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
accompayned with many Erles and Lordes of VVales which loued not the prince Untill that the prince him selfe beyng forsaken by many of his owne men was by the men of Buelt betrayed not far from the riuer Vaga or wye whether he came with a very few souldiers And by one Adam Francton whiche faught vnder the conduct of Helias walwin far from the residew of his owne power beynge accompayned with one only Page and vnarmed with certain other noble men of that country which had tolde y same before to his enemies was there slayne most dishonorably After whose death the VVelshmen came in subiection to the Englishmen and had alwayes afterwarde to their prince the kyng of Englandes eldest sonne or daughter if male issue fayled This kynge builded certeyne townes and Castles there whiche he compassed with stone walles and left garisons in them to keepe the VVelshmen in awe And prouided by special lawes for that intent made that VVelshmen should enioy no such liberties nor freedoms as they and their posteritie had graunted vnto the Englishmen But by many Edictes Decrees set foorth agaynst the VVelshmen especially by Henry the fourth who by reason of a Rebellion made by one Owen whiche dwelt neare the Vally of Dee was verie highly offended with al that nation the kynges of England kept them vnder the yoke of seruitude abolishinge their owne proper Lawes brought in the English Lawes prouidyng by generall coÌ„maundement that no man should vse the welshe tongue in any Court or Schoole Howbeit the honour of thâ— most auncient tongue so much preuayled that not only the welshmen themselues but also the inhabitours of the English townes through VVales beyng now called by the name of welshmen doo gladly frequent the same And hath remooued the boundes into Englandwardes ouer the Riuer Dee cheifly since the beginnyng of the reigne of Henry the seuenth a moste prudent Prince vntill this day Who lineally desceÌ„dyng from his grandfather Owen Tudyr a welshman borne in the I le of Anglysey quite deliuered all the welshmen from such lawes of bondage as in other kynges dayes they were subiect vnto And the most mightie Prince kynge Henry the eight his sonne deliuered them wholy from all seruitude and made them in all poyncts equall to the Englishmen Wherby it commeth to passe that laying aside their old manners they who before were wonte to liue most sparingly are now enritched and do imitate the Englishmen in diet apparell howbeit they be somedeale impatient of labour and ouermuch boastyng of the Nobilitie of their stocke applying them selues rather to the seruice of noble men then geuynge them selues to the learnyng of handycraftes So that you shall finde but few noble men in England but that the greater parte of their retinew wherin Englishmen exceede al other nations are welsh men borne For men cheifly brought vp with Milke meates beyng â—ymble and well set of bodie are very apt to do any kynde of businesse Besides beyng somwhat high minded and in extreame pouertie acknowledgyng the nobilitie of their famely are more giuen to the culture and trimmyng of their bodies like Spayniards then to ritches or the belly and beynge very apt to learne courtlike behauiour are therfore by the English nobilitie preferred before Englishmen Howbeit also of late they haue very commendably begun to inhabite Townes to learne occupations to exercise merchandise to till the grounde well and to doo all other kindes of publique and necessary functions as wel as Englishmen And in this one thing surpassyng them that there is no man so poore but for some space he setteth forth his children to Schole and such as profitte in studie sendeth them vnto the Uniuersities where for the most part they enforce them to studie the Ciuile law Wherby it chaunceth that the greater sort of those whiche professe the Ciuile or Canon lawes in this Realme are VVelshmen And you shall finde but few of the ruder sorte whiche cannot reade and write their owne name and play on the Harpe after their maner And now also the holy Scriptures and dayly seruice are printed in their tongue And like as this nation as Tacitus reporteth beyng very impacient of iniuries was alwayes at variance in continuall warres and slaughter within it self so now through feare of lawes whiche they doo very ciuilly obey they striue in actions and controuersies vnto the consumyng of all their gooddes And thus much touchinge the manners and demeanure of the VVelshmen at this day but now heare of their olde out of Gyraldus Whiche writeth thus If is a light nation a sharpe nation rather then a rough a nation wholy giuen vnto warres For here not only the noblemen but all the multitude is redy so arinur For the Trumpet no sooner soundeth alarme but the husbandman cometh as spedely to battaile from the Plough as doeth the courtier from the court For not here as in other places The Ploughmans toyle in circle rounde doth runne For in March and Aprill only they steere once for Otes but they fallow not twise in Sommer and the thyrde Winter after for wheatland The most part of the people is fead with Rudder beastes for the payle They fead on Otes Cheese Mylke and Butter on Fleash more abundantly on Breade more sparyngly They trouble them selues with no Marchandize with no trauell by Sea with no handycraftes neither with any affayres els sauynge Martial And yet they seeke for preseruation of peace and their liberty They fight for their country they labour for theyr libertie For whiche not only to blade it out but also to leese their liues they compt it sweet Wherby it cometh that they thinke it shame to die in their Beds and an honour to die in warre And these beyng now the remnantes of Aeneas trayne would runne foorthe headlongewise in Armur for their libertie Of whom this is verie notable to be marked that many times beyng naked they dare encounter with those whiche beare weapon vnarmed with those which are armed and footemen with horsemeÌ„ In which coÌ„flict many times only through their nimblenesse courage of minde they become the conquerours And are not vnlike vnto those in place and nature of whom the Poet speaketh Subiect vnto the Northen Beare Most happie folke by their mischance on whom those heapes of feare And cheefest dread of death doth nothing daunt Wherby doth rise To them a redie minde to runne to fight and death dispise Accompting for to spare life that will come againe great cowardise And in another place A nation slenderly armed trustyng rather to theyr agilitie then the force of their men For if they be ouercome to day and shamefully turned in to blouddie fight notwithstandinge tomorow they prepare a new expedition not mindefull of theyr losse nor shame And althoughe they preuayle not when Warre is proclaymed with open meetynges yet in secret ambushments and breakynges in by night they wil vexe their enemy So that beyng
passe by Good lorde what a thyng is this that alwayes from some furthermost ende of the worlde there come downe new powers from God to be worshipped of all the earth Thus farre he What of Bonosus out of the captaynes of the boundes of Rheticus a more couragious then fortunate Emperour What of Carausius Augustus who the space of seuen yeres together ware his princely Robes contrary to the will of Iouius and Herculius What of Allectus Caesar for subdueynge whom Mamertinus seemeth to prefer Maximianus before Caesar Iulius whose woordes I will not sticke to alledge And truly sayth he so foorth After him sprange the Emperour Maximus a Britayne and nephew to Helene a man both stoute and vertuous and worthy of Augustus but that in his youth leadyng an army agaynst Gratianus whom he vanquished he had sacked his countrie Who by Helene his wife daughter to Euda lefte his sonne Victor Emperour And as Paulus Diaconus writeth Bitayne also acknowledgeth Marcus and Gratianus the Emperours Moreouer Constantinus with his Sonne Constans when Gratianus their countriman was slayne were created Emperours in Britayne in name like to the aboue sayde but not in happinesse agaynste whom Gerontius theyr Captayne of whose death there are extant very auncient British Rhymes made another Maximus then the first was Augustus And after all these Ambrosius Aurelius is by Panuinius accompted the last Emperour of the British bloud Besides these xij Emperous Britayne hath also brought foorth to the worlde the moste puissant and inuincible kynge Arthur whose euerlastynge renowme and moste noble deedes our freende Mayster Leland hath set foorthe and made more apparant by infinite testimonies and moste weightie argumentes agaynst the gnarrynge and doggysh mouthe and hatred more then euer was Vatinians of Polydorus Vrbine and of the gresie Monke Rhicuallensis more conuersant in the Kitchin then in the hystories of olde writers And not only our countrymen but also Spayniardes Italians Frenchmen and the Sueones beyonde the Sea Baltheum as Gothus reporteth out of their Hystories doo celebrate and aduance vnto this day in theyr bookes the worthy actes of this puissant kyng Caduanne also who from prince of Gwynedh became Kynge of the Britaynes and his sonne Cadwalla whom BEDE calleth a Tyranne because he persecuted the Saxons with cruell Warre whilâ—st the BRITISH Empyre was in decayinge were valient Kynges And after the Brityshe destruction there rose vp noble gentelmen in VVales not to be debarred of theyr due prayse as Rodericke the greate and his Nephue by his Sonne Howell surnamed GOOD both famous as wel in warre as peace Also Gryffith the Sonne of Lhewelin the Sonne of SESYLâ—IVS â–ª who most stoutly defended VVales his natiue country And after him Owayn prince of Gwynedh who moste hardely withstoode at COL Henry the seconde the most mightiest kynge of all that euer reygned in England thrise entrynge into Wales with greate armies whose sonne also he slow in Anglysey and the greater part of his armie as Gyraldus reporteth And his nephew likewise borne of his sonne Lewellyn the great whose innumerable triumphes that I may vse the woordes of Parisiensis the Englishman doo require speciall treatises And not these only but also the Cornishmen beynge the remnantes of the olde Britaynes as they are the stoutest of all the British nations so are they coumpted to this day the most valiant in warlike affayres Neither yet the Britons which dwell nigh Fraunce a nation of the same broode doo any whit degenerate from their forefathers When as they â–ª did not only many huÌ„dred yeres prosperously defend amoÌ„gst the thickest of stoute sturdie nations those seates whiche they had purchased with their manhood and prowes but also haue vanquished the Gothes and Frenchmen in great battels and stoutly withstoode the most mightie prince Charles the Mayne put to flight the armie of his sonne Lewes the Emperour whiche was sent agaynst them vnder conduct of Murmanus ouercame Charles Caluus then Emperour and kynge of Fraunce in open fight twise vanquishynge his armie Numenius beynge kynge the Emperour priuely flyinge thence leauynge there his Pauilions and Tentes and all other his kinglike prouision as Regino writeth But Herispous sonne to Numenius compelled the same Charles to make shamful and dishonorable truce with him Whom Salomon also sonne to Herispous a valiant and warlike gentleman enforced to retyre backe when he was coÌ„mynge agaynst him with a mightie armie But when Salomon was deade the Britons through desier to reigne and contention who should next be kynge fell vnto Ciuile warres amonge them selues as Sigisbertus sayth and so they were constreyned to leaue of the destruction and ouer runnynge of Fraunce which they had determined What shall I speake of the noble deedes of Vrfandus an inuincible captayne agaynst Hastynge the Norman and Pastquitanus the Briton Of Iudicaël also and Alane who manfully draue the Normans out of their coastes which pitifully wasted and spoyled all Fraunce What shall I neede to touche such Warres as they