appeare that through the default of writers necligence of such as wrote afterwardes amonge whom Liuius euen of the Romanes themselues is touched with want of trust many thinges of greater importance then the departure of Brutus are yelded to obliuion And although Caesar call the Britaynes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say borne in the same countrey where they dwell And Diodorus siculus saieth that they were from the beginning yet doo I beleeue that Brutus came into Britayne with his traine of Troians and there tooke vpon him the gouernement of the auncient inhabitantes and of his owne men therof were called Britaynes For our coūtrymen vnto this day doo call a Britayne Brituun whiche woorde cometh not from the auncient name of the Ilande Prydain but from Brutus the kynge and our hystories call the Britaynes in the plurall numbre Brytaniaid and Brython whiche woordes are deriued from the name of Brutus For in deriuation of woordes our countrymen doo often turne V into Y the ignorance wherof did very much trouble my freende M. Leland But bycause this whiche wee haue sayd touchyng the name of the Ilande and the first inhabitantes therof seemeth sufficient for our purpose wee will now intreate of other matters Britayne which more rightly how beit more strangely ought to be called Prydain is deuided into three partes Lhoegria Albania and Cambria Lhoegria is called of our countrymen reseruyng as yet the old name that same parte of Britayne which beyng possessed by the English Saxons the Iuthi peoples of Germany is now of all nations called England For when Britayne by Maximus the Tyranne was bereft of all the youth a greate parte wherof was slayne with him at Aquilaeia the residew stoutly inuaded and possessed a parte of Fraunce called Armorica sleayng and driuyng thence the country dwellers Wherby that country at this day is called by the name of the Lesse and the Continent Britayne And here I must not let passe with silence that BEDE the Englishman Volaterranus and Polydorus Italians were shamfully ouerseene in saying that this Ilande tooke his name of that other beynge euident to all men that the same was termed Armorica whiche in our tongue is as muche to say vpon the Sea and this ours Britannia Neither was there euer any of the auncient Britaynes or Britons in Fraunce so farre as I knowe before Sidonius Apollinaris whiche liued a litle after this migracion that lefte anie remembrance of it But in an Epistle to Vincentius of Aruandus secretary which accused his Lorde of highe Treason thus he writeth This letter seemed to be sent to the kyng of Gothes or Gutland diswadynge him from peace with the Emperour of Greece and shewynge that the Britaynes vpon Ligeris ought to be set vpon So farre he But if as they dreame and also Coenalis whiche hath erroniously followed them the Britaynes had possessed some parte of Fraunce before that time and suche a parte as shoulde haue byn called Britayne as they doo affirme impudently enough it should not haue escaped vnspoken of of all the Romane writers vnto whom Fraunce was as wel knowne as Italy Howbeit our countrymen say that the Cornishmen and those were one nation whiche bothe the kynges names beyng like in bothe countries as Conane Meriadoc by whiche name a par cell of Denbygh shyre in Northwales is called to this day Hoel Alane Theodore Rywallone with diuers other and also the proper woordes and names for all thinges almost one although in theyr ioynynge and construction of speach they seeme a litle to differ as it chaunceth somtimes in one countrie do proue manifestly Our countrymen call it in theyr mother tongue Lhydaw which woorde seemeth to me to be derined from the Latine woorde Littus signifiyng the shoare as who should say it were a country liynge on the shoare of Fraunce For like as the Latines doo change D. in all our woordes into T euen so our countrymen do turne their T into D and doo alwayes in woords whiche beginne with L write them with aspiration as Lhadron borowyng the woorde Latrones from the Latines that is to say in English Theeues But to returne agayne from whēce wee haue digressed when as I haue sayd before the youth of Britayne was lead by Maximus into Fraunce those that were left at home were oppressed by the most cruell and sauage nations the Readshankes and Scottes lookyng for no succour from the Romanes whiche were then otherwise busied aboute the yeare of our Lorde 450. They called vnto them the Saxons whiche were then practising Pyracie on the coastes of Fraunce and Britayne gaue them wages to ayde them And whereas some write that before that time the Britaynes neuer knew the Saxons it may appeare to be false out of sundrie Authours For Claudianus where he inueigheth against Eutropius speaketh of them in these woordes aboute the yere of our Lorde 400. What I may do since thou my prince hast bin Thinges not farre hence can shew for Tethis doth begin To waxe more milde since Saxons thou hast quailde c. Lykewise of the forteth Consulship of Honorius The Orchades were wet with bloud of Saxons slayne And in another place Britayn speaketh And me she sayth with countries neare about who was destroyd Almost defenced well hath Stilico By whose helpe now it is that Scottish warres I doo not doubt Ne doo I dread the Picts ne doo I feare the Saxon rout By standinge on the shoare to see them come with doubtfull windes c. Also Sidonius Apollinaris whiche wrote aboute their commyng into England hansomly describeth their Pyracie in an Epistle to Lampridius Wee may behold the vvannish Saxons here Vsd to the Sea before to dread the shoare From of whose heads where outward they appere Their bittes content to hold not any more The shires their toppes of heare do clip shore So that their lockes cut hard vnto the skinne Do make their head decreace but face to winne And in his Panegiricus vnto Socer But also the Amorick coast the Saxons pyracie Wel hoped for ▪ to whom the British salts but playe it was All naked and with clouted boate the graysh Sea to pas Moreouer Sextus Rufus in his booke de Notitia Prouinciarum of the knowledge of Prouinces speaketh of the Earle of the Saxon shoare alonge both the Britaynes These I say beynge sufficiently knowne to the Britaynes before they sent them against the Scots and Readshankes vnder the conduct of one Hengischus Whom when they had ouercome they entred a Trayterous league with them and like false men turned theyr face agaynst theyr maisters And hauing slayne the whole nobilitie of Britayne by crafte at Ambrose hill and sendynge for ayde from amonge the Englishmen and Iuthj beyng Germans they vsurped the same countrie which wee call Lhoëgria And after almost infinite battels they draue the auncient inhabitantes into the ends and edges of the Ilande and parted the same between themselues
the Romans Antoninus also mentioneth PontiuÌ„ which appeareth now to be called Reading Thantique name of Spinae which signifieth Thornes continueth to this day in the one side of Neubery which is as much to say as New courte From whence a good way of vpon the riuer Cunetio standeth a famous Citie called Cunetio by the Romanes but now Marlborow Betweene these and the Sea lye the Simeni whose Metropolitane or cheif Citie is Venta which in fore times was a Citie of greate renowne and of the Britaynes called Caërwynt of the Englishmen VVynchester And at the Sea there is the great port called now Portesmouth at whose mouth there standeth a Citie called of olde Caërperis but now Portchester Also Tris Antonis an haueÌ„ now South hampton retaynyng the olde name Ouer against these lieth the I le of VVyght celebrated by the auncient Romane wryters and first subdued by Vespasian The same is in length xx miles and. x. in bredth in forme like to an egge in some places seuen miles distant from the mayne shoare and in others but twayne It hath very rough and craggie Cliffes it is very plentifull of Corne. The cheifest and only market towne of all the Iland is Newport There is also a Castle called Caërbro that is to say the tract for Nettes expressynge the Britysh antiquitie The VVestsaxons when they had driuen away the Britaynes added the same to their dominion vntill Cadwalla a Britayn hauing slaine Aruald recouered it to him self Englishmen call it the VVyght Britaynes terme it Gwydh whiche in our tongue signifieth perspicuous or easy to be seene as Gwydhgruc that is to say a perspicuous heape Gwydhfa a perspicuous place by which terme the most highest Mountayne of all Britayne in Carnaruanshyre is called The inhabitants of this Iland are wont to glory that their country is destitute of three greate discommodities that are founde in other countries to wit Foxes beggynge Fryers and Lawiers They are vnder the precincte and dioces of Southampton By the same Sea shoare alonge follow the Seueriani called now the inhabitantes of VVylshyre whose cheef citie is Caërseuerus called also Caër Câ—radoc and now by Englishmen Sarysbury Twixt these is S. Ambrose hyll celebrated by reason of the slaughter of the Nobilitie of Britayne there committed Also Shaftes bury knowne of olde to the Britaynes by the name of Caërbaladin and Caërsepton At the Westside of thâ—se lie the Durotriges called of vs Durugueir of the Englishmen Dorsetshyre men From whence more westerly are the Damnonij wée cal them at this day Dyfynnaint whiche signifieth deepe narow valleys not of the Danes as some affyrme These are called in English DeuonshyremeÌ„ and they lye betweene two Seas the Seuern and the British Oceane Their principall Citie is Isca called also AVGVSTA before time Caërwisk of the water passynge bie but now of the Englishmen Excestre Howbeit I know well enough that some affyrme that before it was called by the olde Britaynes Penuchelgoëd Last of all cometh Cornauia of the inhabitantes and our countrymen called Cernico of Englishmen Cornwal Here it is to be noted that the Saxons did thrâ—st the Reliques of the auncient Britaynes into those streightes Who because they vsed the Britysh tongue whiche the Saxons vnderstoode not they termed them Cornwalas that is to say WelshmeÌ„ of Cornauia or Cornwall as they called also our countrymen Welsh Britaynes after the German guyse This is the true Etimologie or cause of the name and farewel to them whiche pleasinge them selues in the inuention of the name doo call it Cornu Galliae to saye an horne of Fraunce wherein Polydorus as in other thynges also vttereth his ignorance As for mine opinion very auncient bookes doo confirme it written in the saxon tongue and the name also wherby those whiche inhabite the countrie do vsually cal it They speake the British language al their wordes almost are founde like vnto ours but that they differ sumdeale in construction of speache The promontorie of Cornauia now Cornwall is famous amongst our countrymen coÌ„monly called Penrhyngwaed that is to say the promontory of bloud whiche I suppose to be called of Ptolomaeus Antiuestaeum Beyonde the Damnonij or Deuonshire men nigh the course of Seuern lieth sometime the region of Murotriges wee call it Guladyr haf Englishmen Somersetshyre where are many notable auncient places séene as the Mounts of Caërmalet otherwise called Camalet There standeth also Iscalis now Ilcester and the Isle of Auolonia whose Citie is Venta now Brystow but in antique time the Britaynes called it Caër oder yn Nant Badon that is to say the Citie Odera in the vally of Badon Another towne of the Belgae with Ptolomaeus Aquae Calidae that is of hot water with Antoninus Aquae Solis of water of the Sunne the Britaines cal it Caërbadon the Englishmen Bathe and is very renowmed for holsom Bathes of hot waters Of whiche thynge I am a most certayne witnesse For when as by the stroke of an horse whiche I had caught at Myllayne in Italy I was greuously pained with the Sciatica continually the space of one whole yeare and hauing assayde the helpe of many excellently learned Phisitions was nothynge the better I vsed these Bathes but only sixe dayes and was restored to my former health Between these and the Thames head were the Dobuni now Claudiani whose cheefe towne in old time was called CoriniuÌ„ of the Britaynes Caër Cory the English men now terme it Cycestre And Claudia commonly called Glocester a famous Citie standyng vpon Seuern the head of all the shyre I suppose not to haue bin knowne to the Romanes but was afterward as Gyldas reporteth builded by Glouy a Britayne who after that the Romanes were driuen thence reygned there and not so named by Claudius Caesar as hereafter shal be shewen In the same shyre also standeth Malmesbury called before time Caërbladhon These shyres doo make the thyrde Kyngedome of Saxons in Britayne whiche they call VVestsaxons whose kynge was Egbert who hauinge subdued all the other first of the Germans obtayned the Monarchie of Lhoëgr Thus hauynge described the countries that lie on the Southside of the Thames let vs now come to the other in ordre And first ouer agaynst Kent on the other side of the Thames lie the Trinouantes whose prince was Mandubratius or as other write Androgorius our countrymen cal him Audâ—wy the same sent for Caesar intâ— Britayne and when he was come asisted him with his power and followed him into Italy and Thessalie Theyr chief Citie was builded by Brutus and was called Troynewith that is to say New Troy howbeit there be some whiche call it Trenouantum bycause Tre signifieth in British a Towne But afterwarde it was called of Belus whiche dwelt there Dinas Beli that is to say Belinus Palace or Courte Last of all of Lud brother to Caswallane whiche wonderfully adorned it with beutifull
