no vse of sailing This was a great discomfort to the Romans that had brought ouer no prouision to liue by in the winter season nor saw anie hope how they should repasse againe into Gallia In the meane time the British princes that were in the Romane armie perceiuing how greatlie this mishap had discouraged the Romans and again by the small circuit of their campe gessing that they could be no great number and that lacke of vittels sore oppressed them they stale priuilie away one after another out of the campe purposing to assemble their powers againe and to forestall the Romans from vittels and so to driue the matter off till winter which if they might doo vanquishing these or closing them from returning they trusted that none of the Romans from thencefoorth would attempt eftsoones to come into Britaine Cesar mistrusting their dealings because they staid to deliuer the residue of their hostages commanded vittels to be brought out of the parties adioining and not hauing other stuffe to repaire his ships he caused 12 of those that were vtterlie past recouerie by the hurts receiued through violence of the tempest to be broken wherewith the other in which some recouerie was perceiued might be repaired and amended The maner of the Britains fighting in charets the Romans giue a fresh sallie to the Britains and put them to flight they sue to Caesar for peace what kings and their powers were assistants to Cassibellane in the battell against Caesar and the maner of both peoples encounters by the report of diuers Chronologers The xiij Chapter WHilest these things were a dooing it chanced that as one of the Romane legions named the seuenth was sent to fetch in corne out of the countrie adioining as their custome was no warre at that time being suspected or once looked for when part of the people remained abroad in the field and part repaired to the campe those that warded before the campe informed Cesar that there appeared a dust greater than was accustomed from that quarter into the which the legion was gone to fetch in corne Cesar iudging therof what the matter might meane commanded those bands that warded to go with him that way foorth and appointed other two bands to come into their roomes and the residue of his people to get them to armor and to follow quicklie after him He was not gone anie great way from the campe when he might sée where his people were ouermatched by the enimies and had much a doo to beare out the brunt for the legion being thronged together the Britains pelted them fore with arrowes and darts on ech side for sithens there was no forrage left in anie part of the countrie about but onelie in this place the Britains iudged that the Romans would come thither for it therefore hauing lodged themselues within the woods in ambushes the night before on the morrowe after when they saw the Romans dispersed here there and busie to cut downe the corne they set vpon them on a sudden and sleaing some few of them brought the residue out of order compassing them about with their horssemen and charets so that they were in great distresse The maner of fight with these charets was such that in the beginning of a battell they would ride about the sides and skirts of the enimies host and bestow their darts as they sate in those charets so that oftentimes with the braieng of the horsses and craking noise of the charet whéeles they disordered their enimies and after that they had woond themselues in amongst the troops of horssemen they would leape out of the charets and fight on foot In the meane time those that guided the charets would withdraw them selues out of the battell placing themselues so that if their people were ouermatched with the multitude of enimies they might easilie withdraw to their charets and mount vpon the same againe by meanes wherof they were as readie to remooue as the horssemen and as stedfast to stand in the battell as the footmen and so to supplie both duties in one And those charetmen by exercise and custome were so cunning in their feat that although their horsses were put to run and gallop yet could they stay them and hold them backe at their pleasures and turne and wind them to and fro in a moment notwithstanding that the place were verie stéepe and dangerous and againe they would run vp and downe verie nimblie vpon the cops and stand vpon the beame and conuey themselues quicklie againe into the charet Cesar thus finding his people in great distresse and readie to be destroied came in good time and deliuered them out of that danger for the Britains vpon his approch with new succors gaue ouer to assaile their enimies any further the Romans were deliuered out of the feare wherein they stood before his comming Furthermore Cesar considering the time serued not to assaile his enimies kept his ground and shortlie after brought backe his legions into the campe While these things were thus a dooing all the Romans occupied the rest that were abroad in the fields got them away After this there followed a sore season of raine and fowle weather which kept the Romans with in their campe and staid the Britains from offering battell But in the meane time they sent messengers abroad into all parts of the countrie to giue knowledge of the small number of the Romans and what hope there was both of great spoile to be gotten and occasion to deliuer themselues from further danger for euer if they might once expell the Romans out of their campe Herevpon a great multitude both of horssemen and footmen of the Britains were spéedilie got togither and approched the Romane campe Cesar although he saw that the same would come to passe which had chanced before that if the enimies were put to the repulse they would easilie escape the danger with swiftnesse of foot yet hauing now with him thirtie horssemen which Comius of Arras had brought ouer with him when he was sent from Cesar as an ambassador vnto the Britains he placed his legions in order of battell before his campe and so comming to ioine with the Britains they were not able to susteine the violent impression of the armed men and so fled The Romans pursued them so farre as they were able to ouertake anie of them and so slaieng manie of them burning vp all their houses all about came backe againe to their campe Immediatlie wherevpon euen the same day they sent ambassadors to Cesar to sue for peace who gladlie accepting their offer commanded them to send ouer into Gallia after he should be returned thither hostages in number duble to those that were agréed vpon at the first After that these things were thus ordered Cesar because the moneth of September was well-neare halfe spent and that winter hasted on as season not méet for his weake and bruised ships to brooke the seas determined not to staie anie longer but hauing
their enimies their discomfiture the worthie stratagems or martiall exploits of Cassibellane the Troinouants submission to Caesar and their sute touching Mandubratius manie of the Britains are taken and slaine of the Romans The xv Chapter IN all this maner of skirmishing and fight which chanced before the campe euen in the sight and view of all men it was perceiued that the Romans by reason of their heauie armour being not able either to follow the Britains as they retired or so bold as to depart from their ensignes except they would runne into danger of casting themselues awaie were nothing méete to match with such kind of enimies and as for their horssemen they fought likewise in great hazard bicause the Britains would oftentimes of purpose retire and when they had trained the Romane horssemen a litle from their legions of footmen they would leape out of their charrets and incounter with them on foot And so the battell of horssemen was dangerous and like in all points whether they pursued or retired This also was the maner of the Britains they fought not close togither but in sunder and diuided into companies one separated from another by a good distance and had their troopes standing in places conuenient to the which they might retire and so reléeue one another with sending new fresh men to supplie the roomes of them that were hurt or wearie The next day after they had thus fought before the campe of the Romans they shewed themselues aloft on the hills and began to skirmish with the Romane horssemen but not so hotlie as they had doone the day before But about noone when Cesar had sent foorth thrée legions of footemen and all his horssemen vnder the leading of his lieutenant Caius Trebonius to fetch in forrage they suddenlie brake out on euerie side and set vpon the forragers The Romans so far foorth as they might not breaking their arraie nor going from their ensignes or guidons gaue the charge on them and fiercelie repelled them so that the horssemen hauing the legions of footemen at their backs followed the Britains so long as they might haue the said legions in sight readie to succour them if need were by reason whereof they slue a great number of the Britains not giuing them leasure to recouer themselues nor to staie that they might haue time to get out of their charrets After this chase and discomfiture all such as were come from other parties to the aid of their fellowes departed home after that day the Britains aduentured to fight against Cesar with their maine power and withdrawing beyond the riuer of Thames determined to stop the enimies from passing the same if by anie meanes they might and whereas there was but one foord by the which they might come ouer Cassibellane caused the same to be set full of sharpe stakes not onlie in the middest of the water but also at the comming foorth on that side where he was lodged with his armie in good order readie to defend the passage Cesar learning by relation of prisoners which he tooke what the Britains intended to doo marched foorth to the riuer side where the foord was by the which his armie might passe the same on foot though verie hardlie At his comming thither he might perceiue how the Britains were readie on the further side to impeach his passage and how that the banke at the comming foorth of the water was pight full of sharpe stakes and so likewise was the chanell of the riuer set with piles which were couered with the water These things yet staied not Cesar who appointing his horssemen to passe on before commanded the footemen to follow The souldiers entring the water waded through with such spéed and violence nothing appéering of them aboue water but their heads that the Britains were constreined to giue place being not able to susteine the brunt of the Romane horssemen and the legions of their footemen and so abandoning the place betooke them to flight Cassibellane not minding to trie the matter anie more by battell sent awaie the most part of his people but yet kept with him about a foure thousand charretmen or wagoners and still watched what waie the Romans tooke coasting them euer as they marched and kept somewhat aside within the couert of woods and other combersome places And out of those quarters through which he vnderstood the Romans word passe he gathered both men and cattell into the woods thicke forrests leauing nothing of value abroad in the champion countrie And when the Roman horssemen did come abroad into the countrie to séeke booties he sent out his charrets vnto the knowne waies and passages to skirmish with the same horssemen so much to the disaduantage of the Romans that they durst not straie farre from their maine armie Neither would Cesar permit them least they might haue béene vtterlie distressed by the Britains to depart further than the maine battels of the footemen kept pace with them by reason whereof the countrie was not indamaged by fire and spoile but onlie 〈◊〉 the armie marched In the meane time the Troinouants which some take to be Middlesex Essex men whose citie was the best fensed of all those parties and thought to be the same that now is called London sent ambassadours vnto Cesar offering to submit themselues vnto him and to obeie his ordinances and further besought him to defend Mandubratius from the iniuries of K. Cassibellane which Mandubratius had fled vnto Cesar into France after that Cassibellane had slaine his father named Imanuentius that was chiefe lord and king of the Troinouants and so now by their ambassadors the same Troinouants requested Cesar not onelie to receiue Mandubratius into his protection but also to send him vnto them that he might take the gouernment and rule of their citie into his hands Cesar commanded them to deliuer vnto him 40 hostages and graine for his armie and therewith sent Mandubratius vnto them The Troinouants accomplished his commandements with all spéed sending both the appointed number of hostages and also graine for the armie And being thus defended and preserued from iniurie of the souldiers the people called Cenimagni Segontiaci Ancalites Bibroci and Cassi submitted themselues vnto Cesar by whom he vnderstood that the towne of Cassibellane was not far from the place where he was then incamped fensed with wooddes and marishes into the which a great number of people with their cattell and other substance was withdrawne The Britains in those daies as Cesar writeth called that a towne or hold which they had fortified with anie thicke combersome wood with trench and rampire into the which they vsed to get themselues for the auoiding of inuasion Cesar with his legions of souldiers therfore marched thither and finding the place verie strong both by nature and helpe of hand assaulted it on two partes The Britains defending their strength a while at length not able longer to endure the
