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.
4.6. The coniectures of writers touching the situation of Camelodunum supposed to be Colchester, of the Silures a people spoken of in the former chapter, a foughten field betwene Caratacus the British prince, and Ostorius the Romaine, in the confines of Shorpshire; the Bri|tains go miserablie to wracke, Caratacus is deli|uered to the Romans, his wife and daughter are taken prisoners, his brethren yeeld themselues to their enimies. The sixt Chapter.
The coniectures of writers touching the situation of Camelodunum supposed to be Colchester, of the Silures a people spoken of in the former chapter, a foughten field betwene Caratacus the British prince, and Ostorius the Romaine, in the confines of Shorpshire; the Bri|tains go miserablie to wracke, Caratacus is deli|uered to the Romans, his wife and daughter are taken prisoners, his brethren yeeld themselues to their enimies. The sixt Chapter.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _BUt now there resteth a great doubt among writers, where this citie or towne called Ca|melodunum did stand, of some (and not without good ground of probable conie|ctures gathered vpon the ad|uised consideration of the cir|cumstances of that which in old authors is found written of this place) it is thought to be Colchester.Camelodu|num, Col|chester. But verelie by this place of Tacitus it maie rather seeme to be some other towne, situat more westward than Colchester, sith a colonie of Romane souldi|ers were planted there to be at hand, for the repres|sing of the vnquiet Silures,Silures where they inhabited. which by consent of most writers inhabited in Southwales, or néere the Welsh marshes.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 There was a castell of great fame in times past that hight Camaletum, or in British Caermalet, which stood in the marshes of Summersetshire: but sith there is none that hath so written before this time, I will not saie that happilie some error hath growne by mistaking the name of Camelodunum for this Camaletum, by such as haue copied out the booke of Cornelius Tacitus; and yet so it might be doon by such as found it short or vnperfectlie written, namelie, by such strangers or others, to whom onelie the name of Camelodunum was onelie knowne, and Camaletum peraduenture neuer séene nor heard of. As for example, and Englishman that hath heard of Waterford in Ireland, and not of Wex|ford, might in taking foorth a copie of some writing easilie commit a fault in noting the one for the other. We find in Ptolomie Camedolon to be a citie belonging to the Trinobants, and he maketh mention also of Camelodunum, but Humfrey Lhoyd thinketh that he meaneth all one citie.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Notwithstanding Polydor Virgil is of a contra|rie opinion, supposing the one to be Colchester in déed, and the other that is Camelodunum to be Doncaster or Pontfret. Leland esteeming it to be certeinelie Colchester taketh the Iceni men also to be the Northfolke men. But howsoeuer we shall take this place of Tacitus, it is euident inough that Camelodunum stood not farre from the Thames. And therefore to séeke it with Hector Boetius in Scotland, or with Polydor Virgil so far as Don|caster or Pontfret, it maie be thought a plaine error.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 But to leaue each man to his owne iudgement in a matter so doubtfull, we will procéed with the histo|rie as touching the warres betwixt the Romans and the Silurians, against whome (trusting not onelie vpon their owne manhood, but also vpon the high prowesse & valiancie of Caratacus) Ostorius set forward.Cornelius Tacitus lib. Anna. 12. Caratacus excelled in fame aboue all o|ther the princes of Britaine, aduanced thereto by manie doubtfull aduentures and manie prosperous exploits, which in his time he had atchiued: but as he was in policie and aduantage of place better proui|ded than the Romans: so in power of souldiers he was ouermatched. And therefore he remoued the battell into the parts of that countrie where the Or|douices inhabited,Hu. Lhoyd. which are thought to haue dwel|led in the borders of Shropshire, Cheshire, and Lan|cashire, which people together with other that misli|ked of the Romane gouernment, he ioined in one, and chose a plot of ground for his aduantage, deter|mining there to trie the vttermost hazard of battell.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The place which he thus chose was such, as the en|tries, the backwaies, and the whole situation there|of made for the Britains aduantage, and cleane contrarie to the Romans, as inclosed among high hils. And if there were anie easie passage to enter it vpon anie side, the same was shut vp with migh|tie huge stones in manner of a rampire, and afore it there ran a riuer without anie certeine foord to passe ouer it. This place is supposed to lie in the con|fines of Shropshire aloft vpon the top of an high hill there, enuironed with a triple rampire and ditch of great depth, hauing thrée entries into it, not direct|lie one against an other, but aslope. It is also (they saie) compassed about with two riuers, to wit, on the left hand with the riuer called Clun, & on the right hand with an other called Teuid. On thrée sides thereof the clime is verie steepe and head|long, and no waie easie to come or reach vnto it, but onelie one.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Caratac hauing thus fortified himselfe within this place, and brought his armie into it: to encou|rage his people, he exhorted them to shew their man|hood, affirming that to be the day, and that armie to be the same wherein should appeare the beginning either of libertie then to be recouered, or else of per|petuall bondage for euer to be susteined. He reher|sed also speciallie by name those their elders, which had resisted Iulius Cesar, by whose high valiancie they liued free from the bloudie thraldome and tri|butes of the Romans, and enioied their wiues and children safe and vndefiled. Thus discoursing of ma|nie things with them, in such hope of assured victorie, that they began to raise their cries, ech one for him selfe, declaring that he was bound by the dutie he owght to the gods of his countrie, not to shrinke for feare of anie wounds or hurts that might chance vnto them by the enimies weapon.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 This chéerefulnesse of the Britains greatlie astonished the Romane lieutenant. The hideous course also of the riuer before his face, the fortifica|tions and craggie higth of the hils, all set full of eni|mies readie to beat him backe, put him in great feare: for nothing he saw afore him, but that which séemed dreadfull to those that should assaile. But the souldiers yet séemed to be verie desirous of battell, requesting him to bring them to it, protesting that nothing was able to resist the force of noble prowes. Herewith the capteins and tribunes discoursing the like, pricked forward the earnest willes which their EEBO page image 39 souliders had to fight.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Ostorius perceiuing such courage and readie wils in the men of warre, as well souldiers as capteins, began to bestirre himselfe, and left nothing vndone that might serue to set forward their earnest desire to battell. And hauing aduisedlie considered which waies were hard and vnpossible to be entered vpon, and which were most easie for his people to find pas|sage by, he led them foorth, being most earnestlie bent to cope with the enimie.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now hauing passed the water without any great difficultie,Cornelius Tacitus Annal. lib. 12. but comming to the rampire, he lost ma|nie of his people, so long as the fight was continued with shot and casting of darts: but after that the Romans couering themselues with their targets, came once close togither, and approched vnder the rampire, they remooued away the stones which the Britains had roughlie couched togither, and so came to ioine with them at handblowes. The Britains being vnarmed, and not able to abide the force of the armed men, withdrew to the top of the hilles, but as well their enimies that were light armed, as the other with heauie armour, followed and brake in a|mong them, so as the Britains could not turne them anie way to escape, for the light armed men with shot a farre off, and the heauie armed with weapons at hand, sought to make slaughter and wracke of them on ech side, so that this was a verie dolefull day to the Britains.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 The wife and daughter of Caratake were taken prisoners, and his brethren also yéeled themselues. He himselfe escaped, and committing his person vn|to the assurance & trust of Cartemandua queene of the Brigants, was by hir deliuered into the hands of the Romans. All this happened about nine yeres after the warres in Britaine first began.