they should haue lesse libertye to pursew them And he himself remouing a littel forward with his legioÌ„ out of the place where he stode abode to see what end theÌ„couÌ„ter wold come vnto At such time as the feight was sharpest and that the ennemyes trusted to the place and their multitude and our men in theyr manhode and prowesse sodeinly on the open side of our menne appeared the Heduanes whoÌ„ Cesar had sent vp on the ryght â—ide by another waye to th entent to stay the power of oure enemies from comming thither Theis by reason of the likenesse of theyr armor did greatly abash our men albeit they were knowen what they were by showing theyr right shoulders bare whych is wont to be a token of them that are at peace wyth vs yet notwithstanding our souldiers thought it had ben done by their enemies to th eÌ„tent to deceiue them withal The same time L. Fabius the CenturioÌ„ such as had attained the wal wyth him were enclosed and slain and cast downe from the wall M. Petreius another Centurion of the same Legion as he was about to break open the gates being oppressed of the multitude and despairinge in himselfe and besides that sore wounded in diuers places said to his companions that folowed him Forasmuche as I cannot saue my selfe and you too I wyll at leaste wyse prouyde for the saufgard of you whom I being blinded wyth desier of vaine glorye haue brought in daunger Sirs saue your selues whyle you may Therewythal he thrusteth into the middes of his enemyes and sleaing a couple out of hand driueth the rest somwhat from the gate As hys men went about to helpe him it is but follye for you ê™ he to goe about to saue my lyfe in whom both bloud and strength fayleth and therfore get you heÌ„ce while you may and recouer your selues to the Legion Feighting in this wise within a whyle after he fell downe and wyth hys owne death saued the liues of hys men Oure men beinge ouerlayd on all sides wyth the losse of .xlvi. Centurions were throwen downe from the place Neuerthelesse the tenth Legion whyche stode for a stale in a ground somwhat more indifferent stopped the Galles as they folowed the chace verye whotlye At the receit of them againe stoode the Cohortes of the .xiii. Legion whych T. Sextius the Lieuetenaunt had brought out of the lesser Camp and placed in a higher ground Assone as the Legions came vpon plaine grouÌ„d they turned their faces with displaid banners vpon theyr ennemies And Uercingetorix wythdrewe hys men from the fote of the mountaine into theyr fortifications The same dayâ— we lost littel lesse then seueÌ„ hundred of our souldiers The next day Cesar calling hys army before hym reproued the rashnesse and gredines of his souldiers in that they toke vpon theÌ„ to be theyr owne maisters howe far they should go or what they had to doe and in that they would neyther stay themselues wheÌ„ the retreit was blowen nor suffer theymselues to be kept in order by theyr Marshals and Lieuetenants He declared vnto theÌ„ what the disaduauntage of a place might do and what he had counselled theÌ„ at Auaricum where findinge hys ennemyes wythout a Captayne and without horsemen he had let an assured victory slip out of hys hands and all for doubt least neuer so littel losse might happen in thencounter by meanes of the dysaduauntage of the ground As much as he commended the hault courages of them whoÌ„ not the fortifications of the campes not the heighth of the Mountaine nor the wall of the towne was able to stay so much agayn he disallowed theyr disorder and arrogancye that they thought theÌ„selues able to foresee more as concerninge the victorye and the sequele of things than their Graundcaptein for he thought that modestye and obediens was no lesse requisite in a souldier than manhod or haultnes of courage WheÌ„ he had made this oration vnto them and in the latter end encouraged them that they should not for this occasion bee disquyetted in minde nor attribute that to the manhod of thenemy which had happened through the â—â—saduauÌ„tage of the place being of the same opinion for his setting forth that he was of before he led his legioÌ„s out of the caÌ„p set them in order of battel in a mete place When he sawe he could neuer themore thereby allure Uercingetorix into the indifferent grounde he made a light skirmish with his horsmen but that prosperously and conueyed his armye into theyr Camp agayne Hauinge done as muche the next day deming it sufficieÌ„t to abate the braggyng of the Galles and to harten his souldiers againe he dislodged from thence agaynst the Heduanes and yet wold not hys ennemyes euen then pursewe him The thirde daye he repayred the Bridges vpon the riuer Elauer and passed ouer his army There falling in communication wyth Uiridomarus and Eporedorix Heduans he vnderstode howe Litauicns wyth all his horsemen was gone to styr the Heduanes to rebellion Wherfore it was nedefull that they went before to keepe the Citye in obedience Cesar albeit that by many ways he perfectly now vnderstode the falsehod of the Heduanes and that by the departure of those