[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
be hard to be kept vnder subiection, he deuised to diuide it from the
[Sidenote: The wall of Adrian built. _Spartianus_.]
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
[Sidenote: Lollius Vrbicus lieutenant.]
aduertisement 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
[Sidenote: _Julius Capitol_. An other wall built.]
those that inhabited in the north parts to remooue further off from
the confines of the Romane 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. _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
[Sidenote: _Aelius Lampridius_.]
deputation. For the 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_.