He also procured that noble mens sonnes should learne the liberall
sciences, and praised the nature of the Britains more than the people
of Gallia, bicause they studied to atteine to the knowledge of the
Romane eloquence. By which meanes the Britains in short time were
brought to the vse of good and commendable manners, and sorted
themselues to go in comelie apparell after the Romane fashion, and
by little and little fell to accustome themselues to fine fare and
delicate pleasures, the readie prouokers of vices, as to walke in
galleries, to wash themselues in bathes, to vse banketting, and such
like, which amongst the vnskilfull was called humanitie or courtesie,
but in verie deed it might be accounted a part of thraldome and
seruitude, namelie being too excessiuelie vsed.
[Sidenote: The third yeere.]
In the third yeere of Agricola his gouernment in Britaine, he
inuaded the north parts thereof (vnknowne till those daies of the
Romans) being the same where the Scots now inhabit: for he
[Sidenote: The water of Tay.]
wasted the countrie vnto the water of Tay, in such wise putting the
inhabitants in feare, that they durst not once set vpon his armie,
though it were so that the same was verie sore disquieted and vexed
by tempest and rage of weather. Wherevpon finding no great let or
hinderance by the enimies, he builded certeine castels and fortresses,
which he placed in such conuenient steeds, that they greatlie annoied
his aduersaries, and were so able to be defended, that there was none
of those castels which he builded, either woon by force out of the
Romans hands, or giuen ouer by composition, for feare to be taken: so
that the same beeing furnished with competent numbers of men of warre,
were safelie kept from the enimies, the which were dailie vexed by the
often issues made foorth by the souldiers that laie thus in garrison
within them: so that where in times past the said enimies would
recouer their losses susteined in summer by the winters aduantage, now
they were put to the woorse, and kept backe as well in the winter as
in the summer.
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