made longe after vpon the kynges of Fraunce beyng therein ayded by thâ—impregnable power of the Englishmen since it is well knowne to all men that it was alwayes a most potent nation And that I may at length stop Polydorus mouth together with his Gyldas thus much I say that if he sticke in any poynte vnto him he was no Hystoriographer but a Preist and a Preacher Whose custome is very sharpely to inueigh agaynst the faultes of their hearers Wherfore if wee seeke authorities out of Sermons as Polydorus Vrbine hath done What Parish what Towne what nation or kyngedome may escape infamie What hath Bernhard written of the Romans Thus surely terming them impious vnfaith full seditious dishonest traytrous great speakers but litle doers These thynges are by Deuines spoken in the Pulpit according vnto their manner that the like faultes might be amended and the life reformed not that the Romans or Britaynes were such in deede Neither is there any man vnlesse he be a shameles Sycophant that lieth in wait for al occasions to dispraise and accuse which will go aboute by wrestynge of sentences foorth of the sermons of preachers sclaundrously to tax infamously to note any whole couent shire citie or people Wherfore let such idle ill disposed sclaunderers leaue of and suffer the true renowme of Britayne appeare to the worlde neither iudge me good Reader of two sharpe a tongue Seyng so god helpe me neither enuie of any forreine name neither thyrst of vayn glory neither hatred of any natioÌ„ but alonly the loue of my country which is euill spoken of vndeseruedly and desier to set forth the truth haue prouoked me to write thus much And touchyng this rude and disordred litle treatise truly I woulde not haue suffred it to haue come to light had I not well hoped that all learned men would accept this my endeuour in good parte and also take occasion by this
knowne not only to be the head of Tegenia but also the whole shire After the discription of Gwynedh let vs now come to Powys the seconde kyngedom of VVales Which in the time of German Altisiodorensis which preached sometime there agaynst Pelagius Heresie was of power ▪ as is gathered out of his life The kynge wherof as is there read bycause he refused to heare that good man by the secret and terrible iudgement of God with his Palace and all his householde was swallowed vp into the bowels of the Earth in that place whereas not farre from Oswastry is now a standyng water of an vnknowne depth called Lhunclys that is to say the deuouryng of the Palace And there are many Churches founde in the fame Prouince dedicated to the name of German The Citie of Schreusbury in olde time was the Princes seate of this Kyngdome But when the Englishmen had taken it it was translated to Mathraual a place fiue myles from Pole of Powys This Region had on the Northside Gwynedh on the East from Chestre vnto Herford England on the South West the Riuer Wey and very high Hylles whereby it was disioyned from Southwales And bycause the lande was plain and neare to England and much vexed with continuall Warre by Englishmen and afterward by the Normans this parte of VVales did first experiment the yoke of English subiection Which brooding stoute men and such whose nature coulde not abide to be at rest but giuen to Murther and excursions not only procured infinite trouble vnto the kynges of England but wrought also greate iniurie vnto theyr neighbours the VVelshmen But afterward beynge parted between twoo brothers as was the custome of the Britaynes it began to wax weake And the part which lieth on the Northside of Tanat Murnia and Seuern befel vnto Madoc wherof it was called Powys Fadoc The other parte came bothe in name and possession of Gwenwynwyn The first lost the name of Powys for beyng subdued by the Normans it came into the power and right of the conquerours The first region therof Mailor is deuided into twaine by the Riuer Dee namely the Saxon and Welsh wherof the first appertayneth vnto Flyntshyre and the other vnto Denbyghshyre in the which standeth the Castle of Lion now commonly called Holt. And not farre from thence are seene the rubbish and relliques of the moste notable and famous Monasterie of Banchor while the glory of the Britaynes flowrished In the same were two thousand one hundred Moonkes very well ordred learned and deuided into seuen sortes dayly seruyng god Amongst whom those whiche were simple and vnlearned by their handie labour prouided meate and drinke and apparell for the learned and suche as applied their studie And if any thyng were remainyng they deuided it vnto the poore That place hath sent foorth many hundreds of excellētly wel learned men amongst whom it hath also vomited forth to the worlde the most detestable Archeheretick Pelagius And afterward through the enuie and malice of Augustine not the Bishop of Hippo but the most arrogant Moonke and the most cruell execution of his Ministre Ethelfrede worthy men of far more perfect ordre then he was of were made away and the whole house from the very foundations together with their most noble Liberary more precious then Golde was raysed downe and destroyde with fier and sworde It were ouerlonge to repeate what Latine and British chronicles doo reporte of the intollerable pride of this man For when he sittyng in his regal seat disdayned to ryse vp vnto the British Bysshops whiche came vnto him humbly and meekely as it became Christians to doo they beholdynge the same both iudged and sayde that he was not the ministre of y most gentle and meeke lambe Christe but of Lucifer as they had learned in the holy scriptures so they departed home againe For whiche contempt and reproche and partly also bycause they agréed not in some poynctes with the Archbishop of Cantorbury which he had appointed with the Church of Rome he so stirred the hate of the Englishmen agaynst them that shortly after as I sayde by Ethelfred through the ayde and helpe of Ethelbert king of Kent prouoked therto by Augustine the Mounkes whiche