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4.22. The ambitious mind of the old empe|rour Seuerus, he arriueth in Britaine with a mightie power to suppresse the rebellious Britains, the emperours politike prouision for his souldiers in the fens and bogs: the agilitie of the Bri|tains, their nimblenesse, the painting of their bodies with di|uerse colours, their furniture, their great sufferance of hunger, cold, &c: diuerse conflicts betweene the Romans and the Bri|tains, their subtile traines to deceiue their enimies, the Ro|mans pitifullie distressed, Seuerus constreineth the Caledo|nians to conclude a league with him; he falleth sicke, his owne sonne practiseth to make him away: the Britains begin a new rebellion, the cruell commandement of Seuerus to kill and slea all that came to hand without exception, his age, his death, and sepulchte: Bassianus ambitiouslie vsur|peth the whole regiment, he killeth his bro|ther Geta, and is slaine himselfe by one of his owne soul|diers. The xxij. Chapter.

The ambitious mind of the old empe|rour Seuerus, he arriueth in Britaine with a mightie power to suppresse the rebellious Britains, the emperours politike prouision for his souldiers in the fens and bogs: the agilitie of the Bri|tains, their nimblenesse, the painting of their bodies with di|uerse colours, their furniture, their great sufferance of hunger, cold, &c: diuerse conflicts betweene the Romans and the Bri|tains, their subtile traines to deceiue their enimies, the Ro|mans pitifullie distressed, Seuerus constreineth the Caledo|nians to conclude a league with him; he falleth sicke, his owne sonne practiseth to make him away: the Britains begin a new rebellion, the cruell commandement of Seuerus to kill and slea all that came to hand without exception, his age, his death, and sepulchte: Bassianus ambitiouslie vsur|peth the whole regiment, he killeth his bro|ther Geta, and is slaine himselfe by one of his owne soul|diers. The xxij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THe emperour Seuerus receiuing aduertisment from the lieutenant of Britaine, that the people there mooued rebellion, & wasted the coun|trie with roads and forraies, so that it was néedful to haue the prince himselfe to come thither within great power to resist the enimies, he of an ambitions mind re [...]oised not a little for those newes, bicause he saw occasion offered to aduance his renow [...]e and fame with increase of new victo|ries now in the west, after so manie triumphs pur|chased and got by him in the east and north parts of the world: Héerevpon though he was of great age, EEBO page image 55 yet the desire that he had still to win honour, caused him to take in hand to make a iournie into this land, and so being furnished of all things necessarie, he set forwards, being carried for the more part in a litter for his more ease: for that beside his féeblenesse of age, he was also troubled with the gout. He tooke with him his two sonnes,Antoninus and Geta. Antoninus Bassianus and Geta, vpon purpose as was thought, to auoid occa|sions of such inconuenience as he perceiued might grow by discord mooued betwixt them through flat|terers and malicious sycophants, which sought to set them at variance: which to bring to passe, he percei|ued there should want no meane whilest they conti|nued in Rome, amidst such pleasures & idle pastimes as were dailie there frequented: and therefore he caused them to attend him in this iournie into Bri|taine, that they might learne to liue soberlie, and af|ter the manner of men of warre.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Seuerus being thus on his iournie towards Bri|taine, staied not by the waie,The empe|rour Seue|rus arriueth in Britaine. but with all diligence sped him foorth, and passing the sea verie swiftlie, en|tred this Ile, and assembled a mightie power togi|ther, meaning to assaile his enimies, and to pursue the warre against them to the vttermost. The Bri|tains greatlie amazed with this sudden arriuall of the emperour, and hearing that such preparation was made against them, sent ambassadours to him to intreat of peace, and to excuse their rebellious doo|ings. But Seuerus delaieng time for answere, as he that was desirous to atchiue some high enterprise against the Britains, for the which he might deserue the surname of Britannicus, which he greatlie coue|ted, still was busie to prepare all things necessarie for the warre; and namelie, caused a great number of bridges to be made to lay ouer the bogs and ma|reshes, so that his souldiers might haue place to stand vpon, and not to be incumbered for lacke of firme ground when they should cope with their enimies: for the more part of Britaine in those daies (as He|rodianus Herodianus. writeth) was full of fens & maresh ground, by reason of the often flowings and washings of the sea tides: by the which maresh grounds the enimies being thereto accustomed, would run and swim in the waters,He meaneth of the north Britains or sauage Bri|tains as we may call them. and wade vp to the middle at their plea|sure, going for the more part naked, so that they pas|sed not on the mud and mires, for they knew not the vse of wearing cloths, but ware hoopes of iron about their middles and necks, esteeming the same as an ornament and token of riches, as other barbarous people did gold.