were parted into twayne Wherof the one were called Scordisci and dwelled in Hungarye the other by the name of Brenni possessed parte of the Alpes by the mount Brennerus in Tirolensis shier whom Appianus calleth all by the name of Cymbri Which doo all shew that they were Britaynes For Bathynad in our country language signifieth a formed Iudge For Bath is beautie or forme Ynad with vs is a Iudge in authoritie next to the kynge For when Brennus was dead they chose him to their captayne Farther Yscar with vs is to seperate Yscaredic signifieth those which be seperated Wher of this part of Fraunce when it departed from the residew was termed Yscaredic from whence Scordisci is deriued retaynyng the name of Brennus captayne And Brynn in British is a Mountayne or Hill of whiche woorde Brynnerus was so called Ouer and besides this Gatheli or the Irishmen when as about this time they departed out of Cantabria now Biscay wandring vpon the Sea to seeke new dwellings called al Britaynes Brennach of Brennus their famous captayne by which name they call our countrimen to this day And thus much sufficeth to haue sayde of Brennus But wheras some affirme that the Frenchmen vsed the British tongue by certayne French wordes cited by Rhenanus Sidonius and Lazius it appeareth to be most false Notwithstanding I can not sufficiently marueyle that of the tongue of this most mighty nation whose bowndes are comprised by the Rhyn the Pyrenei mountes Appeninus and the Oceane there is almost no shew or token to be founde remayninge And that it was most auncient it appeareth out of Berosus Annius Giambularius and Postellus Wherby Gallia now Fraunce was so called of Rayne whiche the Hebrues call GAL and the Britaynes Glaw as who should say berayned or ouerslowed by the Diluge Notwithstanding the Spayniards although they were afflicted by the Romans the Catti the Alani the Vandali the Gothes the Sueui and Mauri or Moores yet in Cantabria called now BISCAY and ASTHVRIA â–ª for these are onlye the verie true Spanyardes and Hiberi they haue preserued their auncient spéeche For that which is coÌ„monly called the Spanish tongue is but a medly made out of the Latine Gothish and Arabick But let vs omit all these thynges and returne agayne vnto our Cambria called VVales whiche wee in our mother tongue doo terme Cymbri This more then foure hundred yeres since as Gyraldus hath very well noted the Englishmen after the fashion and maner of the Germans haue called VVallia that is VVales For when the auncient Almaines had sometime ioynyng next vnto them of Forreyners the Frenchmen whom they called VValli it came to passe that afterwarde they called all straungers and those whiche dwelt in other prouinces VValli and VVallisei Like as at this present as well Frenchmen as Italians and Burgundians they call VValli al thinges that come foorth of strange countries Walshe This coâ—ntry I say whiche that I may vse the woordes of Gyraldus by a false name yet most frequented at these dayes but lesse proper is called VVallia Wales conteyneth in length two hundred myles and aboute one hundred in breadth For it reacheth in length from the Hauen Gordwr in Mona called Anglysey vnto the hauen Eskewyn in Venta eight dayes iorney In breadth from Porth Mawr that is to say the greate hauen of Meneuia vnto Rhyd helig which the Britaynes cal VaduÌ„ Salicis the Englishmen Wyllowford aboute foure dayes iorney A land muche aboundynge and very well fortified with high Mountaines low Ualleyes great Woddes Waters â–ª Fennes In such sort that from time the Saxons first vsurped this Iland the residew of the Britaynes which departed into those coastes neither by the Englishmen longe agoe neither since by the Normans coulde be altogether subdued As for those which betooke them selues to the South corner whiche of their Captaynes name was called Conauia bycause it is not so well defensed were not able to resist For the thyrd part of the Britaynes whiche doo now remayne possessyng the Southerly sea coast of Fraunce a singulare good country was not traÌ„slated thither after the destruction conquest of Britayne but longe euer that by Maximus the Tyran Who after many sharpe battayles which the British youth sustayned vnder him durynge those warres was with this farthermoste shoare of Fraunce rewarded by the Emperours liberalitie Thus far Gyraldus This country sometime was inhabited only by the Britaynes but after ward the Englishmen began to possesse it vnto Offas ditch agaynst whom the welshmen made infinite warres vntill the commynge of VVylliam the Norman Under whose sonne Henry the Flemminges beyng then driuen out of their country by breaking in of the sea tooke vpon them the possession of Rosse a prouince of Demetia Who in many warres were prouoked by the Princes of VVales but alwayes valiantly defended them selues and theirs and at this day differyng from the VVelshmen in tongue and maners are yet in the same place recompted for Flemmynges The kynges of Englande especially Henry the First the Second and Third of that name callynge vnto them the Scots Irishmen and Cantabre Gascons did very much prouoke and molest this nation with continuall warres But the VVelshmen beyng deuided vnder three kynges whome they called Princes whiche was the very cause of theyr destruction defended them selues and their owne stoutly Howbeit certaine Regions of South wales as Rosse Gla Morgan Wenta Brechnocke and parte of Powys by Robert sonne to Hammon and certeyne worthy Erles of Glocester the Brussij the Bohunes Brian Gylford Adam of Newmercate but specially by Roger Mountgomery and his sonnes Hago whiche was slayne in Anglysey Robert of BELISINE and ARNVLPH whiche builded the Castell of Penbroke and the Fytzalanes Lordes of Oswastrey Clun were quayled and tamed in many battayles came into the right possession of the conquerours And Gwynedh although that part therof whiche lieth on this side Conway was first weakned by the erles of Chester afterwarde by the forenamed kynges which at the Riuer Cluda sundrie times wasted all with fier and sworde noÌ„twithstandyng after the departure of the kynges they draue the Englishmen thence and raced their Castels downe to the grounde and alwayes defended theyr boundes Untill the yere of our Lorde a thousande two hundred fourescore two Edward the first of that name leading a mighty armie agaynst prince Lewâ—lyn and an other arriuyng in the I le of Anglyâ—ey and vanquishynge the same from whence they entred into Aruon a region exceedyngly well fortified by naturall situation by a bridge made of boates in the very same place where sometime Agricola lead ouer his Souldiers Where the two armies ioynyng together vanquished a great multitude of the Gascons and Biernes with diuers other noble men brought them in subiection to the Englishmen When as also at the same time his third armie vnder the Erle of Glocestâ—e and Roger Martumar sacked and spoyled Southwales beyng
nothyng troubled with hunger nor cold neither wearied with martial affayres neither fallynge into desperation by aduersitie but soone redie to rise vp after a fall and prest by and by agayne to assay the peril of war as in battayle easie so in continuance of warre harde to be ouercome Wherby Claudianus seemeth to speeke of the nature of the same nation saying If that their harts you let a whyle To rest so many slaughters they deuoyd of sence doo seeme To take and of smale price the losse of so much bloud to deeme Thus much he and more whiche shortly god willyng shal be set forth Now let vs come to the description of the lande This lande after the British destruction was deuided into six RegioÌ„s as I read of late in a very auncient booke written of the lawes of the Britaynes For sayth that booke after that the Saxons had vanquished the Britaynes obtayned the Scepter of the Realme and the crowne of London all the people of Wales assembled together at the mouthe of the Riuer Deuey to choose a kynge And yno i Doethant Gwyr Gwynedh à Gwyr Powys à Gwyr Deheubarth à Reynnwc ac Esylluc à Morganuc That is to say and thither came men of Gwynedh and men of Powys and men of Deheubarth and of Reynnucia and of Syllucia and Morgania they chose Maylgun whom others call Maclocunius of Gwynedh to be their kynge This was aboute the yere of our Lorde â—60 Howbeit afterward in the lamentable conflict agaynst Ethelfredus kynge of Northumberland are recited the kings of Dynetia whiche falsly they call Demetia of Guenta of Powysia and of Northwales And in another place â—ention is made of the kinges of Stra 〈…〉 Cluyde So that hereby it is easely 〈…〉 ered that this country was subiect 〈…〉 iuers petikinges or Erles vnto 〈…〉 e of Roderike the great who ob 〈…〉 the Monarchie of al VVales the yere of our Lorde 843. deuidyng it into three partes whiche he left in possession of his three sonnes For vnto Meruinius as Gyraldus termeth him to whom I consent his eldest sonne he gaue Gwynedh to Anaraudus whome some make the eldest Powys to Cadelhus the youngest Deheubarth And that I may vse the woords of Gyldas Southwales was alotted to Cadelhus with the blessyng and goodwil of all the people which they call Deheubarth which is as much to say as the right side Which although in quantity it be farre the biggest notwithstandyng by reason of noble men which in the welsh tongue are called Vchelwyr that is to say high men wherwith it aboundeth whiche were wont to rebell agaynst their Lordes to defie them in armur it séemed to be the worser This diuision whilst their posteritie conteÌ„ded among themselues in Ciuill warre and ech of them alone with the Englishmen in externall at last destroyed the kyngedome of wales The cheefest of these kyngdomes whiche the inhabitantes call Gwynedh Englishmen Northwales the Latine writers corruptly Venodotia had in auncient time these limites On the Weast and North sides it hath VergiuiuÌ„ or the Irish Oceane at the Southwest and by South the Riuer Deuye Wherby it is cut of from Southwales On the South and East sides it is seuered from Powys and England with high Hilles and somtime with waters vnto the force of the Riuer Dee The same also was parted into foure Regions which conteined fiftéene Cantredi which signifieth an hundred villages The principallest of these Regions was the I le of Anglysey of whom wee haue