Chronicles : The Historie of England

Chronicles : The Historie of
England

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Title: Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8) The Fovrth
Booke Of The Historie Of England
Author: Raphael Holinshed
Release Date: August 16, 2005 [EBook #16536]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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OF ENGLAND ***

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THE FOVRTH BOOKE
OF THE

HISTORIE OF ENGLAND.
* * * * *

_The Britains discomfited, sore wounded, slaine, and disabled by
Plautius and his power, Claudius the Romane taketh the chiefe citie of
Cymbeline the king of Britaine, he bereaueth the Britains of their
armour, and by vertue of his conquest ouer part of the land is surnamed
Britannicus_.
THE FIRST CHAPTER.
Now Plautius had much adoo to find out the Britains in their lurking
holes and couerts; howbeit when he had traced them out, first he
vanquished Cataratacus, and after Togodumnus the sonnes of
Cynobellinus: for their father was dead not verie long before. These
therefore fléeing their waies, Plautus receiued part of the people
[Sidenote: Bodumni Catuellani] called Bodumni (which were subiects
vnto them that were called Catuellani) into the obeisance of the
Romans: and so leauing there a garrison of souldiors, passed further till
he came to a riuer which could not well be passed without a bridge:
wherevpon the Britains tooke small regard to defend the passage, as
though they had béene sure inough. But Plautius appointed a certeine
number of Germans which he had there with him (being vsed to swim
ouer riuers although neuer so swift) to get ouer, which they did, sleaing
and wounding the Britains horsses, which were fastened to their
wagons or chariots, so that the Britains were not able to doo anie péece
of their accustomed seruice with the same.
Herewithall was Flauius Vespasianus (that afterwards was emperour)
with his brother Sabinus sent ouer that riuer, which being got to the
further side, slue a great number of the enimies. The residue of the
Britains fled, but the next day proffered a new battell, in the which they
fought so stoutlie, that the victorie depended long in doubtfull balance,
till Caius Sidius Geta being almost at point to be taken, did so handle
the matter, that the Britains finallie were put to flight: for the which his

valiant dooings, triumphant honors were bestowed vpon him, although
he was no consull.
The Britains after this battell, withdrew to the riuer of Thames, néere to
the place where it falleth into the sea, and knowing the shallowes and
firme places thereof, easilie passed ouer to the further side, whom the
Romans following, through lacke of knowledge in the nature of the
places, they fell into the marish grounds, and so came to lose manie of
their men, namelie of the Germans, which were the first that passed
ouer the riuer to follow the Britains, partlie by a bridge which lay
within the countrie ouer the said riuer, and partlie by swimming, and
other such shift as they presentlie made.
[Sidenote: _Togodumnus_] The Britains hauing lost one of their rulers,
namelie Togodumnus (of whom ye haue heard before) were nothing
discouraged, but rather more egerlie set on reuenge. Plautius perceiuing
their fiercenesse, went no further, but staid and placed garrisons in
stéeds where néed required, to kéepe those places which he had gotten,
and with all spéed sent aduertisement vnto Claudius, according to that
he had in commandement, if anie vrgent necessitie should so mooue
him. Claudius therefore hauing all things before hand in a readinesse,
straightwaies vpon the receiuing of the aduertisement, departed from
Rome, and came by water vnto Ostia, and from thence vnto Massilia,
and so through France sped his iournies till he came to the side of the
Ocean sea, and then imbarking himselfe with his people, passed ouer
into Britaine, and came to his armie which abode his comming néere
the Thames side, where being ioined, they passed the riuer againe,
fought with the Britains in a pitcht field, and getting the victorie, tooke
the towne of Camelodunum (which some count to be Colchester) being
the chiefest citie apperteining vnto Cynobelinus. He reduced also manie
other people into his subiection, some by force, and some by surrender,
whereof he was called oftentimes by the name of emperour, which was
against the ordinance of the Romans: