54 W7io first founded Malmeshury ? 



from the island and subjecting himself to the imputation freely 

 cast upon him at Rome that in one of these actions he had actually 

 turned his back and fled for refuge to his camp, — "Territaqusesitis 

 ostendit terga Britannis." 



A people who could thus repel the invasion of the greatest 

 conqueror of the ancient world were either not barbarians, though, 

 like the Highlanders as late as the battle of Culloden in 1745, they 

 threw ofi" their clothes in action, or if in despite of their highly organ- 

 ized military science, and powers of combination in the field, we must 

 still call them barbarians, they have at least bequeathed to their 

 civilized posterity lessons and examples with regard to dealing with 

 an invader which we cannot do better than follow. If our bar- 

 barian forefathers with nothing but their native courage vanquished 

 or at least baffled Cassar and his mail-clad legions, their posterity 

 with every military appliance which wealth or science can place at 

 their disposal may feel that in their mouths the words of Shakes- 

 peare will never be a mere empty bravado, 



"If Britain to herself do prove but true, 

 Come the four corners of the world in arms. 

 And we will stand the shock." 



But, as I observed, it is very difficult to reconcile Caesar with him- 

 self in his account of his campaigns in Britain. Taking however his 

 statement for correct that the British Monarch had 4000 chariots 

 in the field, here is at least in one peculiar arm of service a force of 

 8000 horses and 8000 mounted warriors — a fact quite irreconcilable 

 with our ideas of barbarism. There must have been a regular 

 system of roads for this national force — these roads must have been 

 some time in existence, for Caesar alleges these 4000 chariots were but 

 a part of the national armament — such armaments are not created at 

 once nor before roads are formed on which they can be used in 

 peace or war, nor before the arts of mining and smelting in various 

 branches have attained a certain degree of perfection and extension. 

 Combining then these facts and statements derived from the classic 

 and for the most part hostile authors, I see no reason to refuse credit 

 to the British and other authorities which affirm that Caer Odor or 

 Bristol, Caer Malmud or Malmesbury, Crug-Lwyd or Cricklade, 



I 



