But now there resteth a great doubt among writers, where this citie or
towne called Camelodunum did stand, of some (and not without good
ground of probable coniectures gathered vpon the aduised consideration
of the circumstances of that which in old authors is found written of
[Sidenote: Camelodunum, Colchester.]
this place) it is thought to be Colchester. But verelie by this place
of Tacitus it maie rather seeme to be some other towne, situat more
westward than Colchester, sith a colonie of Romane souldiers were
[Sidenote: Silures where they inhabited.]
planted there to be at hand, for the repressing of the vnquiet
Silures, which by consent of most writers inhabited in Southwales, or
néere the Welsh marshes.
There was a castell of great fame in times past that hight Camaletum,
or in British Caermalet, which stood in the marshes of Summersetshire;
but sith there is none that hath so written before this time, I will
not saie that happilie some error hath growne by mistaking the name of
Camelodunum for this Camaletum, by such as haue copied out the booke
of Cornelius Tacitus; and yet so it might be doon by such as found it
short or vnperfectlie written, namelie, by such strangers or others,
to whom onelie the name of Camelodunum was onelie knowne, and
Camaletum peraduenture neuer séene nor heard of. As for example, an
Englishman that hath heard of Waterford in Ireland, and not of
Wexford, might in taking foorth a copie of some writing easilie commit
a fault in noting the one for the other. We find in Ptolomie Camedolon
to be a citie belonging to the Trinobants, and he maketh mention also
of Camelodunum, but Humfrey Lhoyd thinketh that he meaneth all one
citie.
Notwithstanding Polydor Virgil is of a contrarie opinion, supposing
the one to be Colchester in déed, and the other that is Camelodunum to
be Doncaster or Pontfret. Leland esteeming it to be certeinelie
Colchester taketh the Iceni men also to be the Northfolke men. But
howsoeuer we shall take this place of Tacitus, it is euident inough
that Camelodunum stood not farre from the Thames. And therefore to
séeke it with Hector Boetius in Scotland, or with Polydor Virgil so
far as Doncaster or Pontfret, it maie be thought a plaine error.
But to leaue each man to his owne iudgement in a matter so doubtfull,
we will procéed with the historie as touching the warres betwixt the
Romans and the Silurians, against whome (trusting not onelie vpon
their owne manhood, but also vpon the high prowesse & valiancie of
[Sidenote: _Cornelius Tacitus lib. Anna._ 12.]
Caratacus) Ostorius set forward. Caratacus excelled in fame aboue all
other the princes of Britaine, aduanced thereto by manie doubtfull
aduentures and manie prosperous exploits, which in his time he had
atchiued: but as he was in policie and aduantage of place better
prouided than the Romans: so in power of souldiers he was ouermatched.
[Sidenote: _Hu. Lhoyd._]
And therefore he remoued the battell into the parts of that countrie
where the Ordouices inhabited, which are thought to haue dwelled in
the borders of Shropshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire, which people
together with other that misliked of the Romane gouernment, he ioined
in one, and chose a plot of ground for his aduantage, determining
there to trie the vttermost hazard of battell.
The place which he thus chose was such, as the entries, the backwaies,
and the whole situation thereof made for the Britains aduantage, and
cleane contrarie to the Romans, as inclosed among high hils. And if
there were anie easie passage to enter it vpon anie side, the same was
shut vp with mightie huge stones in manner of a rampire, and afore it
there ran a riuer without anie certeine foord to passe ouer it. This
place is supposed to lie in the confines of Shropshire aloft vpon the
top of an high hill there, enuironed with a triple rampire and ditch
of great depth, hauing thrée entries into it, not directlie one
against an other, but aslope. It is also (they saie) compassed about
with two riuers, to wit, on the left hand with the riuer called Clun,
& on the right hand with an other called Teuid. On thrée sides thereof
the clime is verie stéepe and headlong, and no waie easie to come or
reach vnto it, but onelie one.
Caratac hauing thus fortified himselfe within this place, and brought
his armie into it: to encourage his people, he exhorted them to shew
their manhood, affirming that to be the day, and that armie to be the
same wherein should appeare the beginning either of libertie then to
be recouered, or else of perpetuall bondage for euer to be susteined.
He rehersed also speciallie by name those their elders, which had
resisted Iulius Cesar, by whose high valiancie they liued free from
the bloudie thraldome and tributes of the Romans, and enioied their
wiues and children safe and vndefiled. Thus discoursing of manie
things with them, in such hope of assured victorie, that they began to
raise their cries, each one for him selfe, declaring that he was bound
by the dutie he owght to the gods of his countrie, not to shrinke for
feare of anie wounds or hurts that might chance vnto them by the
enimies weapon.
This chéerefulnesse of the Britains greatlie astonished the Romane
lieutenant. The hideous course also of the riuer before his face, the
fortifications and craggie higth of the hils, all set full of enimies
readie to beat him backe, put him in great feare: for nothing he saw
afore him, but that which séemed dreadfull to those that should
assaile. But the souldiers yet séemed to be verie desirous of battell,
requesting him to bring them to it, protesting that nothing was able
to resist the force of noble prowes. Herewith the capteins and
tribunes discoursing the like, pricked forward the earnest willes
which their souldiers had to fight.
Ostorius perceiuing such courage and readie wils in the men of warre,
as well souldiers as capteins, began to bestirre himselfe, and left
nothing vndone that might serue to set forward their earnest desire to
battell. And hauing aduisedlie considered which waies were hard and
[Sidenote: _Cornelius Tacitus Annal. lib._ 12.]
vnpossible to be entered vpon, and which were most easie for his
people to find passage by, he led them foorth, being most earnestlie
bent to cope with the enimie.
Now hauing passed the water without any great difficultie, but comming
to the rampire, he lost manie of his people, so long as the fight was
continued with shot and casting of darts: but after that the Romans
couering themselues with their targets, came once close togither, and
approched vnder the rampire, they remooued away the stones which the
Britains had roughlie couched togither, and so came to ioine with them
at handblowes. The Britains being vnarmed, and not able to abide the
force of the armed men, withdrew to the top of the hilles, but as well
their enimies that were light armed, as the other with heauie armour,
followed and brake in among them, so as the Britains could not turne
them anie way to escape, for the light armed men with shot a farre
off, and the heauie armed with weapons at hand, sought to make
slaughter and wracke of them on ech side, so that this was a verie
dolefull day to the Britains.
The wife and daughter of Caratake were taken prisoners, and his
brethren also yéelded themselues. He himselfe escaped, and committing
his person vnto the assurance & trust of Cartemandua queene of the
Brigants, was by hir deliuered into the hands of the Romans. All this
happened about nine yeres after the warres in Britaine first began.
* * * * *
_The name of Caratacus famous in Italie, the maner how he and his
alies were led captiues by the Romans in triumph, his courage and
manlie speech to the emperour Claudius, whereby he and his obteine
mercie and pardon: the Britains vndertake a new reuenge against the
Romans; the cause why the Silures hated the Romans, Ostorius Scapula
dieth, the citie of Chester builded._