise Solway-Frith on the Irish Seas to Tinmouth near New-castle and commonly called the Picts Wall is by the Britains called Gual-Sever Gal-Sever and by the Scots Mur Sever all which denominations do manifestly carry in them the very Name of this Emperour SEVERUS and is a strong Argument that here was the place that he built the Wall we are now treating of For between Dunbritton and Edinborough-Friths although there be many Ruines of continued Fortifications yet they are not so visible as these nor do they ever seem to have been of that strength and solid make as this of Severus is reported in all Authors Certainly they have not in them any Name as ever I could hear of whereby Severus may so plainly be gathered to be their Builder But besides the Name and Contexture of this Wall which shall be proved was of more solid and durable substance than the other between Edinborough and Dunbritton-Frith there are other Arguments to prove it was the
his derivation it is this Oden hafwet thenna Lagh uthi Sweriges Riike stichtat at alle dode skulle sampt medh alle Siine Agodelac och loosorer besinnerligha medh peningar upbrande blifwa meenandes theras tilkomst thes vehage lighare blifwa Gudhomen effter som eelden meera aghodelar medh thecasdoda kroppar fortarde Men till een ewigh aminuelse skulle the ofwan pa the Ronuhzligha och Forsteligha begraffningar forsambla stoora Iordhoghar och hwilke myckitt got hafwa efter sigh latit them upreeste the hoga Runasteenar ofwer Siina begraffuingar Woden enacted a Law that the Dead should be burnt with all their Moveables especially their Mony deeming that they would be more welcome to the Gods with whose Corps the fire consumed most Goods As likewise he ordained that over the Graves of Kings and Great Men they should raise huge heaps of Earth for an everlasting remembrance and over the Sepulchres of such who had performed great Atchievments they should erect high Staves inscribed with Runick Characters This was the only primitive use of the Runick Writing as well as all others namely to preserve the Memories of Great Persons and so deliver their Deeds to Posterity But when the People were once perswaded that such Stones set up had power to keep off the Enemy meerly by the virtue and force of the Characters engraven on them as likewise the Songs composed in the Honour of their Ancestours and the praise of their Vertues had not only force to stir up Vertue in the Hearers but by meerly wearing them in Battle would render a Man fortunate in fight and invulnerable Then it was the word Runa signifying before nothing but the Getick Character came to imply Charm and Incantation and the words Runasten and Adelrunae to have evil significations This change of the use of the Characters from plainly writing the sence of things to form mysterious Incantations is by some attributed to WODEN wherefore they call him in this sence Runhotdi that is the Inventer of the Run But the Runick Character was long before his time if we may believe the Edda cited by Wormius which attributes the invention of it to the Gods the delivery to one Fimbul and the manner of Ingraving that is the use of it in Magick to Woden The ancient Verses in the Edda run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou knowest the Runs and loose Characters RADNA STAFI The great Characters the strong Characters STILA STAFI Which the Gods DIASTRI made Old FIMBUL Illustrated And WODEN Ingraved Other places there are which attribute the first delivery of these Letters to FIMBUL what he was is scarce guessed at and is beyond my purpose to examine it is sufficient to know that the word Runa in its proper sense signifying Letters is of great Antiquity and higher than Woden and is derived in all probability from Ryn a Furrow but the abusive acceptation of it for Magick is more modern begun in the time of Woden or thereabouts when the People were perswaded by their Priests and Imposters that the Characters themselves had a secret power and operation in them to work Miracles Thus we read of the Ancient Danes in Saxo Grammaticus what strange belief they had in the power of their Runes Whosoever saith he devoted himself to the ruine of his Enemy or would preserve his Fortunes from Hostile force made himself first a Pole or long Spear of Hazle or other kind of Wood on the top of which he fixed the head of a Horse which before in solemn manner he had sacrificed to the Infernal Gods placing it so upon the Spear that with open Jaws and grinning Visage it might terrifie the Enemy This done there were Runick Characters engraven upon it and then it was set up with many