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.
At one time the Britains surprised two bands of footmen that were with
the Romans in aid, and sent foorth to forreie abroad vnaduisedlie,
through couetousnesse of the capteins. This feat was atchiued by the
Silures also, the which in bestowing prisoners and part of the spoile
vpon other of their neighbours, procured them likewise to rebell
against the Romans, and to take part with them. The Silures were the
more earnestlie set against the Romans, by occasion of words which the
emperor Claudius had vttered in their disfauour, as thus: that euen
as the Sicambres were destroied and remooued into Gallia, so likewise
must the Silures be dealt with, and the whole nation of them
extinguished. These words being blowne abroad, and knowne ouer all,
caused the Silures to conceiue a woonderfull hatred against the
Romans, so that they were fullie bent, either to reteine their
libertie, or to die in defense thereof vpon the enimies swoord.
In the meane time Ostorius Scapula departed this life, a right noble
warrior, and one who by litle & litle insuing the steps of Aulus
Plautius his predecessor, did what he could to bring the Ile into the
forme of a prouince, which in part he accomplished.
[Sidenote: W.H. in his chronologie.]
There be some led by coniecture grounded vpon good aduised
considerations, that suppose this Ostorius Scapula began to build the
citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of Caratacus: for in those parties
he fortified sundrie holds, and placed a number of old souldiers either
there in that selfe place, or in some other néere therevnto by waie of
a colonie. And for somuch (saie they) as we read of none other of anie
name thereabouts, it is to be thought that he planted the same in Chester,
where his successors did afterwards vse to harbour their legions for the
winter season, and in time of rest from iournies which they haue to make
against their common enimies.
In déed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie,
that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns (which in that citie are
vnder the ground) with some part of the castell. And verelie as
[Sidenote: _Ran. Hig._ alias _Cestrensis_.]
Ranulfe Higden saith, a man that shall view and well consider those
buildings, maie thinke the same to be the woorke of Romans rather than
of anie other people. That the Romane legions did make their abode
there, no man séene in antiquities can doubt thereof, for the ancient
name _Caer leon ardour deuy_, that is, The citie of legions vpon the
water of Dée, proueth it sufficientlie enough.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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