that were with him he thought the whole City wold make the more hast to rebell yet notwythstandinge he thought it not good to kepe them styl least he should eyther seme to do them wrong or geue them cause to thinke he stoode in feare of them At theyr departure he brieflye rehersed vnto them hys desertes towarde the Heduanes as namely at howe lowe an ebbe he had found them pestered vp in theyr Townes amerced wyth the losse of their landes bereft of all theyr men of warre charged with a tribute constreined to geue hostages with as much shame as could be and to what good fortune and to howe great preferment he had aduaunced theÌ„ insomuch that they had not only recouered their auÌ„cient estate but also as it wel appeared had aspired to suche dignitye and estimation as they neuer knewe of in times past Wyth this lessoÌ„ he gaue them leaue to depart There was a town of the Heduanes called Noyoune that stode vppon the riuer of Loyre in a conuenient place Hyther had Cesar conueyed al the hostages of Gallia grain common threasure and a great part of the furniture as well of hymselfe as of hys army Hither had he sent a greate number of horses bought before in Spaine and Italy purposely for this warre When Eporedorir and Uiridomarus came thither and vnderstode the state of the City how the Heduanes had receyued Litauicus at Benwin Bibracte whych is a towne of chiefe authority among them and that Conuictolitane the Magistrate and a great part of the Senate were come thyther to hym and that ambassadors by publike asseÌ„t were sent to Uercingetorix to conclude peace and freÌ„dship with him they thought that such an oportunitye was not to be let slippe And therfore sleaing the kepers of Nouiodunum
that it stode not with their honour to suffer theyr Landes to be destroyed theyr chyldren ledde into captiuitie theyr townes to be sacked in maner within the sighte of theyr armie The same tyme that the Heduanes made this complainte the People about Neuers Ambarries beyng neere friends and alies of the Heduanes aduertised Cesar that their fiâ—ides were already wasted that they had much a do to kepe their ennemies out of their walled Townes Furthermore the Allobrogians whiche had landes and possessions on thother syde of Rhone People of Sauoye and Dausphâ—ne came flyinge vnto Cesar tolde him that nothing was left them saue the bare grouÌ„de Caesar moued with theis matters thoughte it not good to forslowe the time vntyll the Heluetians hauinge spoyled his friendes were come among the SaÌ„tones People of Gascognie nere Tolouse There is a riuer nowe called Saone whiche through the bouÌ„des of the Heduanes and Sequanes entreth into Rhone so mildely and gently that it is not possyble to be discerned by sight whiche waye the streame runneth The Heluetians with boates and shallops ioyned together had passed the same whereof when Cesar was aduertised by his espialles at suche tyme as three partes of theyr armye were alreadie ferryed ouer the Ryuer and the fourthe parte was yet behynde Aboute the third watche of the night he set out of his campe with three LegioÌ„s and came vpon that parte that hadde not yet passed the Ryuer and settynge vppon them vnwares and out of order slewe a great number of theym the rest toke them to flyghte and hyd them selues in the next woods The Canton where this was doone was called Nowe called Zurich Tigurine For all the whole countrie of Heluetia is deuyded into iiii Cantons or shyres This same one Canton remouynge out of their Countrie in the tyme of our fathers slew Lucius Cassius the Consul and sent his army vnder a yoke So whether it were by chauÌ„ce or by the prouidence of the goddes immortal the selfe same parte of Heluetia whiche had brought so dishonorable a reproche vppon the Romaynes was the fyrst that suffred punishement for it Wherein Cesar reuenged not onely the displesure done to the whole state of his Countrie but also the displeasure done to hym selfe in priuate for as much as the Tigurines in the same battell that Cassius was slayne slew also his Lieuetenaunt Lucius Piso the grauÌ„dfather of Lucius Piso Cesars father in lawe After this discoÌ„fiture to thintent he might ouertake the rest of the Heluetian host he caused a bridge to be made vppon Arar and so passed ouer his armye The Heluetians abasshed at his sodeyne approche wheÌ„ they perceiued he had done as much in one day as they wer scarce able to do in twenty that is to saye passed the ryuer sent ambassadoures vnto hym whereof the chiefe was Diuico whoo in the battell agienste Cassius was captayne of the Heluetians The effect of his treatie was that if the people of Rome would be contented to make peace with the Heluetians they would departe into what quarter so euer Cesar woulde appointe them and there remaine at his pleasure But if he were purposed to pursewe theÌ„ with battell they willed him to cal to remembrance as well the domage that the Romaines had receyued by their nation in tyme past as also the auncient prowesse of the Heluetians And wher as he had assailed one