AS the Romane Writers , to glorify the Citie of Rome , drew the Originall thereof from gods & demygods , by the Trojan progenie : so Geoffrey of Monmouth , the Welsh Historian , deduceth the foundation of this famous Citie of London , for the greater glorie thereof , and emulation of Rome , from the very same Originall . For he reporteth , that Brute lineally descended from the demy-god Aeneas , the sonne of Venus , daughter of Iupiter , about the yeere of the world 2855. and 1108. before the nativity of Christ , builded this Citie neere unto the River now called Thames , Trinobantum hath the written copie . Livi● . and named it Troynovant , or Trenovant . But herein , as Livie ( the most famous Historiographer of the Romanes ) writeth , Antiquity is pardonable , and hath an especiall priviledge , by interlacing divine matters with humane , to make the first foundation of Cities more honourable , more sacred , and as it were , of greater Majestie .

King Lud ( as the aforesaid Geoffrey of Monmouth noteth ) afterward , not only repaired this Citie ; but also increased the same with faire Buildings , Towers and Walls , and after his owne name , called it Caire-Lud , Caire Lud , the Citie of Lud , but Luds-towne is a Saxon word . as Luds Towne , and the strong Gate which he builded in the West part of the Citie , he likewise ( for his owne honour ) named Ludgate .

This Lud had issue two sonnes , Androgeus , and Theomantius , or Tenanticus , who beeing not of age to governe at the death of their Father ; their Vncle Cassibelan tooke upon him the Crowne ; about the eighth yeere of whose reigne , Iulius Caesar arrived in this Land , with a great power of Romanes to conquer it . The manner of which Conquest , I will summarily set downe out of his owne Commentaries , which are of farre better credit , than the relations of Geoffrey Monmouth .

The chiefe government of the Britains , Caesars commentaries , lib. 5. and ordering of the Warres , was then ( by common advice ) committed to Cassibelan , whose Signiorie was separated from the Cities towards the Sea-coast , by the River called Thames , about 80. miles off from the Sea . This Cassibelan in times past , had made continuall warre upon the Cities adjoyning ; but the Britains being moved with the Romanes invasiton , had resolved in that necessity to make him their Soveraigne and Generall of the Warres . Caesar having knowledge of their intent , marched with his Army to the Thames , The River of Thames to be passed afoot in Caesars time . into the Signory of Cassibelan . This River can be passed but onely in one place on foot , and that very hardly . When he came thither , he saw a great power of his enemies in battaile array , on the other side of the River . Now was the Banke sticked full of stakes , sharpned at the end ; and likewise other stakes ( of the same making ) were driven into the Channell , and hidden with the water . Caesar having understanding thereof , by his Prisoners and Runne-awaies , sent his Horsemen before , and commanded his Footmen to follow immediately after them . But the Romane Souldiers went with such speed and force , having no more than their heads onely above the water : that the enemy being not able to withstand the violence of the Footmen , and the men of Armes , forsooke the banke , and tooke them to flight . Cassibelan despairing of his good successe , by fighting in plaine battaile , sent away all his greater powers , The policie of Cassibelan upon his ill successe . and keeping still about foure thousand Waggoners , watched which way the Romanes went , and drew somewhat aside out of the way , hiding himselfe in cumbersome and woody places . And wheresoever hee knew the Romanes should march , hee drave both Cattell and people thence into the Woods . When the Romanes Horsemen ranged any thing freely abroad into the fields for forrage , or to harry the Countrey : he sent his Waggoners by allwaies and paths out of the woods , upon their men of Armes , His advantage against the Romane horsemen . and encountred with them to their great prejudice , through the feare whereof , he kept them short from ranging at their pleasure .

So the matter was brought to this passe , that Caesar would not suffer his Horsemen to stray any farnesse from his maine Battaile of Footmen , and adventured no further to annoy his enemies , in wasting their fields , and burning their houses , than he could compasse by the travaile of his Footmen , as they were able to journey .

In the meane while , Trinobants Citizens of London . the Trinobants , which was the strongest Citie , wel-neere , of all those Countries , and out of which Citie , a yong Gentleman called Mandubrace , upon confidence of Caesars helpe , comming unto him into the maine Land of Gallia , now called France , had thereby escaped death , which he should have suffered at Cassibelans hand , ( as his Father Imanuence had done , who had reigned in that Citie : ) sent Ambassadours to Caesar , Mandubrace and the Trinobants yeeld to Caesar , and he defended them . promising to yeeld unto him , and to doe what hee should command them . Instantly desiring him , to protect Mandubrace from the furious Tyranny of Cassibelan , and to send him into the City , with authority to take the government thereof upon him . Caesar accepted the offer , and appointed them to give unto him 40. Hostages , and withall to finde him graine for his Armie , and so sent hee Mandubrace unto them .

