3.16. Cassibellane dooth send vnto the foure kings of Kent for aid against Caesars host, he offereth submission to Caesar, the Britains become his tributaries, he returneth into Gallia with the remnant of his armie: the differing report of Caesars commentaries and our historiographers touching these warlike affaires; of a sore fray with bloudshed and man|slaughter vpon a light occasion; Caesar taketh oportuni|tie to get the conquest of the land by the diuision betweene Cassibellane and Androgeus, the time of the Britains subiection to the Romans. The xvj. Chapter.

Cassibellane dooth send vnto the foure kings of Kent for aid against Caesars host, he offereth submission to Caesar, the Britains become his tributaries, he returneth into Gallia with the remnant of his armie: the differing report of Caesars commentaries and our historiographers touching these warlike affaires; of a sore fray with bloudshed and man|slaughter vpon a light occasion; Caesar taketh oportuni|tie to get the conquest of the land by the diuision betweene Cassibellane and Androgeus, the time of the Britains subiection to the Romans. The xvj. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _NOw whilest these thinges passed on this sort in those parts,Foure kings in Kent. Cassibellane sent mes|sengers into Kent vnto foure kings (which ruled that side of the land in those daies) Cin|getorix, Caruilius, Taxima|gulus, and Segonax, com|manding them, that assem|bling togither their whole puissance, they should as|saile the campe of the Romans by the sea side where certeine bands lay (as ye haue heard) for safegard of the nauie. They according to his appointment came suddenlie thither, and by the Romans that sai|led forth vpon them were sharplie fought with, and lost diuers of their men that were slaine and taken, and amongst the prisoners that the Romans tooke, Cingetorix was one. When Cassibellane heard these newes, being sore troubled for these losses thus chancing one in the necke of an other, but namelie most discouraged, for that diuers cities had yeelded vnto the Romans: he sent ambassadours by means of Romius of Arras vnto Cesar, offering to sub|mit himselfe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Cesar meaning to winter in Gallia, and there|fore because summer drew towards an end, willing to dispatch in Britaine, commanded that hostages should be deliuered, and appointed what tribute the Britains should yéerelie send vnto the Romans. He also forbad and commanded Cassibellane, that he should not in anie wise trouble or indamage Madubratius or the Londoners. After this, when he had receiued the hostages, he brought his armie to the sea, and there found his ships well repaired, dec|ked, and in good point: therefore he commanded that they should be had downe to the sea. And because he had a great number of prisoners, and diuers of his ships were lost in the tempest, he appointed to trans|port his armie ouer into Gallia at two conueies, which was doone with good successe about the mid|dest of September, though the ships returning for the residue of the armie, after the first conueie, were driuen so with force of weather, that a great number of them could not come to land at the place appoin|ted: so that Cesar was constreined to fraught those that he could get with a greater burden, and so de|parted from the coast of Britaine, and safelie lan|ded with the remnant of his people in Gallia with as good spéed as he could haue desired. He thought not good to leaue anie of his people behind him,Dion Cassius. knowing that if he should so doo, they were in dan|ger to be cast awaie. And so because he could not well remaine there all the winter season for doubt of rebellion in Gallia, he was contented to take vp, and returne thither, sith he had doone sufficientlie for the time, least in coueting the more, he might haue come in perill to lose that which he had alreadie obteined.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus according to that which Cesar himselfe and other autentike authors haue written, was Britaine made tributarie to the Romans by the conduct of the same Cesar. ¶But our histores farre differ from this,Gal. Mon. Matt. West. affirming that Cesar comming the second time, was by the Britains with valiancie and mar|tiall prowesse beaten and repelled, as he was at the first, and speciallie by meanes that Cassibellane had pight in the Thames great piles of trées piked with yron, through which his ships being entred the riuer, were perished and lost. And after his comming a land, he was vanquished in battell, and constrai|ned to flee into Gallia with those ships that remai|ned. For ioy of this second victorie (saith Galfrid) Cassibellane made a great feast at London, and there did sacrifice to the gods.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At this feast there fell variance betwixt two yoong gentlemen, the one named Hirilda, nephew to Cas|sibellane, and the other Euelie or Eweline, being of aliance to Androgeus earle of London. They fell at discord about wrestling, and after multiplieng of words, they came to dealing of blowes, by meanes whereof parts were taken, so that there ensued a sore fraie, in the which diuerse were wounded and hurt, and amongst other Hirilda the kings nephew was slaine by the hands of Eweline. The king sore displeased herewith, meant to punish Eweline ac|cording to the order of his lawes, so that he was sum|moned to appeare in due forme to make answer to the murder: but Eweline by the comfort of Andro|geus disobeied the summons, & departed the court with Androgeus, in contempt of the king and his lawes. The king