that Parliament for his refusing to pay the said Monarch a certain annual rent challeng'd as due from him 3. That of invading Scotland with a Royal Army to force the payment of Chiefry Tributes and other Duties formerly paid thence to his Predecessors And when Columb-Cille was persuaded to go thither out of Scotland of purpose to intercede for the Poets interpose for his devoted Friend the said Scanlane Mor King of Ossory and to divert the Monarch from his resolution of invading Scotland nevertheless he was so rigorously and even so literally observant of that pennance enjoyn'd him by Molaisse that he had continually during the whole time of going thither staying there and returning back a Searcloath in such manner hanging down before his eyes that he never saw light all the while nor did at any time after during life as neither before since the command laid upon him by Molaisse any part or foot of Irelands ground Which admirable instance of the most perfect resignation of his will judgment soul to the greatest exactness of Christian discipline together with the prodigious austerity of his life and mortification of his body by watching and fasting to such a degree that he seem'd a very Skeleton alive even all his ribs and other bones of that side whereon he lay on the sandy ground which was his ordinary bed in his little Cell being perfectly countable in the print of them remaining there when he rose up from it I say that all this together duly considered besides his continual prayer and contemplation makes me not wonder at all that he should have both converted Nations and wrought so many stupendious miracles above all the power of Nature by invoking God as are reported of him in his life Nor consequently that in this very Parliament of Dromâ—eath upon denial of his two last requests the one for setting at liberty the foresaid King of Ossory the other for not making War on Dal-Rheuda in Scotland or requiring Chiefry or other duties of them any more he should as he was departing and taking his leave of them so confidently have prayed to God and withal prophetically told the Monarch there in publick 1. That Scanlane Mor should be freed that very night by God himself and be with him wherever he should chance to be that same night before he went to midnight Prayers 2. That Scotland should never more pay tribute chief rent or other duty of subjection to Ireland Both which predictions were to a tittle accomplish'd But these matters either of his austerity or sanctity or miraculous power and prophetical spirit are foreign to this place And therefore I return to tell you that I had no other design in relating those three Battels fought by his authority than to let you see by such convincing proofs the native genius of that People even in those early days of Ghristianity flourishing among them in all its glory A fatal genius indeed to put their controversies to the decisive judgment of the God of Hosts in Battel without regard either of any other way of arbitration of man or of so many thousand of unfortunate men that perish'd still by this bloody Test or even of the consequential weakning of their Country by it and this to such a degree as must have expos'd them all at last an easie prey to Foreigners Yet such their genius was and so it continued still Neither Monarchs nor Provincial Kings nor other Princes or Leaders among them seem'd to be at all moved by the holy injunction of Molaisse or penitential divine observation of it by Columb-Cille all his life after in expiating his former zeal They notwithstanding all their Christianity went on all of them generally in the old beaten road either of Battels or which was worse of Murders even from this very Monarch Aodh Aimmhiriogh for 300 years more That is just as their Predecessors had done before in the very first century of that holy religion among them For it was within this earliest and holiest Age of all that we read of six of their first Christian Soveraigns of Ireland downright murdered by their own Subjects at home besides one more kill'd in Battel by them Baodhan mhac Nineadha by the two Cummins Ainmhire mhac Seadna by Ferghussa mhac Neill Diarmuid mhac Ferghussa Ceirbheoil by Aodh Dubh mhac Suibhne the two Brothers who joyntly ruled Eochae and Baodhan by Cronan mhac Tighernaigh King of Cionachta Ghlinne Geimhion Tuathal Maolgharubh by Maolmortha at a place called Grealla Eillte and Oilloll Molt the first of them all in the Battel of Ocha by Lugha mhac Laoghaire who thereupon immediatly succeeded him in the Soveraignty S. Patrick himself their great Apostle being yet alive among them 22. To this unhappy Unchristian genius of the Princes and Nobles among that People for righting themselves or deciding their quarrels whether right or wrong by their own swords either in Battel or the baser way of surprizal and murder you may add as no less worthy of special remark the highest injustice of too many of their Monarchs both Heathen and Christian in punishing the personal crime of one man by laying intolerable Fines on whole