3.19. Of Guiderius, who denied to paie tri|bute to the Romans, preparation for war on both sides, of the ridiculous voiage of the Emperour Caligula against the Britains, his vanitie and delight in mischiefe: Aulus Plautius a Romane senator accompanied with souldiers arriue on the British coasts without resistance, the Britains take flight and hide themselues. The xix. Chapter.

Of Guiderius, who denied to paie tri|bute to the Romans, preparation for war on both sides, of the ridiculous voiage of the Emperour Caligula against the Britains, his vanitie and delight in mischiefe: Aulus Plautius a Romane senator accompanied with souldiers arriue on the British coasts without resistance, the Britains take flight and hide themselues. The xix. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _GUiderius the first sonne of Kymbeline (of whom Harison saieth nothing) began his reigne in the seuententh yeere after th'incarnation of Christ. This Guiderius being a man of stout courage,Guideri|us. gaue occasi|on of breach of peace betwixt the Britains and Romans, denieng to paie them tri|bute, and procuring the people to new insurrections, which by one meane or other made open rebellion, as Gyldas saith.Caligula. Wherevpon the emperour Caligula (as some thinke) tooke occasion to leauie a power, and as one vtterlie misliking the negligence (as he called it) of Augustus and Tiberius his predeces|sors, he ment not onlie to reduce the Iland vnto the former subiection, but also to search out the vttermost bounds thereof, to the behoofe of himselfe, and of the Romane monarchie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Great prouision therefore was made by the said Caligula to performe that noble enterprise, and this was in the fourth yeere of his reigne. The like prepa|ration was made on the other side by Guiderius, to resist the forren enimies, so that hauing all things in a readinesse, he ceassed not dailie to looke for the com|ming of the emperour, whome he ment to receiue with hard enterteinment if he durst aduenture to set toward Britaine.Dion Cassius lib. 59. But see the sequele: the maine armie being thus in a readinesse, departed from Rome in the 79 yeere after the building of the citie, and marching foorth, at length came vnto the Bel|gike shore, from whence they might looke ouer, and behold the cliffes and coast of Britaine, which Cali|gula and his men stood gazing vpon with great ad|miration and woonder.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Furthermore he caused them to stand in battell arraie vpon the coast, where be heard how the Bri|tains were in a redinesse to withstand his entrance. But entring into his gallie, as nothing discoura|ged with these newes, he rowed a flight shot or two from the shore, and forthwith returned, and then go|ing vp into an high place like a pulpit, framed and set vp there for the nonce, he gaue the token to fight vnto his souldiers by sound of trumpet, and there|with was ech man charged to gather cockle shells vpon the shore, which he called the spoile of the Oce|an, and caused them to be laid vp vntill a time con|uenient.The spoile of the Ocean. With the atchiuing of this exploit (as ha|uing none other wherewith to beautifie his triumph) he séemed greatlie exalted, thinking that now he had subdued the whole Ocean, and therefore highlie re|warded his souldiers for their paines susteined in that collection of cockle shells, as if they had doone him some notable péece of seruice. He also caried of the same shells with him to Rome, to the end he might there boast of his voyage, and brag how well he had sped: and required therefore verie earnestlie of haue a triumph decreed vnto him for the accom|plishment of this enterprise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But when he saw the senat grudge at the free & li|berall granting of a grace in that behalfe, and per|ceiued how they refused to attribute diuine honors vnto him, in recompense of so foolish an enterprise, it wanted little that he had not slaine them euerie one. From thence therefore he went vp into a throne or royall seate, and calling therewith the common people about him, he told them a long tale what ad|uentures had chanced to him in his conquest of the Ocean. And when he had perceiued them to shout and crie, as if they had consented that he should haue béene a god for this his great trauell and valiant prowesse, he to increase their clamour, caused great quantities of gold & siluer to be scattered amongst them, in the gathering whereof, manie were pres|sed to death, and diuers also slaine with the inueno|med caltrops of iron, which he did cast out with the same monie, of purpose to doo mischiefe, the same caltrops being in forme small & sharp, so that by rea|son of the prease of people, much hurt was doone by them yer they were perceiued. And this was the end of the ridiculous voiage of Caligula attempted against the Britains.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But after the death of this Caligula,Suetonius. the empe|rour Claudius (as Suetonius saith) moued warre against the Britains, because of a sturre and rebel|lion raised in that land, for that such fugitiues as EEBO page image 34 were fled from thence, were not againe restored when request was made for the same.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Dion Cassius writeth,Dion Cassius. that one Bericus, being expelled out of Britaine, persuaded the emperour Claudius to take the warre in hand at this time a|gainst the Britains, so that one Aulus Plautius a senatour, and as then pretor, was appointed to take the armie that soiourned in France then called Gal|lia, and to passe ouer with the same into Britaine. The souldiers hearing of this voiage, were loth to go with him, as men not willing to make warre in another world: and therefore delaied time, till at length one Narcissus was sent from Claudius, as it were to appease the souldiers, & procure them to set forward. But when this Narcissus went vp into the tribunall throne of Plautius, to declare the cause of his comming, the souldiers taking great indignation therewith cried, O Saturnalia, as if they should haue celebrated their feast daie so called.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When the seruants apparelled in their maisters robes, represented the roome of their maisters, and were serued by them, as if they had béene their ser|uants, and thus at length constreined, through verie shame, they agréed to follow Plautius. Herevpon being embarked, he diuided his nauie into thrée parts, to the end that if they were kept off from ar|riuing in one place, yet they might take land in ano|ther. The ships suffered some impeachment in their passage by a contrarie wind that droue them backe againe: but yet the marriners and men of warre taking good courage vnto them, the rather because there was séene a fierie leame to shoot out of the east towards the west, which way their course lay, made forwards againe with their ships, and landed without finding anie resistance. For the Bri|tains looked not for their comming: wherefore, when they heard how their enimies were on land, they got them into the woods and marishes, trusting that by lingering of time the Romans would be constrei|ned to depart, as it had chanced in time past to Iu|lius Cesar aforesaid.