direful forms of Imprecation in such places where the approach of the Enemy was suspected These Runes our Ancestours set up against the Enemies others they had otherwise prepared which had vertue to stop the course of Rivers and Tides to raise and then allay Tempests to give Winds to cause Rain to cure Diseases to charm Agues Head-ach and Tooth-ach to force Love and such like the invention of all which Delusions too frequently yet used is attributed to WODEN who is said by these Arts to have deprived one Rinda a young Girl of all her reason and senses But the chief virtues of the Runa take as they are mustered up together in the Edda and there spoke in the person of one of Wodens Followers Liod eg thau kann et kannat Chiodans kona og Manskis megut I know those Verses which the Wife of Thiodan knows and Manskis her Son Dialp heiter eitt eunn than thier hialpa mun bin sokum og sottum og suttum giorv-ollum The chief Help it is called which will help thee in all cases of Griefs and Adversities Chad kann eg annad ex thorfa Ita fyner their ed bilia lakner lisfa That 2 I know which the Sons of men want who would live Physitians Chad kann eg 3. eff mier berdur thorff mykel hapts bid myna heiptmogu That 3 I know if I have need to quell my Enemies Eggiar eg deyffe minna andstota byta theim bopn nie biclar I dull the edges of my Adversaries that neither their force or fraud can hurt me Chad kann eg Siordn eff mier fyrdar bera bond ad boglimum That 4 I know if men lay me in Chains Suo eg gel at eg ganga masprettur mier aff fotunim fiotur en aff boudum hapt I so sing that I can walk the Shackles fall from my feet and Manacles from my hand Chad'kann eg s. eff eg sie aff fare skoften fiein i folke bada flygur bann suo stint at eg Stoddigah eff ek hann stonumm off sek That 5 I know if I perceive a Spear sent with Hostile force flying in the Battle I can provide it shall not go with greater force than I please Chad kann eg 6. eff mig seerer thegn a Rotumm kashidat og chann hal er mig heipta kuedut thann eta meinheidur enn mig That 6 I know if a man wound me with Incantations or in anger Curse me the evil shall fall on him not on me Chad kann eg hid 7 eff eg fie haffan Ioga sai um Sessmogum brennrat bann sua breitt at eg honumm biargigah thann kann eg gali but ad gala That 7 I know if I see a House all on fire the flame shall diffuse no further than it is in my power to stop it this Charm I know how to sing Chad kann eg Attunda et ollum n et nyt Samlegt ad nema huers hatur ber med hildfings Sonum thad kann eg beeta bratt That 8 I know which is necessary for all to learn who are looked on as odious in the eyes of Men them I can
believing the report like one lull'd in a deep sleep and Harminius not giving time for a second Alarum the plot took effect Quinctilius is assaulted by a Party just as he ascended the Tribunal whilst others in great numbers set upon the Roman Souldiers in their Camp who not being able to defend their Trenches which were on every side invaded and trusting to the Woods and Marshes are here most miserably cut in pieces and destroyed by their nimbler Enemies Quinctilius seeing all lost slew himself with his own Sword hastning that death which otherwise the insulting Enemy might have made more dishonourable Caesar when he heard of this defeat which was ever after called Variana Clades like a man distracted tore his head and beard often crying out Quinctili Vare redde Legiones he commanded Watches to be kept in the City and the Day continually to be observed with Mourning and Supplications Besides he vowed to Jupiter the Magni Ludi or Great Solemnities which were not usual but in the highest extremity if he would bring the Commonwealth to a better condition And this blow saith an Author of theirs was so considerable that whereas the Roman Empire before was scarce bounded by the Ocean now it was contained within the banks of the River Rhine HARMINIUS being rid of the Romans take it from Tacitus began to affect the Kingdom but the found the liberty of the People to cross his design so that after long contention with them and various fortune on both sides he fell at last by the treachery of his own Relations without doubt the Deliverer of Germany and who engaged with the Romans not in their infancy as other Princes but in their most flourishing condition In Battels he had various success in War unconquerable he is yet celebrated amongst Barbarous Nations These are the very words of Tacitus so that we may reasonably imagine that this Herman Saul was set up to his Honour by the Saxons who as Schedius reporteth used in a kind of Martial dance