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. X.

Claudius succeeding Caius in the Empire, sendeth Aulus Plautius with an armie out of France into Britannie. The Roman souldiers are vnwilling to be transported thither: and entring into mutinie, are appeased by Nar∣cissus the Emperours favourite. Plautius chargeth the Britans, and taketh Cataratacus their captain prisoner, for which he afterwards triumpheth.

CLaudius the Emperour, with better advise then Caius his predecessor, and with much better for∣tune, vndertooke the action in the third yeare of his reigne; and first, by perswasion of Bericus a British fu∣gitive, and others, whom the Romans had received into their protection (a matter that much discontented the Britans, & stirred them vp to revolt) he sent Aulus Plau∣tius a Roman Senator, a man well experienced in mili∣tare affaires, to take charge of the Armie then remai∣ning in Gallia, and to transport it into the Iland, where∣at the Souldiers grudged, complaining, that they should now make warre out of the world, and by pro∣tracting time with vnnecessary delaies, they discovered openly their vnwillingnes to enter into the service, till Narcissus a favorite of Claudius, being sent to appease

them, went vp into Plautius his Tribunal seat, and there in an Oration, declared to the Souldiers the causes of his comming, & exhorted them not to shrink, for feare of vncertain dangers: That the enterprise it self, the more perillons it seemed, the more honorable it would be to atchieve it: that themselves were the men whom the heavens had or∣dained to enlarge the bounds of the Roman Empire, and to make their owne names famous in the vtmost parts of the earth. But the Souldiers at the first being moved with disdaine, cried out in seditious maner (Io. Saturnalia,) as though they had been then ready to solemnize a feast, at which the Custome was, that servants should weare their Maisters apparell, and represent their persons. Howbeit Narcissus giving way to their furie for the present, did afterwards prevaile so farre with them, as partly for shame, and partly for hope of reward, they seemed content to follow Plautius, whither soever he would conduct them.

Then were thea 1.1 andb 1.2 Auxiliarie souldi∣ers divided into three parts, so to be embarqned, to the end, that if they should be empeached in one place, they might land in another. In crossing the Sea, their ships were shaken, and beaten backe with a contrarie wind; albeit their courage failed not, but rather encrea∣sed, by reason of a firie leame shooting from the East towards the West (the self same way that they directed their course) which they interpreted as a token of good successe. And thereupon hoising saile, they set forward againe, and with some difficultie (through the contra∣rietie of wind and tide,) arrived in the Iland without a∣ny resistance, by reason that the Britans doubted not their comming; but then finding themselves surprized on the sodaine, they ran dispersedly to hide themselves in Woods and Marishes, holding it their best course, ra∣ther

to prolong the warre, and wearie their enemies by delayes, then to encounter them in the open field. But Plautius with much labour and hazard found out at length, their chiefe place of retreite, where he killd ma∣ny of them, and tooke prisoner Cataratacus their Cap∣taine, one of the Sonnes of Cuno-belin, (not long before deceased.) For this exploit the Roman Senate did after∣wards grant him a Triumph, which the Emperor Clau∣dius honoured with his owne person, accompanying him as he went vp into the Capitoll.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Souldiers that were Ci∣tizens of Rome.
• b 1.2

  Souldiers of forreigne na∣tions in league with the Ro∣mans.