Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 By this meanes was the state of the common|wealth brought into better quiet, and the yeere next insuing, being the third of Gald his reigne, he cal|led a councell at Dunstafage, wherein he laboured much for the abrogating of the wicked lawes insti|tuted Gald laboreth to abrogate wicked lawes by king Ewin, as before is partlie specified: but he could not obteine more, than that poore men from thencefoorth should haue their wiues frée vnto themselues, without being abused from time to time indifferentlie by their landlords, as heretofore they had bene. Whilest he was thus busied about the esta|blishing of holsome orders & statuts for the welth of his subiects, woord was brought him that Petilius Petilius Ce|realis a Ro|mane capteine sent by Ues|pasian into Britaine. Cerealis a Romane capteine, being sent from Ues|pasian the emperour to haue the gouernement of Britaine, was landed with a puissant armie in the countrie, and minded shortlie to inuade the bor|ders of his realme, as Annandale and Galloway.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 With these newes Gald being somewhat asto|nished, The Ordoui|ces and Bri|gants mista|ken by the Scotish writers. thought good to vnderstand the certeintie of the enimies dooings, before he made anie sturre for the leuieng of his people, and therefore appointed certeine light horssemen to ride foorth, and to bring certeine newes of that which they might heare or see: who at their returne declared that the enimies armie was abroad in the fields, vpon the borders of Pict|land, The picts o|uerthrowne by the Ro|mans. The Romans purpose to enter into Galloway. Gald deter|mineth to fight with the Romans. and had giuen the Picts alreadie a great ouer|throw; and further, how they were turned westward on the left hand, in purpose to enter into Galloway. Gald being thus certified of the Romans approch towards his countrie, determined to giue them bat|tell, before they entered into the inner parts of his realme, and therefore with all spéed he assembled his people, to the number of fiftie thousand men, all such as were able to beare armor, being readie to repaire vnto him in such present necessitie for defense of their countrie.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 It hath béene reported, that as he marched foorth Strange sights appéere to the Scotish armie. towards his enimies, sundrie strange sights appea|red by the way. An eagle was seene almost all a whole day, flieng vp and downe ouer the Scotish ar|mie, euen as though she had laboured hir selfe wea|rie. Also an armed man was seene flieng round a|bout the armie, and suddenlie vanished away. There fell in like maner out of a darke cloud in the fields, through the which the armie should passe, di|uerse kinds of birds that were spotted with bloud. These monstruous sights troubled mens minds diuerslie, some construing the same to signifie good successe, and some otherwise. Also the chiefest cap|teins amongst the Scots were not all of one opini|on, The Scots not all of one mind. for some of them weieng the great force of the Romane armie, being the greatest that euer had béene brought into their countrie before that day, counselled that they shuld in no wise be fought with|all, but rather to suffer them to wearie themselues, till vittels and other prouision should faile them, and EEBO page image 54 then to take the aduantage of them, as occasion serued.