CantoÌ„ vnbewares at suche time as the rest beinge passed the Ryuer coulde not reskewe their fellowes it was noo matter whye he should greatly glory in his own prowesse or despise the Heluetians who had ben in such sorte trained vppe by their fathers and auncestours before tyme as to contende rather by manhod than by deceyte or to couet conquest by suttletie Wherefore it was good for hym to be well aduised that throughe his ouersyghte the place of their preseÌ„t being toke not his name and were made famous by the destructioÌ„ of the people of Rome and thvtter slaughter of his armie To these thinges Cesar made answere in this wise That he had so muche the lesse nede to dowt what he shoulde do in that hee perfectely remembered the thinges which the Heluetian ambassadours hadde made mention of the which greued him so much the more as the people of Rome had lesse deserued them For if their conscience had accused theÌ„ of any wronge done it had ben noo harde matter to haue shonned thinconuenience But herin they were deceiued that neither they knewe them selues to haue committed any thinge why they should be afraide nor thoughte it meete to be afraid without cause But admitte he coulde be contented to forget the former reproche done vnto the Romaynes was it reason hee shoulde also winke at their wrongefull dealynge ageyne of newe in attemptynge to make theim selues passage throughe the Prouince by the sworde whether he wolde or no in that they had molested the Heduanes the Ambarrians and the Allobrogians their glorying so presumptuously in their former victorie and their vauntinge of escapinge so longe vnponnyshed for their wrongefull dealynges hadde brought them to the point they were at For the gods immortal are wont sometime to graunte greater prosperytie and longer respite from ponnyshement vnto suche as they are mynded to chastyse for their offences to th enteÌ„t that when the change came the griefe therof might touche them more nearer the heart Nowe albeit thynges were as they were yet notwithstanding if they wold geue hym pledges that he might perceiue they were willing to performe the things they promysed and moreouer make satisfaction aswel of the iniuries and displeasures done to the Heduanes their adherentes as also to the Allobrogians he was contented to make peace with theim Diuico replyinge saide that the Heluetians hadde bene taught of their auncestors to take and not to geue pledges wherof the people of Rome could beare witnesse them selues When he hadde geuen this aunswer he departed The next day they remoued their Campe from the place where they were and so did Cesar likewise who sent out all his horsemen to the number of .iiii. thousand whiche he had assembled out of all the Prouince and among the Heduanes and their adherentes to discouer towardes what part his ennemies were drawen They pursuinge ouer greedely the rerewarde of their enemies encountred with the Heluetian horsmen in a place of disaduantage and lost certayne of their company The Heluetians being puffed vp with the successe of this skirmish bycause that with fiue hundred horsemen they hadde geuen repulse to so many of our horsemen began to stay more boldely then they were wonte and sundrye tymes out of their rereward to prouoke our men to the encounter Howbeit Cesar restrayned his Souldiers thought it inoughe at that presente to prohibit his enemies from wasting and spoylinge of the Countrie So they continued on their iorney by the space of .xv dayes together in such sort that there was not paste a
beginning of wynter was gone into Illyricum for that he had a desyre to vsit those Nations also and to knowe those countryes there arose a sodein war throughout Gallia The cause of that war was this A yong gentilmaÌ„ called P. Crassus lay in garryson wyth the seuenth legion nere vnto the Ocean sea amoÌ„g the Andians The peple of Aniow He bycause in those quarters was small store of grayne sent out diuers of hys chyef offycers and Tribunes into the Cities therabouts to fetch corne and vyctuals of the whych number were T. Terrasidius sent to the Uuelles M. Trebius Gallus sent to the Curiosolits Q. Uelanius and T. Silius sent to the Uenets This City bereth great authority ouer all these countries on the Sea coast bothe bicause the Uenets haue manye shyppes where wyth they are wont to sayle into Britaine and also bycause they excell all the residewe in knoweledge and experyence of Sea matters and moreouer bycause those fewe hauous as many as be of them in that ragyng and mayne sea be all in theyr possessyon whych is a cause that all they that are accustomed to sayle those seas do paye custome to them Theis Uenets began to broile in deteyning of Silius and Uelanius bicause they thought that by theyr meanes they should recouer the hostages that they had geuen to Crassus Their next neibors moued with thautority of theyr example as the Galies wyll in deede attempt thinges sodeinlye and vppon a heade for the same cause deteyned Trebonius and Terasidius and oute of hande dyspatchyng Ambassadours