Provinces at their pleasures and exacting them by Military execution if otherwise not precisely paid For example Aongus Ainchille King of Leinster having in the time of Paganism Married Dairin one of the two only Daughters of Tuathal Teachtuar the 101. Monarch of Ireland and within a little time after visited his Father in Law at Tarach and made him believe that Dairin was dead and then prayed that for the greater strengthning of their Friendship he might have his other Daughter and her Sister by name Fithir to Wife and by earnest suit obtained her She was no sooner brought home by him to his own House than seeing her Sister alive and thereby finding her self abused not only she through extremity of shame seizing her presently fell down dead in the place but Dairin likewise through excess of grief breath'd out her last upon her Sisters Corps in the very same place and almost same moment of time accompanying so her Ghost to the other life with her own Which coming to the Monarch their Fathers knowledge did so enrage him that entring Leinster with a mighty Force to destroy all the People of that whole Province indistinctly with Fire and Sword though they knew nothing at all of the crime he could not be otherwise appeas'd or withdrawn from this resolution than by their universal submission for themselves and Posterity after them to a Fine Eirick they call it of 6000 Beeves 6000 Muttons 6000 fat Hogs 6000 Mantles 6000 Cauldrons or Pots of â—â—ass and 6000 ounces of Silver to be every second year paid by them to him and all future Kings of Ireland for ever A Fine indeed both heavy unjust tyrannical and which added so mightily to their former feuds that upon the sole account of it divers Battels have been fought and much
enjoyed the Sovereign Power of Albain The other two were Mac Con otherwise called Lughae and Criomthan mhac Fiodaigh 4. There went also thither about the year of Christ 150. on his own account with considerable Forces Cairbre Riadfadae Son to the 106. Monarch of Ireland by name Conaire mhac Mogha Lauae who Conquer'd large Dominions for himself in the more Northern parts of that Kingdom and left his Posterity after him there who are those or at least a great and the more ancient part of those called by â—â—da Nistor Eccles l. 1. c. 1. Venerable Bede Dal-Rheudini as being the Inhabitants and first Irish Planters of Dal-Rheuda or as the Irish call it Dal-Riada in Scotland Whether it be not called so from that Cairbre Riadbfadae that is from this surname of his Riadfadae being changed by V. Bede to Rheuda as it might easily be I know not But this I know that Dal which is prepos'd in the composition signifies Part or Lot And so the whole word Dal-Rheuda or Dal-Riada signifies the Part of such a man who was the chief in Conquering it 5. The foresaid Mac Con alias Lughae within a few years more at least within less than thirty purfuing the same examples Landed in Scotland with a power of his Country-men Adventurers For it was from thence he returned back into Ireland to fight the Battel called Maigh Mhuchruimhe wherein being Victorious and killing the Monarch Art Aoinfir he made himself Sovereign in his place 6. This Mac Con's Grand-Son Fiachae Ceanann entring likewise Scotland not only gain'd large possessions but left his Posterity after him to give a beginning to Mac Allin and his Family there who are all descended from him 7. Colla Vais who had been four years tho by Usurpation the 115. Monarch of Ireland when he was by the lawful Heir his own Cousin German Muireadhach Tiriogh defeated in Battel and forc'd to flie adventuring over to Scotland with the two other Collaes his Brethren and rest of his adherents and acquiring great scopes of ground there became the Grandsire of the Clan Ndomnaills both in Scotland and Ireland For all of this Surname in either Kingdom in their several generations or branches derive their extraction in a direct line from this Colla Vais and consequently neither from Herimon or Heber but from i the a Cousin of theirs who was the Son of Breoghuin mhic Bratha of the same stock with Milesius 8. Next after that Colla did Criamhthan mhac Fioda the 120. King of Ireland with a Royal Army invade Albain I mean Scotland He had in his company another very powerful Noble man called Earc mhac Eocha Muingreahar mhic Aongussa And from him the Septs not only of Clann Eirc and Cineall Gabhrain but those of Cineall Conghvill Cineall Naonghussa and Cineall Conriche Anile with their distinct propagations and Families in Scotland ever since to this present are descended 9. Corck mhac Luighdhioch is the next in order that deserves mention Because that by the false and wicked surmises of his Step-mother upon his refusal to consent to her incestuous Lust she was Daughter to Fiachac mhac Reill King of Ely falling into his Fathers displeasure and thereupon forced to seek his fortune in Scotland and arriving there accompanied with such armed Troops as he could raise and then by his own deserts coming into such extraordinary favour with the Scottish King Fearradhach