lyke LL but the better learned wryte with LH I am not ignorant that the Spayniardes haue in vse LL and so haue the Germanes LH As in the proper names of Lhudouicus Lhotharius the Emperour in Panuinius is euident But neither of thease expresseth ours howbeit I take it rather that the Mexicani whiche inhabite the newfounde worlde do vse that Letter whiche the Spayniardes expresse by LL but bycause I was neuer amongste them I doubt whether it be so or not for ours is sharpe in the hissinge For this letter L is pronounced with a stronge aspiration puttyng the tongue hard to the téeth beyng halfe open holdyng the lippes immouable the right pronounciation wherof is not easely learned but by muche excercise V hath alwayes the force of a vowell and hath almost the sownde whiche the Frenche V hath or the Hebrew Kibutz For V we vse single F the consonant Besides the fiue vowelles which the Latines vse we haue other twayne wherin we follow the Greekes Firste duble VV and soundeth not much vnlike the Latine V or to speake more playnly as the simple heretofore were wont in Latine falsly and barbarously to pronounce O. The last of the Letters and vowels is Y which we must examyne hard to be pronounced somwhat like Ypsylon as the learned of th'uniuersitie of Drford do pronounce it L. X. Z. are nothyng néedfull to the writynge of our wordes For K we vse C as we said before we haue also many DipthoÌ„gs in which both vowels yea if there be three as it chaunceth often keepe their full sounde or some parte therof ¶ Hauynge thus muche forefasted of the nombre and nature of the Letters let vs drawe neare to the proprietie of the tongue where we must note that lyke as the Greekes and Latines in thendes of their wordes haue variations and cases so this tongue contrarywise hath the same changynge in the beginning of the wordes Wherby it coÌ„meth to passe that euen the best learned through ignorance of the language haue byn verye muche abused in the names of Prouinces countreyes and other thinges let vs therfore briefely runne ouer this proprietye Euery Britysh worde whose first radicale is P T or C hath in wryting or discourse of talke to auoyde euell sownde three variations so that radicale P is somtime turned into B into PH and into MH T into D into TH and into NH C into G CH and into NGH. as appeareth in these examples An Head is called Pén in our tongue out of the head o bén or his head i bén with an head á phén or her head i phén my head fymhén Heare you see a strange mutation of this letter wheÌ„ it is called in one place Pén in another Bén in the thirde Phén and last of all Mhén Likewise Fier in British is called Tán out of fier ó dan with fier a than my fier fynhán In like maner C is changed for loue is called in our tongue Cariad out of loue ó gariad with loue á Chariad my loue Fynghariad Also B with D and G radicals haue their peculiar variations as for example sake Bara which signifieth Bread out of bread ó Fara where F. hath the force of V consonant my Breade fymara And like as B. is changed into F and M so is D into DH and N as Duw with vs the name of God which is so likewise pronounced by the Frenchmen though it be not written with the same letters out of God ó Dhuw my God Fynuw G. in the first place vanisheth away in the second place it is turned into NG as Gwr which signifieth a man out of a man ó Wr my man Fyngwr Besides these LM KH haue one onely variation as Lhyfyr a Booke out of a Booke o Lyfyr Mon the Isle of Angleysey out of Angleysey ó Fonn Rhufayn Rome out of Rome ó Rhufayn The other be neuer radicales as D F T H L K. or els they be not changed as PH CH N and S. THis Foundation beynge layde which hath troubled manie learned men let vs now come to the Geographical Description of the Ilande And first of all let vs briefly lay foorth what diuers men haue diuersly written of the name therof Aristotle a graue Author in his Booke De Mundo Of the worlde whiche he wrote to Alexander affirmeth that there be two verye great Ilandes in th`oceane beyonde Hercules Pillers liyng aboue the Celtae whiche he calleth Brittanicas namely Albion and Ièrnai which name of Albion both ours and also the Romane Histories do acknowledge as very auncient and deriued from Albion the Sonne of Neptunè there regnynge aboute the yeare of the worldes creation 2220. whereof God willing wee wil speake more at large in another place But wheras some say that it is so named by reason of the white cliffes it is plaine ridiculous And I wonder that men otherwise circumspect enough could be blinded in such light as to haue darkened all the names of places and men with latin Etimologies or deriuations seyng it is well knowne that the Latines at that time possessed but the least parte of Italy And that the Apuli and the Calabri spake the Greeke tongue and the Tusci the Ethrusâ—an tongue and almost the residue of Italy was possessed by the French men â–ª wherby neither the Latin name nor their tongue was knowne to the borderers Into whiche errour Robertus Coenalis a French man very well learned with diuers other hath fallen while he endeuoreth to