Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/48

Chap. I. OF MANCHESTER- 29 Roman Annals, Julius Agricola, entered their country at the head of a powerful army. The only Britons that now remained unconquered by the Romans, within the prefent kingdom of England, were fuch of the Carnabii as inhabited Chefhire, the Siftuntii and the Volantii,, and a part of the Gadeni and Otadini beyond both. Thefe therefore, the three firft of thefe at leaft, muft neceflarily have t>een the nations which Agricola attacked in his fecond cam- paign, and the names of which his hiftorian moft unaccountably lupprefles. As Agricola led his troops diseftly from the. Ordovices of North-Wales, he muft previoufly have fiibdued the Carnabii of Cheihire, and have invaded Lancaflfire from the fouth. Vi&o- rious over the Ordovices and the Carnabii, early in the fummer of 79. did he lead his troops to the conqueft of * Lancafhire.. And he would naturally diceft his march in two divifions, and enter die country in two places at once. The main body appears- to have advanced by the way of Warrington, defeated the refitt- ing Carnabii of the north-weftern marfhes, and attacked the very defenfible fortrefs of Veratinum, 3 .. And a confiderable party wa$ moft probably detached from the army at the fame inffant, croffed the Merfey at the indefenfible pafs of Stretford, marched along the fields of Traffbrd and the margin of the Irwell,. and ad- vanced up to the fortrefs of Mancenion . In this exigence* the condu£ of the Siftuntii and their allies was very different from the behaviour of the Brigantes. They wifely refolved to hazard no encounter with the Romans in the open field. They confined themfelves within their woods, ever hovering upon the lkirts of the Roman army, and ready to feize every opportunity of attacking it in the many -defiles of their forefts and moraffes and in the many paflages over their aeftuaries and rivers. But their, wifdbm was. ineffectual ta fave them.. In; the long march which Agricola made through the extent of their country, he did not afford them a fingle opportunity of at- tacking him to advantage. His fmaller detachments conftantly ftoured die woods and morafles that flanked the army on its march, ,