CHAP II.

From the Defcent of JULIUS CAESAR to the Relin. quishing of the Island by the ROMANS.

THE Britons, in the rude and barbarous

ftate in which we have juft defcribed them, feemed to ftand in need of more polished inftructors; and indeed whatever evils may attend the conqueft of heroes, their fuccefs has generally produced one good effect, in diffeminating the arts of refinement and humanity. It ever happens, when a barbarous nation is conquered by another more advanced in the arts of peace, that it gains in elegance a recompence for what it loses in liberty. The Britons had long remained in this rude but independent state, when Cæfar having over-run Gaul with his victories, and willing ftill farther to extend his fame, determined upon the conqueft of a country that seemed to promise an easy triumph. He was allured neither by the riches nor the renown of the inhabitants; but being ambitious rather of fplendid than of useful

con

Ant.Ch.55.

conquefts, he was willing to carry the Roman arms into a country, the remote fituation of which would add feeming difficulty to the enterprize, and confequently produce an increase of reputation. His pretence was, to punish these islanders for having fent fuccours to the Gauls while he waged war against that nation, as well as for granting an afylum to fuch of the enemy as had fought protection from his refentment. The natives, informed of his intention, were fenfible of the unequal contest, and endeavoured to appease him by fubmiffion. He received their ambaffadors with great complacency, and having exhorted them to continue ftedfaft in the fame fentiments, in the mean time made preparations. for the execution of his defign. When the troops deftined for the expedition were embarked, he fet fail for Britain about midnight, and the next morning arrived on the coaft. near Dover, where he faw the rocks and cliffs covered with armed men to oppofe his landing.

Finding it impracticable to gain the fhore where he first intended, from the agitation of the fea and the impending mountains, he refolved to chufe a landing-place of greater fecurity. The place he chofe was about eight miles farther on, fome fuppofe at Deal, where an in

clining

clining fhore and a level country invited his attempts. The poor, naked, ill-armed Britons, we may well suppose, were but an unequal match for the difciplined Romans, who had before conquered Gaul, and afterwards became the conquerors of the world. However, they made a brave opposition against the veteran army; the conflicts between them were fierce, the loffes mutual, and the fuccefs various. The Britons had chofen Caffibelaunús for their commander in chief, but the petty princes under his command either defiring his station or suspecting his fidelity, threw off their allegiance. Some of them fled with their forces into the internal parts of the kingdom, others fubmitted to Cæfar, till at length Caffibelaunus himself, weakened by fo many desertions, refolved upon making what terms he was able while he yet had power to keep the field. The conditions offered by Cæfar and accepted by him were, that he should fend to the Continent double the number of hostages at firft demanded, and that he should acknowledge fubjection to the Romans.

The Romans were pleafed with the name of this new and remote conqueft, and the senate decreed a fupplication of twenty days, in confequence of their general's fuccefs. Having

there

therefore in this manner rather difcovered than fubdued the fouthern parts of the island, Cæfar returned into Gaul with his forces, and left the Britons to enjoy their customs, religion, and laws. But the inhabitants, thus relieved from the terror of his arms, neglected the performance of their ftipulations, and only two of their states sent over hostages, according to the treaty. Cæfar it is likely was not much displeased at the omiffion, as it furnished him with a pretext of visiting the island once more, and completing a conquest which he had only begun.

Accordingly, the enfuing fpring, he fet fail for Britain with eight hundred ships; and, arriving at the place of his former defcent, he landed without oppofition. The islanders being apprized of his invasion, had affembled an army and marched down to the fea-fide to oppofe him; but feeing the number of his forces, and the whole fea as it were covered with his shipping, they were ftruck with confternation, and retired to their places of fecurity. The Romans, however, purfued them to their retreats, until at laft common danger induced thefe poor barbarians to forget their former diffenfions, and to unite their whole ftrength for the mutual defence of their liberty and poffeffions. Caffibelaunus was chofen

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chofen to conduct the common caufe; and for fome time he harraffed the Romans in their march, and revived the defponding hopes of his countrymen. But no oppofition that undifciplined ftrength could make was able to repress the vigour and intrepidity of Cæfar. He difcomfited the Britons in every action; he advanced into the country, paffed the Thames in the face of the enemy, took and burned the capital city of Caffibelaunus, established his ally Mandubratius as fovereign of the Trinobantes; and having obliged the inhabitants to make him new fubmiffions, he again returned with his army into Gaul, having made himself rather the nominal than the real poffeffor of the island.

Whatever the ftipulated tribute might have been, it is more than probable, as there was no authority left to exact it, that it was but indifferently paid. Upon the acceffion of Auguftus, that emperor had formed a defign of vifiting Britain, but was diverted from it by an unexpected revolt of the Pannonians. years after he resumed his defign; but being met in his way by the British ambaffadors, who promised the accustomed tribute, and made the ufual fubmiffions, he defifted from his intentions. The year following, find

Some