of the poore Britains, who by their diuine power did withhold the chiefe capteine of the Romans with his armie, as it were banished [Sidenote:  Occasion not be neglected.] in an other Iland.  Let vs then (said they) take the oportunitie of time and good occasion offered, and foorthwith proceed in our businesse:  for lesse danger it is manfullie to aduenture, and to go forward with our purpose, than to be bewraied and taken in these our consultations.  Thus hauing taken aduise togither, and wholie misliking their present state, they determined to take weapon in hand, and so by force to seeke for reformation.

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A catalog of causes or greeuances inciting the Britains to rebell against the Romans, wherein is shewed what iniuries they susteined:  of diuers strange wonders and apparitions; the chiefe cause of the Britains insurging against the Romans, they admitted as well women as men to publike gouernement.  A description of queene Voadicia, hir personage and maner of attire.

THE TENTH CHAPTER.

[Sidenote:  Cor.  Tac. lib. 14.] The Britains indeed were occasioned to doo as they purposed, thorough manie euill parts practised by the Romans greatlie to their griefs and displeasures.  For whereas Prasutagus (who is supposed [Sidenote:  Prasutagus.] by Hector Boetius to be Aruiragus, king of the people called [Sidenote:  The Oxfordshire and Glocestershire men.] Iceni) had made the emperour and two of his owne daughters his heires, supposing by that meane to haue his kingdome and familie preserued from all iniurie:  it happened quite contrarie to that his expectation.  For his kingdome was spoiled by the Romane capteins, his wife [Sidenote:  Voadicia alias Bunduica.] named Voadicia beaten by the souldiers, his daughters rauished, the peeres of the realme bereft of their goods, and the kings friends made and reputed as bondslaues.

[Sidenote:  Dion Cassius.] There was also an other great cause that stirred the Britains to this rebellion, which was the confiscating of their goods:  for whereas Claudius himselfe had pardoned the chiefest persons of the forfeitures, Decianus Catus the procurator of that Ile mainteined that [Sidenote:  Vsurie.] the same ought to be renewed againe.  To this an other griefe was added, that where Seneca had lent to the nobilitie of the Ile, foure hundred sestercies, ech hundred being 500000 pounds starling, or thereabout, vpon great interest, he required the whole summe togither by great rigor and violence, although he forced them at the first to take this monie to vsurie.

Also such old souldiers as were placed by waie of a colonie, to inhabit the towne of Camelodunum, expelled manie of the Britains out of their houses, droue them out of their possessions and lands, and accounted the Britains as slaues, and as though they had bene captiue prisoners or bondmen.  Besides this, the temple there that was built in honor of Claudius, as an altar of eternall rule and gouernment, was serued with preests, the which vnder colour of religion did spoile, consume and deuoure the goods of all men.