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A History of England from the Earliest Times to the Revolution in 1688.
A History of England from the Earliest Times to the Revolution in 1688 Author:David Hume Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: B.C. 55,54. CAESAR'S INVASIONS. 7 and being a military people, whose chief property was their arms and their cattle, it was impossible, after they had acquire... more »d a relish for liberty, for their princes or chieftains to establish any despotic authority over them. Their governments, though monarchical, were free, as well as those of all the Celtic nations; and the common people seem to have enjoyed more liberty among them than among the nations of Gaul from whom they were descended. Each state was divided into factions within itself; it was agitated with jealousy or animosity against the neighboring states: and, while the arts of peace were yet unknown, wars were the chief occupation, and formed the chief object of ambition, among the people. The British tribes with whom the Romans became acquainted by Caesar's invasion were mainly the following, though their precise boundaries can not, of course, be laid down: The CaiUii under four princes, inhabited Kent. The Trinobantea were seated to the north of the Thames, and between that river and the Stour, in the present counties of Middlesex and Essex, having London, already a place of considerable trade, for their capital. The Cenimagni, perhaps the same as the Iceni of Tacitus, dwelt in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. The Segontiaci inhabited parts of Hants and Berks. The Ancalites and Bibroci inhabited parts of Berks and Wilts. The position of the Cassi is uncertain. § 7. Caesar, taking advantage of a short interval in his Gallic wars, invaded Britain with two legions in the year B.c. 55. The- natives, informed of his intention, were sensible of the unequal contest, and endeavored to appease him by submissions, which, however, retarded not the execution of his design. After some resistance, he landed, as ...« less