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.
4.5. Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes, the antiquitie of chri|stian religion, Britaine gouerned by Lieute|nants and treasurers of the Romane emperors, the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Ox|fordshire, he vanquisheth the Welshmen, ap|peaseth the Yorkshiremen, and brideleth the rage of the Silures. The fift Chapter.
Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes, the antiquitie of chri|stian religion, Britaine gouerned by Lieute|nants and treasurers of the Romane emperors, the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Ox|fordshire, he vanquisheth the Welshmen, ap|peaseth the Yorkshiremen, and brideleth the rage of the Silures. The fift Chapter.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _IN the daies of the said Aruiragus, about the yeare of Christ 53, Ioseph of Ari|mathia, who buried the bodie of our sauiour, being sent by Philip the Apostle (as Iohn Bale following the authoritie of Gildas and other British writers reciteth) after that the Christians were dis|persed out of Gallia, came into Britaine with di|uers other godlie christian men,Polydorus. & preaching the gos|pell there amongst the Britains, & instructing them in the faith and lawes of Christ, conuerted manie to the true beliefe, and baptised them in the wholsome water of regeneration, & there continued all the resi|due of his life, obteining of the king a plot of ground where to inhabit, not past a foure miles from Wells, and there with his fellowes began to laie the first foundation of the true and perfect religion, in which place (or néere therevnto) was afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Nicephorus writeth in his second booke and fourth chapter, that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine. And Theodoretus in his 9. booke De curandis Graecorum affectibus, sheweth that Paule being released of his second imprisonment, and suffered to depart from Rome, preached the gospell to the Britains and to other nations in the west. The same thing in manner dooth Sophronius the patriarch of Ierusalem witnesse. Tertullian also maie be a witnesse of the ancientnes of the faith receiued here in Britaine, where he writing of these times saith: Those places of the Britains, to the which the Ro|mans could not approch, were subiect vnto Christ, as were also the countries of Sarmatia, Dacia, Germania, Scithia, and others. ¶Thus it maie ap|peare, that the christian religion was planted here in this land shortlie after Christes time, although it certeinlie appeareth not who were the first that preached the gospell to the Britains, nor whether they were Gréekes or Latins.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Cornelius Tacitus writeth, that the Romane emperours in this season gouerned this land by lieutenants and treasurers,Treasurers or receiuers. the which were called by the name of legats and procurators, thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome of the order of consuls,Aulus Plau|tius. was sent hither as the first legat or lieutenant (in maner as before ye haue heard) & after him Ostorius Scapula, who at his comming found the Ile in trouble,Ostorius Scapula. the enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were friends to the Romans, the more presump|tuouslie, for that they thought a new lieutenant,Cor. Tacitus lib. 12. with an armie to him vnacquainted and come o|uer now in the beginning of winter, would not be hastie to march foorth against them. But Ostorius vnderstanding that by the first successe and chance of warre, feare or hope is bred and augmented, ha|sted forward to encounter with them, and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on e|uerie side, and pursued such as fled, to the end they should not come togither againe. Now for that a displeasing and a doubtfull peace was not like to bring quietnesse either to him or to his armie, he tooke from such as he suspected, their armour. And after this, he went about to defend the riuers of A|uon & Seuerne, with placing his souldiers in camps fortified néere to the same. But the Oxfordshire men and other of those parties would not suffer him to accomplish his purpose in anie quiet sort, being a puissant kind of people, and not hitherto weake|ned by warres: for they willinglie at the first had ioined in amitie with the Romans. The countries adioining also being induced by their procurement,Cornelius Ta|cit. lib. 12. came to them, & so they chose forth a plot of ground, fensed with a mightie ditch, vnto the which there was no waie to enter but one, & the same verie narrow, so as the horssemen could not haue anie easie pas|sage to breake in vpon them. Ostorius, although he had no legionarie souldiers, but certeine bands of aids, marched foorth towards the place within the which the Britains were lodged, and assaulting them in the same, brake through into their campe, where the Britains being impeached with their owne inclosures which they had raised for defense of the place, knowing how that for their rebellion they were like to find small mercie at the Romans hands, when they saw now no waie to escape, laid about them manfullie, and shewed great proofe of their valiant stomachs.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 In this battell,Which was a certaine crowne, to be set on his head called ci|uica cornona. the sonne of Ostorius the lieute|nant deserued the price and commendation of pre|seruing a citizen out of the cruell enimies hands. But now with this slaughter of the Oxfordshire men, diuers of the Britains that stood doubtfull what waie to take, either to rest in quiet, or to moue warres, were contented to be conformable vnto a reasonable order of peace, in so much that Ostorius lead his armie against the people called Cangi,Cangi. who inhabited that part of Wales now called Den|bighshire, which countrie he spoiled on euerie side, no enimie once daring to encounter him: & if anie of them aduentured priuilie to set vpon those which they found behind, or on the outsids of his armie, they were cut short yer they could escape out of dan|ger. Wherevpon he marched straight to their campe and giuing them battell, vanquished them: and v|sing the victorie as reason moued him, he lead his armie against those that inhabited the inner parts of Wales, spoiling the countrie on euerie side. And thus sharplie pursuing the rebels, he approched néere vnto the sea side, which lieth ouer against Ireland. While this Romane capteine was thus occupied, he was called backe by the rebellion of the Yorkshire men, whome forthwith vpon his comming vnto them, he appeased, punishing the first authors of that tumult with death.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the meane time, the people called Silures,Cor. Tacitus. lib. 12. being a verie fierce kind of men, and valiant, pre|pared EEBO page image 38 to make warre against the Romans, for they might not be bowed neither with roughnesse, nor yet with anie courteous handling, so that they were to be tamed by an armie of legionarie souldiers to be brought among them.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Therefore to restraine the furious rage of those people and their neighbours, Ostorious peopled a towne néere to their borders, called Camelodunum with certeine bands of old souldiers, there to inha|bit with their wiues and children, according to such maner as was vsed in like cases of placing na|turall Romans in anie towne or citie, for the more suertie and defense of the same. Here also was a temple builded in the honor of Claudius the em|perour, where were two images erected, one of the goddesse Uictoria, and an other of Claudius him|selfe.