Fionn otherwise called Fionn Chormac that he obtain'd his Daughter call'd Muingfionn to Wife he had issue by her besides other Sons Manie Leambna from whom the Sept of Leambnuidh in Scotland and Cairbre Cruithnioch from whom the Families of Eoghanacht Muighe Geirghin in the same Kingdom were propagated 10. Soon after him Niall Naoighiallach the 121. and most powerful indeed of all the Irish Monarchs that were at any time before or since entred Scotland with so great a force that there was no resisting him But having said enough of him before I need not add to it here 11. In the last place and year of Christ 493. much about ninety three years after the said War-like Prince Niall the Great surnamed also Naoighiallach had been kill'd in France and in the 20. year of Lugha the 125 Monarch Son to Laogirius his Reign the six Sons of Muireadhach * So says Keting in the Reign of Niall Naoighiallach yet formerly in the Reign of Oilioll Molâ— he calls them the six Sons of Eirc mhic Eachae Muinreamhair mhic Eoghuin Mhic Neill King of Vlster being six Brothers of Mairchiartach Mor that soon after came to be Monarch of Ireland namely to the two Fergusses the two Aongussaes and the two Loarns together with other Septs or Families of Dal-Riada in the same Province of Vlster adventur'd for Albain and whether or no they gave the denomination of Dal-Rheuda or Dal-Riada to the Country there mostly possessed by them tho at least for a great part of it planted before as we have seen by the Progeny of Cairbre Rioghfadae †Eochae Muinreamhar of the Progeny of Cairbre Ridhfadae had two Sons Earcha and Elchon From the former the the Families of Dal-Riada in Scotland were descended From the later those of Dal-Riada in Ulster So Keting soys in the Reign of Art Aonsir where he further says that the two Dal-Riades or Families of them have been distinguished by the surname or nick-name of Russach given those of Dal Riada in Ulster the Irish Chronicles are plain and positive herein that they gave to themselves and all their Country-men the Scots of Albion the first King that ever they had of the name of Fergus who was one of those six Brothers And it is he that both the Irish and English Scots have since for his honor surnamed the Great as likewise Fergus I. Not that he was indeed the first Irish or Scottish King of Dal-Rheuda wherein Buchanan and all the rest of his Fellow-Historians that were English Scots are extreamly out for long before that very Fergus there have been many Scottish Kings of Irish descent in Dal-Rheuda but that he was greater than any of the former and the first of his own name that ruled there To conclude so many were the Invasions and so great the Plantations made in that Country by the Irish Milesians and other Gathelians in their time of Paganism that as they Conquer'd so they planted it throughly at last having quite expell'd the Picts And so they kept it possess'd intirely by themselves as Lords thereof for some Ages That is until after the Norman Conquest of England very many of the Saxons retiring thither under their protection others invited in and accompanying William the Scottish King and both of them multiplying mightily they not only made the other Nations which are now called English Scots but by degrees gained from them as we see even all other the better parts of that Kingdom besides the Lowlands I say accompanying William the Scottish King For Stow in his Chronicle tells That
he lived to finish this Table I know not But I remember to have seen in stead thereof two small Tracts of his in Irish on another Subject annexed to an Irish Copy of his History the one being a Defence of the Mass the other entitl'd in Irish The Three Shafts of Death An other Particular is That which tells how and why he thought it fitting as to the number of years attributed to the several Reigns of some few of their Pagan Monarchs especially Siorna Saoghallach and Cobhthach Caolbhreag to vary from their Book of Reigns where it 's said That the later reign'd fifty years but the former a hundred and fifty and that besides he was a hundred years old when he attain'd the Sovereignty nor died naturally but was murder'd after he had lived two hundred and fifty years in all In the Fifth Particular he speaks only to those who seem rather to admire than believe how it can be at least probable That other Pedegrees than those in Holy Scripture should be truly and in a perpetual Line without any interruption carried up along to Adam and Noah as the Irish Genealogical and Historical Books pretend to do for all their Kings Princes and great Nobles To such admiring incredulous men he answers That the Irishry or Gathelian Off-spring even all along from the time of Gathelus himself whose name gave these Descendants from hinâ— the general appellation of Clanna Gaodhel till their arrival in Ireland had with them a learned sort of men call'd in their Language Draoithe in ours Druids and Magitians whose peculiar Office it was to write and preserve as well their Genealogies as all other Memoirs concerning