A. D. 53. THE habits of war and of conqueft, with the cruel nature of their popular amufements, had introduced into the character of the Romans a degree of ferocity, inconsistent with just ideas of heroifm; and which, too frequently, fteeled them against the impreffions of pity, and led them to disdain, as unmanly weaknefs, the finer feelings of humanity. THIS defeat of the Silures was foon revenged, by several victories which they gained over the Roman forces; and in this fituation Oftorius died, worn out with anxiety and fatigue.' AFTER his death, the Emperor fent Aulus Didius into Britain but the age of that general prevented any extraordinary A. D. exertions against the enemy; and he was fucceeded by Verannius, who, dying a little time after he had taken the command, left the Roman concerns in the greatest confufion.' 57. A. D. 58. In this ftate of affairs, Suetonius Paulinus was fent to command the Roman forces in Britain. His first undertaking was to fubdue the Ordovices, who inhabited that part of the island which is now called North Wales; and he fecured the conquefts he had made, by fettling garrifons in the country. Suetonius was the first Roman, who penetrated as far as Mona.+ Being oppofed by the Druids on his entrance into the island, and 2 Ibid. p. 198. Taciti Ann. lib. XII. p. 198. 3 Ibid. lib. XIV. p. 250. *Derwyddon, or Dryidion. influenced 2 influenced also by national and religious animofity, he maffacred many of those people, cut down their groves, laid level their altars, and destroyed the feminary of that ancient ORDER.' After this event, the Druids are faid to have retired into Ireland, to the Isle of Man,* and into the Orkneys and Hebrides. In a fubfequent period being driven out of these retreats, by christian zeal, they are likewise said to have fought an afylum in Norway, Iceland, and other regions of the north at length, the Druidical system was universally abolished, after it had long eftablished a boundless tyranny upon the ruins of human reason. It was an uniform principle, in the policy of the Roman state, to exercise a mild dominion over the nations they had conquered, but this was changed to a system of severity, when the subdued provinces, from a sense of injury or of freedom, revolted from their obedience. The nature of their government was likewise stained, by the rapacity, and by the severe administration of individuals. Thus the Roman yoke, however lightly it might be borne by Afiatics, who were tamed to fubmiffion by hereditary flavery, was an oppreffive burden to the Britons, bred in the ideas and in the habits of a wild independency. At this juncture, their native spirit, impatient of restraint and resentful of injury, was urged into fury by a train of evils, which acted equally upon their feelings, as on their national pride and superstition. Taciti Ann. lib. XIV. p. 151. Rowland, p. 100. 2 Rowland's Mon. Ant. p. 101, 107. * Manaw. 3 Rowland, p. 110. C 2 An An impofition of taxes upon their lands and cattle, the arbitrary violation of property, with the frequent indignities offered to their women, were caufes which kept alive a sense of resentment. They were likewife affected by the treatment of Boadicea, a powerful fovereign of the Iceni. This princefs had just become a widow, and was left to the protection of the Roman ftate; her husband alfo, by his teftament, had made the Emperor Claudius coheir with his daughters, in hopes that it might render him indulgent to his family. But that prince was no fooner dead, than his treasures were feized, and his territories defolated; the foulnefs of the procedure being coloured by the indecent pretence, that the Roman law permitted only citizens to bequeath their property. The remonftrance of the queen against these injuries, produced no other effect than to accumulate indignities upon her family; the chastity of her daughters was violated, and her own perfon difhonoured, by being publicly fcourged.+ THESE evils, however enormous, were only partial, and they did not extend to every part of the island. But the late deftruction of the Druids, it is probable, gave a general fhock to the A. D. feelings of the Britons; and with the fury of enthusiasts, they rushed to the standard of Boadicea. The first impreffion of this multitude was astonishingly great: like the fea overswelling its 60. bounds, they carried with them irresistible force, and desolated the country. The two cities, Camulodunum and Verulamium, first experienced their fury,' the inhabitants of which colonics were flaughtered without any distinction of rank or fex, and under circumstances of uncommon barbarity: almost an entire legion were cut in pieces, coming to the affistance of their countrymen; and eighty thousand perfons, either Roman citizens or allies, are faid to have perifhed in the general carnage.' It is to be lamented, that in attempting to recover the freedom of her country, fo much cruelty fhould have ftained the character of this princess; but some extenuation may be found in the nature of her own wrongs, in the injuries which her fubjects had fuffered, and in the fiercenefs of uncultivated life. 4 60. SUETONIUS, at this time, was engaged in the conquefst of Moná. A. D. Hearing of the revolt, he marched with confidence, through an irritated country, to London, a place of extent, and of great commercial importance. Finding himself unable to keep poffeffion of the town, he was obliged to take the field with a few cohorts of auxiliaries, with a single legion, and the Vexillarii 1 Taciti Ann, lib, XIV. P. 251, 252. 2 Dion Caffius, lib. LXII. p. 700. 3 Dion Caffius, lib. LXII. p. 704. 4 THIS city was originally called Tronewydd, or New Troy: afterwards Dinas Beli, from having been the refidence of Belus; then it was called Caer Ludd, from king Lud; but its general appellation was Llundain. 5 Humfrey Lhuyd's Breviary, p. 20. VARIOUS are the opinions refpecting the Vexillarii, the most probable is, that they were light armed troops belonging to each legion. of of another, and to leave the women, the aged, and the infirm, to the fury of the enemy. With this army, confifting only of ten thousand men, Suetonius oppofed Boadicea, at the head of two hundred and thirty thoufand Britons." On this decifive day, that princefs appeared in a chariot, with her daughters by her fide; and, in a military drefs, rode through the ranks, to animate the foldiers. Befides this, the Britons had another incitement to victory, as they were to fight for the fafety of their families, and in the prefence of their wives, all of whom, agreeably to the custom of their country, were ranged in waggons upon the rear of the army. But valour alone, unfupported by difcipline, was not able to make any impreffion on the firmness of veteran troops; and after a long and obftinate refiftance, the British army was entirely defeated. Near eighty thousand of the Britons fell in this day's action, or in the pursuit. Boadicea, unwilling to furvive the ruin of her country, fuddenly disappeared, having put an end to her own life, as is imagined, by poifon. It is aftonishing, that after the fevere defeats which the Britons had received, they fhould be able to keep their national strength unbroken, and their spirit unfubdued. THE danger and difficulty of the war were fo great, that Nero was inclined to relinquish the conqueft of Britain. Being informed that the rough demeanour of Suetonius might be fome Taciti Ann. lib. XIV. p. 252. • Dion Caffius, lib. LXII. p. 704. 3 Ibid. 1 obstacle |