[1] [2] [3] _WHen Uoadicia had made an end of hir praier, she set forward against hir enimies, who at that time were desti|tute in déed of their lieutenant Paulinus Suetonius, being as then in Anglesey (as before ye haue heard.) Wherefore the Romans that were in Camelodunum sent for aid vnto Catus Decianus the procurator, Corn. Tacit. Catus Deci|anus procura|tor. that is, the emperours agent, treasurer, or receiuer, for in that citie (although it were inhabited by Romans) there was no great garrison of able men. Wherevpon the procurator sent them such aid as he thought he might well spare, which was not past two hundred men, and those not sufficientlie furnished either with weapon or armour.
[1] The citie was not compassed with anie rampire or ditch for defense, such as happilie were priuie to the conspiracie, hauing put into the heads of the Ro|mans that no fortification néeded: neither were the aged men nor women sent awaie, whereby the yoong able personages might without trouble of them the better attend to the defense of the citie: but euen as they had béene in all suertie of peace, and frée from suspicion of anie warre, they were suddenlie beset with the huge armie of the Britains, and so all went to spoile and fire that could be found without the in|closure of the temple, into the which the Romane souldiers (striken with sudden feare by this sudden comming of the enimies) had thronged themselues. Where being assieged by the Britains, within the space of two daies the place was woonne, and they that were found within it, slaine euerie mothers sonne.
[1] After this, the Britains incouraged with this vic|torie, went to méet with Petus Cerealis lieutenant of the legion, surnamed the ninth, and boldlie incoun|tering with the same legion, gaue the Romans the ouerthrow and slue all the footmen, so that Cerealis with much adoo escaped with his horssemen, and got him backe to the campe, and saued himselfe within the trenches. Catus the procurator being put in feare with this ouerthrow, and perceiuing what ha|tred the Britains bare towards him, hauing with his couetousnesse thus brought the warre vpon the head of the Romans, got him ouer into Gallia.
[1] [2] [3] But Suetonius aduertised of these dooings, came backe out of Anglesey, and with maruellous con|stancie marched through the middest of his enimies to London, being as then not greatlie peopled with Romans, though there was a colonie of them, but full of merchants, and well prouided of vittels: he was in great doubt at his comming thither, whether he might best staie there as in a place most conueni|ent, or rather séeke some other more easie to be defen|ded. At length considering the small number of his men of warre, and remembring how Cerealis had sped by his too much rashnesse, he thought better with the losing of one towne of saue the whole, than to put all in danger of irrecouerable losse. And there|with nothing mooued at the praier & teares of them which besought him of aid and succour, he departed, [page 45] and those that would go with him he receiued into his armie, those that taried behind were oppressed by the enimies: and the like destruction happened to them of Uerolanium, a towne in those daies of great fame, situat néere to the place where the towne of Saint Albons now standeth.
[1] [2] [3] The Britains leauing the castels and fortresses vnassaulted, followed their gaine in spoiling of those places which were easie to get, and where great plen|tie of riches was to be found, vsing their victorie with such crueltie, that they slue (as the report went) to the number of 70 thousand Romans,80000. saith Dion. and such as tooke their part in the said places by the Britains thus woon and conquered. For there was nothing with the Britains but slaughter, fire, gallowes, and such like, so earnestlie were they set on reuenge. They spared neither age nor sex: women of great nobilitie and woorthie fame they tooke and hanged vp naked, and cutting off their paps, sowed them to their mouthes, that they might séeme as if they suc|ked and fed on them, and some of their bodies they stretched out in length, and thrust them on sharpe stakes. All these things they did in great despite whi|lest they sacrificed in their temples, and made feasts, namelie in the wood consecrated to the honour of Andates, for so they called the goddesse of victorie whom they worshipped most reuerentlie.