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！
12。 After an interval of not less than eight hundred years； came the
Picts； and occupied the Orkney Islands： whence they laid waste many
regions； and seized those on the left hand side of Britain； where they still
remain； keeping possession of a third part of Britain to this day。 * * See
Bede's Eccles。 Hist。
13。 Long after this； the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain。 The first
that came was Partholomus；＇1＇ with a thousand men and women； these
increased to four thousand； but a mortality coming suddenly upon them；
they all perished in one week。 The second was Nimech； the son of。。。；＇2＇
who； according to report； after having been at sea a year and a half； and
having his ships shat… tered； arrived at a port in Ireland； and continuing
there several years； returned at length with his followers to Spain。 After
these came three sons of a Spanish soldier with thirty ships； each of which
contained thirty wives； and having remained there during the space of a
year； there appeared to them； in the middle of the sea； a tower of glass； the
8
… Page 9…
History Of The Britons
summit of which seemed covered with men； to whom they often spoke；
but received no answer。 At length they determined to besiege the tower；
and after a year's preparation； advanced towards it； with the whole number
of their ships； and all the women； one ship only excepted； which had been
wrecked； and in which were thirty men； and as many women； but when all
had disem… barked on the shore which surrounded the tower； the sea
opened and swallowed them up。 Ireland； however； was peopled； to the
present period； from the family remaining in the vessel which was
wrecked。 Afterwards； other came from Spain； and possessed themselves of
various parts of Britain。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Partholomaeus； or Bartholomaeus。 ＇2＇ A
blank is here in the MS。 Agnomen is found in some of the others。
14。 Last of all came one Hoctor；＇1＇ who continued there； and whose
descendants remain there to this day。 Istoreth； the son of Istorinus； with his
followers； held Dalrieta； Buile had the island Eubonia； and other adjacent
places。 The sons of Liethali＇2＇ obtained the country of the dimetae； where
is a city called Menavia；＇3＇ and the province Guiher and Cetgueli； ＇4＇
which they held till they were expelled from every part of Britain； by
Cunedda and his sons。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Damhoctor； Clamhoctor； and Elamhoctor。
＇2＇ V。R。 Liethan； Bethan； Vethan。 ＇3＇ St。 David's。 ＇4＇ Guiher； probably the
Welsh district Gower。 Cetgueli is Caer Kidwelly； in Carmarthenshire。
15。 According to the most learned among the Scots； if any one desires
to learn what I am now going to state； Ireland was a desert； and
uninhabited； when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea； in which； as
we read in the Book of the Law； the Egyptians who followed them were
drowned。 At that period； there lived among this people； with a numerous
family； a Scythian of noble birth； who had been banished from his country
and did not go to pursue the people of God。 The Egyptians who were left；
seeing the destruction of the great men of their nation； and fearing lest he
should possess himself of their territory； took counsel together； and
expelled him。 Thus reduced； he wandered forty…two years in Africa； and
arrived； with his family； at the altars of the Philis… tines； by the Lake of
Osiers。 Then passing between Rusicada and the hilly country of Syria；
they travelled by the river Malva through Mauritania as far as the Pillars
of Hercules； and crossing the Tyrrhene Sea； landed in Spain； where they
9
… Page 10…
History Of The Britons
continued many years； having greatly increased and multiplied。 Thence； a
thousand and two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea； they
passed into Ireland； and the district of Dalrieta。* At that period； Brutus；
who first exercised the consular office； reigned over the Romans； and the
state； which before was governed by regal power； was afterwards ruled；
during four hundred and forty…seven years； by consuls； tribunes of the
people； and dictators。 * North…western part of Antrim in Ulster。
The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world； and in the
fourth； the Scots took possession of Ireland。
The Britons who； suspecting no hostilities； were unprovided with the
means of defence； were unanimously and incessantly attacked； both by the
Scots from the west； and by the Picts from the north。 A long interval after
this； the Romans obtained the empire of the world。
16。 From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain； to the fourth year
of king Mermenus； are computed four hundred and twenty eight years；
from the nativity of our Lord to the coming of St。 Patrick among the Scots；
four hundred and five years； from the death of St。 Patrick to that of St。
Bridget； forty years； and from the birth of Columeille＇1＇ to the death of St
Bridget four years。＇2＇ ＇1＇ V。R。 Columba。 ＇2＇ Some MSS。 add； the
beginning of the calculation is 23 cycles of 19 years from the incarnation
of our Lord to the arrival of St。 Patrick in Ireland； and they make 438
years。 And from the arrival of St。 Patrick to the cycle of 19 years in which
we live are 22 cycles； which make 421 years。
17。 I have learned another account of this Brutus from the ancient
books of our ancestors。* After the deluge； the three sons of Noah severally
occupied three different parts of the earth： Shem extended his borders into
Asia； Ham into Africa； and Japheth in Europe。 * This proves the tradition
of Brutus to be older than Geoffrey or Tyssilio； unless these notices of
Brutus have been interpolated in the original work of Nennius。
The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus； with his three sons；
Hisicion； Armenon； and Neugio。 Hisicion had four sons； Francus；
Romanus； Alamanus； and Brutus。 Armenon had five sons； Gothus；
Valagothus； Cibidus； Burgundus； and Longobardus。 Neugio had three sons；
Vandalus； Saxo； and Boganus。 From Hisicion arose four nationsthe
10
… Page 11…
History Of The Britons
Franks； the Latins； the Germans； and Britons： from Armenon； the Gothi；
Balagothi； Cibidi； Burgundi； and Longobardi： from Neugio； the Bogari；
Vandali； Saxones； and Tarinegi。 The whole of Europe was subdivided into
these tribes。
Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir；* Fethuir； the son of
Ogomuin； who was the son of Thoi； Thoi was the son of Boibus； Boibus
of Semion； Semion of Mair； Mair of Ecthactus； Ecthactus of Aurthack；
Aurthack of Ethec； Ethec of Ooth； Ooth of Aber； Aber of Ra； Ra of Esraa；
Esraa of Hisrau； Hisrau of Bath； Bath of Jobath； Jobath of Joham； Joham
of Japheth； Japheth of Noah； Noah of Lamech； Lamech of Mathusalem；
Mathusalem of Enoch； Enoch of Jared； Jared of Malalehel； Malalehel of
Cainan； Cainan of Enos； Enos of Seth； Seth of Adam； and Adam was
formed by the living God。 We have obtained this information respecting