of Men Calidonia hath reserved in store Do you think the Romans are as valiant in War as they are wanton in Peace They are grown great by our Divisions and vainly ascribe to the glory of their own Arms what proceeds from their Enemies Dissensions Composed they are of different Nations which Union as Success only holds together so Adversity will quickly dissolve unless ye suppose the Gauls and Germans and which is a shame to be spoken the Britains who at the present serve to uphold Forraign Usurpation can possibly have any faith or affection for them who have been longer their Enemies than Masters No it is Terrour and Fear those weak procurers of Affection that keep them as yet in Obedience which if once removed you will find that whom they feared they will hate All the Incitements to Victory are on our side the Romans have no Wives to encourage them to fight no Parent to upbraid them if they flie Most have either no Country at all or some other a few fearful Persons trembling and gazing at the strangness of the Haven it self the Sea and Woods The Gods have delivered them as it were mewed up and fettered into our hands let not the vain shew and glittering of Gold and Silver dazle you a thing which neither defends in it self or annoyeth In their very Battle we shall find of our side the Britains will own their Friends the Gauls will remember their former Liberty and the Germans will generally forsake them as not long since did the Usipians We have nothing afterwards to fear the Castles are empty the Colonies are made up of nothing but Aged and Impotent persons Between unjust Governours and stubborn Subjects the free Cities are generally discontented and factious Here is a General here an Army these be the Tributes there be the Mines with the train of Slaveries that unseparably attend upon bondage all which must for ever be undergone or in this one Battle revenged Wherefore going to Battle bear in your minds the freedom of your Ancestors and the danger of your Posterity The Britains received this Oration with great testimonies of Joy as Songs confused Noises after the Custome of their Country and a dissonant sort of Howling which shewed their Approbation And now the Battle began to glitter and every one to put himself into array When Agricola scarce able to repress the heat of his Souldiers yet thinking it convenient to say something he thus delivered himself in this Speech AGRICOLA his SPEECH to his Army before Battle THIS is the Eighth year Fellow Souldiers wherein your faithful Service and diligence under the vertue and Fortune of the Roman Empire hath subdued Britain in so many Expeditions so many Battles either by Courage against the Enemy or Patience and Labours We have ran through the greatest Difficulties and conquered even Nature it self neither had you reason to be weary of your General or I of my Souldiers insomuch as we have exceeded the Limits I of my Predecessors and You of former Armies The utmost bounds of BRITAIN we now hold not by Fame and Report but with our Arms and Pavilions and we have the honour both to Discover and to Subdue In your wearisome Marches when the passing of Boggs Rivers and Mountains has tyred you how often have I heard the valiant Souldier say When shall we meet the Enemy When shall we fight Behold they shew themselves from their secret lurking places now you have your desires now is there room for your Valour to be shewn every thing is as you could wish if you Conquer but if you lose the day all is against you For as to have gone so much ground escaped the Woods passed the Friths were things in Our coming great and honourable so if we fly before the Enemy the very same will be our hindrance and destruction For neither have we the same knowledge of Places as they or if we had yet want we Provisions but Hands we have and Weapons and in them all things For my part I have been long since resolved that to Retreat is neither safe for Souldier nor General and that a commendable death is to be preferred before the reproaches of an Ignominious life and that Safety and Honour are now inseparably conjoyned and let the worst happen yet how glorious will it be to die in the uttermost end of the World and Nature If new Nations and unknown Enemies were before us I should exhort you by the Examples of other Armies but now I shall only lay before you your own victorious Exploits Ask your own Eyes are not these the very same who last year stole upon the Camp by night whom with shouts only you overcame These of all the Britains have been the nimblest in running away and therefore are the last remaining Just as in Woods and Forrests the strongest Beasts must be chased away by main force whilest the timerous and fearful are driven on by the noise only of the Hunter so the hardy part of the British Nation is already dispatcht the rest is but a herd of Rascally Cattle whom that at last you have found proceeds not from their Resisting but being discovered no further can they run but stand now like Stocks fixed to the ground they treadon and afford to you an occasion of a worthy and memorable Victory Make an end now of your Warfare and to fifty years Labours add a great and concluding Day by this means you will approve to your Country that it could never be justly laid to your charge that you protracted the War in not pulling up the last Root of Rebellion Whilest Agricola was yet speaking the eagerness of the Souldiers evidently appeared but the end of his Oration was received with loud and joyful Acclamations every one stood to his Arms and shewed his alacrity by impatience to follow on Agricola ordered the Battle after this manner His Body was made up of eight thousand Auxiliary foot three thousand Horse were placed in the Wings the Legions were set in the Reer before the Camp To the greater glory of the Victory if it could be won without loss of Roman Blood otherwise for assistance and succour if the Auxiliaries should be repelled The British Army for shew and terrour was drawn up upon a Rising ground the first Battalion stood on the Plain the next higher behind as the Hill ascended the middle of the Plain was filled with the clattering noises of Charriots and Horse-men ranging up and down Agricola perceiving the Enemy exceeded him in number and fearing that at once they might attack him in the Front and Flanks displayed his Army in length and although by that means his Fore-battle was something of the thinnest and many counselled to take in the Legions yet he stood firm to his Resolution and allighting from his Horse placed himself before the Standards The Fight began at distance with missive Weapons wherein the Britains shewed wondrous skill and dexterity with short Swords or broad
that Dioneth a supposed King of Britain or Duke of Cornwal who assisted them hardly escaped the Battle But of any such person as Dioneth ruling in this Island our Histories make no mention and very unlikely it is that they who but just now sued so earnestly to Rome for succour against the Common Enemy the Picts and Scots should now enter into League with them and oppose their Friends who came so far and kindly to relieve them As for Dursius and Firgus Kings of the Scots and Picts the supposed Leaders of all these Incursions into Britain as it is not my business to gain-say their History so neither will I relate their Actions in particular although set down in the Scottish Histories with exactness of Circumstances namely their order of Battle and manner of Fight their different Entrenchings Marches Sieges Numbers of slain and Articles of Peace things whereof Gildas and Bede make not the least mention Authors of far greater Credit and Antiquity than any produced by the Scottish Writers But thus much may be noted in this place that it seemeth not to accord with the truth of History that those Nations that at this time infested the Island rather with wild and licentious Inroads than a just and regular War and are described by Gildas like ravenous Wolves or Tories issuing from their hollow Caves Dens and lurking Holes and alwaies taking advantage of the Romans absence should be supposed to be under Order and Discipline in a steady course of Invasion especially if we consider with what ease they were repulsed at the appearance of one Legion only and how without the least molestation they suffered the Wall to be built a thing they would never have permitted had they been as well linked together in great Bodies and under good Government as their minds were unanimous in Plunder and Rapine No more therefore are the Scottish Writers to be heeded in such Relations than Jeoffery of Monmouth when he varies most from Authentick story As soon as the Romans were finally departed and their Resolution of not returning known the Scots and Picts differing in Manners yet agreeing in the desires of Spoil and Blood-shed with more considence than ever like dusky Vermin in the heat of day and full Noon in whole swarms issued out of their narrow Holes and Caves and all the Country north even unto the Wall immediately seize and as Natural Inhabitants not fearing any more to be dispossessed plant and manure it In the mean time they who kept Garrison on the Wall like idle Spectatours and more dreading to be assaulted than daring to oppose the growing Enemy stood trembling and quaking upon the Battlements like Men placed rather to view their Losses than to revenge them whilest day and night they kept ward in their Stations by continual beholding their Foe they conceived the more dreadful apprehensions of them and by doing nothing spent their Spirits and grew idle Thus standing with Weapons in their hands and esteeming it Manhood sufficient if they did but face the Invader they tamely suffered the half-naked Picts to come under the Battlements and with their Engines and Hooks to pull them down headlong the rest quitting the Wall betook themselves to flight and left the Enemy in possession of the Fronteir-Cities who having with such ease broke into the Province followed their fuccess with like vigour pursuing the Britains into the Inland-Countries and making havock and destruction wheresoever they came To the heap of these Calamities without were added no less from within for the Britains employed in the Guard of the Fronteirs had neglected the Tylling Ground upon which so great dearth and scarcity ensued that they were constrained for want of Provisions to rob and pillage each other They who came from the North as may probably be supposed and had fled from the Enemy being not able to buy when they came to the Southern parts seized what they could find upon which rose Discords and Animosities Civil dissensions and Wars For this Nation as Gildas observeth though feeble in repressing an Enemy yet in homebred-quarrels was alwaies obstinate and hardy And now whilest they wore themselves out with continual acts of Hostility the Famine grew general upon all the whole Country was exhaust of Bread the staff and strength of life and those miserable People that remained were forced to maintain their lives by Hunting and such like Prey as the wild Forrest would afford Notwithstanding these great calamities and troubles in the State there happened new divisions in the Church for Heresie groweth fastest in distracted times Agricola the Son of Severianus a Disciple of Pelagius had spread his Doctrine wide among the Britains but the sounder part disliking his Opinions but not able to confute them beg'd assistance from the Churches in France who sent them Germanus Bishop of Auxere and Lupus of Troys These coming into Britain by assiduous preaching in Churches Fields and Streets and as some write by doing Miracles confirmed many in the Faith regained others and in a publick Disputation at Verulam confuted the chief of the Hereticks The time of Germanus his Arrival is uncertainly guessed at most probably in the year 430. Matthew of Westminster placeth him under the year 446 not long before the entrance of the Saxons and indeed certain it is that he had to do with that Nation here as shall be shewn in the sequel But that it was after they were called into this Island under the Leading of Hengist and Horsus and not before cannot be collected For the Incursions of the Saxons into Britain were no new thing before their publick Arrival wherefore I shall follow on the course of Germanus his Actions in these troubled times not breaking them into parts and parcels according to the confused computations of this Age take them out of Constantius the Writer of his Life who lived in the next Age. The Picts and Saxons with joynt Force making daily inroads from the North those Britains who for fear or hunger had not yielded themselves to the Enemy but stood daily upon their defence gathering into a Body from out of Mountains Caves and thick Woods full of bushes Bryers and Brambles began to march with all their strength against the Enemy but jealous of their own Power and it may be now as Gildas writeth trusting more on the assistance of God than Man they sent for Germanus and his Colleague in the strength of whose prayers they had more considence than in the numbers of their Men Being come their presence in the Camp was no less than if a whole Army were joyned to their assistance It was in the time of Lent when the People instructed by the daily Sermons of these Pastors came flocking to receive Baptism There was a place in the Camp set apart for Divine Service and dressed up with Boughs on Easter-day The Enemy having intelligence of this and thinking that the Britains were more intent upon Religion
Sciences and by commending the Wits of Britain before the Students of Gallia he brought them who hated the Roman Language to be in love with the Latin Eloquence Now came the Roman garb to be in fashion and the Gown no stranger among them and by degrees the materials of Vice and Voluptuous life proud Portico's Bathes and the elegance of Banquetting was by the ignorant called Civility when indeed it was but a badge of their Slavery and Bondage In the third years Expedition he discovered new Nations wasting the Country as far as the Frith to Taus and by the terrour of his Marches heawed the Enemy that they durst never interrupt his building of Forts and laying yoaks upon their Necks even then when they might have taken the advantage as once it fell out of his Forces scattered and detained by Tempest In the building of these Garrisons the skilful took notice that never any Captain with greater Judgment and fore-sight chose out his places to fortifie No Sconce or Fortress of his raising was ever taken by force or surrender or quitted by flight but of these he made continual eruptions into the Country laying in Provisions for a whole year that if at any time his Men were besieged they might patiently wait the convenience of Relief By this means his Souldiers lived fearless in Winter every Garrison being a guard to its Neighbour and the hopes of the Enemy were frustrated who alwaies reckoning in the Winter season to make up the loss received in Summer found that both times were equally disadvantagious to them In all these Actions Agricola never ascribed ambitiously to himself what was well done by others If an Officer or Souldier deserved Commendation he would be sure to be the first that gave it and that without any reservations to himself If towards some he was Passionate to others he was as Affable and kind to the good but to lewd and bad Persons sowr and uneasie His Choler was vented in his words and none ever needed ever to fear his secret Thoughts or close Reservments for he chose rather to offend any man than hate him And now died TITUS who for these great Atchievments of Agricola was fifteen times saluted Imperator The Honour he got by the Actions of so great a General he rewarded with triumphal Ornaments a good Prince who died to the great grief of the whole World not without suspicion of Poyson from his Brother and Successor Domitian And this is sufficiently to be said in his Character that for his goodness he was generally called the Joy and delight of Mankind DOMITIAN THE first year of Domitian and the fourth of Agricolas's Government in Britain was spent in securing what the Summer before had been newly gotten in the Island and had the Courage of his Souldiers been answerable to the Conduct of the General and the Fortune of the Common-wealth by the loss of Titus not seemed at a stand the utmost Bounds of Britain might at this time been laid open to the Romans for Glota and Bodoteia now Dun Britton and Edinburrough Fryths running from both Seas far into the Continent and disjoyned only by a neck of Land together with all the Creeks and Havens on this side were held by Roman Garrisons and the Enemies as it were driven and penn'd up in another Island In the fifth year of his Expedition as soon as ever the Seas were open he took Shipping and passed to Nations till then unknown supposed to be the North parts of Scotland the Orcades and other Islands adjacent These in many prosperous Battles he subdued and in those Parts which lay next unto them he placed Garrisons and Souldiers not out of fear to hold but hopes of gaining further Ireland he understood lay between Britain and Spain and very opportunely for the Gallick and although not so great as Britain yet under the same Climate the Nature and Customes of the People not much different but the Ports and Harbours better known as lying opener to the World and more frequented by Traders This Island if he could bring to Obedience he thought would be of great importance to the Common-wealth and by joyning Commerce would unite and link together the strongest Members of the Empire But as it stood separate from the rest it was of dangerous consequence and might be prejudicial to the Britains if once the Roman Arms were removed and the name of Liberty lost among them He used often to say That with one Legion and some Auxiliary Forces it might be obtained and that he had such a purpose is manifest for that he entertained a Prince of that Nation from his Country by Civil Commotions and under the colour of Courtesie and Kindness kept him with him for a fit occasion But the next year he was called away by nearer Concerns he feared a general Rising of the Nations beyond Bodotria understanding that the Britains had Way-laid all the passages by Land to amaze and divert them he commanded his Fleet to coast it along the Shoars and himself with eaven marches kept close to it This policy of Agricola's succeeded well and the shew of his Navy was as helpful to him as its force for the Britains at once beholding the Fleet and Army were utterly disheartned and as afterwards was learnt from Fugitives complained that the Sea as well as the Land conspired to their ruine and that now the Ocean it self their last refuge was taken from them But on the other hand the Romans were mutually encouraged at the sight of each other and the Marriners and Souldiers often meeting in the same Camp with Military vaunts extolled their own Atchievments the Land-men bragging of the Woods and Mountains they had passed and the Enemies they had overcome the Sea-men on the other side not a little magnifying their dangers in Storms and Tempest and the glory in having subdued the Ocean The Calidonians were now generally in Arms and the noise of it was as great as the preparations It was spread abroad that of their own accords without provocation they had begun the War and attacked many Castles which opinion of being The Challengers struck great Terrour into the Romans There were them who under the name of Cautious Counsel endeavoured to conceal their Fears and advised that it was safest to withdraw beyond Bodotria and more honourable to retreat from the Country than be driven out of it Agricola took other Resolutions understanding that the Enemy was advancing in three Bodies and lest he might be over-powr'd in Numbers and over-match'd in the knowledge of Places he likewise marched in three Divisions The Enemy learning his changed Counsels joyning Forces in the night time set upon the ninth Legion in their Camp and killing their Sentinels brake in upon the rest who were surprized between sleep and fear And now some Execution was begun when Agricola having by Scouts learnt out the March of the Enemy he followed them at their heels and commanded the
one fastned upon another with Lint and Bulls-glew and was covered with an Oxes-Hide or other stiff Leather the upper and lower part of it was bound about with a plate of Iron or Brass which they called Umbo Romulus brought them up first among the Romans taking the use of them from the Sabines The Auxiliaries were such Forces as were sent to the Romans by the Praefects of the Neighbour and Confederate Countries at the command of Consul or General Their Horsemen were divided into Troops called Turmae containing thirty Horsemen every Turmae was again divided into three less Companies called Decuriae containing ten Horsemen whence their Captain was called Decurio But those to whom the several wings of Horsemen were committed were stiled Equitum praefecti The Roman Horsemen saith Polybius at the first carried but a weak limber Pole or Staff and a little round Buckler but afterwards they used the furniture of the Graecians which Josephus affirms to be a strong Launce or Staff and three or four Darts in a Quiver with a Buckler and a long Sword by the Right side Upon any sudden Expedition out of the whole Army were taken the choicest Young-men both for strength and agility to them were given little round Bucklers and seven Darts apiece These Souldiers practiced to ride behind the Horsemen and speedily to alight from their backs at a Watch-word given and so to charge the Enemy on foot This custome was first used at the Siege of Capua and first brought into practice by one Q. Navius a Centurion and he was honourably rewarded for it by Q. Hulvius the Consul and from hence saith Livy grew the institution of the Velites The Romans had four forms of the front of a Battle the first was called Acies recta when neither the Wings nor the Battle advanced one before another but were all carried in a right line and made a strait Front The second form was called Obliqua when one of the Wings was advanced nearer the Enemy than the rest to begin the Battle and this was commonly called as Vegetius noteth the Right wing as having great advantage against the Left of the Enemy The third form was called Sinuata when both the Wings were advanced forward and the Battle stood backwards off from the Enemy after the fashion of a half Moon The last form was Gibbosa or Gibbera acies when the Battle is advanced and the two Wings lagg behind Caesar's custome in Marching was to send his Cavalry and light armed Footmen before the body of his Army both to discover and impeach the Enemy For these Troops were nimble in motion and fit for such services but if the danger were greater in the Reer than Front they marched in the tail of the Army giving security where was most cause of fear But if they were found unfit to make good that Service in that place as it often fell out in Africa against the Numidians he then removed them as he found it most convenient and brought his Legionary Souldiers which were the strength of the War to march at the back of the Army to make good that which the Horsemen were not able to perform The manner of their Encamping THE Centurion that went before to choose a convenient place and having found a fit scituation for their Camp first assigned a station for the Generals pavilion which was commonly in the most eminent place of the Camp from whence he might easily overview all the other parts or any Alarum or sign of Battle from thence might be discovered from all parts This Pavilion was known by the name of Praetorium the General of the Army being formerly called Praetor In this place they stuck up a white Flag from which they measured every way an hundred foot The Area or content thereof was almost an Acre the form of the Praetorium was round and high in this Praetorium was the Tribunal or Chair of State and the place of Divination which they called Augurale with other appendices of Majesty and Authority The Generals Tent being thus placed they considered which side of the Pavilion lay most convenient for Water and Forrage and on that side they lodged the Legions they being divided one from another by a Street or Lane fifty foot in breadth according to the degree of Honour that every Legion had in the Army So were they lodged in the Camp either in the midst which was accounted most honourable or towards the sides a place of meaner reputation Between the Tents of the first Maniples in every Legion and the Praetorium there went a Way of one hundred foot in breadth throughout the whole Camp which was called Principia In this place the Tribunes sate to hear matters of Justice the Souldiers exercised themselves and the Leaders and chief Commanders frequented it as a place of Publick meeting on either side the Emperours Pavilion in a direct line to make eaven and streight the upper side of the Principia The Tribunes had their Tents every Tribune confronting the head of his Legion Above them towards the head of the Camp were the Legates and Treasures the upper part of the Camp was strengthned with some select Cohorts and Troops of Horse according to the number of Legions that were in the Army Polybius describing the Camping used in his time when they most commonly had but two Legions in the Army with as many Associates placeth the Ablecti and Extraordinarii which were select Bands and Companies in the upper part of the Camp and the Associates on the outside of the Legions The Ditch and Rampier that encompassed the whole Camp about was two hundred foot distant from any Tent whereof Polybius giveth these Reasons First That the Souldiers marching into the Camp in Battle array might dissolve themselves into Maniples Centuries and Decuries without tumult and confusion and again if occasion were offered to sally out upon the Enemy they might very conveniently in that place put themselves into Companies and Troops and if they were assaulted by night that the Darts and Fire-works which the Enemy might cast should do them no harm This Ditch and Rampier was made by the Legions every Maniple having his part measured out and every Centurion overseeing his Century The approbation of the whole work belonged to the Tribunes and their manner of Intrenching was thus The Souldiers being girt with their Swords and Daggers digged the Ditch about their Camp which was alwaies eight foot in breadth at the least and as much in depth casting the Earth thereof inwards But if the Enemy were not far off the Ditch was eleven fifteen or eighteen in latitude and altitude according to the discretion of the General the Ditch being as broad at bottom as at top The Rampier from the brim of the Ditch was three foot high and sometimes four made after the manner of a Wall with green Turfs cut all to one measure half a foot in thickness a foot in breadth and a foot and a
