4.9. The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland, he inuadeth Angle sey, and winneth it, a strange kind of women, of the Druides, the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude, and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies. The ninth Chapter.

The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland, he inuadeth Angle sey, and winneth it, a strange kind of women, of the Druides, the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude, and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies. The ninth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 _BUt now when this greatP. Suetoni|us lieutenant. losse chanced to the Romans Paulinus Suetonius did gouerne here as lieutenant, a man most plentifullie fur|nished with all gifts of for|tune and vertue, and there|with a right skilfull warrior. This Suetonius therefore wishing to tame such of the Britains as kept out,Anglesey inuaded. prepared to assaile the Ile of Anglesey, a countrie full of inhabitants, and a place of refuge for all outlawes and rebels. He buil|ded certeine brigantins with flat kéeles to serue for the ebbes and shallow shelues here and there, lieng vncerteinlie in the straits which he had to passe. The footmen ferried ouer in those vessels, the horssemen following by the foords, and swimming when they came into the deepe, got likewise to the shore, where stood in order of battell an huge number of armed men close togither, redie to beat backe the Romans, and to staie them from comming to land. Amongst the men,A strange ma|ner of women. a number of women were also running vp and downe as they had béene out of their wits, in garments like to wild roges, with their haire han|ging downe about their shoulders, and bearing fire|brands in their hands. There was also a companie of their priests or philosophers called Druides,The Druids. who with stretched forth hands towards heauen, thundered out curssings against the Romans in most bitter wise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The souldiers were so amazed with the strange|nesse of this sight, that (as men benummed of their lims and senses) they suffred themselues to be woun|ded and slaine like senselesse creatures, till by the calling vpon of their generall, and ech one incoura|ging other in no wise to feare a sort of mad & distract women, they preassed forward vnder their ensignes, bearing downe such as stood in their way, and with their owne fire smooldered and burnt them to ashes.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 To conclude,Anglesey soon by the Ro|mans. the Romane lieutenant got posses|sion of the whole Ile, wherein he placed garisons of men of warre to kéepe the people there in subiection. He also caused their woods to be cut downe,Woods cut downe. that were consecrated to their gods, within the which they were accustomed to sacrifice such as they tooke priso|ners, and by the view of their intrailes, in dismem|bring them, to learne of their gods some oracles and such other things as should come to passe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now in the meane time, whilest Paulinus was abroad about this enterprise, the Britains be|gan to conferre togither of their great and impor|table miseries, of their grieuous state of seruitude, of their iniuries and wrongs, which they dailie sustei|ned: how that by sufferance they profited nothing, but still were oppressed with more heauie burthens. Ech countrie in times past had onelie one king to rule them: now had they two,Lieutenant & procurator. the lieutenent by his capteins and souldiers spilling their bloud, and the procurator or receiuer (as we may call him) be rea|uing them of their goods and substance. The concord or discord betwixt those that were appointed to rule ouer them, was all alike hurtfull vnto the subiects, the lieutenant oppressing them by his capteins and men of warre, and the procurator or receiuer by force EEBO page image 42 and reprochfull demeanours, polling them by insuf|ferable exactions.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 There was nothing frée from the couetous extor|tion and filthie concupiscence of these vnsatiable per|sons, for in these daies (say they) the greatest spoiler is the valiantest man, and most commonlie our houses are robbed and ransacked by a sort of cowardlie ra|skals that haue no knowledge of anie warlike feats at all. Our children are taken from vs, we are for|ced to go to the musters, and are set foorth to serue in forren parties, as those that are ignorant which way to spend our liues in the quarell of our owne countrie. What a number of souldiers haue beene transported ouer from hence to serue in other lands, in a iust account were taken thereof? The Germans by manhood haue cast (said they) from their shoul|ders the heauie yoke of bondage, and are not defen|ded as we are with the maine Ocean sea, but onelie with a riuer. Where the Britains haue their coun|trie, their wiues and parents, as iust causes of war to fight for: the Romans haue none at all, but a co|uetous desire to gaine by rapine, and to satisfie their excessiue lusts.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 They might easilie be compelled to depart the countrie, as Iulius Cesar was, if the Britains would shew some proof of the noble prowesse that was euidentlie found in their woorthie ancestors, and not shrinke or quaile in courage for the misaduen|ture that should happilie chance by fighting one bat|tell or two. Greatest force and constancie alwaies remaineth with those that séek to deliuer themselues from miserie. Now appeared it that the gods had ta|ken some pitie of the poore Britains, who by their diuine power did withhold the chiefe capteine of the Romans with his armie, as it were banished in an other Iland. Let vs then (said they) take the oportu|nitie of time and good occasion offered, and foorthwith procéed in our businesse:Occasion not to be neg|lected. for lesse danger it is man|fullie to aduenture, and to go forward with our pur|pose, than to bewraied and taken in these our consultations. Thus hauing taken aduise togither, and wholie misliking their present state, they deter|mined to take weapon in hand, and so by force to seeke for reformation.