himselfe reported it by letters to the emperour after the largest manner to the end that if he appeased the matter he might win the more praise or if he were put to the woorst and should not preuaile that then his excuse might séeme the more reasonable and woorthie of pardon The Siluers were they that had atchiued this victorie and kept a fowle stur ouer all the countries about them till by the comming of Didius against them they were driuen backe and repelled But héerewith began trouble to be raised in another part for after that Caratac was taken the chiefest and most skillfull capteine which the Britains had was one Uenutius a ruler of the people named Iugants a man that remained a long time faithfull to the Romans and by their power was defended from his enimies who had married with Cartimanda queene of the Brigants or Yorkeshire men This Cartimanda as ye haue heard had deliuered Caratac into the Romans hands thereby ministring matter for the emperour Claudius to triumph by which pleasure shewed to the Romans she increased thorough their friendship in power and wealth whereof followed riotous lust to satisfie hir wanton appetite so as she falling at square with hir husband married Uellocatus one of his esquires to whom she gaue hir kingdome and so dishonoured hir selfe Héere vpon insued cruell warre in so much that in the end Uenutius became enimie also to the Romans But first they tugged togither betwixt themselues the quéene by a craftie policie found meanes to catch the brother and coosens of Uenutius but hir enimies nothing therewith discouraged but kindled the more in wrath against hir ceassed not to go forward with their purpose Manie of the Brigants disdaining to be subiect vnto a womans rule that had so reiected hir husband reuolted vnto Uenutius but yet the quéenes sensuall lust mixed wich crueltie mainteined the adulterer Uenutius therefore calling to him such aid as he could get and strengthened now by the reuolting of the Brigants brought Cartimanda to such a narrow point that she was in great danger to fall into the hands of hir enimies which the Romans forséeing vpon suit made sent certeine bands of horssemen and footmen to helpe hir They had diuerse incounters with the enimies at the first with doubtfull successe but at length they preuailed and so deliuered the quéene out of perill but the kingdome remained to Uenutius against whom the Romans were constreined still to mainteine warre About the same time the legion also which Cesius Nasicaled got the vpper hand of those Britains against whom he was sent For Didius being aged and by victories past inough renowmed thought it sufficient for him to make warre by his capteins so to staie and kéepe off the enimie Certeine castels and holds in déed he caused to be built and fortified further within the countrie than had béene afore attempted by anie of his predecessors and so thereby were the confines of the Romans in this I le somewhat inlarged Thus haue ye heard with what successe the Britains mainteined warre in defense of their libertie against the Romans whilest Claudius ruled the empire according to the report of the Romane writers ¶ But here you must note that Hector Boetius following the authoritie of one Veremond a Spaniard of Cornelius Hibernicus also of Campbell remooueth the Silures Brigants and Nouants so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of those countries which the Scots haue now in possession and were euen then inhabited as he affirmeth partlie by the Scots and partlie by the Picts as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at large so that what notable feat soeuer was atchiued by the old Britains against the Romans the same by him is ascribed to the Scots and Picts throughout his whole historie whereas in verie truth for somuch as may be gathered by coniecture and presumption of that which is left in writing by ancient authors the Brigants inhabited Yorkshire the Silures Wales and the Marches and the Nouants the countrie of Cumberland But forsomuch as he hath diligentlie gathered in what maner the warres were mainteined by those people against the Romans and what valiant exploits were taken in hand and finished thorough their stoutnesse and valiancie ye may there read the same and iudge at your pleasure what people they were whome he so much praiseth aduertising you hereof by the way that as we haue before expressed none of the Romane writers mentioneth any thing of the Scots nor once nameth them till the Romane empire began to decay about the time of the emperor Constantius father of Constantine the great so that if they had béene in this I le then so famous both in peace and warre as they are reported by the same Boetius maruell might it séeme that the Romane writers would so passe them ouer with silence After the death of Claudius the emperor of Rome Claudius Domitianus Nero succéeded him in gouernement of the empire In the seuenth yéere of whose reigne which was after the incarnation 53 the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow in Britaine where neither the lieutenant A. Didius Gallus whom in this place Cornelius Tacitus calleth Auitus could during the time of his rule doo no more but hold that which was alreadie gotten beside the building of certeine castels as before ye haue heard neither his successor Uerannius beating and forreieng the woods could atthiue anie further enterprise for he was by death preuented so as he could not procéed forward with his purpose touching the warres which he had ment to haue folowed whose last words in his testament expressed detected him of manifest ambition for adding manie things by way of flatterie to content Neros mind he wished to haue liued but two yéeres longer in which space he might haue subdued prouinces vnto his dominion meaning therby the whole I le of Britaine But this was a Romans brag sauouring rather of ambition than of truth or likelihood The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland he inuadeth Angle sey and winneth it a strange kind of women of the Druides the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies The ninth Chapter BUt now when this great losse chanced to the Romans Paulinus Suetonius did gouerne here as lieutenant a man most plentifullie furnished with all gifts of fortune and vertue and therewith a right skilfull warrior This Suetonius therefore wishing to tame such of the Britains as kept out prepared to assaile the I le of Anglesey a countrie full of inhabitants and a place of refuge for all outlawes and rebels He builded certeine brigantins with flat kéeles to serue for the ebbes and shallow shelues here and there lieng vncerteinlie in the straits which he had to passe The footmen ferried ouer in those vessels the horssemen following by the foords and swimming when they came into the deepe got likewise to
despitefull reproch of so mightie an empire and gouernement ouer the whole greeued vs to the heart as now at length we will not sticke to confesse and to vs it seemed the more intollerable bicause it onlie remained to the accomplishing of your perfect renowne and glorie And verilie as there is but one name of Britaine so was the losse to be esteemed smal to the common wealth of a land so plentifull of corne so abundant with store of pastures so flowing with veines of mettall so gainfull with reuenues rising of customs and tributes so enuironed with hauens so huge in circuit the which when Cesar the founder of this your honourable title being the first that entered into it writ that he had found an other world supposing it to be so big that it was not compassed with the sea but that rather by resemblance the great Ocean was compassed with it Now at that time Britaine was nothing furnished with ships of warre so that the Romans soone after the warres of Carthage and Asia had latelie beene exercised by sea against pirats and afterwards by reason of the warres against Mithridates were practised as well to fight by sea as land besides this the British nation then alone was accustomed but onelie to the Picts and Irishmen enimies halfe naked as yet not vsed to weare armor so that the Britains for lacke of skill easilie gaue place to the Romane puissance insomuch that Cesar might by that voiage onelie glorie in this that he had sailed and passed ouer the Ocean sea But in this wicked rebellious robberie first the nauie that in times pat defended the coasts of Gallia was led away by the pirat when he fled his waies and beside this a great number of other ships were built after the mould of ours the legion of Romane souldiers was woon and brought to take part with the enimie and diuers bands of strangers that were also souldiers were shut vp in the ships to serue also against vs. The merchants of the parties of Gallia were assembled and brought togither to the musters and no small numbers of barbarous nations procured to come in aid of the rebels trusting to inrich themselues by the spoile of the prouinces and all these were trained in the wars by sea through the instruction of the first attemptors of this mischieuous practise And although our armies were inuincible in force and manhood yet were they raw and not accustomed to the seas so that the fame of a greeuous and great trouble by warre that was toward by this shamefull rebellious robberie was blowne and sounded in ech mans eare although we hoped well of the end Unto the enimies forces was added a long sufferance of their wicked practises without punishment which had puffed vp the presumptuous boldnesse of desperate people that they bragged of our stay as it had bene for feare of them whereas the disaduantage which we had by sea seemed as it were by a fatall necessitie to deferre our victorie neither did they beleeue that the warre was put off for a time by aduise and counsell but rather to be omitted through despaire of dooing anie good against them insomuch that now the feare of common punishment being laid aside one of the mates slue the archpirat or capteine rouer as I may call him hoping in reward of so great an exploit to obteine the whole gouernement into his hands This warre then being both so necessarie so hard to enter vpon so growne in time to be stubborne