The historie of Great Britannie declaring the successe of times and affaires in that iland, from the Romans first entrance, vntill the raigne of Egbert, the West-Saxon prince; who reduced the severall principalities of the Saxons and English, into a monarchie, and changed the name of Britannie into England.

CHAH. XI.

Agricolaes policie to plant civilitie among the Britans. He leadeth his armie without resistance vnto Edenbourgh Frith in Scotland.

THe Winter ensuing was spent in a most profitable and politike devise. For, whereas the Britans were rude, and dispersed, and therefore prone vpon eve∣rie occasion to warre, Agricola, that he might induce them by pleasures to quietnesse and rest, exhorted them in private, and commaunded his Souldiers to helpe them to build Temples, Houses, and Places of publike resort, commending such as were forward therein, and checking the slow and idle persons, seeming thereby, to impose a kind of necessitie vpon them, while everie man contended to gaine the Lievtenants good will. Moreover the Noble-mens sonnes, he tooke and cau∣sed to be instructed in the Liberall Sciences, preferring the wits of the Britans, before those of the students in Gallia; the Britans also themselves being now curious to attaine the eloquence of the Roman language, whereas they lately rejected the speech. After that, the Roman Attire grew to be in account, and the Gowne much v∣sed among them: and so by little and little, they pro∣ceeded to those common provocations of vices, name∣ly sumptuous Galleries, hote Baths, and exquisite banquetings; which things the ignorant people ter∣med civilitie, though it were in deede a badge of their bondage.

In the third yeare of his Government, he discove∣red new Countries, wasting all before him, till he came to the firth ofa 1.1 Taus. Which thing so terrified the Nor∣thern

Britans, that although the Roman Armie had bin toyled and wearied with manie sharpe conflicts, yet they durst not assaile it; whereby the Romans had the more leysure to encampe themselves, and to forti∣fie: wherein Agricola was either so skilfull, or so fortu∣nate, that no Castell planted by him, was either forced by strength, or vpon Conditions surrendred, or (as not defencible) forsaken. In all these Actions Agricola never sought to draw to himselfe the glorie of any ex∣ploit done by another, but were he Centurion, or of o∣ther degree that had atchieved it, he would faithfully witnesse the fact, and yeeld him alwayes his due com∣mendation.

The fourth yeare of his office was spent in viewing and ordering that, which he had over-run: and if the valiant minds of his Souldiers, and the glorie of the Roman name could have so permitted it, there should have beene no need to have sought other limits of Bri∣tannie, then were at that time discovered. Fora 1.2 Glota, andb 1.3 Bodotria, two armes of the two contrarie Seas, shooting mightily into the land, are onely divided a∣sunder by a narrow partition of ground, which pas∣sage was garded and fortifyed with Garrisons and Ca∣stels, so that the Romans were now absolute Lords of all on this side, having cast their enemies, as it were into an other Iland.

Notes

• a 1.1

  The river T••eed.
• a 1.2

  The Firth of Dunbretton in Scotland.
• b 1.3

  Edenbo∣rough Firth.