[Sidenote: _Cornelius Tacit. lib._ 12.]
[Sidenote: Carataks name renowmed.]
The name of Caratacus being brought out of the Iles was alreadie spred
ouer the prouinces adioining, and began now to grow famous through
Italie. Men therefore were desirous to sée what maner of man he was
that had so manie yéeres set at naught the puissant force of the
empire. For in Rome the name of Caratacus was much spoken of, insomuch
that the emperour whilest he went about to preferre his owne honour,
aduanced the glorie of him also that was vanquished: for the people
were called foorth as vnto some great notable sight or spectacle. The
pretorian bands stood in order of battell armed in the field that laie
before their lodgings, through which field Caratake shuld come. Then
passed by the traine of his friends and seruants; and such armor,
riches, iewels, and other things as had béene gotten in those warres,
were borne forward, and openlie shewed, that all men might behold the
same.
After these followed his brethren, wife, and daughters: and last of
all came Caratacus himselfe, whose countenance was nothing like to
theirs that went afore him. For whereas they fearing punishment for
their rebellion with wailefull countenance craued mercie, he neither
by countenance nor words shewd anie token of a discouraged mind, but
being presented before the emperour Claudius sitting in his tribunall
seat, he vttered this speach as followeth.
"If there had béene in me so much moderation in time of prosperitie,
as there was nobilitie of birth and puissance, I had come to this
citie rather as a friend than as a capteine: neither should I haue
thought scorne, being borne of most noble parents, and ruling ouer
many people, to haue accepted peace by waie of ioining with you in
league. My present estate as it is to me reprochfull, so to you it is
honorable. I had at commandement, horsses, men, armor, and great
riches; what maruell is it if I were loth to forgo the same? For if
you shall looke to gouerne all men, it must néeds follow that all men
must be your slaues. If I had at the first yéelded my selfe, neither
my power nor your glorie had béene set foorth to the world, & vpon
mine execution I should straight haue béene forgotten. But if you now
grant me life, I shall be a witnesse for euer of your mercifull
clemencie."
The emperour with these words being pacified, granted life both to
Caratake, and also to his wife and brethren, who being loosed from
their bands, went also to the place where the empresse Agrippina sat
(not farre off) in a chaire of estate, whom they reuerenced with the
like praise and thanks as they had doone before to the emperour. After
this the senat was called togither, who discoursed of manie things
touching this honourable victorie atchiued by the taking of Caratake,
estéeming the same no lesse glorious, than when P. Scipio shewed in
[Sidenote: Siphax.]
[Sidenote: L. Paulus.]
triumph Siphax king of the Numidians, or L. Paulus the Macedonian king
Perses, or other Romane capteins anie such king whom they had
vanquished.
Héerevpon it was determined, that Ostorius should enter the citie of
Rome with triumph like a conqueror, for such prosperous successe as
hitherto had followed him: but afterwards his procéedings were not so
luckie, either for that after Caratake was remooued out of the waie,
or bicause the Romans (as though the warre had béene finished) looked
negligentlie to themselues, either else for that the Britains taking
compassion of the miserable state of Caratake, being so worthie a
prince, through fortunes froward aspect cast into miserie, were more
earnestlie set to reuenge his quarrell. Héerevpon they incompassed the
maister of the campe, and those legionarie bands of souldiers which
were left amongst the Silures to fortifie a place there for the armie
to lodge in: and if succour had not come out of the next towns and
castels, the Romans had béene destroied by siege. The head capteine
yet, and eight centurions, and euerie one else of the companies being
most forward, were slaine. Shortlie after they set vpon the Romane
forragers, and put them to flight, and also such companies of
horssemen as were appointed to gard them. Héerevpon Ostorius set
foorth certeine bands of light horssemen, but neither could he staie
the flight by that meanes, till finallie the legions entred the
battell, by whose force they were staid, and at length the Romans
obteined the better: but the Britains escaped by flight without great
losse, by reason the daie was spent.