them or their Travails and Adventures whatsoever good or bad That the more famous Branch of those Gathelians to wit the Clanna Mileadh or Descendents from Milesius the Spaniard after they had conquer'd Ireland from the Nation call'd Tuatha-De-Danann thought fit to continue the same course and accordingly did continue for the 2500 years of their Government and Laws an uninterrupted numerous succession of Antiquaries for the same purpose with large allowance and strict orders to regulate them us has been said afore That besides and particularly to shew the like care among some other Nations for preserving the Genealogies of their great Heroes he instances in the Pedegree of that excellent Saxon King Alfredus and out of Asser Menevensis inserts it carried up through all his Predecessours from Son to Father in a perpetual direct Line to Adam To which Instance alledg'd by Keting I could my self most certainly though without Book add another For about five or six and forty years since travelling in Brabant and within a little English mile to Lovain entring the Choire of the Celestin's Abbey there I saw and for a pretty while did view a Table hung up on the Wall which contain'd the Genealogy of the Illustrious Founders the Dukes of Arscot carried up in like manner through a vast number of Generations to the First of all men Which may be enough to persuade us that the old German Nation how meanly soever for matter of civility or Learning describ'd by Tacitus have been very careful in preserving at least their Genealogical Antiquities And indeed if my memory fail me not I remember to have read in Favins Theatre of Honour much to this purpose where he tells It was from the Germans that all the rest of Europe derived the custom of giving Goats of Arms to shew the Noble Antiquity of their Extraction Though withal I must confess that Keting in the Reign of the Irish Monarch Domhnal mhac Aodh mhic Ainmhire who died in the year of Christ 642. not only demonstrates by a very special Instance That custom of blazoning Arms to have been among the Irish in this Monarchs Reign very common but farther says It had been so in all Ages before among their Ancestours ever since the days of Gathelus himself who deriv'd it from the Israelites at the time of their passing the Red Sea when each of the Tribes had its own peculiar Ensign carried before But to return to my purpose The Sixth and Last of those particulars of Keting's Preface I would acquaint you with is That being his whole History for the matter is only of the Ancient Irish Nation if any Reader shall perhaps apprehend his Relations or commendations or praises of them any where or in any point or as to any matter or Times excessive he desires it be considered That the Author is no Irish man by blood but English though born in Ireland And therefore cannot rationally be suppos'd to magnifie the Old Irish or speak more excellent things of 'em than the very force of Truth and duty of a Historian exacts from him Besides he had immediately before in the same Place declar'd That neither love nor hatred of any People nor hope of any kind of Reward on Earth made him either go through with or indeed at first undergo any part of the toil of so laborious a Work but only those other considerations given before But what his reason was only to write it in Irish I cannot tell Vnless it be That he would not swerve from the custom of that Nation while they were a free People before the English Conquest of transmitting the Authentick Records or publick Acts and Monuments of their Kingdom to after Ages in their own Language only Which as I conceive is the true reason why so little of them has ever yet been known elswhere in the World However you have by this time a sufficient account of Keting the Author I am mostly guided by in the whole Former Part of my Prospect or which is the same thing in my Discourses of the State of Ireland till the beginning of the English Conquest in the year of Christ 1172. I had almost forgotten to prevent your prejudice against Keting's History from his relating about the beginning of it those three unlikely Stories 1. How Seth the Son of Adam and three daughters of Cain in a Company together landed in and view'd all Ireland over 2. How last year before the Deluge three Fishermen of South-Spain by name Laigne Capa and Luasad had been Wind-driven thither c. 3. How Keasar the daughter of Baioth son to Noah with three men viz. Fionntuin Lothra and her said Father and fifty Women to save themselves from the Flood which from Noah they had heard of as impending after they had first by her advice renounc'd the God of Noah taken to themselves an Idol God which the Irish in their Language call Laimbh Dhia and then wandred for seven years by Sea at last arriv'd in Ireland just forty days before the Flood and there nevertheless perish'd by it And indeed I must confess that Keting relates these Stories at large with all their other circumstances But how or why does he relate'em It is manifest he does it of set purpose to explode 'em every one as incredible and meer Poetical