spoken in another place in the same was a kynges Palace the seate of Northwales in Aberfraw whereof the kinges of Gwynedh haue the name of the kinges of Aberfraw For in the lawes of Howel Dha that is to say good Howel of walles both kynge and lawier which I haue seen written both in the British and Latin tongues it was decreed that like as the kynge of Aberfraw ought to pay threescore and thrée poundes for tribute vnto the kynge of London So likewise the kinges of Dinesur an Matrafall were seuerally bounde to pay so much Whereby it appeareth that this kinge was the cheefest prince of al wales About Anglysey be diuers litle Ilands as Ynis Adar that is to say the I le of Byrdes sometime but now it is called Ynis Moylrhoniaid to witte the I le of Whales in English Ysterisd Also Ynis Lygod that is the I le of Myse and the I le Seirial in english Preêstholme The seconde Region of Gwynedh called Arfon as who should say aboue Anglysey the best fortified parte of all VVales For it centeyneth the highest Mountaynes and Rockes of all Britayne which wee terme Yriri the Englishmen Snowdowne because they carie Snow For height and plentie of cattayle scarce inferiour to the Alpes It hath in it many Riuers and standing Waters Beyonde whose farthest promontory called Lhynus lieth an I le whiche Ptolomaeus termeth Lymnos our countrymen Eulhi the EnglishmeÌ„ Bardesey that is to say the I le of the Bardi In Arfon oueragaynst Anglysey stoode an auncient Citie called of the Romans SegontiuÌ„ of the Britaynes Caërsegont of a Riuer whiche passeth therby But now out of the ruynes therof there is a new Towne and a Castle founded by Edward the first of that name kyng of England called Caër Arfon that is to say a Towne vpon Anglysey And not farre from thence oueragaynst Anglysey lieth the Byshops See of Banchor And vpon Conway water which there ebbeth and sloweth standeth Conway of our countrie men called Aberconwy a walled towne builded by the same kynge Then followeth Meridnia with vs Merionydh and Gyraldus calleth it the land of the sonnes of Conauius The same as he sayeth is the most roughest and sharpest of al VVales hauynge in it moste highest Mountaynes The people vse longe Speares wherwith they be of greate force as the Southwales men with their Bowes so that an Harnies cannot beare it of So much he The Sea coast there by occasion of great Herryng takyng is much frequented by people of diuers countries In the same standeth the Towne Harlechia by the Sea side And within the lande is the great lake Tegid through which the riuer Dee whiche wee call Douerduwy that is to say the water of Dee floweth Where it is worthe the notyng that there is in that Ponde a peculiar kinde of Fish which is neuer founde in the runnynge water neither the Salmons wherof the Riuer is full doo euer entre into the Lake In this country and in Arfon are seene greate multitude of Deare and Goates vpon the high Hilles And these two countries of all Wales cam last into the power of the EnglishmeÌ„ Neither did the people of this country euer frequent domestical incursioÌ„s but before our time alwaies séemed to obey lawes rightfully The farthest last part of Gwynedh is called of our couÌ„trimen Berfedhwlad that is to say the inward and midland region and is seuered from
13 Englishmen whence descended 12 Erles of Glocestre 58 Etymology of Britayne 8 Etymology of Gaulle 56 Euboniae 49 Example of Gods iudgement 69 Exceter 17 F Famyly of Stuarts in Scotland 34 Famyly of Grayes in England 67 Famyly of Fitzalanes 72 Flauia 35 Flemmyngs driuen out of their owne country what place they possessed 57 Flint towne 69 Forest of Deane 74 Franci whence supposed to haue sproÌ„ge 53. France bounded 56 G Gadini 47 Glocester by whom builded 19 Golden numbre confuted reiected 68 Gwynedh 58. whence the kynges therof so called 64 Grancestre 23 Gyldas reprooued 93 Gyldo 42 Gylford 16 Gyllus vsurper 42 H Hamo with his xii knightes 80 Hastinge 93 Hebrides 49 Hengiscus sent agaynst the Scots and Readshankes 12 Henry the seconde vanquished 92 Henry the fourth 59 Henry the seuenth ib. Henry the eight 60 Henry Erle of Lincolne builded a castle 66 Herald last kyng of Danish bloud 25 Hereford where it lieth 74 Herryng takyng 65 HiberneÌ„ses afterward called Scots 44 Hierome Russelle reprooued 28 Hierhauts and Hierhautrye by Welsh men diligently retayned 7 Holt. 70 Hopa 72 How many cities so many kyngdomes in Britayne 32 Huntingtonshire â—4 I Iceni what region they inhabited 23 Idiome or proprietie of the British tongue 3 Iernaei 4 Ilands about Anglysea 64 Ilcestre 18 Irishmen called afterward Scots 44 Irland 49. by whom first endued with Christianitie 63 Iulius the martyr where buried 82 K Kennethus kyng of Scots 38 Kent 14 Kynton 74 Kynge of Englandes eldest sonne Prince of Wales 59 Kynge Arthur 91 Kynge of Powys why swallowed into the earth 69 L Lancashyremen how termed of old 32 Landas where it standeth 80 Landonia 47. of the Readshankes how called 48 Lhanydlos 73 Lasciuiousnes of the Scots 43 Latitude of Wales 57 Legion cities site described 82 Lemster 74 Letters of the Britaynes their ordre forme and pronunciation 1. Leycestershyremen 25 Lyncolnshyremen 24 London by whom builded amplefied the names therof 19. a colony of the Romans 20 Longitude of Wales 56 Lucopibia how termed and where it standeth 30 Ludlaw 74. Lychfyeld 25 M. Meatae 48 Mà ilor deuided 70 Malmsbury 19 Maluernhilles 74 Manchester 32 Mandubratius sent for Caesar into Britayne 19 March a kyngdom of England 27. 32 Authours whose names and woorkes are cited in this Booke Ammianus Annius Antoninus Appianus Aristoteles Athenaeus Aurelius Victor Beatus Rhenanus Beda Boëthius Berosus Caesar. Capgraue Claudianus Crantzius Diodorus Siculus Dion Eliote Eutropius Frossartus Giambularius Gothus Gyldas Gyraldus Haymo Armenius Hieronomus Hierono Russellus Herodianus Huntingtonensis Iuuenalis Lampridius Lazius Lelandus Lucanus Maior Mamertinus Malmsburiensis Marcellinus Marianus Scotus Marius Niger Mela. Meyerus Orosius Panuinius Parisiensis Paulus Diaconus Pausanias Plinius Plutarchus Polybius Polydorus Postellus Ptolomaeus Sextus Rufus Sidonius Apollinaris Spartianus Solinus Suetonius Sigisbertus Tacitus Regino Rhicuallensis Robertus Coenalis Virgilius Virunnius Volateranus Vopiscus Wilhelmus Paruus The Epistle of the aucthour To the most adorned and best deseruynge to be reueren ced of al that loue the knowledge of the Mathematicks Abraham Ortelius of Andwarp DEARLY beloued Ortelius that day wherein I was coÌ„stayned to depart from London I receyued your Description of ASIA ad before I came home to my house I fell into a very perillous Feuer which hath so torne this poore body of mine these x. continuall dayes that I was brought into despayre of my life But my hope Iesus Christe is layde vp in my bosome Howbeit neither the dayly shakynge of the continuall Feuer with a double Tertian neither the lookyng for present death neither the vehement headache without intermission coulde put the remembrance of my Ortelius out of my troubled brayne Wherfore I send vnto you my Wales not beutifully set forth in all poinctes yet truly depeinted so be that certeyn notes be obserued which I gathered euen when I was redy to die You shall also receaue the description of England set forth as well with the auntient names as those which are now vsed and an other England also drawne forth perfectly enough Besides certein fragmentes written with mine owne hande Which notwithstandynge that they be written foorth in a rude hande and seeme to be imperfect yet doubt not they be well grounded by proofes and authorities of auntient writers Which also if God had spared me life you should haue receaued in better order and in all respects perfect Take therfore this last remembrance of thy Humfrey and for euer adieu my deare friend Ortelius From Denbigh in Gwynedh or Northwales the. xxx of August 1568. Yours both liuyng and diyng Humfrey Lhuyd ¶ THE BREVIarie of Britayne c. FOR so much as â–ª in my last letters which I wrote vnto you right learned Sir in the which I promised within few dayes after to send you the Geographicall Description of all Britayne set foorth with the most auncient names as well Latine as Brittysh wherin I must muche disagrée from th' opinions of learned men I thought it expedient first in a fewe wordes to disclose theffect of my purpose to all by what argumentes and aucthoryties of the learned I am mooued partly to change partly to ascribe vnto other otherwise then those which wrote before me haue done the names of CouÌ„treyes Townes Ryuers other places Whiche before I take in hande to do I purpose to entreate a lytle of the knowledge of the Britysh tongue of the signification of the Letters and the maner of pronouncinge the same Wherby the trewe name both of the whole Iland and of many places therin may be manifest The ignorance of whiche tongue hath driuen many notable men to suche shiftes that endeuorynge to winde them selues oute of one they haue fallen into many moe and those more grosser errours The ordre and signification of the letters is this as followeth A. B. D. E. H. L. M. N. O. P. R. S. T. They haue the very same pronounciation in the Britysh tongue whiche they haue in the Latine well pronounced C. and. G. haue the same force and signification beynge placed before all the Uowelles that they haue before A. and O in the Latine tongue CH. expresseth the nature of χ. called chi among the Grecians and hath no affinitie with the pronounciation in Frenche or Englysh of the same aspiration but is sounded in the throte like Cheth in the Hebrew Double DD as it is coÌ„monly written amongst our countrey men or amongst the learned after this maner DH is pronounced lyke the Greeke Delta or lyke the Hebrew Daleth without Dagas We vse F alwayes for V when it is a consonant as Lhanfair is in reading called Lhanuair for V is alwayes a vowell In steede of the latine F wee vse PH or Ff. We make I continually a vowell as the Gréekes do and is pronounced as the Italian I or rather as as the barbarous vnlearned Préestes in tymes past sounded E. We haue also a peculiar Letter to our selues whiche the ruder sort fashion
to accomplish the better wee must something say before Caesar which first of all the Romanes hath celebrated the name of this Iland in the Latine tongue called it Britannia Whom almost all other Latine writers imitating haue not changed the same name Notwithstandynge onely Syr Thomas Eliote a Knight whose learninge is not to be contemned hath stande vp of late amongst vs who contendeth not without good reason and probabilitie that it was called in olde time Prytannia whiche he proueth by a very auncient Copie that he had in his handes But where he saieth that it was termed so in Greke for the plentie and abundance therof surely I which doo quite reiect suche deriuations do not allow it yet yeldyng rather to the name of Prytannia then Britannia the authoritie of which auncient fragment I wil endeuour to confirme with weightie reasons But because in so doing I shall appeare to bryng forth certaine paradoxes and opinions not heard of before the better to satisfi◠both my countreimen the Britaynes in Wales and others I will lay foorth my purpose before all mens eyes not cleauyng so precisely to mine owne opinions but that if any man can bryng me more better and more certayne I will quickly yelde vnto them In the meane while alwayes reseruinge the iudgement of the learned you shall haue mine opinion When I chaunced of late yeres to come to the sight of Polydorus Virgilius the Italian and Hector Boethius the Scot their British histories wherof the first maynfully sought not onely to obscure the glory of the British name but also to defame the Britaynes them selues with sclandrous lies The other while he goeth about to rayse his Scots out of darknesse and obscuritie what euer he findeth that the Romanes or Britaynes haue doone worthy cōmendation in this Ilande all that he attributeth