[Sidenote: Foure kings in Kent]
Now whilest these thinges passed on this sort in those parts,
Cassibellane sent messengers into Kent vnto foure kings (which ruled
that side of the land in those daies) Cingetorix, Caruilius,
Taximagulus, and Segonax, commanding them, that assembling togither
their whole puissance, they should assaile the campe of the Romans by
the sea side where certeine bands lay (as ye haue heard) for safegard
of the nauie. They according to his appointment came suddenlie
thither, and by the Romans that sailed forth vpon them were sharplie
fought with, and lost diuers of their men that were slaine and taken,
and amongst the prisoners that the Romans tooke, Cingetorix was one.
When Cassibellane heard these newes, being sore troubled for these
losses thus chancing one in the necke of an other, but namelie most
discouraged, for that diuers cities had yéelded vnto the Romans: he
sent ambassadours by means of Romius of Arras vnto Cesar, offering to
submit himselfe.
Cesar meaning to winter in Gallia, and therefore because summer drew
towards an end, willing to dispatch in Britaine, commanded that
hostages should be deliuered, and appointed what tribute the Britains
should yéerelie send vnto the Romans. He also forbad and commanded
Cassibellane, that he should not in anie wise trouble or indamage
Madubratius or the Londoners. After this, when he had receiued the
hostages, he brought his armie to the sea, and there found his ships
well repaired, decked, and in good point: therefore he commanded that
they should be had downe to the sea. And because he had a great number
of prisoners, and diuers of his ships were lost in the tempest, he
appointed to transport his armie ouer into Gallia at two conueies,
which was doone with good successe about the middest of September,
though the ships returning for the residue of the armie, after the
first conueie, were driuen so with force of weather, that a great
number of them could not come to land at the place appointed: so that
Cesar was constreined to fraught those that he could get with a
greater burden, and so departed from the coast of Britaine, and
safelie landed with the remnant of his people in Gallia with as good
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
spéed as he could haue desired. He thought not good to leaue anie of
his people behind him, knowing that if he should so doo, they were in
danger to be cast awaie. And so because he could not well remaine
there all the winter season for doubt of rebellion in Gallia, he was
contented to take vp, and returne thither, sith he had doone
sufficientlie for the time, least in coueting the more, he might haue
come in perill to lose that which he had alreadie obteined.
Thus according to that which Cesar himselfe and other autentike
authors haue written, was Britaine made tributarie to the Romans by
[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
the conduct of the same Cesar. ¶ But our histores farre differ from
this, affirming that Cesar comming the second time, was by the
Britains with valiancie and martiall prowesse beaten and repelled, as
he was at the first, and speciallie by meanes that Cassibellane had
pight in the Thames great piles of trées piked with yron, through
which his ships being entred the riuer, were perished and lost. And
after his comming a land, he was vanquished in battell, and
constrained to flee into Gallia with those ships that remained. For
ioy of this second victorie (saith Galfrid) Cassibellane made a great
feast at London, and there did sacrifice to the gods.
At this feast there fell variance betwixt two yoong gentlemen, the one
named Hirilda, nephew to Cassibellane, and the other Euelie or
Eweline, being of aliance to Androgeus earle of London. They fell at
discord about wrestling, and after multiplieng of words, they came to
dealing of blowes, by meanes whereof parts were taken, so that there
ensued a sore fraie, in the which diuerse were wounded and hurt, and
amongst other Hirilda the kings nephew was slaine by the hands of
Eweline. The king sore displeased herewith, meant to punish Eweline
according to the order of his lawes, so that he was summoned to
appeare in due forme to make answer to the murder: but Eweline by the
comfort of Androgeus disobeied the summons, & departed the court with
Androgeus, in contempt of the king and his lawes. The king to be
reuenged vpon Androgeus, gathered a power, and began to make warre
vpon him.
