Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8)Holinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8)
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 55 B.C.
[Sidenote: Volusenus returneth.]
Caius Volusenus within fiue daies after his departure from Cesar,
returned vnto him with his gallie, and declared what he had séene
touching the view which he had taken of the coasts of Britan. Cesar
[Sidenote: Cesar with two legions of souldiers passeth ouer into
Britain.]
hauing got togither so manie saile as he thought sufficient for the
transporting of two legions of souldiers, after he had ordered his
businesse as he thought expedient, and gotten a conuenient wind for
his purpose, did embarke himselfe and his people, and departed from
Calice in the night about the third watch (which is about three or
foure of the clocke after midnight) giuing order that the horssemen
should take ship at an other place 8 miles aboue Calice, and follow
him. Howbeit when they somewhat slacked the time, about ten of the
clocke in the next day, hauing the wind at will, he touched on the
[Sidenote: The Britans readie to defend their countrie.]coast of
Britaine, where he might behold all the shore set and couered
with men of warre. For the Britains hearing that Cesar ment verie
shortlie to come against them, were assembled in armour to resist him:
and now being aduertised of his approch to the land, they prepared
themselues to withstand him.
[Sidenote: Cesar calleth a councell.]
Cesar perceiuing this, determined to staie till the other ships
were come, and so he lay at anchor till about 11 of the clocke, and
then called a councell of the marshals and chiefe capteines, vnto
whome he declared both what he had learned of Volusenus, and also
further what he would haue doone, willing them that all things might
be ordered as the reason of warre required. And because he perceiued
that this place where he first cast anchor was not méete for the
landing of his people, sith (from the heigth of the cliffes that
closed on ech side the narrow créeke into the which he had thrust) the
Britains might annoy his people with their bowes and dartes, before
they could set foote on land, hauing now the wind and tide with him,
he disanchored from thence, and drew alongst the coast vnder the
[Sidenote: This was about day.]
downes, the space of 7 or 8 miles, and there finding the shore more
flat and plaine, he approched néere to the land, determining to come
to the shore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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