[Sidenote: Strange woonders.]
in the theatre, with great wéeping and lamentable howling, at such
time as it was certeinlie knowne that there was no creature there
to make anie noise. The sea at a spring tide appeared of a bloudie
colour, and when the tide was gone backe, there were séene on the
[Sidenote: _Dion Cassius_.]
sands the shapes & figures of mens bodies. Women also as rauished
of their wits, and being as it were in a furie, prophesied that
destruction was at hand, so that the Britains were put greatlie in
hope, and the Romans in feare.

[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
But those things, whether they chanced by the craft of man, or
illusion of the diuell; or whether they procéeded of some naturall
cause, which the common people oftentimes taketh superstitiouslie, in
place of strange woonders signifieng things to follow, we would
let passe, least we might be thought to offend religion; the which
teaching all things to be doone by the prouidence of God, despiseth
the vaine predictions of haps to come, if the order of an historie
(saith Polydor Virgil) would so permit, the which requireth all things
to be written in maner as they fall out and come to passe.

[Sidenote: _Cor. Tac. li. 15_. Voadicia by Dion Cassius is called
Bunuica.]
But the Britains were chiefelie mooued to rebellion by the iust
complaint of Voadicia, declaring how vnséemelie she had beene vsed
and intreated at the hands of the Romans: and because she was most
earnestlie bent to séeke reuenge of their iniuries, and hated the name
of the Romans most of all other, they chose hir to be capteine (for
[Sidenote: The ancient Britains admitted as well women as men to