stiffenesse and so well prouided for of the enimies part you noble emperour did so take it in hand that so soone as you bent the thundering force of your imperiall maiestie against that enimie ech man made account that the enterprise was alreadie atchiued For first of all to the end that your diuine power being absent the barbarous nations should not attempt anie new trouble a thing chieflie to be foreseene it was prouided for aforehand by intercession made vnto your maiestie for you your selfe you I say mightie lord Maximian eternall emperour vouchedsafe to aduance the comming of your diuine excellencie by the neerest way that might be which to you was not vnknowne You therefore suddenlie came to the Rhine and not with anie armie of horssemen or footmen but with the terrour of your presence did preserue and defend all that frontire for Maximian once being there vpon the riuage counteruailed anie the greatest armies that were to be found For you most inuincible emperour furnishing and arming diuers nauies made the enimie to vncerteine of his owne dooing and void of counsell that then at length he might perceiue that he was not defended but rather inclosed with the Ocean sea Here commeth to mind how pleasant and easefull the good lucke of those princes in gouerning the commong wealth with praise was which sitting still in Rome had triumphs and surnames appointed them of such nations as their capteins did vanquish Fronto therefore not the second but match with the first honor of the Romane eloquence when he yeelded vnto the emperor Antoninus the renowne of the warre brought to end in Britaine although he sitting at home in his palace within the citie had committed the conduct and successe of that warre ouer vnto the same Fronto it was confessed by him that the emperour sittings as it were at the helme of the ship deserued the praise by giuing of perfect order to the full accomplishing of the enterprise But you most inuincible emperour haue bene not onlie the appointer foorth how all this voiage by sea and prosecuting the warre by land should bee demeaned as apperteined to you by vertue of your imperiall rule and dignitie but also you haue beene an exhorter and setter forward in the things themselues and through example of your assured constancie the victorie was atchiued For you taking the sea at Sluice did put an irreuocable desire into their hearts that were readie to take ship at the same time in the mouth of the riuer of Saine insomuch that when the capteins of that armie did linger out the time by reason the seas and aire was troubled they cried to haue the sailes hoised vp and signe giuen to lanch foorth that they might passe forward on their iournie despising certeine tokens which threatened their wrecke and so set forward on a rainie and tempestuous day sailing with a crosse wind for no forewind might serue their turne But what was he that durst not commit himselfe vnto the sea were the same neuer so vnquiet when you were once vnder saile and set forward One voice and exhortation was among them all as report hath gone thereof when they heard that you were once got forth vpon the water What doo we dout what mean we to staie He is now loosed from land he is forward on his waie and peraduenture is alreadie got ouer Let vs put all things in proofe let vs venter through anie dangers of sea whatsoeuer What is
prepared to receiue whensoeuer the Englishmen approched and heerewith bringing his men into araie he came foorth to méet his enimies Then was the battell begun with great earnestnesse on both sides continued foure houres till at length the Danes began somewhat to shrinke which when Cnute perceiued he commanded his horssemen to come forward into the forepart of his dawnted host But whilest one part of the Danes gaue backe with feare and the other came slowlie forward the arraie of the whole armie was broken then without respect of shame they fled amaine so that there died that day of Cnutes side foure thousand and fiue hundred men and of king Edmunds side not past six hundred and those were footmen This battell was fought as should appéere by diuerse writers at Okefort or Oteford It was thought that if king Edmund had pursued the victorie and followed in chase of his enimies in such wise as he safelie might haue doone Edriks counsell he had made that day an end of the warres but he was counselled by Edrike as some write in no condition to follow them but to staie and giue time to his people to refresh their wearie bodies Then Cnute with his armie passed ouer the Thames into Essex and there assembled all his power togither and began to spoile and waste the countrie on each hand King Edmund aduertised thereof hasted foorth to succour his people and at Ashdone in Essex three miles from Saffron Walden gaue battell to Cnute where after sore and cruell fight continued with great slaughter on both sides a long time duke Edrike fled to the comfort of the Danes and to the discomfort of the Englishmen Héerevpon king Edmund was constreined in the end to depart out of the field hauing first doone all that could be wished in a woorthie chiestaine both by woords to incourage his men by deeds to shew them good example so that at one time the Danes were at point to haue giuen backe but that Cnute aduised thereof rushed into the left wing where most danger was and so relieued his people there that finallie the Englishmen both wearied with long fight and also discouraged with the running awaie of some of their companie were constreined to giue-ouer and by flight to séeke their safegard so that king Edmund might not by anie meanes bring them againe into order Héere vpon all the waies and passages being forelaid and stopped by the enimies the Englishmen wanting both carriage to make longer resistance and perceiuing no hope to rest in fléeing were beaten downe and slaine in heapes so that few escaped from that dreadfull and bloudie battell There died on king Edmunds side duke Edmund duke Alfrike and duke Goodwine with earle Ulfekettell or Urchell of Eastangle and duke Aileward that was sonne to Ardelwine late duke of Eastangle and to be briefe all the floure of the English nobilitie There were also slaine at this battell manie renowmed persons of the spiritualtie as the bishop of Lincolne and the abbat of Ramsey with others king Edmund escaping awaie got him into Glocestershire and there began to raise a new armie In the place where this field was fought are yet seuen or eight hils wherein the carcases of them that were slaine at the same field were buried and one being digged downe of late there were found two bodies in a coffin of stone of which the one laie with his head towards the others féet and manie chaines of iron like to the water-chains of the bits of horsses were found in the same hill But now to the matter London other great cities townes submit themselues to Cnute be hasteth after Edmund with his power both their armies being readie to incounter by occasion are staied the oration of a capteine in the hearing of both hosts the title and right of the realme of England is put to the triall of combat betweene Cnute and Edmund Cnute is ouermatâ—ched his woords to king Edmund both kings are pacified and their armies accorded the realme diuided betwixt Cnute and Edmund king Edmund traitorouslie slaine the dissonant report of writers touching the maners of his death and both the kings dealing about the partition of the realme Cnute causeth Edrike to be slaine for procuring king Edmunds death wherein the reward of treason is noted how long king Edmund reigned and where he was buried the eclipsed state of England after his death and in whose time it recouered some part of it brightnesse The tenth Chapter IN the meane while that Edmund was buâ—ie to leauie a new armie in Glocester and other parties of Mercia Cnute hauing got so great a victorie as before is mentioned receiued into his obeisance not onelie the citie of London but also manie other cities and townes of great name and shortlie after hasted forward to pursue his enimie king Edmund who was readie with a mightie host to trie the vttermost chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine Héerevpon both the armies being readie to giue the onset the one in sight of the other at a place called Dearehurst neere to the riuer of Seuerne by the drist of duke Edrike who then at length began to shew some token of good meaning the two kings came to a communication and in the end concluded an agreement as some haue written without anie more adoo Others write that when both the armies were at point to haue ioined one of the capteins but whether he were a Dane or an Englishman it is not certeinlie told stood vp in such a place as he might be heard of both the princes boldlie vttered his mind in former following The oration of a capteine in the audience of the English and Danish armie WE haue most woorthie capteins fought long inough one against another there hath beene but too much bloud shed betweene both the nations and the valiancie of the souldiers on both sides is sufficientlie seene by triall either of your manhoods likewise and yet can you beare neither good nor euill fortune If one of you win the battell he pursueth him that is ouercome and if he chance to be vanquished he resteth no till he haue recouered new strength to fight eftsoones with him that is victor What should you meane by this your inuincible courage At what marke shooteth your greedie desire to beare rule and your excessiue thirst to atteine honour If you fight for a kingdome diuide it betweene you two which sometime was sufficient for seuen kings but if you couet to winne fame and glorious renowme and for the same are driuen to try the hazard whether ye shall command or obeie deuise the waie whereby ye may without so great slaughter and without such pitifull bloudshed of both your guiltlesse peoples trie whether of you is most woorthie to be preferred Thus made he an end and the two princes allowed well of his last motion and so order was taken that they should
as well for a conuenient wind as for other incidents certeine daies at length when the weather so changed that it serued his purpose he tooke the sea hauing with him fiue legions of souldiers and about two thousand horssemen he departed out of Calice hauen about sun setting with a soft southwest wind directing his course forward about midnight the wind fell so by a calme he was carried alongst with the tide so that in the morning when the day appéered he might behold Britaine vpon his left hand Then following the streame as the course of the tide changed he forced with â—ares to fetch the shore vpon that part of the coast which he had discouered and tried the last yeere to be the best landing place for the armie The diligence of the souldiers was shewed héere to be great who with continuall toile droue foorth the heauie ships to kéepe course with the gallies so at length they landed in Britaine about noone on the next day finding not one to resist his comming ashore for as he learned by certeine prisoners which were taken after his comming to land the Britains being assembled in purpose to haue resisted him through feare striken into their harts at the discouering of such an huge number of ships they forsooke the shore and got them vnto the mountaines There were in deed of vessels one and other what with vittellers those which priuat men had prouided and furnished foorth for their owne vse being ioined to the ordinarie number at the least eight hundred saile which appeering in sight all at one time made a wonderfull muster and right terrible in the eies of the Britains But to procéed Cesar being got to land incamped his armie in a place conuenient and after learning by the prisoners into what part the enimies were withdrawne he appointed one Quintus Atrius to remaine vpon the safegard of the nauie with ten companies or cohorts of footmen