A catalog of causes or greeuances in∣citing the Britains to rebell against the Romans, wherein is shewed what iniuries they susteined: of diuers strange wonders and appariti∣ons; [unspec 50] the chiefe cause of the Britains insurging against the Romans, they admitted as well women as men to publike gouernement. A descrip∣tion of queene Voadicia, hir personage and maner of attire. The tenth Chapter.
THe Britains indeed were occasioned to doo as they pur∣posed, [unspec 60] thorough manie euill parts practised by the Ro∣mans greatlie to their griefs and displeasures. For where∣as Prasutagus (who is suppo∣sed by Hector Boetius to be Aruiragus, king of the people called Iceni) had made the emperour and two of his owne daughters his heires, supposing by that meane to haue his king∣dome and familie preserued from all iniurie: it happened quite contrarie to that his expectation. For his kingdome was spoiled by the Romane capteins, his wife named Uoadicia beaten by the souldiers, his daughters rauished, the péeres of the realme be∣rest of their goods, and the kings friends made and reputed as bondslaues.
There was also an other great cause that stirred the Britains to this rebellion, which was the confis∣cating of their goods: for whereas Claudius himselfe had pardoned the chiefest persons of the forfeitures, Decianus Catus the procurator of that Ile main∣teined that the same ought to be renewed againe. To this an other griefe was added, that where Seneca had lent to the nobilitie of the Ile, foure hundred se∣stercies, ech hundred being 500000 pounds starling, or thereabout, vpon great interest, he required the whole summe togither by great rigor and violence, although he forced them at the first to take this mo∣nie to vsurie.
Also such old souldiers as were placed by waie of a colonie, to inhabit the towne of Camelodunum, ex∣pelled manie of the Britains out of their houses, droue them out of their possessions and lands, and ac∣counted the Britains as slaues, and as though they had bene captiue prisoners or bondmen. Besides this, the temple there that was built in honor of Claudius, as an altar of eternall rule and gouern∣ment, was serued with préests, the which vnder co∣lour of religion did spoile, consume and deuoure the goods of all men.
Moreouer, such strange sights and woonders as chanced about the same time, pricked the Britians the rather forward. For the image of the goddesse Victoria in the temple at Camelodunum, slipping downe, turned hir backe (as who should saie she gaue place as vanquished) to the enimies. Also in the hall where the courts of iustice were kept, there was a maruellous great noise heard, with much laughing, and a sturre in the theatre, with great wéeping and lamentable howling, at such time as it was certeinlie knowne that there was no crea∣ture there to make anie noise. The sea at a spring tide appeared of a bloudie colour, and when the tide was gone backe, there were séene on the sands the shapes & figures of mens bodies. Women also as rauished of their wits, and being as it were in a fu∣rie, prophe••••ed that destruction was at hand, so that the Britains were put greatlie in hope, and the Romans in feare.
But those things, whether they chanced by the craft of man, or illusion of the diuell; or whether they procée∣ded of some naturall cause, which the common peo∣ple oftentimes taketh superstitiouslie, in place of strange woonders signifieng things to follow, we would let passe, least we might be thought to offend religion; the which teaching all things to be doone by the prouidence of God, despiseth the vaine pre∣dictions of haps to come, if the order of an historie (saith Polydor Virgil) would so permit, the which requireth all things to be written in maner as they fall out and come to passe.
But the Britains were chiefelie mooued to rebel∣lion by the iust complaint of Uoadicia, declaring how vnséemelie she had beene vsed and intreated at the hands of the Romans: and because she was most earnestlie bent to séeke reuenge of their iniuries, and hated the name of the Romans most of all o∣ther, they chose hir to be capteine (for they in rule and gouernement made no difference then of sex, whether they committed the same to man or wo∣man) and so by a generall conspiracie, the more part of the people hauing also allured the Essex men vn∣to rebellion, rose and assembled themselues togither to make warre against the Romans. There were of them a hundred and twentie thousand got togi∣ther in one armie vnder the leading of the said Uoa∣dicia, or Bunduica (as some name hir.)
She therefore to encourage hir people against the