[Sidenote: _Cor. Tac. lib._ 14.]
The Britains indeed were occasioned to doo as they purposed, thorough
manie euill parts practised by the Romans greatlie to their griefs and
[Sidenote: Prasutagus.]
displeasures. For whereas Prasutagus (who is supposed by Hector
[Sidenote: The Oxfordshire and Glocestershire men.]
Boetius to be Aruiragus, king of the people called Iceni) had made the
emperour and two of his owne daughters his heires, supposing by that
meane to haue his kingdome and familie preserued from all iniurie: it
happened quite contrarie to that his expectation. For his kingdome was
[Sidenote: Voadicia alias Bunduica.]
spoiled by the Romane capteins, his wife named Voadicia beaten by the
souldiers, his daughters rauished, the péeres of the realme bereft of
their goods, and the kings friends made and reputed as bondslaues.
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
There was also an other great cause that stirred the Britains to this
rebellion, which was the confiscating of their goods: for whereas
Claudius himselfe had pardoned the chiefest persons of the
forfeitures, Decianus Catus the procurator of that Ile mainteined that
[Sidenote: Vsurie.]
the same ought to be renewed againe. To this an other griefe was
added, that where Seneca had lent to the nobilitie of the Ile, foure
hundred sestercies, ech hundred being 500000 pounds starling, or
thereabout, vpon great interest, he required the whole summe togither
by great rigor and violence, although he forced them at the first to
take this monie to vsurie.
Also such old souldiers as were placed by waie of a colonie, to
inhabit the towne of Camelodunum, expelled manie of the Britains out
of their houses, droue them out of their possessions and lands, and
accounted the Britains as slaues, and as though they had bene captiue
prisoners or bondmen. Besides this, the temple there that was built in
honor of Claudius, as an altar of eternall rule and gouernment, was
serued with préests, the which vnder colour of religion did spoile,
consume and deuoure the goods of all men.
Moreouer, such strange sights and woonders as chanced about the same
time, pricked the Britains the rather forward. For the image of the
goddesse Victoria in the temple at Camelodunum, slipping downe, turned
hir backe (as who should saie she gaue place as vanquished) to the
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
enimies. Also in the hall where the courts of iustice were kept, there
was a maruellous great noise heard, with much laughing, and a sturre
[Sidenote: Strange woonders.]
in the theatre, with great wéeping and lamentable howling, at such
time as it was certeinlie knowne that there was no creature there to
make anie noise. The sea at a spring tide appeared of a bloudie
colour, and when the tide was gone backe, there were séene on the
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
sands the shapes & figures of mens bodies. Women also as rauished of
their wits, and being as it were in a furie, prophesied that
destruction was at hand, so that the Britains were put greatlie in
hope, and the Romans in feare.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
But those things, whether they chanced by the craft of man, or
illusion of the diuell; or whether they procéeded of some naturall
cause, which the common people oftentimes taketh superstitiouslie, in
place of strange woonders signifieng things to follow, we would let
passe, least we might be thought to offend religion; the which
teaching all things to be doone by the prouidence of God, despiseth
the vaine predictions of haps to come, if the order of an historie
(saith Polydor Virgil) would so permit, the which requireth all things
to be written in maner as they fall out and come to passe.
[Sidenote: _Cor. Tac. li._ 15.]
[Sidenote: Voadicia by Dion Cassius is called Bunuica.]
But the Britains were chiefelie mooued to rebellion by the iust
complaint of Voadicia, declaring how vnséemelie she had beene vsed and
intreated at the hands of the Romans: and because she was most
earnestlie bent to séeke reuenge of their iniuries, and hated the name
of the Romans most of all other, they chose hir to be capteine (for
[Sidenote: The ancient Britains admitted as well women as men to
publike gouernment.]
they in rule and gouvernment made no difference then of sex, whether
they committed the same to man or woman) and so by a generall
conspiracie, the more part of the people hauing also allured the Essex
men vnto rebellion, rose and assembled themselues togither to make
warre against the Romans. There were of them a hundred and twentie
thousand got togither in one armie vnder the leading of the said
Voadicia, or Bunduica (as some name hir.)
She therefore to encourage hir people against the enimies, mounted vp
into an high place raised vp of turfes & sods made for the nonce, out
of the which she made a long & verie pithie oration. Hir mightie tall
personage, comelie shape, seuere countenance, and sharpe voice, with
hir long and yellow tresses of heare reaching downe to hir thighes,
hir braue and gorgeous apparell also caused the people to haue hir in
great reuerence. She ware a chaine of gold, great and verie massie,
and was clad in a lose kirtle of sundrie colours, and aloft therevpon
she had a thicke Irish mantell: hereto in hir hand (as hir custome
was) she bare a speare, to shew hirselfe the more dreadfull.
* * * * *
_The oration of quéene Voadicia full of prudence and spirit to the
Britains, for their encouragement against the Romans, wherein she
rippeth vp the vile seruitude and shamefull wrongs which their enimies
inflicted vpon them, with other matters verie motiue, both concerning
themselues and their enimies, hir supplication and praier for
victorie._