made them selues Lordes of all Gallia In processe of time also theyr kinges became lords of al Germany Pannonie and were inuested wyth the sword of the Empier whiche they held certaine discents froÌ„ Charles the great who receyued the title and diademe imperiall at Rome vpon Christmas day in the yere of our Lord God 800 But worldly things neuer continue at one stay Partly by ciuil dissentioÌ„ and partlye by outwarde warre and partly by composicioÌ„ and gyft of kinges not onelye the name and title of Thempier but also al the Prouinces beyond the Rhine yea and manye on this syde the Rhine to were sequestred from the crowne of Fraunce For in the time of Charâ—es the simple about the yeare of our Lord .886 the Normannes who are supposed to haue bene people eyther of Denmarke or of Norwey inuadinge Fraunce vnder theyr Duke Rollo who afterwarde beynge christened was named Robert partly by force and partly by composition seised into their possessioÌ„ that part of the Realme which vnto thys day beareth of theym the name of Normandy In the which country the posteritye of the saide Rollo reigned as Dukes a longe discent vntill Duke Willyam surnamed the Ballard conqueryng this Realme in the yere of Christes incarnation .1967 brought his ryghte wyth hym into England with the Princes whereof it continued vntill suche time as the Frenchmen recouered it agayne in the reigne of king Henry the sixth The Uandales also inuaded a part of Belgicke to the whyche at theyr departing thence into Spaine they left the name of Flaunders Many other nacions likewise haue settled themselues in Fraunce who being ouermatched by the Frenchmen are growen into the same name with them But no one Nation since their firste commynge thyther hath so often and so sore afflicted theym as our Englishe Nation hath done whose kinges diuers times before but specially from the time of king Edward the thyrd haue contended with theym not so muche for anye one part or Prouince of the country as for the substance of the crowne possession of the whole Realme descended to our kinges by ryghte of inheritance And they haue both gayned and hild it many yeres vntill fortune chaunging her copye hath transferred the possession again to the Frenchmen the right remaynyng styl to the Crowne of EnglaÌ„d In theis oure dayes we see howe not only Flaunders which hath of longe time continewed so but also all the countryes bordering vpon the Rhine and many cities nere vnto the Alpes are alienated from the Crowne of Fraunce Whereof some are vnder the iurisdiction of the Spanysh king some are imperiall and other some are free Thus as fortune of warre disposeth the boundes of thys kingedome haue sometime bene enlarged and sometime streightned the whych who so desireth to know more particulerly I remit him to the reading of such Chronacles and Antiquities as entreat therof I trust this shall suffice for an introduction to thys historye my paynes in translatyng wherof I desier thee to accepte in good part and to vse them to thy behoofe And as for the old names of the cities Townes Countryes Hylles and Ryuers howe they be called at thys daye together wyth a dyscription of certayne Romane Engynes hereafter mentioned in this booke I refer thee partlye to the Notes in the Margent and partlye to the table in the end of thys worke where thou shalt find them or at the least the most of them in order of the Alphabete Farewell ¶ Errours escaped in the printing Fol. 14. b 5. for supersticions read suspicions Fol. 16. a. 21 for emcaÌ„ped read encamped Fol. 16. b. 15. for sarued read serued Fol 18. b. 12. for being read were Fol. 24. b. 1. for mannes read mennes Fol. 25. a. 18. for holding their heades reade holding downe their c Fol. 43. a. 20. for making read leauing Fol. 44. b. 26. for wherof read therof Fol. 51. a. 21. read he led hys army c. Fol. 64. a. 19. for accomt read accompt Fol. 64. b. 18. for Carunes read Carnutes and in al places after for Caruntes read Carnutes Fol. 65. a 14. for to read and. Fol. 69. a. 19. for Uuelâ—es read Uâ—elles and so in all places after Fol. 69. b. 9. for to broyle read the broyle Fol. 70. b. 12. for conueying read comming Fol. 71. a. 15. for Naunets read Nannets Fol. 73. a. 17. put out the before lynnen Fol. 82. b. 10. for Biggerones read Bigerrones Fol. 84. a. 11. for Teucthers read Tencthers and so in all places after Fol. 97. a. 16. for the to read to thee Fol. 105. a. 11. put out that Fol 120. a. 27. for Aucalits read Ancalits Fol. 121. a. 16. read he sent c. Fol. 133. b. 23. for driue read driueÌ„ Fol. 135. b. 13. for redlly read redily Fol. 144. b. the last line for psent read spent Fol. 147. a. 1. for the read them Fol. 153. b. 21. for parter read partes Fol. 160. a. 8. read one of the greatest Fol. 164. a. 9. for Minuitius read Minutius Fol. 177. b. 4. for Lemoniâ—es read Lâ—monikes Fol. 189. b. 14. 