Androgeus perceiuing himselfe not able to withstand the kings
puissance, sent letters to Iulius Cesar, exhorting him to returne into
Britaine, and declaring the whole matter concerning the variance
betwixt him and the king, promising to aid the Romans in all that he
might. Iulius Cesar ioifull of this message, prepared his nauie, and
with all spéed with a mightie host imbarked in the same, came toward
Britaine: but yer he would land, doubting some treason in Androgeus,
he receiued from him in hostage his sonne named Scena, and thirtie
other of the best and most noble personages of all his dominion. After
this he landed, and ioining with Androgeus, came into a vallie néere
to Canturburie, and there incamped. Shortlie after came Cassibellane
with all his power of Britains, and gaue battell to the Romans. But
after the Britains had long fought and knightlie borne themselues in
that battell, Androgeus came with his people on a wing, and so
sharplie assailed them, that the Britains were constrained to forsake
the field, and tooke themselues to flight. The which flight so
discomforted them, that finallie they all fled, and gaue place to the
Romans, the which pursued and slue them without mercie, so that
Cassibellane with the residue of his people withdrew to a place of
suertie, but being enuironed about with the puissance of the Romans,
and of Androgeus, who had with him seuen thousand men there in the aid
[Sidenote: So saith _Campion_, but _Galfrid Monu._ saith fiue
thousand.]
of the Romans, Cassibellane in the end was forced to fall to a
composition, in couenanting to paie a yearelie tribute of thrée
thousand pounds. When Cesar had ordered his businesse as he thought
conuenient, he returned and with him went Androgeus, fearing the
displeasure of Cassibellane.
The reuerend father Bede writing of this matter, saith thus: After
that Cesar being returned into Gallia, had placed his souldiors abroad
in the countrie to soiorne for the winter season, he caused ships to
be made readie, to the number of 600, with the which repassing into
Britaine, whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the
enimies, his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest,
were either beaten one against another, or else cast vpon the flats
and sands, and so broken; so that fortie of them were vtterlie
perished, and the residue with great difficultie were repaired. The
horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the worsse,
and Labienus the tribune slaine. In the second conflict he vanquished
the Britains, not without great danger of his people. After this, he
marched to the riuer of Thames, which as then was passable by foord
onelie in one place and not else, as the report goeth. On the further
banke of that riuer, Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude
of enimies, and had pitcht and set the banke, and almost all the foord
[Sidenote: The stakes remained to be séene in Bedes daies.]
vnder the water full of sharpe stakes, the tokens of which vnto this
day are to be séene, and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of
these stakes are as big as a mans thigh, sticking fast in the bottome
of the riuer closed with lead. This being perceiued of the Romans, and
auoided, the Britains not able to susteine the violent impression of
the Roman legions, hid themselues in the woods, out of the which by
often issues, they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed the Romans,
and did them great damage. In the meane time the strong citie of
Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages, yéelded
vnto Cesar, whose example manie other cities following, allied
themselues with the Romans, by whose information Cesar with sore fight
tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane, situat betwixt two marches,
fensed also with the couert of woods, & hauing within it great plentie
of all things. After this Cesar returned into France, and bestowed his
armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season.
The Scotish writers report, that the Britains, after the Romans were
the first time repelled (as before ye haue heard) refused to receiue
the aid of the Scotish men the second time, and so were vanquished, as
in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed. Thus much
touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains, in
bringing them vnder tribute to the Romans. But this tributarie
subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season.
¶ Now here is to be noted, that Cesar did not vanquish all the
Britains: for he came not amongst the northerne men, onlie discouering
and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas: so that
sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnestlie trauell to bring
[Sidenote: _Cornelius Tacitus._]
[Sidenote: _In uit. Agr._]
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
the Britains vnder their subiection (which were euer redie to rebell
so manie sundrie times) Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed
Britaine to the Romans, than to haue deliuered the possession of the
same. This subiection, to the which he brought this Ile (what maner of
one soeuer it was) chanced about the yeare of the world 3913, after
the building of Rome 698, before the birth of our sauior 53, the first
and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad, after the comming of Brute 1060,
before the conquest made by William duke of Normandie 1120, and 1638
yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585, after Harisons
account.
* * * * *
_The state of Britaine when Cæsar offered to conquer it, and the maner
of their gouernement, as diuerse authors report the same in their
bookes: where the contrarietie of their opinions is to be obserued._