desired peace were most cruelly slaine And afterward the Britaynes vnder the conduct of Brochwell kynge of Powys were vanquished Until that at length being ayded with power from Belthrusius Duke of Cornwall Caduane kyng of Northwales Meredoc kyng of Southwales and hartned forward by the Oration of their most learned Abbot Dunetus who commaunded as our Chronacles reporte that euery one should kisse the grounde in remembrance of the cōmunion of the Body of our Lord should take vp water in their handes foorth of the Riuer Dee and drinke it in commemoration of the moste sacred Bloud of CHRIST which was shead for them Who hauynge so Communicated they ouercame the Saxons in a famous battayle and slew of them as Huntyngton writeth a thousande threescore and sixe and created Carduanus theyr kynge in the Citie of Legions Next ensue Yale and Chyrk hilly countries In this last standeth that antique Castle which at this day is called Brennus Palace And these apperteyne vnto Denbighshyre But more to the North are Stradalin so named of the Ryuer ALYN and Hope of Fluitenshire Towardes SCHREVSBVRY lieth VVhittington and Oswastrey a noble Market and enwalled rounde at the charges of the FITZALANES a moste auncient famely of Englande whose inheritaunce it is and these belonge vnto Schropshire Aboue these in the West are the Edeirnion men ioyned now vnto the Merionydh men vpon the Ryuer Dee And all these at this presente are called Gwynedhij or men of Gwynedh for the name of the mē of Powis is perished amongst thē The seconde Region of Powys conteyned the same Prouince whiche now only enioyeth the name of Powys and sometime stretched very wide but now contayneth only three Cantredes lyinge wholy on the Northside of the Riuer Seuern whiche is the seconde riuer of Britayne fallyng from the high Mountaynes of Plymnonia and risinge foorth of the same head with Wey and Rhydwely and runnyng throuhh Arwistli and Kedewen in Powys maketh speede to Schreusbury and so floweth forward through Brydgenorth VVorcestre and Glocestre from whiche not farre of it ebbeth and floweth and between VVales Deuonshyre and Cornwall beareth name of the Seuern Sea. Our countrymen terme it Hafren and not Seuern as the Englishmen doo The cheif towne and kyngs seate of Powys called Matrafal retayneth the aunciēt name howbeit the buildynges be defaced and worne And one myle from Seuern standeth a Towne the only market of all that Region of the Englishmen Pole of the VVelshmen called Tralhung that is to say the towne of the standynge water so called of the Lake whereto it is nigh where there stande aloft two Castels builded sometime by the Princes of Powys This princedome came by
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
¶ The Breuiary of Britayne As this most noble and renowmed Iland was of auncient time deuided into three Kingdomes England Scotland and Wales â–ª Contaynyng a learned discourse of the variable state alteration therof vnder diuers as wel natural as forren princes Conquerours Together with the Geographicall description of the same such as neither by elder nor later writers the like hath been set foorth before Writen in Latin by Humfrey Lhuyd of Denbigh a Cambre Britayne and lately Englished by Thomas Twyne Gentleman 1573. To the Right honorable Edward Deuiere Lorde Bulbeck Erle of Oxenford Lorde great Chamberlayne of England Tho. Twyne wisheth long life perfect health encrease of honour and endlesse felicitie NObilitie is a precious gift whiche so glittereth in the eyes of al men that there is no one corporall thyng in this worlde wherof we make a greater accompt For so is it esteemed of all desired of all and reuerenced of al. Vertue saith TVLLY and before him PLATO if it might be seene with our bodely eyes doubtlesse it woulde procure merueilous loue and good likynge vnto it self the shew therof would appeare so faier and amiable The vniting of which two most noble graces with al other furniture of Nature Fortune with in your person right honorable and my very good Lord hath so bent my iudgement and brought me into such likyng admiration therof that I haue rested no smale time not only not satisfied in being one of the admiratours but also desierus to be one of the participatours of those your honours most laudable dispositions wherunto I do now huÌ„bly submit my selfe And in token of my dutiful meaning herein am so hardi as to preseÌ„t your honour with this simple traueyle which I so terme in respect of my paines in translatyng the same Howbeit I am perswaded that it cost M. Lhuyd who first and not longe since wroate the same in Latin no smale labour and industry in the gatheryng and pennyng Regarding your honour to be amongst therest a very fit patrone for it in consideration that beynge as yet but in your flower and tender age and generally hoped and accompted of in time to become the cheefest stay of this your common welth and country you woulde receaue into your salf tuition the writen name and descriptioÌ„ of that Britayne whiche as it is in part your natiue soyle so your duty biddeth you to defend and mantayne it Here on when your honoâ—r shal be at lea sure to looke bestowynge suche regard as you are accustomed to doo on bookes of Geographie Histories and other good lernynge wherin I am priuy your honour taketh singular delight I doubt not but you shall haue cause to iudge your time very well applied And so much the rather for that in the studie of Geographie it is expedieÌ„t first to know exactly the situation of our owne home where wee a bide before that wee shal be able to iudge how other countries doo lie vnto vs which are farre distant from vs besides that it were a foule shame to be inquisitiue of the state of forreyne landes and to be ignorant of our owne As your honour beynge already perfectly instructed is not now to learne at my â—ande But for my part it shal be sufficient that your honour would dayn to accept this smale present or rather therein my harty good wyl which beyng no