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Moreouer they marked, or (as it were) painted their bodies in diuerse sorts and with sundrie shapes and figures of beasts and fowles, and therefore they vsed not to weare anie garments, that such painting of their bodies might the more apparantlie be séene, which they estéemed a great brauerie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 They were as the same Herodianus writeth, a people giuen much to war, and delighted in slaugh|ter and bloudshed, vsing none other weapons or ar|mour but a slender buckler,The furni|ture of the sa|uage Bri|tains. a iaueline, and a swoord tied to their naked bodies: as for headpéece or ha|bergeon, they estéemed not, bicause they thought the same should be an hinderance to them when they should passe ouer anie maresh, or be driuen to swim anie waters, or flée to the bogs.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Moreouer, to suffer hunger, cold, and trauell, they were so vsed and inured therewith, that they would not passe to lie in the bogs and mires couered vp to the chin, without caring for meate for the space of di|uerse daies togither: and in the woods they would liue vpon roots and barks of trées. Also they vsed to prepare for themselues a certeine kind of meate, of the which if they receiued but so much as amounted to the quantitie of a bea [...]e, they would thinke them|selues satisfied, and féele neither hunger nor thirst. The one halfe of the Ile or little lesse was subiect vn|to the Romans, the other was gouerned of them|selues, the people for the most part hauing the rule in their hands.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Seuerus therefore meaning to subdue the whole, and vnderstanding their nature, and the manner of their making warre, prouided him selfe of all things expedient for the annoiance of them and helpe of his owne souldiers, and appointing his sonne Geta to remaine in that part of the Ile which was subiect to the Romans, he tooke with him his other sonne An|toninus, and with his armie marched foorth, and en|tred into the confines of the enimies, and there be|gan to waste and forrey the countrie, whereby there insued diuerse conflicts and skirmishes betwixt the Romans and the inhabitants, the victorie still re|maining on the Romans side: but the enimies ea|silie escaped without anie great losse vnto the woods, mountains, bogs, and such other places of refuge as they knew to be at hand, whither the Romans durst not follow, nor once approch, for feare to be intrapped and inclosed by the Britains that were readie to re|turne and assaile their enimies vpon euerie occasion of aduantage that might be offered.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This maner of dealing sore troubled the Romans, and so hindered them in their procéedings, that no spéedie end could be made of that warre.Dion Cassius. The Bri|tains would oftentimes of purpose laie their cattell, as oxen, kine, shéepe, and such like, in places conue|nient, to be as a stale to the Romans; and when the Romans should make to them to fetch the same a|waie, being distant from the residue of the armie a good space, they would fall vpon them and distresse them. Beside this, the Romans were much annoied with the vnwholesomnesse of the waters which they were forced to drinke, and if they chanced to straie abroad, they were snapped vp by ambushes which the Caledonians laid for them, and when they were so féeble that they could not through want of strength kéepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in or|der of battell, they were slaine by their owne fel|lowes, least they should be left behind for a prey to the enimies. Héereby there died in this iournie of the Romane armie, at the point of fiftie thousand men: but yet would not Seuerus returne, till he had gone through the whole Ile, and so came to the vttermost parts of all the countrie now called Scotland, and at last backe againe to the other part of the Ile sub|iect to the Romans, the inhabitants whereof are na|med (by Dion Cassius) Meatae. But first he forced the other, whom the same Dion nameth Caledontj, to conclude a league with him, vpon such conditions, as they were compelled to depart with no small porti|on of the countrie, and to deliuer vnto him their ar|mour and weapons.