vnto his Scottes like a foolish writer Wherfore beyng prouoked by these iniuries that I might the better guard my sweet country from suche inconueniences vnto my smale power I began to peruse all suche auncient hystories both Greeke and Latine as euer had wroten of Britayne or the Britaynes causing not onely all such sentences but eche woord also to be copied foorth to the intent that thereout as of a thicke and plentifull wood I might gather sufficiēt timbre to frame a British hystorie And not only continued in readyng straunge writers but also the most antique fragments of our Poetes which at this day retaining therin as in all other thinges els the olde name are called Bardi together with hystories written in the British tongue which of late so farre as I suppose were by me first translated into English And not onely conferred the deeds but also the names of Kynges and places in both tongues where I haue noted that Britannia was first called Prydain amongst vs as appeareth in the most auncient bookes of pedegrees Wherin the Welshmen are too too curious hauing amongst them cōtinually certaine regesters of pedegrees and discentes which some call Hierhauts which perpetually doo recorde in writynge and memory the names of parentes with their children contriuinge them into Tribes as thei wer deuided in olde time They thinke as well of them selues as either the Frenchmen the Turkes or Latines deriuing their originall from the Troians In these bookes as I saye it is many times founde that this Iland was called Prydain as Paun post Prydain that is to say the cheefist Post or Piller of Britayne A certeyne writer also whiche wrote many hundreth yeares agoe amongste the olde valiant Britaynes sheweth the same besides that the Poetes and those whiche they call Bardi at this day doo frequent commonly that woorde as Post Prydáin olh Pryd à nerth that is to say the piller of all Britayne the beutie and strength Moreouer it is vsually founde in all our bookes Ynys Prydain that is to say the Iland of Britayne and Phrainc à Phrydain that is Fraunce and Britayne Wherby those that vnderstande the tongue may easely gather that our Britaynes called this Iland Prydain in their language which the Latines for the hardnesse and euill sounde therof haue reiected and haue called the countrey Britannia and the people Britanni for the more gentle and pleasant soundes sake Whiche I wil prooue by these stronge arguments followyng Euery Britysh woorde as wee haue sayde before whose first radicale is P hath three variations in construction namely into B PH and MH The name of Britayne amongst vs sometime beginneth with B sometime with PH and sometime with MH Wherefore the first radicale therof must needes be P. And another infallible argumēt thereis that B is not the first radicale of that name Theris no British woord whose first radicale letter is B that abideth any change into P or PH. But the name of Britayne amonge the Britaynes as the proprietie of the tongue requireth sometimes beginneth with P sometime with PH as I haue shewed before wherfore the name of Britayne hath not B for his first radicale letter Neither is it necessarie that we◠should seeke the deriuation of this name from the Greekes since wee may finde the reason of it in our owne tongue wherin almost all names of men and places are of them selues significant Pryd amongst vs signifieth comlinesse or beutie Cain signifieth white So that by the ioyning of these two wordes together taking away C in composition for the better soundes sake is made Prydain that is to say a white or excellent bewtie or comlinesse As who shoulde say the first borderers therto called it a fayre and fertile lande But seynge this is but a bare coniecture I am not against it but that euery man holde his owne opinion Neither am I ignorant that some very well learned men and expert in the British tongue doo write the Ilandes name with B. which I thinke they doo rather followynge therein the Latines then iudginge the same to be the true name knowyng the proofes which I haue before alledged to b◠so vndoubtedly certaine that themselues cannot deny thē Perhaps here wil stande foorth som enemie to the British name sayinge that by these arguments I do disproue both the commyng of Brutus into this Ilande and Polydorus himselfe with his Britysh hystorie But god forbyd I should be so impious in such wyse to dispise the maiestie of Antiquitie Nay rather when opportunitie shal be offered I purpose to confirme by bringinge foorth many weighty reasons and authorities whiche I haue readie in stoare for a British Hystorie both his cumming and also to establish the credite of the British hystorie Nothinge regardinge the folly of those who bycause they finde not the name of it in the Romane hystories boldely denie that there is any suche in the worlde at all seynge vnto those that shall reade Halicarnasseus and Liuius so much disagreyng and also considerynge the obscuritie of the Latine name at that time when Brutus passed out of Italy into Greece it shall easely
called in Latin Deua of the riuer whiche wee terme Dourdowy to say the water of Dee The Englishmen call it Legancestre and afterward clippyng the name shorter called it Chester and the Citizens doo glory that they haue the body of Henry the fourth Emperour whome they affirme to haue yelded vp the Empyre and haue betaken him selfe to an Hermites life And so are they likewise perswaded of Herald who was the last kynge of the Danish bloud More East from these are the Doruentani now Derbishyremen so termed of theyr cheifcitie Dwrguent whiche is as muche to say as white Water All these shyres and conuentes with a great parte of VVales as farre as the renowmed ditche of Kyng Offa of whiche wee will speake hereafter made vp the sixt kingedome of English Saxons in Britayne which of the ryuer Merse was called the kyngedome of Mercij or March. Here now I cannot sufficientlye merueile how VVolfangus Lazius a man excellently learned and very well deserued of all that be studious of antiquitie in his greate worke of the Migration of nations should be so muche deceaued as to say that the Mertij or people of March were Marcomanni and the their kynges Penda Offa with all the rest reigned in the lower Germany Beyng most euident in all hystories that there was neuer any such kyngdome there and that these kynges peoples whom he affirmeth to haue dwelled in Germany inhabited that country of Britayne whiche wée now describe Likewise while he endeuoreth to lynke together the discentes and pedegrees of the Norman bloud of the kynges of England he handleth them so confusely so far besides truth that it seemeth he neuer read either the names or order or deedes of the kinges but it is rather likely that he learned theÌ„ by hearesay of some babling vnlearned foole that had no regarde of his good same or honestie As a nother hath â—oone of late dayes a man famously learned in the Mathematikes in his Geographical chart of this Ilande And besides these Hieromus Ruscellus in his Ptolomaeus lately printed at Venice while he goeth aboute to set foorth new names correspondent to the olde confoundeth places an hundreth miles distant one from another namely Colchester and VVynchester Neither in other places ar his gheasses any thynge more certayne wherefore I exhorte men not to trust him in this behalfe There remayneth the seuenth and last kyngedome of Saxons in Englande whiche they termed Nordan Humbrorum because it standeth at the Northecoast of Humber The same was afterwarde deuided into two kyngedomes of the Deeres and Bernices The kyngedome of Deera contayned all the country from Humbre and Trent to the Riuer Tyssa Bernicia reached from Tyssa to the Scottish Sea whiche they call now Fyrthew the Britaynes terme this same Brennich the other Deifyr The inhabitantes of this region especially south warde are called Snotyngomenses but now most coÌ„monly NotingamshiremeÌ„ Next vnto these are Yorkeshyremen who of the Romans were called Brigantes of whom Tacitus writeth thus Petilius Caerealis fought many batailes wherof some were not vnblouddy agaynst the Citie of the Brigantes which is reported to be the place of resorte to the whole populous prouince and obtayned a greate parte of the Brigantes either by victory or els by fight All these the liyng champion of the Scottysh name Hector Boëthius sticketh not to put into his Gallouidia and to proue the same by argumentes gathered out of Ptolomaeus and Tacitus But how much Ptolomaeus was deceaued trustyng to the report of others in describing the length and bredth of places in Britayne for he writeth that Scotland lieth forth to the East that the farthest Promontorie therof is viij degrees more Easterly then any place of England whiche in this paralelle do make aboute 240 miles whiche is altogether vntrue seyng Englande standeth more to the East then Scotlande â—â—the is as cleare as day light to all those that haue tasted of Cosmography But Ptolomaeus is to be pardoned beyng an Egyptian borne and excellently well learned in Mathematicals who hath done the best he coulde but not foolish and impudent Boëthius borne and brought vp no farther of then ScotlaÌ„d He speaketh thus of Tacitus that he beyng a graue author affyrmeth that the Brigantes were a Spanish broode dwellyng in a farre corner of Britayne farther then any durst auouche that at his time the Britaynes had passed O impudent face where aboute did Tacitus speake thus of the Brigantes He seemeth to deriue the Siluri by a colour from the Spanish broode because they lye ouer agaynst Spayne Gallouida is farther from Spayne then any Region of Englande or VVales And that in Tacitus time the Brigantes were first knowne to the Romans I confesse it but he findeth it not in Tacitus and not mindefull of him selfe as it behoueth a lier to be he calleth not to remembrance that he wrote in another place that Claudius the Emperour adioyned also vnto his Empyre the Orchades whiche lie beyonde Scotland But let vs bid faythlesse Hector a dieu and let vs now also see what the auncient writers haue writen of the Brigantes Ptolomaeus reciteth the Cities of Brigantes Eboracum Epiacum Calatum Bimonium CaturactoniuÌ„ Rhigodunum Isurium Olicana with others All men know that Eboracum is that Citie whiche the Britaynes call Caër Efroc the Englishmen Euerwyke and now shorte Yorke Of the rest wee doo but coniecture as Bimonium to be Bincestre Calatum which Antoninus and Bede cal Calcaria to be Helicastre now Tadcastre Rhigodunum Rippon and Olicana Haligfex And that Isurium is called Aldburg There was neuer any man that dreamed that these Cities were in Scotland But Antoninê° ascribeth theÌ„ to the BrigaÌ„ts placeth them in the way which leadeth to London from the Ually PraetoriuÌ„ for that there was a vally from the riuer Soluathianus to the mouth of Tine al do knowe I conclude therfore that it is impossible that the Brigants were euer in Scotland In so muche that the remembrance of this name remaineth vntill this day amongst vs For when we sée any man not duly obeing lawes coÌ„maundements him wée cal Chwaret Brigans that is to say one that plaieth the Brigant And like as they were rebelles agaynst the people of Rome so doth he contempne the lawes of Magistrates and of Elders And surely I am of beleefe that all Deera before time was called Brigantia Ptolomaeus placeth the Vernicones and Taiazalos betweene the Riuers Tine and Tweede This country alonely now refayneth the name of Northumberland when al the region before time from that riuer to the Scotish Sea was called by that name For there is no riuer in all Britayne that hath the name of Humbre but only the water into whom many notable streames do flow Wherby our freend M. Leland not with out good cause supposed that the same should be called Aber whiche amonge the Britaynes signifieth an arme of the Sea either swiftnesse or fall of any
