( 701 ) 
Repairing this Fortrcfs, to the i45d Year of Chrifl-. 
We may reafonably aferibe the Foundation to the pru- 
dent Adminiftration of Julius AgricoU,. in the Reign of 
Fl, Fefpafian, about 169 Years before. M Conlirmajion 
of this, I find the following Particulars very material, 
and think it not unbecoming to begin my Enquiry with 
Fefpafians firft Appearance upon the Theatre of Fame 
in Britain. 
fn the ^cond Year of the Emperor CL AXJD IV 
jAfin. Lorr. 44 , the Romans invaded Britain^ under the 
Command of Aulus Plautias, in which Expedition Pe- 
Jf afian *, then Legate of the Second Legion, made a glo- 
rious Figure ; having been engaged in no left than thirty 
Battels, and reduced two powerful Provinces, above 
I twenty Towns, and the Ifle of Wight. All thefe Suc- 
cefles, tho’ continued with good Improvements in fomc 
of the following Years and Governments , could not 
frighten the Natives into an entire Submiflion ; efpe- 
cially, no Ad varree being made into the Country of the 
Bri^ntfs^ till the Advancement of Vffpajtan to the Im- 
peril 'Th 7 on*e,‘‘libTur“i‘?r Years after, Ann. Dorn. 70. 
Then the w’hole Empire was deliver’d from the Miferies 
‘ of Nero's, and the fhort but lamentable Devaftations 
of the three fucceeding Reigns : Fefpajian then refblv’d 
to pulh on his begun Conquefts in Britain-, dioice 
Armies, commanded by experienced Generals, arc lent 
over; and the XX Legion, having in the preceding 
Troubles adfed feditiouny, ( nor without Difficulty 
, vyas reduced to fubmit to P'efpaftan ( mofi: of the Offi- 
^ cers as well as Soldiers having been advanced by Pi- 
Julius' A'grioola \s conftituted Legate, who, under 
the Govttnom'P etilius Cerealis, bore a confiderable Share 
* Suetonius f Cap, 4. 
in 