signifying much of either side at least as to Ireland in general by any of these Invasions there was nothing more heard of them or of the Invaders Much less was there ever in any Chronicle or Book that I could see either in English Irish or Latin before Cambden's Britannia came forth any mention made of Edgar King of England how puissant soever he was his having conquered a great part of Ireland and Dublin withal or indeed so much as one foot of Land there nay or so much as his having attempted any such thing And therefore I take no notice of Cambden's old Charter of King Edgar wherever he found it And so I do as little of Buchanan's relation where he writes that Gregory the Great King of Scotland who began his Reign Anno Christi 875. and ended it with his life Anno 902. invaded Ireland with a puissant Army during the minority of Donogh King of Ireland and Tutorship of this young King by Brien and Conchuair beat these Tutors in two several great Fights took Dondalk Droghedagh and Dublin visited here the young King assum'd his Tutorage to himself placed Governours in the strong Towns receiv'd threescore Hostages for their fidelity and with them return'd victorious to Scotland Certainly Ireland never had at any time since the very beginning not even since the first Monarch Slanius who reigned above three thousand years ago any King that was a Minor as Doctor Keting well observes and may be seen by any that reads over in his Chronology and History all the Reigns of the several Monarchs who during that vast extent of time successively govern'd Ireland or had the Title to govern as Monarchs there until it came under the English Power in the year of Christ 1172. There was not one of them all that came to the Soveraignty but either by election of the people or power of the Sword as there was not one in seven but came to it by this latter way that is by killing of his Predecessor Keting in the life of Brian Borumha and this commonly too in Battel Besides their very fundamental Law of Tanistry did exclude a Minor What then must we think where so many thousands descended of Heber and Herimon were at hand to claim their Titles rather than a Minor should have it But to say no more to this feigned Invasion from Scotland nor any thing other than what I have already of those former true however inconsiderable ones from elsewhere in Great Britain and to return back where I was to the Invasions both true and terrible and lasting indeed of the Danes what I would say is that notwithstanding those cruel Heathens had from the year of Christ 820. when they first invaded Ireland in the Reign of Hugh in Irish Aodh surnamed Ordnighe Monarch of Ireland and Airtre mhic Caithil Provincial King of Mounster and after that year all along in the Reigns of both that Monarch and his two Successors Conchauar mhac Donchadha and Niall Caille as likewise of Feilimidh mhic Griomthaine the Latins call him Feidlimidius successor to Airtre in the Kingdom of Mounster in several Fleets the two first one after another landing in Mounster the third in the North the fourth in vibh Cinsallach in Leinster fifth in the Harbour of Limmerick sixth of 60 Sail at the River Boyne seventh of forty Sail on the River Liffy eighth and ninth extraordinary great mighty ones at Lough-Foyle in Vlster poured in continually from time to time for above forty years together those almost incredible Numbers of men related by Hanmor yet the Irish fought 'em still and foyl'd 'em too in eight or nine Battels And although being too much overpowred by the continual supplies of new men coming to their Enemies who were absolute masters of the Seas they after a tedious cruel and continual War became at last for some little season Tributary to their Captain General Turgheise for so the Irish call him by us called Turgesius who now stiled himself King of Ireland lived in the middle thereof at Lough Ribh near the place where now Athlone is had both there and all over the whole Kingdom in every Province and Countrey and almost nook of it his Dane-Raths and other Fortifications made and strong Garrisons planted in 'em yet very soon after the generality of their Princes and people I say the generality for some of them held out still in some inaccessible places of Rocks and Bogs ' and Woods had so yielded to him their wisdom valour enfranchiz'd them most wonderfully in little above one Months time by their utter destruction of this Tyrant all his Heathen Crue For upon his lusting after the beautiful Daughter of Maolsechluin King of Meath and his desiring her of her Father to be his Concubine and the Fathers seeming of purpose to consent and then sending her privately at the Night appointed but attended with fifteen resolute Youths in Womens attire with short Swords under their Gowns and instructions what to do and then when it was very late at Night and all the rest of the leacherous Tyrants great Commanders withdrawn each to his own Apartment their seizing him so soon as he began to be rude with her and the Armour