they come of Englishmen where as they and the Englishmen coumpte the other Scots but rude and barbarous These nations as I say vntill that Honorius came to the Empyre whiche was aboute the yere of the Lorde foure hundred and twentie molested the North parte of Britayne with incursions and robberies at whiche time hauyng called a power out of Ireland to helpe them as Gyldas and Bede doo auouch vnder conducte of Reuda established them selues a kyngdome in the West parte of Albania But the Readshanks possessed the East region whereas first they made warre agaynst the Romans and the Britaynes and afterwarde with the Englishmen and Danes sometime they were confederate sometime they warred diuersly vntill aboute the yere of our Lorde eight hundred and fortie all the Readshankes were destroyde by Kennethus kinge of Scottes in somuch that their name and kyngedome ceased to be any longer in Britayne Whose country the Scottes added vnto theyr owne whiche to this day is renowmed in Britayne This much I had to say of the Scots and Readshankes according to the verity of the hystory Howbeit I know well how Boethius a most vayne reporter of Fables impudently affirmeth that they reigned in Britayne three hundred yeres before Christe was borne And he feineth that there were so many kinges so many warres by them most valiently waged agaynst the Romans so many holsome lawes and statutes in Britayne by them instituted as neither Lucian in his Fabulous narrations neither the author of the booke of Amadis of Gaule nor wittie ARIOSTVS in his Orlando Furioso haue euer commended vnto vs in Fables But to the intente that I may set foorth the most beastly man in his colours that the sleight and subtelty wherwith he endeuoureth to bleare all mens eyes may be displayed I will briefly touche certayne of his most vayne trifles suche as all men of wit and vnderstandynge may easely perceaue to be starke lies And here I let pas Aegiptian fables and of the stocke and race of Scottish kynges in Britayne before Caesars coÌ„myng Where he affyrmeth that Caesar was vanquished by the Scots and fled out of Britayne Who afterwarde sent Ambassadours vnto the Scots and Readshankes to request their freindship and that at last he conducted his Roman armie in to the Forest Caledonia Also that Augustus sent his messengers vnto Metellus kynge of Scots to entreate him for peace Moreouer he maketh Cataracus a Britaine and sonne to kynge Cynobellinus as Dion a most famous author reporteth Kynge of Scotland He sticketh not to auouche that the Brigantes Siluri and Ordouici were Scots He sheweth how dangerous the expedition was of Claudius the Emperour and describeth greate warres betweene him and Canus the kynge of the Orchades He writeth that Voadicia the most renowmed queene of Iceni whose valient deedes agaynst the Romans Tacitus and also Dion haue made knowne to the world Veusius Earle of Brigantes Cartimandua the Queene were all Scots And finally there is no one thinge wherein the Romans or Britaynes behaued them selues couragiously or wysely in Britayne which this monstre doth not ascribe vnto his fayned Scots and whiche at that time were vnknowen to the worlde And he hath not only transcribed the minde but also whole sentences and orations of Tacitus into his booke alwaies changynge the names of nations and cities like a malicious falsefier with out al shame or honestie He sayth Caesar Tacitus wrote these thinges of the Readshankes and those of the Scots that these nations made suche and so many Warres when as in deede the names of Scots or Readshankes are not at all to be founde in these most noble writers And truly it is not like that Caesar beyng avery wise gentleman when he had throughly learned the state maners of the Britaynes and Irishmen would with silence haue ouerpassed the names of the Scots and Readshankes specially hauynge sent Embassadours vnto their kynges Neither is it probable that Tacitus a famous man and very expert in the state of Britayne and other countries when he describeth the expeditions of Agricola his father in lawe in to Britayne and as it were depeynteth foorth the Sheyres Peoples Portes and Riuers of that region by their proper names maketh mentioÌ„ of a certeine Erle of Ireland taken by Agricola knew not also the names of Scots and Readshankes with whom Boethius â—ayneth he waged that warre when as in euery place he seemeth to cal the inhabitants of Albion Britaynes And it had stoode much more with Agricolas honour beyng a worthy man whom Tacitus also by his workes endeuoreth to make more noble to haue subdued vnknowen nations and suche as â—ead on mans â—leash such as it shal be prooued that the Scots were long time after rather then the Britaynes which were sufficieÌ„tly knowne to the Romans Also Dion a man which had byn Consul and familiar with Seuerus the Emperour and vnto him dearly beloued whilst he declareth his expedition into Britayne at large not once speaketh of the Scots or Readshankes bâ—yng very well knowne to all men that he conueyed all his force and power into Albania or Scotland For quoth Dion the Meati Caledonij two diuerse kindes of Britaines reuolted from the Romans and Seuerus callyng together his souldiers coÌ„maunded them to innaâ—e theyr countrie and kill all that euer they met and thus he charged them in these woordes Let none escape your hands away nor cruell blouddy broyle No tender impe though in her wombe the dame ther with do toyle Let him not scape a woful death When Seuerus came into Caledonia he fought neuer a battell neither saw he any power of his enemies in a redinesse and so passyng throughout all his enemies land hauyng not lost in fight but by water and hunger fiftie thousand men returned vnto his fellowes If the Scots had bin in Britayne at that time the reporter herof being a freend neither after him Herodian who in sufficient longe discourse hath set foorth that viage woulde haue defrauded an Emperour so ambitious and thirsty of honour as Seuerê° was of his due praise Wherefore it is as euident as noone dayes that at this time whiche was about two hundred and two yeres after the incarnation of our Lorde the Scots had no seat in Britayne Ouer and besides al this neither Eutropius neither Spartianus neither Capitolinus neither Lampridius neither Vopiscus nor Aurelius victor who haue all written the expeditions and warres of the Roman Emperours in Britayne haue in any plate made mention of the Scottish or Readshank name Although therefore I suppose that these arguments are sufficient to improoue and condemne the â—eere trifles of Boethius notwithstandynge I will lightly touche twoo of his Hystories which by the author are setfoorth at large enough with woordes a foote and an halfe longe But I pray you When ye be let to looke your laughter freends you would refraine In the seconde booke of his fables he writeth how that Ptolomaeus Philadelphus kynge
call it Mur seuerus that is to say Seuerus wall and in another place Gual seuerus Seuerus vally at this day In this region standeth EdeÌ„burge the seat of the kinges of Scotland somtime builded by Eboracus kyng of Britaynes called also Castle Mynyd agnes that is to say the castel of S. Agnes hil afterward the Castel of Virgins The water there which is now called Forthea was called the Picticum Sea and afterward the Scottish Sea and thus farre stretched the kyngedome of Northumberland Tacitus calleth the same Bodotua howbeit Polydorus so termeth the Riuer Leuinus whiche out of the lake Lomundus floweth into Cluyda For saith he Glota and Bodotua two diuers armes of the Sea ruÌ„nyng forth a greate length are kept a sundre with a narrow peece of grounde Wherfore Bodotua floweth not into Glota neither is it any riuer but an arme of the Sea therefore it cannot be Leuinus by any meanes Beyonde these armes of the Sea dwelled the Caledonij the most nobliest nation of Albania where now the inlande Scots inhabite At the East parte was Horestia now Angusia Fisa and Mernia At the VVest were the Epidij and more towards the North the Creoni And after these the Canouaci where now Lennosia Argadia and Lorna are The Carini possessed Loguhabria the Logi Strathnauernia And at the other Sea coast the Cauti Morauia and Rossia And the Cornabij which are farthest of al inhabited Sutherlandia and Cathanisia And wheras Boethius writeth that in the time of Claudius the Emperour the Moraui came by an whole Nauie into Scotland it is most false as appeareth in Hystories For the nation of the Slaui wherof the Moraui tooke theyr beginnyng was altogether vnknowen to the worlde vntil the time of the Emperour Mauritius aboute the yere of our lorde 600. The Marcomanni also and the Quadi inhabited those places whiche afterward the yere of our Lorde 900. beyng vnder Arnulphus began by Zuentebaldus kynge of the SLAVI to be called the kyngdome of Morauia Beyonde Scotlande in the Germane Oceane are the Ilandes called Orchades wherof the biggest is called Pomonia And on the other side of Albania in the sea Vergiuium which the Britaynes call Norweridh as who should say the Irishe Sea from whence I coniecture that the antique name Vergiuium was deriued lie the Iles Hebrides in nuÌ„bre two and fortie of others called Euboniae The I le of Anglisea is none of these as I will shew in another place And not far hence lieth Ireland an Iland also whiche our countrymen call Ywerdhon the inhabitants Verni Wherby in my opinion they do farre better which terms it Iuernia as Mela and Iuuenal in his seconde Satyre or Ierna as Claudianus and Dionysius rather then Hibernia now Ireland The Britaynes and Scots doo call the inhabitantes by one name Guyddhyl THus hauynge â–ª ended the description of Scotland with the Ilandes liyng thereabout let vs now proceede to wales the third part of Britayne The same is deuided froÌ„ Lhoëgr that is England by the Riuers Seuern d ee and on euery other side is enuironed by the VergiuiuÌ„ or Iris he Oceane And it was called Cambria as our Chronacles doo report of Camber the thyrde sonne of Brutus like as Lhoëgr of Locrinus and Albania of Albanactus his other sonnes also This same only with Cornwal a most auncient country of Britaynes enioyeth as yet the olde inhabitants The welshmen vse the British tongue and are the very true Britaynes by birth And although some doo write that VVales doth not stretch foorth on this side the Riuer Vaga or VVye this can be no fraud to vs For we haue taken in hand to describe Cambria and not VVallia Wales as it is now called by a new name and vnacquaynted to the welshmen In Northwales the welshmen keepe their olde boundes But in Southwales the Englishmen are come ouer Seuern and haue possessed al the lande between it and VVye So that al Herefordshyre the Forest of Deane and Glocestreshyre a great part of worcestershyre Schreupshyre on this side Seuern are inhabited by Englishmen at this day These regions with certayne corners of Fluitenshyre and Denbyghshyre were sumtime vnder the kings of March. And our countrymen vnto this day do call their neare borderers Gwyry Mers that is to say the men of March. For OFFA a most mightie kynge of March the yere of the incarnate worde seuen hundred and seuentie to the intent that the boundes of his kyngdome towardes the Britaynes in Wales might the better be knowne caused a verie deepe ditch with an exceedynge high wall to be made from the water Deuanus a litle aboue the Castle called Filix through â—ie hilles and deepe valleyes Fennes Kockes Cliffes Riuers vnto the mouth of the Riuer wye about an hundred myles longe The same reseruyng the olde name for of our countrymen it is called Clauddh Offa that is to say Offas ditch it may easely be seene of all throughout the whole coast And all the townes and villages almost whiche be on the East side therof haue their names endynge in these terminations ton or ham wherby it appeareth that the Saxons sometime dwelled there Howbeit now the VVelshmen in all places beyond that ditch towards Ihoëgr haue planted them selues The inhabitants of this region are called in their mother tongue Cymbri In whiche word the force of the sounde of the letter B is scarcely perceaued in pronouncing And it is very likely that this was the moste auncient name and that Cambria a region of England was therof so called When I perceaued that the Cymbri whiche fought with the Romans so manie blouddy battels were called by the same name that ours are it came into my mynde to enquyre and search what good writers haue thought of the beginnyng of that nation And hauyng read much therof I founde also very much wherby I am so perswaded that I dare auouche that it was this our British nation First the name is all one with ours then their tongue which is a very great argument For Plinius in his fourth booke and. 13. chapter saieth that PhilemoÌ„ was of the Cymbri called Mori marussium that is to say Mare mortuuÌ„ the Dead Sea vnto the promontory Rubeas c. And our countrimen call the Dead Sea in their tongue Mor Marw And as for these words neither the Germans neither the Danes neither Suenones neither the Slaui neither the Lithuani nor the Lyuones doo vnderstand them Wherfore it is manifest that the Cymbri were none of these nations But our Cymbri doo speake so wherfore it is euident that they were of the same name and tongue Moreouer Plutarchus in the life of Marius affirmeth that they departed out of a farre country and that it was not knowne whence they came nor whether they went but the like cloudes they issued into Fraunce and Italy with the Almaynes Whervpon the Romans supposed that they had byn
