Now for that a displeasing and a doubtfull peace was not like to bring
quietnesse either to him or to his armie, he tooke from such as he
suspected, their armour. And after this, he went about to defend
the riuers of Auon & Seuerne, with placing his souldiers in camps
fortified néere to the same. But the Oxfordshire men and other of
those parties would not suffer him to accomplish his purpose in anie
quiet sort, being a puissant kind of people, and not hitherto weakened
[Sidenote: Cornelius Tacit. lib. 12.]
by warres: for they willinglie at the first had ioined in amitie
with the Romans. The countries adjoining also being induced by their
procurement, came to them, & so they chose forth a plot of ground,
fensed with a mightie ditch, vnto the which there was no waie to enter
but one, & the same verie narrow, so as the horssemen could not haue
anie easie passage to breake in vpon them. Ostorius, although he had
no legionarie souldiers, but certeine bands of aids, marched foorth
towards the place within the which the Britains were lodged, and
assaulting them in the same, brake through into their campe, where the
Britains being impeached with their owne inclosures which they had
raised for defense of the place, knowing how that for their rebellion
they were like to find small mercie at the Romans hands, when they saw
now no waie to escape, laid about them manfullie, and shewed great
proofe of their valiant stomachs.

In this battell, the sonne of Ostorius the lieutenant deserued the
[Sidenote: which was a certaine crowne, to be set on his head called
_ciuica corona_.]
price and commendation of preseruing a citizen out of the cruell
enimies hands. But now with this slaughter of the Oxfordshire men,
diuers of the Britains that stood doubtfull what waie to take, either
to rest in quiet, or to moue warres, were contented to be conformable