4.2. The diuerse opinions and variable re|ports of writers touching the partile conquest of this Iland by the Ro|mans, the death of Guiderius. The second Chapter.

The diuerse opinions and variable re|ports of writers touching the partile conquest of this Iland by the Ro|mans, the death of Guiderius. The second Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THere be that write, how Claudius subdued and added to the Romane empire, the Iles of Orknie situate in the north Ocean beyond Bri|taine: which might well be accomplished either by Plau|tius, or some other his lieute|nant: for Plautius indéed for his noble prowesse and valiant acts atchiued in Britaine, afterwards tri|umphed. Titus the sonne of Uespasian also wan no small praise for deliuering his father out of danger in his time, being beset with a companie of Bri|tains, which the said Titus bare downe, and put to flight with great slaughter. Beda following the au|thoritie of Suetonius, writeth bréeflie of this matter, and saith, that Claudius passing ouer into this Ile, to the which neither before Iulius Cesar, neither af|ter him anie stranger durst come, within few daies receiued the most part of the countrie into his sub|iection without battell or bloudshed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Gyldas also writing of this reuolting of the Bri|tains, saith thus:

When information thereof was gi|uen to the senate, and that hast was made with a spéedie armie to reuenge the same, there was no warlike nauie prepared in the sea to fight valiant|lie for the defense of the countrie, no square battell, no right wing nor anie other prouision appointed on the shore to be séene, but the backes of the Britains in stead of a shield are shewed to the persecutors, and their necks readie to be cut off with the sword through cold feare running through their bones, which stretched foorth their hands to be bound like womanlie creatures; so that a common prouerbe followed thereof, to wit, That the Britains were nei|ther valiant in warre, nor faithfull in peace: and so the Romans [...]leaing manie of the rebels, reseruing some, and bringing them to bondage, that the land should not lie altogither vntilled and desert, retur|ned into Italie out of that land which was void of wine and oile, leauing some of their men there for gouernors to chastise the people, not so much with an armie of men, as with scourge and whip, and if the matter so required, to applie the naked sword vnto their sides: so that it might be accounted Rome and not Britaine. And what coine either of brasse, siluer or gold there was, the same to be stamped with the image of the emperour.

Thus farre Gildas.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In the British historie we find other report as thus, that Claudius at his comming aland at Porchester,Gal. Mon. Matth. West. besieged that towne, to the rescue whereof came Guiderius, and giuing battell to the Romans, put them to the woorse, till at length one Hamo, being on the Romans side, changed his shield and armour, apparelling himselfe like a Britaine, and so entring into the thickest prease of the British host, came at length where the king was, and there slue him. But Aruiragus perceiuing this mischiefe, to the end the Britains should not be discouraged therewith, cau|sed himselfe to be adorned with the kings cote-ar|mor, and other abiliments, and so as king continued the fight with such manhood, that the Romans were put to flight. Claudius retired backe to his ships, and Hamo to the next woods, whom Aruiragus pur|sued, and at length droue him vnto the sea side, and there slue him yer he could take the hauen which was there at hand; so that the same tooke name of him, and was called a long time after, Hamons ha|uen, and at length by corruption of speach it was called Hampton, and so continueth vnto this day, commonlie called by the name of Southhampton.Hampton, why so called. Thus haue you heard how Guiderius or Guinde|rius (whether you will) came to his end, which chan|ced (as some write) in the 28 yéere of his reigne.

4.3. Aruiragus the Britaine & Claudius the Romane with their armies doo incoun|ter, a composition concerning ma|riage concluded betweene them, Claudius retur|neth to Rome. The third Chapter.