quite raced out of force but the Government changed into a Monarchy by Pisistratus for observing a potent Faction in the City and striving for Superiority the one animated by Megacles the other headed by Lycurgus took an occasion of raising a third And as he pretended in defence of the Liberties and Priviledges of the People the ruine and suppression of which he gave out was the aim of the other two This Pretence gained him such credit and esteem among the Common People that when he complained in a Publick Assembly That his love and affection towards his Country had raised him up such implacable Enemies that he could not pass the Streets without danger of his life shewing at that instance some Wounds and Cuts which he said he had lately received for their sakes though really he gave himself those Wounds on purpose to promote his Interest they voluntarily and unanimously it being unknown to them allowed him a Guard for defence of his Person with which Ingratitude to the People he seized on their State-House taking upon him the Government of Athens from which he was soon after expelled and beaten partly by the dis-inclinations and ill resentment the People bore towards Monarchy and partly by the sudden friendship and union of the two other Factions But Megacles soon after being suspicious of Lycurgus's Power called in again Pisistratus to his assistance who again made himself Master of both his Factions and Government but after some new Misdemeanour and Insolency was again forced to relinquish it and to retire to Eretria where after Eleven years abode he again obtained the Principality of Athens and left it to his two Sons Hippias and Hipparchus as his lawful Successors Hipparchus according to Plato a Prince and Master of many eminent Vertues was Murthered by Harmodius and Aristogiton and Hippias though he governed with great Moderation mistrusting the like fate was resolved to rule them with greater Rigour and Severity than ever to try whether he could scare them into Obedience and compliance with his will since his Gentleness and mild usage had so ill effects upon them But the Athenians a tender neckt People impatient of Tyranny stir'd up a Noble Man called Clisthenes who by the assistance of the Alcmaenidae and an Army of Lacedaemonians delivered them from the Tyranny they so much complained of Hippias for fear of such potent Enemies voluntarily forsaking Athens fled to Darius Emperour of Persia to whom he made his Applications and Redresses to be re-instated making him also Judge and Revenger of his wrongs which enterpise at last Darius undertook to his immortal disgrace and to the eternal Honour and memory of the Athenians Darius lived only long enough to give the first blow and onset on the Gracians dying not long after the defeat he received at the Battle of Marathon leaving his Son Xerxes Heir both to the Empire and this War he was so earnest and intent on the prosecution of it that he would hear none of his Counsellours nay he hated all those that laid before him the Inconveniences he might probably meet with in that War as his Father had done to his great dishonour But on the contrary imagining the disaster at Marathon proceeded meerly from the sinall number his Father had levied for that Battle he gave order for the raising such vast numbers both for Sea and Land that the very noise of his Preparations might save his Army the labour of reducing them by their Swords under his obedience Their great Forces by the Wiser sort were lookt upon more for ostentation yea impediment than use for the Greeks from thence perceived his fear and folly under his painted Vizard and ever after esteemed their own Valour as very considerable Xerxes commanded that a Bridge should presently be framed on six hundred threescore and fourteen Gallies lincked together for the transporation of his Army over the Hellespont putting to death the chief Workmen that built the other which a little before was torn asunder and separated by a Tempest in the space of seven daies and seven nights his Army which consisted of Seventeen hundred thousand Foot and Fourscore thousand Horse past over into Europe Xerxes being seated on a convenient place where he might take a general view and survey of all his Forces began to think on the many miseries and inconveniences the Greeks by their Obstinacy were in a short time likely to come to yet not without some reflexions on his own Happiness who was absolute Commander of so great an Army compounded of so many different Countries but those thoughts soon passed over and gave place to others of a quite different Complexion when he found how briskly his whole Army was entertained by an inconsiderable number of Lacedaemonians and a few of their Confederates who two daies together defended the Streights at Thermopylae against the whole Army a narrow passage lying between the Mountains which divide Thessaly from Greece and might have done longer to the Infinite disadvantage of the Persian had not a Graecian Renegado taught them a secret way of ascending those Mountains by which the distressed Lacedaemonians and their Confederates that stayed with them miserably encompassed yet they so resolutely maintained their Post that they had undertaken without shewing any kind of fear or desire of flight that though the Persian came off Conquerour yet the glory and honour of this Battle ever was attributed to the Lacedaemonians and Xerxes himself raised such a conclusion from the success he had in this Fight that he ever after seemed to mistrust the strength of his Forces and goodness of his Fortune especially when he heard that Greece had more Men of the same temper and Courage But the Athenians against whom this War was chiefly intended for that they with the Ionians late Rebels to the Emperour of Persia had taken part with them against that Crown and been equally instrumental in the sacking of Sardis the Metropolis of Lydia abandoned their Country to the fury and malice of their Enemy their Wives and Children they secured in Troezene AEgina and Salamis The Common Treasury and a great part of their private Wealth was laid out in building a Navy which afterwards was the Reason they became the most famous and strongest part of Greece from whom the Persian received the greatest overthrow for being better Sea-men and having more Shipping than all Greece could shew besides not only by Themistocles encouraged by a Stratagem of his forced the rest of the Graecians to venture one brush at Sea with this invincible Armada For the Peloponnesians hearing that a Persian Army was sent to invade their Country were resolved to leave the Common good of Greece and to defend with the best of their blood their private interest at home But Themistocles knowing the ill consequence this their separation might prove to all Greece sent privately to the Persian under colour of Friendship advertizing him of the flight and consequently of the fear
of his Father But it seems the People ill resenting the flight of Lavinia Ascanius was obliged to re-call her and giving to her and her Son the City Lavinium he built Albae Longa where he Reigned At his death he bequeathed his Kingdom to his Son Iulus between whom and Silvius Controversies arose concerning the Right of Government at last it was found that the People inclined rather to Silvius as being descended of Lavinia the Daughter of Latinus and inheriting the blood of the Trojans and Latins the whole Kingdom devolved on him By this Iulus was constrained to take up with the Priest-hood There is great uncertainty in Roman Authors concerning the Line of AEnaeas and Livy doubts whether Iulus was the Son of AEneas by Creusa or Lavinia but this seemeth to be the clearest Genealogy To this Genealogy gathered out of Roman Authors John of Weathamstead Abbot of St. Albaens a right Judicious Man had respect in his Censures long ago upon Brutes History where he saith That Ascanius begat no such Son as had for his proper name SILVIUS but left Issue an only Son Iulus from whom the Family of the IULII afterwards proceeded and that Silvius Posthumus whom perhaps Jeoffery of Monmouth meaneth was the Son of AEneas by his Wife Lavinia who begat AEnaeas Silvius and in the Eight and thirtieth year of his Reign ended his life by a Natural death How therefore could he be slain by his Son Brute or if any such thing had happened how came so memorable an Accident to be omitted This argues the story to be Poetical as he saith rather than Historical and that Jeoffery or whoever compiled it was altogether ignorant of the Genealogy of AEnaeas which will appear more evidently by the sequel Let us see therefore to which Line our supposed Brute can with most reason be referred In this he seems to confound Silvius with Iulus making them the same Persons who indeed were but Competitors in the same Kingdom so that Silvius in the Line of Lavinia is brought into the Line of Creusa Others to mend the matter make Brute descend of AEnaeas and Lavinia but then they bring Ascanius of the Line of Creusa in to the Line of Lavinia and so make him the same with Silvius Posthumus by that to have begotten Iulus the Father of Brute whereas Silvius Posthumus begat Silvius AEnaeas and was the Father of those many Silvii who succeeded in the Kingdom of Alba. Hitherto we see Brute the Grandfather of AEnaeas by a mixt Genealogy but Gyonan Villani cited by Mr. Hollinshead brings his Line absolutely from AEnaeas and Lavinia and seems to make him the Grand-child of AEnaeas by his Son Silvius Posthumus who marrying the Neece of his Mother Lavinia had Issue BRUTE so called because she died in Travail of him I suppose he means Brotus but how ridiculously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made to signifie any such thing I leave it to the Judicious to determine But how comes it to pass that he should flie his Country fearing as is said his Grandfather Silvius Posthumus when as there is no mention made in Gyonan Villani of another Silvius in this Line the Son of Silvius Posthumus and the Father of Brute However it comes to pass Brute must be the Off-spring of AEneas and we must not be too busie in asking questions for if one demand how the name of Brute which was afterwards given to the first Consul for his feigned Stupidity to be a name of the Princes Son in the same Kingdom it will be answered he was called Brotus not Brutus because his Mother died in Child-bed of him If it be asked why he sted for the accidental killing his Father the Count Palatine saies it is a mistake for it was only a Rumour spread of him and the truth was rather by other discontents that he was moved to flight If enquiry be made how it comes to pass that the Latin Writers who reckon up the Progeny of AEneas and the Silvii make not the least mention of him and Gildas the Ancient Britain hath Altum silentium in this point The Reply is easie That it is not the business of every Author to mention every particular for the Romans contented themselves with what related to their own Nation and Gildas made no mention of it being a thing beyond dispute For the present we will attend this BRUTE the supposed Son of Silvius with the same care and diligence we have done the Celtick Kings Being of the Age of fifteen he left his Country and arriving at Greece he found a number of the scattered Trojans who lived under the Dommion of Pandrasus Finding them a discontented Party he managed his Interest wisely with them often inculcating the Nobility of their Ancestors and the slavery of their present condition he offered himself to be their Head and Leader and so encouraged them to stand upon honourable Terms They willingly embraced this motion and many of them being in Authority under Pandrasus revolted and so brought over great Parties with them BRUTE being thus strengthened great numbers continually flockt to him with encouragements to execute his designs securing himself in Woods and making sure to him many considerable Forts and strong Holds but first writes a smart Letter to Pandrasus wherein he demands the liberty of his Trojans The King amazed at his sudden Imperiousness but considering with calmer thoughts the Paucity of the Rebels resolved by force of Arms to chastise their Arrogance by reducing them to Obedience In all haste he levies a considerable Power and marching against him with greater heat than conduct and supposing his Enemies to be hid in the Woods near a Town called Sparatinum he is set upon by Brute who had three thousand of his well appointed Trojans in Ambuscado for that Expedition so that Pandrasus his Army marching loosely and without order or discipline as if they had not expected an Enemy so near them were quickly routed and put to flight Brute pursues his Victory to the River Akalon in which many of the Graecians miserably perished Neither could the Courage of Antigonus Brother to Pandrasus prevail although he often from small Parties rallyed and made Head against the Enemy for by the general Consternation of his Men he was defeated and taken Prisoner After this success Brute entred Sparatinum and placing a Garrison in it of six hundred Men he returns with the rest of his Body into the Woods bringing them the joyful News of his eminent Victories Pandrasus being overcome with shame and sorrow for the loss of his Brother and this unexpected Defeat resolves at last with a greater Power and more care and circumspection to renew the War To this end he gathers up his dispersed Souldiers and with fresh supplies from all parts of his Kingdom laies Siege to Sparatinum wherein he thought Brute in Person resided This Opinion made him carry on the Siege with more violence storming it at several
But to return to King Baldud Presuming too much either to his skill in Magiok or his Philosophical invention of Wings he brake his Neck from off the Temple of Apollo in Troy-novant from a Pinnacle whereof he endeavoured to have flown He Governed Britain twenty years Then LEIR the Son of Baldud succeeded Anno Mundi 3105 He built Caerleir called Legecestria Leogora Legeo-cester and now Leicester and there placed a Flamen He had never a Son but three Daughters Gonorilla Regana and Cordeilla his Darling In his Old Age being jealous of their Affection he called them before him and demands that they would give him some assurance of their Love The two Eldest called Heaven and Earth to witness that they loved him ten thousand times dearer than their own Souls that they were not able to express their infinite Kindnesses and at last concluded their Flattery with horrid Oaths and Asseverations of their Sincerity Cordeilla could not be heard amidst all this noise of Affection so that her Father turning towards her quickly by his Countenance gave her to understand that he had expected something from her also wherefore with a modest look and humble deportment she assured him that as a Father she had ever loved and honoured him and as her bounden duty was as a Father she should reverence and alwaies esteem him This Answer satisfied not the old King but he shewed his Resentments by his neglect of her and the sudden advancement of her Sisters marrying Regana to Henninus Duke of Cornwal and Gonorilla to Maglanus Duke of Albania reserving no Portion for Cordeilla but it so happened that Aganippus King of Gallia hearing of her Vertue desired her in Marriage to whom she was welcome without any Dower but her own Excellence King Leir having thus disposed of his Daughters began to grow Gray yet Youthsome giving hopes to his Subjects of a long life and Government This pleased not Gonorilla nor Regana who began by this time to reflect upon their Father as the only obstacle of their Happiness often wishing him removed and from wishes they passed on to desires and longing expectations after his Death This brought a contempt of his Age and afterwards neglect and hatred of his Person finally being instigated and assisted by their Husbands they offered so many Indignities and Violences to him that in the end he was constrained to leave the Realm and take Refuge with Cordeilla This rejected Daughter of his received him with all signs and testimonies of Affection and what was more significant assisted him with powerful Aids and in Person went to revenge his wrongs so that bringing a great Army into Britain she destroyed his Enemies and restored him to his Crown which he held for the space of two years whose Reign in all is computed to be full sixty years and was buried at Leicester CORDEILLA the youngest Daughter of Leir was admitted for Queen An. Mundi 3165 She governed the Realm discreetly for five years during which time her Husband Aganippus died Margan and Cunedage her Nephews by her Sisters Gonorilla and Regana disdaining to be under the Government of a Woman rebelled against her and so prevailed that they took her Prisoner but being a Woman endowed with a high Spirit she slew her self rather than to live under their Tyranny CUNEDAG and MARGAN possessing the whole Government Anno Mundi 3170 they divided the Land between them To Margan fell Albania to Cunedag all the Country on this side of Humber Margan was not long content with his Portion so he invaded his Brother but driven by him into Wales and there slain giving the name of Glan-Margan to that Country Cunedagius Ruling alone erected a Temple to Mars at Perth in Scotland placing there a Flamens Seat He also built a Temple of Minerva at Bangor and one to Mercury Mr. Hollinshead saith Apollo in Cornwal he died and was buried in Troynovant after he had Ruled 33 years RIVAL the Son of Cunedag came to the Crown Anno Mundi 3203 in his time it rained Blood for three daies together from the putrefaction a noysom and venemous Flie was bred which in swarms infested the whole Land and brought a Contagion both on Man and Beast and great was the Mortality that ensued in this Kings Reign Rome is supposed to be built about the eight and twentieth year of his Reign and in the year after Brutes Arrival 356 some say in the thirty second year of Rival He Reigned 46 years and bidding adieu to the World GURGUST his Son succeeded Anno Mundi 3249. In this Kings Reign the Olympiads were instituted by Iphitus namely in the year of the World 3256 and in the seventh year of his Government Sr. Walter Rawleigh placeth the building of Rome four and twenty years after the Fourth Olympiad namely in the year 3280 and seven years after the next King Silvius or Sisilius with which Prince I will begin the next Period supposing him to proceed from the Line of the Kings of Alba after the expulsion of Amulius from the Kingdom by Romulus and Remus the time so exactly agreeing with Silvius his leaving the Crown of Alba and this Silvius reigning in Britain that from the driving out of Amulius and his Family from the usurped Kingdom of the Latins and to the beginning of this Kings Reign in Britain there seems a just competent time allowable for a Voyage They who have respect to the British Histories let them consider that this Intercourse between Alba and Britain here supposed is no new thing being practiced in the daies of Ebrancke who sent his Daughters to Silvius Alba then King of the Latins likewise let them take notice that this way the British Kings Succeeding are grafted into the Family of AEnaeas by a Line not so questionable as Brutes namely the Kings of Alba called all SILVII and the undoubted Off-spring of that Silvius Posthumus upon whom Brute cannot with reason be Fathered In the next place let them consider that the Line of the British Kings at Silvius begins to be strangely confused the Lineal descent being ended in himself and a Collateral one begun so that although Silvius be made the Brother of Gurgast yet I take it to make much to my purpose that he is not made his Son according to the way the British History is over fond of Let them consider likewise what Wars and Tumults are reported in the daies of Silvius and his Successour Jago the constant Accidents attending new Invaders and seeing that Polidore Virgil could venture to place and displace Kings at his pleasure inverting in many places the long received Order of the British History and yet deserve commendation for it I hope I cannot be much blamed for setting down my Conjecture which although it be new yet it doth not derogate in the least from the Honour of the Britains being derived from the same Head although in a different Channel And I doubt not that any would willingly deny them either
