[Sidenote: A. Didius lieutenant.]
After the deceasse of Ostorius Scapula, one A. Didius was sent to
supplie his roome, but yer he could come, things were brought out of
order, and the Britains had vanquished the legion whereof Manlius
Valens had the conduct: this victorie was set foorth by the Britains
to the vttermost, that with the bruit thereof they might strike a
feare into the lieutenants hart, now vpon his first comming ouer. And
he himselfe reported it by letters to the emperour after the largest
manner, to the end that if he appeased the matter, he might win the
more praise; or if he were put to the woorst, and should not preuaile,
that then his excuse might séeme the more reasonable and woorthie of
pardon. The Silures were they that had atchiued this victorie, and
kept a fowle stur ouer all the countries about them, till by the
comming of Didius against them, they were driuen backe and repelled.
But héerewith began trouble to be raised in another part: for after
[Sidenote: Venutius ruler of the Iugants.]
that Caratac was taken, the chiefest and most skillfull capteine
which the Britains had, was one Venutius, a ruler of the people named
Iugants, a man that remained a long time faithfull to the Romans, and
[Sidenote: Cartimanda.]
by their power was defended from his enimies, who had married with
Cartimanda queene of the Brigants or Yorkeshire men. This Cartimanda
(as ye haue heard) had deliuered Catarac into the Romans hands,
thereby ministring matter for the emperour Claudius to triumph, by
which pleasure shewed to the Romans, she increased thorough their
friendship in power and wealth, whereof followed riotous lust to
satisfie hir wanton appetite, so as she falling at square with hir
[Sidenote: Vellocatus.]
husband, married Vellocatus, one of his esquires, to whom she gaue hir
kingdome, and so dishonoured hir selfe. Héerevpon insued cruell warre,
in so much that in the end Venutius became enimie also to the Romans.
But first they tugged togither betwixt themselues, & the quéene by
a craftie policie found meanes to catch the brother and coosens of
Venutius, but hir enimies nothing therewith discouraged, but kindled
the more in wrath against hir, ceassed not to go forward with their
purpose.
Manie of the Brigants disdaining to be subiect vnto a womans rule
that had so reiected hir husband, reuolted vnto Venutius: but yet the
quéenes sensuall lust mixed with crueltie, mainteined the adulterer.
Venutius therefore calling to him such aid as he could get, and
strengthened now by the reuolting of the Brigants, brought Cartimanda
to such a narrow point, that she was in great danger to fall into the
hands of hir enimies: which the Romans forséeing, vpon suit made, sent
certeine bands of horssemen and footmen to helpe hir. They had diuerse
incounters with the enimies at the first, with doubtfull successe:
[Sidenote: Venutius keepeth the kingdome in despite of the Romans.]
but at length they preuailed, and so deliuered the quéene out of
perill, but the kingdome remained to Venutius: against whom the Romans
were constreined still to mainteine warre.
About the same time, the legion also which Cesius Nasica led, got the
vpper hand of those Britains against whom he was sent. For Didius
being aged, and by victories past inough renowmed, thought it
sufficient for him to make warre by his capteins, so to staie and
kéepe off the enimie. Certeine castels and holds in déed he caused to
be built and fortified, further within the countrie than had béene
afore attempted by anie of his predecessors, and so thereby were the
confines of the Romans in this Ile somewhat inlarged. Thus haue ye
heard with what successe the Britains mainteined warre in defense of
their libertie against the Romans, whilest Claudius ruled the empire
(according to the report of the Romane writers.)
[Sidenote: The error of _Hector Boetius_.]
¶ But here you must note, that Hector Boetius, following the
authoritie of one Veremond a Spaniard, of Cornelius Hibernicus, & also
of Campbell, remooueth the Silures, Brigants, and Nouants, so farre
northward, that he maketh them inhabitants of those countries which
the Scots haue now in possession, and were euen then inhabited (as he
affirmeth) partlie by the Scots, and partlie by the Picts (as in the
Scotish historie ye may sée more at large) so that what notable feat
soeuer was atchiued by the old Britains against the Romans, the
same by him is ascribed to the Scots and Picts throughout his whole
historie, whereas (in verie truth) forsomuch as may be gathered by
coniecture und presumption of that which is left in writing by ancient
authors, the Brigants inhabited Yorkshire, the Silures Wales and the
Marches, and the Nouants the countrie of Cumberland.
But forsomuch as he hath diligentlie gathered in what maner the warres
were mainteined by those people against the Romans, and what valiant
exploits were taken in hand and finished thorough their stoutnesse
and valiancie, ye may there read the same, and iudge at your pleasure
[Sidenote: A note to be considered in the reading of _Hect. Boetius_.]
what people they were whome he so much praiseth: aduertising you
hereof by the way, that as we haue before expressed, none of the
Romane writers mentioneth any thing of the Scots, nor once nameth
them, till the Romane empire began to decay, about the time of the
emperor Constantius, father of Constantine the great: so that if they
had béene in this Ile then so famous both in peace and warre, as they
are reported by the same Boetius; maruell might it séeme, that the
Romane writers would so passe them ouer with silence.
[Sidenote: _Cor. Tac. lib. annal._ 15.]
After the death of Claudius the emperor of Rome, Claudius
Domitianus Nero succéeded him in gouernement of the empire. In the
seuenth yéere of whose reigne, which was after the incarnation 53,
the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow in Britaine, where neither the
lieutenant A. Didius Gallus (whom in this place Cornelius Tacitus
calleth Auitus) could during the time of his rule doo no more but
hold that which was alreadie gotten, beside the building of certeine
castels (as before ye haue heard) neither his successor Verannius,
beating and forreieng the woods, could atchiue anie further
enterprise, for he was by death preuented, so as he could not procéed
forward with his purpose touching the warres which he had ment to haue
folowed, whose last words (in his testament expressed) detected him
of manifest ambition: for adding manie things by way of flatterie to
content Neros mind, he wished to haue liued but two yéeres longer, in
which space he might haue subdued prouinces vnto his dominion,
meaning therby the whole Ile of Britaine. But this was a Romans brag,
sauouring rather of ambition than of truth or likelihood.
* * * * *
_The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland, he inuadeth Anglesey,
and winneth it, a strange kind of women, of the Druides, the Britains
lament their miserie and seruitude, and take aduise by weapon to
redresse it against the Romans their enimies_.