25. for Gebenua read Gebenna Fol. 189. b. 26. read inasmuch as Fol. 195. a. 1. for manes read meanes Fol. 196. b. 19. read and both of them c. Fol. 200. b. 13. for lurâ—d read allured Fol. 207. b. 1. read of our souldiers c. Fol. 217. b. in the. 6. 7. 8. lines wheras the sentence is thus all such forasmuche as there were neyther woods nor Mountaynes to hyde them they were as sâ—ain reade thus they were all sâ—aine by cure horsmen sauing such as hâ—d themselues in the woods and mountaines Fol. 219. a. 10. put out the people of Fol. 221. b. 24. for Aleria â—ead Alexia Fol. 226. b. 6 for UellaÌ„niaÌ„s read UellauniaÌ„s Fol. 234. a. 13. for copasie read coÌ„passe Fol. 253. a. 16. put out by Fol. 256. a. 23. for perisisted read persisted Fol. 260. a. 4. put out he Fol. 263. a. 21. read it was astonied c. Fol. 268. a. 8. read did cut of c. FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE of Caius Iulius Caesars CoÌ„mentaries of the warres in Gallia ALL The whole countrey of Fraunce GALLIA IS deuided into thre partes Of the whiche one is inhabited by the Belgies An other by the Aquitanes and the .iii. by them who in their toung are called Celtes and in our Galles All theis dyffer eache from other in Language Customes and Lawes The ryuer of Geronde deuideth the Celtes from the Aquitanes and the riuers of Seane and Marne do deuide them from the Belgies Of all theis the Belgies be moste puissante as they whiche are furthest distant from the delycatenes and ciuilitie of the Prouince and vnto whom is little or no resort of marchauntes to bringe in thynges that might effeminate their mindes Besides that they border vpon the Germanes inhabitinge beyonde the Riuer of Rhyne with whom they be at continuall warre The same thyng also is a cause
Lieuetenant there toke possessions of that country and reigned therin by the space of twoo hundred and fower yeres vnto the yere of our lord 773. at which time Charles kynge of Fraunce surnamed the great toke Desiderius laste kinge of Lombardes prisoner and annexed his seniory to the dominion of Fraunce Gallia TraÌ„salpina wherof this Historye entreateth hath according to Ptolomies description on the west the Mountaynes Pirenes nowe called Ronnceuall whyche deuyde it frome Spayn and the west Ocean On the East it hath partly the Alpes whiche deuide it from Italy and the Ryuer Rhyne whych parteth it from Germany On the north it hath the Britysh Ocean and on the South it hath a part of the midland Sea called LigusticuÌ„ This is now called FrauÌ„ce and it is deuyded into fower partes Prouince Aquitaine Celticke and Belgycke All that lieth from the riuer Rhone and the mountaines Cemenii now called the mountaines of Auuerne unto the midland Sea betwene the ryuer Uarus whyche runneth out of the Alpes by the city Nicea Of some called the LeuaÌ„t sea and the Riuer Illyberis in the mountains Pirenes beareth the name of the Romane Prouince was also called Braccata of a kinde of short cote which the people of that country did coÌ„moÌ„ly go in It conteyneth Sauoy Delphiuoys Languedocke and Prouince Aquitaiâ—e lyeth betwene the mountaines Pirenes and the ryuer Loyre whiche risinge out of the Mountaines of Auuerne falleth into the west Ocean and is bounded on thoneside wyth the sayd mountaines of Auverne which deuide it from the Prouince and on thotherside wyth the west Ocean It conteyneth Poyters Xanton Lymosin Berrey Auuerne and Angolesme wyth the duchies of Guien and Gascon somtime the inheritance of the kings of England Celtick which was also called Lugdunensis of Lugdunum the chief City of that country now called Lions standyng vppon Soan not farre from the place where it falleth into Rhone runneth throughe the mids of FrauÌ„ce from the west Ocean and the Britysh sea vnto the vpper part of the Rhine is bounded on thoneside with the riuer of Loyre the MouÌ„tain of Auverne and the riuer Rhone whych separate it from Aquitain and Prouince and on thotherside wyth the riuers of Sene and Marne which growyng into one chanel a littell aboue Paris do fall into the Brityshe Ocean and deuide it from Belgick It conteyneth