likelyhood Son of Silvius but others will needs have him Brother of Jago succeeded Anno Mundi 3364. There is nothing Recorded of this Prince but that he was buried at York after he had reigned four and fifty years GORBODUG the Son of Kinimacus the fourth from Silvins An. Mundi 3418 is stigmatized with the same reproach of Tyranny and was buried at Troy-novant after he had Ruled rather to compleat the account of Histories than in truth sixty three years He left behind him two Sons Ferrex and Porrex FERREX and PORREX began joyntly to reign Anno Mundi 3476. This is the third time that the Kingdom fell not entirely to the Elder Brother As after the Laws of Troy the Sovereignty And all resort of Right doth appertain To the Eldest Brother in Property The Eldest Sisters right so by right should have been Soveraign Lady and over them all Queen By equitee of that ilk Law and Right In place where it is holden Law perfeight These Brothers for five years in great Amity ruled the Island until Porrex the younger inflamed with the Ambition of being sole Governour attempts privately upon the life of Ferrex But it seems Ferrex had notice given him of his Brothers design thought it proved not so timely as to give opportunity to avoid the stroak by any other way than flight Gallia was esteemed the nighest and securest retirement where Arriving he sollicits the Princes of that Realm and especially Gunhardus or Suardus to assist him in vindicating his Right to the Crown This just Request being obtained he returns into Britain and with a mighty Army gives his Brother battle Fortune not favouring the just and equitableness of his cause his Army was defeated and in the Battle himself lost his life Porrex enjoyed not long his unnatural Conquest for his own Mother Idone or Widen looking upon him as the bloody murtherer of her Son Ferrex by a deed no less Barbarous prosecutes her Revenge for finding Porrex asleep privately murthered him neither could Motherly pity asswage her Anger until she had cut and mangled his Body in a thousand pieces For this unnatural and much admired Cruelty she was slain by the sury of the Multitude This extinguisht the House of Gorboduc and periodized the Line of AEnaeas insomuch as the Kingdom fell into innumerable divisions from thence into a Heptarchy One seized Loegria another Cambria a third Cornwal a fourth Albania and the fifth division is not specified distinctly by any Authors but is supposed to be Northumberland or Kent which in old Pedigrees their names are cited to be these RUDAUCUS King of Wales CLOTENUS King of Cornwal PINNOR King of Loegria STATORIUS King of Scotland YEVAN King of Northumberland Histories make particular mention of Pinnor otherwise called Pireman King of Loegria and of Rudacus King of Cambria Staterus King of Albania Cloten King of Cornwal but are silent in the other Princes names This Heptarchy is conjectured to have continued One and fifty years until Dunwallo Son of Cloten King of Cornwal whether by the clearest Right and Title or the longest Sword obtained the whole Kingdom is uncertain According to the foregoing Computation we need not with Polidore Virgil invert the Order of the British History in this place but continue the succession of Monarchy from this Period with Guintolin and not Donvallo Molmutius For allowing Molmutius to follow immediately after the Heptarchy his two Sons Belinus and Brennus will be found to be Kings of Britain about the time when Rome was sackt and so may not be obliged to set those two Princes any farther backward as Polidore hath done three hundred years but rather a little more forward For from the Entrance of Brute Anno Mundi 2850 to Belinus and Brennus Anno Mundi 3574 are 724 years whereas Rome is supposed to be sackt in the seven hundred and tenth year after Brutes Arrival as is gathered by Polidore Virgil out of Eusebius This Controversie with some others relating to the same Belinus and Brennus is particularly managed by Sr. John Price against Polidore Virgil as also by many others But seeing the true evidence of this matter is to be made out by Computations which account in seven hundred years according to diversity of Authors differ half in half it is the safer way in my Judgment to follow the usual method in the Succession of the British Kings than by the dependance of the uncertainty of Chronology in things of so vast a distance to invert the whole Order of their Reigns and so like Witches who would conjure them out of the World read them backwards MOLMUTIUS called Dūnvallo Son of Cloten King of Cornwal either judging himself to have the better Right or longer Sword invaded his Neighbour Princes First he began with Pinnor King of Loegria whom he overcame and slew before he could joyn with his Confederates Rudacus King of Cambria and Staterius King of Albania After this success he sets upon the fore-mentioned Princes with an Army of thirty thousand Men but the Victory hanging too long for his eager expectation he made use of a stratagem for counterfeiting the Arms of his Enemies he gave them a terrible overthrow in the Encounter The King of Northumberland or Kent is not mentioned in this Battle wherefore he is supposed beforehand to have surrendred his Kingdom By thismeans Molmutius Dunvallo called also Donebant became the sole Monarch of this Island Anne Mundi 3529. If he got the Crown by Oppression he managed it with no less prudence and moderation enacting several excellent Laws translated out of the British Speech into the Latin by Gildas and afterwards out of the Latin into the English Tongue by Alfred King of England And these Laws are Recorded by Count Palatine and are taken notice of by Mr. Sheringham and particularly recited by Mr. Selden in his Janus Anglorum They were to this effect 1. Ut Templa Deorum c. That the Temples of the Gods should enjoy such Priviledges and Immunities that no Malefactor flying to them for Sanctuary could be seized or by force drawn from them before he had obtained pardon 2. That High-waies leading to Temples or Roads to great Cities should have the like Priviledges 3. That Ploughs Oxen and other Labouring Cattle should enjoy the same Immunities and the reason of this Law is given because otherwise the Ground might lie untill'd and the People perish for want of Bread 4. He set out the number of Ploughs that should be in every Shire and Hundred with severe Penalties upon all that should be the occasion of lessening the Number 5. The fifth is the same almost with the third only it seems a little to restrain it namely That no Oxen or Labouring Beast should be seized for Debt unless there were no other Goods or Chattels to make satisfaction 6. He ordained set Weights and Measures for buying and selling 7. A Law against Thieves and Robbers These are the Molmutian Laws
Expedition and Death there ensued an Inter-regnum of the Romans in this Island until the Conquest thereof by Claudius and his Lieutenants CLAUDIUS the second of the Romans that subdued this Island Reigned 13 Years Aulus Plautius P. Ostorius Aul. Didius His Lieutenants NERO. 13 years Verannius Paulinus Suet. Petilius Crealis Petronius Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus Lieutenants GALBA 7 months Trebellius Maximus Lieutenant under both  OTHO 95 daies   VITELLIUS 8 months 4 daies Vectius Bolanus Lieutenant  VESPASIAN the Elder 10 years Petilius Crealis Julius Frontinus Julius Agricola Lieutenants Titus VESPASIAN 2 Years Julius Agricola Lieutenant  DOMITIAN 15 years Julius Agricola Cne Trebellius Salustius Lucullus Lieutenants NERVA 1 year The Lieutenant not known  TRAJAN 19 years The Lieutenant not known  HADRIAN Reigned 21 years Cne Trebellius Licinius Priscus Jul. Severus Lieutenants ANTONINUS Pius 22 years Lollius Urbicus Lieutenant  ANTONINUS Philosophus 19 years Calphurnius Agricola Lieutenant  AURELIUS Commodus 13 years Ulpius Marcellus Helvius Pertinax Clodius Albinus Junius Severus Lieutenants HELVIUS Pertinax 2 months Clodius Albinus Lieutenant  DIDIUS Julianus 7 months Clodius Albinus Lieutenant  SEPTIMIUS Severus 18 years Heraclianus and Virius Lupus made Joynt-Lieutenants by Severus one of the South the other of the North.  After the daies of Severus we find not any more Lieutenants in Britain partly through the neglect or decay of Historians and partly through the Troubles of the ensuing times which lasted until the daies of Constantine who altered the Government  Years Reign Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla with Geta his Brother 6 Opilius Macrinus 1 Antoninus Heliogabalus 4 Alexander Severus 13 Julius Maximinus 3 Balbinus Pupienus 1 M. Ant. Gordianus 6 Philip 5 Gn. Messius Quintus Trajan Decius 2 Trebonianus Gallus 2 P. Licinius Valerianus 7 P. Licinius Galienus 9 Claudius 2  Years Reign L. Domitius Aurelianus 5 M. Claudius Tacitus 6 Months M. Aurelius Probus 6 M. Aurelius Carus 2 Dioclesianus Maximianus 20 Constantius Chlorus 4 Constantine the Great 13 Constantinus Junior 3 Constans 2 Constantius 16 Julian the Apostate 2 Fla. Jovianus 2 Valentinianus 12 Fla. Gratianus 3 Fla. Theodosius 14 Honorius In the daies of this Emperour Rome being seized by Alarick the Roman Souldiers were drawn out of Britain and Letters of Discharge written by Honorius to the Britains whereby they were acquitted of the Roman Jurisdiction A Catalogue of the British KINGS in the daies of the Romans from Julius Caesar to the Saxons CAssibelan in whose daies Caesar entred the Island Reigned 19 Years Theomantius 17 Gunobelyn 35 Guiderius 23 Arviragus 25 Marius 53 Coelus Primus 50 Lucius Sirnamed Leuer Maur 12 And then came an Inter-regnum of 15 Years Severus in Right of his Wife 15 Antoninus Bassianus 6 Heliogabalus 3 Alexander Severus 13 Maximinus 3 Gordianus 6 Another Inter-regnum of 13 Years Claudius 2 Another Inter-regnum of 7 Years Bonosus 4 Another Inter-regnum of 4 Years Carausius 7 Allectus 3 Asclepiodotus 1 Coel the Third 1 Constantius Priscus in Right of his Wife 11 Constantine the Great 30 Constantinus Junior 2 Constans Priscus 9 Magnentius 3 Constantius Junior 10 Julianus 2 Valentinianus 11 Gratianus Priscus 8 Maximus 5 Theodosius 7 Honorius 14 In whose daies the Britains chose three other Emperours Marcus him they suddenly Deposed in 3 Months Gratianus Ruled 4 Months Constantine the Third 4 Years Constans his Son Caesar 2 Years IULIUS CAESAR The first Roman that Discovered and Invaded Brittain THE WARS BETWEEN THE BRITAINS AND ROMANS CHAP. XIII JULIUS CAESARS first Preparation and Voyage into BRITAIN JULIUS CAESAR having subdued most part of Gallia quieted the Germans and stopped their Incursions into his Province by Locking up the Rhine and Scheld resolves for an expedition into Britain His pretences were that the Britains had under-hand sent supplies to the Cities of Armorica who the year before had Revolted from his Obedience and had joyned with the rest of Gallia in a general and dangerous Rebellion Not only so but that they had received into their Protection his Enemies the Bellovaci who had fled to them for aid and succour These seemed sufficient Causes to justifie an Invasion especially to a mind wholly possest as Caesars was with the desire of Glory and unlimited Conquests so that notwithstanding many Cities of the Britains having notice of this design and fearing the consequence of his Ambition and usual success sent Embassadors to him with a promise of Hostages and Obedience to the Roman Empire yet he altered not his Resolutions but after Audience given sent them back with fair promises and exhortations to continue stedfast in the same mind and with them Comius his Creature and Confident whom he had obliged with no less Bribe than the Kingdom of Arras giving him private Instructions to gain a Roman Party in the Island and secretly to manage his Interest with the States of Britain And what gave most Authority to his Embassy to signifie to them his Intentions to come speedily in Person to them Neither could the time of the year defer his design it seeming to be too high advanced for any new undertakings the Summer being almost spent and his wearied Legions expected rather their Winter Quarters than to be transported into a Foreign War Certainly Caesar had more than ordinary Motives to this sudden expedition and however he might give out among his Souldiers the vastness of the British Pearls their exceeding weight and value and the great numbers and quantities of them yet these were but as so many Baits to entice and allure them to his purposes and to draw them greedily to swallow his Motions such Cajoals as these were frequent with him during the course of his whole life By his future Actions we may guess that his main design in Invading BRITAIN was to inure his Souldiers and to accustome them to the most barbarous Enemies that they might not be terrified at his most dangerous Enterprizes but depend solely and entirely upon his Fortune and Conduct And indeed during all the Civil-Wars which no doubt by this time he had fore cast in his head we find these Legions his main prop and support they blindly following him in his most difficult undertakings Neither could the love of the Common-wealth or the Authority of Pompey ever shake them in their Alliance and although they were harassed about from Country to Country yet the change of Soil nor Enemy could ever break them asunder or shatter them In his Wars in Africa against Juba and his Confederates with what assurance did he pronounce before his Army the advance of the Enemy with an Army five times superiour to his own as not doubting they would be frighted at the Chariots of Africa who had been accustomed to those of Britain and this appears to be the intention of his Invasion of this Island the total Conquest whereof as he never performed so he seems never to have designed and I believe what he said
or South-Wales he gave him a great Overthrow After this Victory having encouraged his Souldiers in token of his Thankfulness he sacrifices to his Gods In this Battle Belinus was his General and Nenius his Brother performed great Acts for in a single combat with Caesar it so fell out that he got his Sword and by a furious blow made at him stuck it fast in his Shield And although he received his deaths wound with the stroak and the disarming of Caesar proved fatal to him yet afterwards with his own hands he slew Labienus one of the Roman Tribunes Caesar discomfited with the bad success of his Affairs bends all his thoughts in order to a speedy retreat from the Island and having patched up his Fleet sufficient to transport the remainder of his Army which by his losses was reduced to a small number leaving all his Baggage behind in the Night secretly embarks and with a still Wind as it were he steals from the Island CAESAR HIS Second Expedition INTO BRITAIN CAESAR having Arrived safe to the Continent long and in vain expected the Hostages of the Britains as his yearly custome was prepares for his Journey to Italy to spend the Winter at Rome but before he goes he leaves Orders with his Legate who had the charge of the Legions in their Quarters that during his Absence they should use all diligence in providing what possible Shipping they could and set all hands on work to repair his Old Vessels and build New ones To that purpose he gives them several Models after what fashion he would have them made First They were to be lower built than ordinary for the advantage of easier fraughtage and better haling ashoar and because he observed that by the often changes of Tides the British Seas did not run so high as the Mediterranean In the next place They were to be broader thereby to be of greater Burthen and to be more able to transport a considerable number of Horse which Caesar was resolved in his next years Expedition should not be wanting Lastly He leaves Commands to make them fit for Rowing for which purpose their Low-building was very advantagious And as for Materials to strengthen and fortisie them he provided them out of Spain These Orders were diligently executed by his Legates during his absence so that at his return he finds six hundred in readiness new built according to the prescribed Model and twenty eight Ships of Burthen and what with Adventures and other Hulks above two hundred Cotta one of the Legates and Overseers of this work wrote them as Athenaeus saith in all a thousand Caesar having commended his Souldiers for their diligence and his Officers for their care and trust Commands them by a day to be ready at the Port Iccius now Bulloigne where they all met accordingly except forty which by contrary Winds and ill Weather were beaten back into the Port of the Meldi from whence they had set out Caesar in the rest about Sun-set embarks with five Legions of Foot amounting according to the computation of some to 620000 Romans and their Allies and two thousand Horse leaving behind him three Legions of Foot and two thousand Horse to make good the Port against his Return Having weighed Anchor he stands for Britain with a slack South west Wind but at Mid-night is becalmed so that not able to hold on his course he is driven at random by the Current and at Day-break descries the Island to bear left of him turning therefore about with the Tide which now changed with all his Fleet he began to make for that place which the year before he had found so convenient for Landing The Souldiers with all alacrity tugged at the Oars and although the Gallies were heavy laden and drew much water yet by their indefatigable labour they kept course with Ships under sail At Noon Caesar arrives with all his Navy on the Coast and finds no Enemy to oppose his Landing for the Britains terrified with the sight of so vast a Fleet which seemed to cover the Seas had forsaken the defence of their Shoars and withdrawn into the Higher Countries Caesar forthwith landing his Men chooseth a convenient place to Encamp and having learnt of some Fugitives the place to which the Britains had retired leaving his Ships at Anchor upon a plain and open shoar with ten Cohorts and three hundred Horse under the Command of Q. Atrius to guard them about the third Watch of the same night with his main Body he advances into the Country to find out the Enemy After twelve miles March he descries them drawn up on the banks of a River commonly thought the Stowr in Kent The Britains with their Horse and Chariots had possest themselves of the Upper-ground and began now to oppose the March of the Romans with smart charges but being driven from their ground by the Enemies Cavalry they retired into the Woods to a Fortification made strong both by Art and Nature and cast up as is thought after the British manner during some Civil War among themselves The Passages on all sides were blocked up with huge Trees which were felled and laid over thwart one another The Britains in dispersed Parties fought within their Trenches and suffered not the Romans to enter their Works but the Souldiers of the seventh Legion having raised a Mount and marching on close and knit together under the coverts of their Sheilds which lay like a Roof upon them without much loss of blood took the place and so drave the Britains from their Holds Caesar forbad any pursuit to be made as wanting the knowledge of the places and judging it more convenient great part of the day being spent to employ the remainder in sortifying another Camp and refreshing his Souldiers The next Morning he sent out early three Bodies of Horse and Foot in Parties to seek out the Enemy and pursue them They had not gone so far but the last of them were in sight when in post-haste News is brought from Q. Atrius that the Fleet that night by a sudden Tempest arising had suffered a grievous Wrack that many of them lay split upon the shoar that through the violence of the Weather the Anchors and Cables being broken the industry of the Sea-men could not hinder but that many of them fell foul on one another and were dasht in pieces At the news of this Disaster Caesar commands the Forces that were upon their March to hault and give over the design for the present in following the Enemy In all haste he returns to the Ships and there with his own eyes is witness of the sad Ruines of his Navy About sorty Ships were utterly lost others although put upon great difficulty yet seemed not past hopes of recovery To that end therefore he drew out of his Legions such Shipwrights as he had with him and sends over into the Continent for others withal writing to Labienus with those Legions he had to fall a