too of all the rest laid together in one heap on a Table in the Hall and then her Fathers rushing in at the same time and killing all those Commanders every one when they expected other Company each one of them one of the young beautiful Damsels as the Tyrant had promised them hereupon I say and upon the word given by Messengers who were ready of purpose flying into all parts the Irish to a man throughout the Kingdom are presently in Arms fall upon the astoâ—ish'd Danes attack and carry their Forts fight their Troops wherever they embody rout 'em kill 'em and pursue the remainders of them to their very Ships getting now away out of the Roads as Wind Weather serv'd ' em As for Turgesius himself Maolseachluin reserv'd him in Fetters for a time and then drown'd him at last in Lough-ainme So that after much about forty years bloody continual and general War at home in all the Provinces and several years most miserable and general thraldom under the yoke of such powerful barbarous and fell Tyrants who left not a Monastery or Church or Chappel standing where ever they came who placed a Lay-heathen Abbot in every Cloyster and endowed Church to gather the Revenues who layed so many times all their Countrey in Ashes who no less than four several times in one Month burnt Ardmagh the most holy See and Metropolitan City then of all Ireland who slew indistinctly for so many years both Priests and Clerks and Laicks and mean and great and rich and poor without mercy and who at last having subdued the miserable remainder imposed those burdens of Bondage on them which were such that if as to the particulars they were not attested by all the Irish Chronicles in
consequence would not be govern'd not even in Ecclesiastical affairs but by some of their own without dependance on any other except only the Prelat of that See which from the beginning of Christianity had prescribed some right over them all But enough on this Subject relating to Malachias the former of those two extraordinary Saints rais'd by God in the decrepit Age of the Irish Monarchy The later of them was a Leinster man of Noble Descent his Irish name and sirname Laurace O Tuathil in English Laurence Tool his Father Muirchiortach O Tuathil Lord of Imaile and peradventure some other small adjoyning Tracts in the County of Wickloe his Mother Inghin J. Bhrian i. e. one of O Brian's Daughters and he the youngest of all their Children But for the name of Laurence a name so unusual in that Countrey then 't was given him on this occasion Being born his Father sent him to be Christened at Kildare by Donachadh Lord of that Countrey of purpose to let him know by this Gossipred he was reconciled to him for before they had been at some distance and therefore those that carried the Child were commanded by the Father to Christen him Conchabhar this being that Nobleman's surname who was to be Godfather But a person reputed in that Countrey then such an other as Merlin had been of old among the Brittans meeting them in the High-way charg'd them to call him Laurence assuring them he would himself that night excuse them to their Lord and then adding prophetically in Irish Verse This Child shall be great on Earth and glorious in Heaven he shall command over great multitudes both of rich and poor and Laurence shall be his name When he was but ten years old his Father delivered him an Hostage to Diarmuid the King of Leinster In which condition notwithstanding the innocency of his Age he suffer'd incredible miseries even to extream want of Raiment and Food in a desert place among barbarous people where he had been for two years confined At the expiration of which being return'd back in exchange of other Prisoners though not delivered to the Father himself but to the Bishop of Gleann-da-Logh and his Father coming on the twelfth day not only to see him but to desire the Bishop to learn of God by Lot which of his children he should dedicate to an Ecclesiastick Life and he taking this opportunity and telling his Father That with his leave he himself would be that Child the Father surpriz'd with joy takes him presently by the right hand and offers him up perpetually to God in that holy place dedicated to St. Keuin both Cathedral Church and Abbey the one govern'd by a Bishop the other by an Abbot Where Laurence proves in a little time so singular a proficient in all Virtue that the Abbot dying the unanimous consent both of the Monks and Nobles of the Countrey Voted him Abbot and forc'd him to accept of it in the 25th year of his Age. And now it begun to appear more eminently what spirit he was of For the more he was honour'd the more he abased himself the stricter guard he kept on all his senses and the more intent he was upon his holy ascetick Exercises Above all that Virtue which is the bond of perfection that Virtue which shall never be evacuated but after Faith and Hope are ended shall remain that Virtue which by relieving the afflictions of other mortals makes the Reliever a God to them as Pliny speaks in his Panegyrick to Trajan Charity I mean