otherwise able to gratefie the same shall neuer cease to pray to God that he would alwayes direct you in the commendable race of vertue and learnynge which you haue begun augment your honour with many degrees and in the end reward you with immortall felicitie Your honours most humble at commaundement Thomas Twyne ¶ THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLAtours to the Reader WHen I first tooke in hande this Booke gentle Reader was determined to translate it into English I considered the great iudgement and learnyng of the Author mine owne simplicitie and vnskilfulnesse By conference wherof I was eftsoones driuen from my determination For I perceiued how dangerous a thyng it was for me who God knoweth am but a simple antiquarie and but slenderly practised in the antiquities of this Ilande to geue foorth my absolute sentence in suche matters as are in controuersie not only amongst the moste approued and best learned auntient writers in this behalfe but also between suche as haue been very well seen therin in our time wherof some be dead and some be yet liuyng Which I saw that of necessity I must doo As for this one example among many Although it be not yet fully agreed vpon what towne in Englande the auntient name of Caleua doth signifie and the place therof be also as vncerteine as vpon whiche side of the Thames it should lie yet followynge myne author so neare as I may I am enforced to determine some way I am sure not without mislikynge of many The like reprehension I haue incurred in the Englishyng of names of diuerse places moe some English some Scottish but especially VVelsh or Britysh In so much that I was determined to haue set them downe as I had founde them in M. Lhuyds Latin booke which he for that he wroate in Latine had so nigh as he coulde made them al Latin words in sounde termination But beyng therin much lightned especially by the helpe of the rightworshipfull M. Doct. Yale of London I trust I haue deserued lesse blame in that then in any other one parte of my translation how be it for my litle skill in that tongue I am the more I hope to be borne with all And where as the authour in the Latine copie recitynge the peculiar Letters the pronunciation of them with the proprietie of the British tongue in stéede of a double letter as DD or a lettre with an aspiration as LH would for breuety sake haue them writen with the same letter a pricke vnder the foote for want of the like letters wée haue throughout the whole worke expressed the same to that very effect in the double letter or with aspiration from place to place wher he hath vsed the same vnder pricked letter So that hereby sauing for his conceit of writing there is no errour committed at al. And herein I thought it needeful to admonish thée Moreouer if there shall haply appeare any fault by vs now committed either in misnamynge any person Towne or other thynge wronge placing of wordes euell allegation of writers altering of the authours meaning by false poynting one woord put for an other or such like the truth wherof I coulde not exactly try out by diligent animaduersion or due conferrence in so short time I most hartely craue pardon and must néedes impute the most parte therof vnto the falsenesse an disordre of the Latine copie printed at Colone Whose errata are moe then I haue commonly seene in a booke of no greater quantitie yet if the Printer woulde haue noted all he shoulde haue noted twise so many as
by Twyne that thee doth sende To Brute his broode a labour sure that well deserueth prayse Go shew thy selfe to Britanists whose glory thou dost rayse FINIS ¶ Lodowick Lhuyd in prayse of the Author GO on be boulde thou litle booke sounde foorth thy aucthours fame Aduaunce the trauell tried of him that christened first thy name Thy state exilde thy age vnknown thy line that longe was lost Is now returnd and known againe in auncient Britaynes cost From Scythia shore from Phrigia feilds where longe thy selfe haue laine From raging Rockes and crased cragges thou art come home againe Thy patron graunde and auncient Sire Aeneas Troiane stoute Did neuer toile on land and SeaS as thou hast rangde aboute From Mountaines high wherto thy selfe alone wast wont to talke Lhuid taught thy steps to treade in Court with Princes wise to walke If then Solinus merit fame that Caesars stirpe haue pende The same ought Lhuyd of right to claime that Brutus line defende If Curtius be aduauncde on high Alexanders fame to feede Then well ought Lhuyd commended be to honour Hectors seede What praise had Liui then in Rome or Herodot in Greece That prayse ought neuer Humfry Lhuyd in natiue soyle to leese Who being aliue could Argos make with sugred talke t 〈…〉 e And now being dead 〈…〉 t Argos make with hundred eies to weepe Who though his corps is clothd in clay â–ª in mouldred dust to lie In spight of Parcas yet his fame doth skale the empire skie And though that age out liueth youth yet death doth age exile Though fame suruiueth death againe yet time doth fame defile So youth to age and age to death and death to fame in fyeld And fame to time and time to GOD this Lhuyd knew well to yeeld Sith then he founde Misenus trumpe to sounde againe the fame That once was wonne and then was lost extoll each one his name And gyue him then his due desert enroll his noble minde That first haue taught his countrimen their countrie state to finde Finis Laurence Twyne to his brother Tho. Twyne in prayse of his Translation AL that which learned Lhuyd of late in Latine did endite Of Britaynes race their auncient state their guise and countries rite Loe now in English tongue by true report and cunnings skill Twyne hath set forth th' unlearned sort their pleasure to fulfill Wherin who list to looke with heede straight Britaynes state shall know And wherwithall this noble land in auncient time did flow Lhuyds paynes was much in latine stile which wrote the same before But Brother sure in my conceit thou thanks deseruest more Of Britaynes and of