and three hundred horssemen and anon after midnight marched foorth himselfe with the residue of his people toward the Britains and hauing made 12 miles of way he got sight of his enimies host who sending downe their horssemen and charets vnto the riuer side skirmished with the Romans meaning to beate them backe from the higher ground but being assailed of the Romane horssemen they were repelled tooke the woods for their refuge wherein they had got a place verie strong both by nature and helpe of hand which as was to be thought had béene fortified before in time of some ciuill warre amongst them for all the entries were closed with trées which had béene cut downe for that purpose Howbeit the souldiers of the 7 legion casting a trench before them found meanes to put backe the Britains from their defenses and so entring vpon them droue them out of the woods But Cesar would not suffer the Romans to follow the Britains bicause the nature of the countrie was not knowne vnto them and againe the day was farre spent so that he would haue the residue thereof bestowed in fortifieng his campe The next day as he had sent foorth such as should haue pursued the Britains word came to him from Quintus Atrius that his nauie by rigour of a sore and hideous tempest was gréeuouslie molested and throwne vpon the shore so that the cabels and tackle being broken and destroied with force of the vnmercifull rage of wind the maisters and mariners were not able to helpe the matter Cesar calling backe those which he had sent foorth returned to his ships and finding them in such state as he had heard tooke order for the repairing of those that were not vtterlie destroied and caused them so to be drawne vp to the land that with a trench he might so compasse in a plot of ground that might serue both for defense of his ships and also for the incamping of those men of warre which he should leaue to attend vpon the safegard of the same And bicause there were at the least a fortie ships lost by violence of this tempest so as there was no hope of recouerie in them he saw yet how the rest with great labour and cost might be repaired wherefore he chose out wrights among the legions sent for other into Gallia and wrote ouer to such as he had left there in charge with the gouernment of the countrie to prouide so manie ships as they could and to send them ouer vnto him He spent a ten daies about the repairing of his nauie and in fortifieng the campe for defense thereof which done he left those within it that were appointed there before and then returned towards his enimies At his comming backe to the place where he had before incamped he found them there readie to resist him hauing their numbers hugelie increased for the Britains hearing that he was returned with such a mightie number of ships assembled out of all parts of the land and had by general consent appointed the whole rule and order of all things touching the warre vnto Cassiuellane or Cassibelane whose dominion was diuided from the cities situat néere to the sea coast by the riuer of Thames 80 miles distant from the sea coast This Cassibellane before time had bin at continuall warre with other rulers and cities of the land but now the Britains moued with the comming of the Romans chose him to be chiefe gouernour of all their armie permitting the order and rule of all things touching the defense of their countrie against the Romans onelie to him Their horssemen and charets skirmished by the waie with the Romans but so as they were put backe oftentimes into the woods and hills adioining yet the Britains slue diuers of the Romans as they followed anie thing egerlie in the pursute Also within a while after as the Romans were busie in fortifieng their campe the Britains suddenlie issued out of the woods and fierselie assailed those that warded before the campe vnto whose aid Cesar sent two of the chiefest cohorts of two legions the which being placed but a little distance one from another when the Romans began to be discouraged with this kind of fight the Britains therewith burst through their enimies and came backe from thence in safetie That daie Quintus Laberius Durus a tribune was slaine At length Cesar sending sundrie other cohorts to the succour of his people that were in fight and shrewdlie handled as it appéered the Britains in the end were put backe Neuerthelesse that repulse was but at the pleasure of fortune for they quited themselues afterwards like men defending their territories with such munition as they had vntill such time as either by policie or inequalitie of power they were vanquished as you shall sée after in the course of the historie Howbeit in fine they were ouer-run and vtterlie subdued but not without much bloudshed and slaughter The Romans heauie armor their great hinderance the maner of the Britains fighting in warre their incounter with
caused ships to be made readie to the number of 600 with the which repassing into Britaine whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the enimies his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest were either beaten one against another or else cast vpon the flats and sands and so broken so that fortie of them were vtterlie perished and the residue with great difficultie were repaired The horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the woorsse and Labienus the tribune slaine In the second conflict he vanquished the Britains not without great danger of his people After this he marched to the riuer of Thames which as then was passable by foord onelie in one place and not else as the report goeth On the further banke of that riuer Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude of enimies and had pitcht and set the banke and almost all the foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes the tokens of which vnto this day are to be séene and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer closed with lead This being perceiued of the Romans and auoided the Britains not able to susteine the violent impression of the Roman legions hid themselues in the woods out of the which by often issues they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed the Romans and did them great damage In the meane time the strong citie of Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages yéelded vnto Cesar whose example manie other cities following allied themselues with the Romans by whose information Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane situat betwixt two marches fensed also with the couert of woods hauing within it great plentie of all things After this Cesar returned into France and bestowed his armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season The Scotish writers report that the Britains after the Romans were the first time repelled as before ye haue heard refused to receiue the aid of the Scotish men the second time and so were vanquished as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed Thus much touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains in bringing them vnder tribute to the Romans But this tributarie subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season ¶ Now here is to be noted that Cesar did not vanquish all the Britains for he came not amongst the northerne men onlie discouering and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas so that sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnestlie trauell to bring the Britains vnder their subiection which were euer redie to rebell so manie sundrie times Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed Britaine to the Romans than to haue deliuered the possession of the same This subiection to the which he brought this Ile what maner of one soeuer it was chanced about the yeare of the world 3913 after the building of Rome 698 before the birth of our sauior 53 the first and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad after the comming of Brute 1060 before the conquest made by William duke of Normandie 1120 and 1638 yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585 after Harisons account The state of Britaine when Caesar offered to conquer it and the maner of their gouernement as diuerse authors report the same in their bookes where the contrarietie of their opinions is to be obserued The xvij Chapter AFter that Iulius Cesar had thus made the Britains tributaries to the Romans and was returned into Gallia Cassibellane reigned 7 yeares and was vanquished in the ninth or tenth yeare after he began first to reigne so that he reigned in the whole about 15 or as some haue 17 yeares and then died leauing no issue behind him There hath bin an old chronicle as Fabian recordeth which he saw and followeth much in his booke wherein is conteined that this Cassibellane was not brother to Lud but eldest sonne to him for otherwise as may be thought saith he Cesar hauing the vpper hand would haue displaced him from the gouernement and set vp Androgeus the right heire to the crowne as sonne to the said Lud. But whatsoeuer our chronicles or the British histories report of this matter it should appere by that which Cesar writeth as partlie ye haue heard that Britaine in those daies was not gouerned by one sole prince but by diuers and that diuers cities were estates of themselues so that the land was diuided into sundrie gouernements much after the forme and maner as Germanie and Italie are in our time where some cities are gouerned by one onelie prince some by the nobilitie and some by the people And whereas diuers of the rulers in those daies here in this land were called kings those had more large seigniories than the other as Cassibellane who was therefore called a king And though we doo admit this to be true yet may it be that in the beginning after Brute entered the land there was ordeined by him a monarchie as before is mentioned which might continue in his posteritie manie yeares after and yet at length before the comming of Cesar through ciuill dissention might happilie be broken and diuided into parts and so remained not onelie in the time of this Cassibellane but also long after whilest they liued as tributaries to the Romans till finallie they were subdued by the Saxons In which meane time through the discord negligence or rather vnaduised rashnes of writers hard it is to iudge what may be affirmed and receiued in their writings for a truth namelie concerning the succession of the kings that are said to haue reigned betwixt the daies of Cassibellane and the comming of the Saxons The Roman writers and namelie Tacitus report that the Britains in times past were vnder the rule of kings and after being made tributaries were drawne so by princes into sundrie factions that to defend and kéepe off a common ieopardie scarselie would two or thrée cities agrée togther and take weapon in hand with one accord so that while they fought by parts the whole was ouercome And after this sort they say that Britaine was brought into the forme of a prouince by the Romans from whom gouernors vnder the name of legats and procurators were sent that had the rule of it But yet the same authors make mention of certeine kings as hereafter shall appeare who while the Romane emperors had the most part of the earth in subiection reigned in Britaine The same witnesseth Gildas saieng Britaine hath kings but they are tyrants iudges it hath but the same are wicked oftentimes spoiling and tormenting the innocent people And Cesar as ye haue heard speaketh of foure kings that ruled in Kent and thereabouts Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention of Prasutagus and Cogidunus that were kings in Britaine and Iuuenal speaketh of Aruiragus
