The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

CHAP. VII.

Caesar giveth the Britans two severall over∣throwes.

THe next day the Enemy made a stand upon the hills a far off from the camp,* 1.1 and shewed themselves not so often; neither were they so busie with our horsemen as they were the day before. But about noon, when Caesar had sent out three legions and all his ca∣valry to get forrage, under the conduction of Caius Trebonius a Legate, they made a sud∣dain assault upon the forragers, and fell in close with the Ensignes & the legions. The Ro∣mans charged very fiercely upon them, and beat them back: neither did they make an end of following them, untill the horsemen trusting

to them, put them all to flight, with the slaughter of a great number of them; neither did they give them respite either to make head, to make a stand, or to forsake their chariots.

After this overthrow all their Auxiliary forces departed from them; neither did they afterward contend with the Romans with any great power. Caesar understanding their de∣termination, carried his Army to the river Thames, and so to the confines of Cassivellaunus; which river was passable by foot but in one place only, and that very hardly. At his co∣ming he found a great power of the Enemy to be imbattelled on the other side, and the bank fortified with many sharp stakes, and many o∣ther also were planted covertly under the wa∣ter. These things being discovered to the Ro∣mans by the Captives and fugitives, Caesar put∣ting his horse before, caused the legions to fol∣low suddenly after: who notwithstanding they had but their heads clear above the water, went with that violence, that the enemy was not able to endure the charge, but left the bank, and betook themselves to flight.

OBSERVATION.

THis attempt of Caesar seemeth so strange to Brancatio, that he runneth into strange con∣clusions concerning this matter: as first, that he that imitateth Caesar may doubt of his good for∣tunes; for his proceeding in this point was not directed by any order of war: and that a great Commander hath nothing common with other Leaders: but especially he crieth out at the base∣nesse of the Britans, that would suffer themselves so cowardly to be beaten. But if we look into the circumstances of the action, we shall find both Art and good direction therein: for being as∣sured by the fugitives that the river was passable in that place, and in that place only, he knew that he must either adventure over there, or leave Cassivellaunus for another Summer, which was a very strong inducement to urge him to that enterprise. The difficulty whereof was much re∣lieved by good direction, which consisted of two points; First, by sending over the horsemen in the front of the legions, who might better endure the charge of the enemy then the footmen could, that were up to the neck in water; and withall to shelter the footmen from the fury of the Enemy.

Secondly, he sent them over with such speed, that they were on the other side of the water be∣fore the enemy could tell what they attempted: for if he had lingered in the service, and given the enemy leave to find the advantage which he had by experience, his men had never been able to have endured the hazard of so dangerous a service. It is hard to conjecture at the place where this service was performed; for since the building of London bridge, many foords have been scoured with the current and fall of the wa∣ter, which before that time carried not such a depth as now they do.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caesar.