building as fast as he could and in the mean time sets himself to the Repairing of his shatter'd Vessels And although it seemed a difficult task to be undertaken yet he thought most convenient to draw his Ships into the Camp and encompass them within the same Trenches In these Affairs he spends ten daies giving no respit to his Souldiers either day or night until he had drawn them all within the Works and strongly secured them with Ditches and Rampiers Having thus made every thing sure and leaving the same Guards upon them as before he returns to the place from whence he had driven the Britains where he finds far greater numbers re-assembled The Britains in a General Councel of all the States invested Cassibelan with the full power and management of the whole War His Territory was bounded on the South by the Thames which divided it from the Provinces of Kent and Surry and it extended eighty Miles from the Sea Before the Arrival of Caesar he was in continual Wars with the Neighbouring Cities but in the common danger of Forraign Invasion they unanimously chose him for his right experience in Martial Affairs to be their Leader Having gathered great Forces together the first thing he undertook was to oppose the licentious Marches of the Roman Cavalry and if possible to cut them off To this end with his Horse and Charriots he gives them a sharp Charge but finding himself over-match'd he retreats to the Woods and Hills giving liberty to the Romans to pursue who too eagerly following in the Chase were many of them cut off by the Britains who sometimes rallied and sometimes came out in fresh Parties against them After this the Britains for some time did not appear but lay secretly hid in the edges of the Woods insomuch that the Romans not suspecting any Enemy laid down their Arms and betook themselves to the entrenching and fortifying their Camp Whilst they were in this General security every man employed in his particular work the Britains of a sudden brake out of their Coverts and furiously assaulted an inconsiderable Body that kept Guard before the Trenches Here was some Execution made and when Caesar took the Alarum he sent two of the principal and choicest Cohorts drawn out of two Legions to rescue them but they being terrified with the Novelty and fierceness of the Fight stood like Men in a Maze having not the power to joyn Parties insomuch that the Britains perceiving a Gap betwixt them brake through and so returned in safety to their main Body In this daies Engagement Q. Laberius Durus a Tribune was slain on the Roman side In this sort of Skirmishing lay the especial advantage of the Britains and Caesar himself confesseth who in this Engagement stood as Spectatour only that the Roman way both of Arming and Fighting was not so well fitted to this kind of Enemy for the heavy Armour of the Legionaries suffered them not to be quick in following the sudden flights of their Enemies and it was a breach of Discipline to stir from their Ensigns As for the Horse they never engaged without manifest disadvantage for the Britains out of design would often give back and when they had drawn them off some distance from the Legons would turn upon them and jumping from their Charriots assault them on foot so that it was equally hazardous to the Roman Cavalry whether they gave back or advanced besides the Britains never fought thick but scattered and in great distances having set stations allotted to which upon occasion they retired and from whence releif was sent of fresh Parties to bring off the wearied These Advantages at first were wisely made use of by Cassibelan and it argues his great experience in War for by this means the heavy Legions were wearied and soyled their Spirits spent upon an unstable and dodging Enemy Their Courage turned into Vexation to be mastered by those whom they were sure they could Overcome in the grapling And had Cassibelan stood steady to his Resolutions and not suffered the greatness of his Spirit to consult more with his Honour than Interest the Romans must of necessity have been obliged either to quit the Country or by flinging off their Armour to conform to the same manner of Fighting Next day the Britains kept the Hills some distance from the Camp and all the Morning shewed themselves in small Parties now profering Battle now Retiring then in light Skirmishes engaging then presently again Retreating not thinking it convenient to engage too deeply with the Roman Cava'ry At Noon Caesar sent out three Legions and all his Horse under pretence of Forrage but withal commands that the Foot should not go far from their Ensigns and that the Horse should keep up close with them The Eritains who expected not such order in Forragers as their Custome was with great fury flew upon them but were mightily deceived in their Expectations for the Romans stood ready to receive them The Britains perceiving their mistake suddenly recoyled but it proved too late for the Roman Cavalry seconded by their Foot who kept up with them so closely pursued that the Britains had not leisure to Rally to stand or come down from their Chariots but were in great confusion many of them slain and the rest generally routed After this Overthrow Cassibelan entred upon New Counsels and resolved in a manner to change the whole nature of the War He perceived there was nothing to be attempted upon the main Body of the Romans wherefore he signified his Resolutions never after to put his Affairs into the hazard of a pitcht Battle and disbanded many Auxiliary Forces that from all parts had been sent unto him with the choicest of his Men and four thousand Wagons he set himself to attend Caesar in his March judging these a sufficient Number to hinder the licentious Incursions of the Enemy and by the advantage he had in the knowledge of the Country he knew he was secure from being forced to flight Caesar understanding his design drew his Army upon the Fronteirs of his Kingdom which was bounded by the Thames a River fordable only at one place and that with great difficulty about Coway near Oatlands as is supposed Arriving hither he perceived the Enemy in great numbers drawn up on the other side to oppose his Passage if he should attempt it the Bank being all set with Piles of Wood sharpned at the end after the manner of Pallisado's and the Ford as he learnt from the Captives and Runagates knocked full of sharp Stakes lying hid under Water This excellent design of Cassibelan being Treacherously discovered had not the hoped-for success For the Romans with greater care and circumspection entred the River the Horse first and afterwards the Foot wading up to the Neck in Water The Britains who expected them to fall into Disorder and Confusion and were ready to make use of the Advantage perceiving them to avoid the Stakes and to pass them without any annoyance
for the preservation of his Country By the Mediation of Comius of Arras he sends his Embassadors to Caesar who wittingly accepted of them for that the Summer was to Caesar high spent and his Affairs in Gallia called for his speedy Return The Enemy he now dealt with was grown cautious and wary and likely to spinout the War to a greater length than his occasions would permit him to attend Having therefore enjoyned him not to molest Mandubratius and the Trinobantes and setled the Tribute which the Britains should Annually pay to the States of Rome he commands Hostages only which being received he draws his Army to the Sea where having viewed the remainder of his Ships which had been repaired since the last Storm and finding them too few after their Losses to transport at once his Army Captives and Baggages he resolves to make two Embarkments of them But having long expected the return of his sixty Sail which had carried the first Party over and were kept back by contrary Winds misdoubting the Season of the year September being begun and possibly the return of the Britains after the division of his Forces he places his Men thick into those few Vessels he had with him and weighing Anchor at the beginning of the second Watch with a favourable Wind sets Sail and next Morning early arrived at the Continent This is the Account of the Second Expedition of Caesar taken out of his own Commentaries though other eminent Authors relate That in his British proceedings he speaks too advantagiously of himself Among the rest Tacitus writes of Caratacus that encouraging the Britains he often invoked the Names of his Ancestors who drave Caesar the Dictator out of the Isle by whose Valour they were freed from the Axes and Tributes of the Romans and preserved the Bodies of their Wives and Children undefiled And Dion affirms That once in the Second Expedition all his Foot were routed Orosius That another time all his Horse and it is manifest that for many years after Britain was Governed by its own Kings and its own Laws Nevertheless at his Arrival at Rome attended with the long Procession of the British Captives whose odd Attire and strange Behaviour drew the eyes of all the Beholders and seemed the Witness of his glorious Enterprize he ascends the Temple of Venus Genetrix the Patroness of his Family and there solemnly offers a Corslet of British Pearls Some of the meaner Captives he employed for services in the Theater to attend the Tapestry Hangings wherein he had caused to be curiously woven the figures of the Britains and his Victories over them Of these Virgil writes thus Purpureáque intexti tollant Aulea Britanni Thus were the poor Britains either continual Spectatours of the Calamities of their Country or else the constant Witnesses of the Vanities of Caesar. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF JULIUS CAESAR HE is worthily esteemed the Idaea or Pattern of an absolute General for his excellent and Industrious Contrivance quick Dispatch Courage in his Dangers and Laborious in all his Affairs Of so little Pomp that at his first coming into this Isle he is credibly reported to have had but three Domestick Servants in his Retinue The whole course of his Life even in his lowest Fortunes had still something of Greatness in it At seventeen years of Age he was made Flamen Dialis seven years after Questor of Spain where at the Streights beholding the Statue of Alexander in the Temple of Hercules he inwardly groaned to think that at that Age wherein Alexander had Conquered the World himself had done no memorable Action Thereupon he laies down his Questorship and repairs to Rome watching every occasion to grow Popular entring into many Factions and some not without suspicion of Conspiracy yet were all his Actions ever taken in a favourable construction the States finding it more convenient to flatter him into a kind of Obedience than to make too severe an Inquisition into his Affairs In a publick Funeral Oration in Praise of his Aunt Julia he derived himself on the Mothers side from Ancus Martius an Ancient King of Rome and on his Fathers side from the Gods He was after this made AEdilis then Pontisex Maximus which Honour he carried against two Competitors of the greatest Age and Authority Being Consul he obtained Gallia for his Province which he held ten years part of the time being spent in the Invasion of Britain Whilst he was busie in the Conquest of this ISLAND he received News of the decease of his Daughter Julia whose death drew with her a trayn of Publick Calamities Her loss he passed over with the same Constancy of mind he used in the rest of his Affairs and it is possible that his Ambition overcame his Sorrow for her Life and Interest with Pompey seemed the only debar to his future Advancement As not long after he entred into the Civil War the Commonwealth being grown so Heady that it seemed impossible to be Governed but by a single Person During all the Civil War those Forces he had employed in Britain and Gallia were alwaies his Unbroken strengths The hardships of these Countries joyned with Roman Discipline and the confidence in their Leader had so Spirited them that as Scaeva single durst twice undertake a whole Army so these few Legions seemed a match for the whole World After great Contendings with is Countrymen for the Supream Power and much effusion of Blood having at last arrived to the end of his Labours the top and highest pinnacle of Honour whilst he thought his Enemies either all destroyed or by his Clemency not only in sparing but advancing them sufficiently obliged in the midst of the Publick Assembly of the Roman Senate where he had often received the Thanks and Acknowledgments of the House for his great Services after fifty several Battles fought with success five Triumphs and four Consulships laden with Honour he was basely murthered by a Conspiracy of Senators and so fell at the feet of his Son in Law Pompey's Image whom not long before he had Conquered And what made most to the remarkableness of his Misfortune he was slain by those to whom he had shewn the greatest Kindness and that with many wounds the deepest whereof was given by his near Relation Brutus to whom once he had designed a great share in his Estate and that Brutus the Son of Servilia supposed his Base Child THE British History RELATING TO THE SECOND EXPEDITION OF J. CAESAR CASSIBELAN preparing against Caesars second Invasion stuck the Thames in one place full of Iron and Lead stakes on purpose to hinder his sayling to the Trinboantes in which design he so well prospered that Caesar lost many of his Ships and was afterwards beaten in a pitcht Battle For joy of this second Victory Cassibelan made a great Feast at London and there sacrificed to his Gods in which Solemnity Hirilda Cassibelans Nephew and Ewelin Nephew to Androgeus falling
Britains who before had Intelligence that the Roman Army was in a Mutiny resolved against the Expedition and were negligent in preparing for them And now finding them safe Arrived on the shoar and in Weather when they least expected it bereaved of all other Counsels they betook themselves to the Woods and Marshes hoping this way to weary out the Romans and by a dodging War so to linger out the time as the Courage of their Enemies being spent and their Edge abated they might be forced to return without any great Exploit performed This Policy Cassibelan with success maintained in his Wars against Caesar and had it been prosecuted now with the same Constancy no doubt but that it would have had the same effect For we find that Plautius with heavy Marches and troublesome Journies had more labour and trouble to find them out than found to Conquer them The British Armies as well as their Counsels were divided both led on by two young Sons of Cunobeline deceased Caratacus and Togodumnus who upon what designs is not known keeping their Forces separate and being too hot and heady for the thoughts of Delay and rashly engaging one after the other were both overcome and put to flight first Caratacus and afterwards Togodumnus No wonder therefore if some of the British States relying not much on their Conduct desired to make their Peace with the Conquerour For after this Defeat the Boduni or Dobuni seated about Oxfordshire and Glocestershire and subject formerly to the Catuellani the Inhabitants of Buckinghamsbire Hertford and Bedfordshire submitted themselves and received a Garrison Plautius after this Success Marched on to a certain River where he found the Britains on the farther side encamped lying secure and careless because they thought the Romans without a Bridge could not possibly get over These Romans having Germans mixt with them who in Armour were accustomed to swim with ease against the strongest Currents were commanded to take the River and unawares to assail the Enemy but especially their Horse For the Germans having got footing on the other side fell unexpectedly on the British Camp and as they were ordered spent all their Darts and Javelins upon the Horse whereby they were so gauled that the Britains not able to sit them were forced to alight and those which drew the Charriots falling dead in their Geers and Harness were not only made useless but cumbersome The Britains being now many of them on foot and their Charriots unserviceable Plautius sends Vespatian who afterwards was Emperour with Sabinus his Brother to second the Attempt These coming on a sudden upon the Britains and assaulting them unawares did much Execution but the Britains with the rest of their Forces for that time retired The next day re-uniting they gave Battle to the Romans and with such Courage and Resolution that for a long while the Victory hung doubtful until Cajus Cidius Geta charged furiously upon them and engaging almost beyond recovery turned the scale on the Roman side for which great piece of Service although no Consul he obtained afterwards at Rome Triumphal Honours After this the Britains retired to the mouth of the Thames where being acquainted with the Shallows and Sand-banks they easily past it but the Romans unadvisedly following them were in great hazard to be lost upon those dangerous Flats but the Germans some by swimming others by help of a Bridge that was higher having got over so encompast the Britains that they made great slaughter of them but afterwards in the heat of Pursuit following too eagerly in blind Bogs and Marshes they lost many of their Companions Plautius thought it not safe to proceed any further having considered into what Traps the Britains had drawn him and fearing that through the ignorance of the Country he might be led into greater dangers With all he perceived that the Courage of the Enemy by so many Defeats was rather inflamed than quelled and that the death of their Prince Togodumnus who in one of the former Encounters had been slain had so enraged them that laying aside all thoughts of yeilding they were bent upon nothing but Revenge Besides he had lost many of his Souldiers the Countries he held were his rather by Courtesie than Compulsion and he well understood the faith of Revolters that upon the least turn of Fortune they were ready to wheel about and fall into their ancient Allegiance According to his Orders therefore he sent unto Claudius signifying in what posture his Affairs stood the danger of proceeding any further with those few Forces he had and the hopefulness of the design of Conquest if assisted with greater Numbers In the mean time he employed himself in securing what he had got and in placing Garrisons In the most necessary Passes so that with the residue of his Men he Encamped at the Mouth of the Thames to make good the Landing of new Supplies Claudius receiving this Intelligence being now the third time Consul and desirous of a Triumph chose Britain for his Province In his setting out from Ostia he had like by foul Weather to have been drowned upon the Islands Stachades then on the Coasts of Liguria where being at last set on shoar by Land he went to Marseilles then to Callice with such vast Preparations as argued the difficulty of the Enterprize he was undertaking For besides his Roman Legions and the Auxiliaries of Germans and Gauls he carried with him many Armed Elephants to terrifie the Britains and to amaze that Courage which to that time no Force could daunt With this Equipage he embarks and having in a short time crossed the Channel he joyns directly with Plautius who lay waiting for him at the Thames Mouth Then taking into his hands the entire Command of the whole Army he passes the River to find out the Enemy where he discovers them drawn up ready to give him Battle For the Britains were impatient of Delaies and had embraced those Counsels which had more heat and spirit than true Conduct and setled Resolution Never had the Conduct of Old Cassibelan been more necessary than at this time The Roman Army was great and unweildy requiring vast Provisions and lugging much Baggage after them their Courage in a little time would have been wearied and their Spirits spent and their Elephants once constrained to follow through Bogs and Marshes would have been foundered and rendred unserviceable And the first heat of the Army in receiving their Emperour being over no doubt but the Souldiery would have flagged in time and mouldered away But to engage with them just upon their receiving fresh Supplies when they were newly animated with the presence of their Emperour and the impressions of Joy not quite over argues the young and raw Counsels the Britains then were under And as this Fight was rashly undertaken so were the consequences fatal for the loss of Camalodunum or Malden the Royal Seat of Cunobelin followed it with the Surrender of many other Places of
Grievances after this manner That Patience availed them nothing but that by their sufferance they got the opinion of easie fools and their burthens accordingly were daily increased Formerly they had but one King or Peer to Lord it over them now there were two thrust upon them The Lieutenant to suck their blood and the Procurator or Collector to drain their Estates That the variance of these Rulers or their agreement was equally pernicious to them the one tormenting them with his Armies the other with Wrongs and Extortions all things were liable without exception either to their Avarice or Lust and he was esteemed the bravest Souldier who could rob and plunder most Nay they were come to that tame submission as to suffer their Houses to be broken open and ransackt by the most cowardly and pitiful Rascals and their Children to be taken from them and listed by their Adversaries as if they were fitted to die any death but what should be for their own Country What a small number would remain in the Roman Army should they have left out the Britains from their Masters the Germans had shaken off the yoak although defended by a River only not the Ocean and why might not they do the like considering their Cause was far the Nobler the delivery of their Country their Wives and Parents and on the other side nothing could be pretended but Lust and Ambition Had they but imitated the Valour of their Ancestors they might have chased these Intruders from the Island as their Fore-fathers had done Caesar and could they but have endured the brunt of one or two Battles no doubt but the Courage of the miserable and despairing would be found greater than the Confidence of the proud That the Gods themselves now shewed their pitty to the Britains and held the Roman captain and his Armies safe employed in another Island and gave them one opportunity more which was the greatest favour to consult and deliberate of their Condition together which occasion if they did not make use of it would be found more dangerous to have discoursed the calamities of their Affairs than to strive to relieve them With these and the like Speeches they encouraged each other and first the Iceni took Arms to reveng the wrongs done to their Queen and the dishonour of his Daughters next the Trinobantes declared and after them all who had any sence of Liberty and were not born to be Slaves And it seemed no hard matter to the Britains to raze and destroy the whole Colony of Malden being fortified neither with Trench nor Rampier and by the careless security of the Roman Officers made for pleasure rather than defence This general and dangerous Insurrection was headed by the insensed Boadicia and the fatal consequences of it were ushered in with no less wonderful signs and portents Among the rest the Statue of Victory at Malden fell down of its own accord with its back turned as if it would pass to the Enemy and Women in a holy rage and extasie Prophetically sung That destruction was a coming and dismal noises were heard in the Councel-House and howlings and screechings in the Theater strange Spectres walked in the neighbouring Frith the Oceans lookt of a Bloody-hew and at low Tide the shapes of dead Bodies lay imprinted on the Sands all which Prodigies raised hopeful expectations in the Britains but in the Veterane Souldiers terrour and despair For by this time Boadicia leading after her infinite multitudes had destroyed some scattered Garrisons of the Romans and was now prepared to attack them at their chief Quarters at Malden The Colony understanding of her approach sent to Catus Decianus to send them speedy supply for Suetonius had but lately heard of their Revolt and could not come up time enough for their relief but he spared them but two hundred men and those ill Armed for the Hatred the Province bore him for his Exactions made him look to his own security Neither were there wanting in the Roman Garrison them who secretly and under-hand favoured the Revolters These advised the Souldiers that they were too few to maintain any Out-works and that fortifying and entrenching the Town would but divide and scatter the Forces that in all probability the Enemy durst not attack them or if they did that the present Bulwarks were sufficient and in case they failed the Temple was a place of great strength and teneable by a few Thus by intermixing with all their Councels they betrayed them into security and so lull'd them asleep that as if it had been high Peace they thought not of any thing necessary for a Siege no not so much as to send away those that bore not Arms who would but be so many Mouths to devour their Provisions In this disorder they were beleagured round with the British Army the Out-works held not out the first Storm but left the City naked and open to be sackt and burnt by the inraged Enemy The Souldiers crowded themselves into the Temple and there stood hudled together under the defence of the Walls but in two daies were taken the sumptuous building made a heap of Rubbish and all destroyed The Britains managing this Victory in the most cruel-manner put the Romans to all the exquisite torments that Anger Revenge or Malice could invent In the current of their success and while the heat lasted they met with Petilius Crealis the Lieutenant of the ninth Legion marching to the succour of the Garrison who set upon him routed his Legion kill'd all the Foot and forced him with the residue of his Horse to take sanctuary in his Trenches And now Catus Decianus finding himself the cause of all this and sensible of the Hatred of the Provinces and the guilt of his Extortion like a tall man betook himself to his Heels and so fled over into Gallia But Suetonius with a wonderful constancy and resolution marches clearly through the Enemies quarters to London a Town though not in name yet in effect a Colony full of Roman Inhabitants and Traders and of great renown for its plenty of all necessary Provisions Having fitted himself here for a while he considered whether he should make this the seat of his War but finding the numbers of his Souldiers not much increased and taking example by the Rashness of Petilius which was sufficiently punished he resolved to March out and by the loss of one Town hoped to save the rest Neither could he be diverted from his Resolution either by the cries or tears of the Inhabitants but taking all with him who were willing to make part of his Army he left the rest whose Age Sex or love to the place would not suffer to follow who were all afterwards miserably slain by the Enemy and their City sackt and destroyed The same slaughter attended the Inhabitants of Verulam for the Britains slighting the Forts and Garrisons of Souldiers flew only at prey and booty and attackt those places which were weakest defended thus