littel Britaine Normandy BurguÌ„dy Swicerland with others Belgicke hath on the South the foresaid riuers of Sene Marne on the East the neyther parte of the Rhyne and on the west and north sides the British or english Ocean It conteyneth Picardy Arthoys FlauÌ„ders Braband Holland GelderlaÌ„d Lorreine c. with al the low country bordering vpon the Rhine and also the I le of Fraunce whose head citye of Paris standeth vppon the Ryuer Sene wherof all the whole country of Gallia toke the name This country hath alwais bene renowmed not only for the fertility of the soile the teÌ„peratenesse of the aire and the abundance of all thynges for mens necessities and pleasure but also and that chieflye for the valiantnesse in armes and practise in Cheualry of thin habiters whereby they both enlarged the boundes of their territorye and also darkened the glory and drowned the name of other Realmes that were neybours vnto them In somuch that the Grekes the chiefe Registerers of worthy actes called all thinhabiters from the riuer of Danow northward by the name of Celtes or Galles Of this countrye were those Galles that vnder the first Brenne who is reported to haue bene a Briton burned Rome the .365 yere after the buildyng therof in the time of the elder DeÌ„nis king of Sicil. Of this countrye were those Galles that vnder the seconde Brenne a hundred and nyne yeares after the foresayde burnyng of Rome slew Ptolomie kyng of Macedonie in thassault of Delphos were oppressed with thunder lightning and tempestes Out of thys countrye issewed those Galles whych beynge called to the aide of the kynge of Bithinia as Trogus reporteth after they had vaÌ„quished hys enemies parted his kingdome with him calling the countrye Gallogrece or Galatia and themselues Gallogrekes or Galatians Of whoÌ„ the prowesse was so redowted that the kinges of the East made not anye warres wherein they hyred not the Galles to serue them and if they were put from their kingdomes thei resorted not to anye other than the Galles for succor And as that marciall ofspring held the kinges of Asia occupied there so their mother countrye in Europe not onelye troubled their neighbours but also vexed and disquietted euen the victorious Romanes vntyll suche time as Iulius Cesar through his greate prowesse good fortune brought theym in subiection to the Romane Empyer FroÌ„ the whyche tyme it receiued both the lawes and laÌ„guage of the Romanes and bare their yoke obediently vntyl the .viii. yere of themperor Honorius whych was the .406 yere after thincarnation of Chryste at the whyche tyme the Frenchmen who as then dwelt vpon the Rhine on the further side being seÌ„t for against one Lucius a Romane president for rauishing a Senators wyfe in the Citye of Triers toke the city and within a while after subdued al Belgicke vnder theÌ„ This was the beginning of the FreÌ„ch dominioÌ„ in Gallia which as it afterward by litle litle came in subiectioÌ„ to theÌ„ toke the name of FrauÌ„ce of theÌ„ For although that mencion be made of them in the liues of diuers Emperors before and that from the reigne of Galien themperours from tyme to time had much a do with them yet notwithstanding they aspyred not to any souereinty before the said reigne of Honorius Of the Original of theÌ„ are diuers opinions Some thinke they inhabited the country by the riuer Sala towards the riuers Mene Rhyne and that in hope of conquest and desier of spoyle at suche tyme as thempier began to decline and wax weak they ioyned vnto them the Almanes and troubled Themperours of the west by whome they were always repressed to their great slaughter and domage Strabo placeth their countrrye betwene the Norikes and Uindelicians Othersome affirme theÌ„ to haue bene a multitude of al sortes of people of Germanye vnited in leage togither defending their liberty against the Empier whereof they tooke their name as frank and free people that wold not be bond or subiect to any maÌ„ But whatsoeuer they were or wheresoeuer theyr dwelling was before they came ouer the Rhine sure it is that since they passed into Gallia they haue with greate good fortune encreased aud pollitiquelye maintained their state vnto this day For after they had laid the foundation of theyr kingdome at Triers vnder Pharamund first ouermatchyng the Almanes their late fellowes and confederates and anon after subduing the Burgonions who somewhat before them entring into Gallia had seised into theyr possession the countryes of the Heduans and Sequans wyth a part of the auncient Romane Prouince whych kepeth their name progenie vnto thys day they
