Page:Oliver Mathews – Towne of Sallop (1877).djvu/41

 the Romanes, Saxons and Normans Cronicles, and sa manie untruthes of the Romaines reportes of the Britaines in writinge, and reportinge of the Brutaines histories, usages and behaviour, untrulie blasinge out divers vices, which they alleadged to be in the Brutaines, and deteyninge in obscuritie manie generous vertues, which did florishe amonge them, and would (yf they could) have quite suppressed the memorie of theire famous actes and monuments: whether yt were bicause Romanes were not acquainted with the Brutaines for the space of 1821. yeres, and that Romaines were ignoraunte in the Brutaines Langwage, or ells of envie and malice which they allwaies bare to the Brutaines; but the errour should seeme to proceed from bothe ignoraunce and envie, as yt appearethe by Julius Cæsar in his firste booke of Comentaries, where he falslie and wrongfullie writeth, that the Brutaines were Cowards, and not given to Warrs, affirminge, that they were clothed in leather closse to theire bodies, and, for the most parte, went naked, and peinted theire bodies with wood blewe, and had manie wieves, and used Copulation with theire Sisters, Doughters and Brothers, which was most untrue, and mistaken by Ceafar, as hereafter shall appeare, and the untrue reports of the Brutaines apperrell, manhood and prowes in warres, be made manifest; so that the Brutaines were nothinge inferiour unto the Romaines in Chivalrie. For those people, whom Ceasar maketh mencion of in his Comentaries, were not Brutaines, but Hunns and Picts, who were Tributories to the Brutaines, inhabitinge the Hill Countrey of Albania, nowe called Scotland, which said Countrey was given them to inhabite in by the said Kinge Locrinus, after he had vanquished and slaine parte of them with theire Kinge Humber, as is before rehearsed. It is marvell yf Julius Ceasar did write those untruthes himselfe. I rather thincke yt to be some of his Servaunts. For he himself did knowe, howe valiauntlie the Brutaines did resist and withstand him, at his first Attempt of Entraunce into Brutaine, and how manfullie they fought against him, and slewe his chieffe Capteines and Horsemen, and himself forced to retire and winter in Fraunce, and there to encrease his Armie, and retorn