they grew daily lazier in their business rejoycing more in taking Plunder than strong Holds All this while the losses of the Romans were great seventy thousand of them and their Allies are reckoned by Tacitus to be slain and Suetonius numbreth them among the greatest Plagues and Misfortunes attending the evil Government of Nero for what in other Wars is usually in this way utterly excluded no change of Prisoners allowed no Ransomes or giving of Quarter the slaughter was the same in cool Blood as in hot and with Gibbet Fire and Cross the Britains proceeded against them rather as Malefactours than Enemies the Women as well Matrons as Virgins they stripped stark naked hung them up and cutting off their Breasts sowed them to their mouths that in the Agony of death they might seem to devour their own flesh the Britains all the while feasting and making merry in the Temple of Andate their Goddess of Victory Suetonius by this time had got together about 10000 Men well appointed made up of the fourteenth Legion the chief of the Twentieth and some of the Auxiliary Forces from the neighbour Garrisons With these he resolves no longer to delay but to give speedy Battle to the Britains this he signified to his Chief Commanders and withal gives them the Reasons enforcing him to so sudden an Engagement Provisions were grown short the Souldiers eager to revenge the sad Calamities of their Friends and Allies that were fresh in their memories and although but a few in comparison of their Enemies yet were they steady and resolved On the other hand the Britains although swarming in numbers wanting Order and Discipline were grown heady rash and inconsiderate and puffed up with their late success were over confident and forward measuring falsly the reasons of their Victories by their Numbers rather than Courage That now therefore was the time whilest they were glutted in Blood in the midst of their Guilt and vain Confidence and under the Conduct of a Woman to set upon them and in one manful Attempt to regain what in several parcels they had lost This Counsel was followed by all but Poenius Posthumus an Ancient Souldier and now Camp-Master It seemed to him to have more in it of heat than true consideration and proceeding from a rash Bravery rather than Roman Conduct He knew Suetonius to be of a haughty and proud Courage and feared that to vindicate his Honour and Reputation he would hazard and endanger all and be carried beyond the bounds of a sober and just Resolution He advised him therefore not to think as yet of regaining his losses but saving his stake to fortifie and encamp warily and to expect new supplies he shewed that this was alwaies the method of the Roman discipline and that it was never more necessary than in this conjuncture of Affairs that the Britains newly flusht with Victories were grown resolute and undaunted and the Roman Souldiers with their Losses fearful and dead-hearted that it was convenient to give them time to recover their spirits that their Enemies no doubt by delay would grow cooler and their great Numbers would scatter and disperse And it was concluded that it was absolutely necessary to wait for a more hopeful opportunity of Revenge Suetonius notwithstanding persisting in his resolution and although Posthumus utterly refused to joyn with him and contrary to his positive Command withdrew his Legions and encamped yet with the rest of his Forces he went out to seek the Enemy and chose a convenient place to embattle his Army It was an open Plain with a narrow passage into it so that he could not be overwinged by the Enemy on his back was a Wood whose passages being blockt up with huge Trees laid across secured him in the Rear so that the Enemy could not attack him but on the Front the wings of his Army lay to the open Country where he was certain no Ambush could be laid His Legionaries made up the body of his Army and stood thick and well compacted they were lined on all sides with light armed Souldiers and the Horse was placed in the Wings The Britains were drawn up before the mouth of the narrow passage that led into the Plain in such multitudes and nevertheless were extended all abroad in Troops and Companies and with Exaltations and Noises as if they were going to a Triumph rather than a Battle nay so confident were they of Victory that they brought their Wives and Children to be Spectators of that daies work who sat in Charriots upon the skirts of the Plain to behold the sport and to glut their eyes as they made sure account of the slaughter of the Romans Eoadicia her self carrying her Daughters in a Charriot before her as she came to every Nation declared That it was usual for the Britains in times past to make War under the Conduct of a Woman but for her part she desired them not for the present to look upon her Dignities but their Common liberty that though she was their Queen and might justly call upon them to revenge the loss of her Crown and Estate yet she could wave those smaller Considerations and lay before them as matter of just Resentment those horrid Indignities she had received the Violence to her Person and the Rapes of her Daughters She told them That the Insolence of the Romans and their Lust was grown to that height that neither the reverence of Age or the innocency of Virginity could preserve them from dishonour The Gods would be present and assist them in their just Revenge and that one Legion which adventured to fight was cut off the rest that remained either hid themselves in the Camp or were thinking already of an escape That they would not be able to endure the Shouts of so many thousand much less their force and impression and if they with her considered their advantage of Numbers and their Cause they should strive to overcome or die This she a Woman was fixt upon the Men if they pleased might live and be Slaves Dio Cassius places her upon a heap of Turfs with a Spear in her hand and an Hare in her bosom which after a long Oration having before hand said something to introduce it she let loose as a signification of good Omen to her Army Neither was Suetonius in so great an extremity silent and although he relied much upon the Courage of his Souldiers yet he thought it not unnecessary in a business wherein would be decided the whole Controversie of Britain to descend even to Prayers and Entreaties He desired them therefore to despise the vain and empty Noises of the Enemy and to consider that in their Camp were more Women to be seen than Men that weak and unarmed they would soon yield when they came to Contest with Roman Valour which had often overcome them That in great Armies and where there are many Legions the stress of the Battle alwaies lay upon a few and that it
where by piece-meals he was tore asunder his miserable death moving Compassion only in some and such who had been the greatest haters of his life and memory VESPATIANUS IN all the Civil War between VITELLIUS and VESPATIAN no Quarrels or Mutinies arose in the British Army And in the Wars of Otho and Vitellius although through the negligence of Trebellius and Faction of Caelius some differences happeend yet came it never to Blood shed and generally no Legions behaved themselves more harmless possibly because they were so far off and separated by the Ocean or for that they had learnt by continual Service and Warfaring to hate all Hostility When Vespatian declared for the Empire his great favour and reputation in Arms easily won the Island to him He had served from a youth in the British Wars and being Lieutenant of the second Legion under Claudius had fought many Battles and won many Towns from the Britains so that the fourteenth Legion called the Subduer of Britain went actually into his Service and although in the other Legions there were some Centurions and Souldiers who had been advanced by Vitellius and were loath to change the Prince they had proved yet were they also at last brought to his Party for when Mutianus Vespatian then governing the City of Rome had made Agricola a man of great Integrity and faithful to their Party Lieutenant of the twentieth Legion in Britain this Legion was slowest in swearing Allegiance to Vespatian through the sedition of their former Legate by which means it was grown stubborn and hard to be ruled even by the Consular Lieutenants being chosen into his Command to succeed and Revenge He shewed an example of most rare Moderation in choosing to be thought rather to have found them than to have made them dutiful Souldiers And although Vectius Bolanus Lieutenant General of Britain for the time being governed in a more remiss and mild manner than was expedient for so Fierce a Province yet Agricola being placed under him wisely conformed himself to that humour having learnt to discern what was convenient as well as knowing what should be done by which means he tempered the heat of his Spirit which otherwise might have grown too violent upon him But when Vespatian had absolutely in his possession the Government of the World and with it Britain also Now it is we hear of great Captains brave Souldiers and the hopes of the Enemy but small for speedily Petilius Crealis being sent in the room of Bolanus struck a Terrour into them He Invaded the State of the Brigantes a Nation esteemed most populous of all the Province fighting many Battles with them and some not without great Bloodshed For Venutius Prince of the Brigantes who as he heard before was incensed with the Romans for their protection of Cartismandua watching his opportunity of Revenge when the Civil Wars brake out made use of that advantage and fell upon them Sometimes the Victory was on one side sometimes on the other but he held them tack to the last remaining to the end unvanquisht Neither could Crealis touch some parts of his Dominion and although he had a few little Victories yet he had alwaies enough of War To him succeeded Julius Frontinus who following so great a man as Crealis had enough to do to keep up his Reputation But the Fame of his Predecessor could not cloud the worth of his Actions by sorce of Arms he subdued the stout and War-like Nation of the Silures which was more honourable to him in that he had to struggle with the difficulty of Ground as well as the Courage of the Enemy In this condition were Affairs in Britain at the Arrival of Julius Agricola sent hither in the last year of Vespatian He was trained up from his youth in the British Wars and with his Victories extended the Roman Pale beyond all his Predecessors His coming was in the midst of Summer when the Souldiers as if that years work had been over began to be negligent and remiss and the Britains on the other hand too watchful for Advantages The Ordovices already to welcome the new General had lately cut in pieces a squadron of Horse quartered in their Country few escaping and they who were eager for War approved the Example and looked upon it as a leading Card whilest others thought it safer to expect and try first the temper of the new Lieutenant Then Agricola although the Summer was spent the Souldiers dispersed in their quarters and all presumed upon ease and rest for that year though he knew there would be much difficulty in drawing them out to a Winters Expedition and his Officers disswading him from it yet notwithstanding he resolves to meet the danger and gathering together some of the chief Legionary Souldiers and with a small handful of Auxiliaries marching to seek out the Ordovices he found them drawn up in a place of advantage resolving not to quit their Ground which perceiving he advanced to the head of his Army and himself led them on The Souldiers perceiving their General in equal danger followed and by degrees ascended to the Enemy where they made such slaughter that almost the whole Nation of the Ordovtces perished at once Agricola followed this success vigorously and suffered not the fame of this Action to cool by after remissness well knowing that his first Atchievments would be the measure of all his future Successes He resolves therefore to subdue the Isle of Mona from the possession whereof Paulinus was recalled by the Revolt of the Britains Wanting Ships which upon so sudden a Resolution could not be got ready he used Policy in transporting his Men and he commanded them to lay down their Luggage and the chief of the Auxiliaries who were acquainted with the Passage and whose Country use had taught them at once to swim govern their Horses and fight He ordered them to take the water and assault the Enemy the Britains who never dreamt of so near a danger but expected Fleets and Shipping to attack them perceiving the Romans got over cried out for Peace and delivered up the Island esteeming nothing impossible to be done by them who could fight in the midst of the Waters This sudden success got great Fame to Agricola especially in that he employed the time of his Entrance in Labour and War which by other Governours was spent of course in Complements and Congratulations for their Arrivals Neither was he pufft up with vain Conceits by the happiness of the Success he called it not a Victory or Expedition but was content only to say That he had reduced those to their obedience who before had been Conquered Neither did he bedeck with Lawrels his Letters of Advicement to Rome which moderation of his in dissembling his Victories encreased his Honour all people admiring upon what hopes of future Atchievments he could be silent of such great things he had already performed Having thus tried the strength of the Britains the next
thing he gave himself to was to understand the minds and inclinations of the People and like a prudent Person experienced in such Affairs he had learnt That Force and Arms were unable to keep a Nation in obedience unless Injustice and Oppression were removed Whereupon to make sure of Peace he resolved to take away the Causes of War and because the Branches would continually grow unless the Root was cut up and nothing was so powerful as Example he began the Reformation in his own Family reducing it to a convenient Number and good Orders and bridling the Licentious behaviour of his Domesticks a work of as much difficulty and no less honour than the subduing of a Province He suffered the management of no Publick Affairs to pass through the hands of his Attendants or Servitours nor gave any Commands for favour or affection No Souldier was advanced by bribing his Officer nor could any by under-hand means beg an Employment He was accounted fittest for Trust who behaved himself as the best Souldier and although he was not able to execute all things himself yet was nothing done without his privity and consent Small faults he would either wink at or pardon great ones he corrected with severity yet oftner pleased with the repentance of the Criminal than his punishment advancing such as he thought would be careful not to offend by which means he was provoked by the fewer Offences He truly stated the proportion of Corn and Tribute to be paid by which proceeding he cut off the Exactions of his Officers and their unnecessary Fees and other Grievances that were more burthensome than the Tribute it self For the poor People were forced to attend at the publick Granaries which in mockery were fast locked against them and when opened the Publicans obliged them to take greater quantities of Corn than their need required and at a racking price which they were often constrained to sell again at a low rate to make mony for other Necessaries or the payment of their Tribute They proclaimed the Mercates at their distances from the People and lying through bad Roads which Inconvenience could not be bought off without a round sum which if not presently paid the Carts and Waggons of the Inhabitants were prest to remove the Grain which before lay convenient to be delivered out to the great oppression of the Britains and the lucre of the Roman Officers By redressing of these Grievances in his first year he brought Peace into some credit and reputation which before by the negligence or connivance of men in Command had as ill a name as War About this time died VESPATIAN whose Actions in Britain were as great as those in his Empire he was made Legate of a Legion by Claudius and in this Island fought thirty times with the Enemy conquered two potent Nations and above twenty strong Towns He was a moderate Prince if not given too inordinately to the love of Riches and in a Triumph which was given him by the Senate he professed himself rather wearied with the Pomp and long Solemnity than touched with the Honour of it Being about to give up the Ghost he said in a jesting manner to the Standers by I think I am making a God by which saying he secretly reproved them who would be esteemed Gods after they had given the surest Testimonies of their being Men. THE British History IN the same year died Arviragus of whom in the Roman Histories not one word in these Times unless we may take Mr. Hollinsheads word that he was the same with Prasutagus mentioned by Tacitus I know generally the British Histories make him die ten years before but I rather follow Count Palatine as coming nighest to truth who continueth his Reign to this time so that be governed in all thirty five years even to the daies of Titus for had he lived only in the daies of Claudius and Nero how came Javenal to make mention of him in the time of Domitian in these words Omen habes magni clarique triumphi Regem aliquem capies aut de temone Britanno Excidet Arviragus This sure a glorious Triumph do's fore-tell Some King you 'l take or from his British Throne Arviragus will headlong tumble down He died and was buried in Claudiocestria now Glocester a City he had built in the honour of Claudius and left the Kingdom to his Son Marius MARIUS otherwise Meurig or Maw MARIUS succeeded his Father Arviragus as there is difference in his Name so is there also variance concerning the Person The Count Palatine will have him the same with Cogidunus others with Arviragus and some make him a Roman The Controversie is not worth the deciding only this may be said That if the British Kings were to be displaced upon the account of Time as Polidore Virgil hath done some of them there was never greater necessity than now seeing we are got into an uncertain Chronology and so Marius the supposed Cogidunus should be placed before Arviragus who undoubtedly by Roman Authority lived in the daies of Domitian as before hath been shewn In the Reign of this Marius the Picts infested this Island which story for the credit of the British History I shall defer to the end of his Reign and so proceed to the Romans THE CONTINUATION OF THE Roman History TITUS VESPATIAN WHen TITUS entered upon the Empire it was the second year of Agricola's Government in Britain who having in his first Entrance reformed Abuses and taken away the encroachments of his Officers and Collectors when Summer was once come he drew together his Army and breathed them a little with short and quick Marches praising such as kept up to their Ensigns and punishing the straglers and himself alwaies chose the places to encamp in and before-hand searcht the Woods and sounded the Waters they were to pass by which means he suffered not the Enemy to take any rest but continually allarumed them with fresh Excursions Having thus pretty well amazed them he began with kind and gentle Behaviour to shew them the allurements of Peace by which 〈◊〉 many Cities that before stood upon Terms of equality now laid down their Anger gave Hostages and received Garrisons which were all placed with such care and fore-sight and in such places of advantage that never any of them were attempted whereas before no new fortified place in all Britain escaped unattacked The following Winter was spent in wholesome and profitable Devices for to the end that the Britains who lived rude and scattered and so apter for War might be brought to the sence of Pleasures and to live in ease and quiet and in the Institutes and Customes of a Civil life he privately encouraged and in publick promoted the building of Houses Temples and places of general Resort commending the readiness of some and quickning the slowness of others making that which was Necessity to become Emulation And now the Noble-mens Sons he caused to be instructed in the liberal
swiftest of his Horse and his lightest Foot to play on their backs and the whole Army anon to second them with a shout The Britains hearing the Enemy in the Rear were disheartned especially when the day appearing discovered their glittering Ensigns and the Romans took courage and began to fight now not as men doubtful of Victory but ambitious of Honour Now might be seen the Roman Souldiers of their own accord breaking into the Camp and others fighting to get out both Parties contending which should have the most Glory the one in bringing assistance the other in not seeming to have wanted it In this Fight the Britains were vanquished and had they not betook themselves to their old Refuge the Woods and Boggs that day had made a total end of the War After this success the Souldiers were full of life and spirit nothing now seemed hard unto them they generally cried all out to be led into Caledonia and to the utmost bounds of British Earth Nay they who before were for wary and saving Counsel now lookt as big and talked as boasting as any Such is the hard condition of War all challenging a part in what succeeds but the miscarriages were laid upon one The Britains acknowledged themselves beaten not by the Courage of the Souldiers but the cunning and Conduct of the General and therefore they had no less thoughts of themselves than before but made new Levies in order to prosecute the War and before hand carried their Wives and Children into places of security and sent about through the Cities to enter into a Union which was afterwards ratisied with solemn Rights and Sacrifices In the mean time a Cohort of Usipians raised in Germany and sent into Britain having slain a Centurion and other Souldiers that were appointed to exercise them in their Arms took to Sea in three Pinnaces and having killed some of the Marriners whom they suspected the rest they constrained to do their Office Thus having escaped and none knowing what was become of them having no Pilate they were carried at random as the Tide and Wind drave them to and fro the Island using Piracy where they landed But at length as they were reduced to extremity they drew Lots to eat one another and through wonderful difficulties having been driven round the North of the Island they were taken first by the Suevians and afterwards by the Freisians and then sold into Britain where they were discovered These were the first which discovered to the Romans that BRITAIN was an Island The beginning of the next Summer Agricola having sent out his Fleet to scour along the Coast and strike Terrour into the Enemy himself with a flying Army consisting chiefly of Britains whose Courage and Faith he had long experienced came as far as the Mountain Grampius upon which the Enemy was embattled For the Britains not daunted with the ill success of the last Fight and looking for nothing but Revenge or Slavery were got thirty thousand together and more daily expected to come up The Aged themselves would not be exempted from this daies service but as they had been Famous in their time so every one carried before him some Badge or Trophy of his youthful Archievments Amongst the rest Galgacus chief in Authority and Birth when the Army cried out for the signal of Battle to be vgien is said to have spoken to this purpose GALCACUS his SPEECH to his Souldiers before Battle AS often as I consider the cause of the War and our present necessity I am strongly perswaded that this day and this chearful Consent of yours will give beginning and life to the Liberty of all Britain We have every one been made sensible of Slavery no part of the Earth hath protected us from Injury nay the Sea it self is not secure whilest the Roman Fleet there so dreadfully appears to us Arms and Battle which to the Valiant are Honourable prove now the safest refuge of Cowards Hitherto in all the Battles fought against the Romans with various success we have alwaies been esteemed hitherto as a forlorne Hope and upon occasions a powerful Reserve because we the noblest of the Island and seated in the most bidden retirements of it have never so much as seen the Shoars of a truckling Nation or polluted our Eyes with any contagion of Slavery Placed in the extreams of the Earth and Liberty we have lived in the inmost Chambers of Honour beyond which there is no more Earth and besides which there is no Freedom Now the end of Britain is discovered and things known carry less shew and appearance there are no Nations behind to amuse the Enemy Rocks and Waves are on that side and on this Romans whose Pride in vain Ye may seek to satisfie with Service and Submisdemeancur Robbers of the World that having now left no Land to plunder ransack the Sea it self If the Enemy be rich they are greedy of his Wealth if poor they covet Glory whom not the East or West could ever satisfie The only Men in the World that with equal appetite seek out the Rich and the Needy To rob kill and plunder they call Empire and when they have brought desolation to a Country they call it Peace Nature by nearest ties has linkt our Children and Relations to us yet these are taken away and pressed into other Service Our Wives and Sisters if they escape violent Force yet suffer dishonour when they come as Guests or Friends Our Goods and Fortunes they exhaust in Tributes our Corn must supply their Granaries and they wear out our Bodies in cleansing of Woods and Boggs amidst a thousand Stripes and Indignities Slaves which are born to Bondage are sold once for all and afterwards kept at their Masters charges but Britain daily buyes its Bondage and daily maintaineth it And as in a private Family the last Comer is the sport and scorn of his fellow Servants so we who shall newly come to slavery shall be laughed at by the old Drudges of the World It is not to be doubted but our destruction is sought for we have no Fields to Till no Mines to dig in nor no Havens to be cleansed to what purpose therefore should they reserve us a Line The Courage and fierceness of the Subject pleaseth not the jealous Soveraign and our Distance and Secrecy the more safety it yieldeth to us the more to them it is suspected so that laying aside all hopes of Pardon at last take courage as well they who have any respect to their safety as such whose Honour is nearest to them The Brigantes under the Conduct of a Woman fired a whole Colony and forced the Castles and had not the happiness of the success led them into a Sloth and Security they might totally have shaken off the yoak from their gauled Necks We as yet in our full strength and never tamed by any born and not redeemed into Liberty must urge for an Encounter if ever we will shew what manner
