The chronicles of England from Brute vnto this present yeare of Christ. 1580. Collected by Iohn Stow citizen of London.

CAssibelanus, the sonne of Hely, after the deathe of his bro∣ther* 1.1 Lud, was made gouernour of Brytaine, which ruled xix. yeares. In the. viij. yeare of his raigne, Iulius Caesar co••••••ing vnto that parte where Caleys and Boloigue

now stand, determined to make warre into Brytaine, which* 1.2 vntil that time remained vnfrequented and vnknown of the Romains. His quarrell was, bicause y^e in the wars of Frāce,* 1.3 he perceyued the Frenchmen to haue much succour and ayde from thence: And bycause he could not vnderstand nor learn the greatnesse or state of the Ilād, neither what nations they were whiche inhabited the same, nor what lawes, customes, or kinde of gouernemente they vsed, nor yet what Hauens they had, able to receyue any number of ships, he sent Caius Volusenus before with a Galley, to discouer as muche as hée coulde, concerning those matters, who within fiue dayes af∣ter retourned to Caesar, declaring such things as he had lear∣ned by coasting alongst the shore, for he durste not for feare of the Brytaines stirre out of his Galley. In the meane space there came Embassadours from many Cities of the Isle, and deliuered him Hostages, with whom he sent Comius of Ar∣ras, charging him to exhort and perswade the reste of the Ci∣ties and Countyes to do the like. And he himselfe shortly af∣ter hauing prepared. lxxx. ships, sayled into Brytaine, where* 1.4 at the first being wearied with an harde and sharpe battayle, and after with sodaine tempest his nauie almost destroyed: he retourned againe into Fraunce, there to winter his men.

The next Spring (which was the yere before Christ. 51.) his Nauye being newe rigged and encreased, he passed the Seas againe with a greater armye, but whiles hée went to∣wards his ••••imies on land, his ships lying at Anker, were driuen on the sands, where they stacke fast: or else throughe beating one against another, with force of the tempest, they were destroyed, so that. xl. were lost, the other with muche la∣bour were saued. In the meane space Saeua one of Caesars sol∣diours,* 1.5 with foure others, who before in a small vessel were conueyed to a rocke neare the Isle, and by ebbing of the Oceā being for saken, a greate number of Brytaines fell on a fewe Romaines, and some of his companions (though but fewe) found meanes to returne by boate, but Saeua remained with out fear in y^e midst of his enimies dar••s; first with his speare

he re••••sted them, after with his sword he alone foughte against many of them, and when he was both wearie & woū∣ded, and had lost his helmet and shielde, with two light har∣nesses, he ranne to Caesars tents, and asked pardō of the Em∣peror for his ouerboldnesse, who not onely forgaue him, but honored him with the Office of a Centurion. Upon land Cae∣sars horssemen at the first encounter were vanquished, & La∣berius Durus the Tribune slaine in a place now called Chestō wood neare vnto Rochester, (as saith the Chronicle of Wyg∣more.)* 1.6 At the second conflict, not w^tout great daunger of his men, he put the Brytaines to fight, from thence he went vnto the riuer Thamis, on y^e further side wherof Cassibelanus with a great multitude of people was kéeping the banks, who had set all the sayde bankes, and al the shallow places, vnder the* 1.7 water with sharpe stakes, euery one of them as big as a mās thighe, bounde aboute with leade, and driuen so fast into the bottom of the riuer, that they can neuer be remoued, (so saith* 1.8 Bede, and Asser,) who affirme that in their times the sayde stakes were easilye perceiued to remaine as aforesayd. But Cassibelanus and his Brytains not being able to resist the vio∣lence and force of the Romaines, hid themselues in woods, & with sodaine eruptions oftentimes inuaded them: but in the* 1.9 meane time London their strongest Citie submitted it selfe, & deliuered hostages to Caesar, who at their request placed Mā∣dubratius to be their gouernour, whose Father called Ima∣nentius, being chiefe Lord or ruler of the Trinobants, Cassi∣belane had before slaine, wherewith Mandubratius fled, and comming to Caesar, not only submitted hymself, but also was a great meanes (as many doe write) for Caesar to subdue the rest: yet did Cassibelane sende messengers to the foure Kings that ruled in the quarters of Kente, that with al theyr puis∣sance they shold set on the Romaines that lay next thē: their names wer Cingetorex, Caruilius, Taximagulus, & Segonax, who obeying his requeste were discomfited, and Cingetorex taken, wherewithal Cassibelane being dismayed after many losses, was constrayned to giue pledges, and to agrée that

Brytaine shoulde become tributarie to Romaines. Then Cae∣sar* 1.10 like a conquerour, with a great number of prisoners say∣led into Fraunce and so to Rome, where after his retourne out of Brytaine, he consecrated to Venus a surcotte of Brytayne Pearles, the desire wherof partly moued him to inuade this Countrey: shortlye after he was by the Senate slaine in the Counsel house. Iohn Lydgate, Iohn Rouse and others write, that Iulius Caesar builded in this lande the Castels of Douer, of Canturburie, Rochester and the Towre of London, the Castell and towne of Caesars Burie, taking his name after Caesar, the which is now called Salisburie. He also edifyed Caesars Che∣ster, that now is called Chichester, and the castel of Excester. &c

Caesar in his Commentaries fayth, the Brytons coyne was* 1.11 of brasse, or else rings of Iron sized at a certaine waight, in steade of money: they thoughte it a heynous thing to taste a Hare, a Hen, or a Goose: they clothed themselues in Lether: they dyed thēselues with woade, which setting a blewish co∣lour vpon them, made them more terrible to beholde in bat∣tel: they ware theyr haire long, and shaued all partes of their bodyes, sauing the head and vpper lippe: they had tenne or twelue wiues a piece, common with themselues, speciallye brothers with brothers, and parentes wyth theyr children, but the issue that came of them was accounted his that firste maried the mother.

Notes

• * 1.1

  58 Iohn B••le. Iulius Caesar his first voyage into England, Eutropiu••.
• * 1.2

  Eutropiu••.
• * 1.3

  Casars Com∣mentaries.
• * 1.4

  Tvvo voyages of Caesar.
• * 1.5

  Eutropius.
• * 1.6

  Cro Wigmore.
• * 1.7

  Casars Comen.
• * 1.8

  Bede. Asser.
• * 1.9

  London submit∣ted to Caesar.
• * 1.10

  Iulius C••sar conquering the vvorld vvas slain vvith bodkins. Eutropius. Iohn Lydgate. Plinie. Suetonius. The Castels of Douer, Cauter∣bury, Rochester & the tovver of London built. Salisbury, Chi∣chester, & Ex∣cester builded.
• * 1.11

  Caesars Cōmen∣mentaries tou∣ching the bar∣barousnesse of Brytons.