British soyle which makst them vnderstand A thinge more meete me thinks for them then for a forren land Wherin as thou by toyle hast wonne the spurres and prayses got So reape deserued thanks of those for whom thou brakst the knot FINIS Iohn Twyne to the Readers of his brothers translation AS they of all most prayse deserue that first with Pen did show To vs the sacred lawes of God wherby his will wee know So many thanks are due to those that beate their busie brayne To let vs learne our earthly state in whiche wee here remayne Amongst the rest that euer wroate none hath of vs deserude Like prayse to Lhuyd who lo his foylâ— hath here to vs preferd Wherin thou mayst the whole estate of this our natiue land What so is worthy to be knowne by readyng vnderstand And cause the aucthour wroate the same in tongue enstrangd to some Twyne hath it taught the English phrase in which it earst was dumbe Accept it well and when thou readst if ought therby thou gayne For recompence yeld thy good will to him that tooke the payne Finis A Table contayning the principall matters entreated of in this booke largely digested into the Alphabeticall ordre as followeth AEstiones Fo. 52 Albania whence so called 49 described 47. Albion why so termed 4 Anglysey in Wales 57 Animositie of Britaynes 62. their auntient maners 61 Arfon 64 Aron martir where buried 82 Attacotti inhabitours of Albania of Scottish originall 45 Augustine the Monke 13. his intollerable arrogancie 71 B Bardi 7 Bath how of olde time termed 18 Bedfordshyremen 24 Benbroche 78 Bernhard of Newmercate 83 Bernicia 28 Boadicia or Bunduica a valiant queâ—â— 85. 89 Bodotua 48 Boëthius reproued 21. 24. 33. 38. 49. 81. Bogwelth or Buellt 83 Brecknock 83. by what Englishman first subdued ibidem Brennus whose sonne and brother 53 why he slew himselfe 54. what language his Souldiers vsed 54. his Court or Palace 72. was a perfect Britayne 53 Brenni where they dwelt 55 Brigantes were neuer in Scotland 30. their Cities names 29 Britayne why so named 8. how deuided ibid. the Etimology therof 8 Britayne the lesse or the Second 35 Britayne the first seconde thyrde and fourth 35 Britaynes how they celebrate Easter 67. their Ualiencie 69 British names corrupted by the RomaÌ„s 5 Britons nigh Fraunce 10 Brustius crueltie 83. his miserable death ibidem Bristow 18 Buckynghamshiremen 24 C Cadeuenna 73 Caesar what he termeth a Citie 32 Caerbro castle in the Wyght 17 Caer Andred by whom ouerthrown 15 Caerlile 47 Calice 14 Cambria why so called 49 Cambra 53 Cambridge 23 Camalodunum 21 Camudolanum ibidem Cangorum where it standeth 66 Cantimanduas treason 34 Cantorbury why so called 15. metropolitane of England and Wales ibid. Caradoc described 33 Cardigan 75 Castle of Clun 34 Castle of Douer 14 castle of Emlyn 79 castle of Lion. 70 Cataracus where he â—aught with Ostorius 34 Catguilia 79 Ceretica described 75. 79 Chepstow 81 Chester 27 Chichester 16 Cicester 19 Citie of Legions 82 Cities of Brigantes 29 Clun castle 24 CoÌ„mendation of the Bathes at Bath 18 Conouia by whom builded 65 Cornish Welshmen one nation 18 Cornwall 17 Crneltie of Brustius 83 Cumberland by whom in olde time in habited 30 Cymbri 15 D Danes came in 13 Danica Sylua 74 Dannij 30 Dauid how termed in British 77. traÌ„slated the Archbishopricke to Meneue ib. Death of Brennus 54 Death of Brustius 83 Deheubarth 74. why worse then Gwynedh 75 Deera in old time called BrigaÌ„tia 30. 28 Demetia 77 Denbigh 66. described ibidem Deuani 26. how called of old by the Rom. ibi Description of Albania 47 Description of Cambria 49 Description of Caradoc citie 35 Description of Ceretica 75. 79. Description of Denbygh 66. Description of Tegenia or Igenia 68 Description of Wales 62 Diuision of Britayne 9 Diuision of England 12 Diuision of Wales 62 Diuision of Venodotia 64 Diuisions are dangerous 93 Dorchester 24 Doruentani why so called 27 Douer 14 Douer castle by whom builded 14 Druydes 42 Dunetus Abbot 71 Dunwallon forsaketh his kyngdom 68 Diuerse kynges possessâ— diuers partes of Wales 63 E Edward the first entred Wales 58 Edenburgh by whom builded 48 Egbert first Monarch of Lohëgr 19 Eluyl 74 Elbodius archbishop of Northwales 67 Emlyn castle 79 England deuided 12. by whom first so called
deuidyng it into many kingdomes namely Kent the South Saxons the VVestsaxons the Eastsaxons East Englishmen the kingdome of March whom Lazius a man very well learned and well deseruing of posteritie in vayne seeketh for in Germany supposing the hystorie of Bede to be written of the inhabitantes of Germany and not of England and Northumberland which was also deuided into twayne Bernicia and Deira Whose kynges beynge Paganes destroyed with fier and sworde all Churches Monasteries and Libraries And after that they had receaued Christianitie by Augustine the Monke they fought many battels both among them selues and against the Britaynes Untill that aboute the yeare of our Lorde 620. Egbert kynge of the westsaxons beynge made Monarch of all began to rule alone and first of al commaunded that the countrie should be called England and the people Englishmen Englishmen were a very famous people of Germany wherof the Captaynes and cheif of Saxony as Crantzius reporteth were longe time called Captaynes of Anglaria And there remayneth yet as I haue read a Castle where they sometime abode termed now Engern in the frontires of Westphalia between Osnabrugh and Heruordia Wherby it cometh that our countrymen retayning the first name doo call all Englishmen Saison and theyr tongue Saissonaëg and know not what this words England or an Englishman meaneth Shortly after the Danes ouer came the Englishmen possessed this Lande vntill the yere of the incarnate word 1066 VVilliam bastarde of Normandy with his Normans vanquishynge bothe Englishmen and Danes vsurped the coūtry From which stocke almost the whole nobility of this Realme vnto this day doo fetche their descent But let vs returne to Lhoëgr whiche in times past was enuironed with the British Oceane