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the meane time, the emperour Seuerus being worne with age fell sicke, so that he was constreined to abide at home within that part of the Ile which o|beied the Romans, and to appoint his sonne Antoni|nus to take charge of the armie abroad. But Antoni|nus not regarding the enimies, attempted little or nothing against them, but sought waies how to win the fauour of the souldiers and men of warre, that after his fathers death (for which he dailie looked) he might haue their aid and assistance to be admitted emperour in his place. Now when he saw that his father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue wished, he practised with physicians and other of his fathers seruants to dispatch him by one meane or other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Whilest Antoninus thus negligentlie looked to his charge, the Britains began a new rebellion, not on|lie those that were latelie ioined in league with the EEBO page image 56 emperour, but the other also which were subiects to the Romane empire. Seuerus tooke such displeasure, that he called togither the souldiers, and comman|ded them to inuade the countrie, and to kill all such as they might méet within anie place without re|spect, and that his cruell commandement he expres|sed in these verses taken out of Homer:

Nemo manus fugiat vestras,Iliados. 3. caedémque cruentam,
Non foetus grauida mater quem gessit in aluo
Horrendam effugiat caedem.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But while he was thus disquieted with the rebel|lion of the Britains, and the disloiall practises of his sonne Antoninus, which to him were not vnknowne, (for the wicked sonne had by diuers attempts dis|couered his traitorous and vnnaturall, meanings) at length, rather through sorrow and griefe, than by force of sicknesse,Herodianus. Dion Cassius. Eutropius. Dion Cassius. he wasted awaie, and departed this life at Yorke, the third daie before the nones of Februarie, after he had gouerned the empire by the space of 17 yeares, 8 moneths, & 33 daies. He liued 65 yeres, 9 moneths, & 13 daies: he was borne the third ides of April. By that which before is recited out of Herodian and Dion Cassius, of the maners & vsa|ges of those people, against whome Seuerus held warre here in Britaine, it maie be coniectured, that they were the Picts, the which possessed in those daies a great part of Scotland, and with continu|all incursions and rodes wasted and destroied to the borders of those countries which were subiect to the Romans. To kéepe them backe therefore and to re|presse their inuasions,Eurropius. Orosius. Seuerus (as some write) ei|ther restored the former wall made by Adrian, or else newlie built an other ouerthwart the Ile,Dion Cassius. from the east sea to the west, conteining in length 232 miles. This wall was not made of stone, but of turfe and earth supported with stakes and piles of wood,Beda. and defended on the backe with a déepe trench or ditch, and also fortified with diuerse towers and turrets built & erected vpon the same wall or ram|pire so néere togither,Hector Boe| [...]ius. that the sound of trumpets being placed in the same, might be heard betwixt, and so warning giuen from one to another vpon the first descrieng of the enimies.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our Lord 211,Polydorus. Herodianus. 211 his son Antoninus otherwise called also Bassianus, would faine haue vsurped the whole gouernment into his owne hands, at|tempting with bribes and large promises to corrupt the minds of the souldiers: but when he perceiued that his purpose would not forward as he wished in that behalfe, he concluded a league with the enimies, and making peace with them, returned backe to|wards Yorke, and came to his mother and brother Geta, with whome he tooke order for the buriall of his father. And first his bodie being burnt (as the maner was) the ashes were put into a vessell of gold, and so conueied to Rome by the two brethren and the empresse Iulia, who was mother to Geta the yonger brother, and mother in law to the elder, An|toninus Bassianus, & by all meanes possible sought to maintaine loue and concord betwixt the brethren, which now at the first tooke vpon them to rule the empire equallie togither. But the ambition of Bas|sianus was such, that finallie vpon desire to haue the whole rule himselfe, he found meanes to dispatch his brother Geta, breaking one daie into his cham|ber, and slaieng him euen in his mothers lap, and so possessed the gouernment alone, till at length he was slaine at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia by one of his owne souldiers, as he was about to vntruffe his points to doo the office of nature,Sextus Aure|lius. after he had reig|ned the space of 6 yeares, as is aforesaid. Where we are to note Gods iudgment, prouiding that he which had shed mans bloud, should also die by the sword.

