in the countrie to soiorne for the winter season, he caused ships to
be made readie, to the number of 600, with the which repassing into
Britaine, whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the
enimies, his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest,
were either beaten one against another, or else cast vpon the flats
and sands, and so broken; so that fortie of them were vtterlie
perished, and the residue with great difficultie were repaired. The
horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the worsse,
and Labienus the tribune slaine. In the second conflict he vanquished
the Britains, not without great danger of his people. After this, he
marched to the riuer of Thames, which as then was passable by foord
onelie in one place and not else, as the report goeth. On the further
banke of that riuer, Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude
of enimies, and had pitcht and set the banke, and almost all the
[Sidenote: The stakes remained to be séene in Bedes daies.]
foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes, the tokens of which vnto
this day are to be séene, and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie
of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh, sticking fast in the
bottome of the riuer closed with lead. This being perceiued of the
Romans, and auoided, the Britains not able to susteine the violent
impression of the Roman legions, hid themselues in the woods, out of
the which by often issues, they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed
the Romans, and did them great damage. In the meane time the strong
citie of Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie
hostages, yéelded vnto Cesar, whose example manie other cities
following, allied themselues with the Romans, by whose information
Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane,
situat betwixt two marches, fensed also with the couert of woods,
& hauing within it great plentie of all things. After this Cesar
returned into France, and bestowed his armie in places to soiorne