Germans because they had bigge bodies with sharpe and horrible eyes Thus much â—e Since therfore he hath left their originall vnknowne and our Chronacles doo testifie how that the Britaynes had alwayes greate familiaritie with the Northerne Germans it is like enough that the Britysh Cymbri passed ouer into Denmark whereby it was termed Cymbrica and so ioynyng with the Almaynes made warre vpon the Romans and first vanquished Papirius with his armie in Illyrica Afterward ouercame Aurelius Scaurus with his Legions in Fraunce him self being slayne by kinge Belus whiche name is also familiar amongst the welshmen at this day Besides that Manlius and Caepio were discomfited nigh Rhodanus when there were 12000. of the Romans slayne In the ende at Athesis in Italy they were ouerthrowen and almost al slain And those whiche remayned after the battayle escaped into Germany and were deuided into two partes Wherof th one returnyng into Britayne gaue name to the countrie Cymbria the other departyng out of Germany rested nigh to the Sea Balteum afterward were called of the Germans Aestiones whose tongue as Tacitus writeth is like the Britysh And to confirme all this I read of late in a most auncient fragmeÌ„t of the Britysh tongue how that longe since there departed a very great army of Britaynes into Denmarck Whiche after many valiant Warres stoutly made in moste partes of the worlde neuer returned agayne But wheras diuerse do affirme that these were the indwellers of the Danish Chersonesus hereby it appeareth false that the Danes longe before that time possessed that lande as their Hystories do declare Neither is there any Danish or Suetish writer that euer made mention of the Cymbri Othersome affirme that they descended of the inhabitantes of Cymerius Bosphorus But neither the nations name neither their maners neither their kings names doo agree Which if you respect ours are all one For Clodic Lhes Bel Lhud Thudfach Berich by whiche the kynges of the Cymbri were called be very common names amongst the Britaynes Their neglectyng of golde and siluer the shape of their bodies theyr sheildes armour swordes yea made of brasse wherof I saw twayne whiche of late were founde in hollow rockes in Northwales their reuereÌ„ce towards women and preistes their custome to sacrifice men vnto Mercury declareth that they were British Cymbri Neither will I deny that which many doo write that the Sicambri and afterward the Franci were of theyr broode vnlesse that their owne Historicians affirmed that they were so called three hundred yeres before of one Cambra daughter to Belinus whiche was kynge of Britayne and maried to Antenor theyr kynge Wherfore I conclude that the Cymbri either departed foorth of Britayne about that time or els were the remnantes of the greate army whiche was gatherd in Britayne and Fraunce and setled with Brennus in the Marches of Greece at the same time For it is vndoubtedly knowen that Brennus was a perfect Britayne and brother to kynge Belinus and sonne to Dunwallus which not only our Chronacles doo testifie but also the countries name where the ambitious man fought with Belinus his brother and was called of him Brennich Diuers riuers also amongst vs called by that name and also a most auncient castle standyng vppon the toppe of an exceedyng high hill in Gwania called Dinas Bran that is to say Brennus Courte or Palace are a very good argument hereof Besides this there remayne most auncient Rimes in the prayse of Cornwenna theyr Mother because that when Brennus came foorthe of Fraunce with ayde agaynst his brother with her naked breast and pappes she reconciled them together which one hath thus interpreted O out Ahlas what meaneth this doo you my bowels harme What wicked cause doth mooue two brothers powers to be so warme Cannot all Britayne you contayne since it is very sure That both you twayne within this wombe of mine did once endure May not your mothers teares nor torne heares from purpose pluck Nor naked dolefull breastes in tender age which both did suck Who then ioyninge theyr armies â—anne ouer all Fraunce and Italy vanquished the Romans and tooke the citie and departed out of Italy as Polybius reporteth And Belinus returned into Britayne but Brennus with 15000 â–ª thousand footemen 61200. thousand â—orsemen as Pausanias writeth set vpoÌ„ the Greekes And hauyng subdued the Macedonians Thessalians Thracians the Poeonians all the other people of the Greekes he ouerthrew at Thermopilae in a most horrible blouddie battayle In fine when as he was aboute to sack the Temple of Apollo of Delphos his army was wholy almost miraculously slayne by the fal of a mightie great cliffe a wonderfull Rayne from Heauen Wherwith Brennus beynge strooke with sorowe a most coragious gentleman as he was slew him-selfe And I wot wel how Polydorus complaineth of the supputation of yeres wheÌ„ as in déed the time agréeth very wel with the British history But where as he maketh two Brennus that is altogether beside credit since no writer before him euer yelded the same to memory And as concerning the true supputation of the age of the world diuers authors haue diuersly written Besides these reasons by theyr owne tongue whiche is the best proofe that may be wee will easely conuince that they were Britaynes and that Brennus souldiers spake the Britysh tongue wee will likewyse soone declare Pausanias in his tenth booke writeth thus Brennus had with him forth 20400. thousande horsemen whiche were all fightynge men for the truer numbre of them in deede were aboue threescore thousand and two hundred For there followed euery horseman two seruants on horsebacke These when their maysters were fightynge stoode alwayes in the rearewarde and assisted them that if by chance they wer vnhorsed thei shuld seâ— them on theirs and if the man were slayne the seruant should succede in his place but if they were both killed by force of fight then was the third at hand readie to supplie for them that were dead If the first and cheif had receaued a wounde one of these other conueyed him out of the battayle the third fulfilled the roomâ—h of him that was hurt And this practise of fightynge on horsebacke they terme in their country language Trimarchisia for they call an horse Marcha Thus far Pausanias What can be spoken more playnly Our Britaynes at this day cal Tres in the masculine gendre Tri and in the feminine Tair that is Three And an horse they call march Wherby Tri-march vnto them signifieth three Horses Hereby therfore all must needes confesse either that the Frenchmen spake the Britysh tongue whiche almost all Hystories doo deny or that these were naturall Britaynes And afterwarde he saieth that the Frenchmen call a Shield Tyren in their country speache whiche woorde wee doo likewise vse at this present calling a shield Taria Moreouer Atheneus writeth that the Reliques of the Frenchmen vnder Bathanasius their captayne tooke vp their dwelling about Ister and after that
Arfon by the ryuer Conway of whom Antoninus Ptolomaeus do speake vnder the name of Nouius In this besides the forenamed Riuer standeth a most antique citie of the Britaynes called Dyganwy in Rosse of the Englishmen Gannock famous in Tacitus by the name of Cangorum wherof the people of that countrie were called of the Romans CANGI And Ptolomaeus mentioneth the Promontorie of the Iangani which they call now Gogarth A place so fortified by nature that it can scarse be taken by maÌ„s strength This citie as I say was the seate and Palace of the later kynges of Britayne when as now their power began to quayle as namely of Maylgun Caduanus Cadwalla whom Bede termeth a most cruell Tyranne bicause he persecuted his enemies very fiercely and of Cadwalladar who was the last kynge of Britayne of the Brittish bloud This Citie the yere of our redemption eight hundred and sixteen Cananus Dyndaythuy reygnynge in VVales was stroken with lightnynge from Heauen and burned in suche sort that it could neuer be afterwarde restored howbeit the name remayneth to the place to this daye out oâ— whose rubbish Conouia was builded Moreouer in this Territory in Rhyfaniacum Henry Lacey Erle of Lincolne to whom the conquer our therof Edward the first gaue that land erected a very stoute Castle not only by naturall situation but also by a Wall of wonderfull thicknesse made of a very harde kinde of stone in my opinion the strongest and best defensed thynge in England Addyng also therto a towne walled about whiche by the auncient name he called Dynbech although those which cam afterwarde termed it Denbigh This fine Towne and my sweet country beynge compassed welnigh aboute with very fayre Parkes standyng in the entrance of an exceedynge pleasant Ualley aboundeth plentifully with all thinges that are necessarie to the vse of man The Hilles yéelde Fleash and white meates The most fertile Ualley very good Corne and grasse The sweet Riuers with the Sea at hande minister all sortes of Fishe and Foule Strange Wynes come thither foorth of Spayne FrauÌ„ce Greece abundantly And being the cheif towne of the shyre standyng in the very middle of the countrie it is a greate market Towne famous and much frequented with wares and people from al partes of Northwales The indwellers haue the vse of both tongues And beyng endued by kinges of England with many Priueledges and Liberties are ruled by their owne lawes The valley nigh wherto this Towne standeth is termed amongst vs Dyphryn Clwyd that is to say the Ualley of Clwyd It is almost eighteene miles in length and in breadth in some place foure miles in other some sixe On the East west and South sides it is enuironed with high Hilles on the North with the Oceane Sea. In the midst it is cut in twayne by the Riuer Clwyd wherof it taketh name into whom diuers other litle streames fallyng out of the Hilles doo discharge them selues by reason wherof irriguous and pleasant Medowes plentifull pastures doo lie aboute the bankes therof In the entrance of whiche Ualley Ruthyn an auncient towne and Castle of the Grayes from whence the most noble famely amoÌ„gst the Englishmen tooke beginninge is to be seene And not farre from the Sea standeth Rudhlan in Tegengyl sometime a greate Towne but now a litle Uyllage In the same Prouince is a Cathedrall Churche of our country men called LHANEL WEY of the Englishmen S. Assaph builded between twoo Ryuers CLWYD and ELWEY I remember that I haue read that there was one