In all this maner of skirmishing and fight which chanced before the
campe, euen in the sight and view of all men, it was perceiued that
[Sidenote: The Romans heauie armor.]
the Romans, by reason of their heauie armour (being not able either to
follow the Britains as they retired, or so bold as to depart from
their ensignes, except they would runne into danger of casting
themselues awaie) were nothing méete to match with such kind of
enimies: and as for their horssemen, they fought likewise in great
hazard, bicause the Britains would oftentimes of purpose retire, and
when they had trained the Romane horssemen a litle from their legions
of footmen, they would leape out of their charrets and incounter with
them on foot. And so the battell of horssemen was dangerous, and like
in all points whether they pursued or retired.
[Sidenote: The manner of Britains in the warres.]
This also was the maner of the Britains: they fought not close
togither, but in sunder, and diuided into companies one separated from
another by a good distance, and had their the troopes standing in
places conuenient, to the which they might retire, and so reléeue one
another with sending new fresh men to supplie the roomes of them that
were hurt or wearie. The next day after they had thus fought before
the campe of the Romans, they shewed themselues aloft on the hills,
and began to skirmish with the Romane horssemen, but not so hotlie as
they had doone the day before. But about noone, when Cesar had sent
foorth thrée legions of footemen and all his horssemen vnder the
[Sidenote: Caius Trebonius.]
leading of his lieutenant Caius Trebonius to fetch in forrage, they
suddenlie brake out on euerie side, and vpon the forragers. The Romans
so far foorth as they might, not breaking their arraie, nor going from
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius_ saith, that the Britains vanquished the
Roman footmen at this time, but were put to the worst by
the horssemen.]
their ensignes or guidons, gaue the charge on them, and fiercelie
repelled them, so that the horssemen hauing the legions of footemen at
their backs, followed the Britains so long as they might haue the said
legions in sight readie to succour them of néed were: by reason
whereof, they slue a great number of the Britains, not giuing them
leasure to recouer themselues, nor to staie that they might haue time
to get out of their charrets. After this chase and discomfiture, all
such as were come from other parties to the aid of their fellowes
departed home, & after that day the Britains aduentured to fight
against Cesar with their maine power; and withdrawing beyond the riuer
of *Thames, determined to stop the enimies from passing the same, if
[Sidenote: *(which is to be supposed was at Kingston) or not far from
thence.]
by anie meanes they might: and whereas there was but one foord by the
which they might come ouer, Cassibellane caused the same to be set
full of sharpe stakes, not onlie in the middest of the water, but also
at the comming foorth on that side where he was lodged with his armie
in good order, readie to defend the passage. Cesar learning by
relation of prisoners which he tooke, what the Britains intended to
doo, marched foorth to the riuer side, where the foord was, by the
which his armie might passe the same on foot though verie hardlie. At
his comming thither, he might perceiue how the Britains were readie on
the further side to impeach his passage, and how that the banke at the
comming foorth of the water was pight full of sharpe stakes, and so
likewise was the chanell of the riuer set with piles which were
couered with the water.
These things yet staied not Cesar, who appointing his horssemen to
passe on before, commanded the footemen to follow. The souldiers
entring the water, waded through with such spéed and violence (nothing
appéering of them aboue water but their heads) that the Britains were
constreined to giue place, being not able to susteine the brunt of the
Romane horssemen, and the legions of their footemen, and so abandoning
the place betooke them to flight. Cassibellane not minding to trie the
matter anie more by battell, sent awaie the most part of his people,
but yet kept with him about a foure thousand charretmen or wagoners,
and still watched what waie the Romans tooke, coasting them euer as
they marched, and kept somewhat aside within the couert of woods, and
other combersome places. And out of those quarters through which he
vnderstood the Romans wold passe, he gathered both men and cattell
into the woods & thicke forrests, leauing nothing of value abroad in
the champion countrie. And when the Roman horssemen did come abroad
into the countrie to séeke booties, he sent out his charrets vnto the
knowne waies and passages to skirmish with the same horssemen, so much
to the disaduantage of the Romans, that they durst not straie farre
from their maine armie. Neither would Cesar permit them (least they
might haue béene vtterlie distressed by the Britains) to depart
further than the maine battels of the footemen kept pace with them, by
reason whereof the countrie was not indamaged by fire and spoile, but
onlie where the armie marched.
[Sidenote: Troinouants where they inhabited.]
In the meane time, the Troinouants which some take to be Middlesex &
Essex men, whose citie was the best fensed of all those parties, and
thought to be the same that now is called London, sent ambassadours
vnto Cesar, offering to submit themselues vnto him, and to obeie his
ordinances, and further besought him to defend Mandubratius from the
iniuries of K. Cassibellane, which Mandubratius had fled vnto Cesar
into France, after that Cassibellane had slaine his father named
[Sidenote: Imanuentius.]
Imanuentius, that was chiefe lord and king of the Troinouants, and so
now by their ambassadors the same Troinouants requested Cesar, not
onelie to receiue Mandubratius into his protection, but also to send
him vnto them, that he might take the gouernment and rule of their
citie into his hands. Cesar commanded them to deliuer vnto him 40
hostages, and graine for his armie, and therewith sent Mandubratius
[Sidenote: Some take the Troinouants to be Londoners.]
vnto them. The Troinouants accomplished his commandements with all
spéed, sending both the appointed number of hostages, and also graine
for the armie. And being thus defended and preserued from iniurie of
the souldiers, the people called Cenimagni, Segontiaci, Ancalites,
Bibroci, and Cassi, submitted themselues vnto Cesar, by whom he
vnderstood that the towne of Cassibellane was not far from the place
where he was then incamped fensed with wooddes and marishes, into the
which a great number of people with their cattell and other substance
was withdrawne. The Britains in those daies (as Cesar writeth) called
that a towne or hold, which they had fortified with anie thicke
combersome wood, with trench and rampire, into the which they vsed to
get themselues for the auoiding of inuasion.
Cesar with his legions of souldiers therfore marched thither, and
finding the place verie strong both by nature and helpe of hand,
assaulted it on two partes. The Britains defending their strength a
while, at length not able longer to endure the impression of the
Romans, fled out on the contrarie side of the towne where the enimies
were not. Within this place a great number of cattell was found, and
manie of the Romans taken by the Britains that followed them in chase,
and manie also slaine.
* * * * *
_Cassibellane dooth send vnto the foure kings of Kent for aid against
Cæsars host, he offereth submission to Cæsar, the Britains become his
tributaries, he returneth into Gallia with the remnant of his armie:
the differing report of Cæsars commentaries and our historiographers
touching these warlike affaires; of a sore fray with bloudshed and
manslaughter vpon a light occasion; Cæsar taketh opportunitie to get
the conquest of the land by the division betweene Cassibellane and
Androgeus, the time of the Britains subiection to the Romans._