confedered them selues together by theyr noblemen to do nothyng but by common aduyre to abyde thuttermost what fortune so euer shulde followe perswading wyth the rest of the Cities to chose rather to continew in the lyberty which they had receyued from theyr auncetors than to coÌ„tinue in bondage vnder the Romanes When they had quicklye allured all the Seacoast to be of theyr mynde they sent a generall ambassade to P. Crassus theffect whereof was that if he wold haue his men agayn he shuld reÌ„der vnto them their hostages Cesar being certifyed of theis procedings by Crassus bicause he was at that time somwhat far of commaunded Galleyes to be builded in the meane season vpon the Riuer of Loyre whych falleth into the Ocean Sea rowers to be fetched out of Prouince and maryners and ship masters to be takeÌ„ vp Theis things being spedelye brought to passe he hym selfe as soone as the time of the yere would suffer hym came to hys army The Uenets the rest of the coÌ„federate cities hauing knowledge of Cesars coming therwithal weiyng what an heinous offeÌ„ce thei had committed against him in deteining and castyng in pryson hys ambassadors which name had alwais heretofore ben accompted hollye and inviolable amoÌ„g al nations according to the greatnesse of the daunger determyned to lay for the war before hand and specially to prouyde thinges necessary for shyps the whyche they did with so much the better hope bycause they had greate trust in the strentgh of the place from whence they knew all accesse wyth an army by land was cut of by salt marshes conueying thyther by water wold be very combersome bycause the Romanes were vnacquainted wyth those countryes and there were few hauons to harbrough in by the way and also they beleued verelye that our army should not be able to tarye any long time among them bycause there was so small store of grayne Yea though all theis things shuld fal out contrary to their expectation yet notwythstanding they were able to do much wyth theyr shyps wheras the Romanes had not any power of shyppes nor yet knowledge of the shallowes hauons and Ilands that were in those places where they weÌ„t about to make war And they knew ryght wel it was another maner of matter to sayle in the narrowe seas then in the mayne and open Ocâ—an When they had thus taken aduyce they fortifyed theyr townes they coÌ„ueyed theyr corne out of the country into the townes they gathered together as many ships as they could vnto Uannes where it was knowen that Cesar wold first begin the wars they alyed vnto them for theyr more assistence in that war the People of Landriguer Osisines the The country about Liseaux Lexobians the The country about NauÌ„ts Naunets the The country about Auranches Ambiliats the The country about Torowan Morines the Diablinters and the The country of Leondulâ— The Guâ—â—ders and Cleues Menapians and they sent for succor out of Britaine whych is situate ouer agaynst those countryes Theis thyngs aboue meÌ„cioned were such as myght greatlye trouble and set back the war Howe beit there were manye thyngs that enforced Cesar vnto thys warre As namely the wrongfull deteyning of the Romane knights the rebellion after submission the going back froÌ„ promys after pledges delyuered the confederacy of so many cities and in especially least through hys neglygence in this behalfe the rest of the country myght take courage to doo the lyke Therfore forasmuch as he perceyued howe all the Galles in a maner wer geueÌ„ to newfanglenes and stirred vp to make war vpon euery lyght occasion and that al men of nature are desyrous of libertye and hate the state of bondage he thought it conuenient to deuide hys host and send them farther abroade before anye mo cities were confederate together And therupon he sent hys Lieuetenant T. Labienns with a band of horsmen agaynst the Treuires whych are next the riuer Rhine geuing hym in charge to goe to the men of Rhemes and the rest of the Belgies and to kepe them in theyr duty and to prohibit the Germanes who were reported to be sent for to ayde the Belgies from passyng the ryuer if they attempted to ferry ouer by force P. Crassus wyth twelue Legionary Cohorts and a great coÌ„pany of horsemen he commaunded to take his iorney into Aquitaine to th entent there shuld not out of those countryes be sente anye ayde to the Celts and so puissant Nations bee ioyned together He sent hys Lieuetenant Q. Titurius Sabinus with thre Legions agaynst the * Uuels * Curiosolyts Lexobians to kepe that power from ioyning wyth the rest He made Decius Brutus a noble yong gentilman admyrall of his Nauie and of the French fleete whiche he had assembled from amonge the The people of Poyters Pictones The people of Xanton Santones and the rest of the Nations vnder the Romane iurisdiction coÌ„maundyng him to set forwarde agaynst the Uenets assone as might be and he himselfe marched thitherward with his army by land The situacioÌ„ of the townes for the most part was such that being set in thuttermost nookes and mountaines reaching into the sea there was no comming to theym on foote by reason of the rysyng of the tydes which euer happened twice in twelue houres space nor yet wyth shyppes bycause that at the fallyng of the tyde the shyps were
