[Sidenote: CNEUS TREBELLIUS LIEUTENANT.]
In the meane time the Romane lieutenant Cneus Trebellius that
succéeded Iulius Agricola, could not foresee all things so preciselie
but that the souldiers waxing vnrulie by reason of long rest, fell at
variance among themselues, and would not in the end obey the
lieutenant, but disquieted the Britains beyond measure. Wherefore the
Britains perceiuing themselues sore oppressed with intollerable
bondage, and that dailie the same incresed, they conspired togither,
vpon hope to recouer libertie, and to defend their countrie by all
meanes possible, and herewith they tooke weapon in hand against the
Romans, and boldlie assailed them: but this they did yet warilie, and
so, that they might flie vnto the woods and bogs for refuge vpon
necessitie, according to the maner of their countrie. Herevpon diuers
slaughters were committed on both parties, and all the countrie was
now readie to rebell: whereof when the emperour Adrian was aduertised
from Trebellius the lieutenant, with all conuenient speed he passed
ouer into Britaine, and quieted all the Ile, vsing great humanitie
towards the inhabitants; and making small account of that part where
the Scots now inhabit, either bicause of the barrennesse thereof, or
for that by reason of the nature of the countrie he thought it would
[Sidenote: The wall of Adrian built.]
[Sidenote: _Spartianus._]
be hard to be kept vnder subiection, he deuised to diuide it from the
residue of Britaine, and so caused a wall to be made from the mouth of
Tine vnto the water of Eske, which wall contained in length 30 miles.
After this, the Britains bearing a malicious hatred towards the Romane
souldiers, and repining to be kept vnder the bond of seruitude,
eftsoones went about to recouer libertie againe. Whereof aduertisement
[Sidenote: Lollius Vrbicus lieutenant.]
being giuen, the emperour Pius Antoninus sent ouer Lollius Vrbicus as
lieutenant into Britaine, who by sundrie battels striken, constreined
the Britains to remaine in quiet, and causing those that inhabited in
the north parts to remooue further off from the confines of the Romane
[Sidenote: _Julius Capitol._]
[Sidenote: An other wall built.]
prouince, raised another wall beyond that which the emperor Adrian had
made, as is to be supposed, for the more suertie of the Romane
subiects against the inuasion of the enimies. But yet Lollius did not
so make an end of the warrs, but that the Britains shortlie after
attempted afresh, either to reduce their state into libertie, or to
bring the same into further danger.
[Sidenote: CALPHURNIUS AGRICOLA. Of the doings of this Calphurnius in
Britaine ye may read more in the Scotish chronicle.]
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius._]
Wherevpon Marcus Antonius that succéeded Pius, sent Calphurnius
Agricola to succéed Lollius in the gouernement of Britaine, the which
easilie ouercame and subdued all his enimies. After this there chanced
some trouble in the daies of the emperour Commodus the son of Marcus
Antonius and his successor in the empire: for the Britans that dwelled
northwards, beyond Adrians wall, brake through the same, and spoiled a
great part of the countrie, against whom the Romane lieutenant for
that time being come foorth, gaue them battell: but both he and the
Romane souldiers that were with him, were beaten downe and slaine.
[Sidenote: Vlpius Marcellus lieutenant.]
With which newes Commodus being sore amazed, sent against the Britains
one Vlpius Marcellus, a man of great diligence and temperance, but
therewith rough and nothing gentle. He vsed the same kind of diet that
the common souldiers did vse. He was a capteine much watchfull, as one
contented with verie little sléepe, and desirous to haue his souldiers
also vigilant and carefull to kéepe sure watch in the night season.
Euerie euening he would write twelue tables, such as they vsed to make
on the lind trée, and deliuering them to one of his seruants,
appointed him to beare them at seuerall houres of the night to sundrie
souldiers, whereby supposing that their generall was still watching
and not gone to bed, they might be in doubt to sléepe.
And although of nature he could well absteine from sléepe, yet to be
the better able to forbeare it, he vsed a maruellous spare kind of
diet: for to the end that he would not fill himselfe too much with
bread, he would eat none but such as was brought to him from Rome, so
that more than necessitie compelled him he could not eat, by reason
that the stalenesse tooke awaie the pleasant tast thereof, and lesse
prouoked his appetite. He was a maruellous contemner of monie, so that
bribes might not mooue him to doo otherwise than dutie required. This
Marcellus being of such disposition, sore afflicted the Britains, and
put them oftentimes to great losses: through fame wherof, C[=o]modus
enuieng his renowme was after in mind to make him away, but yet spared
him for a further purpose, and suffered him to depart.
[Sidenote: Perhennis capteine of the emperours gard.]
After he was remooued from the gouernment of Britaine, one Perhennis
capteine of the emperors gard (or pretorian souldiers as they were
then called) bearing all the rule vnder the emperor Commodus,
appointed certeine gentlemen of meane calling to gouerne the armie in
Britaine. Which fond substituting of such petie officers to ouersée
and ouerrule the people, was to them an occasion of hartgrudge, and to
him a meanes of finall mischéefe: both which it is likelie he might
haue auoided, had he béene prouident in his deputation. For the
[Sidenote: _Aelius Lampridius._]
souldiers in the same armie grudging and repining to be gouerned by
men of base degree, in respect of those that had borne rule ouer them
before, being honorable personages, as senators, and of the consular
dignitie, they fell at square among themselues, and about fiftéene
hundred of them departed towards Rome to exhibit their complaint
against Perhennis: for whatsoeuer was amisse, the blame was still laid
to him. They passed foorth without impeachment at all, and comming to
Rome, the emperour himselfe came foorth to vnderstand what they meant
by this their comming in such sort from the place where they were
appointed to serue. Their answer was, that they were come to informe
him of the treason which Perhennis had deuised to his destruction,
that he might make his son emperor. To the which accusation when
Commodus too lightlie gaue eare, & beléeued it to be true, namelie,
through the setting on of one Cleander, who hated Perhennis, for that
he brideled him from dooing diuerse vnlawfull acts, which he went
about vpon a wilfull mind (without all reason and modestie) to
practise; the matter was so handled in the end, that Perhennis was
deliuered to the souldiers, who cruellie mangled him, and presentlie
put him to a pitifull death.
* * * * *
_Pertinax is sent as lieutenant into Britaine, he is in danger to be
slaine of the souldiers, he riddeth himselfe of that perilous office:
Albinus with an armie of Britains fighteth against Seuerus and his
power neere to Lions, Seuerus is slaine in a conflict against the
Picts, Geta and Bassianus two brethren make mutuall warre for the
regiment of the land, the one is slaine, the other ruleth._