kind of Ox in shape lyke a Stag in the middes of whose forehead betwene hys eares is one horn much higher and streighter then any of the hornes that are knowen to vs at the top wherof do spread out tines and braunches a great way of The nature of the male and female is all one the shape of body is all one and the greatnesse of theyr hornes is all one There be also beastes that are called Alces The shape of them and the diuersitie of the colours of their coates is like vnto Goates but they be somwhat bigger and are wythout hornes and they haue legs with out knots or ioyntes therfore they lye not downe to rest theym and yf they happen by anye chaunce to fall downe or to be ouerthrowen they cannot rayse nor help themselues vp againe The trees are to theym in stead of Couches to them they leane themselues and so bowinge a verye littell doe take their rest By whose footing when the Hunters perceiue where their haunt is they do eyther vndermyne or els cutte wythin the ground all the trees thereawayes in suche sorte that by thupper part they may seme to stād fast stil so that when they leane agaynst theym as they were wont to do they ouerlade the weake trees with the weight of their bodies and fall to the grounde wyth them The third kind is of thē that are named Ures Theis are of bignes somwhat lesse than Elephantes in kind and color and shape like a Bull. They are of greate strength and swiftnesse They spare neyther man nor beaste that cometh in their fight The Germanes are very peinfull in making pittes to take them and so kill them Their yong men do harden themselues wyth thys trauell and exercyse themselues wyth this kinde of hunting And they that kill most of them bringing forth the hornes for a witnes do receiue great prayse But as for to acquaint them with men and to make them tame it is not possible thoughe they take them neuer so yong The largenesse of their hornes and the shape and facion of them doth much differ from the hornes of our Oxen. Theis they gather most diligently and binding them about the brimmes wyth siluer do vse them at their greatest feastes for cuppes Cesar when he vnderstoode by the Ubian spyes that the Sweuians had wythdrawen theym into the woodes fearyng scarcety of grayne bicause as I sayde before the Germanes passe litle or nothing vpon tillage determined to procede no further Neuertheles to th entent he wold not put the barbarous people altogether out of feare of his return and also stay them from aiding the Galles when he had repassed his army he cut of the bridge the length of CC. foote toward that side of the riuer that was next the Ubians and at the hither end of the bridge buylded a towre of .iiii. stories wherein he left a garryson of .xii. Cohorts to defend the bridge and strengthned the place wyth great fortifications Of thys place and of the garrison there he made Captein a yong Gentelmā called C. Uolcatius Tullus And he himselfe as soone as corne began to wax ripe setting forwarde to make warre against Ambiorix sent before him L. Minuitius Basilius with al hys horsemen throughe the forest of Ardeine which is the greatest of all Gallia and from the bankes of the Rhyne and the borders of the Treuires extēdeth to the Neruians and is more than fiue hundred myles in length to try if he could get any aduauntage by hasting his iorney and by thopportunitye of the time He gaue him warning that he shuld not suffer anye fiers to bee made in hys camp least his comming shoulde be perceiued a farre of sayinge that he wold folowe immediatlye after him himself Basilius did as he was commaunded and accomplishing his iorney wyth more speede than all men thought it had bene possible for him to do toke manye tardye in the fieldes by whose information he went streight toward Ambiorix in a place where he was sayd to soiorne with a fewe horsemen Fortune beareth a great stroke in al things but specially in war matters For as it was a great chaunce that he should fall vppon him vnwares and vnprouided that they should se him present with their eyes before they heard any incling at all of hys coming so was it a great chaūce likewise that he shuld lose all the furniture for the warres that he had about him and hys horses and wagons bee taken and yet himselfe escape the death But thys came to passe bycause the house being enuironed wyth wood as the houses of the Galles for the most part be who