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.

CHAP. XIII.

The Northern Britans with common consent arme them∣selves to repulse the Romans. The Oration of Galga∣cus the chiefe of their Leaders.

IN the beginning of the next summer, Agricola sen∣ding his Navie before, (which by spoyling in sundry places, should induce a greater, and more vncertaine terror,) followed himselfe with his armie by land, ha∣ving drawne to his partie some of the valiantest Bri∣tans (whom by long experience in peace, he had found most faithfull) and so armed at the Mounta 1.1 Grampius, where the Britans had lodged themselves before. For they were not altogither dejected with the vnfortunate event of former battel, but now, as men prepared for all chances, they attended nothing else but revenge, death, or servitude; & being taught at the length, that common danger must be repelled with mutuall concord) by leagues and ambassages they had assembled the power of all the Cities togither, in number above thirtie thou∣sand armed men (the view being taken) besides a great companie of youth (which dayly flocked to them) and lustie old men renowmed in warre, and bearing the badges due to their honour; at what time Galgacus, for Vertue and Birth, the principall man of all the Leaders, seeing the multitude hotly demaund the battell, is said to have vsed this, or the like speech.

When I consider the cause of this warre, and out present necessitie, I have reason (me seemes) to pre∣sume that this day, and this our generall agreement, will give a happie beginning to the freedome of the whole Iland. For we have al hitherto lived in libertie, and now no land remaineth beyond vs: no sea for our safetie: the Roman Navy (as you see) surveying and invironing our coasts; so that combat and armes which men of vertue desire for honour, the dastard must also vse for his securitie. The former battels which have with diverse events bin fought with the Romans, had their refuge & hope resting in our hands. For we the flower of the British Nobilitie, & seated in the furthest part of th'ile, did never yet see the borders of those countries, which were brought vnder servile subjection (our eies being still kept vnpolluted, & free from al contagion of tyranny.) Beyond vs is no land: besides vs none are free: vs onlie hitherto, this corner and secret harbor hath defended; You see the vtter∣most part of the land is laid open, and things the lesse they have bin within knowledge, the greater is the glorie to atchive them. But what nation is there now beyond vs? what els but water and rocks? and the Ro∣mans Lords of all within the land, whose intollerable pride in vaine shall you seeke to avoid by service and humble behavior. They are the robbers of the world, that having now left no land to be spoiled, search also the sea. If the enemie be rich, they seek to win wealth: if poor, they are content to gain glory to themselves, whom neither the East nor West can satisfie, as being the only men of al memory, that seek out al places, be they wealthy, or poore, with like greedy affection. To take away by main force, to kil and spoile, falsely they terme Empire & Government, when all is waste as a

wildernes, that they call peace. His children & blood each man holds by nature most deare, & yet even they are pressed for Souldiers, & carried away to be slaves, we know not where. Our sisters and wives, though they be not violently forced, as in open hostilitie, yet are they vnder the colour & title of friends & guests, shamefully abused. Our goods & substance they day∣ly draw from vs, rewarding vs onely with stripes and indignities. Slaves which are borne to bondage, are sold but once, & after are fed at their owners expen∣ces: But Britannie dayly buieth, dayly feedeth, and is at charges with her own bondage. And as in a private retinue, the fresh man and last commer is scoffed at by his fellow servants: so in this old servitude of the whole world, they seeke onely the destruction of vs, as being the latest attempted, and of al others, in their opinion, the most vile. We have no fields to manure, no mines to be digged, no ports to trad•• in; and to what purpose then should they keepe vs alive, consi∣dering that the manhood, and fierce courage of the subject doth not much please the jelous Soveraigne? and this corner (being so secret & out of the way) the more securitie it yeeldeth to vs, the greater suspition it worketh in them. Seeing therfore all hope of par∣don is past, it behooveth you at length to shew cou∣rage in defending and maintaining both your safetie and honor. The Icenians led by a woman, fired the Ro∣man Colonie, forced the castles, & had the prosecution of the war bin answerable to so luckie a beginning, the Southern Britans might then with ease have shaken off the yoke, and prevented our perill. We, as yet, ne∣ver touched, never subdued, but borne to be free, not slaves to the Romans: we (I say) are now to make proof of our valor, & to shew in this encounter, what maner

of men Caledonia hath reserved in store for her selfe. Do you think that the Romans be as valiant in warre as they are wanton in peace? No, you are deceived. For they are growne famous, not by their owne ver∣tue, but by our jarres and discord, while they make vse of their enemies faults, to the glory of their owne armie, composed of most diverse nations; and there∣fore, as by present prosperitie it is holden togither: so doubtlesse (if fortune frown on that side) it wil soone be dissolved: vnlesse you suppose the Gauls and Ger∣mans, and (to our shame be it spoken) many of ou•• owne nation (which now lend their lives to establish a forrein vsurper) to be led with any true harted and faithfull affection. No, it is rather with terror and di∣strust, (weak workers of love:) which if you remove, then those which have made an end to feare, wil soon begin to hate. All things that may encourage, and give hope of victory, are now for vs. The Romans have no wives to harten them on, if they faint; no parents to vpbraid them, if they flie. Most of them have no Country at all, or, if they have, it is some other mens. They stand like a sort of fearful persons trembling, & gazing at the strangenesse of the heaven it self, at the sea, and the woods. And now the heavens (favou∣ring our cause) have delivered them, mewed vp (as it were) and fettered into our hands. Be not terrified, or dismaid with the vain shew and glittering of their gold and silver, which of themselves do neither of∣fend, nor defend. And thinke, that even amongst our enemies, we shall find some on our side, when the Britans shal acknowledge their owne cause, the Gauls remember their old freedom, and the rest of the Ger∣mans forsake them, as of late the Vsipians did. What then should we feare? The castles are empty, the Co∣lonies

peopled with aged & impotent persons: the free cities discontented, and distract with factions, whilest they which are vnder, obey with ill will, and they which do governe, rule against right. Here is the Ro∣man Generall, and the armie: there Tributes & Mines, with other miseries, inseparably following such as live vnder subjection of others; which, whether we are to endure for ever, or speedily to revenge, it lieth this day in this field to determine. Wherefore being now to joyne battaile, beare in mind, I beseech you, both your ancestors (which lived in the happy estate of libertie) and your successors, who, (if you faile in this enterprise) shall live hereafter in perpetuall servi∣tude.

This speech (delivered with great vehemencie of voice and action) was cheerfully received by the Britans with a song (after their barbarous fashion) ac∣companied with confused cries, and acclamations.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Grantz-ba••e in Scotland.