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: The seuenth yéere.]
The same summer, a band of such Dutch or Germaine souldiers as had
béene leuied in Germanie & sent ouer into Britaine to the aid of
the Romans, attempted a great and woonderfull act, in sleaing their
capteine, and such other of the Romane souldiers which were appointed
to haue the training and leading of them, as officers and instructors
to them in the feats of warre: and when they had committed that
murther, they got into thrée pinesses, and became rouers on the coasts
of Britaine, and incountring with diuerse of the Britains that were
readie to defend their countrie from spoile, oftentimes they got the
vpper hand of them, and now and then they were chased awaie, insomuch
that in the end they were brought to such extremitie for want of
vittels, that they did eate such amongst them as were the weakest,
and after, such as the lot touched, being indifferentlie cast amongst
them: and so being caried about the coasts of Britaine, & losing their
vessels through want of skill to gouerne them, they were reputed for
robbers, and therevpon were apprehended, first by the Suabeners, and
shortlie after by the Frizers, the which sold diuerse of them to the
Romans and other, whereby the true vnderstanding of their aduentures
came certeinlie to light.
[Sidenote: The eight yéere of Agricola his gouernment.]
In summer next following, Agricola with his armie came to the
mounteine of Granziben, where he vnderstood that his enimies were
incamped, to the number of 30 thousand and aboue, and dailie there
came to them more companie of the British youth, and such aged persons
also as were lustie and in strength, able to weld weapon and beare
[Sidenote: Galgagus whome the Scots name Gald and will néeds haue
him a Scotish man.]
armour. Amongst the capteins the chiefest was one Galgagus whom the
Scotish chronicles name Gald. This man as chiefteine and head capteine
of all the Britains there assembled, made to them a pithie oration, to
incourage them to fight manfullie, and likewise did Agricola to his
people: which being ended, the armies on both sides were put in order
of battell. Agricola placed 8 thousand footmen of strangers which he
had there in aid with him in the midst, appointing thrée thousand
horssemen to stand on the sides of them as wings. The Romane legions
stood at their backs in stéed of a bulworke. The Britains were
imbattelled in such order, that their fore ward stood in the plaine
ground, and the other on the side of an hill, as though they had risen
on heigth one ranke aboue another. The midst of the field was
[Sidenote: _Corn. Tacit._]
couered with their charrets and horssemen. Agricola doubting by the
huge multitude of enimies, least his people should be assailed not
onlie afront, but also vpon euerie side the battels, he caused the
ranks so to place themselues, as their battels might stretch farre
further in bredth than otherwise the order of warre required: but he
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