ELBODIVS Arch bisâ—hoppe of Northwales preferred vnto that honour by the Byshoppe of Rome Who fyrst of all the yere of our Saluation seuen hundred thrée score and two reconciled the VVelshmen to the Romishe Churche from whiche before they had disagreed For the Britaynes imitatynge the Asiaticke Churche celebrated theyr EASTER from the foureteene day of the Moone vnto the twentie When the Romans followynge the Nicene counsell keepe theyr Easter from the fifteene to the one and twentie Whereby it commeth to passe that these Nations haue celebrated that Feast on diuers Sundayes But let the Byshoppes take regarde how farre they doo erre from the Decrees of the NICENE Counsell whyle they followe that vncertayne rule of the motion of the Sonne and Moone whiche they call the Golden Number beynge therein very fowly deceaued Whiche thinge in times paste was obiected for a cryme agaynst the Britaynes by the ouer superstitious Mounke Augustine and lykewyse by Bede whiche to muche attributed vnto suche tiâ—les in somuch that for the same cause he durst terme them Heretiques But now howbeit vnder curse of the Nicene counsell it be otherwyse commaunded it is reiected by the Prelates them selues and the whole Churche of Europe But let vs returne to our purpose In that place where the See of S. Assaph is was sometime a Colledge of learned Agonists that I may vse Capgraues woordes celebrated for multitude vnder Centigeme a Scot whiche was called Elguense or Eluense of a Riuer This Prouince Tegenia is called of the Latines Igenia and after beynge vanquished by the Englishmen began to be termed Tegengel that is to say the Englishmens Tegenia Afterward being inhabited by Britaynes cuÌ„minge foorth of Scotland driuyng the Englishmen thence with the Ualley of Clwyd Ruthyn and Rosse make one kyngdome whiche Marianus calleth Streudglead our countrymen terme it Stradclwyd that is to say the soyle of Clwyd For this woord Strat with the name of some Riuer ioyned therto doth vsually signifie amongst the welsh men a veyne or soyle of lande nigh to a Riuer as Strad Alyn Strad Towyn with many such like Theyr last prince called Dunwallon forsakyng his kingdome when the Danes afflicted all Britayne departed to Rome the yere after the incarnation 971. where shortly after he died In Tegenia is a well of a meruaylous nature whiche beyng sixe myles from the Sea in the parish of Kilken ebbeth and floweth twise in one day Yet haue I marked this of late when the Moone ascendeth from the East Horizon to the South at what time all Seas do flowe that then the water of this Wel diminisheth and ebbeth And not far from this place is the famous Fountayne takynge name of the superstitious worshyppinge of the Uirgin VVenefride which boyling vp sodenly out of a place which they call Sychnant that is to say a drie vallye rayseth forth of it self a greate streame which runneth immediatly into Deuanus This water besides that it bredeth Mosse of a very pleasant sauour is also most holsome vnto mans body bothe for washyng and drinkynge and of verie good tast in so much that many beinge washed therin were cured of diuers infirmities wherwith they were borne Moreouer in Tegenia there is a certayne auncient monument of an olde building in a place called Pot Vary somtime renowmed by Roman letters and Armes The towne whiche they call Flynt standynge vpon the water Deua is
inheritance vnto a woman called Hauisia who beynge maried vnto one Carleton an Englishman made him Lorde of Powis from which house at length it descended vnto the Grayes in the North. Next vnto that standeth Cadeuenna a new towne aboue whom towardes the risinge of Seuern are Arwistle and Lhanidlos countries wel knowne by reason of the Townes And more by VVest and by North at the head of Deuey Mouthuy now a portion of Merionedh Kefelioc knowne by the towne Machaulhaith On the other side of Seuern beneathe the Region Kerey there is a Castle by a litle Towne which VVelshmen call Trefaldwyn that is to say Baldwynes towne but the Englishmen terme it Montgomery of the builder Roger of Mont Gomer From this Towne all these Regions beyng ioyned together are called Montgomershyre a country brooder sometime of noble horses now it sendeth foorthe but few and by the forenamed Roger and his sonnes verie valiant and warlike gentlemen very sorely afflicted vntill that Robert beynge accused of high Treason was enforced to flie his countrie The region is hilly and by reason of plentifulnesse of Pastures verie good for grasinge of Cattell aboundynge with many waters and bryngynge foorthe tall men very well fauoured much addicted vnto Idlenesse and vnprofitable games Whereby it cometh to passe that you shall finde many ritche Englishe Farmers amongste them when as the Landelordes themselues which will take no paynes do become very poore These six shyres namely Anglysey Aruon Merionydh Denbyghshyre Fluitense and Montgomershyre Englishmen comprise vnder the name of Northwales There remayneth yet that parte of Powis which stretched sometime vnto Wey whose first Region taketh name of the Riuer Colunwy and of the Castle and possession of the Fitzalanes Next to Melienyth and Gurttrenion hilly countries and at the South RADENOR called of the VVelshmen Maisifod head of the shyre Ioynyng vnto these are the Eluil with the Castle of Payne by Wey which our country men cal Gwy Beyonde al these are Prestene whiche wee call S. Androwes Churche and Kynton with the Castle of Huntington And vpon Themis of vs called Tefedioc ▪ standeth the fayre towne Castle of Ludlaw in Schreupshyre in olde time called DINAV the worke of Roger Mōtgomer And aboue that the castle of Wigmore the patrimony of the Mortumars And at Seuern Bridgenorth Beaudely in old time very wel knowne by the castle Tyrhil ▪ And on the Southwest side vpon Logus which wee call Lhygwy on a passyng fertile playn standeth Lhanlhieni of the Englishmen Lemstre And not farre thence is the auncient Citie Henfford that is to say◠an olde way of Englishmē in old time called Ferleg now Hereford standinge vpon Wey or more truly vpon Gwy Towards Seuern are Maluern hilles and in the very corner between Seuern and VVey not farre from the towne of Rosse is that renowmed Woodde whiche of the Danes is called the Forest of Deane These Regions with al Herefordshyre beyonde Wey before they were possessed by the Englishmen in olde time were termed in British Euryeynnwc and the inhabitants Eurnwyr of whiche name there remayneth yet some signification apparant in one place of Herefordshire For that which the Englishmen called Vrchenfeld the VVelshmen called Ergnig and afterward Ergengel And no meruayle since the least portion therof retayneth now as I haue sayd the name of Powis There remayneth the thyrd kyngkingedome of VVales of the English called Southwales of our countrymen which inhabite the lande Deheubarth that is to say the right or South part for so wee vse to terme the South The same is wholy compassed with the Irish Sea the streame of Seuern and the riuers Wey and Dyuei And although the country be very fertile the lande ritche and far more bigger then Gwynedh notwithstandynge as Gyraldus sayth it was compted the worser And that not only because Vchelwyr that is to say the nobliest cheefest men refused to obey their kynges but also by reason that the sea coastes therof were continually molested by the Englishmen Normans Flemmynges Whereby the Prince was compelled to forsake Caer mardthyn his seate and to apoyncte the principall place of his regalitie at Dinefur in Cantremawr And although these princes were of greate authoritie in VVales yet after that Rhesus the sonne of Theodore the greate was slayne through the treason of his owne men they were no longer termed Dukes nor Princes but Arglwydhi that is to say Lordes Untill at length through Ciuile Warres by deuidyng of their landes amongst many and also by externall whyle the Englishmen endeuored to possesse all by force and crafte they were so weakened that after the death of Rhesus the sonne of Griffith a very noble and valiant Gentleman they lost bothe the authority and name of Princes and Lordes Now let vs descend vnto the description of the Prouince wherof the first Region which commeth to hande is that whiche Gyraldus calleth Ceretica our countrymen Ceredigion the Englishmen Cardigan Where it is to be noted as in all other that C and G haue the force of Cappa Gamma This region on the North hath the Irish Sea on the East the riuer Dyuei wherby it is deuiued from Gwynedh towardes Powis very high Hilles on the South Caermyrthyn and on the West Dyfetia Their tōgue as Gyraldus affirmeth is esteemed the finest of al the other people of wales And Gwynedh the purer with out permixtion cōmyng nearest vnto thauncient British But the Southerne most rudest coursest bycause it hath greatest affinitie with strange tōgues The sea coast of this parte Rychard Clarens a very noble man comminge in with a nauie and buildyng Castles at the mouth of Teifi and Vstwyth possessed it for his owne and leauing garisons there returned into England But when he vnderstoode that his men were besieged by the VVelshmen beyng boldned by his great power he entended by an ouer rash enterprise to go ayde them by lande But at Coed Gronus not farre from Abergeueni he was slayne with all his armie by Ierwerthus of Caërlheon And so those Fortes returned agayne vnto theyr olde lords I suppose that the mouthe of Ystwyth is of Ptolomaeus called Rotossa and Tibium Abertius but that through necligence of the transcribers they were confounded into one Not farre from this place standeth Lhanpaternfawr that is the Church of Paternus the greate which in olde time was had in great veneration For welshmen aboue all other nations were accustomed to reuerence Churches attribute much honour vnto ecclesiastical persons For as Gyraldus reporteth they vsed not once to touche the most deadlyest foes they had and such as were accused of Treason if they escaped vnto the church Yea not so much as their enemies cattell if they fedde in any Pastures or Leazes whiche appertayned vnto the Churche Moreouer when they be armed and goynge vnto battell if they fortune to meete with a Priest on the way they will cast downe their