and had begon to fortify hys camp and that no enemy in the while appered as oure men were dispersed aboute their work sodenly they came flying out of all parts of the wood gaue charge vpon our men Our men taking weapon quicklye draue theym back into the woods and after they had slayne a great number of them they folowed them so farre in somewhat vnhandsome places that they lost a few of their company The rest of the dayes ensuyng Cesar began to fell the woods and to th entent no assault shoulde sodenlye be made vpon our men vnwares from eyther syde as they were workiÌ„g vnarmed all the wood that was cut downe he caused to be layd wyth the â—ops turned to the ennemy and stacked it vp on both sides like a rampire When with wonderful spede we had in few dayes ryd a great deale of grounde so that we had nowe gayned theyr cattel and hyndermost cariages and yet they withdrewe theym still into thicker woods such tempests ensued that of necessity we were constreyned to leaue of our woorke and the rayne contynued so long that oure men were not able to lie any lengar in the fields And therfore when Cesar had wasted all their country and burnt vp theyr townes buildings he led backe hys armye agayne and placed them in garrison among the * Aulerks and * Lexobians and thother cities that had made this last warre FINIS THE FOVVRTH BOKE of C. Iulius Caesars Commentaries of his warres in Gallia THE WINTER THAT folowed whiche was the same yeare that Cneus Pompeius M. Crassus were CoÌ„sulles the * Usipits Germanes and lykewise the * Teuetheres wyth a greate multitude of men passed the Ryuer of Rhine not farre from the place where it falleth into the sea The cause of theyr fleetyng was for that they hadde manye yeares together bene vexed and oppressed with war by the Sweuians and could not be suffred to tyll theyr lande in quiet The Nation of the Sweuians is of all the Germanes greatest and most warlike They are reported to haue a hundred shyres from eche of the whych they yearlye take a thousand armed men and send them out of their country a warfare they that tary at home doe find both them and themselues Theis againe ordinarily the next yere after go to the warres and thother remayne at home So neither the tillage of their land nor the discipline and practise of war is decayed Howbeit among them there is not any pece of priuate or seueral ground Neither is it lawful for theÌ„ to abide aboue one yere in a place to dwel neyther do they liue much by corne but for the most part by mylke and cattell and they vse huÌ„ting very much The which thing for the kind of meat and daily exercise and lyberty of lyfe inasmuche as froÌ„ their childhod being acquainted with no duety nor nurture they are not in any thyng broken of their willes doeth bothe nouryshe theyr strength and maketh theym men of vnmeasurable big bodies And now they haue brought theÌ„ selues to such a custome that euen in most cold places they haue none other rayment than leather Ierkins whych are so short that a great part of theyr bodies are left bare and that they washe them selues in the runnyng waters They suffer merchants to resort vnto them but that is rather bycause they wolde haue chapmen to vtter such things vnto as they haue gotten in the warres than for any nede they haue of ought to be brought in vnto theym Moreouer the beastes which the Galles do most delight in and whych they pay for excessiuely the Germanes occupy not if they be brought to theÌ„ out of any other country but such as are bred among them though they be littel tittes yll shapen they make by dailye exercise to be very good of labor In encountres of horsemen oftentimes they lyght from their horses and feight a foote accustoming their horses to keepe a standinge vnto whome they retyre quickly again when nede requireth Neyther in their maner is any thing counted more shameful or cowardly than to vse saddels And therefore a very few of them dare aduenture against saddled horses be there neuer so great a number of them In anye wyse they suffer no Wyne to bee brought in vnto them bycause they thinke that thereby men are weakened and disabled to endure paynes As touchyng theyr publyke estate they count it the greatest praise that can be for the fieldes to lye waste a great waye of from the marches of their country For that is as muche to say that a great number of cities were not able to withstand their puyssance And therfore from one syde of Sweueland it is reported that the fields lye wast sixhundred miles of together On another syde dwel iust by theym the People of the countrye about Colon on thother 〈◊〉 of Rhyne Ubians whose Citie was sometyme both large and florishing according to the maner of the Germanes they be somwhat more ciuill than other people of the same nation and sort bycause they border vpon the Rhyne and merchants resort much vnto