In the Welsh proverb Mon mam Cymbry (1), in such sense as Sicily was styled Italy's storehouse (u), by reason of fertile ground, and plenteous liberality of corn thence yearly supplied. | And Girald (x) tells me, that this little isle was wont to be able to furnish all Wales with such provision, as Snowdon hills were for pasture. Of its antiquities and particulars, with plain confutation of that idle opinion in Polydore, Hector Boethius, and others, taking the (now call'd) Isle of Man for this Mon, (now Anglesea) learned Lhuyd, in his Epistle to Ortelius, hath sufficient. Although it be divided as an isle, (but rather by a shallow ford, than a sea; and in the Roman times, we see by Tacitus, that Paulinus and Agricola's soldiers swam over it) yet is it, and of ancient time hath been, a county by itself, as Caernarvon, Denbigh, and the rest neighbouring. That the Eubonian Man, a kingdom long time known.

It is an isle lying betwixt Cumberland and the Irish Down county, almost in the mid sea, long since Julius Cæsar could affirm, calling it

as

worthy prince) desiring to bless his feebler days with such composed quiet as inclining age affects, at last put himself into the king's protection. Within short space dying, left all to his sons, David and Gruffith; but only David being legitimate, had title of government. He by charter submits himself and his principality to the English crown (p), acknowledges that he would stand to the judgment of the king's court, in controversies betwixt his brother and himself, and that what portions soever were so allotted to either of them, they would hold of the crown in chief; and briefly, makes himself and, his barons (they joining in doing homage) tenants and subjects of England. All this was confirmed by oath, but the oath through favour, purchased at Rome, and delegate authority in that kied to the abbots of Cowey and Remer, was (according to persuasion of those times, the more easily induced, because gain of regal liberty was the consequent) soon released, and in lieu of obedience, they all drew their rebellious swords; whereto they were the sooner urged, for that the king had transferred the principality of Wales (by name of unà cum conquestu nostro (2) Walliæ) to prince Edward Long-Mona (y), which being equivalent, as well for this sbanks, (afterward Edward I.) since when our Sovereigns' eldest sons have borne that hopeful title. But when this Edward, after his father, succeeded in the English crown, soon came that fatal conversion here spoken of by the author (r), even executed in as great and worthy a prince, as ever that third part of the isle was ruled by; that is, Lhewelin ap Gruffith, who (after uncertain fortune of war, on both sides, and revolting of SouthWales) was constrained to enter a truce, (or rather subjection) resigning his principality to be annexed wholly to the crown after his death, and reserving, for his life only, the isle of Anglesey, and five baronies in Snowdon, for which the king's exchequer should receive a yearly rent of c13. marks, granting also that all the baronies in Wales should be held of the king, excepting those five reserved, with divers other particulars in Walsingham, Matthew of Westminster, Nicholas Trivet, and Humfrey Lhuyd, at large reported. The articles of this instrument were not long observed; but at length the death of Lhewelin, spending his last breath for maintenance of his ancestors' rights against his own covenant, freely cast upon king Edward all that, whereof he was as it were instituted there. What ensued, and how Wales was governed afterward, and subject to England, stories and the statute of Ruthlan (s) will largely show you; and see what I have to the VII. song. In all that follows concerning Edward of Caernarvon, The fearless British priests under an aged oak. the author is plain enough. And concluding, observe this proper personating of Snowdon hill, He means the Druids; because they are indeed, whose limits and adjacent territories are best as he calls them, British priests, and that this witnesses, both of the English assaults, and pacify-island was of old their mother: whence, as from ing covenants between both princes.

as for Anglesea, hath with imposture blinded some knowing men. Nennius (the eldest historian amongst us extant) gives it the name of Eubonia Manay, like that here used by the author. It was of ancient time governed by kings of its own, as you may see in the chronicle of Russin, deduced from the time of St. Edward into the reign of Edward the Second. After this, the government of the English and Scots were now and then interchanged in it, being at last recovered, and with continuance, ruled by such as the favour of our sovereigns (to whose crown it belonged) honoured with that title, king of Man (2). It is at this day, and since the time of Henry IV. hath been in that noble family of the Stanleys, earls of Derby (a); as also is the patronage of the bishopric of Sodor, whereto is all judicial government of the isle referred. There was long since a controversy, whether it belonged to Ireland or England, (for you may see in the civil law (b), with which, in that kind, ours somewhat agrees, that all lesser isles are reckoned part of some adjoining continent, if both under the same empire) and this by reason of the equal distance from both. To decide it, they tried if it would endure venomous beasts, which is certainly denied of Ireland; and, finding that it did, adjudged it to our Britain (c). The other isles here spoken of, lie farther north by Scotland, and are to it subject.