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5.52. Seuerus.

Seuerus.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [figure appears here on page 78] THis Seue|rus as they Emperoure of Rome,Seuer [...] began to rule this Ile (as authors af|firme) in ye yere of oure Lorde 207. & gouer|ned the ſame [...] 4. yeres & odde moneths. At length, hearing that one Fulgẽtius as then a leader of the Pictes was entred into the bordures of his countrey on this ſyde Dur|ham, he rayſed an hoſt of Britaynes & Romans, with the which he marched towards his enimies: and meeting with the ſaid Fulgentius in a place neere vnto Yorke, in the ende after ſore fighte, Seuerus was ſlayne, when he hadde ruled thys [figure appears here on page 78] land for the ſpace almoſt of fiue yeeres as before is ſayd, and was after buried at Yorke, leauyng behinde him two ſonnes, the one named Geta, & the other Baſſianus. This Baſſianus beeyng borne of a Brittiſh woman, ſucceeded his father in the gouernemente of Britayne, in the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord .211.211 The Romanes would haue had Geta created King of Britaine, bearing more fauoure to him bycauſe he hadde a Romane Lady to his mother: but the Britaines moued with the like reſpect, helde with Baſſia|nus. And therevpon warre was rayſed betwixte the two brethren, & comming to trie their quar|rell by battell, Geta was ſlayne, and Baſſianus with ayde of the Britaynes, remayned victor, & ſo continued Kyng, till at length he was ſlayne by one Carauſius a Britaine, borne but of lowe birth, howbeit right valiant in armes, and there|fore well eſteemed: In ſomuch that obteynyng of the Senate of Rome the keeping of the coaſts of Britayne, that he might defend the ſame from the malice of ſtraungers as Pictes and other, he drew to him a great number of Souldiers & ſpe|cially of Britaines, to whome hee promiſed that if they would make him king, hee would cleerely deliuer them from the oppreſſion of the Romaine ſeruitude. Wherevpon the Britaynes rebellyng againſt Baſſianus, ioined themſelues to Carau|ſius, who by their ſupport, vanquiſhed and ſlewe the ſayd Baſſianus, after he had raigned ſixe, or as ſome affirme .xxx. yeares.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus farre out of the Engliſhe and Brittiſhe writers, the whiche howe farre they vary from a likelyhood of troth, yee ſhall heare what the ye ap|prooued hiſtoriographers, Greekes, and Latines, [...]. writing of theſe matters, haue recorded.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Emperour Seuerus receiuing aduertiſe|ment from the Lieutenant of Britayne that the people there moued Rebellion, and waſted the countrey with roades & forrayes, ſo that it was needefull to haue the prince himſelfe to come thi|ther with a greate power to reſiſt ye enimies, he of an ambitious mind reioyced not a little for thoſe newes, bycauſe hee ſawe occaſion offered to ad|uãce his renoume and fame with increaſe of new victories nowe in the Weſt, after ſo many tri|umphes purchaſed & got by him in the Eaſt and North partes of the world. Herevpon though he was of great age, yet the deſire that he had ſtil to winne honor, cauſed him to take in hand to make a iourney into this land, and ſo being furniſhed of al things neceſſary, he ſet forwards, being carried EEBO page image 79 for the more part in a litter for his more eaſe: for yt beſide his feebleneſſe of age, he was alſo troubled with ye goute. [...]onius and [...]. He toke with him his two ſonnes, Antonius Baſſianus and Geta, vpon purpoſe as was thought, to auoyde occaſions of ſuche incõ|uenience as he perceyued might grow by diſcord, moued betwixte thẽ through flatterers and ma|licious ſycophants whiche ſoughte to ſet them at variance: whiche to bring to paſſe, he perceyued there ſhould want no meane whileſt they conti|nued in Rome, amid ſuch pleaſures and idle pa|ſtimes as were dayly there frequented: and ther|fore he cauſed them to attend him in this iour|ney into Britayne, that they mighte learne to liue ſoberly, and after the manner of menne of warre.