按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
omitted in many of the MSS。
Here beginneth the history of the Britons； edited by Mark the anchorite；
a holy bishop of that people。
7。 The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus； a Roman consul。
Taken from the south…west point it inclines a little towards the west； and to
its northern extremity measures eight hundred miles； and is in breadth two
hundred。 It contains thirty three cities；＇1＇ viz。
5
… Page 6…
History Of The Britons
1。 Cair ebrauc （York）。 2。 Cair ceint （Canterbury）。 3。 Cair gurcoc
（Anglesey？）。 4。 Cair guorthegern ＇2＇ 5。 Cair custeint （Carnarvon）。 6。 Cair
guoranegon （Worcester）。 7。 Cair segeint （Silchester）。 8。 Cair guin truis
（Norwich； or Winwick）。 9。 Cair merdin （Caermarthen）。 10。 Cair peris
（Porchester）。 11。 Cair lion （Caerleon…upon…Usk）。 12。 Cair mencipit
（Verulam）。 13。 Cair caratauc （Catterick）。 14。 Cair ceri （Cirencester）。 15。
Cair glout （Gloucester）。 16。 Cair luillid （Carlisle）。 17。 Cair grant
（Grantchester； now Cambridge）。 18。 Cair daun （Doncaster）； or Cair dauri
（Dorchester）。 19。 Cair britoc （Bristol）。 20。 Cair meguaid （Meivod）。 21。
Cair mauiguid （Manchester）。 22。 Cair ligion （Chester）。 23。 Cair guent
（Winchester； or Caerwent； in Monmouthshire）。 24。 Cair collon （Colchester；
or St。 Colon； Cornwall）。 25。 Cair londein （London）。 26。 Cair guorcon
（Worren； or Woran； in Pembrokeshire）。 27。 Cair lerion （Leicester）。 28。 Cair
draithou （Drayton）。 29。 Cair pensavelcoit （Pevensey； in Sussex）。 30。
Cairtelm （Teyn…Grace； in Devonshire）。 31。 Cair Urnahc （Wroxeter； in
Shropshire）。 32。 Cair colemion （Camelet； in Somersetshire）。 33。 Cair loit
coit （Lincoln）。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Twenty…eight； twenty…one。 ＇2＇ Site unknown。
These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of Britain。 it has
also a vast many promontories； and castles innumerable； built of brick and
stone。 Its inhabitants consist of four different people； the Scots； the Picts；
the Saxons and the ancient Britons。
8。 Three considerable islands belong to it； one； on the south； opposite
the Armorican shore； called Wight；* another between Ireland and Britain；
called Eubonia or Man； and another directly north； beyond the Picts；
named Orkney； and hence it was anciently a proverbial expression； in
reference to its kings and rulers； 〃He reigned over Britain and its three
islands。〃 * Inis…gueith； or Gueith。
6。 It is fertilized by several rivers； which traverse it in all directions； to
the east and west； to the south and north； but there are two pre…eminently
distinguished among the rest； the Thames and the Severn； which formerly；
like the two arms of Britain； bore the ships employed in the conveyance of
riches acquired by commerce。 The Britons were once very populous； and
exercised extensive dominion from sea to sea。
10。* Respecting the period when this island became inhabited
6
… Page 7…
History Of The Britons
subsequently to the flood； I have seen two distinct relations。 According to
the annals of the Roman history； the Britons deduce their origin both from
the Greeks and Romans。 On the side of the mother； from Lavinia； the
daughter of Latinus； king of Italy； and of the race of Silvanus； the son of
Inachus； the son of Dardanus； who was the son of Saturn； king of the
Greeks； and who； having possessed himself of a part of Asia； built the city
of Troy。 Dardanus was the father of Troius； who was the father of Priam
and Anchises； Anchises was the father of Aeneas； who was the father of
Ascanius and Silvius； and this Silvius was the son of Aeneas and Lavinia；
the daughter of the king of Italy。 From the sons of Aeneas and Lavinia
descended Romulus and Remus； who were the sons of the holy queen
Rhea； and the founders of Rome。 Brutus was consul when he conquered
Spain； and reduced that country to a Roman province。 He afterwards
subdued the island of Britain； whose inhabitants were the descendants of
the Romans； from Silvius Posthumus。 He was called Posthumus because
he was born after the death of Aeneas his father； and his mother Lavinia
concealed herself during her pregnancy； he was called Silvius； because he
was born in a wood。 Hence the Roman kings were called Silvan； and the
Britons from Brutus； and rose from the family of Brutus。 * The whole of
this； as far as the end of the paragraph； is omitted in several MSS。
Aeneas； after the Trojan war； arrived with his son in Italy； and Having
vanquished Turnus； married Lavinia； the daughter of king Latinus； who
was the son of Faunus； the son of Picus； the son of Saturn。 After the death
of Latinus； Aeneas obtained the kingdom Of the Romans； and Lavinia
brought forth a son； who was named Silvius。 Ascanius founded Alba； and
afterwards married。 And Lavinia bore to Aeneas a son； named Silvius； but
Ascanius ＇1＇ married a wife； who conceived and became pregnant。 And
Aeneas； having been informed that his daughter…in…law was pregnant；
ordered his son to send his magician to examine his wife； whether the
child conceived were male or female。 The magician came and examined
the wife and pronounced it to be a son； who should become the most
valiant among the Italians； and the most beloved of all men。 ＇2＇ In
consequence of this prediction； the magician was put to death by Ascanius；
but it happened that the mother of the child dying at its birth； he was
7
… Page 8…
History Of The Britons
named Brutus； ad after a certain interval； agreeably to what the magician
had foretold； whilst he was playing with some others he shot his father
with an arrow； not intentionally but by accident。 ＇3＇ He was； for this cause；
expelled from Italy； and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea； when he
was exiled on account of the death of Turnus； slain by Aeneas。 He then
went among the Gauls； and built the city of the Turones； called Turnis。 ＇4＇
At length he came to this island named from him Britannia； dwelt there；
and filled it with his own descendants； and it has been inhabited from that
time to the present period。 ＇1＇ Other MSS。 Silvius。 ＇2＇ V。R。 Who should
slay his father and mother； and be hated by all mankind。 ＇3＇ V。R。 He
displayed such superiority among his play…fellows； that they seemed to
consider him as their chief。 ＇4＇ Tours。
11。 Aeneas reigned over the Latins three years； Ascanius thirty three
years； after whom Silvius reigned twelve years； and Posthumus thirty…nine
* years： the latter； from whom the kings of Alba are called Silvan； was
brother to Brutus； who governed Britain at the time Eli the high…priest
judged Israel； and when the ark of the covenant was taken by a foreign
people。 But Posthumus his brother reigned among the Latins。 * V。R。
Thirty…seven。
12。 After an interval of not less than eight hundred years； came the
Picts； and occupied the Orkney Islands： when