did at this time shew what power she had over the Soul of Laurence He was no sooner made Abbot than a general Famine oppressing all that Countrey four years continually he no less continually employ'd himself in relieving all that were in want especially the poorer sort with corn and cattel and all the Revenues of his Abbey Revenues that were very great yea far surpassing those of the Bishoprick Nor must we admire they should be so It was one of the most famous ancient Monasteries of the Kingdom founded at first by St. Keuin as we call him but the Irish Ceaghin the Latins Coenginus a person though illustrious for his Royal extraction yet much more celebrated as well for the admirable austerity of his Life as for his manifold prodigious Miracles which made him after his death be assumed Patron both of the Town Abbey Cathedral Church and whole Diocess of Gleann-da-Loch where he lived and died Besides none but Noblemen's children were elected Abbots and the Noblemen themselves of the whole Diocess had by ancient custom their Voices in the election of them as well as the Monks However the large Revenues of the Abbey as they came short of the necessities of the poor in that long and general Famine so they did of the charity of Laurence as may be well concluded out of what follows hereafter Much about the time this Famine had ended the Bishop of Gleann-da-Loch dying he was chosen to succeed But notwithstanding all the importunity of the Electors he declined it though pretending only his un-Canonical Age. Yet so he could not soon after the Archbishoprick of Dublin For Gregory the First Archbishop of this See being dead Laurence by the unanimous consent of the Clergy and People of Dublin says Waraeus was elected Commentar de Praesul Hiber Archbishop and being at last by continual importunities drawn to yield was consecrated at Dublin by Gelasius Primat of Ardmagh and other Bishops Anno 1162. just fourteen years after the death of Malachias in France What more Waraeus thought fit to record of him is That presently after consecration he changed the secular Canons of his Cathedral Church into Regular of the Order of Aroasia whose habit and rule of Life himself also took upon him now That about eleven years after he built the Choire and Steeple with an other addition of three new Chappels to Trinity Church in that City That in the Year 1179. he went to the General Council held then at Rome under Alexander III. That according to the Author of his Life he was there made Legat of Ireland by that Pope soon after return'd back and exercis'd his Legatin Authority in Ireland That Gerald L. 2. expugn Hib. c. 23. Barry commonly call'd Cambrensis seems to intimate he never had been permitted to return to Ireland sed ob privilegia aliqua zelo suae Gentis impetrata but for some priviledges obtain'd from the Pope in that Council for his Countrey prejudicial to the Royal power of Henry II. was detained a long time partly in England partly in France until at last falling sick in his Journey he died at Auge in Normandy the 14th of Novemb. 1180. or as others have it 1181. Finally that in the Year 1225. he was canonized by Pope Honorius III. and his Relicks translated to Trinity Church in Dublin Which being the brief account given by Waraeus of this great Servant of God he leaves us for the rest that is
makes use of the same reason against the derivation of Britannia from Brutus yet having since consulted the learned Cambden's most accurat search into these matters though he has not a word of the Irish History of Briotan nor seems ever to have heard thereof I find nevertheless there may be very probable answers given out of him to that question put by me after Polydore and Keting And therefore I now decline it tho not the History it self of that Scythic Briotan's giving the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island otherwise and whether before or after his time first of all it matters not called Albion As for Abraham Wheloc's Saxon Annotations on Bedes Ecclesiastical History l. 〈◊〉 c. 1. pag. 25. where it is observed that this Island was called Brutaine and Brutannia from the name of Brutus I am not moved thereby because the Saxons had that name from the Britons themselves and the Britons though they write it Brutaine with u yet pronounce it Brittain with an i. as I am told by men skilful in their Tongue they commonly do in other words written with u. pronounce i. However I am content to acknowledg here that in putting the foresaid question I suppos'd more than I ought and that I pass'd over in silence for a worse the far better and more probable reasons nay the convincing reasons indeed What these are you may see at large in Buchanan and before him sufficiently enough for some part of them in Polydore who both the one and the other demonstrate the whole story of Brutus to be a meer Fiction though Henry of Huntingdon and the Author of Polychronicon otherwise reputed good Historians thought fit to recommend to all posterity the Fable out of Gâ—ffrey of Monmouth as an undoubted Truth