set foorthe the names of countries and cities of both Britaynes the Iland and the continent in expositions and deriuations from the Latin Wheras th`author forgetting himself saieth in an other place the first of all the Romanes Iulius Caesar behelde that parte of Fraunce and this our Britayne and that the same places were so termed by the auncient inhabitants before euer they heard of the Romane name Wherby I as one not sworne to mantaine the opinion of any man but following Reason the faithfull guide and leader of the wife do constantly avouche that the deriuations and deductions of the â–ª antique names of Britayne the parts therof are not to be sought out of the Greekes and Latines but forth of the most auncient Britysh tongue For how shamfully the Latines haue corrupted the names of the Kynges and places of the lande while they studie for the finesse of their tongue it is manifest to al those which being furnished with any skill of the tongues come to reade the Romane histories For so very falsly they haue called Hermannus Arminius Ernestus Ariouistus Dictrichus The odoricus and the inuincible kynge of Britayne Meurigus they haue called Aâ—uiragus and now of late yeres Polydorus hath termed Rhesus the sonne of Thomas Rychard Since therfore it is euident that wée must not trust vnto the Romane names let vs come to our owne naturall tongue by meanes wherof wee shal bring the true name of Britayne to lighte whiche
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
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
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
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
call it Mur seuerus that is to say Seuerus wall and in another place Gual seuerus Seuerus vally at this day In this region standeth EdeÌ„burge the seat of the kinges of Scotland somtime builded by Eboracus kyng of Britaynes called also Castle Mynyd agnes that is to say the castel of S. Agnes hil afterward the Castel of Virgins The water there which is now called Forthea was called the Picticum Sea and afterward the Scottish Sea and thus farre stretched the kyngedome of Northumberland Tacitus calleth the same Bodotua howbeit Polydorus so termeth the Riuer Leuinus whiche out of the lake Lomundus floweth into Cluyda For saith he Glota and Bodotua two diuers armes of the Sea ruÌ„nyng forth a greate length are kept a sundre with a narrow peece of grounde Wherfore Bodotua floweth not into Glota neither is it any riuer but an arme of the Sea therefore it cannot be Leuinus by any meanes Beyonde these armes of the Sea dwelled the Caledonij the most nobliest nation of Albania where now the inlande Scots inhabite At the East parte was Horestia now Angusia Fisa and Mernia At the VVest were the Epidij and more towards the North the Creoni And after these the Canouaci where now Lennosia Argadia and Lorna are The Carini possessed Loguhabria the Logi Strathnauernia And at the other Sea coast the Cauti Morauia and Rossia And the Cornabij which are farthest of al inhabited Sutherlandia and Cathanisia And wheras Boethius writeth that in the time of Claudius the Emperour the Moraui came by an whole Nauie into Scotland it is most false as appeareth in Hystories For the nation of the Slaui wherof the Moraui tooke theyr beginnyng was altogether vnknowen to the worlde vntil the time of the Emperour Mauritius aboute the yere of our lorde 600. The Marcomanni also and the Quadi inhabited those places whiche afterward the yere of our Lorde 900. beyng vnder Arnulphus began by Zuentebaldus kynge of the SLAVI to be called the kyngdome of Morauia Beyonde Scotlande in the Germane Oceane are the Ilandes called Orchades wherof the biggest is called Pomonia And on the other side of Albania in the sea Vergiuium which the Britaynes call Norweridh as who should say the Irishe Sea from whence I coniecture that the antique name Vergiuium was deriued lie the Iles Hebrides in nuÌ„bre two and fortie of others called Euboniae The I le of Anglisea is none of these as I will shew in another place And not far hence lieth Ireland an Iland also whiche our countrymen call Ywerdhon the inhabitants Verni Wherby in my opinion they do farre better which terms it Iuernia as Mela and Iuuenal in his seconde Satyre or Ierna as Claudianus and Dionysius rather then Hibernia now Ireland The Britaynes and Scots doo call the inhabitantes by one name Guyddhyl THus hauynge â–ª ended the description of Scotland with the Ilandes liyng thereabout let vs now proceede to wales the third part of Britayne The same is deuided froÌ„ Lhoëgr that is England by the Riuers Seuern d ee and on euery other side is enuironed by the VergiuiuÌ„ or Iris he Oceane And it was called Cambria as our Chronacles doo report of Camber the thyrde sonne of Brutus like as Lhoëgr of Locrinus and Albania of Albanactus his other sonnes also This same only with Cornwal a most auncient country of Britaynes enioyeth as yet the olde inhabitants The welshmen vse the British tongue and are the very true Britaynes by birth And although some doo write that VVales doth not stretch foorth