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.
Great prouision therefore was made by the said Caligula to performe
that noble enterprise, and this was in the fourth yeere of his reigne.
The like preparation was made on the other side by Guiderius, to
resist the forren enimies, so that hauing all things in a readinesse,
he ceassed not dailie to looke for the comming of the emperour, whome
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius. lib._ 59.]
he ment to receiue with hard enterteinment if he durst aduenture
to set toward Britaine. But see the sequele: the maine armie being
thus in a readinesse, departed from Rome in the 79 yeere after the
building of the citie, and marching foorth, at length came vnto the
Belgike shore, from whence they might looke ouer, and behold the
cliffes and coast of Britaine, which Caligula and his men stood gazing
vpon with great admiration and woonder.
Furthermore he caused them to stand in battell arraie vpon the coast,
where he heard how the Britains were in a redinesse to withstand his
entrance. But entring into his gallie, as nothing discouraged with
these newes, he rowed a flight shot or two from the shore, and
forthwith returned, and then going vp into an high place like a
pulpit, framed and set vp there for the nonce, he gaue the token to
fight vnto his souldiers by sound of trumpet, and therewith was ech
man charged to gather cockle shells vpon the shore, which he called
[Sidenote: The spoile of the Ocean.]
the spoile of the Ocean, and caused them to be laid vp vntill a
time conuenient. With the atchiuing of this exploit (as hauing none
other wherewith to beautifie his triumph) he séemed greatlie exalted,
thinking that now he had subdued the whole Ocean, and therefore
highlie rewarded his souldiers for their paines susteined in that
collection of cockle shells, as if they had doone him some notable
péece of seruice. He also caried of the same shells with him to Rome,
to the end he might there boast of his voyage, and brag how well he
[Sidenote: * _sic._]
had sped: and required therefore verie earnestlie haue of * a
triumph decreed vnto him for the accomplishment of this enterprise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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