CAESAR perceiuing the maner of this fight, caused his men of warre to
enter into boates and other small vessels, which he commanded to go to
such places where most néed appeared. And relieuing them that fought
[Sidenote: The Romans get to land.]
with new supplies, at length the Romans got to land, and assembling
togither, they assailed the Britains a fresh, and so at last did put
[Sidenote: The want of horssemen.]
them all to flight. But the Romans could not follow the Britains
farre, because they wanted their horssemen which were yet behind, &
through slacking of time could not come to land. And this one thing
séemed onelie to disappoint the luckie fortune that was accustomed to
follow Cesar in all his other enterprises.
[Sidenote: The Britans send to Cesar.]
The Britains after this flight were no sooner got togither, but that
with all speed they sent ambassadours vnto Cesar to treat with him of
peace, offering to deliuer hostages, and further to stand vnto that
order that Cesar should take with them in anie reasonable sort. With
[Sidenote: Comius of Arras.]
these ambassadours came also Comius, whome Cesar (as you haue heard)
had sent before into Britaine, whome notwithstanding that he was an
ambassadour, and sent from Cesar with commission and instructions
sufficientlie furnished, yet had they staied him as a prisoner. But
now after the battell was ended, they set him at libertie, and sent
him backe with their ambassadours, who excused the matter, laieng the
blame on the people of the countrie; which had imprisoned him through
lacke of vnderstanding what apperteined to the law of armes and
nations in that behalfe.
Cesar found great fault with their misdemenor, not onelie for
imprisoning his ambassador, but also for that contrarie to their
promise made by such as they had sent to him into Gallia to deliuer
hostages, in lieu thereof they had receiued him with warre: yet in the
end he said he would pardon them, and not séeke anie further reuenge
[Sidenote: Cesar demandeth hostages.]
of their follies. And herewith required of them hostages, of which,
part were deliuered out of hand, and made promise that the residue
should likewise be sent after, crauing some respit for performance of
the same, bicause they were to be fetched farre off within the
countrie.
Peace being thus established after the fourth day of the Romans
arriuall in Britaine, the 18 ships which (as ye haue heard) were
appointed to conuey the horssemen ouer, loosed from the further hauen
with a soft wind. Which when they approched so néere the shore of
Britaine, that the Romans which were in Cesars campe might see them,
suddenlie there arose so great a tempest, that none of them was able
to kéepe his course, so that they were not onelie driuen in sunder
(some being caried againe into Gallia, and some westward) but also the
other ships that lay at anchor, and had brought ouer the armie, were
so pitifullie beaten, tossed and shaken, that a great number of them
did not onelie lose their tackle, but also were caried by force of
wind into the high sea; the rest being likewise so filled with water,
that they were in danger by sinking to perish and to be quite lost.
For the moone in the same night was at the full, & therefore caused a
spring tide, which furthered the force of the tempest, to the greater
perill of those ships and gallies that lay at anchor. There was no way
for the Romans to helpe the matter: wherefore a great number of those
ships were so bruised, rent and weather-beaten, that without new
reparation they would serue to no vse of sailing. This was a great
discomfort to the Romans that had brought ouer no prouision to liue by
in the winter season, nor saw anie hope how they should repasse againe
into Gallia.
In the meane time the British princes that were in the Romane armie,
perceiuing how greatlie this mishap had discouraged the Romans, and
again by the small circuit of their campe, gessing that they could be
no great number, and that lacke of vittels sore oppressed them, they
stale priuilie away one after another out of the campe, purposing to
assemble their powers againe, and to forestall the Romans from
vittels, and so to driue the matter off till winter: which if they
might doo (vanquishing these or closing them from returning) they
trusted that none of the Romans from thencefoorth would attempt
eftsoones to come into Britaine. Cesar mistrusting their dealings,
because they staid to deliuer the residue of their hostages, commanded
vittels to be brought out of the parties adioining, and not hauing
other stuffe to repaire his ships, he caused 12 of those that were
vtterlie past recouerie by the hurts receiued through violence of the
tempest, to be broken, wherewith the other (in which some recouerie
was perceiued) might be repaired and amended.
* * * * *
_The maner of the Britains fighting in charets, the Romans giue a
fresh sallie to the Britains and put them to flight, they sue to Cæsar
for peace; what kings and their powers were assistants to Cassibellane
in the battell against Cæsar, and the maner of both peoples encounters
by the report of diuers Chronologers._