on this side the Riuer Vaga or VVye this can be no fraud to vs For we haue taken in hand to describe Cambria and not VVallia Wales as it is now called by a new name and vnacquaynted to the welshmen In Northwales the welshmen keepe their olde boundes But in Southwales the Englishmen are come ouer Seuern and haue possessed al the lande between it and VVye So that al Herefordshyre the Forest of Deane and Glocestreshyre a great part of worcestershyre Schreupshyre on this side Seuern are inhabited by Englishmen at this day These regions with certayne corners of Fluitenshyre and Denbyghshyre were sumtime vnder the kings of March. And our countrymen vnto this day do call their neare borderers Gwyry Mers that is to say the men of March. For OFFA a most mightie kynge of March the yere of the incarnate worde seuen hundred and seuentie to the intent that the boundes of his kyngdome towardes the Britaynes in Wales might the better be knowne caused a verie deepe ditch with an exceedynge high wall to be made from the water Deuanus a litle aboue the Castle called Filix through â—ie hilles and deepe valleyes Fennes Kockes Cliffes Riuers vnto the mouth of the Riuer wye about an hundred myles longe The same reseruyng the olde name for of our countrymen it is called Clauddh Offa that is to say Offas ditch it may easely be seene of all throughout the whole coast And all the townes and villages almost whiche be on the East side therof haue their names endynge in these terminations ton or ham wherby it appeareth that the Saxons sometime dwelled there Howbeit now the VVelshmen in all places beyond that ditch towards Ihoëgr haue planted them selues The inhabitants of this region are called in their mother tongue Cymbri In whiche word the force of the sounde of the letter B is scarcely perceaued in pronouncing And it is very likely that this was the moste auncient name and that Cambria a region of England was therof so called When I perceaued that the Cymbri whiche fought with the Romans so manie blouddy battels were called by the same name that ours are it came into my mynde to enquyre and search what good writers haue thought of the beginnyng of that nation And hauyng read much therof I founde also very much wherby I am so perswaded that I dare auouche that it was this our British nation First the name is all one with ours then their tongue which is a very great argument For Plinius in his fourth booke and. 13. chapter saieth that PhilemoÌ„ was of the Cymbri called Mori marussium that is to say Mare mortuuÌ„ the Dead Sea vnto the promontory Rubeas c. And our countrimen call the Dead Sea in their tongue Mor Marw And as for these words neither the Germans neither the Danes neither Suenones neither the Slaui neither the Lithuani nor the Lyuones doo vnderstand them Wherfore it is manifest that the Cymbri were none of these nations But our Cymbri doo speake so wherfore it is euident that they were of the same name and tongue Moreouer Plutarchus in the life of Marius affirmeth that they departed out of a farre country and that it was not knowne whence they came nor whether they went but the like cloudes they issued into Fraunce and Italy with the Almaynes Whervpon the Romans supposed that they had byn
were parted into twayne Wherof the one were called Scordisci and dwelled in Hungarye the other by the name of Brenni possessed parte of the Alpes by the mount Brennerus in Tirolensis shier whom Appianus calleth all by the name of Cymbri Which doo all shew that they were Britaynes For Bathynad in our country language signifieth a formed Iudge For Bath is beautie or forme Ynad with vs is a Iudge in authoritie next to the kynge For when Brennus was dead they chose him to their captayne Farther Yscar with vs is to seperate Yscaredic signifieth those which be seperated Wher of this part of Fraunce when it departed from the residew was termed Yscaredic from whence Scordisci is deriued retaynyng the name of Brennus captayne And Brynn in British is a Mountayne or Hill of whiche woorde Brynnerus was so called Ouer and besides this Gatheli or the Irishmen when as about this time they departed out of Cantabria now Biscay wandring vpon the Sea to seeke new dwellings called al Britaynes Brennach of Brennus their famous captayne by which name they call our countrimen to this day And thus much sufficeth to haue sayde of Brennus But wheras some affirme that the Frenchmen vsed the British tongue by certayne French wordes cited by Rhenanus Sidonius and Lazius it appeareth to be most false Notwithstanding I can not sufficiently marueyle that of the tongue of this most mighty nation whose bowndes are comprised by the Rhyn the Pyrenei mountes Appeninus and the Oceane there is almost no shew or token to be founde remayninge And that it was most auncient it appeareth out of Berosus Annius Giambularius and Postellus Wherby Gallia now Fraunce was so called of Rayne whiche the Hebrues call GAL and the Britaynes Glaw as who should say berayned or ouerslowed by the Diluge Notwithstanding the Spayniards although they were afflicted by the Romans the Catti the Alani