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [...]e Emperor [...]erus arri| [...] in Bri| [...]y [...]ne.Seuerus being thus on his iourney towardes Britayne, ſtayed not by the way, but with all diligence ſpedde him foorthe, and paſſing the Sea very ſwiftly, entred this Iſle, and aſſembled a mightie power togither, meaning to aſſayle hys enimies, and to purſue the warre againſte them to the vttermoſt. The Britaynes greatly ama|ſed with this ſodayne arriuall of the Emperoure, and hearing that ſuch preparation was made a|gainſt them, ſent Ambaſſadors to him to intreat of peace, & to excuſe their rebellious doings. But Seuerus delaying time for aunſwere, as he that was deſirous to atchieue ſome high enterpriſe a|gainſt the Britaines, for the which he might de|ſerue ye ſurname of Britannicus, which he great|ly coueted, ſtill was buſie to prepare all thyngs neceſſary for the warre, and namely, cauſed a great number of bridges to bee made to lay ouer the bogges and mariſhes, ſo that his ſouldiers might haue place to ſtand vppon, and not to bee encõbred for lacke of firme groũd whẽ they ſhuld cope with their enimies: [...]erodianus. for the more parte of Britaine in thoſe dayes (as Herodianus writeth) was full of fennes, and marres grounds, by rea|ſon of the often flowings and waſhing of the ſea tides: by the whiche marres grounds the enimies being therto accuſtomed, wold runne & ſwimme in the waters, [...]e meaneth the North [...]itaynes or [...]age Bri| [...]ynes as wee [...]y call them and wade vp to the middle at their pleaſure, going for the more parte naked, ſo that they paſſed not on the mudde and myres, for they knewe not the vſe of wearing clothes, but ware hoopes of Iron about their middles and neckes, eſteeming the ſame as an ornamente and token of riches, as other barbarous people did golde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, they marked, or (as it were) payn|ted their bodies in diuers ſortes and with ſundry ſhapes and figures of beaſtes and foules, & there|fore they vſed not to weare any garmentes, that ſuche paynting of their bodyes mighte the more appearantly be ſeene, which they eſtemed a great brauerie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 They were as the ſame Herodianus wri|teth, a people giuen muche to the warre, and de|lighted in ſlaughter and bloudſhed, vſing none o|ther weapons or armure but a ſlender buckler, a Iaueline,The furniture of the ſauage Britaynes. and a ſworde tyed to their naked bo|dyes: for as for headpeece or Habergeon, they e|ſteemed not, bicauſe they thought the ſame ſhuld be an hinderance to them when they ſhould paſſe ouer any marres, or be driuen to ſwimme anye waters, or flee to the bogges.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, to ſuffer hunger, colde, and trauell, they were ſo vſed and enured therwith, that they would not paſſe to lie in the bogges and myres coueted vp to the chynne, withoute caring for meate for the ſpace of diuers dayes togither: and in the wooddes they woulde liue vpon rootes and barkes of trees. Alſo they vſed to prepare for thẽ|ſelues a certayne kynde of meate, of the whiche if they receyued but ſo muche as amounted to the quantitie of a beane, they would thinke them ſelues ſatiſfyed, and feele neyther hunger nor thirſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The one halfe of the Ile or little leſſe was ſubiect vnto the Romaynes, the other were go|uerned of themſelues, the people for the moſt part hauing the rule in their handes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Seuerus therefore meaning to ſubdue the whole, and vnderſtandyng theyr nature, and the manner of their making warre, prouided him ſelfe of all things expedient for the annoyance