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.
Caesar perceiuing the maner of this fight, caused his men of warre to
enter into boates and other small vessels, which he commanded to go
to such places where most néed appeared. And relieuing them that
[Sidenote: The Romans get to land.]
fought with new supplies, at length the Romans got to land, and
assembling togither, they assailed the Britains a fresh, and so at
last did put them all to flight. But the Romans could not follow
[Sidenote: The want of horssemen.]
the Britains farre, because they wanted their horssemen which were yet
behind, & through slacking of time could not come to land. And this
one thing séemed onelie to disappoint the luckie fortune that was
accustomed to follow Cesar in all his other enterprises.
[Sidenote: The Britans send to Cesar.]
The Britains after this flight were no sooner got togither, but
that with all speed they sent ambassadours vnto Cesar to treat with
him of peace, offering to deliuer hostages, and further to stand vnto
that order that Cesar should take with them in anie reasonable sort.
[Sidenote: Comius of Arras.]
With these ambassadours came also Comius, whome Cesar (as you haue
heard) had sent before into Britaine, whome notwithstanding that
he was an ambassadour, and sent from Cesar with commission and
instructions sufficientlie furnished, yet had they staied him as
a prisoner. But now after the battell was ended, they set him at
libertie, and sent him backe with their ambassadours, who excused the
matter, laieng the blame on the people of the countrie; which had
imprisoned him through lacke of vnderstanding what apperteined to the
law of armes and nations in that behalfe.
Cesar found great fault with their misdemenor, not onelie for
imprisoning his ambassador, but also for that contrarie to their
promise made by such as they had sent to him into Gallia to deliuer
hostages, in lieu thereof they had receiued him with warre: yet in
the end he said he would pardon them, and not séeke anie further
[Sidenote: Cesar demandeth hostages.]
reuenge of their follies. And herewith required of them hostages, of
which, part were deliuered out of hand, and made promise that the
residue should likewise be sent after, crauing some respit for
performance of the same, bicause they were to be fetched farre off
within the countrie.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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