the Vandali the Gothes the Sueui and Mauri or Moores yet in Cantabria called now BISCAY and ASTHVRIA â–ª for these are onlye the verie true Spanyardes and Hiberi they haue preserued their auncient spéeche For that which is coÌ„monly called the Spanish tongue is but a medly made out of the Latine Gothish and Arabick But let vs omit all these thynges and returne agayne vnto our Cambria called VVales whiche wee in our mother tongue doo terme Cymbri This more then foure hundred yeres since as Gyraldus hath very well noted the Englishmen after the fashion and maner of the Germans haue called VVallia that is VVales For when the auncient Almaines had sometime ioynyng next vnto them of Forreyners the Frenchmen whom they called VValli it came to passe that afterwarde they called all straungers and those whiche dwelt in other prouinces VValli and VVallisei Like as at this present as well Frenchmen as Italians and Burgundians they call VValli al thinges that come foorth of strange countries Walshe This coâ—ntry I say whiche that I may vse the woordes of Gyraldus by a false name yet most frequented at these dayes but lesse proper is called VVallia Wales conteyneth in length two hundred myles and aboute one hundred in breadth For it reacheth in length from the Hauen Gordwr in Mona called Anglysey vnto the hauen Eskewyn in Venta eight dayes iorney In breadth from Porth Mawr that is to say the greate hauen of Meneuia vnto Rhyd helig which the Britaynes cal VaduÌ„ Salicis the Englishmen Wyllowford aboute foure dayes iorney A land muche aboundynge and very well fortified with high Mountaines low Ualleyes great Woddes Waters â–ª Fennes In such sort that from time the Saxons first vsurped this Iland the residew of the Britaynes which departed into those coastes neither by the Englishmen longe agoe neither since by the Normans coulde be altogether subdued As for those which betooke them selues to the South corner whiche of their Captaynes name was called Conauia bycause it is not so well defensed were not able to resist For the thyrd part of the Britaynes whiche doo now remayne possessyng the Southerly sea coast of Fraunce a singulare good country was not traÌ„slated thither after the destruction conquest of Britayne but longe euer that by Maximus the Tyran Who after many sharpe battayles which the British youth sustayned vnder him durynge those warres was with this farthermoste shoare of Fraunce rewarded by the Emperours liberalitie Thus far Gyraldus This country sometime was inhabited only by the Britaynes but after ward the Englishmen began to possesse it vnto Offas ditch agaynst whom the welshmen made infinite warres vntill the commynge of VVylliam the Norman Under whose sonne Henry the Flemminges beyng then driuen out of their country by breaking in of the sea tooke vpon them the possession of Rosse a prouince of Demetia Who in many warres were prouoked by the Princes of VVales but alwayes valiantly defended them selues and theirs and at this day differyng from the VVelshmen in tongue and maners are yet in the same place recompted for Flemmynges The kynges of Englande especially Henry the First the Second and Third of that name callynge vnto them the Scots Irishmen and Cantabre Gascons did very much prouoke and molest this nation with continuall warres But the VVelshmen beyng deuided vnder three kynges whome they called Princes whiche was the very cause of theyr destruction defended them selues and their owne stoutly Howbeit certaine Regions of South wales as Rosse Gla Morgan Wenta Brechnocke and parte of Powys by Robert sonne to Hammon and certeyne worthy Erles of Glocester the Brussij the Bohunes Brian Gylford Adam of Newmercate but specially by Roger Mountgomery and his sonnes Hago whiche was slayne in Anglysey Robert of BELISINE and ARNVLPH whiche builded the Castell of Penbroke and the Fytzalanes Lordes of Oswastrey Clun were quayled and tamed in many battayles came into the right possession of the conquerours And Gwynedh although that part therof whiche lieth on this side Conway was first weakned by the erles of Chester afterwarde by the forenamed kynges which at the Riuer Cluda sundrie times wasted all with fier and sworde noÌ„twithstandyng after the departure of the kynges they draue the Englishmen thence and raced their Castels downe to the grounde and alwayes defended theyr boundes Untill the yere of our Lorde a thousande two hundred fourescore two Edward the first of that name leading a mighty armie agaynst prince Lewâ—lyn and an other arriuyng in the I le of Anglyâ—ey and vanquishynge the same from whence they entred into Aruon a region exceedyngly well fortified by naturall situation by a bridge made of boates in the very same place where sometime Agricola lead ouer his Souldiers Where the two armies ioynyng together vanquished a great multitude of the Gascons and Biernes with diuers other noble men brought them in subiection to the Englishmen When as also at the same time his third armie vnder the Erle of Glocestâ—e and Roger Martumar sacked and spoyled Southwales beyng