After this, manie bickerings chanced betwixt the Britains and Romans,
& oftentimes they wrought their feats more like the trade of them that
vse to rob by the high waies, than of those that make open warre,
taking their enimies at some aduantage in woods and bogs, as hap or
force ministred occasion vpon malice conceiued, or in hope of prey,
sometimes by commandement, and sometimes without either commandement
or knowledge of capteine or officer.
At one time the Britains surprised two bands of footmen that were with
the Romans in aid, and sent foorth to forreie abroad vnaduisedlie,
through couetousnesse of the capteins. This feat was atchiued by the
Silures also, the which in bestowing prisoners and part of the spoile
vpon other of their neighbours, procured them likewise to rebell
against the Romans, and to take part with them. The Silures were the
more earnestlie set against the Romans, by occasion of words which the
emperor Claudius had vttered in their disfauour, as thus: that euen as
the Sicambres were destroied and remooued into Gallia, so likewise
must the Silures be dealt with, and the whole nation of them
extinguished. These words being blowne abroad, and knowne ouer all,
caused the Silures to conceiue a woonderfull hatred against the
Romans, so that they were fullie bent, either to reteine their
libertie, or to die in defense thereof vpon the enimies swoord.
In the meane time Ostorius Scapula departed this life, a right noble
warrior, and one who by litle & litle insuing the steps of Aulus
Plautius his predecessor, did what he could to bring the Ile into the
forme of a prouince, which in part he accomplished.
[Sidenote: _W.H._ in his chronologie.]
There be some led by coniecture grounded vpon good aduised
considerations, that suppose this Ostorius Scapula began to build the
citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of Caratacus: for in those
parties he fortified sundrie holds, and placed a number of old
souldiers either there in that selfe place, or in some other néere
therevnto by waie of a colonie. And for somuch (saie they) as we read
of none other of anie name thereabouts, it is to be thought that he
planted the same in Chester, where his successors did afterwards vse
to harbour their legions for the winter season, and in time of rest
from iournies which they haue to make against their common enimies.
In déed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie,
that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns (which in that citie are
[Sidenote: _Ran. Hig._ alias _Cestrensis._]
vnder the ground) with some part of the castell. And verelie as
Ranulfe Higden saith, a man that shall view and well consider those
buildings, maie thinke the same to be the woorke of Romans rather than
of anie other people. That the Romane legions did make their abode
there, no man séene in antiquities can doubt thereof, for the ancient
name _Caer leon ardour deuy,_ that is, The citie of legions vpon the
water of Dée, proueth it sufficientlie enough.
[Sidenote: _Corn. Tacit._]
But to returne vnto Ostorius Scapula, we find in Corn. Tacitus, that
during his time of being lieutenant in this Ile, there were certeine
[Sidenote: Cogidune a king in Britane.]
cities giuen vnto one Cogidune a king of the Britains, who continued
faithfull to the Romans vnto the daies of the remembrance of men
liuing in the time of the said Cornelius Tacitus, who liued and wrote
in the emperor Domitianus time. This was doone after an old receiued
custom of the people of Rome, to haue both subiects and kings vnder
their rule and dominion, as who so shall note the acts and déeds of
the Roman emperours from C. Iulius Cesar (who chased Pompeie out of
Italie, and was the first that obteined the Romane empire to himselfe;
of whom also the princes and emperours succéeding him were called
Cesars) to Octauian, Tiberius, Caligula, &c: maie easilie marke and
obserue. For they were a people of singular magnanimitie, of an
ambitious spirit, gréedie of honour and renowme, and not vnaptlie
termed "Romani rerum domini, &c."
* * * * *
_A. Didius is sent to supplie Ostorius his roome in Britaine, the
trecherie and lecherie of queene Cartimanda, Venutius keepeth the
kingdome in spite of the Romans, by what meanes their confines in this
Ile were inlarged; the error of Hector Boetius and others touching the
Silures, Brigants, and Nouants notified, the Britains giue the Romans
a shamefull ouerthrow._