a seminary, Gaul was furnished with their learning. Permit me some space more largely to

satisfy you in their name, profession, sacrifice,
places of assembling, and lastly, subversion. The
name of Druids hath been drawn from Agus, i. e.
an oak, because of their continual using that tree
as superstitiously hallowed (d): according as they
are called also Zagavidas, or Zugovidis (e), which
likewise, in Greek, is old oaks. To this compare
the British word derw, of the same signification,
and the original here sought for, will seem surely
found. But one, that derives all from Dutch (ƒ),
and prodigiously supposes that the first tongue
spoken, makes them so stiled from trow wis, i. e.
truly wise, so expressing their nature in their
name. Nor is this without good reason of con-
jecture, (if the ground were true) seeing that their
like in proportion among the Jews and Gentiles
were called (until Pythagoras his time) wise-
men (g), and afterward by him turn'd into the
name of philosophers, i. e. lovers of wisdom; and
perhaps the old Dutch was, as some learned think, |
communicated to Gaul, and from thence hither;
the conjecture being somewhat aided in that
attribute which they have in Pomponius (h), call-
ing them masters of wisdom. A late great scholar
draws it from trutin (i), in an old Dutch copy of
the gospel, signifying, as he says, God; which
might be given them by hyperbole of superstitious
reverence: nay, we see that it is justifiable by
holy writ, so to call great magistrates and judges,
as they were among the people. But that word
trutin, or truchtin, in the old angelical salu-
tation, Zachary's song, and Simeon's, published
by Vulcan, is always Lord; as this Giwihit si
truchtin got Israelo, i. e. Blessed be the Lord God
of Israel; and so in the Saxon ten commandments,
Ic eom Dɲ hten ðin God (k), i. e. I am the Lord
thy God. These are the etymologies which savour
of any judgment. To speak of king Druis or
Sarron, which that Dominican (1) friar hath
cozened vulgar credulity withal, and thence fetch
their name, according to doctor White of Basing-
stoke, were with him to suffer, and, at once, offer
imposture. Of them all, I incline to the first,
seeing it meet in both tongues, the Greek and Bri-
tish; and somewhat the rather too, because
antiquity did crown their infernal deities (and
from Dis, if you trust Cæsar, the Gauls, and by
consequence our Britons, upon tradition of these
priests, drew their descent) with oak; as So-
phocles (m) hath it of Hecate, and Catullus (n) of

the three Destinies. Neither will I desire you to spend conceit upon examination of that supposition which makes the name corrupted from durcergliis (o), which in Scotish were such as had a holy charge committed to them; whereupon, perhaps, Bale says St. Columban was the chief of the Druids: I reckon that among the infinite fables and gross absurdities, which its author hath, without judgment, stuff'd himself withal. For their pro. fession, it was both of learning profane and holy (I speak in all, applying my words to their times.) They sat as judges, and determined all causes emergent, civil and criminal, subjecting the disobedient, and such as made default, to interdicts and censures, prohibiting them from sacred assemblies, taking away their capacities in honourable offices, and so disabling them, that (as our now outlaws, excommunicates, and attainted persons) they might not commence suit against any man. In a multitude of verses they delivered what they taught, not suffering it to be committed to writing, so imitating both Cabalists, Pythagoreans, and ancient Christians (p); but used in other private and public business Greek letters, as Cæsar's copies have: but hereof see more to the tenth song. Their more private and sacred learning consisted in divinity and philosophy, (see somewhat of that to the first song), which was such, that although I think you may truly say with Origen (9), that, before our Saviour's time, Britain acknowledged not one true God, yet it came as near to what they should have done, or rather nearer, than most of other, either Greek or Roman, as by their positions in Cæsar, Strabo, Lucan, and the like discoursing of them, you may be satisfied. For although Apollo, Mars, and Mercury, were worshipped among the vulgar Gauls, yet it appears that the Druids' invocation was to One All-healing or All-saving Power (r). In morality, their instructions were so persuasive, and themselves of such reverence, that the most fiery rage of Mars kindled among the people, was by their grave counsels often quenched (s). Out of Pliny receive their form of ritual sacrifice (here described by the author) thus: In such gloomy shadows, as they most usually for contemplation retired their ascending thoughts into, after exact search, finding an oak, whereon a misletoe grew, on the sixth day of the Moon, (above all other times) in which was beginning of their year, they religiously and with invocation brought with them to it a ceremonial banquet, materials for sacrifice, with two white bulls, filleted on the horns, all which they placed under the oak. One of them, honoured with that function, clothed all in white, climbs the tree, and with a golden knife or scithe cuts the misletoe, which they solemnly wrapt in one of their white garments. Then did they sacrifice the bulls, earnestly calling on the All healing deity (t), to make it prosperous () Paul. Merula. Cosmog. part. 2. 1. 3. cap. 11. and happy on whomsoever they shall bestow it, (k) Prefat. ad Leg. Aluredi Saxonic. and accounted it both preservative against all