nothyng troubled with hunger nor cold neither wearied with martial affayres neither fallynge into desperation by aduersitie but soone redie to rise vp after a fall and prest by and by agayne to assay the peril of war as in battayle easie so in continuance of warre harde to be ouercome Wherby Claudianus seemeth to speeke of the nature of the same nation saying If that their harts you let a whyle To rest so many slaughters they deuoyd of sence doo seeme To take and of smale price the losse of so much bloud to deeme Thus much he and more whiche shortly god willyng shal be set forth Now let vs come to the description of the lande This lande after the British destruction was deuided into six RegioÌ„s as I read of late in a very auncient booke written of the lawes of the Britaynes For sayth that booke after that the Saxons had vanquished the Britaynes obtayned the Scepter of the Realme and the crowne of London all the people of Wales assembled together at the mouthe of the Riuer Deuey to choose a kynge And yno i Doethant Gwyr Gwynedh à Gwyr Powys à Gwyr Deheubarth à Reynnwc ac Esylluc à Morganuc That is to say and thither came men of Gwynedh and men of Powys and men of Deheubarth and of Reynnucia and of Syllucia and Morgania they chose Maylgun whom others call Maclocunius of Gwynedh to be their kynge This was aboute the yere of our Lorde â—60 Howbeit afterward in the lamentable conflict agaynst Ethelfredus kynge of Northumberland are recited the kings of Dynetia whiche falsly they call Demetia of Guenta of Powysia and of Northwales And in another place â—ention is made of the kinges of Stra 〈…〉 Cluyde So that hereby it is easely 〈…〉 ered that this country was subiect 〈…〉 iuers petikinges or Erles vnto 〈…〉 e of Roderike the great who ob 〈…〉 the Monarchie of al VVales the yere of our Lorde 843. deuidyng it into three partes whiche he left in possession of his three sonnes For vnto Meruinius as Gyraldus termeth him to whom I consent his eldest sonne he gaue Gwynedh to Anaraudus whome some make the eldest Powys to Cadelhus the youngest Deheubarth And that I may vse the woords of Gyldas Southwales was alotted to Cadelhus with the blessyng and goodwil of all the people which they call Deheubarth which is as much to say as the right side Which although in quantity it be farre the biggest notwithstandyng by reason of noble men which in the welsh tongue are called Vchelwyr that is to say high men wherwith it aboundeth whiche were wont to rebell agaynst their Lordes to defie them in armur it séemed to be the worser This diuision whilst their posteritie conteÌ„ded among themselues in Ciuill warre and ech of them alone with the Englishmen in externall at last destroyed the kyngedome of wales The cheefest of these kyngdomes whiche the inhabitantes call Gwynedh Englishmen Northwales the Latine writers corruptly Venodotia had in auncient time these limites On the Weast and North sides it hath VergiuiuÌ„ or the Irish Oceane at the Southwest and by South the Riuer Deuye Wherby it is cut of from Southwales On the South and East sides it is seuered from Powys and England with high Hilles and somtime with waters vnto the force of the Riuer Dee The same also was parted into foure Regions which conteined fiftéene Cantredi which signifieth an hundred villages The principallest of these Regions was the I le of Anglysey of whom wee haue spoken in another place in the same was a kynges Palace the seate of Northwales in Aberfraw whereof the kinges of Gwynedh haue the name of the kinges of Aberfraw For in the lawes of Howel Dha that is to say good Howel of walles both kynge and lawier which I haue seen written both in the British and Latin tongues it was decreed that like as the kynge of Aberfraw ought to pay threescore and thrée poundes for tribute vnto the kynge of London So likewise the kinges of Dinesur an Matrafall were seuerally bounde to pay so much Whereby it appeareth that this kinge was the cheefest prince of al wales About Anglysey be diuers litle Ilands as Ynis Adar that is to say the I le of Byrdes sometime but now it is called Ynis Moylrhoniaid to witte the I le of Whales in English Ysterisd Also Ynis Lygod that is the I le of Myse and the I le Seirial in english Preêstholme The seconde Region of Gwynedh called Arfon as who should say aboue Anglysey the best fortified parte of all VVales For it centeyneth the highest Mountaynes and Rockes of all Britayne which wee terme Yriri the Englishmen Snowdowne because they carie Snow For height and plentie of cattayle scarce inferiour to the Alpes It hath in it many Riuers and standing Waters Beyonde whose farthest promontory called Lhynus lieth an I le whiche Ptolomaeus termeth Lymnos our countrymen Eulhi the EnglishmeÌ„ Bardesey that is to say the I le of the Bardi In Arfon oueragaynst Anglysey stoode an auncient Citie called of the Romans SegontiuÌ„ of the Britaynes Caërsegont of a Riuer whiche passeth therby But now out of the ruynes therof there is a new Towne and a Castle founded by Edward the first of that name kyng of England called Caër Arfon that is to say a Towne vpon Anglysey And not farre from thence