them and they them selues by reasoÌ„ of their nerenesse vnto Gallia are inured wyth theyr maners Albeit that the Swenians many times and in many battels put them to theyr shyftes and coulde not dryue them out of theyr countrye by reason of the largenes and puissance of their Citie yet notwythstandyng they made theym tributaries and brought them lower and made them weaker In the same cace were the Usipits Teucthers whom we spake of before who when they had many yeres withstood the force of the Sweuians were for all that at the laste put out of their possessions and after three yeres wandering in many places of Germany came to the Rhine wheras the Menapians did inhabit Theis Menapians had lands houses and townes on bothe sydes the Riuer Howbeit being striken wyth feare at the commyng of so great a multitude they remoued out of their â—ouses that they had beyond the ryuer and dysposing garrisons on this side the Rhine prohibited the Germanes to passe ouer They hauing tryed al meanes when as they durst neyther attempt to passe by force for want of ships nor could get ouer by stelth for the Menapians which watched theÌ„ made as though they wold haue returned home into their own countrye and going back three days iorney returned againe and coming all that waye on horsebacke in one night surprised the Menapians nothing at al knowing or mystrusting any such matter who being aduertised by their skoults of the departure of the Germanes had wythout feare retourned into theyr dwellings on thothersyde of the Rhine Theis being slaine they tooke their shyppes and passyng the streame before that part of the Menapians whych were quietlye at home in their houses on this side the Rhine could be certified of theyr doings tooke all their houses and kept theym selues the rest of the winter wyth theyr prouision Cesar being aduertised herof
and mistrusting the infirmity of the Galles bicause in taking of counsel they be variable for the most part are desyrous of alteration thought it not expedient to put them in trust with any thing Thys is a common custome among the Galles to compell euen wayfairyng menne to stay whether they will or no and to enquire what euery of them hath hard or knoweth of euery matter And for the common people to come flocking about merchantmen in Cities and to constreine them to tel out of what countryes they come what things they know of there And being moued with theis light reports and here sayes they fal to counsel oftentimes euen of most weighty matters wher of they must nedes repent them by and by after seing they are so fondly led by vncertaine rumors and that diuers persons tell theÌ„ forged newes to fede their fancyes wythall The whych custome when Cesar vnderstood to thintent he might not mete with some worse match than he had made alredy he went sooner to hys army than he was wont When he came thither those things that he mystrusted wolde come to passe he found done in dede That is howe ambassades were sent from manye Cities to the Germanes that they were entreated with to depart from the Rhine the which don they shuld haue at their hands whatsoeuer thei wold demaund With hope whereof the Germanes being moued raunged now further abrode were come into the borders of the People of Liege or Lukeland Eburones and People about Aix betwene Utreight and Iuliers Condrusians whyche are reteiners to the Treuires Cesar calling before him the Princes of Gallia thought it conuenient to dissemble those things that he knew and therupon appeasyng theyr courages wyth fayre language and quickning their spirits wyth comfortable wordes he commaunded theym to finde hym a number of men of armes in purpose to make war wyth the Germanes When he had made prouision of corne and taken muster of hys horsemen he marched toward those places in the which he heard that the Germanes were Assone as he came wythin a few dayes iorney of them there came ambassadors from them theffect of whose oration was That the Germanes wolde neyther begin to quarrell first wyth the people of Rome nor yet refuse to cope wyth them if they were assayled It was the custome of the Germanes deliuered froÌ„ theyr auncesors that who soeuer made war vpon them to make resistence by force and not by entretance Neuerthelesse they had thus much to say for theÌ„ selues that they were come agaynst theyr wils as meÌ„ cast out of house and home If the Romanes wold take theim inâ—o fauor they might be profitable frends vnto them wherefore they required either to assigne them laÌ„ds or els to suffer them to enioy such as they had alreadye gotten by conquest to the Sweuians onelye they gaue place whom not euen the Goddes immortall were able to match For in all the earth besyde there was not anye maÌ„ whom they could not ouercome Cesar replyed hereunto as he thought good But the conclusion of his oration was That there coulde be no frendshippe betwene him and them as long as they abode in Gallia And that it coulde not be trew that they which were not able to defend their owne country should kepe possession of