THE FIRST OBSERVATION.

IN the description of their assault, we are to obserue two circumstan∣ces: The first is,* the manner they vsed in a sudden surprise: The second is, the forme and quality of a Testudo. Although Caesar seemeth to attribute this manner of assaulting a towne, as peculiar, to the Galles; yet wee maie not thinke but that the Romans vsed it, as often as they had occasion to surprise any cittie: but because the Galles knew no other means to take a towne but this, therefore he setteth it downe as peculiar vnto them. The Romans cal∣led this manner of assault Corona; and so we read oftentimes this phrase, Cinge∣re vrbem corona: for as much as the souldiers inclosed the towne with a circle, and so resembled a crowne or garland. Ammianus speaketh of a triple crown of souldiers, which incompased a towne: And Iosephus telleth of Iotapatam, which the Romans besieged duplici peditum corona: and besides these, there was a third circle of horsemen vtmost of all. There is no further matter to be obser∣ued but this, that in surprising a towne, they incircled it round about with thick continued rankes of men, and where they found the wall weakest, there they en∣tered as they could.