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: His diligence.]
But when summer was come, he assembled his armie, and leading
foorth the same, trained his souldiers in all honest warlike
discipline, commending the good, and reforming the bad and vnrulie.
He himselfe to giue example, tooke vpon him all dangers that came to
hand, and suffered not the enimies to liue in rest, but wasted their
countries with sudden inuasions. And when he had sufficientlie
chastised them, and put them in feare by such manner of dealing, he
spared them, that they might againe conceiue some hope of peace.
By which meanes manie countries which vnto those daies had kept
themselues out of bondage, laid rancor aside, and deliuered pledges,
and further were contented to suffer castels to be builded within
them, and to be kept with garrisons, so that no part of Britaine was
frée from the Romane power, but stood still in danger to be brought
vnder more and more.
[Sidenote: The second yéere of Agricola his gouernment.]
In the winter following, Agricola tooke paines to reduce the
Britains from their rude manners and customs, vnto a more ciuill sort
and trade of liuing, that changing their naturall fiercenesse and
[Sidenote: The woorthie practises of Agricola to traine the Britains
to ciuilitie.]
apt disposition to warre, they might through tasting pleasures be
so inured therewith, that they should desire to liue in rest and
quietnesse: and therefore he exhorted them priuilie, and holpe them
publikelie to build temples, common halls where plées of law might be
kept, and other houses, commending them that were diligent in such
dooings, and blaming them that were negligent, so that of necessitie
they were driuen to striue who should preuent ech other in ciuilitie.
He also procured that noble mens sonnes should learne the liberall
sciences, and praised the nature of the Britains more than the people
of Gallia, bicause they studied to atteine to the knowledge of the
Romane eloquence. By which meanes the Britains in short time were
brought to the vse of good and commendable manners, and sorted
themselues to go in comelie apparell after the Romane fashion, and
by little and little fell to accustome themselues to fine fare and
delicate pleasures, the readie prouokers of vices, as to walke in
galleries, to wash themselues in bathes, to vse banketting, and such
like, which amongst the vnskilfull was called humanitie or courtesie,
but in verie deed it might be accounted a part of thraldome and
seruitude, namelie being too excessiuelie vsed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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