A compleat history of Middlesex ... To which is added a ... description of the cities of London and Westminster.

Date:
1730
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A compleat history of Middlesex ... To which is added a ... description of the cities of London and Westminster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    78/262 page 70
    hours, and among the reft entered the Country of the Tr mob antes, and having (lain Immanuentius their King, fought to Hay Mandubratius his Son, and the Heir of his Kingdom, that he might pofTefs himfelf of his Territories, and add them to his own. Mandubratius was fenfible of his Defigns, and not being able to oppofe CaJJibelari’s Power, fled to Cafar, who then lay in Gaul with the Roman Army, and putting himfdf under his Protection, conducted him and his Army into Britain, in order to be refto- red to his Kingdom. Cafar was gree¬ dy of an Opportunity of invading Bri- tain, and accordingly foon began his Expe¬ dition thither. Upon his Arrival the fri- vobantes defired of Ctefar, by their Ambaffa* dors, to efpoufe Mandubratius'$ Caufe again ft Cajjibelan ; and having fubmitted themfelves to the Romans, petitioned him that Mandu- bratius might be made the Deputy-Gover- nour of their City, and gave him forty Hoftages for their future Obedience. The Romans having thus gained Footing in Britain, proceeded as faft as they could to conquer the reft, and foon reducing it into the Form of a Province, began (after their ufual Manner) to build Towns, im¬ prove Arts and Trade, and civilize the Peo* pie, in which Work they made fo great a Progrefs, that A. C. 26. this City, which Tacitus calls Londitmm, was become a Place (as he fpeaks) Copid negotiatorum & commeatu •valde celebrii. e. very famous for a Mul¬ titude of Merchants, and for Traffick; but this its Profperity Jailed not long; for in the Reign of the Emperor Nero the Iceni and Trimb antes having follicited the reft of the Britains to a genera] Revolt, refolved to re¬ cover their old Liberty by the ConduCV of that magnanimous Heroine Queen Boadicia. Su tonius Paulinus was the Roman Lieutenant at that Time, and Jay then in this City with a Roman Legion, but nor judging the City (which was then unwalled, and there¬ fore called Cppidum only) to be tenable a- gainft fo great a Force as Boadicia was bringing againft him, he took along with him the choiceft of the Citizens to aflift him againft the Enemy, and departed. The Inhabitants that remained, befought him, with Tears, not to leave them ; but they could not prevail, whereupon this City be¬ ing almoft defencelefs, the Britains came up* on it, and facked it, deftroying all the Peo¬ ple that were left without any Regard to Sex or Age, which Succefs being accounted a good Omen, Boadicia went in Purfuic of Suetonius, with whom fhe engaged, flew feventy thoufand Romans, and their Confe¬ derates, and plundered Verulam in Hertford¬ shire, and Maldon in Ejfex, where the Romans had fettled their Colonies. Suetonius neverthelefs was not altogether difeouraged, but with prodigious Conftan- cy and Refolution determined not to give over the War, and having reinforced his Army with near ten thoufand fighting Men out of the fourteenth and twentieth Legi¬ ons, to which Gdfar added two thoufand Legionaries from Germany, eight auxiliary Cohorts, and a thoufand Horfe, he took the Field again, and engaging with the Bri¬ tains, flew above fuurfcore thoufand of them, and utterly defeated their whole Army. Boadieia poifoned heifelf for this Lofs, and the Romans, in their Fury and Triumph, wafted not only the Enemy’s but the neutral Countries- After this the Bri¬ tains were quiet for a Time, and Agricola being made Lieutenant, perfwaded them publickly, and affifted them privately to build H oufes for themfelves. Temples for their Gods, and Courts of Juftice ; to bring up their Noblemens Children in good Let¬ ters, and apparel themfelves like the Ro¬ mans, whereas they were naked before, only painting their Bodies for an Ornament. London now began to recover its felf, and in a few Years increafed fo much in Peo¬ ple, Trading and Buildings, that Herodian io the Life of the Emperor Severut, calls it XJrbs magna Qp opulent a, i. e. a great and wealthy City. ’Tis probable that it was about this Time that London had the Name of Augufla given it, to (hew its Dignity and Greatnefs, and was made a Prefe&ure by the Romans, who could not think it their Intereft to make it a Colony or free Bo¬ rough ; becaufe they faw it drive fuch a vaft Trade, and therefore made it fubje& to a Prefe&, in Imitation of Rome itfelf, who was fenc yearly to do Juftice, and a£fc in all publick Matters, as Taxes, Tributes, Im¬ ports, military Affairs, and according to the Inftruftions of the Roman Senate ; but it 2
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3