were so that the same was verie sore disquieted and vexed by tempest and rage of weather Wherevpon finding no great let or hinderance by the enimies he builded certeine castels and fortresses which he placed in such conuenient stéeds that they greatlie annoied his aduersaries and were so able to be defended that there was none of those castels which he builded either woon by force out of the Romans hands or giuen ouer by composition for feare to be taken so that the same beeing furnished with competent numbers of men of warre were safelie kept from the enimies the which were dailie vexed by the often issues made foorth by the souldiers that laie thus in garrison within them so that where in times past the said enimies would recouer their losses susteined in summer by the winters aduantage now they were put to the woorse and kept backe as well in the winter as in the summer In the fourth summer after that Agricola was appointed vnto the rule of this land he went about to bring vnder subiection those people the which before time he had by incursions and forreies sore vexed and disquieted and therevpon comming to the waters of Clide and Loughleuen he built certeine fortresses to defend the passages and entries there driuing the enimies beyond the same waters as it had beene into a new Iland In the fift summer Agricola causing his ships to be brought about and appointing them to arriue on the north coasts of Scotland he passed with his armie ouer the riuer of Clide and subdued such people as inhabited those further parts of Scotland which till those daies had not beene discouered by the Romans And bicause he thought it should serue well to purpose for some conquest to be made of Ireland if that part of Scotland which bordereth on the Irish seas might be kept in due obedience he placed garrisons of souldiers in those parties in hope verelie vpon occasion to passe ouer into Ireland and for the more easie aduancement of his purpose therein he interteined with honourable prouision one of the kings of Ireland which by ciuill discord was expelled and driuen out of his countrie In déed Agricola perceiued that with one legion of souldiers and a small aid of other men of warre it should be an easie matter to conquer Ireland and to bring it vnder the dominion of the Romans which enterprise he iudged verie necessarie to be exploited for better kéeping of the Britains in obedience if they should sée the iurisdiction of the Romans euerie where extended and the libertie of their neighbours suppressed In the sixt summer of Agricola his gouernment he proceeded in subduing the furthermost parts of Scotland northwards causing his nauie to kéepe course against him by the coast as he marched foorth by land so that the Britains perceiuing how the secret hauens and créekes of their countries were now discouered and that all hope of refuge was in maner cut off from them were in maruellous feare On the other part the Romans were sore troubled with the rough mounteins and craggie rocks by the which they were constreined to passe beside the dangerous riuers lakes woods streicts and other combersome waies and passages The danger also of them that were in the ships by sea was not small by reason of winds and tempests and high spring tides which tossed and turmoiled their vessels verie cruellie but by the painfull diligence of them that had béene brought vp and inured with continuall trauell and hardnesse all those discommodities were ouercome to their great reioising when they met and fell in talke of their passed perils For oftentimes the armie by land incamped so by the shore that those which kept the sea came on land to make merrie in the campe and then ech one would recount to others the aduentures that had happened as the manner is in semblable cases The Britains of Calenderwood assalt the Romans vpon aduantage bloudie battels fought betwixt them great numbers slaine on both sides the villanous dealing of certeine Dutch souldiers against their capteins and fellowes in armes the miserie that they were driuen vnto by famine to eate one another a sharpe conflict betweene the Romans and Britains with the losse of manie a mans life and effusion of much bloud The xvij Chapter THe Britains that inhabited in those daies about the parts of Calenderwood perceiuing in what danger they were to be vtterlie subdued assembled themselues togither in purpose to trie the fortune of battell whereof Agricola being aduertised marched foorth with his armie diuided in three battels so that the enimies doubting to trie the matter in open field espied their time in the night and with all their whole puissance set vpon one of the Romane legions which they knew to be most féeble and weake trusting by a camisado to distresse the same and first sleaing the watch they entred the campe where the said legion laie and finding the souldiers in great disorder betwixt sléepe and feare began the fight euen within the campe Agricola had knowledge of their purposed intent and therefore with all spéed hasted foorth to come to the succours of his people sending first his light horssemen and certeine light armed footmen to assaile the enimies on their backs and shortlie after approched with his whole puissance so that the Romane standards beginning to appéere in sight by the light of the daie that then began to spring the Britains were sore discouraged and the Romans renewing their force fiercelie preassed vpon them so that euen in the entrie of the campe there was a sore conflict till at length the Britains were put to flight and chased so that if the mareshes and woods had not saued them from the pursute of the Romans there had beene an end made of the whole warre euen by that one daies worke But the Britains escaping as well as they might and reputing the victorie to haue chanced not by the valiancie of the Romane soldiers but by occasion and the prudent policie of their capteine were nothing abashed with that their present losse but prepared to put their youth againe into armour and therevpon they remooued their wiues and children into safe places and then assembling the chiefest gouernours togither concluded a league amongst themselues ech to aid other confirming their articles with dooing of sacrifice as the manner in those daies was The same summer a band of such Dutch or Germaine souldiers as had béene leuied in Germanie sent ouer into Britaine to the aid of the Romans attempted a great and woonderfull act in sleaing their capteine and such other of the Romane souldiers which were appointed to haue the training and leading of them as officers and instructors to them in the feats of warre and when they had committed that murther they got into thrée pinesses and became rouers on the coasts of Britaine and incountring with diuerse of the Britains that were readie to defend their countrie from
spoile oftentimes they got the vpper hand of them and now and then they were chased awaie insomuch that in the end they were brought to such extremitie for want of vittels that they did eate such amongst them as were the weakest and after such as the lot touched being indifferentlie cast amongst them and so being caried about the coasts of Britaine losing their vessels through want of skill to gouerne them they were reputed for robbers and therevpon were apprehended first by the Suabeners and shortlie after by the Frizers the which sold diuerse of them to the Romans and other whereby the true vnderstanding of their aduentures came certeinlie to light In summer next following Agricola with his armie came to the mounteine of Granziben where he vnderstood that his enimies were incamped to the number of 30 thousand and aboue and dailie there came to them more companie of the British youth and such aged persons also as were lustie and in strength able to weld weapon and beare armour Amongst the capteins the chiefest was one Galgagus whom the Scotish chronicles name Gald This man as chiefteine and head capteine of all the Britains there assembled made to them a pithie oration to incourage them to fight manfullie and likewise did Agricola to his people which being ended the armies on both sides were put in order of battell Agricola placed 8 thousand footmen of strangers which he had there in aid with him in the most appointing three thousand horssemen to stand on the sides of them as wings The Romane legions stood at their 〈◊〉 in stéed of a bulworke The Britains were imbattelled in such order that their fore ward stood in the plaine ground and the other on the side of an hill as though they had risen on heigth one ranke aboue another The midst of the field was couered with their charrets and horssemen Agricola doubting by the huge multitude of enimies least his people should be assailed not onlie afront but also vpon euerie side the battels he caused the ranks so to place themselues as their battels might stretch farre further in bredth than otherwise the order of warre required but he tooke this to be a good remedie against such inconuenience as might haue followed if the enimie by the narrownesse of the fronts of his battels should haue bemmed them in on ech side This done and hauing conceiued good hope of victorie he alighted on foot and putting his horsse from him he stood before the standards as one not caring for anie danger that might happen At the first they bestowed their shot and darts fréelie on both sides The Britains aswell with constant manhood as skilfull practise with broad swords and little round bucklers auoided and beat from them the arrowes and darts that came from their enimies and therewithall paid them home againe with their shot and darts so that the Romans were néere hand oppressed therewith bicause they came so thicke in their faces till at length Agricola caused thrée cohorts of Hollanders two of Lukeners to presse forward ioine with them at hand-strokes so as the matter might come to be tried with the edge of the swoord which thing as to them being inured with that kind of fight it stood greatlie with their aduantage so to the Britains it was verie dangerous that were to defend themselues with their mightie huge swoords and small bucklers Also by reason their swoords were broad at the ends and pointlesse they auailed little to hurt the armed enimie Wherevpon when the Hollanders came to ioine with them they made fowle worke in sleaing and wounding them in most horrible wise The horssemen also that made resistance they pulled from their horsses and began to clime the hill vpon the Britains The other bands desirous to match their fellowes in helping to atchiue the victorie followed the Hollanders and beat downe the Britains where they might approch to them manie were ouerrun and left halfe dead and some not once touched with anie weapon were likewise ouerpressed such hast the Romans made to follow vpon the Britains Whilest the British horssemen fled their charets ioined themselues with their footmen and restoring the battell put the Romans in such feare that they were at a sudden stay but the charets being troubled with prease of enimies vnéeuennesse of the ground they could not worke their feat to anie purpose neither had that fight anie resemblance of a battell of horssemen when ech one so encumbred other that they had no roome to stirre themselues The charets oftentimes wanting their guiders were caried awaie with the horsses that being put in feare with the noise and stur ran hither and thither bearing downe one another and whomsoeuer else they met withall Now the Britains that kept the top of the hils and had not yet fought at all despising the small number of the Romans began to come downewards and to cast about that they might set vpon the backs of their enimies in hope so to make an end of the battell and to win the victorie but Agricola doubting no lesse but that some such thing would come to passe had aforehand foreséene the danger and hauing reserued foure wings of horssemen for such sudden chances sent them foorth against those Britains the which horssemen with full randon charging vpon them as they rashlie came forwards quicklie disordered them and put them all to flight and so that purposed deuise and policie of the Britains turned to their owne hinderance For their horssemen by their capteins appointment trauersing ouerthwart by the fronts of them that fought set vpon that battell of the Britains which they found before them Then in those open and plaine places a greeuous heauie sight it was to behold how they pursued wounded and tooke their enimies and as they were aduised of other to slea those that they had before taken to the end they might ouertake the other there was nothing but fléeing taking and chasing slaughter spilling of bloud scattering of weapons grunting and groning of men and horsses that lay on the ground gasping for breath readie to die The Britains now and then as they saw their aduantage namelie when they approched néere to the woods gathered themselues togither and set vpon the Romans as they followed vnaduisedlie and further through ignorance of the places than stood with their suertie insomuch that if Agricola had not prouided remedie and sent foorth mightie bands of light armed men both on foot and horssebacke to close in the enimies and also to beat the wood some greater losse would haue followed through too much boldnes of them that too rashlie pursued vpon the Britains who when they beheld the Romans thus to follow them in whole troops and good order of battell they slipt awaie and tooke them to flight ech one seeking to saue himselfe and kept not togither in plumps as before they had doone The night made an end of the chase