Aruiragus the Britaine & Claudius the Romane with their armies doo incoun|ter, a composition concerning ma|riage concluded betweene them, Claudius retur|neth to Rome. The third Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _ARuiragus the yoongest son of Kymbeline,Aruira|gus. Hector Boet. and brother to Guin|derius (bicause the same Guinde|rius left no issue to succéed him) was admitted king of Britaine in the yeere of our Lord 45, or ra|ther 46.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEBO page image 36 This Aruiragus, otherwise called by the Britains Meuricus or Mauus, of Tacitus Prasutagus, is al|so named Armiger in the English chronicle,Caxton. by which chronicle (as appéereth) he bare himselfe right man|fullie against Claudius and his Romans in the war which they made against him: in so much that when Claudius had renewed his force and woone Porche|ster,Gal. Mon. and after came to besiege Winchester (in the which Aruiragus as then was inclosed) Aruiragus assembling his power, was readie to come foorth and giue Claudius battell: wherevpon Claudius doub|ting the sequele of the thing, sent messengers vnto Aruiragus to treat of concord, and so by composition the matter was taken vp, with condition, that Clau|dius should giue his daughter Genissa in marriage vnto Aruiragus, & Aruiragus should acknowledge to hold his kingdome of the Romans.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Some write that Claudius in fauour of the vali|ant prowesse which he saw & found in Aruiragus,Ranulfus Ce|strensis. ho|nored not onlie him with the mariage of his daugh|ter the said Genissa, but also to the end to make the towne more famous where this marriage was so|lemnized, he therefore called it Claudiocestria, after his name, the which in the British toong was called before that daie Caerleon, and after Glouernia, of a duke that ruled in Demetia that hight Glunie, but now it is called Glocester.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Other there be that write, how Claudius being vanquished in battell by Aruiragus, was compelled by the said Aruiragus to giue vnto him his said daughter to wife, with condition as before is menti|oned: and that then Aruiragus was crowned king of Britaine.Sueton. But Suetonius maie séeme to reprooue this part of the British historie, which in the life of Claudius witnesseth, that he had by thrée wiues on|lie three daughters, that is to saie, Claudia, Antonia, and Octauia: and further, that reputing Claudia not to be his, caused hir to be cast downe at the doore of his wife Herculanilla, whome he had forsaken by waie of diuorcement: & that he bestowed his daugh|ter Antonia first on C. Pompeius Magnus, and af|ter on Faustus Silla, verie noble yoong gentlemen; and Octauia he matched with Nero his wiues son. Whereby it should appéere, that this supposed marri|age betwixt Aruiragus and the daughter of Claudi|us is but a feined tale.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶And héere to speake my fansie also what I thinke of this Aruiragus, and other the kings (whome Gal|frid and such as haue followed him doo register in or|der, to succéed one after another) I will not denie but such persons there were, and the same happilie bea|ring verie great rule in the land, but that they reig|ned as absolute kings ouer the whole, or that they succéeded one after another in manner as is auou|ched by the same writers, it seemeth most vnlike to be true: for rather it maie be gessed by that, which as well Gyldas as the old approoued Romane writers haue written, that diuerse of these kings liued about one time, or in times greatlie differing from those times which in our writers we find noted. As for ex|ample, Iuuenal maketh this Aruiragus of whom we now intreat, to reigne about Domitians time. For my part therefore, sith this order of the British king|lie succession in this place is more easie to be flatlie denied and vtterlie reprooued, than either wiselie de|fended or trulie amended, I will referre the refor|ming therof vnto those that haue perhaps séene more than I haue, or more déepelie considered the thing, to trie out an vndoubted truth: in the meane time, I haue thought good, both to shew what I find in our hi|stories, and likewise in forren writers, to the which we thinke (namelie in this behalfe, whilest the Ro|mans gouerned there) we maie safelie giue most credit, doo we otherwise neuer so much content our selues with other vaine and fond conceits.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 To procéed yet with the historie as we find it by our writers set foorth: it is reported, that after the solemnization of this marriage,Legions of souldiers sent into Ireland. which was doone with all honour that might be deuised, Claudius sent certeine legions of souldiers foorth to go into Ire|land to subdue that countrie, and returned himselfe to Rome.

4.4. Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans, Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power, the Romane host is kept backe from landing, queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict: & what the Ro|mane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine, the end of Ar|uiragus. The fourth Chapter.

Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans, Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power, the Romane host is kept backe from landing, queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict: & what the Ro|mane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine, the end of Ar|uiragus. The fourth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THen did king Aruira|gus ride about to view the state of his realme, repairing cities and townes decaied by the warre of the Romans, and saw his people gouerned with such iustice and good or|der, that he was both feared and greatlie beloued: so that in tract of time he grew verie welthie, and by reason thereof fell into pride, so that he denied his subiection to the Ro|mans. Wherevpon Claudius appointed Uespasian with an armie to go as lientenant into Britaine.Uespasian in Britaine. Cornel. Tacit. in vit. Agr. lib. 5. & li. 6. Gal. Mon. Rutupium. This iournie was to him the beginning of his ad|uancement to that honour, which after to him most luckilie befell. But if we shall credit our Britaine writers, he gained not much at Aruiragus hands, for where he would haue landed at Sandwich or Richborough, Aruiragus was readie to resist him, so as he durst not once enter the hauen: for Aruira|gus had there such a puissant number of armed men, that the Romans were afraid to approch the land.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Uespasian therefore withdrew from thence, and coasting westward, landed at Totnesse, and com|ming to Excester, besieged that citie: but about the seuenth day after he had planted his siege, came Ar|uiragus, and gaue him battell, in the which both the armies susteined great losse of men, and neither part got anie aduantage of the other. On the morrow af|ter quéene Genissa made them friends, and so the warres ceassed for that time, by hir good mediation.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶But séeing (as before I haue said) the truth of this historie maie be greatlie mistrusted, ye shall heare what the Romane writers saie of Uespasia|nus being héere in Britaine, beside that which we haue alreadie recited out of Dion in the life of Gui|derius.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the daies of the emperor Claudius, through fa|uour of Narcissus (one that might doo all with Clau|dius) the said Uespasian was sent as coronell or lieu|tenant of a legion of souldiers into Germanie,Vespasian. and being remooued from thence into Britaine,Suetonius. Sabellicus. he fought thirtie seuerall times with the enimies, and brought vnto the Romane obeisance two most mightie na|tions, and aboue twentie townes, togither with the Ile of Wight; and these exploits he atchiued, partlie vnder the conduct of Aulus Plautius ruler of Bri|taine for the emperor Claudius, and partlie vnder the same emperor himselfe. For as it is euident by writers of good credit, he came first ouer into Bri|taine with the said Aulus Plautius, and serued verie valiantlie vnder him, as before in place we haue partlie touched. By Tacitus it appeereth, that he was called to be partener in the gouernment of things in EEBO page image 37 Britaine with Claudius, and had such successe, as it appéered to what estate of honour he was predesti|nate, hauing conquered nations, and taken kings prisoners. But now to make an end with Aruira|gus:Gal. Mon. when he perceiued that his force was too weake to preuaile against the Romane empire, and that he should striue but in vaine to shake the yoke of sub|iection from the necks of the Britains, he made a fi|nall peace with them in his old age, and so continued in quiet the residue of his reigne, which he lastlie en|ded by death, after he had gouerned the land by the space of thirtie yéeres, or but eight and twentie, as some other imagine. He died in the yéere of Grace 73, as one author affirmeth, and was buried at Glo|cester.