]
downes, the space of 7 or 8 miles, and there finding the shore more
flat and plaine, he approched neere to the land, determining to come
to the shore.
The Britains perceiuing Cesars intent, with all speed caused their
horssemen and charets or wagons, which Cesar calleth _Esseda,_ out of
the which in those daies they vsed to fight, to march forth toward the
place whither they saw Cesar drew, and after followed with their maine
armie. Wherefore Cesar being thus preuented, inforced yet to land with
his people, though he saw that he should haue much a doo. For as the
Britains were in redinesse to resist him, so his great and huge ships
could not come neere the shore, but were forced to keepe the deepe,
[Sidenote: The Romans put to their shifts.]
so that the Romane soldiers were put to verie hard shift; to wit, both
to leape forth of their ships, and being pestered with their heauie
armour and weapons, to fight in the water with their enimies, who
knowing the flats and shelues, stood either vpon the drie ground, or
else but a little waie in the shallow places of the water; and being
not otherwise encumbred either with armour or weapon, but so as they
might bestir themselues at will, they laid load vpon the Romans with
their arrowes and darts, and forced their horsses (being thereto
inured) to enter the water the more easilie, so to annoy and distresse
the Romans, who wanting experience in such kind of fight, were not
well able to helpe themselues, nor to keepe order as they vsed to doo
on land: wherfore they fought nothing so lustilie as they were woont
to doo.
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