oueragaynst Anglysey lieth the Byshops See of Banchor And vpon Conway water which there ebbeth and sloweth standeth Conway of our countrie men called Aberconwy a walled towne builded by the same kynge Then followeth Meridnia with vs Merionydh and Gyraldus calleth it the land of the sonnes of Conauius The same as he sayeth is the most roughest and sharpest of al VVales hauynge in it moste highest Mountaynes The people vse longe Speares wherwith they be of greate force as the Southwales men with their Bowes so that an Harnies cannot beare it of So much he The Sea coast there by occasion of great Herryng takyng is much frequented by people of diuers countries In the same standeth the Towne Harlechia by the Sea side And within the lande is the great lake Tegid through which the riuer Dee whiche wee call Douerduwy that is to say the water of Dee floweth Where it is worthe the notyng that there is in that Ponde a peculiar kinde of Fish which is neuer founde in the runnynge water neither the Salmons wherof the Riuer is full doo euer entre into the Lake In this country and in Arfon are seene greate multitude of Deare and Goates vpon the high Hilles And these two countries of all Wales cam last into the power of the EnglishmeÌ„ Neither did the people of this country euer frequent domestical incursioÌ„s but before our time alwaies séemed to obey lawes rightfully The farthest last part of Gwynedh is called of our couÌ„trimen Berfedhwlad that is to say the inward and midland region and is seuered from
inheritance vnto a woman called Hauisia who beynge maried vnto one Carleton an Englishman made him Lorde of Powis from which house at length it descended vnto the Grayes in the North. Next vnto that standeth Cadeuenna a new towne aboue whom towardes the risinge of Seuern are Arwistle and Lhanidlos countries wel knowne by reason of the Townes And more by VVest and by North at the head of Deuey Mouthuy now a portion of Merionedh Kefelioc knowne by the towne Machaulhaith On the other side of Seuern beneathe the Region Kerey there is a Castle by a litle Towne which VVelshmen call Trefaldwyn that is to say Baldwynes towne but the Englishmen terme it Montgomery of the builder Roger of Mont Gomer From this Towne all these Regions beyng ioyned together are called Montgomershyre a country brooder sometime of noble horses now it sendeth foorthe but few and by the forenamed Roger and his sonnes verie valiant and warlike gentlemen very sorely afflicted vntill that Robert beynge accused of high Treason was enforced to flie his countrie The region is hilly and by reason of plentifulnesse of Pastures verie good for grasinge of Cattell aboundynge with many waters and bryngynge foorthe tall men very well fauoured much addicted vnto Idlenesse and vnprofitable games Whereby it cometh to passe that you shall finde many ritche Englishe Farmers amongste them when as the Landelordes themselues which will take no paynes do become very poore These six shyres namely Anglysey Aruon Merionydh Denbyghshyre Fluitense and Montgomershyre Englishmen comprise vnder the name of Northwales There remayneth yet that parte of Powis which stretched sometime vnto Wey whose first Region taketh name of the Riuer Colunwy and of the Castle and possession of the Fitzalanes Next to Melienyth and Gurttrenion hilly countries and at the South RADENOR called of the VVelshmen Maisifod head of the shyre Ioynyng vnto these are the Eluil with the Castle of Payne by Wey which our country men cal Gwy Beyonde al these are Prestene whiche wee call S. Androwes Churche and Kynton with the Castle of Huntington And vpon Themis of vs called Tefedioc ▪ standeth the fayre towne Castle of Ludlaw in Schreupshyre in olde time called DINAV the worke of Roger Mōtgomer And aboue that the castle of Wigmore the patrimony of the Mortumars And at Seuern Bridgenorth Beaudely in old time very wel knowne by the castle Tyrhil ▪ And on the Southwest side vpon Logus which wee call Lhygwy on a passyng fertile playn standeth Lhanlhieni of the Englishmen Lemstre And not farre thence is the auncient Citie Henfford that is to say◠an olde way of Englishmē in old time called Ferleg now Hereford standinge vpon Wey or more truly vpon Gwy Towards Seuern are Maluern hilles and in the very corner between Seuern and VVey not farre from the towne of Rosse is that renowmed Woodde whiche of the Danes is called the Forest of Deane These Regions with al Herefordshyre beyonde Wey before they were possessed by the Englishmen in olde time were termed in British Euryeynnwc and the inhabitants Eurnwyr of whiche name there remayneth yet some signification apparant in one place of Herefordshire For that which the Englishmen called Vrchenfeld the VVelshmen called Ergnig and afterward Ergengel And no meruayle since the least portion therof retayneth now as I haue sayd the name of Powis There remayneth the thyrd kyngkingedome of VVales of the English called Southwales of our countrymen which inhabite the lande Deheubarth that is to say the right or South part for so wee vse to terme the South The same is wholy compassed with