Targets they either avoided the Darts or shoke them off and in return liberally bestowed whole showers of their own Agricola perceiving the disadvantage exhorted three Batavian Cohorts and two of the Tungrians that they would bring the Battle to dint of Sword and hand-stroaks which they easily performed being fitted thereto by long exercise The Britains on the other side having little Targets and huge unweildy Swords without points were not so well prepared for the thrust and close and could not endure this sort of grapling so that when the Batavians came to exchange blows with them and to make at their Faces with their pointed Targets and pointed Tucks they easily bore them down and in prosecuting their Victory advanced to the side of the Hill The rest of the Cohorts mixing emulation with force and striking at all that were near them run on in the same course of Victory leaving for haste many behind them half-dead and some untoucht In the mean while the Horse-men fled and the Charriots brake into the Foot but they who had lately terrified others were now distressed themselves being toiled with the thick Ranks of the Enemy or bogled in the uneavenness of the ground Neither was the form of this Fight like a loose skirmishing of Horse-men but each maintaining his ground endeavoured by the weight of their Beasts to bear down the Enemy Now might be seen Charriots without Guiders and the affrighted Horses running too and fro and over-bearing all that met them or thwarted their way When those Britains who had not yet engaged but kept the tops of the Hills as despising the fewness of the Enemy began to draw down by degrees and by taking a compass to fall upon the Romans in their Reer Agricola having suspected their intention with four Squadron of Horse which he had reserved for such a purpose opposed their descent and drave them back with as great violence as they had come on pursuing them to their main Body And now the Counsel of the Britains was turned upon their own heads for Agricola commanded some Troops to be taken from the Front of the Battle and ordered them to second the Horse and fall upon the back of the Enemy Then might have been seen in the open fields a great and dismal spectacle pursuing wounding taking killing those that were taken when others were offered Now whole Regiments of the Britains according to their several dispositions some though Armed and in more number yet turned their backs to the sewer others unarmed ran desperately upon the Weapons of the Enemy Every where lay scattered Arms Bodies and mangled Limbs the ground was covered with Blood and many wallowed in their own Gore yet left not off to give some proofs of their last Anger and Revenge And now a Party of the Britains had secretly possest themselves of some passages in the Woods through which as the Romans advanced and with more heat than discretion pursued the Chase set upon them and unawares dispatched many which had not Agricola perceived and timely prevented the Romans through their over-confidence in the midst of Victory had received a notable Overthrow For he sent some of his best and readiest Cohorts to scour the Woods and guard the Passages and some Troops of Horse were ordered to ride up and down and observe the Coasts and others where the entrances of the Forrests were thicker to allight from their Horses and stand to their Posts which the Britains observing and finding now that the Romans followed the Pursuit close and regularly they all fled not as before in whole Troops and Companies but scattered and dispersed every one for his own security taking into By-paths and out of fear avoiding Friends as well as Enemies until Night and fulness of Blood put an end to their Chase. Of the Britains ten thousand were slain of the Romans three hundred and forty amongst which Aulus Atticus Commander in chief of a Cohort through Youthful heat and the fierceness of his Horse was carried on into the midst of his Enemies The night was spent with joy by the Romans who were full of Victory and Spoil but the poor Britains wandring up and down and Men and Women howling together lugg'd on the wounded and cried help to those that were not hurt Some forsake their Houses others of their own accord out of despite fire their own Houses themselves choosing out Holes to lurk in which they as soon left to find out others Sometimes they communicated Counsels together and then they had some glimmerings of hope other whiles nothing but despair seizes them and then they raged at the sight of their dearest Pledges And it is certain that many with a cruel Compassion laid violent hands on their Wives and Children to secure them from the greater violence of the Romans The day appearing gave an opener Testimony and prospect of the Victory every where desolation and silence the Hills forsaken the Cottages smoaking afar off the Scouts sent abroad brought word that nothing appeared no foot-steps of a general Flight could be discovered nor any Britains drawn in Companies together Hereupon Agricola because the Summer was spent and no fit Season to divide his Forces brings them entire into the Borders of the Horesti supposed the Inhabitants of Eske-Dale in Scotland where receiving Hostages he commanded the Admiral of his Fleet to sail round Britain sending him Forces for that purpose but the Terrour of the Navy was gone before himself with slow and easie Marches to the end he might awe the new Conquered Nations with the delaies of his passage and so by degrees placed his Men in their Winter quarters The Navy with prosperous Winds and good success safely arrived at the Port Trutulensis supposed Richborough near Sandwich from whence it departed and coasting along the nearest side of Britain returned thither again And now most probably if not in the fifth year of Agricola as hath been mentioned the Romans might subdue the Isles of Orkney which others with less reason following Orosius ascribe unto Claudius And this discovery of Britain by the Romans to be an Island was in the eighty sixth year after Christ and the fourth of Domitians Reign Agricola without any amplifying Terms signified the state of Affairs in Britain by Letters to Domitian who after his usual Custome received them with a joyful Countenance yet within was he sad at heart And certainly the Courage of this Prince cannot be better described than in his carriage to this worthy General For being inwardly pricked to think that by his own counterfeit Triumph over the Germans to fill out which for want of true Captives he was forced to buy such as by their Hair and Attire might Personate them he would now become the scorn and derision of the World when they should hear of the great and true Victories of Agricola so many thousand slain and the Fame of such Atchievments spread quite abroad and fearing withal that the name of a Private man
of the dead Carkasses They who escaped the Battle hastned to London intending with the Pillage of that City to escape by Sea but it so happened that another Party of Constantius his Army by the thick Mist at Sea severed from the rest of their body took their way directly to that City and arrived just in the nick of time to relieve it And now great slaughter was made of the Franks through all the Streets and the Citizens not only received safety by the overthrow of their Enemies but had the pleasure in beholding their deliverance At that time it was as our Chronicles record that Lucius Gallus was slain by a little Brook which ran almost from the middle of the City and of him was called in the British Nant-Gall in English Walbrooke which name is preserved in that Street wherein runneth a Common-shoar in the place as is supposed of that River All this seemeth by Eumenius who then lived and was of Constantius's Household to have been done in one continued course of Action and so Sigonius a Learned Writer taketh it but others allow three years to the Tyranny of Alectus The Recovery of the Province by these great Successes gave occasion to that Panegyrick entituled to Maximian only but penn'd to the honour of both Emperours in which are many things that shew the state of the Island in those daies and relate particularly to the Inhabitants the strength and grandure of the Nation By our Historians it is cited by piece-meals as their occasions served to make use of it but I have thought fit to set it down intire with some Remarks upon divers occurrences therein mentioned THE Panegyrick Oration ASCRIBED TO MAMERTINUS In Praise of the EMPEROURS DIOCLESIAN and MAXIMIAN Intituled only to MAXIMIAN WHEN the compass of the whole World Most Victorious Emperour by your Princely Conduct was recovered not the Roman World only that is the Ancient bounds and limits of the Empire but new Nations subdued and the Borders brought into Obedience when Germany had been so often vanquisht and Sarmatia discomfited when the Vitungi Quadi and Carpi were driven to flight and the Goth himself submitted when the King of Persia by Gifts and Presents sought his peace there was one thing still left behind and wanting to the compleating of the whole which we will not stick to confess sorely grieved us and seemed the more reproachful and intolerable for that as it were in despite of so mighty an Empire and Government it still held out and suffered not the full accomplishment of your perfect Renown and Glory For as the name of BRITAIN is but one so the loss of it to the Common-wealth ought not to be esteemed small and inconsiderable a Land so plentiful of Corn and rich in Pasture so full of Mines and veins of Mettal so gainful in Tributes and Revenues so accommodated with Havens and of Circuit so large and spacious insomuch that CAESAR the beginner of your Royal Dignity and the first discoverer of that Island thought he had found a NEW WORLD supposing it of so vast an extent that it could not be environed by the Sea but rather that it encompassed the Ocean it self Now Britain at that time was not furnished with Ships of War nor the Romans themselves at first but soon after the Wars of Carthage and Asia and through their frequent Engagements with the Pirates and Mithridates they were grown as skilful at Sea as Land The British Nation even in those daies was accustomed only to the Picts and Irish Fnemies like themselves half naked and not acquainted with Armour so that for the want of knowledge therein they were not able to withstand the Roman force and the only Glory Caesar gained in his Expeditions was that he had passed the Ocean But in this dangerous and base Revolt the Fleet which formerly guarded the Coasts of Gallia was seized by the Pirate at his flight and a great number of other Ships new built after the form and fashion of the Romans Besides the Roman Legion was surprized and constrained to take part with the Enemy and divers Companies of Strangers that were Souldiers also were sent aboard and shut up and then forced to serve against us The Merchants and Factours of Gallia were Listed in abundance and no small number of barbarous Nations invited by the Spoil of the Provinces were procured to their assistance all trained to Sea-service by the diligent instructions of the Rebels the first attempters of this mischievous practice And though our Armies in Strength and Courage were invincible yet as to Sea Affairs they were raw and unexperienced insomuch that this War was noised about as likely to continue long and troublesome and although we hoped well of the Success yet the fame of the Rebels Advantages sounded in the ears of all And what added Courage to their side was the long impunity they had enjoyed in their wicked practices their minds were puffed up with Presumption and their former despair heartened into Boldness and Insolence They haughtily gave out Our stay was the Fear we had conceived of them whereas indeed the disadvantages by Sea by a fatal necessity deferred our Victory only till a more convenient opportunity offered it self But they would not believe that the War was put off for a time by sober advice and counsel but rather that it was totally omitted through despair of doing any good against them insomuch that grown secure and fearless of Common punishment one of the Captains slew the Arch-Pirate or Captain-Rover as I may call him hoping in reward of so great an Enterprize to gain the whole Government to himself This War then being both so necessary in the undertaking so difficult in performance and on the Enemies part grown to such a stubborn and stiff management by the pride of their great Provisions you most Noble Emperour did so take in hand that so soon as you bent the terrible Force of your Imperial Majesty against them it presently was the Judgment of all that the Enterprize was already performed For first of all by intercession made to your Majesty it was provided before hand that the barbarous Nations a thing chiefly to be fore-seen by the absence of your divine Power should not take advantage to raise new Troubles for You your self in Person You I say Mighty Lord Maximian Eternal Emperour vouchsafed to advance the coming of Your divine Excellence by the speediest way that might be which to your wisdom was not unknown You therefore suddenly came to the Rhine and not with an Army of Horse and Foot but with the terrour of your Presence did preserve and defend that Fronteir For Maximian being once upon the River countervailed the greatest Army that could be produced for you most Invincible Emperour furnishing and arming divers Fleets made the Enemy so uncertain of his own proceedings and void of Counsel that then at length he might perceive that he was not
have been a mixture of Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy therefore they were divided accordingly under the Government of a King Senate and Commonalty the power and prerogative of their KING was First Jus rerum Sacrarum a Right over all Ecclesiastical Affairs to constitute what Religious Orders he pleased and to see that all Sacrifices and their Ceremonies were rightly performed and to offer up in his own Person as being their Pontifex Maximus in case their Wars did not call him aside all Propitiatory Oblations for the appeasing and averting the Anger of the Gods Secondly Legum morumque Patriarum custodiam the preservation and interpretation of all Laws and Customes whatsoever the determining of all Controversies of weight referring all business of smaller consequence to the decision of the Senate yet in case of wrong Judgment reserved to himself a power of otherwise adjudging the Matter as the cause required Thirdly Jus Senatus Comitiorum a power of assembling Senate and People propounding what he thought convenient but first giving his Opinion of it again yet that constantly took place and prevailed most which was confirmed by the Suffrages of the greatest number In the dispose of the Senate or Great Councel of the City was the Publick Treasury and consequently the ordering of the Revenues and Expences of the State the Treasurers themselves having no power unless for the use of the Kings and that of the Consuls afterwards to expend upon any Publick account whatsoever without an especial Order and Decree of Senate Under their cognizance also fell enormous and heinous Crimes committed within the Confines of Italy likewise of protecting and taking into favour any private Person or City of Italy that implored the favour of their assistance Fourthly That Great and Royal Prerogative of sending Embassadours and giving Audience to those of Forreign Princes was solely in the Power of the Senate These Senatours at the sacking of Rome by the Gauls were singly taken for Gods and together by Pyrrhus his Embassadours for so many Kings at an interview Tarquin Sirnamed the Elder was so tender of displeasing them that being presented by the Hetrurians with a Golden Crown and an Ivory Scepter with an Eagle on the top he refused to appear in publick with those Ensigns of Majesty till he had leave from the Senate and People which Custome the succeeding Kings afterwards retained The Election of their Kings and afterwards of the chief Ministers of State the making of Laws concluding on War or Peace was altogether in the Jurisdiction of the People By such Polity these Kings secured themselves from danger of the suspicion of Tyranny and consequently assured and confirmed themselves in the love of their Subjects Neither could the People reasonably desire innovation or change where they were governed by no other Magistrates than of their own choosing where they were obliged to live under no other Laws than of their own making or forced to be engaged to any other Wars than of their own concluding By this kind of Equilibrium of Power was Rome peaceably and happily governed by its first Kings the Royal Prerogative seldom interfering with the Peoples priviledge But Tarquin Sirnamed the Proud overstraining his Prerogative spoiled the harmony and concord of the whole Government the King and People being before like a fifth and eighth that are Unisons strike one and the other shakes that is they were highly concerned in the honour of their King and the King in the loss and sufferings of his people But Tarquin who had seized on the Throne by Violence and Usurpation was resolved to defend it by Rapine and Murther and justifie them too by Insolence though as insupportable as both At his receiving the Title of MAJESTY he seemed to have laid down all his Humanity for after the murthering his Father-in-law over whose dead Corps Tarquinius his Wife commanded her Coach-man to drive at her return from proclaiming her Husband KING he trampled on both Priviledges and People Some he banisht by his Cruelty others through the insupportableness of his Behaviour he committed continual Mafsacres and Butcheries on the Senate and People So that while this Feaver lasted Rome was like the Torrid Zone supposed by the Ancients too hot to be inhabited But the People by the disposition and vertue of their Primitive Laws being too well acquainted with Majesty to be made any longer Slaves finding the Kings resolutenets and violent Nature not at all to be moved by their Complaints which were constantly blasted with the odious Name of Rebellion and Treason upon the ravishing the beautiful Lucretia by Tarquin's Son Sextus being animated and headed by Brutus and Collatinus were inraged to that degree of Courage that they began to expostulate their Liberty with their Swords in their hands driving the Tyrant taught by his own Example from the Throne into perpetual banishment teaching Governours what it is to out-live the Affections of their well-meaning Subjects After this they stood up so stiffly for Liberty that though Porsenna King of Hetruria commiserating Tarquin's condition came with a puissant Army to re-instate him in the Roman Throne yet they maintained their cause so gallantly and gave so many signal Testimonies nay miracles of their Valour witness the Actions of Horatius Cocles Mutius Scaevola that Porsenna of a terrible Enemy became a generous Friend and chose rather to make Peace with them although the Victory was well nigh assuredly his own than unjustly oppress so much an injured Vertue That they might the better hereafter stop the Precipice of their future ruine and free themselves from the like Jealousies and Fears they first made it their business to render the word KING as detestable and odious as the power of a Tyrant And the People taking a solemn Oath never to admit Monarchy among them for the future they erected a Government consisting of two Officers chosen out of the Patrioii whom they called CONSULS named so from their Duty not their Power They were two that one might be a stop and check to the Ambition of the other Their Government was Annual that through shortness of time and multiplicity of business they might not have leisure enough to fall in love with the Majesty and Grandeur of their Office supposing they would govern the better when they knew that afterwards they were to live private Men under the Commands of others But Brutus and Collatinus who had been the chief Authors and sticklers in expelling Tarquin were chosen Consuls by the People yet they fearing Tyranny might run in a Blood deposed Collatinus in a short time after for being a kin to Tarquinius Superbus though he was Husband to Lucretia who had been so lately ravisht substituting Valerius Publicola in his place who to oblige and secure the Fears of the People caused his own House to be pulled down because it looked so like a Castle and place of Defence Brute on the other side hearing that there was a plot on foot among the young