wind and weather for his purpose got himselfe aboord with his people and returned into Gallia ¶ Thus writeth Cesar touching his first iournie made into Britaine But the British historie which Polydor calleth the new historie declareth that Cesar in a pitcht field was vanquished at the firt encounter and so withdrew backe into France Beda also writeth that Cesar comming into the countrie of Gallia where the people then called Morini inhabited which are at this day the same that inhabit the diocesse of Terwine from whence lieth the shortest passage ouer into Britaine now called England got togither 80 saile of great ships and row gallies wherewith he passed ouer into Britaine there at the first being wearied with sharpe and sore fight and after taken with a grieuous tempest he lost the greater part of his nauie with no small number of his souldiers and almost all his horssemen and therwith being returned into Gallia placed his souldiors in stéeds to soiourne there for the winter season Thus saith Bede The British historie moreouer maketh mention of thrée vnder-kings that aided Cassibellane in this first battell fought with Cesar as Cridiorus alias Ederus king of Albania now called Scotland Guitethus king of Uenedocia that is Northwales and Britaell king of Demetia at this day called Southwales The same historie also maketh mention of one Belinus that was generall of Cassibellanes armie and likewise of Nenius brother to Cassibellane who in fight happened to get Cesars swoord fastened in his shield by a blow which Cesar stroke at him Androgeus also and Tenancius were at the battell in aid iof Cassibellane But Nenius died within 15 daies after the battell of the hurt receiued at Cesars hand although after he was so hurt he slue Labienus one of the Romane tribunes all which may well be true sith Cesar either maketh the best of things for his owne honour or else coueting to write but commentaries maketh no account to declare the néedeles circumstances or anie more of the matter than the chiefe points of his dealing Againe the Scotish historiographers write that when it was first knowne to the Britains that Cesar would inuade them there came from Cassibellane king of Britaine an ambassador vnto Ederus king of Scots who in the name of king Cassibellane required aid against the common enimies the Romains which request was granted and 10 thousand Scots sent to the aid of Cassibellane At their comming to London they were most ioifullie receiued of Cassibellane who at the same time had knowledge that the Romans were come on land and had beaten such Britains backe as were appointed to resist their landing Wherevpon Cassibellane with all his whole puissance mightilie augmented not onlie with the succours of the Scots but also of the Picts which in that common cause had sent also of their people to aid the Britains set forward towards the place where he vnderstood the enimies to be At their first approch togither Cassibellane sent foorth his horssemen and charets called Esseda by the which he thought to disorder the araie of the enimies Twice they incountred togither with doubtfull victorie At length they ioined puissance against puissance and fought a verie sore and cruell battell till finally at the sudden comming of the Welshmen and Cornishmen so huge a noise was raised by the sound of bels hanging at their trappers and charets that the Romans astonied therewith were more easilie put to flight The Britains Scots and Picts following the chase without order or araie so that by reason the Romans kept themselues close togither the Britains Scots Picts did scarse so much harme to the enimies as they themselues receiued But yet they followed on still vpon the Romans till it was darke night Cesar after he had perceiued them once withdrawne did what he could to assemble his companies togither minding the next morning to séeke his reuenge of the former daies disaduantage But forsomuch as knowledge was giuen him that his ships by reason of a sore tempest were so beaten and rent that manie of them were past seruice he doubted least such newes would incourage his enimies and bring his people into despaire Wherfore he determined not to fight till time more conuenient sending all his wounded folks vnto the ships which he commanded to be newlie rigged and trimmed After this kéeping his armie for a time within the place where he was incamped without issuing foorth he shortlie drew to the sea side where his ships laie at anchor and there within a strong place fortified for the purpose he lodged his host and finallie without hope to atchieue anie other exploit auaileable for that time he tooke the sea with such ships as were apt for sailing and so repassed into Gallia leauing behind him all the spoile and baggage for want of vessels and leisure to conueie it ouer ¶ Thus haue the Scots in their chronicles framed the matter more to the conformitie of the Romane histories than according to the report of our British and English writers and therefore we haue thought good to shew it héere that the diuersitie of writers and their affections may the better appéere Of this sudden departing also or rather fléeing of Iulius Cesar out of Britaine Lucanus the poet maketh mention reciting the saieng of Pompeius in an oration made by him vnto this souldiers wherin he reprochfullie and disdainfullie reprooued the dooings of Cesar in Britaine saieng Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis Caesar taketh a new occasion to make warre against the Britains he arriueth on the coast without resistance the number of his ships both armies incounter why Caesar forbad the Romans to pursue the discomfited Britains he repaireth his nauie the Britains choose Cassibellane their cheefe gouernour and skirmish afresh with their enimies but haue the repulse in the end The xiiij Chapter NOw will we returne to the sequele of the matter as Cesar himselfe reporteth After his comming into Gallia there were but two cities of all Britaine that sent ouer their hostages according to their couenant which gaue occasion to Cesar to picke a new quarrel against them which if it had wanted he would yet I doubt not haue found some other for his full meaning was to make a more full conquest of that I le Therefore purposing to passe againe thither as he that had a great desire to bring the Britains vnder the obedience of the Romane estate he caused a great number of ships to be prouided in the winter season and put in a readinesse so that against the next spring there were found to be readie rigged six hundred ships beside 28 gallies Héerevpon hauing taken order for the gouernance of Gallia in his absence about the beginning of the spring he came to the hauen of Calice whither according to order by him prescribed all his ships were come except 40 which by tempest were driuen backe and could not as yet come to him After he had staied at Calice
exploits fortunatelie atchiued against diuerse people as the Irish c. The 16. Chapter AFter Iulius Frontinus the emperor Uespasian sent Iulius Agricola to succéed in the gouernement of Britaine who comming ouer about the midst of summer found the men of warre thorough want of a lieutenant negligent inough as those that looking for no trouble thought themselues out of all danger where the enimies neuerthelesse watched vpon the next occasion to worke some displeasure and were readie on ech hand to mooue rebellion For the people called Ordonices that inhabited in the countrie of Chesshire Lancashire and part of Shropshire had latelie before ouerthrowne and in maner vtterlie destroied a wing of such horssemen as soiourned in their parties by reason whereof all the prouince was brought almost into an assured hope to recouer libertie Agricola vpon his comming ouer though summer was now halfe past and that the souldiers lodging here there abroad in the countrie were more disposed to take rest than to set forward into the field against the enimies determined yet to resist the present danger and therewith assembling the men of warre of the Romans and such other aids as he might make he inuaded their countrie that had done this foresaid displeasure and slue the most part of all the inhabitants thereof Not thus contented for that he thought good to follow the steps of fauourable fortune and knowing that as the begining proued so would the whole sequele of his affaires by likelihood come to passe he purposed to make a full conquest of the I le of Anglesey from the conquest wherof the Romane lieutenant Paulinus was called backe by the rebellion of other of the Britains as before ye haue heard But whereas he wanted ships for the furnishing of his enterprise his wit and policie found a shift to supplie that defect for choosing out a piked number of such Britains as he had there with him in aid which knew the foords and shallow places of the streames there and withall were verie skilfull in swimming as the maner of the countrie then was he appointed them to passe ouer on the sudden into the I le onelie with their horsses armor and weapon which enterprise they so spéedilie and with so good successe atchiued that the inhabitants much amazed with that dooing which looked for a nauie of ships to haue transported ouer their enimies by sea and therefore watched on the coast began to thinke that nothing was able to be defended against such kind of warriors that got ouer into the I le after such sort and maner And therefore making sute for peace they deliuered the I le into the hands of Agricola whose fame by these victories dailie much increased as of one that tooke pleasure in trauell and attempting to atchiue dangerous enterprises in stead whereof his predecessors had delighted to shew the maiesties of their office by vaine brags statelie ports and ambitious pomps For Agricola turned not the prosperous successe of his procéedings into vanitie but rather with neglecting his fame increased it to the vttermost among them that iudged what hope was to be looked for of things by him to be atchiued which with silence kept secret these his so woorthie dooings Moreouer perceiuing the nature of the people in this I le of Britaine and sufficientlie taught by other mens example that armor should little auaile where iniuries followed to the disquieting of the people he thought best to take away and remooue all occasions of warre And first beginning with himselfe and his souldiers tooke