(d) Plin. hist. nat. 16. cap. 44.

(e) Dio. Sicul. de Antiquor. gestis. fab. 5. () Goropins Gallic. 5.

.אטלו הבמים (5)

i. e. docerunt Sapientes Capnio de Art. Cabilistic. 1. 3. quod Hebræis in usu ut duròs ion. Pythagoræis, nec Druidûm discipulis refragari sententiis magistror. fas erat.

(h) Geograph. 3. cap. 2.

(1) Berosus (ille Ammianus subdititius) non Chal-poisons, and a remedy against barrenness. If I daic. Antiquit. 5.

§. His

(m) In 'PiZoro. apud Scholiast. Apollonii, uti primum didici à Jos. Scaligero in Conjectaneis. (7) De nuptiis Pelei & Thetidos. Corpus tremulum, &c. ubi vulgatis deest ista, que antiquorum codicum fide est vera lectio, uti Scaliger.

(0) Hector. Boeth. Scot. bist. 2.

(p) Cæl. Rhodigin. Antiq. lect. 10. c. 1.
(9) Ad Izech. 4.

(r) Plin. Hist. Nat. 16. cap. 44.

(s) Strab. Geograph. d.

Omnia Sanantem,

should imagine by this All-healing deity, to be meant Apollo, whom they worshipped under name of Belin, (as I tell you to the eighth song) my conjecture were every way receiveable; seeing that Apollo () had both among Greeks and Latin, the divine titles of Axiğinanos Noipus, Medicuss (x) and to him the invocation was 'IП(y), all concurring in the same proof; but also if they had (as probability is enough to conjecture it) an altar inscribed for this devotion, and used Greek letters, (which to the next song shall be somewhat examined) I could well think the dedication thus conceived.

ΒΕΛΙΝΩΝ. ΤΩ, ΠΑΝΑΚΕΙ (3).

Tya,( it is the same, in fashion, with the victorious seal of Antiochus Soter (z), being admonished by Alexander in a dreanf, to take it) which in Germany they reckon for a preservative against kobgoblins, were but to be indulgent to old wives' traditions. Only thus much for a corollary I will note to you; Conrad Celtes observes (0), to be in an abbey at the foot of Vichtelberg hill, near Voitland, six statues of stone, set in the churchwall, soine seven foot, every one tall, bare head and foot, cloked and hooded, with a bag, a book, a staff, a beard hanging to his middle, and spreading a mustachio, an austere look, and eyes fixed on the earth; which he conjectures to be images of them. Upon mistaking of Strabo, and applying what he saith in general, and bracelets and gold chains of the Gauls, to the Druids, I once thought that Conrad had been deceived. But I can now upon better advice incline to his judg

ment.

Which with my princes' court I sometimes pleas'd to grace.

For as in South-Wales, Caermardhin, and after

Mathraval, so in North-Wales was Aberfraw in

Anglesey, chief place of the princes' residence (p).

