Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 5

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 thereinto) was
afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie.
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 Græcorum 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 Romans could not
approch, were subiect vnto Christ, as were also the countries of
Sarmatia, Dacia, Germania, Scithia, and others. ¶ Thus it maie appeare,
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 Gréeks
or Latins.
Cornelius Tacitus writeth, that the Romane emperours in this season

[Sidenote: Treasurers or receiuers.] gouerned this land by lieutenants
and treasurers, the which were called by the name of legats and
procurators, thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order.
[Sidenote: Aulus Plautius.] And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome
of the order of consuls, was [Sidenote: Ostorius Scapula.] 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, the
enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were
friends to the Romans, the more presumptuouslie, [Sidenote: _Cor.
Tacitus lib. 12_.] for that they thought a new lieutenant, with an armie
to him vnacquainted and come ouer 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, hasted forward to encounter with them,
and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on euerie
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 Auon & 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 weakened [Sidenote:
Cornelius Tacit. lib. 12.] by warres: for they willinglie at the first had
ioined in amitie with the Romans. The countries adjoining also being
induced by their procurement, 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 passage 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.
In this battell, the sonne of Ostorius the lieutenant deserued the
[Sidenote: which was a certaine crowne, to be set on his head called
ciuica corona.] price and commendation of preseruing 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 [Sidenote: Cangi.] vnto a reasonable order of peace, in so
much that Ostorius lead his armie against the people called Cangi, who
inhabited that part of Wales now called Denbighshire, 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