order for a reformation to be had in his owne houshold yéelding nothing to fauor but altogither in respect of vertue accounting them most faithfull which therein most excelled He sought to know all things but not to doo otherwise than reason mooued pardoning small faults and sharpelie punishing great and heinous offenses neither yet deliting alwaies in punishment but oftentimes in repentance of the offendor Exactions and tributes he lessened qualifieng the same by reasonable equitie And thus in reforming the state of things he wan him great praise in time of peace the which either by negligence or sufferance of the former lieutenants was euer feared and accounted woorse than open warre This was his practise in the winter time of his first yeere But when summer was come he assembled his armie and leading foorth the same trained his souldiers in all honest warlike discipline commending the good and reforming the bad and vnrulie He himselfe to giue example tooke vpon him all dangers that came to hand and suffered not the enimies to liue in rest but wasted their countries with sudden inuasious And when he had sufficientlie chastised them and put them in feare by such manner of dealing he spared them that they might againe conceiue some hope of peace By which meanes manie countries which vnto those daies had kept themselues out of bondage laid rancor aside and deliuered pledges and further were contented to suffer castels to be builded within them and to be kept with garrisons so that no part of Britaine was frée from the Romane power but stood still in danger to be brought vnder more and more In the winter following Agricola tooke paines to reduce the Britains from their rude manners and customs vnto a more ciuill sort and trade of liuing that changing their naturall fiercenesse and apt disposition to warre they might through tasting pleasures be so inured therewith that they should desire to liue in rest and quietnesse and therefore he exhorted them priuilie and holpe them publikelie to build temples common halls where plées of law might be kept and other houses commending them that were diligent in such dooings and blaming them that were negligent so that of necessitie they were driuen to striue who should preuent ech other in ciuilitie He also procured that noble mens sonnes should learne the liberall sciences and praised the nature of the Britains more than the people of Gallia bicause they studied to atteine to the knowledge of the Romane eloquence By which meanes the Britains in short time were brought to the vse of good and commendable manners and sorted themselues to go in comelie apparell after the Romane fashion and by little and little fell to accustome themselues to fine fare and delicate pleasures the readie prouoke vs of vices as to walke in galleries to wash themselues in bathes to vse banketting and such like which amongst the vnskilfull was called humanitie or courtesie but in verie deed it might be accounted a part of thraldome and seruitude namelie being too excessiuelie vsed In the third yéere of Agricola his gouernment in Britaine he inuaded the north parts thereof vnknowne till those daies of the Romans being the same where the Scots now inhabit for he wasted the countrie vnto the water of Tay in such wise putting the inhabitants in feare that they durst not once set vpon his armie though it
which the Romans had followed till they were throughlie wearied There were slaine of the Britains that day 10000 and of the Romans 340 among whom Aulus Atticus a capteine of one of the cohorts or bands of footmen was one who being mounted on horssebacke through his owne too much youthfull courage and fierce vnrulines of his horsse was caried into the middle throng of his enimies and there slaine The lamentable distresse and pitifull perplexitie of the Britains after their ouerthrow Domitian enuieth Agricola the glorie of his victories he is subtilie depriued of his deputiship and Cneus Trebellius surrogated in his roome The xviij Chapter THe night insuing the foresaid ouerthrow of the Britains was spent of the Romans in great ioy gladnes for the victorie atchiued But among the Britains there was nothing else heard but mourning and lamentation both of men and women that were mingled togither some busie to beare away the wounded to bind and dresse their hurts other calling for their sonnes kinsfolkes and friends that were wanting Manie of them forsooke their houses and in their desperate mood set them on fire and choosing foorth places for their better refuge and safegard foorthwith misliking of the same left them and sought others herewith diuerse of them tooke counsell togither what they were best to doo one while they were in hope an other while they fainted as people cast into vtter despaire the beholding of their wiues and children oftentimes mooued them to attempt some new enterprise for the preseruation of their countrie and liberties And certeine it is that some of them slue their wiues and children as mooued thereto with a certeine fond regard of pitie to rid them out of further miserie and danger of thraldome The next day the certeintie of the victorie more plainlie was disclosed for all was quiet about and no noise heard anie where the houses appeared burning on ech side and such as were sent foorth to discouer the countrie into euerie part thereof saw not a creature stirring for all the people were auoided and withdrawne a farre off When Agricola had thus ouerthrowne his enimies in a pitcht field at the mountaine of Granziben and that the countrie was quite rid of all appearance of enimies bicause the summer of this eight yéere of his gouernement was now almost spent he brought his armie into the confines of the Horrestians which inhabited the countries now called Angus Merne and there intended to winter and tooke hostages of the people for assurance of their loialtie and subiection This doone he appointed the admirall of the nauie to saile about the I le which accordinglie to his commission in that point receiued luckilie accomplished his enterprise and brought the nauie about againe into an hauen called Trutulensts In this meane time whiles Iulius Agricola was thus occupied in Britaine both the emperour Uespasianus and also his brother Titus that succéeded him departed this life and Domitianus was elected emperor who hearing of such prosperous successe as Agricola had against the Britains did not so much reioise for the thing well doone as he enuied to consider what glorie and renowme should redound to Agricola thereby which he perceiued should much darken the glasse of his same hauing a priuate person vnder him who in woorthinesse of noble exploits atchiued farre excelled his dooings To find remedie therefore herein he thought not good to vtter his malice as yet whilest Agricola remained in Britaine with an armie which so much fauoured him and that with so good cause sith by his policie and noble conduct the same had obteined so manie victories so much honor and such plentie of spoiles and booties Wherevpon to dissemble his intent he appointed to reuoke him foorth of Britaine as it were to honor him not onelie with deserued triumphs but also with the lieutenantship of Syria which as then was void by the death of Atilius Rufus Thus Agricola being countermanded home to Rome deliuered his prouince vnto his successor Cneus Trebellius appointed thereto by the emperour Domitianus in good quiet and safegard ¶ Thus may you sée in what state Britaine stood in the daies of king Marius of whome Tacitus maketh no mention at all Some haue written that the citie of Chester was builded by this Marius though other as before I haue said thinke rather that it was the worke of Ostorius Scapula their legat Touching other the dooings of Agricola in the Scotish chronicle you maie find more at large set foorth for that which I haue written héere is but to shew what in effect Cornelius Tacitus writeth of that which Agricola did here in Britaine without making mention either of Scots or Picts onelie naming them Britains Horrestians and Calidoneans who inhabited in those daies a part of this Ile which now we call Scotland the originall of which countrie and the inhabitants of the same is greatlie controuersed among writers diuerse diuerslie descanting therevpon some fetching their reason from the etymon of the word which is Gréeke some from the opening of their ancestors as they find the same remaining in records other some from comparing antiquities togither and aptlie collecting the truth as néere as they can But to omit them and returne to the continuation of our owne historie Of Coillus the sonne of Marius his education in Rome how long he reigned of Lucius his sonne and successor what time he assumed the gouernment of this land he was an open professor of christian religion he and his familie are baptised Britaine receiueth the faith 3 archbishops and 28 bishops at that time in this Iland westminster church and S. Peters in Cornehill builded diuers opinions touching the time of Lucius his reigne of his death and when the christian faith was receiued in this Iland The 19. Chapter COillus the sonne of Marius was after his fathers deceasse made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 125. This Coillus or Coill was brought vp in his youth amongst the Romans at Rome where he spent his time not vnprofitablie but applied himselfe to learning seruice in the warres by reason whereof he was much honored of the Romans and he likewise honored and loued them so that he paied his tribute truelie all the time of his reigne and therefore liued in peace and good quiet He was also a prince of much bountie and verie liberall whereby he obteined great loue both of his nobles and commons Some saie that he made the towne of Colchester in Essex but others write that Coill which reigned next after Asclepiodotus was the first founder of that towne but by other it should séeme to be built long before being called Camelodunum Finallie when this Coill had reigned the space of 54 yeares he departed this life at Yorke leauing after him a sonne named Lucius which succéeded in the kingdome LUcius the sonne of Coillus whose surname as saith William Harison is not extant
