The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

Seuerus.

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THis Seue∣rus as they Emperoure of Rome,* 1.1 began to rule this Ile (as authors af∣firme) in y^e yere of oure Lorde 207. & gouer∣ned the same •…•… 4. yeres & odde moneths. At length, hearing that one Fulgētius as then a leader of the Pictes was entred into the bordures of his countrey on this syde Dur∣ham, he raysed an host of Britaynes & Romans, with the which he marched towards his enimies: and meeting with the said Fulgentius in a place neere vnto Yorke, in the ende after sore fighte, Seuerus was slayne, when he hadde ruled thys

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land for the space almost of fiue yeeres as before is sayd, and was after buried at Yorke, leauyng behinde him two sonnes, the one named Geta, & the other Bassianus. This Bassianus beeyng borne of a Brittish woman, succeeded his father in the gouernemente of Britayne, in the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord .211.* 1.2 The Romanes would haue had Geta created King of Britaine, [ 40] bearing more fauoure to him bycause he hadde a Romane Lady to his mother: but the Britaines moued with the like respect, helde with Bassia∣nus. And therevpon warre was raysed betwixte the two brethren, & comming to trie their quar∣rell by battell, Geta was slayne, and Bassianus with ayde of the Britaynes, remayned victor, & so continued Kyng, till at length he was slayne by one Carausius a Britaine, borne but of lowe birth, howbeit right valiant in armes, and there∣fore [ 50] well esteemed: In somuch that obteynyng of the Senate of Rome the keeping of the coasts of Britayne, that he might defend the same from the malice of straungers as Pictes and other, he drew to him a great number of Souldiers & spe∣cially of Britaines, to whome hee promised that if they would make him king, hee would cleerely deliuer them from the oppression of the Romaine seruitude. Wherevpon the Britaynes rebellyng against Bassianus, ioined themselues to Carau∣sius, who by their support, vanquished and slewe the sayd Bassianus, after he had raigned sixe, or as some affirme .xxx. yeares.

Thus farre out of the Englishe and Brittishe writers, the whiche howe farre they vary from a likelyhood of troth, yee shall heare what the y^e ap∣prooued historiographers, Greekes, and Latines,* 1.3 writing of these matters, haue recorded.

The Emperour Seuerus receiuing aduertise∣ment from the Lieutenant of Britayne that the people there moued Rebellion, and wasted the countrey with roades & forrayes, so that it was needefull to haue the prince himselfe to come thi∣ther with a greate power to resist y^e enimies, he of an ambitious mind reioyced not a little for those newes, bycause hee sawe occasion offered to ad∣uāce his renoume and fame with increase of new victories nowe in the West, after so many tri∣umphes purchased & got by him in the East and North partes of the world. Herevpon though he was of great age, yet the desire that he had stil to winne honor, caused him to take in hand to make a iourney into this land, and so being furnished of al things necessary, he set forwards, being carried

for the more part in a litter for his more ease: for y^t beside his feeblenesse of age, he was also troubled with y^e goute.* 1.4 He toke with him his two sonnes, Antonius Bassianus and Geta, vpon purpose as was thought, to auoyde occasions of suche incō∣uenience as he perceyued might grow by discord, moued betwixte thē through flatterers and ma∣licious sycophants whiche soughte to set them at variance: whiche to bring to passe, he perceyued there should want no meane whilest they conti∣nued [ 10] in Rome, amid such pleasures and idle pa∣stimes as were dayly there frequented: and ther∣fore he caused them to attend him in this iour∣ney into Britayne, that they mighte learne to liue soberly, and after the manner of menne of warre.

* 1.5Seuerus being thus on his iourney towardes Britayne, stayed not by the way, but with all diligence spedde him foorthe, and passing the Sea [ 20] very swiftly, entred this Isle, and assembled a mightie power togither, meaning to assayle hys enimies, and to pursue the warre againste them to the vttermost. The Britaynes greatly ama∣sed with this sodayne arriuall of the Emperoure, and hearing that such preparation was made a∣gainst them, sent Ambassadors to him to intreat of peace, & to excuse their rebellious doings. But Seuerus delaying time for aunswere, as he that was desirous to atchieue some high enterprise a∣gainst the Britaines, for the which he might de∣serue [ 30] y^e surname of Britannicus, which he great∣ly coueted, still was busie to prepare all thyngs necessary for the warre, and namely, caused a great number of bridges to bee made to lay ouer the bogges and marishes, so that his souldiers might haue place to stand vppon, and not to bee encōbred for lacke of firme groūd whē they shuld cope with their enimies:* 1.6 for the more parte of Britaine in those dayes (as Herodianus writeth) was full of fennes, and marres grounds, by rea∣son [ 40] of the often flowings and washing of the sea tides: by the whiche marres grounds the enimies being therto accustomed, wold runne & swimme in the waters,* 1.7 and wade vp to the middle at their pleasure, going for the more parte naked, so that they passed not on the mudde and myres, for they knewe not the vse of wearing clothes, but ware hoopes of Iron about their middles and neckes, esteeming the same as an ornamente and token [ 50] of riches, as other barbarous people did golde.