the riuers of Seuerne Dee and Humber but now since the Realme of England stretchefoorth beyonde Humber to Twede wée wil also stretche foorth the name of Lhoëgr so farre And although the Englishmen doo possesse beyonde Seuern Hereford shyre the Forest of Deane and many other places yet wee holde that they dwell in VVales not in Lhëogr and are taken almost euery where of all other Englishmen for Welshmen But the riuer Dee is accompted at this day one of the auncient bonds sauing that in certein places both the people the welsh tongue haue incroched more into England These thinges beynge thus presupposed let vs now discend to the particulared escription of Lhoëgr or England In which the countrie called Cantium of the Romanes of our countrimē Caint of Englishmen Kent commeth first vnto our view From whēce there is but a narow cut ouer into Fraunce to the hauen Gessoriacus which is now termed Bollen as S. Rhenanus gathereth out of the auncient Chart of warly descriptions And not only Marcellinus amongst the old writers speaketh of the sea towne of Bollen in the life of Iulian the Emperour but also in his Panegiricus called Constantinus the sonne of Constantius these are founde Constātinus the father being made Emperour at his first cumming with an innumerable fleet of enemies pend out the fierce Oceane enuironed tharmy which lay vpon the shoare of the towne Bollen c. Coenalis affirmeth the hauen Gessoriacus is Caslete of Flāders which towne standyng vpon the top of an high hill xiiij miles from the Sea sufficiently declareth the authors vnskilfulnesse And I take Iccius to be the same hauē whiche now they terme Caletum for Calitium Calice But I cannot agree with those whiche make Selusas of Flaunders to be Iccius beyng vnlike that the Romanes woulde haue vsed so longe a course by Sea when they might haue passed ouer sooner more commediously from that place There were in Kent in olde time three famous Portes well knowne to the Romanes Doris Rhutupis and Lemanis Doris vndoubtedly is the same whiche both Englishmen and Britaynes reseruinge the auncient name at this daye doo call Douer For wee call Water Dour or Duúr And I am not ignorant that the Douarians stoutly defende that theyr towne heretofore was called Rutupium and that Aruiragus kyng of Britaynes builded there a noble Castle Yet I had rather giue credite to Antoninus who speaketh of bothe And I suppose that to be Rutupium which of the Englishmen is called Repcestre nigh Sandwiche not farre from the yle of Thanat For that I lande wee call Ynys Rhuochym as much to say Rutupina wherof the shoare deserued to be termed Rutupinum and the Porte Rutupis Lemanis or as some call it Linienus is that Riuer which is now called amongst the Englishmen Rotler and floweth into the Oceane sea nigh Apuldore Moreouer besides these famous Portes are Rye and VVynchelsea two townes farther within the mayne lande Durobreuis and Durouernum the same Englishmen do call Cantorbury that is to say the court of the Kentyshmen and with vs Caërgant and is cheife Metropolitant Sea of al Englande and VVales The tother is termed Rofcester But Antoninus placeth Vagniacū between London and Dorouernum between that and Durouernum Durolernum but what names they haue at this day I am not altogether ignorant Howbeit it is manifest that these townes tooke their names of Water whiche is Duur in British and Duriuerne amongst vs playnly signifieth water which floweth out of a place where Alders growe Wherby I am perswaded that the same towne in times past therof obtained his name But before I depart forth of Kent I must breifly touche that great Wod wherof both British and English writers haue spoken The Britaynes call it Coëd Andred but the Englishmen Andedreswald And Huntington affyrmeth that it conteineth in length one hundreth and twentie miles and in bredth thirtie miles and that the worthy citie called Caër Andred and Andredecester stoode therin which Dalla kyng of the Southsaxons vtterly ouerthrew so that there remayneth no token nor rubbish therof The Kentishmen and Southsaxons to this day doo call a place where Wodde hath byn VValden not knowyng for all that whence the woorde is deriued When others but falsely call it VVelden others VVylden For the English Saxons cal a Wodde VValden as the Germans doo now terme a playne without trees VVolden as in these woordes Cottiswolden and Porke wolden it appeareth Next vnto the Kentishmen on the Southside of the Thames are those whiche in times past were the seconde kyngdome of Southsaxsons and were termed Southsaxon but is now deuided into twoo shyres Southsex and Southtrey And I am of beleife that Neomaguin was their Citie where Gylford now standeth Chichester the cheefest Citie of Southsaxons was called Caërceri in British After these come the Atrabates whiche now are called the people of Barkshyre whose principall Citie in olde time was called Caleua but now VValyngford Wherein I cannot consent to those which cal Oxford Caleua standing on the North shoare of the Thames There is also a village named Cilcester not far from Basinge which before time was called Caërsegent and Segontium of
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