Benè vos, benè nos, benè te, benè me, benè Stephanium (2). [nostram etiam in Plautus (a), and infinite other testimonies of that nature, (in him Martial, Ovid, Horace, and such more) agreeing nearly with the fashion now used; we calling it a health, as they did also in direct terms (6); which with an idol called Heil, anciently worshipped at Cerne in Dorsetshire (c), by the English Saxons, in name expresses both the ceremony of drinking, and the new-year's acclamation, (whereto in some parts of this kingdom is joined also the solemnity of drinking out of a cup(), ritually composed, decked, and filled with country liquor) just as much and as the same which that all-healing deity, or all-helping medicine, did among the Druids. You may to all this add, that, as an earnest of good luck to follow the new-year beginning, it was usual among the Romans (e), as with us, and I think, in all Europe, at this day is, to greet each other with auspicious gifts. But hereof you say I unfitly expatiate: I omit, therefore, their sacrificing of human bodies, and such like, and come to the places of their assembly: this was about Chartres, in Gaul, as Cæsar tells us; Paul Merula (forwards Dinevowr; in Powis, Shrewsbury, and then affinity of name) imagines it to be Dreux, some eight miles on this side Chartres. And peradventure the Galatians' public council, called Drymenetum (f) had hence original. The British Druids took this isle of Anglesey, (then well stored with thick woods, and religious groves, insomuch that it was called (g) Inis-Dowil), for their chief Year of Christ. residence; as, in the Roman story of Paulinus' and Agricola's adventuring on it (h), is delivered. For their subversion; under Augustns and Tiberius they were prohibited Rome (i); and Claudius endeavoured it in Gaul (4); yet in the succeeding emperor's times there were of them left, as appears in Lampridius and Vopiscus, mentioning them in their lives; and, long since that, Procopius() writing under Justinian above D. years after Christ, affirms that then the Gauls used sacrifices of human flesh, which was a part of Druidian doctrine. If I should upon testimony of (m), I know not what, Veremund Campbell and the Irish Cornill, tell you that some C.LX. years before Christ, Finnan, king of Scotland, first gave them, the isle, or that king Crathlint, in Dioclesian's persecution, turned their religion into Christianism, and made Amphibalus first bishop of Soder, I should fabulously abuse time, as they have ignorantly mistook that isle of Man for this. Or to speak of the supposed Druttenfuss, i. e. a pentagonal figure, engraven with TrIEIA

(z) In Archit. lib. 2.

(a) Subintellige Colaí, aut quid simile. (b) In Sticho.

or

(c) Propino tibi salutem plenis faucib. Plautus eádem comodiâ.

(d) Camdenus. The wass-hail-boll.

(e) Ovid. Fast. 1. Fest. in Strena,

(f) Strab. Geogr. 13.

(g) The dark isle Brit.

(k) Tacit. An. 14. & Vit. Agricolæ.

(i) Suet. 1. 5. cap. 24. & Plin. Hist. Nat, 30.

C. 1.

(k) Senec. in Apocoloc. & Sueton. ubi supra. (1) De bell. Gothio, ß.

(m) Hector, Boet. Scotor. Hist. 2. & 6.

A CHRONOLOGY

OF THE KINGS AND PRINCES OF WALES, FROM ARTHUR*
UNTIL THE END OF THE BRITISH BLOOD IN THEM.

516.

542.

Arthur succeeded his father Uther
Pendragon; of his death, see to
the III. song.

Constantine, son to Cador, duke
of Cornwal, (understand gover-
nor, or ford fieutenant; for, nei-
ther in those times, nor long
after, was any such title par-
tieularly honorary:) he lies
buried at Stonehenge.
Aurelius Conan.
Vortipor.

545.

578.

581.

Malgo.

(») Lucian. ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐν τῆ προσαγορεύσει πτάιαμares; Alii. Et habetur apud Agrippam in 3. de Occulta Philosoph. cap. 31. atque ex Antiochi nummis apud J. Reuchlin. in 3. de arte Cabalisticâ.

(0) Tract. de Hercynia Sylva.
(p) Pris. in descrip. Wall.

*I will not justify the times of this Arthur, nor the rest, before Cadwallader; so discording are our chronologers: nor had I time to examine, nor think that any man hath sufficient means to rectify them.

Jevaf and Jago, sons of Edwal AwHILE thus taking breath, our way yet fair in

948.

Thrice happy brooks, I say, that (every way about)

(4) This report is, as the British story tells, Thy tributaries be: as is that town, whercout hardly justifiable, if examined.

(7) The Roo.