own minds with what care did they make Gods of Diseases and Corruptions and how diligently did they feign out of their own brains particular Gods to preside over particular Matters When they sate down before a City with their Army they first by Enchantments and Spells conjured the Gods of the place to desert their Enemies and the Roman Priest in the face of the whole Army invited them to Rome promising them better accommodations and statelier Temples than their Native Countries could afford them And lest other Nations should serve them the same trick they constantly concealed the true name of their City that the name of their Tutelar Gods might not be discovered The Athenians had Altars erected to the Unknown Gods lest by leaving any out of the Catalogue they might incur their displeasure The Athenians but especially the Romans had such an opinion of the certainty and infallibility of Soothsaying that the last are said scarce ever to have undertaken any Action of importance either within their City or without before they had first consulted their Augures and if at any time they had been beaten by their Enemies they commonly attributed their Mischance to the omission of some Rite or Ceremony or other when the defeat plainly proceeded from the ill management of their Affairs by their Commanders Of SOOTH-SAYING there are fonr kinds FIrst AUSPICIUM in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a way of Sooth-saying or divining by Birds when such or such Birds flie before or behind on the right or the left to shew what it doth prognosticate sometimes from the number of them whence Romulus had promised to him the Empire before his Brother because he had seen a double number of Vultures and lastly from the nature of them Secondly ARUSPICIUM under which is comprehended what by the Greeks is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an observing whether the Beast to be sacrificed came to the Altar willingly or no or whether he died without strugling or bellowing In the next place they made an inspection into his Bowels to see whether they were of a natural Colour whether they were corrrpted or exulcerated whether any parts were wanting this is that part of it which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latins Extispicium The next thing presented to their consideration at these Sacrifices was the Flame observing whether it presently consumed the Sacrifice whether it were of a pure bright and lively colour whether thick or smoaky whether it burnt without crackling noise or ejaculation of its sparkles This the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the signs by which they foretold events are termed by AEschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latins learnt this Art from the Hetrurians and they were instructed in it by one Tages who appearing to certain Plough-men out of a furrow gave them many good and wholsome instructions concerning this kind of Sooth-saying Thirdly TRIPUDIUM was a conjecture of Future success by the dancing or rebounding of Crums cast unto Chickens which was performed after this manner Silence being commanded and to the Coop where the Fowls were opened they cast down crumbs of Bread if the Chicken came slowly or not at all or walked up and down carelessly without minding the Bread then should the business fall out unsuccessful but if they hastily leapt out of the Coop and fed greedily as if some crumbs should fall out of their mouths again it betokened happiness and good success Fourthly AUGURIUM was a fore-telling things from the chattering of Birds or from any sudden or surprizing sounds or voices of which we can give no cause or reason After the destruction and sacking of Rome by the Ganls it was disputed by the Fathers whether they should remove to Veii then a noise of a Centurion being heard told them 'T was best tarrying where they were that immediately they gave over all thoughts of a Removal And the death of CAESAR was divined from the clattering of Armour in his house The Athenians and Romans very much agreed in superstitiously observing good daies and bad making several conjectures from the Weather from the crossing of the way by a Hare or Cat from a Hens crowing from the entring of a black Dog into their Houses c. That which was first adored in the World instead of its Creatour is supposed by some to be the Sun which was occasioned by some broken Traditions conveyed by the Patriarchs to their Children touching the dominion of the Sun by day and by the constant wondring of the Heathens themselves at the glorious constitution and admirable course of that Coelestial body with the infinite advantages it daily bestowed on Mankind Upon the same account soon after ' came the Moon to be worshipped the chief place from whence this poyson dispersed it self over the East is thought by Meade to have been Babylon from Revelations 17. 15. where Babylon is called the Mother-Harlot that is saith he the First parent of Idols for as Babel was the first seat of Temporal Monarchy so is it of Idolatry which is more probable than the Opinion of Diodorus Siculus which makes the AEgyptians the first Inventers of this Superstitious worship This kind of Idolatry was very early brought into Greece if we will give any credit to Plaeto who in his Cratylus speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It seems to me that the Ancient Inhabitants of Greece had the same Gods the Barbarians have now viz. the Sun and Moon And Plutarch affirms in the Life of Pericles That they worshipt the Sun punishing the neglect thereof with death and that this kind of Sun-worship was known to the Romans also in its very Infancy may be proved from the Testimonies of Ter. Varro and Dio Halicarnassaeus who affirm That Tatins King of the Sabines was the first at Rome that consecrated Houses to the Honour of the Sun and Moon Now this as it was the most ancient Theology of the Heathens so was it in it self more reasonable and natural than that which was taught the People by the Poets called Poetick or fabulous Theology For they lighting on some imperfect Relations concerning the Creation and some broken Traditions touching GOD and the Wonders he wrought in the behalf of his People have so strangly inveloped the Truth by delivering it in a dark and mystical sense and by mixing it with divers trumperies and figments of their own brains that the lustre of Moses's Writings could scarce be discovered For they made their Verses and Songs more to please and wheedle the weak Multitude into an opinion of their Wisdom and veneration of their Persons than by any solid reason to satisfie the minds of their Auditors concerning those new-fangled Deities What an infinite number of Gods and strange Legends concerning them did they invent and hammer out from the Attributes and Miracles of the Great and True GOD and from the confused
half in length but if the place wherein they were encamped would afford no such Turf then they strengthned the loose earth with Boughs and Faggots The Rampier they properly called Agger the outside whereof that hung over the Ditch they used to stick with thick and sharp Stakes fastned deep in the Mound for their better security The Camp had four Gates the first was called Porta praetoria which was alwaies behind the Emperours Tent and this Gate did usually look towards the East or to the Enemy or that way the Army was to march The Gate opposite to this was called Porta decumana a decimis Cohortibus for the tenth or last Cohort in every Legion was lodged to confront this Gate By this Gate the Souldiers went out to fetch their Wood Water and Forrage and this way their Offenders were carried to Execution The two other Gates were called Portae principales for as much as they stood opposite to both ends of that so much respected place which they called Principia on'y distinguisht by these Titles of Laeva principalis dextra the lest and right hand principal Gate All these Gates were shut with Doors and in standing Camps fortified with Turrets upon which were planted Engines of defence Their Tents were made of Skins and Hides held up with props and fastned with Ropes eleven Souldiers being contained in a Tent which society was called Contubernium the chiefest of whose company was named Caput Contubernii The Romans never suffered their Souldiers to lodge one night without the Camp where they were enclosed with Ditch and Rampier and for the greater security of every Member every one both Free and Servile were sworn by the Tribunes not only not to take away any thing by stealth but also if they found any thing to bring it to the Tribunes The Romans divided the whole night into four Watches every Watch containing three hours The first began at six of the Clock at night and ended at six in the Morning and these Watches were distinguished by several notes and sounds of Cornets or Trumpets that by distinction and diversity it might easily be known what Watch was sounded The Charge and Office of sounding Watches belonged to the chief Centurion of a Legion whom they called primus Pilus or primus Centurio at whose Pavilion the Trumpeters attended to be directed by his Hour-glass We must take notice that the chief Ensigns of the Romans of every Legion was an Eagle which alwaies attended upon the principal or chief Centurion of the said Legion The Ensign of a Maniple was either an Hand Dragon Wolf or Sphinx as it appeareth beside the testimony of History by the Column of Trajan at Rome where in the Ensigns are sigured with such portraitures so that these resembling the proportions of living Creatures bad their fore-parts alwaies carried that way which the Legions were to march or where they were to fight When the General had determined to sight he hung upon the top of his Tent a scarlet Coat or Flag that thereby the Souldiers might be warned to prepare for Batde The second warning was the proclaiming Battle by sound of Trumpet and this was a noise of many Trumpets at once which they termed by the name of Classicum a Calando which signisieth Calling The third was the encouraging of Souldiers with an Oration and confirming their Valour by the strong motives of Reason The Roman way of Victualling was far more advantagious than ours which was performed by Sutlers for 't is impossible that they should follow an Army upon Service in the Enemies Country twenty or thirty daies together with sufficient provision for such a multitude of Men whereby a General is often forced to hazard the whole upon unequal terms or to sound an unwilling Retreat But the Roman Camp was either furnisht with Corn from the Provinces and next Confederate Nations or when they were in an Enemies Country in the time of Harvest by the Souldiers themselves who reaped and gathered Corn and delivered it threshed and cleansed to the Treasurer that it might be kept till the day of payment upon which was delivered out so much Corn to every Souldier for a certain time which the nature of our Victuals will not admit by which measure they very well knew the next day of payment Every Foot-man received after the rate of a bushel a Week which was thought sufficient for him and his Man for if they had paid them in Mony it might have been wasted in unnecessary expences This Corn they ground with Hand Mills which they alwaies carried with them for that purpose making it into hasty Cakes for themselves and their Servants To sell or exchange this Corn for Bread was accounted a great Crime insomuch that Salust reckons it up amongst other dishonours of the Discipline corrupted In their assaulting or taking Towns they used several defensive Engines after they had encompast the Town with a broad and deep Ditch they raised a Rampier or Mount called Agger made of Earth and other substance which by little and little was raised forward until it approacht near the place against which it was built that upon it they might erect Fortresses and Turrets and so fight with advantage of height The sides of this Mount were of Timber to keep in the loose matter the fore-parts which were towards the place of Service were open without any Timber-work for on that part they still raised it and brought it nearer the Walls The Romans often raised these Mounts in the mouth of an Haven to over-top the Town They used also moveable Turrets with wheels driving them to the Walls of a Town these were of two sorts great and little the lesser sort are described by Vitruvius to be sixty Cubits high and the square side seventeen Cubits the breadth at the top was a fifth part of the breadth at the Base and so they stood sure without danger of falling There were commonly ten stories in these little Turrets and Windows in every story in every one of these stories were Souldiers Engines Ladders Casting-Bridges by which they got upon the Walls and so entred the Town The forepart of these Turrets were covered with Iron and Welt-coverings to save themselves from fire They had another Engine termed Vinea which was a little House or Hovel made of light Wood that it might be removed with greater ease the roof was supported by divers Pillats of a foot square whereof the foremost was eight foot high and the hindmost six and between every one of these Pillars was sive soot in distance It was alwaies made with a double Roof the first or lower Roof was of thick Planks the upper of Hurdles to break the force of any weight cast upon it without destroying the building The sides were of Hurdles to defend the Souldiers the upper Roof commonly covered with raw Hides to keep it from burning Many of these Hovels were joyned together in rank and order when they went to
called Paludamentum and the Souldiers usual Coat Sagum Of the Womens Garments THE Matrons and honester sort of Women wore a long Robe or Vestment called Stola which came down to their heels bordered about at the bottom but the Roman Courtizans were known by their wearing Gowns a proper attire for those that were more in love with Mens Breeches than their own Petticoats They wore also a Pallium or Mantle which on occasion they put over their Stola's and Tunicks something differing from those which were worn by Men and Boys They secured and defended their stomacks against Cold with a Capitium or Stomacher their Shoulders and Breasts they streightly bound with Swadling-bands left the shoulders should grow too broad or start out and prove unequal or lest their Breasts should swell into too large a round they had their Tire-women and many of the waies of dressing their Heads and setting off their Faces as ours have now adaies This full account have I given you of the Romans not only to shew you the manner of the People but the nature of their Government if not all part of which doubtless they used during so many hundred years time they had by their Conquest reduced this Island in subjection to their Empire and Government The Old ROMANS as I said before were nothing but a Company of Thieves and Out-Laws which Juvenal very plainly and ingeniously affirms in these following Verses checking a Roman Citizen overvaluing himself upon the account of his Nobility Attamen ut longè repetas longéque revolvas Majorum quisquis primus fuit ille tuorum Aut Pastor fuit aut illud quid dicere nolo Boast not proud Roman thy Nobility Should'st thou but search into thy Family Who ever of it was the first and Chief Was Shepheard or I 'm loath to name 't a Thief They appeared to their Neighbours but especially the Sabines so contemptible that they esteemed it a scandal to their Families to give them their Daughters in Marriage and had not the Romans by a subtle Wile suddenly surprized them they had been cut off for ever bearing the name of a People Afterwards they proved a very Just Grave and sober sort of Men but above all things extreamly Ambitious Semper appetentes gloriae praeter caeteras Nationes sunt Romani saies Tully The ROMANS were ever beyond all Nations desirous of Glory And that they were Valiant and strangly Resolute in as great a measure is evident from History for in the lowest ebb of Fortune and greatest distress of the Common-wealth when no Human wisdom could perceive any way of escaping infallible Ruine then were they proudest their Demands almost insolent and their Hopes outwardly greatest What Answer did they send to Pyrrhus a Captain among Historians of no mean Reputation just before the Battle near the River Siris under Laevenus their Consul That they had neither chosen him their Judge nor feared him their Enemy and though he after this Battle in which they were utterly defeated and in all probability likely to be beaten again and again by his Embassadour Cyneas underhand sued nay would have bribed them to appease yet they sent word that before that could be done he must first depart out of Italy neither in the height of Hannibals good Fortune did they ever wrong the Roman Courage with the least thought of Irresolution and Despair What happy Constellation was predominant at the founding of the City of Rome I cannot certainly tell but that it was led and directed by the especial care and providence of the Gods whose favour it had merited and to whom it was most dear above all other places may be reasonably presumed on from the inconsiderableness of its beginning and the continuance and long-life of its Empire Thus much we have discoursed purposely on the Romans for the benefit of those that understand not Latin that they may in some measure be acquainted with some few of their Customes and the forms of Government used by those Ancient Hero's thereby to know how much we owe to their Memories for certainly we ought to be obliged rather to them for their Victories than any waies concerned at their Conquests who were to us and most Nations elsewhere rather civil Tutors than domineering Tyrants Wheresoever they came unless highly provoked they built and beautified more than they destroyed and treated the Inhabitants as Friends and Allies rather than bitter Enemies What infinite pains did they take in mending the Roads of many Counties and making their rough and boggy places passable for producing commerce and acquaintance amongst the Natives themselves At what vast expences did they maintain their Legionary Souldiers and erect Courts of Judicature for quelling the private Animosities of the Inhabitants when the Revenues they exacted would scarce quit Charges or the place it self prove worth the keeping excepting that of Great Britain So that all their Cruelties we can complain of is the reducing of the Savage Nations by force of Arms to a compliance with their reasonable Laws when milder usage could not effect it Neither have we reason to think much at the loss of our Liberty when 't was exchanged for such a glorious Subjection under which slavery we lived more happy than under our own mild Extravagances which hurried us headlong into a thousand Inconveniences The Romans relinquished BRITAIN suffering the Government to relapse into the Natives hands upon those Letters of Discharge sent hither by Honorius then with the Empire to use Mr. Miltons own words fell also what before in this Western WORLD was chiefly Roman namely Learning Valour Eloquence History Civility and even Language it self the particulars of which have been more largely shewn in a former Treatise A CATALOGUE OF THE British KINGS In the Time of the SAXONS KING Vortigern entred upon the Government An. Chr. 481 and Reigned 37 years Vortimer his Son 06 Vortigern's Restauration compleated his 37 years Government Ambrosius Aurelianus 10 Uter Pendragon 16 Arthur 51 Constantine the Fourth 04 Aurelius Conanus 03 Vortipor Sinduallus 04 Malgo 05 Cathericus 03 Gaduanus 22 Gadwallo 48 THE HISTORY OF THE British KINGS In the Daies of the SAXONS WITH Some necessary Observations upon the Monument of Stone-Henge Part whereof still remains upon Salisbury-Plain in the County of Wilts THIS Catalogue of the British Kings is the sacred Relick of that memorable and scattered State only remaining at the entrance of the Saxons into this Kingdom who for several years after their Invasion evidenced not only their affection to their Country in maintaining considerable oppositions against their Enemies but justified also their Tempers and Spirits to be not inferiour to the undertakings of their Predecessours CONSTANTINE at the Request of the Archbishop of London made in the name of the whole Kingdom of BRITAIN after his Banishment entred the Isle upon certain Terms and Conditions before-hand concluded and confirmed with an Army by whose power and assistance was given to the Enemy a considerable
