inferior forces, continued, for above the space of nine years, to oppose and harrass the Romans; fo that at length Oftorius Scapula was fent over to command their armies. He was

more fuccessful than his predeceffors.

He advanced the Roman conquefts over Britain,

pierced the country of the Silures, a warlike A. D. 59, nation along the banks of the Severn, and at length came up with Caractacus, who had taken poffeffion of a very advantageous poft upon an inacceffible mountain, washed by a deep and rapid ftream. The unfortunate British general, when he faw the enemy approaching, drew up his army, composed of different tribes, and going from rank to rank, exhorted them to strike the last blow, for liberty, safety, and life. To thefe exhortations his foldiers replied with fhouts of determined valour. But what could undifciplined bravery avail against the attack of an army fkilled in all the arts of war, and inspired by a long train of conquefts. The Britons were, after an obftinate resistance, totally routed; and a few days after Caràctacus himself was delivered up to the conquerors by Cartifmandua, queen of the Brigantes, with whom he had taken refuge. The capture of this general was received with such joy at Rome, that Claudius commanded that he

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fhould be brought from Britain, in order to be exhibited as a fpectacle to the Roman people. Accordingly, on the day appointed for that purpose, the Emperor afcending his throne, ordered the captives, and Caractacus among the number, to be brought into his prefence. The vaffals of the British king, with the spoils taken in war, were firft brought forward; these were followed by his family, who, with abject lamentations, were feen to implore for mercy. Laft of all came Caractacus himself, with an undaunted air and a dignified afpect. He appeared no way dejected at the amazing concourfe of fpectators that were gathered upon this occafion, but cafting his eyes on the fplendours that furrounded him, "Alas, cried he, how is it poffible that a people poffeffed of fuch magnificence at home could envy me an humble cottage in Britain!" When brought into the Emperor's prefence, he is faid to have addreffed him in the following manner: "Had

my

moderation been equal to my birth and fortune, I had arrived in this city not as a captive but as a friend. But my present misfortunes redound as much to your honour as to my difgrace, and the obftinacy of my oppofition ferves to increase the fplendours of your victory. Had I furrendered myself in the begin

ning of the contest, neither my disgrace nor your glory would have attracted the attention of the world, and my fate would have been buried in general oblivion. I am now at your mercy, but if my life be spared I shall remain an eternal monument of your clemency and moderation." The Emperor was affected with the British hero's misfortunes, and won by his addrefs. He ordered him to be unchained upon the spot, with the rest of the captives, and the firft ufe they made of their liberty. was to go and proftrate themselves before the Emprefs Agrippina, who, as fome fuppofe, had been an interceffor for their freedom.

Notwithstanding thefe misfortunes, the Britons were not fubdued, and this island was regarded by the ambitious Romans as a field in which military honour might ftill be acquired. The Britons made one expiring effort more to recover their liberty, in the times of Nero, A. D. 59. taking advantage of the abfence of Paulinus the Roman general, who was employed in subduing the ifle of Anglefey. That fmall island, which was feparated from Britain by a narrow channel, ftill continued the chief feat of the Druidical fuperftitions, and conftantly afforded a retreat to their defeated forces. It was thought neceffary therefore to fubdue that C 2

place,

place, in order to extirpate a religion that dif dained fubmiffion to foreign laws or leaders s and Paulinus, the greateft general of his age, undertook the tafk. The Britons endeavoured to obftru&t his landing on that laft retreat of their fuperftitions and liberties, both by the force of their arms and the terrors of their religion. The priests and iflanders were drawn up in order of battle upon the fhore, to oppofe his landing. The women, dreffed like furies, with difhevelled hair and torches in their hands, poured forth the moft terrible execrations. Such a fight at firft confounded the Romans, and fixed them motionless on the fpot, fo that they received the first affault without oppofition. But Paulinus exhorting his troops to defpife the menaces of an abfurd fuperftition, impelled them to the attack, drove the Britons off the field, burned the Druids in the fame fires they had prepared for their captive enemies, and deftroyed all their confecrated groves and altars.

In the mean time the Britons, taking advantage of his abfence, refolved by a general infurrection to free themfelves from that ftate of abject fervitude to which they were reduced by the Romans. They had many motives to aggravate their refentment; the greatnefs of

their taxes, which were levied with unremitting feverity; the cruel infolence of their conquerors, who reproached that very poverty which they had caused; but particularly the cruel treatment of Boadicea, queen of the Iceni, drove them at last into open rebellion, Prafatagus, king of the Iceni, at his death had bequeathed one half of his dominions to the Romans, and the other to his daughters, thus hoping by the facrifice of a part, to fecure the rest in his family: but it had a different effect; for the Roman procurator immediately took poffeffion of the whole; and when Boadicea, the widow of the deceased, attempted to remonftrate, he ordered her to be fcourged like a flave, and violated the chastity of her daughters. Thefe outrages were fufficient to produce a revolt through the whole ifland. The Iceni, as being the most deeply interested in the quarrel, were the first to take arms; all the other ftates foon followed the example; and Boadicea, a woman of great beauty and mafculine fpirit, was appointed to head the common forces, which amounted to two hundred and thirty thousand fighting men. Thefe, exasperated by their wrongs, attacked feveral of the Roman fettlements and colonies with fuccefs. Paulinus haftened to relieve London,

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