being compleatly armed and girded with their Enemies Swords in certain turns to surround the Pillar and at every turn falling on their knees kiss and adore it Besides they had three other Idols Rugiivith Porevith and Porenuth Rugiivith was represented with seven Faces upon one head and seven Swords by his side and an eighth in his hand he was made taller and thicker than the proportion of a Man and was worshipped as Mars Porevith had five Heads but had no Armour Porenuth had four Faces and a fifth on his Breast on the forehead of which was his Left hand and his Right on its Chin. I believe they had the same Original as Suantovite another Idol of theirs which was represented with four Heads and four Necks two looking forward the other two backwards In his Right hand he held a Horn set with divers Mettals which the Priest every year fill'd with Wine prognosticating by the greater or lesser decay of the Liquor the plenty of the year succeeding His Left arm was set a kimbo his Tunick reached to his ankles his Feet touched the ground the bottom of them being hid in the earth Not far from him was set his Harness and Charriot and other badges of Divinity Once a year after Fruit-time they sacrificed before the doors of his Temple and kept a solemn Feast of their Nation The Priest all the while he was in the Temple held his wind which when he had occasion to draw he ran to the door for fear the God might be polluted with humane breath He had a Horse maintained for him on which he was thought to ride to Battel for often after fight with the Enemy he was found in the Stable all in a foam and dirty It was lawful only for the Priest to feed and keep him To this Horse they sought for presages in War and inquired Events in battel and this Custome of consulting with Horses was generally used through all Germany and perhaps was the occasion of the Arms of Saxony and the Names of Hengist and Horsa and others who were so called from this particular Beast This Idol was destroyed by WALDEMAR King of Denmark but the memory of it continued for a long time among the Boemians nay at this day they have no greater salutation when they entertaina Stranger or a Friend than to say Wité Wité Thus far Schedius which if true that the manner of saluting comes from Suantovith then Wité is the name of the Idol and Suanto an addition only and hence we may derive Porenuth and Porevith as much to say as Poorvith and Rugiviith as much as Rugar with or With the Helper and it is to be observed that the make of all of them agree in the manner of multiplying their Heads and Faces Rugyvith Porevith Porenuth 〈◊〉 Geduet another Idol representing an Armed man holding in his Right hand a Club set together with sharp spikes and in his Left a Shield with the Arms of Saxony a white Horse in a red Field This Statue was set up by Lotharius Duke of Saxony and called Adjutorium in memory of his victory against the Emperour Henry the fifth the Country people taking it afterwards for a God miscalled it Jedut instead of Adjutorium saies Schedius Flints so called by the Saxons because he was placed on a Flint-stone He was represented just as we paint Death but with a long Vesture cast over him in his hand he carried a Staff with the swelling Bladder of a Sow On his left shoulder sate a Lion by him the Saxons expected to be raised from the dead Verstegan thus describeth him This Idol was made like the Image of Death and naked save only a Sheet about him In his Right hand he held a Torch or as they termed it a Fire-blaze on his head a Lion rested his two fore-feet standing with one of his binder feet upon his Left shoulder and with the other in his hand which to support he lifted up as high as his shoulder Of Basanwow Such whom Verstegan calls Siwe and Rhadagaws we have only the names saving that to the two last the Heathen Priests sacrificed Christians Soltwedel the sorm of this Idol was a man holding with both hands a flaming Wheel before his Breast This by some is made the Sun whom Verstegan followeth hence Soltwell received its name Criglas the Moon her Head had three faces and she carried the new Moon in her hands sometimes she was represented with long Ears instead of Horns Form this Criglas Verstegan taketh his description of the Moon but never mentioneth this Idol Prono this Idol held in its Right hand a Plow-share in its Left a Spear with an Ensign about its Temples Coronets his Feet decked up upon one of them hung a little Bell his Priest was called Mich he is taken for Brennus not the Gaul but an Angle Crodo was another God of the Saxous he was represented an Old man standing upon a