weapons and require benediction with a stoupyng head In the same Region is a place in whiche they say vnder Deuus feete whom in Lantine they call Dauid whyle he inueyhed agaynst the Pelagians the earth bellowed and rose vp in an hill whiche they terme Lhandewybreuy In the other part of the RegioÌ„ is the principall Towne of the Shyre vpon the riuer Teify which wee terme Aberteifi to say the mouth of Teifus the Englishmen call it Cardigan This Riuer only of al Britayne as Gyraldus reporteth abouÌ„deth with Otters but now our countrimeÌ„ know not what they ar The bare name which is Auanc they take for a Monstre of the water Passyng foorth alonge by the same Sea coaste there commeth vnto our view a Region of auncient time termed of our countrymen Dyfed of Ptolomaeus Demetia for Dynetia in English VVestwales and now Penbrokeshyre The same reacheth from Sea to Sea the farther Promontorie wherof Ptolomaeus calleth Octopitarum a litle declinyng from the worde Pebidion By the Northern Ocean a longe lie Trefdraeth Aberguain Cilgaren within the mayne lande in the west Angle is the Bishops See of Meneue sometime famous with an Archbishops see For Deui who is called Dauid translated the Archbishopprick from the Citie of Legions where it was of antiquitie into Meneue Afterwhome there sate there fiue tweÌ„tie Archbishops whose names are founde in Gyraldus The last wherof called Samson in the time of a greuous Plague of Pestilence then reignyng fled into Armorica or the lesse Britayne with his palle where beyng chosen Bishop of Dole he lefte there his Palle whiche his successours haue enioyed vnto this daye before whom the Archbyshop of Turo hath preuayled But ours by occasion of the Saxon warre and their owne pouertie lost their auncient dignitie notwithstaÌ„dyng al Bishops of VVales were consecrated by the Bishop of Meneue and he of them as his Suffraganes vntill the dayes of Henry the first when as Bernhard was consecrated by the Archbyshop of Cantorbury and vsed him selfe longe time after as Archbyshop vntill in the ende his action fell at Rome This much Gyraldus Neither was there any Bishop of Meneue before Morgenew whiche was the. xxxiii from Dauid that tasted any fleash And he the very same night when he first tasted fleash was slayne by Pyrates This Church hath been very often spoyled and destroyd by English and Danish Pyrates Here in the valley Rosea was borne the greate Patricke who endued Ireland with the Christian faith Hauerfordia whiche they call now West Hereford is distaÌ„t from this See xxi myles in olde time called of the Britaynes Aberdaugleddaw that is to say the mouth of two swords For so the cheifest Ryuers of all Britayne which make any hauen are termed Englishmen call the same Milford and some Alaunicum by the Latin name The VVelshmen call this Towne now Hulphordh and the Hauen reserueth his antique name Upon the same crooke or bosome standeth Benbrock head of the shyre the worke of Arnulph Montgomer whiche Girarde of VVyndelesour valiantly defended agaynst Rhesus sonne to Theodore And after that peace was established as Gyraldus reporteth he tooke to wife Nessa the daughter of Thesus on whom he begat worthy issue bothe Male and Female by whom both the Sea coast of VVales remayned vnto the Englishmen and the force of Ireland was afterward vanquished At the South Sea lieth Tenbigh as Englishmen terme it but welshmen Dinbegh Ypyscot that is to wit fisshyng Denbygh so called for difference twixt it and the other which is in Gwynedh This same part of Demetia or Dynetia is at this day possessed and inhabited by Flemmynges sent thither by Henry the first â–ª The people beyng stout and rough defended them selues and theirs valiently agaynst the VVelshmen â–ª And although many times especially by Cadwalader Conanus and Howell sonnes of Owaen Prince of Gwynedh and Rhesus sonne to Gryffeth of Northwales and lastly by Leweline the greate as Parisiensis termeth him who had in his armie thirtie thousande men they were almost destroyed and sleyne yet haue they alwayes recouered their strength agayne and vnto this day are knowen from VVelshmen by diuersitie of their manners and tongue The thyrde Prouince of Southwales Maridinia taketh name of Maridunum a very auncient Citie whereof both Latin and Greeke writers make mention By which name it was so called and knowne longe before the birth of that very well learned man whom the Englishmen corruptly call Merlin but our countrymen Merdhin Neither did the Citie take name of him but he of that whereas he was borne Wee call the same Caer frydâ—in by reason of proprietie of the tongue whereby wee change M into V the consonant for whom our countrymen do vse F in the Castle Citie of Merdhyn That same Ambrose who was borne of a noble Uirgin whose fathers name is of purpose suppressed for his passyng skill in the Mathematicals and wonderful knowledge in al other kinde of learnyng was by the rude common people reputed to be the sonne of an incubus or a Male Diuell whiche in similitude and likenesse of men do vse carnally to companie with women This Towne as Gyraldus writeth was in olde time compassed rounde with a fayre brickewall And vpon the riuer Clarus whiche Ptolomaeus termeth Tobius wee Towi is sayde that the kynges seat and Palace of Southwales was builded vntill that it was taken by the Englishmen After what time it was remooued vnto Dynefur vpon the same Riuer a place very well fortefied with woodes and hilles In this Region by reason of the stronge situation of places the princes of Southwales made welnigh their continuall abode Which was deuided from Ceretica by the Riuer Tifey by whose side standeth the noble Castle of Emlyn On the other sides it is enuironed with very high hilles and with the Sea. Towards the Sea is Catguilia now Cydweili a country sometime possessed by Mauritius of London Next whom lieth Gwhir which ioyneth vnto Morgania with a Towne at the mouthe of Tawai of vs Abertawai of EnglishmeÌ„ called Swansei Morgania of Englishmen GlamorgaÌ„ of vs called Morganwc and Gwladforgan that is to say the country of Morgan of one Morgan which was there slayne by his Auntes sonne Cuneda who was king of Lhoëgr more then twoo thousand yeres since so called It lieth on the Seuern Sea and was alwaies wont to be rebellious agaynst his Prince Wherfore when it refused to obey his true and lawfull Prince by the iust iudgement of God which alwayes reuengeth Rebellion and Treason it was enforced to come in seruitude vnto straungers For aboute the yere of our Lorde one thousand fourescore and ten when Iestinus sonne to Gurgantus Erle of Morgania refused to obey Rhesus sonne to Theodore Prince of Southwales and sent Aeneas sonne to Cediuorus sometime Lorde of Demetia into England to take muster of Souldiers and there receaued a great army vnder the conduct of one Robert sonne
to Hamo and ioynynge with other Rebelles out of WENTA and BRECHINIA mette with RHESVS in Black hill and there slew him And so payinge the Englishmen theyr Wages discharged them But they takynge regarde vnto the goodnesse of the soyle and the greate variance whiche was then amongst the VVelshmen as inforetime the Saxons had done they turned theyr force of Armes agaynst those whiche entertayned them and soone displaced them wholy of all the champion and the best of the countrie Whiche HAMO deuided amongst twelue knights which he brought with him reseruing the better part to himself Who buildynge there certein Castels and ioynyng their power together defended their Farmes and Lordeships which they had possessed and taken Whose heyres peacebly enioy the same vnto this day But Iestinus scarsly reserued to him selfe and his the hillye countrie The twelue knightes names were these London Stradlyng Sanct Iohn Turberuille Granuille Humfreyuille Sanctquintin Sorus Sullius Berkerolus Syward and Fleminge In this prouince are NETH vpon a Riuer of the same name Pontfayn that is to say Stone brydge Englishmen falsly call it Cowbridge Lantwyd Wenny Dynwyd Townes and Castels besides Caër Phili a most auncient Castle and Fortresse Whiche as reporte goeth was erected by the Romans and Caerdid the principall towne of the shyre standyng vpon the ryuer Taf English men terme it Cardyd And not far from thence is Landaf to say a Churche standynge on Tauus ennobled with a Byshops See. Next vnto this region lieth Wenta vnder Momuthshyre This in olde time was called Siluria which may easely be proued contrarie vnto the ridiculous authoritie of Boethius and Polydorus And first to beginne with Tacitus who affirmeth that the Siluri lye ouer agaynst Spayne But these are farre more neare Spayne then any parte of Scotland wherefore it is more like that they dwelt here rather then in Scotland Moreouer whereas in a fayre discourse he describeth the expedition of Agricola agaynst the Albani or Scots and there reciteth all the people and nations of Albania he neuer maketh mention of the Siluri whiche was the most Warlike nation of them all And vndoubtedly if they had bin in Scotland he would neuer haue passed them ouer with silence Considering also how he telleth that ther were exceedyng greate Forestes in Siluria the tokens whereof remayne as yet in VVenta Ptolomaeus also and after him Marius Niger layeth the Siluri next vnto the Demeti and Maridunum but somdeale more Casterly Besides these authorities the moste auncient booke of the British lawes mentioneth Syllwc a prouince of VVales whose inhabitantes wee must needes call in the British tongue Syllwr wherby they were of the Romans termed Silures And one parte of VVenta is at this day called Gwent lhwc leauyng out one silable as though it were Went silluc Also Chepstow a fine market Towne in VVenta before a few yeres since passed was called by the name of Strigulia whiche seemeth to come somwhat neare to Siluria Moreouer Antoninus a very graue author maketh mention how Venta of the Siluri was not farre from this towardes the ferrie or place of passedge ouer the Seuern Wherfore it were but a iest hence foorth to seeke for the Siluri in Scotland And although that Plinius writeth that out of the Region of the Siluri ouer into Ireland was but a very shorte cut wee must thus take it that at his time Britayne was not sufficiently knowne nor the people of Albania longe after that subdued Wherby when certeyne of the Romanes as Englishmen vse now a dayes had passed ouer into Ireland out of Southwales others whiche neuer saw Britayne supposed it to be a very short cut In this Region is situate the most auncient noble citie of Legions which our countrymen call Caerlheon ar Wisk that is to say the citie of Legions vpon Vsk for difference sake between it and the other which is builded in Northwales vpon the Riuer Dee Of whom Gyraldus writeth thus The same was an auncient and noble Towne the tokens whereof remayne as yet an huge Palace a Giantlike Tower goodly Bathes and Hotte houses Reliques of Churches and places like Theatres compassed with beautifull Walles partlye yet standynge Also buildynges vnder the grounde conductes secreat passages and vautes vnder the earth Stewes framed by wonderfull workemanship There lie two martyrs Iulius Aron which had churches dedicated vnto thē There was also a Cathedral Church of an Archbishop vnder Dubricius which fell to Dauid This much he Also on the otherside of Vsk in the way which leadeth to Strigulia ar seen auncient Ditches and the remnants of towne Walles of the Siluri of Venta which now also they call Caerwent to wit the Citie Venta wherof the name grew to the whole countrie At the mouth of Wey whiche wee call Gwy is a famous Market Towne in olde time Strigulia but now called the Castle of Gwent The Erles Martials their heirs of this place did very much weaken the state of VVales Not farre hence is Monmuth of vs Monwy so called by the meeting of Mona Wey together the head of the whole shyre Aboue at Osca are the Castle of Osca called Brynbuga in the vpper Venta at the meetyng of Vsk and Geuenna is Abergeuenny the Lorde whereof Brienne Guilford wrought muche mischeif agaynst the VVenti But afterwarde VVillus Brustius Lorde of Brecknoc vnder pretence of loue and freendship called the nobles of Wenta into this Castle to Feastyng and Banquettynge Who commynge thither with Sesylius sonne to Dunwallan cheif man of all that Region and his sonne Gryf fith suspectyng no deceate and vnarmed were euerychone most cruelly slayne by Brustius gward which were put readie in armour for that purpose And afterward sodenly breakynge into Sesylius house the vnmercifull Butchers murdred the yonge Infant Cadwaladar his sonne despiteously before the Mothers face Whose sonnes notwithstandyng takyng the Castle and hauyng sleyne Ranulphe Poerius with many other noble men at Lhandyuegad manfully reuēged their fathers death But BRVSTIVS beyng reserued vnto greater mischeif was famished to death with his Mother in the Castle of VVindelesour And here I thought good to note that the name of Sesylius beynge common among the Britaynes and welshmen ought to be written not with C. which alwayes expresseth the nature of the English K but with S. For els it should be read amongst the VVelshmen Kyllius There remayneth yet the last Inland Region of Southwales which maketh the shyre of Brechnock the head wherof Brechnock or as the VVelshmen terme it Aberhodni standeth in vsk vpon the fall of HODNI Bernhard of Newmarcat first of all Englishmen by force of armes subdued the same Aboue this Region lieth Bogwelth which they terme Buellt a rough and hilly countrie reachynge from VVey to Tobius Beneath is Ewias woonne by the power of Paganus the sonne of Iohn Which afterward was parted in twayne Herold and Lacey And not farre thence is Haya