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. V.

The Northern Britans breaking downe Adrians wall vpon the borders, enter and annoy the Province. Vlpius Marcellus, being sent by Commodus the Emperor to take charge of the armie in Britannie, beateth them backe. The rare vertues of Vlpius Marcellus the Go∣vernor. He is dimissed of his office.

THis was the state of the Church in Britannie, when new troubles began to the disturbance of the Pro∣vince. For the Northern Britans making a breach in the wall, which Adrian the Emperour had built, and finding the borders but weakly garded, entred the Pro∣vince, and surprising the Roman General, killed many of his Souldiers, then ranging the countries: they wasted and spoyled everie where without resistance, till Vlpius Marcellus being sent over by Commodus the Emperour, stayed their furie, and with great difficultie, forced them to retire within the Wall. By which meanes the Pro∣vince being quieted, he applied himselfe to reforme abuses in his Camp, reviving the ancient discipline of warre, which had beene for a time discontinued a∣mong the Roman souldiers, whom long service, and many victories had made bold to say, and do oft times more then became them. For Marcellus indeed was a man somewhat austere, in reprooving and punishing: otherwise verie temperate: diligent in time of warre: not idle in peace: his diet was the same which the common Souldier vsed: in quantitie more sparing: for he would eate no bread, but such as was brought from Rome: which he did, to the end he might avoid

excesse, and take no more then sufficed Nature (the stalenesse of the bread having taken away all taste, that might either please the sense, or provoke the appetite.) The day time, for the most part, he spent in viewing his Camp, in training young Souldiers, and giving di∣rection to Officers. In the night he wrote Letters, and made his dispatches into diverse parts of the Province, (as occasion required.) He slept verie little, by rea∣son of his thin diet, and much businesse (wherewith he was continually occupied;) for he thought [that he which slept a whole night togither, was no meete man, to be either a Counseller to a Prince, or the Commander of an Armie.] Everie Evening he vsed to write instructions vpon twelve Tables made of Lin∣den tree, which Tables he delivered to one of his ser∣vants, appointing him to carrie them at sundrie houres of the night, to certaine of his Souldiers, who thereby supposing that their Generall was still waking, and not gone to his bed) were the more carefull in keeping the watch, and preventing sodaine attempts in the night season. He was severe in execution of justice: not to be led by fauour: nor to be corrupted by bribes. He levied money, onely as necessarie for the warre, not to enrich himself, or his friends, as other governors in for∣mer times had done; for he never preferred his owne private, before the publike; nor a wealthie estate before an honourable reputation. The fame of these vertues as they made him much respected, both of his owne Souldiers, and of the Britans: so they procured Envie, which alwayes followeth Vertue inseparably, as a sha∣dow doth the bodie. For Commodus the Emperour vn∣derstanding, how Marcellus had carried himselfe in Bri∣tannie, was much displeased therewith; and doubting lest he should grow too great, he thought it best to cut

him off. But some accidents happening in the meane time, to make him change that purpose, he onely sent Letters of discharge, and so dismissed him of the Office.