[Sidenote:  W.H. in his chronologie.] There be some led by coniecture grounded vpon good aduised considerations, that suppose this Ostorius Scapula began to build the citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of Caratacus:  for in those parties he fortified sundrie holds, and placed a number of old souldiers either there in that selfe place, or in some other neere therevnto by waie of a colonie.  And for somuch (saie they) as we read of none other of anie name thereabouts, it is to be thought that he planted the same in Chester, where his successors did afterwards vse to harbour their legions for the winter season, and in time of rest from iournies which they haue to make against their common enimies.

In deed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie, that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns (which in that citie are vnder the ground) with some part of the castell.  And verelie as [Sidenote:  Ran.  Hig. alias Cestrensis.] Ranulfe Higden saith, a man that shall view and well consider those buildings, maie thinke the same to be the woorke of Romans rather than of anie other people.  That the Romane legions did make their abode there, no man seene in antiquities can doubt thereof, for the ancient name Caer leon ardour deuy, that is, The citie of legions vpon the water of Dee, proueth it sufficientlie enough.

[Sidenote:  Corn.  Tacit.] But to returne vnto Ostorius Scapula, we find in Corn.  Tacitus, that during his time of being lieutenant in this Ile, there were certeine [Sidenote:  Cogidune a king in Britane.] cities giuen vnto one Cogidune a king of the Britains, who continued faithfull to the Romans vnto the daies of the remembrance of men liuing in the time of the said Cornelius Tacitus, who liued and wrote in the emperor Domitianus time.  This was doone after an old receiued custom of the people of Rome, to haue both subiects and kings vnder their rule and dominion, as who so shall note the acts and deeds of the Roman emperours from C. Iulius Cesar (who chased Pompeie out of Italie, and was the first that obteined the Romane empire to himselfe; of whom also the princes and emperours succeeding him were called Cesars) to Octauian, Tiberius, Caligula, &c:  maie easilie marke and obserue.  For they were a people of singular magnanimitie, of an ambitious spirit, greedie of honour and renowme, and not vnaptlie termed “Romani rerum domini, &c.”

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_ A. Didius is sent to supplie Ostorius his roome in Britaine, the trecherie and lecherie of queene Cartimanda, Venutius keepeth the kingdome in spite of the Romans, by what meanes their confines in this Ile were inlarged; the error of Hector Boetius and others touching the Silures, Brigants, and Nouants notified, the Britains giue the Romans a shamefull ouerthrow_.

THE EIGHT CHAPTER.