AND CONTINUED BY AN EMINENT WRITER THE SEVENTH EDITION HER DUBLIN: NEW-YORK Printed by PAT. WOGAN, No. 23, Old-Bridge. 1797. Love obcrater every liffrenity and lin's death, puts all upon a level however it is not given to the wifest af to Lanta, and to be wise man THE HISTORY O F ENGL A N D. CHA P. I. OF BRITAIN, FROM THE INVASION OF TION OF THE ROMANS. BRITAIN RITAIN was but v very little known to the reft of the world before the time of the Romans. The coafts oppofite Gaul were frequented by merchants who traded thither for fuch commodities as the natives were able to produce. Thefe, it is thought, after a time poffeffed themselves of all the maritime places where they had at firft been permit-. ted to refide. There, finding the country fertile, and commodioufly fituated for trade, they fettled upon the fea-fide, and introduced the practice of agriculture. But it was very different with the inland inhabitants of the country, who confidered themselves as the lawful poffeffors of the foil: Thefe avoided all correfpondence with the new comers, B whom whom they confidered as intruders upon their property. The inland inhabitants are represented as extremely numerous, living in cottages thatched with ftraw, and feeding large herds of cattle. They lived moftly upon milk, or flesh procured by the chace. What cloaths they wore to cover any part of their bodies, were usually the fkins of beafts; but much of their bodies, as the arms, legs, and thighs, were left naked, and thofe parts were ufually painted blue. Their hair, which was long, flowed down upon their backs and shoulders, while their beards were kept close fhaven, except upon the upper lip, where it was fuffered to grow. The drefs of favage nations is every where pretty much the fame, being calculated rather to infpire terror than to excite love or respect. As to their government, it confifted of several Imall principalities, each under its refpective leader; and this feems to be the earlieft mode of dominion with which mankind are acquainted, and deduced from the natural privileges of paternal authority. Upon great and uncommon dangers, a commander in chief was chofen by common confent, in a general affembly; and to him was committed the conduct of the general intereft, the power of making. peace, or leading to war. Their forces chiefly confifted of foot, and yet they could bring a confiderable number of horfe into the field upon great occafions. They likewife ufed chariots in Battle, which, with fhort fcythes faftened to the ends of the axle-trees, inflicted terrible wounds, fpreading terror and devastation wherefoever they drove. Nor while the chariots were thus deftroying, were the warriors who conducted them unemployed; thefe darted their javelins against the enemy, ran' along the beam, leaped on the ground, refumed their feat, ftopt, or turned their horfes at full fpeed, and fome fometiines cunningly retreated, to draw the enemy into confufion. The religion of the Britons was one of the most confiderable parts of their government; and the Druids, who were the guardians of it, poflefled great authority among them. No fpecies of fuperftition was ever more terrible than theirs; befides the fevere penalties which they were permitted to inflict in this world, they inculcated the eternal tranfmigration of fouls, and thus extended their authority as far as the fears of their votaries. They facrificed human victims, which they burned in large wicker idols, made fo capacious as to contain a multitude of perfons at once, who were thus confumed together. To these rites, tending to imprefs ignorance with awe, they added the aufterity of their manners, and the fimplicity of their lives. They lived in woods, caves, and hollow trees; their food was acorns and berries, and their drink water; by thefe arts, they were not only respected, but almoft adored by the people. It may be eafily fuppofed, that the manners of the people took a tincture from the difcipline of their teachers. Their lives were fimple, but they were marked with cruelty and fiercenefs; their courage was great, but neither dignified by mercy nor perfeverance. The Britons had long remained in this rude but indépendent ftate, 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 feemed to promife an eafy triumph. 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. The Britons had chofen Caffibelaunus for their comunander in chief; but the petty princes under B 2 his |