example of manie diuers places of VVales Wherfore wheÌ„ I perceaued that this place was within the confines of the Siluri the Ordouici for it is scarse two miles distant from Colun or Clun castle which is the patrimony enheritance of the most noble and auncient family of Fytz Alanes in England that it so agreed in al points with the description of Tacitê° that nothing could be wanting I dare boldly affirme that this is the very selfe same place in which Ostorius coÌ„tended with Cataracus in bataile vanquished him from whence fliyng puttyng himself in trust to the faith creditie of Cartimandua the queen of Brigantes was by her betrayed Moreouer that name of Cataracus is at this day so peculier to the welshmen that many princes noble meÌ„ ar called by that name amoÌ„gst whom at that time Trahernus the son of Caradoc ruled Northwales Fleanchus as the Scots say sonne to Banguho after that kynge Macabaeus had slayne his father by flight escaped into Wales on whose daughter by secret accesse but infortunate and miserable to the parentes he begat VValter who was the first of the Stuarts in Scotland that was of renowme from whom vnto this day the kynges of Scotland doo vaunt themselues to haue descended But I suppose it more likely that he whom they reporte to be the nephue of Trahernus the Scot borne of his daughter and his father a Scot in Northwales a thynge much disagreeynge from the truth rather to be one of Trahernus owne children whiche by Gryffine sonne vnto Conane together with Caradoc Gryffine and Meylere Rywallons sonnes was vanquished and slayne And that this VValter escaped by flight into Scotland and there attayned to greate honour And this can be no great fraude or disgracyng to the name of the Stuarts that they are descended from the bloud of the most noble and antique British kynges from whiche also most honorable famely the same Owen Tuder grandfather to king Henry the seuenth of that name kynge of England lineally descended by the Fathers side as we wil declare in our description of VVales and not from any meane or base degree as false and impudent Meyerus a Flemmyng sticketh not to affirme NOW that wee haue wandred ouer all England called LHOEGR let vs next in ordre proceede to the seconde Region of Britayne which of our countrimen is called Albania of the inhabitantes Scotland This same in oldâ— time was of the Romans called the seconde Britayne For Sextus Ruffus reciteth fiue Prouinces of Britayne Maxima Caesariensis which I doo take to be that part of Britayne whiche by Iulius Caesar was made tributary to the Romans to wit Kent the Kyngedome of Southsaxons and the Region of Atrabates The second is Flauia which by like coniecture beyng therto mooued I suppose to be that which by Vespasian who descended of the family Flauia was by him set vpon and subdued that is to say the I le of Wight which afterward was made part of the VVestsaxons king dome The thirde I iudge to haue bin termed by the name of the first Britayne which lieth forth from the Thames to the Vally or Trench The fourth being the lesse and the second Britayne compriseth Scotland It remayneth then of necessitie that VVales be contayned vnder the name of ValeÌ„tia which maketh vp the fift prouince Howbeit Ammianus writeth that that prouince which by Theodosius captayne to Valentinia was taken when he had driuen thence the Readshankes and Scots was then of the Emperours name called Valentia And that the Britaynes inhabited these Prouinces both our owne and the Roman writers haue left in memorie Neither was there â—uer any writer of name that made mention either of Scots or Readshankes before VespasiaÌ„s time aboute the yere of our Lordes incarnation threescore and twelue at what time Meurigus or Maus or Aruiragus reygned in Britayne For our Cronicles doo report of a nation which liued by Piracie rouyng on the Sea cummyng foorth of Sueuia or Norway hauynge one Rhythercus to their captayne and landed in Albania wastyng all the country with robbyng and spoylyng so farre as Caerleyl where he was discomfited and slayne by Meurigus a greate many of his men also those which escaped fled to their shippes and so conueyed them selues into the Orchades and the Iles of Scotland where they quietly abode a greate whyle They call them Phichtiaid that is to say Phichtiani in their mother tongue and so are they likewise called in the Scottish and in their owne tongue Wherfore it is not likely that they were so called of the Romans for paynting of their bodies since they were called by that name before that they were euer knowne to the Latines Neither were thei these but the Britaynes of whom Caesar and others do report that they wer wont to paynt theyr bodies Blew with Woad that they might appeare the more terrible to their enemies And with vs at this day which seemeth to argue antiquitie Blew couâ—er is called Glas by whiche name also that Herbe not altogether vnlike a Plantayne very well knowne now to Marchants is called Besides all this the Romans whiche first made mention of this people termed them not Picti but Pictones These as I haue sayd before after that they had taken hart of grasse and were growen to some power out of these Ilandes in theyr litle Leathern Boates such as our Fyshermen do vse now a dayes alonge Scotland were want to robbe and spâ—yie Shephardes and Husbandmen Untill that aboute the yere of our Lorde 290. when the Romans and Britaynes were bothe encombred with ciuile warres for the purple robe whiche Carausius woare and after him Allectus they entred generally into Cathanesia and Caledonia and driuyng thence the British sheapheardes and heardsmen and callynge vnto them the Gatheli out of Ireland whiche are now called the Scots were so bolde as to prouoke the Britaynes in open warre For the Scots come of the Irish broode as they them selues and others do know very well and are termed amongst our countrymen by the same name to wit Gwydhyl which as theyr owne Hystories doo testifie was the most auncient name of that nation And that the same nation came forth of Cantabria now Biscaya passed ouer the Sea into Ireland and there chose them a place of abode both ours and their owne writers haue lefte in memorie But by what cause or occasion they were called Scots truly I doo not know For I doo quite reiect the Aegiptian Fables of Scota And the selfe same language and the very same maners and behauior with the Irishmen and that they be called of the Britaynes by one name declareth sufficiently that they came from thence For the Southernmen of them are not true Scots but borne and begotten rather of Englishmen whereof a greate numbre flyinge at the cummynge of VVilliam Duke of Normandy departed into Scotlande and doo boaste to this day that
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