The people that first lived in this island, according to the best historians, were the Gauls, and afterwards the Britons. These Britons were tall, well made, and yellow haired, and lived frequently a hundred and twenty years, owing to their sobriety and temperance, and the wholesomeness of the air. The use of clothes was scarce known among them. Some of them that inhabited the southern parts covered their nakedness with the skins of wild beasts carelessly thrown over them, not so much to defend themselves against the cold as to avoid giving offence to strangers that came to traffic among them. By way of ornament they used to cut the shape of flowers, and trees, and animals, on their skin, and afterwards painted it of a sky colour, with the juice of woad,
that never wore out. They lived in woods, in huts covered with skins, boughs, or turfs. Their towns and villages were a confused parcel of huts, placed at a little distance from each other, without any order or distinction of streets. They were generally in the middle of a wood, defended with ramparts, or mounds of earth thrown up. Ten or a dozen of them, friends and brothers, lived together, and had their wives in common. Their food was milk and flesh got by hunting, their woods and plains being well stocked with game. Fish and tame fowls, which they kept for pleasure, they were forbid by their religion to eat.
The chief commerce was with the the Phœnician merchants, who, after the discovery of the island, exported every year great quantities of tin, with which they drove a very gainful trade with distant nations.
In this situation were the Ancient Britons when Julius Cæsar, the first Emperor of Rome, and a great conqueror, formed a design of invading their island, which the Britons hearing of, they endeavoured to divert him from his purpose by sending ambassadors with offers of obedience to him, which he refused, and in the 55th year before the coming of our Saviour upon earth, he embarked in Gaul (that is France) a great many soldiers on board eighty ships.
At his arrival on the coast of Britain he saw the hills and cliffs that ran out into the sea covered with troops, that could easily prevent his landing, on which he sailed two leagues farther to a plain and open shore, which the Britons perceiving sent their chariots and horse that way, whilst the rest of their army advanced to support them. The largeness of Cæsar's vessels hindered them from coming near the shore, so that the Roman soldiers saw themselves under a necessity of leaping into the sea, armed as they were, in order to attack their enemies, who stood ready to receive them on the dry ground. Cæsar perceiving that his soldiers did not exert their usual bravery, ordered some small ships to get as near the shore as possible, which they did, and with their slings, engines, and arrows so pelted the Britons, that their courage began to abate. But the Romans were unwilling to throw themselves into the water, till one of the standard-bearers leaped in first with his colours in his hand, crying out aloud,
Follow me, fellow soldiers, unless you will betray the Roman Eagle into the hands of the enemy. For my part I am resolved to discharge my duty to Caesar and the Commonwealth.
Whereupon all the soldiers followed him, and began to fight. But their resolution was not able to compel the Britons to give ground; nay, it was feared they would have been repelled, had not Cæsar caused armed boats to supply them with recruits, which made the enemy fall back a little. The Romans improving this advantage advanced, and getting firm footing on land, pressed the Britons so vigorously that they put them to the rout. The Britons, astonished at the Roman valour, and fearing a more obstinate resistance would but expose them to greater mischiefs, sent to sue for peace and offer hostages, which Cæsar accepted, and a peace was concluded four days after their landing. Thus having given an account of Ancient Britain, and Cæsar's invasion, we shall proceed to the History of England, and the several Kings by whom it has been governed.
A COMPENDIOUS
HISTORY OF ENGLAND.
CHAP. II.
AS England was long governed by Kings who were natives of the country, so it may not be improper to distinguish that tract of time by the name of the British Period. Those Kings were afterwards subdued by the Romans, and the time that warlike people retained their conquest we shall call the Roman Period. When the Saxons brought this country under their subjection, we shall denominate the time of their sway the Saxon Period. Lastly, when the Danes invaded England, and conquered it, we shall term the series of years they possessed it the Danish Period.