When others saw that Caesar had not only defended the Trinobants against Cassibelan , but had also saved them harmlesse from the pillage of his owne Souldiers : then also did the Cenimagues , Segontians , Aucalits , Bibrokes , and Cassians likewise submit themselves unto him , Cassibelans Towne west from London , for Caesar saith , 80. miles from the Sea . and by them he learned , that not farre from thence was Cassibelans Towne , ( fortified with woods and marish grounds ) into the which he had gathered a great number both of men and cattell .

For the Brittans call that a Towne , Cities of the Britains were cumbersome woods fortified . when they have fortified a cumbersome wood with a ditch and Rampire , and thither they resort to eschew the invasions of their enemies . To this place therefore marched Caesar with his Legions ; hee found it excellently fortified , both of nature , and by mans advice : neverthelesse , he resolved to assault it in two severall places at once ; whereupon the Britaines being not able to endure the force of the Romanes , fled out at another part , and left the Towne unto him : a great number of cattell he found there , and many of the Britaines he slew , and others hee tooke in the chase .

Whilest these things were a doing in these quarters , Cassibelan sent messengers into Kent , which lyeth upon the Sea , and in which there reigned then foure particular Kings , named , Cingetorix , Carvil , Taximagul , and Segonax , whom he commanded to raise all their forces , and suddenly to set upon , and assault the Romanes in their Trenches by the Sea side : the which when the Romans perceived , they sallied out upon them , slew a great sort of them , and taking Cingetorix their noble Captaine prisoner , retired themselves to their Campe in good safetie .

When Cassibelan heard of this , and had formerly taken many other losses , and found his Countrey sore wasted , and himselfe left almost alone , by the defection of the other Cities , he sent Ambassadours by Comius of Arras to Caesar , to intreat him concerning his owne submission : the which Caesar did accept ; and taking Hostages , assessed the Realme of Britaine to a yeerely Tribute , to be paid to the people of Rome , Britaine ses●ed to pay a yeerely tribute to Rome . giving straight charge to Cassibelan , that he should not seeke any revenge upon Mandubrace , or the Trinobants , and so withdrew his Armie to the Sea againe .

Thus farre out of Caesars Commentaries , concerning this History , which hapned in the yeere before Christs nativity , 54. In all which processe , there is for this purpose to be noted , that Caesar nameth the Citie of Trinobantes , which hath a resemblance with Troy nova , or Trinobantum , Trinobant , new London . having no greater difference in the Orthography , than changing ( b ) into ( v ) , and yet maketh an errour , whereof I will not argue . Onely this I will note , that divers learned men doe not thinke Civitas Trinobantum , to bee well and truely translated , the Citie of the Trinobantes : but it should rather bee the state , communalty , or Signiorie of the Trinobantes , for that Caesar in his Commentaries useth the word Civitas , onely for a people living under the selfe-same Prince and Law . But certaine it is , Cities of the Britains not artificially builded with houses , nor walled with stone that the Cities of the Brittaines were ( in those daies ) neither artificially builded with houses , nor strongly walled with stone , but were onely thicke and cumbersome Woods , plashed within , and trenched about : and the like ( in effect ) doe other the Romane and Greeke Authors affirme , Strabo . as Strabo , Pomponius Mela , Pomponius Mela. and Dion , a Senator of Rome , which flourished in the severall reignes of the Romane Emperours , Tacitus . Tiberius , Dion . Claudius , Domitian , and Severus : to wit , that before the arrivall of the Romanes , the Brittaines had no Townes , but called that a Towne , which had a thicke intangled Wood , defended ( as I said ) with a ditch and banke , the like whereof the Irishmen , our next neighbours , doe at this day call Fastnes . But after that these hither parts of Britains were reduced into the forme of a Province , by the Romans , who sowed the seeds of civility over all Europe ; this Citie , whatsoever it was before , began to be renowned and of fame . London most famous for merchants and entercourse . For Tacitus , who first of all Authors nameth it Londinium , saith , that in the 26. yeere after Christ , it was , albeit no Colonie of the Romanes , yet most famous for the great multitude of Merchants , provision , and entercourse . At which time , in that notable revolt of the Britaines from Nero , in which threescore and ten thousand Romanes and their confederates were slaine ; this Citie , with Verulamium , neere Saint Albans , and Maldon in Essex , then all famous , were ransacked and spoiled . For Suetonius Paulinus , then Lieutenant for the Romanes in this I le , abandoned it , as not then fortified , and left it to the spoile .