but the only Argument to prove this a British Monument is Catigern's Tomb who fell in a Battle against Horsa where the Tomb only differs from this in bigness and as being fixed without Mortises and Tenons as we have it expressed by Mr. Cambden in his description of Kent wherein he sets down several other things worthy of observation relating to that Country THE CONTINUATION OF THE British KINGS In the Daies of the SAXONS TO Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded his Brother UTER PENDRAGON a Prince nothing inferiour to him either in Valour or Fortune he is reported a Roman but the greatest demonstration we have of his being so was that whilest he lived he not only buoyed up the sinking genius of Britain by his own Vertues but had also freed this ISLE from a troublesome Intruder as the Saxon in all probability was like to prove had not Divine providence preordained to the contrary si Pergama dextra Defendi potuisse etiam hac defensa fuisset Before he came to the Crown he was sent by Aurelius who then lay sick to oppose Pascentius Vortigern's second Son a Man likely to prove a dangerous Enemy as pretending to the Crown and at that time in conjunction with another malevolent Planet GILLAMARE King of Ireland Against these Uter prudently made all the haste he could with resolution upon the first opportunity to give them Battle lest this new Pretender through length of time might steal away the Affections of the unstable Britains and he himself bring his own Credit in question by delaying the Engagement insomuch that the one being actuated by his own natural fierceness from whence termed UTER the other spurr'd on by Ambition the Fight for a long time stood doubtful but in the end Pascentius and his Irish Associates were slain ill defending their claim to that which their Fathers before them held by as bad a Title Aurelius being dead and himself freed from all Competitors in the Kingdom he began to have an eye upon the proceedings of the Saxons For understanding how Esk and Occa Hengist's Sons had harrassed and spoiled the Country as far as the City of York with all the speed therefore imaginable he wade after these Free-Booters and as suddenly defeated them taking the two Brethren prisoners A good natured Prince without doubt that spared the Lives of those that were by piece-meal stealing his Kingdom and whose Father but a little before had sacrificed 300 of his Nobility In this Prince his time landed Kerdic the Saxon a new Enemy sierce and hardy who notwithstanding all opposition Pendragon could make daily discomsited the Britains and gained Territories large enough for himself and his Followers Now whether this happened whilst he was doting on the fair Dutchess of Cornwall and so could not spare time to attend their Motions sure it is we read that the Britains to recover what they had lost set upon the Saxons under the Conduct of Natanleod or Nazeleod a certain King of Britain but were sufficiently routed by Kerdic and his Saxons from whence the place in Hantshire as far as Kerdicsford now Chardford was called of old Nazaleod Now some and not improbably suppose this Nazeleod to be the right name of Uter Pendragon who for the terrour of his eagerness in fight became more known by the Sir name of Uter signifying in the Welch Tongue dreadful as Edward was termed the Black Prince for the same Reason We shall speak nothing here of his lying with Igren Dutchess of Cornwall nor how by the art of Merlyn he was made so like the Duke of Cornwall that neither the Dutchess nor Servants could perceive the cheat contenting our selves since it cannot be helped that from that adulterous Bed the vertuous Prince Arthur sprang ARTHUR after the death of Pendragon his Son Arthur by the Dutchess of Cornwall was advanced to the Throne being then not above fifteen years old early he came by his honour and as early troubles the usual Concomitants of it overtook him but on purpose as it seems to make him more glorious For Lotho King of the Picts and Gouran King of the Scots having married Anna and Alda the Sisters of Uter laid claim to the Crown in right of their Wives These had Justice on their side and Arthur eleven points of the Law Possession and a good Sword to make it good they often backt their Pretences with a good Army and were as often defeated by this young Prince yet not so throughly but that they held him in Plea all his life-time upon occasions assisting the Saxon against him and at Cambula in Cornwall saith Leland this British Hector encountering Mordred Lotho's Son slew him outright and received of him his own deaths wound Ninnius reports that he over-threw the Saxons in twelve great Battels but with what credit I know not Kerdic the Saxon during all the time of Arthurs Reign continually gained ground of him and possest himself of Somerset and Hantshire in defyance of all the opposition he could make against him but after the fight at Mount Badon the Saxons are said to have sate down quietly for a good while after which those restless Spirits would scarce have done had they not stood in fear of an Army more powerful than their own Therefore we may with some Reason believe he gave the Saxons some considerable defeat and might with all probability have eased the Kingdom of that troublesom Enemy had not his generous Spirit been almost consumed and over-wearied by their continual Supplys Fame has done no Prince more Injury than this for by representing him so far beyond all proportion she has made him Monstrous and by her over-fond talking hath made Posterity suspect with some reason whether there ever was any such Person The Bards styled him IMPERATOR BRITANNIAE GALLIAE GERMANIAE DACIAE now who can believe that he should ramble so far to purchase new Countreys especially with the blood of his own People that could not defend his own against the Enemy at home Caradoc relates that Melvas King of that Country which is now called Somerset detained from him his wife Guenever in the Town of Glaston for the space of a whole year and afterwards restored her at the desire of Gildas not by any compulsion or force that Arthur could make against him If this be true then Arthur seems to be a very unlikely Man to run-over Germany that could not chastise the affront of a little Prince of Somerset that had so much defiled his Bed Now the greatest Argument we have to prove there was ever such a Man as ARTHUR is this King HENRY the Second whilest he was at Pembroke diligently hearkning to a Welch Bard that was singing the notable Exploits of King ARTHUR and taking particular notice of the place of his Burial the Song designing it to be in the Churchyard of Glastonbury and that betwixt two Pyramids commanded for his further satisfaction that they should dig thereabouts When they came some
Brocmale by name their Captain who was to defend them being intent at their Prayers from the Swords of the Barbarians But when Edilfrid had understood the cause of their coming he said If therefore they cry unto their God against us certainly they although they bear no Arms fight against us who prosecute us by their Prayers therefore he commanded the first slaughter to be made upon them afterwards he utterly overthrew the rest of the Forces of that wicked Army yet not without great loss of his own They report that there were killed in this fight of those that came to pray about twelve hundred Men only fifty escaping by flight Brocmale upon the first coming of the Enemy fled away with his Company leaving those unarmed and whom he ought to have defended naked to the hacking Swords of their Enemies So was fulfilled the Prophecy of the holy Bishop Augustine although he went to Heaven long before it that such perfidious people might feel the revenge of a temporal death who despised the advice offered them of eternal salvation The Answer of the Abbot of Bangor to Augustine the Monk requiring subjection to the Church of Rome Bid ipfis Be it known a and diogel without doubt i chwi yn unto you bod ni holl un that we all are ac arral yn and every one of us uvidd obedient ac and ynn ostingedig subjects i Eglwys Duw to the Church of God ac and ic Paab to the Pope o Ruvain of Rome ac and i boob to every kyar grissdion dwyual godly Christian y garu to love pawb every one yn i radd in his degree mewn in kariad parfaich perfect charity ac and i helpio to help pawb every one o honaunt of them ar air by word a and guec-thred deed i to vod be ynn blant the children y Duw of God ac and amgenach wyddod other obedience na hwn than this nidadwent vod I do not know due it neb to him yr yddeck chwi whom you name y benwi yn Paab to be Pope ne in Daad o Daad nor to be the Father of Fathers yw to be gleimio claimed ac and yw ouunn to be demanded ac uvyddod hivn and this obedience idden ni we are yn vared ready yw rodde to give ac and yw dalu to pay iddo ef to him ac and i pab to every krisdion Christian yn dragwiddol continually heuid yr Besides ydym ni we are dan under the lywodrath government Esgob of the Bishop kaerllion of Kaerleon ar wysc upon Uske yr hien who ysidd is yn oligwr to oversee dan under Duw God arnom ni over us y wneuthud to cause i ni us gadwr to keep ffordd the way ysbrydol spiritually The Abbot of Bangor which gave Augustine this Answer was without doubt the renowned Dinoth as will appear afterwards in a Norman Manuscript 'T is manifest also as well from his Answer as from those that are related above by Bede that the British Church at that time acknowledged no Subjection either to the Roman Bishop or any other forraign Patriarch neither had it any Communion with the Roman Church but 't was subject as from the days of Eleutherius to a Metropolitan of its own as to the Pope or Patriarch of another World the Archbishop of Kaerleon who as 't is reported acknowledged no superior in dignity but yn obligar Dan Dum under God governed the Church and People committed to his Charge without any other sharer in his Authority they had received the Eastern-Customs and the Asiatich rather than the Roman But who will not judge that Augustine behaved himself towards these poor Britains very uncharitably by taking away on a sudden their old Customs and introducing as suddenly new especially when his great Master Gregory had advised him to proceed in that business with more moderation in several Churches bore with several Customs neither would he that the Roman Rites themselves should every where be imposed but wisely considered the Custom of the place the circumstance of time and the Constitution of Believers For he said things are not to be loved for the places sake but places to be beloved for the good things in them see his Answer to the third Question of Augustine Amongst these things I desire to know how came it to pass that the Bishops of Kaerleon otherwise of Menew and their Successors who from the age of King Lucius to the very days of Augustine that is almost 400 years enjoyed the priviledges of a Metropolitan and were called Archbishops being by no Synod as I know of driven out could without any Crime be deprived of their Province and ancient Jurisdiction But it is enough that it was dorse by Augustine for his Party defend all their own actions stifly together with that horrible Massacre he contrived for the British Clergy For they say 't was sent from God for the better confirmation of their Traditions and Doctrine whilst others urge that Augustine himself was the greatest setter forward of this action and encouraged King Edilfred to the same But if a true discovery of this business as many would have it may be had from the event we are to think otherwise of this Butchery than they have delivered and that God himself abhorred such cruelty For when Edilfred King of the Northumbrians and Executioner of Augustine's wrath had committed so great a slaughter upon the innocent Monks of Bangor at Leicester and was triumphally making haste to destroy their remains with their famous Monastery there met him three British Princes the revengers of God's anger who confounded the Northumbrian King with his whole Army reeking in the blood of those poor Innocents they killed ten thousand and threescore and put the wounded King with some others to flight as God seemed to come down into the Army against those Augustians in behalf of those innocent Monks of Bangor and to have taken vengeance for their blood To excuse Augustine of this Blood-shed Bede is cited who saith that he was dead many years before but if the time of his sitting Arch-bishop be truly computed 16 years he must survive this Action and in the Book de Antiquitate Ecclesiae Anglicanae printed at London in the year 1572. it is said that those words of Bede wherein Augustine is mentioned to have been dead long before were foisted into the printed Copy of Bede by the Romanists contrary to the current of all Saxon Manuscripts But the general opinion grounded on Charity and the good Life and Miracles of Augustine however in some things he might be blameable hath acquitted him of acting in so bloody a Murder Neither do all the Romanists attribute the slaughter of those Monks to the Judgment of God inflicted on them for their rejecting the Rites and Customs of the Romish Church A Testimony hereof may be evidently shewn out of an old Manuscript written about four hundred years agoe in the ancient Dialect of the Normans by Nicholaus Trevet a
for Ethelred the Mercian continually molested him on the one hand and Edric dispossest of his Right sate not down with his loss but pursued all means to recover it by force so that gaining the Assistance of the South-Saxons to whose Protection he fled he enters Kent with an Army and proclaims his Title to the Crown many flocked unto him whilst others adhered to Lothair Thus the Kingdom of Kent was not only vexed with forreign forces but miserably divided in it self At last in a bloody battel Lothair was shot through with a Dart and dyed under his Chirurgeon's hands In him saith Malmsbury were punished the murders committed by his Brother Egbert because he made a scoff at the death of his Kinsmen and laughed at the publick mournings of the people But we shall find divine Vengeance following the Sons of Egbert himself and the whole Family for the Crown continued not in it to the third Generation Lothair reigned ten years and was buried at Canterbury among his Predecessors EDRIC EDRIC his Uncle Lothair being dead had none who could claim before him yet during his short Reign of two years he was continually exercised in Civil Wars and finally slain in them What were the Causes of his troubles Historians have not related possibly they rose from Lothair's Faction not suppressed with his death or it may be from the general hatred of the people to the whole Family which had been so deeply embrued in the blood of their beloved Princes And this seemeth more likely for his Brother Wigtred though a virtuous youth and not personally engaged in the Crimes of his House yet came not to the Crown till seven years after his Brothers death no Cause being related why he was so long held from it unless it proceeded from the following Wars For Ceadwalla the West-Saxon an ambitious and turbulent Prince taking advantage of the civil Commotions and marching easily through the Kingdom of the South-Saxons whom he had subdued entered Kent with an Army and miserably spoiled the Country with fire and sword laying waste where-ever he came the Kentish men though at variance among themselves yet in the publick danger reconciling their home differences unite all parties against the common Enemy and with joynt force meet him in a set Battel The West-Saxons not able to withstand their violence were driven back with great slaughter leaving Mollo their King's Brother a prey to the Enemy who in the flight with twelve of his Attendance to avoid the heat of pursuit hid himself in a Cottage but either discovered or betrayed was beset by the pursuers and there burnt alive Ceadwalla nearly touched with his Brothers misfortune and his own dishonour rallies his dispersed forces and making head again sets upon the greedy pursuers routs and chases them into their own Country and never left the Province till with fire and sword he had revenged the death of his Brother WIGTRED VVIGTRED the Brother of Edric obtained the Kingdom about the year 693. Ceadwalla being dead he purchased his peace of King Inas with a round Sum of Money and governed quietly for the space of thirty years Bede mentioneth one Swebhard that reigned with him possibly some Prince of a contrary Faction and ascribeth to Wigtred thirty three years He was a Prince that highly favoured the Church as it was termed in those daies by granting several priviledges and immunities to Religious persons and exempting them from publick Contributions Subsidies Tolls Taxes and Imposts especially in a full Synod of his whole Clergy held at a place called Becanceld in which himself presided among many liberties in general conferred on them he particularly by name priviledged these Monasteries namely Upminster Raculf Sudminster Dofras Folcanstan Hymming Stepes and Hor with severe Anathema's to all his Successours or any persons whatsoever that should at any time violate or infringe these his Royal Concessions which in aeternam rei memoriam were to be kept upon Record in Christ-Church in Canterbury and this done for the health of his Soul and the Souls of his Predecessours Such was the Zeal of these times heightned and improved by the pride and ambition of the Clergy to gain honour and riches to themselves by preaching whatever was done to them was done to the person of Christ but from what knowledg this Zeal was likely to spring we may learn from that sad though ingenuous confession of King Wigtred himself who in a grant afterwards made of some lands in Thanet to Ebba an Abbess plainly tells the World that not being able to write his name he had set his mark to the Deeds namely the sign of the Cross as likewise did his Queen Kynigith and the rest of his Nobles not likely to have more skill than their Soveraign Nay the Clergy themselves without any injury done to them may be shrewdly suspected not to be much exceeding in knowledge for the way of their subscriptions is per signum manus and we are certainly informed of the times not two hundred years after and that from King Alfred himself alearned and pious Prince in his sorrowful Epistle upon that occasion to Wulfug a Bishop That on this side Humber there were few Priests that understood their Latin prayers or could turn them into English so few faith he that when I began to Reign on all the South-side of the Thames I remember but one Such a mixture of blind devotion and ignorance possessed those times Another Councel this King Wigtred held at Berghamsted which is found in a famous Manuscript entituled TEXTUS ROFFENSIS composed by Ernulph Bishop of Rochester in the year 1116 but because it is omitted by Lambard and in several places as Sr. Henry Spelman confesseth not understood rightly by himself I have purposely omitted especially considering that there is nothing of moment in it which bears not the same stamp as his other Constitutions being stuft with many Immunities granted to the Clergy with additions of certain pecuniary mulcts for the breach of Fasting-daies Adulteries and Theft only thus much I thought would not be improper namely to set down that part of it which particularly relates to the strict observation of the Lords-day which is the first that we meet with on this occasion and is thus found in the 10 11 and 12 Articles of this Councel The Old Saxon. The English Gif eshe ofer dryhtnes haere þeoþ ƿeorc ƿyrce an sunnan aefen efter hire setl gange oþ monan aefenes setlgang LXXX scill de dryhtne gebete If in the Evening preceding Sunday after the Sun is set or the Evening preceding Monday after Sun set any Servant by command of his Master shall do any servile work the Master shall be punisht 80 shillings for the fact Gif esne def his pade ƿaes daeger VI sc ƿið dryhten gebete oþþe sinehyd If a Servant shall go a Journey on these daies he shall pay his Master 6 shillings Gif friman þonne an ðane forbodenan timan sio he heals fange
EGFRID eldest Son of King Oswy by his wife Eanfled succeeded his Father in the Kingdom A Prince as he is reported of an unquiet disposition His first wars were with Ethelred King of Mercia who had married his Sister with whom encountring by the River Trent he lost great part of his Army and his Brother Elswin a youth generally beloved who amongst the thickset was there unfortunately cut off Greater bloodshed had like to have ensued had not Theodorus Archbishop of York interposed and took up the quarrel so that a sum of mony being paid to Egfrid for the loss of his Brother the business was happily concluded His next wars were with the Irish a Nation saith Bede harmless and great friends to the English These he unprovoked furiously invades making no distinction between things holy or profane but with fire and sword laid waste the Country and buried it in the Ruines of its Cities Temples and Monasteries The Irish on the other side used no other weapons but Prayers and as my Author has it bitter Imprecations which may be supposed at last to have reached Heaven it self for the next year against the counsel and earnest perswasion of his sagest Friends and especially Cudbert the Bishop going to wars against the Picts he was trained into narrow straits by the Enemy and there cut off with most part of his Army This was so great a blow to the English that not only the Scots and Picts who before durst not look beyond their own Country but the Britains also began to bear up for Liberty and yearly to gain upon their old enemies This King took to wife Ethildrith Daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles she had been wife to Eunbert Prince of the Gervii a Nation lying in the Fens but notwithstanding marriage had kept her Virginity Nor did her second Nuptials with a King make her in the least alter her resolution and though invited to his Bed sometimes by passionate entreaties otherwhiles by perswasions of her friends who were made privy to it yet she continued obstinate contrary to the Apostle's Rule the dictates of Nature it self which at one time abhors communion and separation and against the Laws of common prudence and civility And all this to pursue an extravagant chastity and a purity of living against all other obligations whatsoever however she be cannonized St. Andrey of Ely where it seems leaving her Husband she ended her daies ALKFRYD ALKFRYD the natural Son of King Oswy during the Reign of his half Brother had retired into Ireland where he was well instructed in the Liberal Sciences and as Bede saith exceedingly well read in the Scriptures Advanced to the Crown he wore it with much prudence and moderation but the bounds of his Kingdom were much straitned by the inroads of the Picts and encroachments of the Britains But what he wanted in extent of Dominion he made up in the prudent management of what he had He married Kenburg Daughter of Penda the Mercian by whom he had an only Son that succeeded him he ruled twenty years OSRED OSRED the Son of Alkfrid was eight years of age when he came to the Crown but he was no sooner grown up to any ripeness but he gave himself to all viciousness of life committing Incest with veiled Nuns for which his wife Cuthburga weary of her own dishonour sued a divorce and built a Monastery at Winburn in Dorsetshire where she ended her daies But Osred lived not long after her departure for he was slain by his own Relations Kenred and Osric in the eleventh year of his Reign KENRED KENRED descended from Ida by a Bastard-line and succeeded Osred in the Kingdom of Northumberland his Reign is short being only of two years continuance during which time he left nothing memorable behind him OSRIC OSRIC Reigned ten years without memory of Acts Parentage Wife or Issue CEOLNULF CEOLNULF the Brother of Kenred Ruled the space of eight years when changing his Crown for a Cowl he turned Monk in Lindisfarn or Holy Island yet he proved none of the severest for he brought his Brethren from Milk and Water to drink good Wine and Ale bringing along with him good store of provisions and great Treasures by Simeon and all as the same Author writes to follow poor Christ. To him Bede dedicates his History but writes no more of him but that the beginning and process of his Reign met with many troubles and that the conclusion of them was doubtfully expected And this is the time of Peace so much commended by the foresaid Author when Princes Queens and Nobility forsaking their charges and other duties incumbent run themselves into Monasteries striving who should be foremost as if no salvation was to be obtained but in Cells and Cloysters His Brother was Archbishop of York and there founded a stately Library EGBERT EGBERT Nephew to King Ceolnulf succeeded in the Kingdom Whilst he was in wars against the Picts Ethelbald the Mercian taking advantage of his absence invaded part of Northumberland but upon what account or how revenged is not related In these Pictish Wars Egbert subdued Kyle and brought the Countries adjacent to it under his obedience Afterwards in the year 756 he joyns battel with Unust King of the Picts besieged and took by surrender the City Alcluith now Dunbritton in Lennox from the Britains of Cumberland and ten daies after lost his whole Army about Niwanbirig when resolving to lay down his Government though intreated to the contrary by his Subjects and Neighbouring Princes who profered to make good to him his losses by surrendring great Territories to him after the example of his Uncle turned Monk when he had Reigned twenty years About these times happened two extraordinary Eclipses one of the Sun in September Anno 733 the other of the Moon Anno 756. OSWULF OSWULF Son of Egbert succeeded his Father but in the same year was slain of his Servants at a place called Mikelwoughten ETHELWALD ETHELWALD sirnamed Mollo after the death of Oswulf was advanced to the Crown In his third year he fought a great battel at Eldune by Melros slew Oswyn a great Lord who rebelled against him and gained an absolute Victory but three years after he was slain by Alcred who succeeded him ALCRED ALCRED descended in the fifth degree from Ida King of Bernicia after the murther of his Soveraign seized the Kingdom of Northumberland In the fourth year of this King's Reign Cataracton now Catarik in Yorkshire a famous City in the time of the Romans was burnt to the ground by one Arnred a Tyrant who the same year came to the like end I should think that this Arnred might be Alcred did not others report that he Reigned five years Afterwards when driven out by his Subjects with a few Attendants he fled first to Bebba a strong Castle in those parts thence to Kinot King of the Picts He left Issue Osred who afterwards came to be