4.20. The Britains after the deceasse of Lu|cius (who died without issue) rebell a|gainst the Romans, the emperor Adrian com|ming in his owne person into Britaine appeaseth the broile, they go about to recouer their libertie a|gainst the Romans, but are suppressed by Lollius the Ro|mane lieutenant; the vigilantnesse or wakefulnesie of Marcellus, and his policie to keepe the soul|diers waking, the Britains being ruled by cer|taine meane gentlemen of Perhennis appointing doo falselie accuse him to the emperor Commodus, he is mangled and murthered of his souldiers. The xx. Chapter.

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The Britains after the deceasse of Lu|cius (who died without issue) rebell a|gainst the Romans, the emperor Adrian com|ming in his owne person into Britaine appeaseth the broile, they go about to recouer their libertie a|gainst the Romans, but are suppressed by Lollius the Ro|mane lieutenant; the vigilantnesse or wakefulnesie of Marcellus, and his policie to keepe the soul|diers waking, the Britains being ruled by cer|taine meane gentlemen of Perhennis appointing doo falselie accuse him to the emperor Commodus, he is mangled and murthered of his souldiers. The xx. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _IN the meane time the Romane lieutenant Cneus Trebellius that succéeded Iulius Agricola,Cneus Trebelli|us lieute|nant. could no, foresee all things so preciselie but that the souldiers waxing vnrulie by reason of long rest, fell at variance among themselues, and would not in the end obey the lieu|tenant, but disquieted the Britains beyond measure. Wherefore the Britains perceiuing themselues sore oppressed with intollerable bondage, and that dailie the same incresed, they conspired togither, vpon hope to recouer libertie, and to defend their countrie by all meanes possible, and herewith they tooke weapon in hand against the Romans, and boldlie assailed them: but this they did yet warilie, and so, that they might flie vnto the woods and bogs for refuge vpon neces|sitie, according to the maner of their countrie. Here|vpon diuers slaughters were commited on both par|ties, and all the countrie was now readie to rebell: whereof when the emperour Adrian was aduertised from Trebellius the lieutenant, with all conuenient speed he passed ouer into Britaine, and quieted all the Ile, vsing great humanitie towards the inhabi|tants; and making small account of that part where the Scots now inhabit, either bicause of the barren|nesse thereof, or for that by reason of the nature of the countrie he thought it would be hard to be kept vnder subiection, he deuised to diuide it from the re|sidue of Britaine,The wall of Adrian built. Spartianus. and so caused a wall to be made from the mouth of Tine vnto the water of Eske, which wall conteined in length 30 miles.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After this, the Britains bearing a malicious ha|tred towards the Romane souldiers, and repining to be kept vnder the bond of seruitude, eftsoones went a|bout to recouer libertie againe. Whereof aduertise|ment being giuen,Lollius Ur|bicus lieute|nant. the emperour Pius Antoninus sent ouer Lollius Urbicus as lieutenant into Britaine, who by sundrie battels striken, constreined the Britains to remaine in quiet, and causing those that inhabited in the north parts to remooue further off from the confines of the Romane prouince, Iulius Capitol. Another wall built. caised another wall beyond that which the emperor Adrian had made, as is to be supposed, for the more suertie of the Romane subiects against the inuasion of the eni|mies. But yet Lollius did not so make, an end of the warrs, but that the Britains shortlie after attemp|ted afresh,Calphur|nius A|gricola. either to reduce their state into libertie, or to bring the same into further danger.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 WHerevpon Marcus Antonius that succée|ded Pius,Of the doings of this Cal|phurnius in Britaine ye may read more in the Scotish chronicle. sent Calphurnius Agricola to succéed Lollius in the gouernement of Britaine, the which easilie ouercame and subdued all his enimies. After this there chanced some trouble in the daies of the emperour Commodus the son of Marcus Anto|nius and his successor in the empire: for the Britans that dwelled northwards, beyond Adrians wall, brake through the same, and spoiled a great part of the countrie, against whom the Romane lieutenant for that time being come foorth,Dion Cassius. gaue them battell: but both he and the Romane souldiers that were with him, were beaten downe and slaine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 With which newes Commodus being sore amazed, sent against the Britains one Ulpius Marcellus,Ulpius Mar|cellus lieu|tenant. a man of great diligence and temperance, but there|with rough and nothing gentle. He vsed the same kind of diet that the common souldiers did vse. He was a captaine much watchfull, as one contented with verie little sléepe, and desirous to haue his soul|diers also vigilant and carefull to kéepe sure watch in the night season. Euerie euening he would write twelue tables, such as they vsed to make on the lind trée, and deliuering them to one of his seruants, ap|pointed him to beare them at seuerall houres of the night to sundrie souldiers, whereby supposing that their generall was still watching and not gone to bed, they might be in doubt to sléepe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And although of nature he could well absteine from sléepe, yet to be the better able to forbeare it, he vsed a maruellous spare kind of diet: for to the end that he would not fill himselfe too much with bread, he would eat none but such as was brought to him from Rome, so that more than necessitie compelled him he could not eat, by reason that the stalenesse tooke awaie the pleasant tast thereof, and lesse pro|uoked his appetite. He was a maruellous contem|ner of monie, so that bribes might not mooue him to doo otherwise than dutie required. This Marcellus being of such disposition, sore afflicted the Britains, and put them oftentimes to great losses: through fame wherof, Cõmodus enuieng his renowme was after in mind to make him away, but yet spared him for a further purpose, and suffered him to depart.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After he was remooued from the gouernment of Britaine,Perhennis capteine of the emperours gard. one Perhennis capteine of the emperors gard (or pretorian souldiers as they were then called) bearing all the rule vnder the emperor Commodus, appointed certeine gentlemen of meane calling to gouerne the armie in Britaine. Which fond substitu|ting of such petie officers to ouersée and ouerrule the people, was to them an occasion of hartgrudge, and to him a meanes of finall mischeefe: both which it is likelie he might haue auoided, had he béene proui|dent in his deputation. For the souldiers in the same armie grudging and repining to be gouerned by men of base degrée,Aelius L [...]|pridius. in respect of those that had borne rule ouer them before, being honorable personages, as senators, and of the consular dignitie, they fell at square among themselues, and about fiftéene hun|dred of them departed towards Rome to exhibit their complaint against Perhennis: for what soeuer was amisse, the blame was still laid to him. They pas|sed foorth without impeachment at all, and comming in to Rome, the emperour himselfe came foorth to vn|derstand what they meant by this their comming in such sort from the place where they were appointed to serue. Their answer was, that they were come to informe him of the treason which Perhennis had de|uised to his destruction, that he might make his son emperor. To the which accusation when Commodus too lightlie gaue eare, & beléeued it to be true, name|lie, through the setting on of one Cleander, who hated Perhennis, for that he brideled him from dooing di|uerse vnlawfull acts, which he went about vpon a wilfull mind (without all reason and modestie) to practise; the matter was so handled in the end, that Perhennis was deliuered to the souldiers, who cruellie mangled him, and presentlie put him to a pitifull death.