an other mannes and though they coulde yet were there not in Gallia any lands that coulde be geuen specially to such a multitude wythout doing wrong vnto others But it shoulde be lawfull for them if they woulde to settle them selues in the borders of the Ubians whose ambassadors were then wyth hym to complayne of the iniuries done by the Sweuians and to desyre help of him the which thing he promysed to obteyne of the Ubians for them Thambassadors said they wold make report herof to their company and vpon good aduyce taken in the matter returne againe to him after the thyrd day desiring that he wold not in the meane tyme approch any nerer to them with hys camp Cesar aunswered that they myght not obtaine so muche as that at hys hand For he knewe that they had sent a great part of their horsmen certaine daies afore ouer the Maze to the Brabanderâ— Ambiuarits to fetch in prayes forage The returne of which horsmen they loked for therfore as he thought sought to haue delayes in the matter The ryuer Maze spryngeth oute of the mountâ—ine People of Langres Uosegus whych is in the borders of the People of Langres Lingones and receyuing an arine of the Rhine to it whych is called walin Uacalos maketh the Iland of the Hollanders Batauians and not passing lxxx myles fro theÌ„ce runneth into the Ocean Now the Rhyne ryseth among the People of Granpunter Lepontians who inhabit the Alpes and from thence runneth swift a long race by the borders of the People of Uawd Nantuats HelnetiaÌ„s Sequanes People of Meâ—z Mediomatrikâ— People of Strawsoorg Triboks and Treuires and when it commeth nere the Ocean it deuydeth it self into many streames making many great Ilands whereof a great sort are inhabited by wyld and sauage peoples of the which some are thought to liue by fyshe and birdes egges and lastly falleth wyth many heads into the Ocean At such time as Cesar was come wythin twelue myles of hys ennemyes thambassadors according to appointment returned vnto hym Who meting hym in hys iorney entreated him verye earnestlye that he shoulde procede no further When they coulde not get graunt thereof they requested hym to sende out of hand to hys horsmen that were the foreryders of hys host to commaund them that they shuld not seight and that he wold geue them leaue to send ambassadors to the Ubians whose Noblemen couÌ„sellers if they made them assurance by othe vpon suche condicion as Cesar should prescribe they were contented to stand to it To bring theis things to passe they desyred three dayes respit All theis things Cesar thought tended to this one end that by dryuing of of those three days theyr horsmen that were then absent might returne Notwithstandyng he promysed to go no further forward but fower myles that day to haue fresh water for hys Camp willing theym to repayre to him the next Morning betymes to knowe further of hys pleasure touchyng theyr demaunds In the mean time he sent to the Capteines of his horsmen that were rydden before to warne them that they shoulde not make any assault vpon theyr enemies and that if any assault wer made vpon them that they should forbeare them vntill he might come nerer to theym wyth his whole power But our enemies assoone as oure horsemen came wythin theyr syght of whom there was the number of fiue thousaÌ„d wheras they had not aboue eyght hundred horsemen in all bycause those that were gone ouer the Maze for forrage were not yet returned whyle our men feared nothing bycause theyr ambassadors were but newly before departed from
obteining a mete season he commanded all his power both of horsmen and fotemen to go a boord Whyle all mens mindes were busyed heraboutes Dumnorix wyth the Heduan horsmen began to depart homewarde out of the camp wythout Cesars leaue When Cesar heard tidinges therof staying hys vyage and setting al other thinges asyde he sent a great part of his horsemen after him to pursew hym cōmaunding to fet him backe again and if he made any resistence wold not be ruled he bade kyll him for he thought he would not deale like an aduysed person in hys absence that durste disobey hym in hys presence Dumnorix being called backe made resistence and began to defende himselfe wyth hys sword callyng vppon his men for helpe and crying oftentimes out that he was a free man of a free Citye Notwythstandinge they as was commaunded them beset hym about and slew him and so all the Heduan men of armes returned vnto Cesar. After that this matter was dispatched leauynge Labienus in the maine land wyth thre Legions and twoo thousand horsmen to kepe the hauēs and prouyde graine to learn what was done in Gallia and to deale aduisedly as tyme and occasion should require Cesar hymselfe with fyue Legions like number of horsemen as he left in the mayne land at the sunne going downe loosened frō the shore and beinge dryuen wyth a soft Southwest wind the which also about midnight fell could not kepe hys course but beyng caryed further wyth the tyde about the dawnynge of the day beheld Britaine left a litle on the left hand Then folowing again the