to eschewe the heate of the weather commonlye do builde nere the woodes and riuers hys friendes houshold seruants in that narrow roume endured for a while the brunt of our horsmē during the which time one of hys friendes set him on horsebacke and the woodes hyd him that he could not be perceyued as he fled Thus both in fallinge into daunger and in auoydyng the same fortune greatly auayled It is to be doubted whether Ambiorix of set purpose had not assembled his power about him bicause he loked not for any encounter or whether the time disapointed hym and the sodeine approch of our horsemen letted him bicause he feared least the rest of our army had folowed immediatly after them But surely he sent messengers abrode into the Countrye to bid euerye man shyft for himself of whom some fled into the forest of Ardeine and some into the marisses nere hande Suche as were next the Ocean hid theym selues in the Ilandes whych the tide was wont to make Many forsaking their own country committed them selues and all that they had to straūgers whom they neuer saw nor herd of before Cativulcus king of th one half of the Eburones who had associated himself with Ambiorix being now worne wyth yeares and not able for age to endure the trauell eyther of warfare or of flyght cursinge and bannynge Ambiorix the author of that enterpryse poysoned hymself with Iuce of yewgh wherof there is abundance in Gallia and in Germanye The Segnies and Condruses of the nation and number of Germanes whyche are betwene the Eburones and Treuires sent Ambassadors to Cesar besechyng hym not to take them as hys enemyes nor to esteme all the Germanes that were on thisside the Rhine to be as in one case For they thought of nothynge lesse than of warre neyther had they sent any succor to Ambiorix Cesar hauing tryed the matter by examynation of the prisoners commaūded that if anye of the Eburones were fled vnto them they shuld bryng thē backe agayn vnto hym In so doing he sayd he wold work no dyspleasure to theyr countrye Then deuiding hys army into three partes he bestowed the stuffe of all hys Legions at Uaruta It is the name of a castel almost in the middes of the country of the Eburones whereas Titurius Aurunculeius had wyntered before
the Galles wold he by hys industrye alye vnto theym and make one couÌ„sell of al Gallia against the consent whereof all the whole worlde shuld not be able to make resistence The whyche thing he had in maner brought to passe alredy Neuertheles it was but right and reason that for the sauftye of the common weale â–ª they shoulde condescende to fortifie their campe to thintent they might the easlyer withstand the sodeine inuasions of their enemies Thys oration disliked not the Galles chieflye for that Uercingetorix was not dysmaid in his minde at the receit of so great a losse nor hyd himself out of sighte nor eschewed the open face of the worlde Yea he was thought to be a man of the more foresight and foreknowledge in that before anye thyng was amisse he was of opinioÌ„ first that Auaricum should be set on fier and afterward that it should be abandoned Therfore as aduersity is wont to diminish the authority of other Capteines so cleane contrarye wyse his estimation was from daye to day augmented by receiuing this displeasure And moreouer vpon his assurance they had the more hope that the rest of the Cities should be alyed with theym Then first of all began the Galles to fortifye their campes and they were so dismayde in heart bicause they were men not acquainted with paynes takynge that they thought all thinges that were commaunded them were to bee suffred and abiddeÌ„ to thuttermost And Uercingetorix endeuored to haue done no lesse by his good wil than he promised whych was to knit the rest of the cities in leage together alluring the Princes and noble men of theym with giftes and large promises For the performance wherof he chose out fit personages euen suche as were easiest to be caught by suttel persuasion or color of frendship He caused al those to be newe armed and apparelled that had escaped when Auaricum was won And therewythall to th entent hys host whyche was sore dimynyshed myght be supplyed againe he appointed euerye Citye to find him a certaine number of souldiers the whiche he commannded to be brought vnto his camp by a daye limited Moreouer he caused serch to be made for al Archers of whoÌ„ there was a greate companye in Gallia and made them to be sent to him By thys meanes was the losse taken at