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CHAP. IX.
Caesar sendeth C. Volusenus, to discouer the coast of Britanie; and prepareth himselfe for that voiage.
CAESAR sent out Caius Volusenus,* 1.1 with a gallie to discouer what he could concerning these thinges; and to returne againe vnto him very speedely: he himselfe marched in the meane time, with all his forces, vnto the Morini; forasmuch as from thence laie the shortest cut into Britanie. Thither he commanded that shippes should be brought from all the maritimate cities of that quarter, and namely that fleete, which he had built the yeare be∣fore for the warre at Vannes. In the meane time his resolution being knowen, and carried into Britanie by merchants and others, manie priuate states of that Iland sent ambassadours vnto him, promising him hostages of their loialtie, and signifying their readinesse to submit themselues to the Roman Empire. To these he made liberall pro∣mises, exhorting them to continue in that obedience; and so sent them backe againe: And with them he sent Comius, whom he had made king of Arras, whose wisdome and vertue he held in good account, and knew it to be of great authoritie in those Re∣gions: to him he gaue in charge to go to as many of the states as he could, and perswade them to accept of the friendship of the Roman Empire, and that Caesar himselfe would presently follow after.
Volusenus, hauing taken what view of the country he could; for he durst not go on shore to commit himselfe to the barbarisme of the enemy; after fiue daies returned to Caesar: and while he staied in those places for the furnishing of his fleete, the Mori∣ni sent messengers vnto him, excusing their former faultes, and manifesting their readinesse to obey his mandates. Caesar not willing to leaue any enemy behinde him, or to neglect his voiage into Britanie, for such small matters; hee willingly accepted of their submission, hauing first receiued manie hostages of them, and hauing made readie eightie shippes of burthen, which he thought sufficient to transport two legi∣ons, he deuided the Galleies to the Questor, the Legates and the commanders of the horse. There were also eighteene shippes of burthen more, which laie windbound at a port eight miles off, and them he appointed for the horsemen: the rest of the Armie he committed to Q. Titurius Sabinus, and L. Arunculeius Cotta, commanding them to go to the confines of the Menapij: and appointed P. Sulp. Rufus, a Legate, to keepe the port, with a sufficient garrizon.