Britaine, which as yet the Romans knew not otherwise than by report.
The chiefest cause that mooued him to take in hand that enterprise,
was for that he did vnderstand, that there dailie came great succours
out of that Ile to those Galles that were enimies vnto the Romans. And
[Sidenote: _Cesar de bello Gall. lib. 4_. Causes of the warre.
Cesars purpose.]
though the season of that yéere to make warre was farre spent
(for summer was almost at an end) yet he thought it would be to good
purpose, if he might but passe ouer thither, and learne what maner of
people did inhabit there, and discouer the places, hauens, and entries
apperteining to that Ile.

Héerevpon calling togither such merchants as he knew to haue had
traffike thither with some trade of wares, he diligentlie inquired of
them the state of the Ile: but he could not be throughlie satisfied in
anie of those things that he coueted to know. Therefore thinking it
good to vnderstand all things by view that might apperteine to the vse
of that warre which he purposed to follow: before he attempted the
[Sidenote: Caius Volusenus sent ouer into Britaine.]
same, he sent one Caius Volusenus with a gallie or light pinesse
to surueie the coasts of the Ile, commanding him (after diligent
search made) to returne with spéed to him againe. He him selfe also
drew downewards towards Bullenois, from whence the shortest cut lieth
to passe ouer into Britaine.

[Sidenote: _Iohn Leland. Polydor_.]
In that part of Gallia there was in those daies an hauen called
_Itius Portus_ (which some take to be Calice) and so the word
importeth, an harbourgh as then able to receiue a great number of
ships. Vnto this hauen got Cesar all the ships he could out of the