to be reuenged vpon Androgeus, gathered a power, and began to make warre vpon him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Androgeus perceiuing himselfe not able to with|stand the kings puissance, sent letters to Iulius Ce|sar, exhorting him to returne into Britaine, and declaring the whole matter concerning the vari|ance betwixt him and the king, promising to aid the Romans in all that he might. Iulius Cesar ioifull of this message, prepared his nauie, and with all spéed with a mightie host imbarked in the same, came toward Britaine: but yet he would land, doubting some treason in Androgeus, he receiued from him in hostage his sonne named Scena, and thirtie other of the best and most noble personages of all his dominion. After this he landed, and ioi|ning with Androgeus, came into a vallie néere to Canturburie, and there incamped. Shortlie after came Cassibellane with all his power of Britains, and gaue battell to the Romans. But after the Bri|tains had long fought and knightlie borne them|selues in that battell, Androgeus came with his peo|ple on a wing, and so sharplie assailed them, that the Britains were constrained to forsake the field, and tooke themselues to flight. The which flight so dis|comforted them, that finallie they all fled, and gaue place to the Romans, the which pursued and slue them without mercie, so that Cassibellane with the residue of his people withdrew to a place of suertie, but being enuironed about with the puissance of the Romans, and of Androgeus, who had with him seuen thousand men there in the aid of the Romans, Cassibellane in the end was forced to fall to a com|position, in couenanting to paie a yearelie tribute EEBO page image 31 of thrée thousand pounds.So saith Campton, but Galfrid Monu. saith fiue thousand. When Cesar had ordered his businesse as he thought conuenient, he returned, and with him went Androgeus, fearing the displea|sure of Cassibellane.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The reuerend father Bede writing of this matter, saith thus: After that Cesar being returned into Gallia, had placed his souldiors abroad in the coun|trie to soiorne for the winter season, he caused ships to be made readie, to the number of 600, with the which repassing into Britaine, whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the enimies, his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tem|pest, were either beaten one against another, or else cast vpon the flats and sands, and so broken; so that fortie of them were vtterlie perished, and the residue with great difficultie were repaired. The horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the woorsse, and Labienus the tribune slaine. In the se|cond conflict he vanquished the Britains, not with|out great danger of his people. After this, he mar|ched to the riuer of Thames, which as then was pas|sable by foord onelie in one place and not else, as the report goeth. On the further banke of that riuer, Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multi|tude of enimies, and had pitcht and set the banke, and almost all the foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes,The stakes remained to be séene in Bedes daies. the tokens of which vnto this day are to be séene, and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh, sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer closed with lead. This be|ing perceiued of the Romans, and auoided, the Bri|tains not able to susteine the violent impression of the Roman legions, hid themselues in the woods, out of the which by often issues, they gréeuouslie and ma|nie times assailed the Romans, and did them great damage. In the meane time the strong citie of Troi|nouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages, yéelded vnto Cesar, whose example manie other cities following, allied themselues with the Romans, by whose information Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane, situat be|twixt two marches, fensed also with the couert of woods, & hauing within it great plentie of all things. After this Cesar returned into France, and be|stowed his armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The Scotish writers report, that the Britains, af|ter the Romans were the first time repelled (as be|fore ye haue heard) refused to receiue the aid of the Scotish men the second time, and so were vanqui|shed, as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed. Thus much touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains, in brin|ging them vnder tribute to the Romans. But this tributarie subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶Now here is to be noted, that Cesar did not van|quish all the Britains: for he came not amongst the northerne men, onlie discouering and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas: so that sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnest|lie trauell to bring the Britains vnder their subiec|tion (which were euer redie to rebell so manie sundrie times) Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed Britaine to the Romans,Cornelius Tacitus. In vit. Agr. than to haue deliuered the possession of the same. This subiection, to the which he brought this Ile (what maner of one soeuer it was) chanced about the yeare of the world 3913,Dion Gassius. after the building of Rome 698, before the birth of our sauior 53, the first and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad, after the comming of Brute 1060, before the con|quest made by William duke of Normandie 1120, and 1638 yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585, after Harisons account.