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.

Caesars second expedition into Britannie. The Britans for∣tifie themselves in a wood, from whence they are chased by the Romans. Caesars Navie distressed by tempest.

IN the spring of the yeare following, Caesar having pa∣cified some tumults in Gallia, prosecuted the enter∣prise of Britannie, and to that end he had prepared a Fleet of new ships, well appointed, and commodiously built for landing his forces (the want whereof he had found before, to his great losse) and a sufficient armie consisting of five Legions, and a proportionall number of horse, which he embarqued at* 1.1 Portus Iccius about the Sun-setting, having a faire Southern wind to set them forward; which failing them about midnight, the tide diverted their course, so as in the morning he dis∣covered the Iland on his left hand: and then following the turning of the tide, he commanded his souldiers to vse their Oares that they might reach that part of the Ile, where they had found best landing the Summer be∣fore; wherein they tooke such paines, as their shipps of burden kept way with their long boats and lighter ves∣sels. About noone they landed on the shore, where there appeared no man to make resistance: the cause

wherof was (as Caesar afterwards learned by such priso∣ners, as he tooke) for that the Britans having assembled themselves togither in armes at the Sea side, were so ter∣rified with the sight of the ships (which of all sorts were esteemed above eight hundred saile) that they left the shore, and ran to hide themselves in the vpland Coun∣try. Caesar (vpon intelligence by fugitives, where the Brittish forces lay) leaving at the Sea side, ten Cohorts, and three hundred horse to grade the ships then lying at Anchor, (whereof Quintus Atrius had the charge) marched forward with the rest of his army in the night, about twelve miles into the land, where he espi'd a mul∣titude of Britans flocked togither neere a river, having gotten the vpper ground, from whence they began to charge the Romans with their horse and Chariots; but being repulsed by Caesars hors-men, they fled, and hid themselves in the woods, in a place which being nota∣bly strengthned both by Nature and Art, they had vsed as a fortresse in their civill warres among themselves. For by reason there were many great trees cut downe, and laid overthwart the passages round about, there could hardly any entrance be found into the wood; howbeit the Britans themselves would oft times sally forth vpon advantage, and empeach the Romans, where they attempted to enter. Hereupon Caesar commanded the Souldiers of the Seventh Legion to make a* 1.2 Testudo, and to raise a Mount against the place; by which means, after losse of men on both sides, the Romans in the end got the Fort, & chased the Britans out of the wood; but Caesar would not suffer his Souldiers to pursue them far, in regard the place was vnknown, and a great part of the day being then spent, he thought it fit to bestow the rest in fortifying his Campe.

The next day in the morning, he sent out hors-men

and foot-men three severall wayes to pursue them that fled; but, before they had gotten sight of the Bri∣tans, certain hors-men sent from Quintus Atrius (who had charge of the shipping) brought newes, that a great tempest the night before had distressed his ships, and beaten them vpon the shore, their Anchors and Cables being not able to hold them, nor the mariners to guide them, or to endure the force of the storme. Wherupon Caesar caused the Legions, and hors-men to be sent for backe againe, and marched with speede towards the sea side, where he found his Navy in ill plight; fortie of his ships being cleane cast away, and the rest with great dif∣ficultie seeming likely to be recovered. For effecting wherof, he tooke some Shipwrights out of the Legions, and sent for others out of the continent; writing to La∣bienus (who had the charge of certaine Legions there, and the gard of Portus Iccius) that he should prepare as many ships as he could, to be sent over vnto him with expedition. And though it were a worke of great toile; yet hee thought it necessarie to have all the ships haled on shore, and to be brought into the campe, where his land-forces lay, that one place might be a safegard to them both. In the accomplishment hereof he spent ten dayes (the souldiers scarce intermitting their labour in the night time, till all was finished.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Callice.
• * 1.2

  A warlike engin made of boords, co∣vered over with raw hides, to serve for defence a∣gainst fire, or stones in sca∣ling a wall.