Moreouer, they marked, or (as it were) payn∣ted their bodies in diuers sortes and with sundry shapes and figures of beastes and foules, & there∣fore they vsed not to weare any garmentes, that suche paynting of their bodyes mighte the more appearantly be seene, which they estemed a great brauerie.

They were as the same Herodianus wri∣teth, a people giuen muche to the warre, and de∣lighted in slaughter and bloudshed, vsing none o∣ther weapons or armure but a slender buckler, a Iaueline,* 1.8 and a sworde tyed to their naked bo∣dyes: for as for headpeece or Habergeon, they e∣steemed not, bicause they thought the same shuld be an hinderance to them when they should passe ouer any marres, or be driuen to swimme anye waters, or flee to the bogges.

Moreouer, to suffer hunger, colde, and trauell, they were so vsed and enured therwith, that they would not passe to lie in the bogges and myres coueted vp to the chynne, withoute caring for meate for the space of diuers dayes togither: and in the wooddes they woulde liue vpon rootes and barkes of trees. Also they vsed to prepare for thē∣selues a certayne kynde of meate, of the whiche if they receyued but so muche as amounted to the quantitie of a beane, they would thinke them selues satisfyed, and feele neyther hunger nor thirst.

The one halfe of the Ile or little lesse was subiect vnto the Romaynes, the other were go∣uerned of themselues, the people for the most part hauing the rule in their handes.

Seuerus therefore meaning to subdue the whole, and vnderstandyng theyr nature, and the manner of their making warre, prouided him selfe of all things expedient for the annoyance of them and help of his own souldiers, and appoin∣ting his sonne Geta to remayne in that parte of the Isle which was subiect to the Romaynes, he tooke with him his other sonne Antoninus, and with his army marched foorthe, and entred into the confynes of the enimies, and there beganne to wast and forrey the countrey, whereby there ensued diuers conflictes and skirmishes betwixte the Romaynes and the inhabitantes, the victory still remayning with the Romaynes side: but the enimies easily escaped withoute any greate losse, vnto the wooddes, Mountaynes, bogges, and such other places of refuge, as they knew to be at hand, whither the Romaynes durst not followe, nor once approche, for feare to bee entrapped and enclosed by the Britaynes that were ready to returne and assayle their enimies vppon e∣uery occasion of aduauntage that myghte bee offered.

This manner of dealing sore troubled the Romaynes, and so hindred them in their pro∣cedings,* 1.9 that no speedy ende coulde bee made of that war: the Britaynes woulde oftentimes of purpose lay their Cattell, as Oxen, Kyne, Sheepe, and suche like, in places conueniente, to bee as a stale to the Romaynes, and when the Romaynes shoulde make to them to fetche the same away, being distant from the residue of the army a good space, they would fall vpō them

and distresse them. Beside this, the Romaynes were muche anoyed with the vnwhole somnesse of the waters whiche they were forced to drinke, and if they chanced to stray abrode, they were snapped vp by ambushes which the Calidonians layde for them, and when they were so feeble that they could not through wante of strength keepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in or∣der of battell, they were slayne by their owne fel∣lowes, least they should be left behinde for a pray [ 10] to the enimies. Hereby there died in this iourney of the Romaine army, at the point of fiftie thou∣sand men: but yet woulde not Seuerus returned till he had gone through the whole Isle, and •…•…o came to the vttermost partes of all the Countrey now called Scotland, and finally came backe a∣gayne to the other parte of the Isle subiect to the Romaynes, the inhabitantes whereof, named by Dion Cassius Meatae: but first he cōstreyned the other whome the same Dion nameth Caledonij, to conclude a league with him, with such condi∣tions as they were compelled to departe with no small portion of the countrey, and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons.

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In the meane time, the Emperoure Seuerus being worne with age fell sicke, so that hee was constreyned to abide at home within that part of the Ile which obeyed y^e Romans, and to appoint his son Antoninus to take charge of the army a∣brode. But Antoninus not regarding y^e enimies, attempted little or nothing againste them, but soughte wayes howe to winne the fauoure of the souldiers and men of war, that after his fathers [ 40] death (for which he dayly looked) he mighte haue their aide & assistance to be admitted Emperoure in his place. Nowe when hee saw that his Father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue wished, he practised with Phisitions and o∣ther of his fathers seruaunts to dispatche him by one meane or other.