chaunge of the tyde he endeuoured by force of Ores to attaine to that part of the Ilande where he had found to be best landing the last sommer before Wherin the courage of our souldyers was much to be cōmended in that wyth their shyps of burthen being heauy loden through continual rowyng without ceasing they made away as fast as the Galleyes So wee arryued in Britayne wyth all our ships euen about hygh noone neither was there any enemy sene in that place Howbeit as Cesar vnderstode afterward by hys prisoners there was a great power assembled thither the whych beyng abashed at the number of oure shyps wherof together with the victailers shyppes and suche as euery man had made for hys owne occupying were aboue eyght hundred in syght all at one tyme withdrew them selues frō the riuage and hid them in the higher groundes Cesar after he had set his army a lande and taken a place mete to encamp in whē he had learned of hys prisoners in what place the power of his enemies abode left ten Cohortes thre hūdred horsmen at the seas side to kepe his ships and immediatly after the thyrde watche marched to warde hys ennemyes so much the lesse fearing hys shyps bicause he had left them ryding at anchor in an woosye and opē shore and he appoynted Q. Atrius to see to the sauf keping of his ships Himself after he had gone about a twelue miles in the nyght time discouered the host of his enemyes They comming with theyr horsmen chariots to a ryuers side began to beat vs backe frō the hygher ground and to encounter with vs. But in the end being put to repulse by our horsmen they hyd thē selues in the woods where they had gotten a plot excellently wel fortified both by nature and mans hande the which place as it should appere they had prepared before hande as a hold for their own ciuil warres For by cutting downe the trees euerye where they had foreclosed al the entrances in and they themselues issuing out of the woodes here some and there some a few in a cōpany made defēce and wold not suffer our men to come wythin theyr fortifications Neuertheles the souldiers of the vii legion making a shed and casting vp a banke to theyr fortifications won the place and draue theim out of the woodes wyth the receyte of a fewe wounds Howbeit Cesar forbade his men to pursue them ouer farre both bycause he knewe not the nature of the place also bicause the greater part of the day beyng now spent he wold haue some time left for the fortifying of hys camp The next day folowing early in the morning he sent hys horsmen fotemen forth in thre battels to pursue them that were fled They had not gone but a littel way insomuch y◠the hindermost were yet in fight whē certaine horsmen came from Q. Atrius to Cesar bringing him word that the last night there arose a marueylous tempest whyche had shaken almost all hys ships and cast them a land so that neyther anchor nor Cable could holde nor the shipmen gouernors endure against the violens of the storme by meanes of the whych beating together of his shyps much hurt was done When Cesar heard theis newes he whylled hys Legions and horsmen to be called back and to cease of their iorney and he himself returned to his ships where he sawe as muche in manner wyth hys eyes as was reported to him by messages and letters so that wyth the losse of a forty shyppes the rest might with much a doe be mended And therefore he chose suche as were Shypwryghtes out of his Legions and cōmaunded others to bee sent for out of the mayne lande Also he wrate vnto Labienus that he should make as many shyppes as he could wyth the help of those Legiōs that he had Moreouer althoughe it were a worke of great toyle and labor yet notwithstanding he thought it most for hys behoofe to haue all hys ships drawen a land and ioyned in one fortification with hys Camp In doyng herof he spent ten dayes not respityng hys souldiers frō their labour so muche as the nyght tyme. When he had drawen hys shippes a land throughly fortified his camp he left the same power to garde hys ships that was there before and returned himselfe to the place he came fro At hys comming thither a greater power of the Britons was assembled out of all coastes into the same place The chief gouernement of the Realme and ordering of the warres was by common aduyce commytted to Cassibelan whose Seniorie is seuered from the Cityes towarde the sea coast by a ryuer whyche is called Tems about fowerscore miles of frō the Sea Thys Cassibelan in tymes past had contynuall warre wyth the Cities adioyninge but the Britons being moued wyth our coming had chosen him to be their souereine and made him General of the warres The inner part of Britaine is inhabited of suche as by wytnesse of their auncient recordes were borne and bred in the I le and the sea coast by such as haue passed thither out of Belgicke to fetch bootyes to make war Al the whych wel nere are called by the same names that the Cities are where they were borne and from whence they first came remayning there styl when the warre was done and tillinge the grounde The country