the Irish Sea the streame of Seuern and the riuers Wey and Dyuei And although the country be very fertile the lande ritche and far more bigger then Gwynedh notwithstandynge as Gyraldus sayth it was compted the worser And that not only because Vchelwyr that is to say the nobliest cheefest men refused to obey their kynges but also by reason that the sea coastes therof were continually molested by the Englishmen Normans Flemmynges Whereby the Prince was compelled to forsake Caer mardthyn his seate and to apoyncte the principall place of his regalitie at Dinefur in Cantremawr And although these princes were of greate authoritie in VVales yet after that Rhesus the sonne of Theodore the greate was slayne through the treason of his owne men they were no longer termed Dukes nor Princes but Arglwydhi that is to say Lordes Untill at length through Ciuile Warres by deuidyng of their landes amongst many and also by externall whyle the Englishmen endeuored to possesse all by force and crafte they were so weakened that after the death of Rhesus the sonne of Griffith a very noble and valiant Gentleman they lost bothe the authority and name of Princes and Lordes Now let vs descend vnto the description of the Prouince wherof the first Region which commeth to hande is that whiche Gyraldus calleth Ceretica our countrymen Ceredigion the Englishmen Cardigan Where it is to be noted as in all other that C and G haue the force of Cappa Gamma This region on the North hath the Irish Sea on the East the riuer Dyuei wherby it is deuiued from Gwynedh towardes Powis very high Hilles on the South Caermyrthyn and on the West Dyfetia Their tōgue as Gyraldus affirmeth is esteemed the finest of al the other people of wales And Gwynedh the purer with out permixtion cōmyng nearest vnto thauncient British But the Southerne most rudest coursest bycause it hath greatest affinitie with strange tōgues The sea coast of this parte Rychard Clarens a very noble man comminge in with a nauie and buildyng Castles at the mouth of Teifi and Vstwyth possessed it for his owne and leauing garisons there returned into England But when he vnderstoode that his men were besieged by the VVelshmen beyng boldned by his great power he entended by an ouer rash enterprise to go ayde them by lande But at Coed Gronus not farre from Abergeueni he was slayne with all his armie by Ierwerthus of Caërlheon And so those Fortes returned agayne vnto theyr olde lords I suppose that the mouthe of Ystwyth is of Ptolomaeus called Rotossa and Tibium Abertius but that through necligence of the transcribers they were confounded into one Not farre from this place standeth Lhanpaternfawr that is the Church of Paternus the greate which in olde time was had in great veneration For welshmen aboue all other nations were accustomed to reuerence Churches attribute much honour vnto ecclesiastical persons For as Gyraldus reporteth they vsed not once to touche the most deadlyest foes they had and such as were accused of Treason if they escaped vnto the church Yea not so much as their enemies cattell if they fedde in any Pastures or Leazes whiche appertayned vnto the Churche Moreouer when they be armed and goynge vnto battell if they fortune to meete with a Priest on the way they will cast downe their
to Hamo and ioynynge with other Rebelles out of WENTA and BRECHINIA mette with RHESVS in Black hill and there slew him And so payinge the Englishmen theyr Wages discharged them But they takynge regarde vnto the goodnesse of the soyle and the greate variance whiche was then amongst the VVelshmen as inforetime the Saxons had done they turned theyr force of Armes agaynst those whiche entertayned them and soone displaced them wholy of all the champion and the best of the countrie Whiche HAMO deuided amongst twelue knights which he brought with him reseruing the better part to himself Who buildynge there certein Castels and ioynyng their power together defended their Farmes and Lordeships which they had possessed and taken Whose heyres peacebly enioy the same vnto this day But Iestinus scarsly reserued to him selfe and his the hillye countrie The twelue knightes names were these London Stradlyng Sanct Iohn Turberuille Granuille Humfreyuille Sanctquintin Sorus Sullius Berkerolus Syward and Fleminge In this prouince are NETH vpon a Riuer of the same name Pontfayn that is to say Stone brydge Englishmen falsly call it Cowbridge Lantwyd Wenny Dynwyd Townes and Castels besides Caër Phili a most auncient Castle and Fortresse Whiche as reporte goeth was erected by the Romans and Caerdid the principall towne of the shyre standyng vpon the ryuer Taf English men terme it Cardyd And not far from thence is Landaf to say a Churche standynge on Tauus ennobled with a Byshops See. Next vnto this region lieth Wenta vnder Momuthshyre This in olde time was called Siluria which may easely be proued contrarie vnto the ridiculous authoritie of Boethius and Polydorus And first to beginne with Tacitus who affirmeth that the Siluri lye ouer agaynst Spayne But these are farre more neare Spayne then any parte of Scotland wherefore