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.
"And although our armies were inuincible in force and manhood, yet
were they raw and not accustomed to the seas, so that the fame of a
greeuous and great trouble by warre that was toward by this shamefull
rebellious robberie was blowne and sounded in ech mans eare,
[Sidenote: Long sufferance of euill increaseth boldnesse in the
authors.]
although we hoped well of the end. Vnto the enimies forces was added
a long sufferance of their wicked practises without punishment, which
had puffed vp the presumptuous boldnesse of desperate people, that
they bragged of our stay, as it had bene for feare of them, whereas
the disaduantage which we had by sea, seemed as it were by a fatall
necessitie to deferre our victorie: neither did they beleeue that the
warre was put off for a time by aduise and counsell, but rather to be
omitted through despaire of dooing anie good against them, insomuch
that now the feare of common punishment being laid aside, one of
[Sidenote: Carausius slaine.]
the mates slue the archpirat or capteine rouer as I may call him,
hoping in reward of so great an exploit, to obteine the whole
gouernement into his hands.
"This warre then being both so necessarie, so hard to enter vpon, so
growne in time to a stubborne stiffenesse, and so well prouided for of
the enimies part, you noble emperour did so take it in hand, that so
soone as you bent the thundering force of your imperiall maiestie
against that enimie, ech man made account that the enterprise was
alreadie atchiued. For first of all, to the end that your diuine
power being absent, the barbarous nations should not attempt anie
new trouble (a thing chieflie to be foreseene) it was prouided for
aforehand by intercession made vnto your maiestie: for you your selfe,
you (I say) mightie lord Maximian eternall emperour, vouchedsafe to
aduance the comming of your diuine excellence by the neerest way that
might be, which to you was not vnknowne. You therefore suddenlie came
to the Rhine, and not with anie armie of horssemen or footmen, but
with the terrour of your presence did preserue and defend all that
frontire: for Maximian once being there vpon the riuage, counteruailed
anie the greatest armies that were to be found. For you (most
inuincible emperour) furnishing and arming diuers nauies, made the
enimie so vncerteine of his owne dooing and void of counsell, that
then at length he might perceiue that he was not defended, but rather
inclosed with the Ocean sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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