Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 9

the Romane forragers,
and put them to flight, and also such companies of horssemen as were
appointed to gard them. Héerevpon Ostorius set foorth certeine bands
of light horssemen, but neither could he staie the flight by that meanes,
till finallie the legions entred the battell, by whose force they were staid,
and at length the Romans obteined the better: but the Britains escaped
by flight without great losse, by reason the daie was spent.
After this, manie bickerings chanced betwixt the Britains and Romans,

& oftentimes they wrought their feats more like the trade of them that
vse to rob by the high waies, than of those that make open warre, taking
their enimies at some aduantage in woods and bogs, as hap or force
ministred occasion vpon malice conceiued, or in hope of prey,
sometimes by commandement, and sometimes without either
commandement or knowledge of capteine or officer.
At one time the Britains surprised two bands of footmen that were with
the Romans in aid, and sent foorth to forreie abroad vnaduisedlie,
through couetousnesse of the capteins. This feat was atchiued by the
Silures also, the which in bestowing prisoners and part of the spoile
vpon other of their neighbours, procured them likewise to rebell against
the Romans, and to take part with them. The Silures were the more
earnestlie set against the Romans, by occasion of words which the
emperor Claudius had vttered in their disfauour, as thus: that euen as
the Sicambres were destroied and remooued into Gallia, so likewise
must the Silures be dealt with, and the whole nation of them
extinguished. These words being blowne abroad, and knowne ouer all,
caused the Silures to conceiue a woonderfull hatred against the Romans,
so that they were fullie bent, either to reteine their libertie, or to die in
defense thereof vpon the enimies swoord.
In the meane time Ostorius Scapula departed this life, a right noble
warrior, and one who by litle & litle insuing the steps of Aulus Plautius
his predecessor, did what he could to bring the Ile into the forme of a
prouince, which in part he accomplished.
[Sidenote: W.H. in his chronologie.] There be some led by coniecture
grounded vpon good aduised considerations, that suppose this Ostorius
Scapula began to build the citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of
Caratacus: for in those parties he fortified sundrie holds, and placed a
number of old souldiers either there in that selfe place, or in some other
néere therevnto by waie of a colonie. And for somuch (saie they) as we
read of none other of anie name thereabouts, it is to be thought that he
planted the same in Chester, where his successors did afterwards vse to
harbour their legions for the winter season, and in time of rest from
iournies which they haue to make against their common enimies.

In déed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie,
that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns (which in that citie are
vnder the ground) with some part of the castell. And verelie as
[Sidenote: _Ran. Hig._ alias Cestrensis.] Ranulfe Higden saith, a man
that shall view and well consider those buildings, maie thinke the same
to be the woorke of Romans rather than of anie other people. That the
Romane legions did make their abode there, no man séene in antiquities
can doubt thereof, for the ancient name Caer leon ardour deuy, that is,
The citie of legions vpon the water of Dée, proueth it sufficientlie
enough.
[Sidenote: Corn. Tacit.] But to returne vnto Ostorius Scapula, we find
in Corn. Tacitus, that during his time of being lieutenant in this Ile,
there were certeine [Sidenote: Cogidune a king in Britane.] cities giuen
vnto one Cogidune a king of the Britains, who continued faithfull to the
Romans vnto the daies of the remembrance of men liuing in the time of
the said Cornelius Tacitus, who liued and wrote in the emperor
Domitianus time. This was doone after an old receiued custom of the
people of Rome, to haue both subiects and kings vnder their rule and
dominion, as who so shall note the acts and déeds of the Roman
emperours from C. Iulius Cesar (who chased Pompeie out of Italie, and
was the first that obteined the Romane empire to himselfe; of whom
also the princes and emperours succéeding him were called Cesars) to
Octauian, Tiberius, Caligula, &c: maie easilie marke and obserue. For
they were a people of singular magnanimitie, of an ambitious spirit,
gréedie of honour and renowme, and not vnaptlie termed "Romani
rerum domini, &c."
* * * * *

_ A. Didius is sent to supplie Ostorius his roome in Britaine, the
trecherie and lecherie of queene Cartimanda, Venutius keepeth the
kingdome in spite of