Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about Chronicles (1 of 6).

Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about Chronicles (1 of 6).

Also within a while after, as the Romans were busie in fortifieng their campe, the Britains suddenlie issued out of the woods, and fierselie assailed these that warded before the campe, vnto whose aid Cesar sent two of the chiefest cohorts of two legions, the which being placed but a little distance one from another, when the Romans began to be discouraged with this kind of fight, the Britains therewith burst through their enimies, and came backe from thence in safetie.  That daie Quintus Laberius Durus a tribune was slaine.  At length Cesar sending sundrie other cohorts to the succour of his people that were in fight, and shrewdlie handled as it appeered, the Britains in the end were put backe.  Neuerthelesse, that repulse was but at the pleasure of fortune; for they quited themselues afterwards like men, defending their territories with such munition as they had, vntill such time as either by policie or inequalitie of power they were vanquished; as you shall see after in the course of the historie.  Howbeit in fine they were ouer-run and vtterlie subdued, but not without much bloudshed and slaughter.

* * * * *

The Romans heauie armor their great hinderance, the maner of the Britains fighting in warre, their incounter with their enimies, their discomfiture, the worthie stratagems or martiall exploits of Cassibellane, the Troinouants submission to Caesar, and their sute touching Mandubratius, manie of the Britains are taken and slaine of the Romans.

THE XV.  CHAPTER.

In all this maner of skirmishing and fight which chanced before the campe, euen in the sight and view of all men, it was perceiued that [Sidenote:  The Romans heauie armor.] the Romans, by reason of their heauie armour (being not able either to follow the Britains as they retired, or so bold as to depart from their ensignes, except they would runne into danger of casting themselues awaie) were nothing meete to match with such kind of enimies:  and as for their horssemen, they fought likewise in great hazard, bicause the Britains would oftentimes of purpose retire, and when they had trained the Romane horssemen a litle from their legions of footmen, they would leape out of their charrets and incounter with them on foot.  And so the battell of horssemen was dangerous, and like in all points whether they pursued or retired.

[Sidenote:  The manner of Britains in the warres.] This also was the maner of the Britains:  they fought not close togither, but in sunder, and diuided into companies one separated from another by a good distance, and had their the troopes standing in places conuenient, to the which they might retire, and so releeue one another with sending new fresh men to supplie the roomes of them that were hurt or wearie.  The next day after they had thus fought before the campe of the Romans, they shewed themselues aloft on the hills, and began to skirmish with the Romane horssemen, but not so hotlie as they had doone the day before. 

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Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.