of them and help of his own ſouldiers, and appoin|ting his ſonne Geta to remayne in that parte of the Iſle which was ſubiect to the Romaynes, he tooke with him his other ſonne Antoninus, and with his army marched foorthe, and entred into the confynes of the enimies, and there beganne to waſt and forrey the countrey, whereby there enſued diuers conflictes and ſkirmiſhes betwixte the Romaynes and the inhabitantes, the victory ſtill remayning with the Romaynes ſide: but the enimies eaſily eſcaped withoute any greate loſſe, vnto the wooddes, Mountaynes, bogges, and ſuch other places of refuge, as they knew to be at hand, whither the Romaynes durſt not followe, nor once approche, for feare to bee entrapped and encloſed by the Britaynes that were ready to returne and aſſayle their enimies vppon e|uery occaſion of aduauntage that myghte bee offered.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This manner of dealing ſore troubled the Romaynes, and ſo hindred them in their pro|cedings,Dion Caſsius. that no ſpeedy ende coulde bee made of that war: the Britaynes woulde oftentimes of purpoſe lay their Cattell, as Oxen, Kyne, Sheepe, and ſuche like, in places conueniente, to bee as a ſtale to the Romaynes, and when the Romaynes ſhoulde make to them to fetche the ſame away, being diſtant from the reſidue of the army a good ſpace, they would fall vpõ them EEBO page image 80 and diſtreſſe them. Beſide this, the Romaynes were muche anoyed with the vnwhole ſomneſſe of the waters whiche they were forced to drinke, and if they chanced to ſtray abrode, they were ſnapped vp by ambuſhes which the Calidonians layde for them, and when they were ſo feeble that they could not through wante of ſtrength keepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in or|der of battell, they were ſlayne by their owne fel|lowes, leaſt they ſhould be left behinde for a pray to the enimies. Hereby there died in this iourney of the Romaine army, at the point of fiftie thou|ſand men: but yet woulde not Seuerus returned till he had gone through the whole Iſle, and [...]o came to the vttermoſt partes of all the Countrey now called Scotland, and finally came backe a|gayne to the other parte of the Iſle ſubiect to the Romaynes, the inhabitantes whereof, named by Dion Caſſius Meatae: but firſt he cõſtreyned the other whome the ſame Dion nameth Caledonij, to conclude a league with him, with ſuch condi|tions as they were compelled to departe with no ſmall portion of the countrey, and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons.

[figure appears here on page 80]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the meane time, the Emperoure Seuerus being worne with age fell ſicke, ſo that hee was conſtreyned to abide at home within that part of the Ile which obeyed ye Romans, and to appoint his ſon Antoninus to take charge of the army a|brode. But Antoninus not regarding ye enimies, attempted little or nothing againſte them, but ſoughte wayes howe to winne the fauoure of the ſouldiers and men of war, that after his fathers death (for which he dayly looked) he mighte haue their aide & aſſiſtance to be admitted Emperoure in his place. Nowe when hee ſaw that his Father bare out his ſickneſſe longer time than he would haue wiſhed, he practiſed with Phiſitions and o|ther of his fathers ſeruaunts to diſpatche him by one meane or other.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whileſt Antoninus thus negligẽtly looked to his charge, the Britaynes began a new Rebelli|on, not only thoſe yt were lately ioyned in league with the Emperoure, but the other alſo whiche were ſubiects to the Romane Empire. Seuerus tooke ſuche diſpleaſure, that he called togither the Souldiers, and commaunded them to inuade the countrey, and to kill al ſuch as they might meete with in any place withoute reſpect, and that hys cruell commaundement he expreſſed in theſe ver|ſes taken out of Homer.

