into the streame. But about midnight the winde fai∣ling, and their sailes becalmed, the tide diuerted their course: so that in the dawning he well perceiued his intended place for landing to be passed.
(2) Therefore falling againe with the change of tide, and indeuours of their Oares, about noone the same day hee recouered the shoare, euen in the same place (and that without any shew of resistance) where he had found best landing the Summer before. There in conuenient manner he encamped his host, and by certaine Fugitiues got notice of the power and place of the enemie.
(3) And lest delay should afford them aduantage, he committed the gouernment of his ships at anchor to Qu. Atrius, and his campe on land to the guard of ten Cohorts, besides the strength of three hundred horsemen; and himselfe with the rest about the third watch of the night tooke their march towards the e∣nemie, proceeding with such celeritie, that by the day dawning they were entred twelue miles higher into the Continent: where seeking to passe a riuer, which is supposed to be the water Stower, the Britaines with their darts and chariots began in most terrible man∣ner to assault the Romanes. But being at length by them repulsed, tooke into a wood strongly fortified both by nature and mans industrie. For in the time of their owne dissensions they had formerly made this place one of their strongest fortresses, and had cut down many trees, which ouerthwart the waies of en∣trance they had bestowed.
(4) In this they secretly kept, and where they saw aduantage, would by companies sallie out vpon the enemie to their no little annoiance. Whereupon Caesar commanded the seuenth Legion to raise a banke, and to build a Testudo of boards, couered with raw hides, by which meanes the place without much adoe was won, and the Britaines forced to forsake the woods. Whose chase Caesar forbade both in regard the day was neere spent, as also that the countrey was altogether vnknowen to the Romanes. But the next day the pursuit being begun, sudden newes was brought from Q. Atrius, that most of his ships the night before by a violent tempest were cast on Land, their bulks shaken, their cables broken, and anchours lost. Caesars experience in like mishaps the Summer before, made him so much more ready to preuent the worst. And therefore recalling his forces, in all haste returned to his Campe, finding the relation too true in their wracke, wherein forty of his ships were quite lost. Wherefore he wrote to Labienus his Lieutenant in Gallia for supply of ships, thence to bee sent in all haste. Then gathering his shipwrights out of the le∣gions, with the ruines of the bruised bulkes, he repai∣red the whole; and now hauing twice felt the dangers of these seas, caused his whole fleet (a strange attempt) to be drawn on land, euen into the midst of the forti∣fications of his campe, so to secure them from the like mishap, and that one strength might defend both.
(5) In which admirable toile ten daies
and nights were altogether spent, before hee could returne to the place from whence he came; where now the
Britaines through great confluence of people had increased their power, and entred againe their fortresse and wood. The chiefe command of these affaires was commit∣ted to
Cassibelan, whose coine wee haue heere likewise set, a Prince of good repute for feats in warre, whose
Seigniory was se∣uered from the Cities towards the Sea, by the great and famous riuer
Thamisis, and extended into the land full foure∣score miles.
This Cassibelan present Gouernour of the Trinobants, had attained to the posses∣sion of their chiefest Citie by the slaugh∣ter of Imanuence their former Ruler (a man well respected, and much lamented after death) whose sonne Mandubrace, a gentleman of great hope, fearing the like danger, by the new established autho∣ritie of Cassibelan, had made ouer into Gallia, crauing Caesars assistance to set him in his right.
(6) Cassibelan (if among these authenticke Au∣thors the British Writers may bee heard) was the bro∣ther of King * Lud, and in the nonage of his nephewes gouerned the Trinobants, whose bounds hee sought to enlarge vpon the bordering Countries of his neigh∣bours, and in his fortunes had so borne himselfe, that he was much maligned, and more feared. But now all their dangers yoked alike in a common perill, they laid aside priuate grudges, and held him the only man to support the strength of their troubled and decli∣ning estate, and by a common consent made him Ge∣nerall of their warres. The expectation of whose pro∣ceedings he long delaied not, but with a fierce and hot encounter did assaile the Romans, and so manfully dis∣charged the parts of his place, that in the sight of the whole Campe Quintus Laberius a militarie Tribune was slain, (in memorie wherof the place as yet, though somewhat corruptly, is called Iul-laber) and Caesar himselfe professeth he learned many points of marti∣all policie by their braue and running kinde of en∣countring.
(7) But his next daies seruice prooued not so for∣tunate; for the Romans hauing learned their owne de∣fects by the former daies experience, laid aside their weightie armour, that with the more facilitie they might both assaile the enemies, and with like nimble∣nesse auoid their furie, they hauing now bestowed their powers dispersedly, and scattered their troupes into companies, wherby the Romans were still match∣ed with fresh supplies. A policie no doubt of no small consequence, had not destiny determined the fatall subiection of the Britaines, and Fortune now raised the Romans almost to the height of their Monarchie.
(8) For this failing, the Britaines neuer after shew∣ed themselues with any vnited resistance, but hauing lost the day departed, thinking it better to secure eue∣rie priuate by his owne meanes, then by a generall power to hazard all, as hopelesse any more to vphold that which the heauens (they saw) would haue down. And Cassibelan himselfe despairing of happy successe, drew into his owne territories, keeping with him not aboue 4. thousand wagons. And fearing the Romans further approch, fortified the riuer Thamisis (then pas∣sable onely in one place) with sharpned stakes bound about with lead, and driuen so deepe into the bot∣tome, that Beda and Asser report them so to remaine in their times. All which notwithstanding, the Ro∣mans passed with the repulse of their enemies, and Caesar, who grew now to the height of his honour, marched further into the Continent, and comming forward, was met by Ambassadours from the chiefest Citie of the Trinobants, which first of all the States profered submission, and promised subiection, with this intreatie also, that Mandubrace (who being Caesars fol∣lower, and doubtlesse the contriuer of this submis∣sion) might be Gouernour of their Citie.
(9) Caesar ready to worke vpon such aduantage, seized them at forty hostages, with sufficiencie of graine for his whole armie, which with all expedition those Suppliants performed, preferring the satisfaction of their owne discontentments before the common cause of their Natiue Country, thus laid open, and betraied into the enemies hands; from whose example many other States without stroke yeelded to Caesars com∣mand: yea further treacherously shewing vnto him both the power and place of Cassibelans abode, who had now retired himselfe into his owne Citie called Verolam, well fortified both with woods and marish grounds.
Thither Caesar came, and with little losse or la∣bour won the place, and many of the miserable Bri∣taines both taken and slaine. Cassibelan now despairing of his owne power, farre vnable to match, and much lesse to ouermatch his Enemies, instigated the Gouer∣nours of Kent, being foure in number, Cingetorix, Car∣uilius, Taximangulus, and Segonax, (whom Caesar ter∣meth