Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 5

found in the citie without respect or
difference at [Sidenote: Rome sacked. 365.] all, were put to the sword,
and their houses sacked. And thus was Rome taken by the two brethren,
Beline and Brenne, 365 yeares after the first building thereof. Besides
this, the Galles attempted in the night season to haue entred the capitoll:
and in déed ordered their enterprise so secretlie, that they had atchieued
their purpose, if a [Sidenote: The capitoll defended.] sort of ganders
had not with their crie and noise disclosed them, in wakening the
Romans that were asléepe: & so by that meanes were the Galles beaten
backe and repelled.
* * * * *

_Camillus reuoked from exile, made dictator, and receiueth
peremptorie authoritie, he ouerthroweth the Galles in a pitcht field,
controuersie betweene writers touching Brennus and Belinus left
vndetermined; of diuers foundations, erections and reparations doone
and atchiued by Belinus, the burning of his bodie in stead of his
burieng_.
THE FOURTH CHAPTER.
The Romans being thus put to their extreame shift, deuised among
themselues how to reuoke Furius Camillus from exile, whom not long
before they had vniustlie banished out of the citie. In the end they did

not onelie send for him home, but also created him dictator, committing
into his handes (so long as his office lasted) an absolute power ouer all
men, both of life and death. Camillus forgetfull of the iniurie done to
him, and mindfull of his dutie towards his countrie, and lamenting the
state thereof, without delay gathered such an armie as the present time
permitted.
In the meane time those that kept the capitoll (being almost famished
[Sidenote: A composition.] for lacke of vittels) compounded with
Brenne and Beline, that for a thousand pounds weight in gold, the
Romans should redéeme their liberties, and the said Brenne and Beline
depart with their armie out of the citie and all the territories of Rome.
But at the deliuerie of the monie, and by a certeine kind of hap, the
Romans name was preserued at that time from such dishonor and
ignominie as was likelie to haue insued. For some of the couetous sort
of the Galles, not contented with the iust weight of the gold, did cast
their swords also into the balance where the weights lay, thereby to
haue ouer weight: wherevpon the Romans refused to make paiment
after that weight.
And thus whilest they were in altercation about this matter, the one
importunnate to haue, the other not willing to grant, the time [Sidenote:
Camillus disappointeth the Galles of their paiment.] passed, till in the
meane season Camillus came in amongst them with his power,
commanding that the gold should be had away, and affirming that
without consent of the dictator, no composition or agréement might be
concluded by the meaner magistrate. He gaue a signe to the Galles to
prepare themselues to battell, whervnto they lightlie [Sidenote: The
Galles overthrowne] agréed, and togither they went. The battell being
once begun, the Galles that looked earst for gold, and not for battell,
were easilie ouercome, such as stood to the brunt were slaine, and the
rest by flight constreined to depart the citie.
Polybius writeth, that the Galles were turned from the siege of the citie,
through wars which chanced amongst their owne people at home, and
therefore they concluded a peace with the Romans, and leauing them in
libertie returned home againe.

But howsoeuer the matter passed, thus much haue we stept from our
purpose, to shew somwhat of that noble and most famous capteine
Brennus, who (as not onelie our histories, but also Giouan Villani the
Florentine dooth report) was a Britaine, and brother to Beline (as before
is mentioned) although I know that manie other writers are not of that
mind, affirming him to be a Gall, and likewise that after this present
time of the taking of Rome by this Brennus 110 yeares, or there abouts,
there was another Brennus a Gall by nation (say they) vnder whose
conduct an other armie of the Gals inuaded Grecia, which Brennus had
a brother that hight Belgius, although Humfrey Llhoyd and sir Iohn
Prise doo flatlie denie the same, by reason of some discordance in
writers, & namelie in the computation of the yeares set downe by them
that haue recorded the dooings of those times, whereof the error is
growen. Howbeit I doubt not but that the truth of this matter shall be
more fullie sifted out in time by the learned and studious of such
antiquities. But now to our purpose.
This is also to be noted, that where our histories make mention, that
Beline was abroad with Brennus in the most part of his victories, both
[Sidenote: _Titus Liu. Polydor_.] in Gallia, Germanie, and Italie; Titus
Liuius