now called Stiermarke a man of a proud and loftie stomach brother to the wife of Maximinus which Ualentinus for some notable offense had béene banished into Britaine where the naughtie man that could not rest in quiet deuised how by some commotion he might destroy Theodosius who as he saw was onelie able to resist his wicked purposes And going about manie things both priuilie and apertlie the force of his vnmeasurable desire to mischiefe still increasing he sought to procure aswell other that were in semblable wise banished men inclined to mischiefe like him selfe as also diuers of the souldiers alluring them as the time serued with large promises of great wealth if they would ioine with him in that enterprise But euen now in the verie nicke when they shuld haue gone in hand with their vngratious exploit Theodosius warned of their intent boldlie aduanced himselfe to sée due punishment executed on the offendors that were foorthwith taken and knowne to be guiltie in that conspiracie Theodosius committed Ualentine with a few other of his trustie complices vnto the capteine Dulcitius commanding him to sée them put to death but coniecturing by his warlike skill wherein he passed all other in those daies what might follow he would not in anie wise haue anie further inquirie made of the other conspirators least through feare that might be spread abroad in manie the troubles of the prouinces now well quieted should be againe reuiued After this Theodosius disposing himselfe to redresse manie things as néed required all danger was quite remooued so that it was most apparent that fortune fauored him in such wise that she left him not destitute of hir furtherance in anie one of all his attempts He therefore restored the cities castels that were appointed to be kept with garrisons and the borders he caused to be defended and garded with sufficient numbers to kéepe watch and ward in places necessarie And hauing recouered the prouince which the enimies had gotten into their possession he so restored it to the former state that vpon his motion to haue it so a lawfull gouernour was assigned to rule it and the name was changed so as from thencefoorth it should be called Ualentia for the princes pleasure The Areani a kind of men ordeined in times past by our elders of whome somewhat we haue spoken in the acts of the emperour Constance being now by little and little fallen into vices he remooued from their places of abiding being openlie conuicted that allured with bribes and faire promises they had oftentimes bewraied vnto the barbarous nations what was doone among the Romans for this was their charge to runne vp and downe by long iournies and to giue warning to our captains what sturre the people of the next confines were about to make Theodosius therefore hauing ordered these other like things most woorthilie to his high fame was called home to the emperours court who leauing the prouinces in most triumphant state was highlie renowmed for his often and most profitable victories as if he had béene an other Camillus or Cursor Papirius and with the fauor and loue of all men was conueied vnto the sea side and passing ouer with a gentle wind came to the court where he was receiued with great gladnesse and commendation being immediatlie appointed to succéed in the roome of Ualence Iouinus that was maister of the horsses Finallie he was called by the emperour Gratianus to be associated with him in the imperiall estate after the death of Ualence in the yeare after the incarnation of our Sauior 379 and reigned emperour surnamed Thodosius the great about 16 yeares and 2 daies Hereto also maie that be applied which the foresaid Marcellinus writeth in the same booke touching the inuasion of the Saxons the which as Wolf Lazius taketh it entred then first into great Britaine but were repelled of the emperour Ualentinianus the first by the conduct and guiding of Seuerus The same yéere saith he that the emperours were the third time consuls there brake forth a multitude of Saxons passing the seas entred stronglie into the Romane confines a nation fed oftentimes with the slaughter of our people the brunt of whose first inuasion earle Nonneus susteined one which was appointed to defend those parties an approoued capteine with continuall trauell in warres verie expert But then incountring with desperate and forlorne people when he perceiued some of his souldiers to be ouerthrowne and beaten downe and himselfe wounded not able to abide the often assaults of his enimies he obteined this by informing the emperour what was necessarie and ought to be doone insomuch that Seuerus maister or as I maie call him coronell of the footmen was sent to helpe and reléeue things that stood in danger the which bringing a sufficient power with him for the state of that businesse when he came to those places he diuiding his armie into parts put the Saxons in such feare and trouble before they fought that they did not so much as take weapon in hand to make resistance but being amazed with the sight of the glittering ensignes the eagles figured in the Romane standards they streight made sute for peace and at length after the matter was debated in sundrie wise because it was iudged that it should be profitable for the Romane commonwealth truce was granted vnto them and manie yoong men able for seruice in the warres deliuered to the Romans according to the couenants concluded After this the Saxons were permitted to depart without impeachment so to returne from whence they came who being now out of all feare and preparing to go their waies diuers bands of footmen were sent to lie priuilie in a certeine hid vallie so ambushed as they might easilie breake foorth vpon the enimies as they passed by them But it chanced far otherwise than they supposed for certeine of those footmen stirred with the noise of them as they were comming brake foorth out of time and being suddenlie discouered whilest they hasted to vnite and knit themselues togither by the hideous crie and shout of the Saxons they were put to flight Yet by and by closing togither againe they staied and the extremitie of the chance ministring to them force though not sufficient they were driuen to fight it out and being beaten downe with great slaughter had died euerie mothers sonne if a troope of horssemen armed at all points being in like maner placed in an other side at the entring of the waie to assaile the enimies as they should passe aduertised by the dolefull noise of them that fought had not spéedilie come to the succour of their fellowes Then ran they togither more cruellie than before and the Romans bending themselues towards their enimies compassed them in on each side and with drawne swords slue them downe right so that there was not one of them left to returne home to their natiue countrie to bring newes
their charge brought woord againe of nothing else but that all duke Williams souldiers were priests For the Normans had at that time their vpper lips and chéekes shauen whereas the Englishmen vsed to suffer to haire of their vpper lips to grow at length But Harold answered that they were not priests but wether-beaten and hardie souldiers and such as were like to abide well by their capteine In the meane season Girth one of Harolds yoonger brethren considering that periurie is neuer left vnpunished aduised his brother not to aduenture himselfe at this present in the battell for so much as he had beene sometime sworne to duke William but rather to suffer him and other of the nobilitie to incounter with the said duke that were not bound to him by former oth or otherwise but Harold answered that he was free from anie such oth and that in defense of his countrie he would fight boldly with him as with his greatest enimie ¶ Where by the waie would be noted the conscience which Girth a yoonger brother made of an oth not concerning himselfe directlie but his elder brother Harold who had sworne the same meaning nothing lesse than the performance therof as the sequele of his dooings to his discredit and vndooing euidentlie declared which euents might séeme countable to him as due punishments and deserued plagues inflicted vpon him and others for his same sith he made no reckoning of violating a vow ratified with an oth to a prince of no small puissance who afterwards became a whip vnto him for his periurie a sinne detested of the heathen and whereof the poet notablie speaketh saieng Ah miser si quis primò periuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus After peace offered refused on each side both armies meete in the field the order of the Englishmens attire arraie the maner how the Normans were placed to fight in battell the dissolute and 〈◊〉 behauior of 〈◊〉 Englishmen the night before the incounter farre deffering from the Normans deuout demenour duke Williams speech â—pon occasion of wrong putting on his armour the battell betwixt him and king Harold is valiantlie tried the English by duke Williams politike strategem are deceiued king Harold slaine his armie put to flight and manie of them slaine after a long and bloudie incounter manie of the Normans pursuing the English ouerhastilie procure their owne death they take the spoile of the English the dead bodies of both armies are licenced to be buried the differing reports of writers touching the maner of Harolds death a description of his person his ambition did him much hurt and hinderance the number that were slaine on both sides his bodie buried at a Waltham nothing dispraise woorthie in him but his ambitious mind a view of his valiantnesse in a conflict against the VVelshmen his rigorous or rather pitilesse handling of them his seuere law or decree touching their bounds they are vtterlie subdued and by the kings leaue the VVelshwomen marrie with the Englishmen the Saxon line ceasseth how long it lasted and how long it was discontinued by the inuasion of the Danes The eleuenth Chapter NOw it fortuned that both armies as well the kings as the earles being prepared to battell diuerse offers were made on each side before they fell to the conflict for an vnitie to haue béene had betwixt the two princes but when no conditions of agreement could take place they forthwith prepared themselues to trie the matter by dint of sword And so on the 14 day of October being saturday both hosts met in the field at a place in Sussex not farre from Hastings whereas the abbeie of Battell was afterward builded The Englishmen were all brought into one entire maine battell on foot with huge ares in their hands and paled a front with paueises in such wise that it was thought vnpossible for the enimie to breake their arraie On the other side the Normans were diuided into seuerall battels as first the footmen that were archers and also those that bare gleiues and axes were placed in the forefront and the horssemen diuided into wings stood on the sides in verie good order All the night before the battell the Englishmen made great noise and slept not but sang and fell to drinking and making of reuell pastime as though there had beene no account to be made of the next daies trauell But the Normans behaued themselus warilie and soberlie spending all that night in praier and confessing their sinnes vnto God and in the morning earelie they receiued the communion before they went foorth to the battell Some write that when duke William should put on his armour to go to the field the backe halfe of his curasses by chance was set on before by such as holpe to arme him at which chance he tooke occasion of laughter saieng merrilie to them that stood by No force this is good lucke for the estate of my dukedome shall be yer night changed into a kingdome Beside this he spake manie comfortable woords vnto his men to incourage them to the battell Neither was Harold forgetfull in that point on his part And so at conuenient time when both armies were readie they made forward each incounter with other on the foresaid fouretéenth day of October with great force and assurance In the beginning of the battell the arrowes flue abroad freshlie on both sides till they came to ioine at hand strokes and then preassed each side vpon his counterpart with swoords axes and other hand weapons verie egerlie Duke William commanded his horssemen to giue the charge an the breasts of his enimies battels but the Englishmen kéeping themselues close togither without scattering receiued their enimies vpon the points of their weapons with such fiercenesse and in such stiffe order that manie of the Norman horssemen were ouerthrowne without recouerie and slaine at the first brunt When duke William perceiued this inconuenience as he that well and throughlie vnderstood the skilfull points of warre as well as the best he gaue a signe to his men according to an order appointed before hand vpon anie such occasion that they should giue backe and make a countenance as though they did flée which was quicklie doone by the Normans and withall they imbattelled their footmen in a new order so that their horssemen shifted themselues on the wings readie to rescue the footmen if their arraie should happen to be disturbed By this wilie stratagem and policie of warre the Englishmen were deceiued for they beholding the Normans somwhat shrinking backe to bring themselues into the aboue said order thought verelie that they had fled and therevpon meaning to pursue them before they should recouer their ground they brake their arraie and began to follow the chase wherevpon the Normans perceiuing now that all things came to passe as they desired spéedilie returned and casting themselues togither