Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In this meane time, whilest the Britains were thus busied in sending of their ambassadours to the Romans, & consulting togither for defense of their countrie, the Scots first raced downe the wall of The Scots rase the wall of Abircorne. Abircorne, not leauing one piece thereof whole, so that a few tokens excepted, nothing remaineth to be séene at this day of all that huge and woonderfull worke, it is called now in these daies Graimsdike, Graimsdike. because that Graime was not onelie (as ye haue hard) chiefe in expelling the Britains from the same, but also at this time in the racing of it to the ground he was the greatest dooer. Which being accompli|shed, The Scotish and P [...]sh kings inuade the British bo [...]rers. the Scotish and Pictish kings assembled their powers, and ouerthrew all such fortresses as had not béene destroied the yeare before, standing on the northside of Adrians wall, the which wall the Bri|tains EEBO page image 88 had newlie fortified, but yet were not able to defend the same from the power of the enimie, who now set vpon the Britains with maine force, in so Idrians wall vndermined and ouer|throwen. much that vndermining the foundations of that wall in diuers places; at length sundrie parts there|of were reuersed into the ditch, so that the souldiers breaking in by the sa [...], cruellie beate downe the Britains which stood at defense.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The entrie being thus woo [...]e, both the kings with their powers marched forth into the south countries, commandement being giuen that no man vpon paine of death should kill [...] woman or child, aged person, or otherwise impotent and not able to beare armour. But this commandement in some pla|ces was but slenderlie obeied; such desire of re|uenge was planted in the Scotishmens hearts, by Crueltie of Scots. reason of the remembrance of old iniuries, that vn|neath made they anie difference either of age or sex. To be short, all those countries which lie betwixt the riuers of Tine and Humber, were wasted & spoiled, the whole number of the inhabitants (such as could make shift to escape the enimies hands) got them o|uer the foresaid riuer of Humber, there to remaine as further out of danger. The report of which mis|chiefe being brought to London, the lords there (who as ye haue heard were not all of one accord togither) they tooke new aduise, to redresse the present mis|chiefe in this maner. First they thought it best to The lords of Britaine take new ad|uise. send forth two ambassadors, one to the Scots & Picts to require a peace; & an other with letters to Etius the Romane lieutenant in France, for fresh aid and succour. The tenour of which letters as then Sée more hereof in England. The tenour of the letters sent vnto E|tius from the Britains, as is written by Hect. Boetius. sent vnto Etius here insueth.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 The lamentable complaints of the Britains vnto Etius thrise consull. At what time our elders be|came subiects vnto the Romans, they vnderstood by woorthie proofes and notable examples, that the se|nate was a most safe refuge and hauen, to be wished of all such as fled to the same for support. But we their posteritie by the pernicious working of the le|gat Maximianus, tending wholie to our destruction, being spoiled both of force and substance, and there|fore remaining in great danger of loosing both king|dome and liues, through the sore and terrible inua|sion of our most cruell enimies the Scots and Picts, making humble sute for succours vnto the Romane empire, according to the loiall trust and most assu|red confidence, the which euer like true and faithfull subiects we haue reposed in the same, are yet neg|lected, & nothing regarded, but deliuered as a prey vnto the barbarous nations to be spoiled, destroied, and slaine in most pitious wise, which can not but be an euident signe, that either the Romans haue chan|ged their most commendable maners into the worst that may be deuised, either els their most large em|pire, thorough the wrath and high displeasure of al|mightie God, is now giuen for a prey vnto other forren nations. But if it be so, that the fatall force of the time present dooth require, that without all re|medie the land of the Britains being taken awaie from the Romans, must needs be brought vnder the subiection of some barbarous nation, we neither abhorre nor refuse the gouernement of anie people or nation, the Scots and Picts (the most cruell of all other) onelie excepted, whose crueltie we hauing long since too too much tasted, are at this present brought vnto that point by their late increased puis|sance, that we know not now after the losse of our goods and cattell, which way to safe gard our liues, for the turffe walls being pulled downe, and the ditches filled vp with earth, which aforetime did somewhat staie them, now breaking in vpon vs without let|ting passe anie one kind of crueltie, they haue de|stroied our fields, burned vp our houses, townes & villages, beaten dow [...]e & raced euen to the ground our [...]els and towers, with such other places of de|fense; not sparing to put to the sword as well the [...] innocent children, women, and impotent aged, as such other innumerable numbers of men, which they haue slaine standing at defense with weapon in hand. And as for vs, which are the residue of our de|caied nation, they haue driuen euen to the sea side, and from thence (because we cannot passe ouer) we are put backe vpon our enimies againe. And here|of pr [...]céed two kinds of our destruction, for either we are drowned in the raging slouds, either else slaine most vnmercifullie by our cruell enimies. Therefore if the honor of the Romane people, if our assured loialtie and loue, which we beare to the em|pire of Rome, now continued for the space of these 500 yeares or thereabout, may moue you to rue on our miseries, we humblie pray and beseech you, not to suffer vs longer to be trodden vnder foot of these our most beastlie and cruell enimies, but send vnto vs some conuenable succors and that with all spéed, least we séeme to be more cruellie betraied of the Romans, than brought to destruction by these bar|barous people, and that we be not set foorth as a no|table example for all other to beware, how they put confidence hereafter either in the rule or friendship of the Romans.