AuaricuÌ„ sone supplied In the mean season Teutomatus the son of Ollouicon kinge of the The people about MouÌ„tpellier Nitiobriges whose father had bene accepted by our senate for their friende came to him wyth a great power of his horsmen that he had hyred out of Aquitaine Cesar tariyng many dayes at Auaricum and finding there great abundaunce of corne and other vyctual left by the citizens releued hys armye of their trauell and penurye Nowe at suche time as wynter was welnere spent and that the very season of the yeare called him foorth to warfare so that he was fully purposed to go agaynst the enemye eyther to traine him out of his woods marisses by some pollicy or els to enuiron him with a siege if it were possible The Heduanes sent certaine of their noblemen Ambassadours vnto him desiring him to come and succor their city either thaÌ„ out of haÌ„d or neuer For the matter lay in great peril vpon this occasion that whereas of olde time there was wont to bee but one magistrate created and he to exercise thauthoritye of a king for that yere now there were two that bare that office both of them vaunted theÌ„ selues to be created by order of law Of the which th one was called Conuâ—tolitane a noble and lustye yonge gentilman thother Cottus born of an auncient howse a man of verye great power and well alied whose Brother Ualetiacus had borne the same offyce the yeare before All the whole Citye was in armor the Senate was deuided the people was deuided and ech of theÌ„ held hys faction a part by himself If this controuersy shuld be nourished any long time it wolde come passe that the Citye should run together by the eares among theÌ„seues The remedie wherof lay onelye in his spedye assistence authority Cesar albeit he thought it a dauÌ„gerous mater to leaue of his warres and to depart from his enemy yet notwythstanding bycause be was not ignorant how great inconueniences were wont to grow of dissention leaste that so great and so neyghborly a city as that had ben to the Romanes the whych he had always cherished and garnished by al the meanes he could deuise shuld be put to the hazard of battell and least the part that least trusted him shuld sende for helpe to Uercingetorix he thought it best to preuent the matter betimes And for asmuche as by the lawes of the Heduanes it was not lawful for them that were chief magistrates to abseÌ„t theÌ„selues out of the couÌ„try to th entent he wold not seme to diminishe any part of their right or do any thing against their lawes he went in proper persoÌ„ vnto them and called before him all their counsell and them betwene whoÌ„ the controuersie was When almost all the Citye was assembled thither that information was geuen hym howe by the consent of a fewe called togegether priuily in other place and other time than was mete th one brother had subrogated thother in hys stead contrary to the lawes whyche prohibited two of one linage beynge bothe aliue not onelye to be created magistrates but also to be admitted into the Senate compelled Cottus to geue vp hys offyce and commaunded Conuictolitane who accordinge to the custome of the City vpon the ceasing of the former Magystrates had bene created by the Priestes to enioye hys authoritye After that he had made thys decree hauing exthorted the Heduanes to forget all controuersies and dissentions and that al theis other things set a part they shuld bend themselues wholy to this war assuring them that assone as he had subdewed Gallia he wolde reward theÌ„ according to their deserts and willing them that with al spede they should send him all their horsemen and ten thousand fotemen that he might place them in garrison for the defence of hys victuals he deuided his army into two parts Fowre Legions he committed to Labienus to leade amonge the Senones and Parisians and he himself led six into Auverne to the towne of Cleremount in Auverne â–ª Gergouia along the riuer The riuer of Alier Elauer of his horsmen part he gaâ—e to hym and part he kept to himself The which thing being knowen Uercingetorix breaking all the bridges that were vpon that streame began to make his iorney on thother side of Elauer Now when eyther army was in sight of other and that they pitched their CaÌ„pes one in maner right ouer against another the enemy continually sending forth scoults that the Romanes shuld any not where frame a bridge to passe ouer their host Cesars affaires were in great distres lest the riuer shuld cause him to lose the most part