Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of EnglandHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of England
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D.
[Sidenote: _Sidon. Apol. li. 8. Epist._]
To the which Sidonius Apollinaris thus alludeth, writing to Namatius.
"The messenger did assuredlie affirme, that latelie ye blew the
trumpet to warre in your nation, and betwixt the office one while of
a mariner, and another while of a souldier, wafted about the
[Sidenote: The pirasie of the Saxons.]
crooked shores of the ocean sea against the fléet of the Saxons, of
whome as manie rouer as ye behold, so manie archpirats ye suppose to
sée: so doo they altogither with one accord command, obeie, teach,
and learne to plaie the parts of rouers, that euen now there is good
occasion to warne you to beware. This enimie is more cruell than all
other enimies. He assaileth at vnwares, he escapeth by forseeing the
danger afore hand, he despiseth those that stand against him, he
throweth downe the vnwarie: if he be followed he snappeth them vp that
pursue him, if he flée he escapeth."
Of like effect for proofe héereof be those verses which he wrote vnto
Maiorianus his panegyrike oration, following in Latine and in English
verse.
Tot maria intraui duce te, longéq; remotas
Sole sub occiduo gentes, victricia Cæsar
Signa Calidonios transuexit ad vsq; Britannos,
Fuderit & quanquam Scotum, & cum Saxone Pictum,
Hostes quæsiuit quem iam natura vetabat,
Quærere plus homines, &c.
So manie seas I entred haue,
and nations farre by west,
By thy conduct, and Cæsar hath
his banners borne full prest
Vnto the furthest British coast,
where Calidonians dwell,
The Scot and Pict with Saxons eke,
though he subdued fell,
Yet would he enimies seeke vnknowne
whom nature had forbid, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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