it is more like that they dwelt here rather then in Scotland Moreouer whereas in a fayre discourse he describeth the expedition of Agricola agaynst the Albani or Scots and there reciteth all the people and nations of Albania he neuer maketh mention of the Siluri whiche was the most Warlike nation of them all And vndoubtedly if they had bin in Scotland he would neuer haue passed them ouer with silence Considering also how he telleth that ther were exceedyng greate Forestes in Siluria the tokens whereof remayne as yet in VVenta Ptolomaeus also and after him Marius Niger layeth the Siluri next vnto the Demeti and Maridunum but somdeale more Casterly Besides these authorities the moste auncient booke of the British lawes mentioneth Syllwc a prouince of VVales whose inhabitantes wee must needes call in the British tongue Syllwr wherby they were of the Romans termed Silures And one parte of VVenta is at this day called Gwent lhwc leauyng out one silable as though it were Went silluc Also Chepstow a fine market Towne in VVenta before a few yeres since passed was called by the name of Strigulia whiche seemeth to come somwhat neare to Siluria Moreouer Antoninus a very graue author maketh mention how Venta of the Siluri was not farre from this towardes the ferrie or place of passedge ouer the Seuern Wherfore it were but a iest hence foorth to seeke for the Siluri in Scotland And although that Plinius writeth that out of the Region of the Siluri ouer into Ireland was but a very shorte cut wee must thus take it that at his time Britayne was not sufficiently knowne nor the people of Albania longe after that subdued Wherby when certeyne of the Romanes as Englishmen vse now a dayes had passed ouer into Ireland out of Southwales others whiche neuer saw Britayne supposed it to be a very short cut In this Region is situate the most auncient noble citie of Legions which our countrymen call Caerlheon ar Wisk that is to say the citie of Legions vpon Vsk for difference sake between it and the other which is builded in Northwales vpon the Riuer Dee Of whom Gyraldus writeth thus The same was an auncient and noble Towne the tokens whereof remayne as yet an huge Palace a Giantlike Tower goodly Bathes and Hotte houses Reliques of Churches and places like Theatres compassed with beautifull Walles partlye yet standynge Also buildynges vnder the grounde conductes secreat passages and vautes vnder the earth Stewes framed by wonderfull workemanship There lie two martyrs Iulius Aron which had churches dedicated vnto thē There was also a Cathedral Church of an Archbishop vnder Dubricius which fell to Dauid This much he Also on the otherside of Vsk in the way which leadeth to Strigulia ar seen auncient Ditches and the remnants of towne Walles of the Siluri of Venta which now also they call Caerwent to wit the Citie Venta wherof the name grew to the whole countrie At the mouth of Wey whiche wee call Gwy is a famous Market Towne in olde time Strigulia but now called the Castle of Gwent The Erles Martials their heirs of this place did very much weaken the state of VVales Not farre hence is Monmuth of vs Monwy so called by the meeting of Mona Wey together the head of the whole shyre Aboue at Osca are the Castle of Osca called Brynbuga in the vpper Venta at the meetyng of Vsk and Geuenna is Abergeuenny the Lorde whereof Brienne Guilford wrought muche mischeif agaynst the VVenti But afterwarde VVillus Brustius Lorde of Brecknoc vnder pretence of loue and freendship called the nobles of Wenta into this Castle to Feastyng and Banquettynge Who commynge thither with Sesylius sonne to Dunwallan cheif man of all that Region and his sonne Gryf fith suspectyng no deceate and vnarmed were euerychone most cruelly slayne by Brustius gward which were put readie in armour for that purpose And afterward sodenly breakynge into Sesylius house the vnmercifull Butchers murdred the yonge Infant Cadwaladar his sonne despiteously before the Mothers face Whose sonnes notwithstandyng takyng the Castle and hauyng sleyne Ranulphe Poerius with many other noble men at Lhandyuegad manfully reuēged their fathers death But BRVSTIVS beyng reserued vnto greater mischeif was famished to death with his Mother in the Castle of VVindelesour And here I thought good to note that the name of Sesylius beynge common among the Britaynes and welshmen ought to be written not with C. which alwayes expresseth the nature of the English K but with S. For els it should be read amongst the VVelshmen Kyllius There remayneth yet the last Inland Region of Southwales which maketh the shyre of Brechnock the head wherof Brechnock or as the VVelshmen terme it Aberhodni standeth in vsk vpon the fall of HODNI Bernhard of Newmarcat first of all Englishmen by force of armes subdued the same Aboue this Region lieth Bogwelth which they terme Buellt a rough and hilly countrie reachynge from VVey to Tobius Beneath is Ewias woonne by the power of Paganus the sonne of Iohn Which afterward was parted in twayne Herold and Lacey And not farre thence is Haya
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