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further, "that the Britons cheerfully submitted to conscription, 

 taxes, and other imposts, provided that injustice be withheld,"* he 

 resolved to eradicate all provocation to rebellion. The necessary 

 reforms were initiated in his own household, and were then 

 extended to the army, and equally to the defeated Britons. The 

 latter had been at the mercy of various governors, who had made 

 laws with regard to the payment of tribute and other matters which 

 were most irritating to the defeated Britons. All this Agricola 

 altered, especially providing against the extortion of the tax-gatherer, 

 which was more odious and intolerable than the tax itself By these 

 means he thus early acquired a favourable character for peace — a 

 most important consideration in view of his second campaign, and 

 one likely to greatly aid in bringing it to a successful issue ; for a 

 report of his terrible vengeance in battle, his clemency to those 

 who submitted to his rule, and, above all, his evident wish to treat 

 them fairly and considerately, would doubtless precede him. Nor 

 were active preparations for an advance in the following spring 

 delayed. Such preparations were doubtless made at Deva (Chester). 

 What the nature of these was, the brevity of Tacitus does not 

 supply; but we may be quite sure that the experience gained 

 during his previous campaigns under Cerealis amongst the Brig- 

 antes, would be largely turned to account. As soon as possible, 

 an advance was made "in quest of the enemy;" but in what 

 direction such advance was made, affords much room for specu- 

 lation. Probably he went by way of Mancunium (Manchester), 

 and so through the almost trackless wilds to Lancaster. Here 

 troubles and anxieties would meet him, for he was now on the 

 confines of a mountainous district, with two distinct routes in his 

 front, viz., one by the sea-coast of Cumberland, the other an inland 

 route. Much may be said both for and against each of these 

 routes ; but we may rest assured that Agricola would not commit 

 himself to either till he had fully considered both. Nor would his 

 decision be long delayed, otherwise it might have been taken as a 

 sign of weakness by his enemies. His quickness of perception, as 

 exhibited in his first campaign, would enable him to act with 

 * C. Comelii Taciti Agricola, cap. xix. 