However we are told I am sure by Geffrey for I have him by me That rutus was son to Silvius the son of Ascanius whom undoubted Monuments of Antiquity assure us to have been son to Aeneas and Founder of Alba on Tiber and Third King of the Latius That this very Brutus at the Age of sixteen having by chance in hunting the Deer kill'd his said Father King Ascanius and being therefore banish'd Italy went to Greece That here assembling together seven thousand Trojans descended from those who had been brought prisoners thither when Troy was burn'd and heading them he made War on Pandrasus the King of Greece defeated his Armies forc'd his Towns and took himself Prisoner and kept him so till by mutual agreement Ignoge the Princess Daughter to this King was given him to Wife and for a Portion with her besides a great mass of Gold and Silver a strong Fleet of three hundred and four and twenty sail well provided of all kind of necessaries That now putting to Sea with his Trojans and so great a Fleet to seek his Fortune elsewhere and coming to a desert Island by name Largecia the Oracle of Diana there admonish'd him to steer his course for Albion That in his way thither besides destroying a Fleet of Pirats that set on him at Sea and spoiling all Mauritania in Afric from end to end landing in France he first overthrew in Battel Groffarius the Pictish King of Aquitain plunder'd his Towns over-run his whole Countrey and theâ— again in a second mighty Battel defeated both the same Groffarius and all the other eleven Kings of France with their Forces That having perform'd these Wonders there he set sail for Albion which was inhabited then by Giants These were a prodigious Race of See Buchanan l. 2. page 43. Impres Amsterd anno 1643. where he gives an account of this no less ill-contrived than Monstrous Fable added by some later Author than Geoffrey of Monmouth as if Geoffrey himself had not store enough of indeed very stupendious Lyes Monsters some of them twelve Cubits high and all of them or at least their Predecessours before 'em begot by Incubi i. e. Fayery Devils on the thirty Daughters of Dioclesian King of Syria and his Wife Labana who the first night of their marriage kill'd their thirty Husbands and for that cause being forc'd to Sea by their said Father in a ship without Mariners or Pilot after long wandring and hovering arrived at last in Albion a meer Desart then Where it seems notwithstanding they were provided for by those wicked Aery Daemons that lay with them and procreated of them this horrible Race of Giants That upon his landing here at a place called Totnes where all the Giants were in a body to hinder his descent he fought them overthrew them pursued 'em all over the Island destroyed them utterly every where That having done so he divided the whole Countrey among his Followers gave them the name of Britons and to it that of Brittain from his own name both then begot Children especially three by name Locrinus Albanactus and Camber then built the famous City of new Troy since called London by corruption of the word Luds Town because one of his posterity King Lud not only repair'd it but strengthened it with a Wall and Towers and Bulwarks and then last of all before his death making three Royal Divisions of Brittain and erecting each into a Kingdom bestow'd the first of them together with the supreme sovereignty of the other two in some cases on his eldest son Locrinus called then from his name Loegria by us now England the second on his second son Albanactus from whose name 't was called Albania though Scotland after and on his third son Camber the third of those Divisions termed likewise from his name Cambria comprehending at that time not only the Countrey now called Wales but whatever is on that side of the Severn That by these brave Princes and their issue after 'em the Noble Cities of York Edenburg Carlisle Canterbury Winchester Shaftsbury Bath Leicester the Tower of London Westchester and Caer-Leon upon Vsk were from the foundations built and finish'd and the Brittish Nation and Kingdom most gloriously maintained at home and enlarg'd abroad even in the very Continent well-nigh all over Europe That not only Ebrancus the V. King of Great Brittain after Brutus and Builder of York with a numerous Fleet invaded France ransack'd it all over and return'd home triumphantly with the richest spoils thereof nor only his twenty sons which he had by twenty several Wives conquer'd all Germany under the command of one of themselves called Assaracus and possess'd it a long time after but Belinus and Brennus sons to Dunvallo Mulmutius the Nineteenth King as Belinus himself was the XX. made an absolute Conquest first of all the Kingdom of Gaul now called France and soon after of all Italy not Rome it self excepted which they took and burnt to ashes That Cassibellanus the Lxv. of the Brittish Monarchs when Julius Caesar invaded them at two several times fought him defeated him both times and the second time made him fly to France in such despair that he never more return'd That