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.
Whilest these things were a dooing, it chanced that as one of the
Romane legions named the seuenth, was sent to fetch in corne out of
the countrie adioining (as their custome was) no warre at that time
being suspected, or once looked for, when part of the people remained
abroad in the field, and part repaired to the campe: those that warded
before the campe, informed Cesar, that there appeared a dust greater
than was accustomed from that quarter, into the which the legion was
gone to fetch in corne. Cesar iudging therof what the matter might
meane, commanded those bands that warded to go with him that way
foorth, and appointed other two bands to come into their roomes, and
the residue of his people to get them to armor, and to follow quicklie
after him.
He was not gone anie great way from the campe, when he might sée where
his people were ouermatched by the enimies, and had much a doo to
beare out the brunt: for the legion being thronged together, the
Britains pelted them sore with arrowes and darts on ech side: for
sithens there was no forrage left in anie part of the countrie about,
but onelie in this place, the Britains iudged that the Romans would
come thither for it: therefore hauing lodged themselues within the
woods in ambushes the night before; on the morrowe after when they saw
the Romans dispersed here & there, and busie to cut downe the corne,
they set vpon them on a sudden, and sleaing some few of them, brought
the residue out of order, compassing them about with their horssemen
and charets, so that they were in great distresse.
The maner of fight with these charets was such, that in the beginning
of a battell they would ride about the sides and skirts of the enimies
host, and bestow their darts as they sate in those charets, so that
oftentimes with the braieng of the horsses, and craking noise of the
charet whéeles they disordered their enimies, and after that they had
woond themselues in amongst the troops of horssemen, they would leape
out of the charets and fight on foot. In the meane time those that
guided the charets would withdraw them selues out of the battell,
placing themselues so, that if their people were ouermatched with the
multitude of enimies, they might easilie withdraw to their charets,
and mount vpon the same againe, by meanes wherof they were as readie
to remooue as the horssemen, and as stedfast to stand in the battell
as the footmen, and so to supplie both duties in one. And those
charetmen by exercise and custome were so cunning in their feat, that
although their horsses were put to run and gallop, yet could they stay
them and hold them backe at their pleasures, and turne and wind them
to and fro in a moment, notwithstanding that the place were verie
stéepe and dangerous: and againe they would run vp and downe verie
nimblie vpon the cops, and stand vpon the beame, and conuey themselues
quicklie againe into the charet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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