Compare 1587 edition: 1
Nemo manus fugiat vestros, caedem cruentam, Iliadu [...]
Non foetus grauida mater quem geſsit in aluo,
Horrendam effugiat caedem.
Let none eſcape your bloudy handes,
nor direſome ſlaughter flie,
No not the babe vnborne, which in
the mothers wombe doth lie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But whileſt he is thus diſquieted with ye Re|bellion of the Britaynes, & the diſloyall practiſes of his ſon Antoninus, which to him were not vn|knowen. For the wicked ſonne had by diuers at|tempts diſcouered his trayterous and vnnatural meanings. At lẽgth, rather through ſorrow and griefe, than by force of ſickneſſe, he waſted away, [...] Dion Ca [...] & departed this life at Yorke the third day before ye Nones of February, after he had gouerned the Empire by the ſpace of .17. yeeres .8. moneths & . [...]. days. He liued .65. yeres .9. moneths & .17. days: he was borne the third Ides of April by that which before is recited out of Herodyan & Dion Caſſi|us of ye maners & vſages of thoſe people, agaynſt whome Seuerus helde war heere in Britayne: it may be coniectured, yt they were the Pictes, the whiche poſſeſſed in thoſe dayes a greate parte of Scotland, and with continual incurſiõs & rodes waſted & deſtroied ye bordures of thoſe countreys EEBO page image 81 which were ſubiect to the Romains. To kepe thẽ back therfore & to repreſſe their inuaſions Seue|rus (as ſome write) either reſtored ye former wall made by Adrian, [...]opius. [...]. or elſe newely buylt an o|ther ouerthwarte the yle from the eaſt ſea to the weſt, [...]. Caſsius. conteining in length .232. miles. This wall was not made of ſtone, but of turfe & earth ſup|ported with ſtakes & pyles of wood, [...]. and defended on the back with a deepe trenche or ditche, & alſo fortified with diuers toures & turrets buylt and erected vpon ye ſame wall or rampire ſo nere to|gither, [...] Boetius that the ſoũd of trumpets being placed in the ſame, might be hearde betwixte, and ſo war|ning giuen from one to an other vpon the fyrſte deſcrying of the enimies.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our lord .211. [...]lidor. nus. [...]rodia 211. his ſon Antoninus otherwiſe called alſo Baſſianus, wold fayn haue vſurped ye whole gouernment into his own hands, attemp|ting with bribes & large promiſes, to corrrupt the mindes of the ſouldiors: but when he perceiued yt his purpoſe wold not forward as he wiſhed in yt behalf, he concluded a league with the enimies, & making peace with thẽ, returned back towardes Yorke, and came to his mother & brother Geta, with whom he took order for the burial of his fa|ther. And firſt his body being brent (as the maner was) the aſhes were put into a veſſel of gold, and ſo conueyed to Rome by the two brethren and the empreſſe Iulia, that was mother to Geta the yonger brother, & mother in law to the elder, An|toninus Baſſianus, and by all meanes poſſible ſought to mainteyn loue & concorde betwixt the brethren, which now at the firſt toke vpon them to rule the empire equally togither: but the am|bition of Baſſianus was ſuch, that finally vpon deſire to haue the whole rule himſelfe, he founde meanes to diſpatche his brother Geta, breaking one day into his chãber, & ſlaying him euẽ in his mothers lap, & ſo poſſeſſed the gouernmẽt alone, [figure appears here on page 81] til at lẽgth he was ſlain at Edeſſa a citie in Me|ſopotamia by one of his own ſoldiors, as he was about to vntruſſe his pointes to doe the of [...]e of nature, after he had reigned the ſpace of .vj.Sextus Au|relius. yeares as is aforeſayde.