behind for a prey to the enimies. Héereby there died in this iournie
of the Romane armie, at the point of fiftie thousand men: but yet
would not Seuerus returne, till he had gone through the whole Ile,
and so came to the vttermost parts of all the countrie now called
Scotland, and at last backe againe to the other part of the Ile
subiect to the Romans, the inhabitants whereof are named (by Dion
Cassius) _Meatæ_. But first he forced the other, whom the same Dion
nameth Caledonij, to conclude a league with him, vpon such conditions,
as they were compelled to depart with no small portion of the
countrie, and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons.

In the meane time, the emperour Seuerus being worne with age fell
sicke, so that he was constreined to abide at home within that part of
the Ile which obeied the Romans, and to appoint his sonne Antoninus
to take charge of the armie abroad. But Antoninus not regarding the
enimies, attempted little or nothing against them, but sought waies
how to win the fauour of the souldiers and men of warre, that after
his fathers death (for which he dailie looked) he might haue their aid
and assistance to be admitted emperour in his place. Now when he saw
that his father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue
wished, he practised with physicians and other of his fathers seruants
to dispatch him by one meane or other.

Whilest Antoninus thus negligentlie looked to his charge, the Britains
began a new rebellion, not onlie those that were latelie ioined in
league with the emperour, but the other also which were subjects to
the Romane empire. Seuerus tooke such displeasure, that he called
togither the souldiers, and commanded them to inuade the countrie, and
to kill all such as they might méet within anie place without respect,
and that his cruell commandement he expressed in these verses taken