Whilest Antoninus thus negligētly looked to his charge, the Britaynes began a new Rebelli∣on, not only those y^t were lately ioyned in league [ 50] with the Emperoure, but the other also whiche were subiects to the Romane Empire. Seuerus tooke suche displeasure, that he called togither the Souldiers, and commaunded them to inuade the countrey, and to kill al such as they might meete with in any place withoute respect, and that hys cruell commaundement he expressed in these ver∣ses taken out of Homer.

Nemo manus fugiat vestros, caedem{que} cruentam,* 1.10 Non foetus grauida mater quem gessit in aluo, Horrendam effugiat caedem.

Let none escape your bloudy handes, nor diresome slaughter flie, No not the babe vnborne, which in the mothers wombe doth lie.

But whilest he is thus disquieted with y^e Re∣bellion of the Britaynes, & the disloyall practises of his son Antoninus, which to him were not vn∣knowen. For the wicked sonne had by diuers at∣tempts discouered his trayterous and vnnatural meanings. At lēgth, rather through sorrow and griefe, than by force of sicknesse, he wasted away,* 1.11 & departed this life at Yorke the third day before y^e Nones of February, after he had gouerned the Empire by the space of .17. yeeres .8. moneths & .•…•…. days. He liued .65. yeres .9. moneths & .17. days: he was borne the third Ides of April by that which before is recited out of Herodyan & Dion Cassi∣us of y^e maners & vsages of those people, agaynst whome Seuerus helde war heere in Britayne: it may be coniectured, y^t they were the Pictes, the whiche possessed in those dayes a greate parte of Scotland, and with continual incursiōs & rodes wasted & destroied y^e bordures of those countreys

which were subiect to the Romains. To kepe thē back therfore & to represse their inuasions Seue∣rus (as some write) either restored y^e former wall made by Adrian,* 1.12 or else newely buylt an o∣ther ouerthwarte the yle from the east sea to the west,* 1.13 conteining in length .232. miles. This wall was not made of stone, but of turfe & earth sup∣ported with stakes & pyles of wood,* 1.14 and defended on the back with a deepe trenche or ditche, & also fortified with diuers toures & turrets buylt and [ 10] erected vpon y^e same wall or rampire so nere to∣gither,* 1.15 that the soūd of trumpets being placed in the same, might be hearde betwixte, and so war∣ning giuen from one to an other vpon the fyrste descrying of the enimies.

Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our lord .211.* 1.16 his son Antoninus otherwise called also Bassianus, wold fayn haue vsurped y^e whole gouernment into his own hands, attemp∣ting with bribes & large promises, to corrrupt the [ 20] mindes of the souldiors: but when he perceiued y^t his purpose wold not forward as he wished in y^t behalf, he concluded a league with the enimies, & making peace with thē, returned back towardes Yorke, and came to his mother & brother Geta, [ 30] with whom he took order for the burial of his fa∣ther. And first his body being brent (as the maner was) the ashes were put into a vessel of gold, and so conueyed to Rome by the two brethren and the empresse Iulia, that was mother to Geta the yonger brother, & mother in law to the elder, An∣toninus Bassianus, and by all meanes possible sought to mainteyn loue & concorde betwixt the brethren, which now at the first toke vpon them to rule the empire equally togither: but the am∣bition of Bassianus was such, that finally vpon desire to haue the whole rule himselfe, he founde meanes to dispatche his brother Geta, breaking one day into his chāber, & slaying him euē in his mothers lap, & so possessed the gouernmēt alone, [ 40]

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til at lēgth he was slain at Edessa a citie in Me∣sopotamia by one of his own soldiors, as he was about to vntrusse his pointes to doe the of••••e of nature, after he had reigned the space of .vj.* 1.17 yeares as is aforesayde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Seuer••••
• * 1.2

  211
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  ••••onius and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  ••••e Emperor •…•…erus arri∣•…•… in Bri∣•…•…y•…•…ne.
• * 1.6

  •…•…erodianus.
• * 1.7

  •…•…e meaneth the North •…•…itaynes or •…•…age Bri∣••••ynes as wee •…•…y call them
• * 1.8

  The furniture of the sauage Britaynes.
• * 1.9

  Dion Cassius.
• * 1.10

  Iliadu•…•…
• * 1.11

  〈…〉〈…〉 Dion Ca•…•…
• * 1.12

  ••••opius. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.13

  •…•…. Cassius.
• * 1.14

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Boetius
• * 1.16

  •…•…lidor. nus. •…•…rodia 211.
• * 1.17

  Sextus Au∣relius.