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. II.

The Britans oppressed by the crueltie and covetousnesse of the Roman officers, discover their greevances one to ano∣ther. Prodigious signes foregoing the subversion of the Roman Colonie. The Britans take armes vnder the conduct of Voadica.

IN the meane time Prasutagus Prince of the Icenians, a man renowned for his riches, did by his last will, make the Roman Emperour his heire, (joyntly with two of his daughters,) supposing, that thereby his prin∣cipalitie, and family should have beene maintained in good estate, and protected from violence after his death: all which fell out contrarie to his hopes; for his kingdome was made a prey to the Souldiers, Voadica his wife whipped, his daughters deflowred, such as were of his family made slaves, and the wealthiest men of his Country, either by open force, or surmised pretences, deprived of their goods, and dispossessed of their inhe∣ritance. Besides that, Seneca one of Neroes counsailors,

having forced diverse of the better sort of the Britans, to take great summes of money of him vpon vsurie, did then, for his private gaine, exact the payment of the principall vpon a sodaine; to the vtter vndoing of his debtors: and Decianus Catus thea 1.1 Procurator in Britan∣nie, renued the Confiscation of their goods, which Claudius the Emperour had pardoned. The souldiers placed in the Colonie at Camalodunum, had thrust the owners and ancient Inhabitants out of their houses, terming them slaves, and drudges, and abusing them in all reprochfull maner. The Temple erected in the ho∣nour of Claudius, was an eie-sore, and continuall bur∣den vnto them, while the Priests Augustales that atten∣ded there, wasted the wealth of the inhabitants, vnder the pretext of religion. To these common grievances of the afflicted people, the present occasion seemed to offer means of redresse, while the Roman Generall was making warre in Mona. Whereupon they resolved to take armes, inciting the Trinobantes and other Nations (that were not wholy brought vnder subjection) to doe the like. Then they began to discourse of the miseries of bondage, to lay their injuries togither, aggravating them by their owne Constructions, and complaining, that their patience had profited them nothing, but to draw heavier burdens vpon them, as men that would gently beare:

That whereas in former times they had onely one Commander, now there was two thrust vpon them, the Lievtenant to sucke their blood, and the Procurator their substance, whose disagreement was the vexation of the subject, and agreement, their vtter vndoing, while the one burdened them with Souldiers and Captaines, the other with wrongs, and indignities: that the lust and covetousnesse of these their enemies, laid hold vpon all persons, without ex∣ception:

that though in the field, he that spoyleth, be commonly the stronger, yet themselves were, by Cowards and weaklings (for the most part) dispos∣sest of their houses▪ bereft of their Children, enioy∣ned to yeeld Souldiers for other mens behoofe, as though they were such a kind of people, as knew how to do any thing else, save onely to die for their owne Countrey; For otherwise there was but a handfull of Souldiers come over, if they did but rec∣kon their owne number, considering withall, that Germanie had alreadie shaken off the yoke, having no Ocean Sea, but a river to defend it: that the causes then moving them to take armes, were just, and ho∣nourable; namely to recover their libertie, and to de∣fend their Parents, Wives, Children, and Coun∣trey; whereas the Romans had nothing to provoke them to warre, but their owne covetousnesse, and wanton lust, and were likely enough to depart (as Iu∣lius Caesar had done) if themselves would imitate the vertues of their progenitors; and not be dismaid with the doubtfull event of one skirmish, or two, seeing that men in miserie have commonly more courage (then at other times) and more constancie to conti∣nue: and now the heavens themselves seemed to pittie their poore estate, by sending the Roman Go∣vernour out of the way, and confining the army (as it were) into another Iland; by which meanes, opor∣tunitie of revenge, and hope of libertie was offred: and finally, that being assembled, to devise, and deli∣berate togither, they had obtained the hardest point in an action of that nature, wherein it were more dan∣ger to be taken consulting, then doing.

With these and the like speeches they stirred vp one another, each man laying open his owne particular greevances, and

adding them to the common cause.

About this time, diverse prodigious signes were no∣ted to portend the subversion of the Roman Colonie, as namely, an Image of Victorie falling downe reversed at Camalodunum; Strange noyses sounding in the ayre: Strange apparitions seene in the sea: The Ocean bloody in shew: and the print of mens bodies vpon the sands. Diverse constructions were made of these things as o∣minous, whether that they proceed of some naturall causes (though not alwayes observed,) or else, that they do necessarily forego the ruine and change of great States. Howbeit commonly in such cases, mens minds do mis-give them, while they frame the future event of things answerable to their owne fearefull imaginations; and great alterations falling out sometimes after like ac∣cidents, they superstitiously suppose them, to be al∣wayes the certaine fore-runners of destruction. The ap∣prehension of these things, at the first, strooke the Ro∣mans with greater feare, by reason of the absence of their General, and thereupon they required the ayde of Catus Decianus the Procurator, who sent a small compa∣nie badly armed, to renforce the garrison. The old soul∣diers that had beene left within the Towne, (although few in number) yet trusting to the franchize of the Temple, and not doubting the secret conspiracie of their confederates, were in a maner carelesse, as in times of peace, following their pleasures, and making no pro∣vision for defence. The Britans, having in the meane time, taken armes vnder the conduct of Voadica, a Ladie of the blood of their kings (for in matter of government they made no difference of sex) and being informed of the state of the Colonie, determined first to assaile the townes and forts in their passage thither, which they at∣tempted accordingly, & with no great difficulty surpri∣sed the greatest number of them.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Receiver of the revenues of the pro∣vince.