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5.2. Iaphet.

Iaphet.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [figure appears here on page 1] THis Iaphet third ſon of Noe, who is of ſome called Ia|petus, and of o|ther, Atlas M [...]|rus (bycauſe hee departed this life in Man [...]itania) was the firſte as Bodinus affyr|meth by the authoritie and cõſe [...]t of the Hebrue Greke & latin writers) that peopled the coũtreys. of Europe,Iohannes Bo|dinus ad ſac. [...]iſt. cogn. which afterward he deuided among his ſonnes of the which Tubal (as Tarapha af|firmeth) obteined the kingdom of Spain.Franciſcus Tarapha. Gomer had dominion ouer the Italians, and as Berdſus and diuers other authors agree, Samothes was the founder of the kingdom of Celtica, which cõ|teined in it as [...]ale witneſſeth) a great parte of Europe, but ſpecially thoſe coũtreys, which now are knowne by ye names of Galli [...] & Britannia.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 2Thus was this Ilande inhabited and people [...] within .200.Britayn inha|bited shortly after the floud. yeres after the floud by the children of Iaphet the ſonne of Noe: and this is not on|ly proued by Annius, writing vpõ Beroſus, but alſo confirmed by Moyſes in the ſcripture, where he writeth, that of the ofſpring of Iaphet, the yles of the Gentils (wherof Britayn is one) were ſor|ted into regions in the tyme of Phaleg, the ſon of Hiber,

Theophilus e|piſcop. Antio|chi. ad Antol. lib. 2.

The vvordes of Theophilus a doctor of the church [...], vvho liued An. Chri|ſti. 160.

who was born at the tyme of the diuiſion of languages. Herevpon Theophilus hath theſe words: Cũ priſcis temporibus pauci foret homines, in Arabia & Chaldaea poſt linguarum diuiſionem aucti & multiplicati paulatim ſunt hinc qui|dam abierunt verſus Orientem, quidam conceſ|ſere ad partes maioris continentis, alij porrò profecti ſunt ad Septentrionem ſedes quaeſituri, nec prius deſierunt terrã vbi occupare, qua etiã Britãno [...] in Arctois climatibus acceſſerĩt. &c. engliſhed thus. VVhen at the firſt there were not many men in Arabia & Chaldea, it came to paſſe, that after the deuiſion of tongs, they began ſomwhat better to increaſe & multiplie, by which occaſion ſome of them went toward the eaſt, & ſome toward the parties of the great mayn land: Diuers went alſo northwards to ſeeke them dwellyng places, ney|ther ſtayed they to repleniſhe the earth as they went, til they came vnto the yles of Britain, lying vnder the north pole. &c. Hitherto Theophilus.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe things conſidered, Gildas the Briton had great reaſon to think that this countrey had bin inhabited from the beginning: and Polydore Vergil was with no leſſe cõſideration hereby in|forced to cõfeſſe that the Ile of Britayne had re|ceiued inhabitauntes forthwith after the floud.

5.3. Samothes.

Samothes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Gen. 2. De migr. gen. [figure appears here on page 2] SAmothes ye 6. begottẽ ſon of Iaphet called by Moyſes Meſech, by others Dis, receyued for his portion, (according to the reporte of Wolf|gangus Lazius) all the countrey lying betwene the riuer of Rheyn & the Pyrenian mountayns, where hee founded the kingdome of Celtica ouer his people called Celtae. Which name Bale affirmeth to haue bin indif|ferent to the inhabitants both of the countrey of Gallia, Cent. 1. and the Ile of Britain, and that he plan|ted colonies of mẽ broght forth of the eaſt parts) in either of them,Anti. lib. 1. fyrſt in the mayne land, & after in the Iland. He is reported by Beroſus to haue excelled al men of that age in leening and know|ledge:Bale ſcript. Brit. cent. 1. and alſo is thought by Bale to haue im|parted the ſame among his people, namely the vnderſtanding of the ſundry courſes of the ſtar|res,Caeſar cõmen. lib. 8. the order of inferiour things, with many o|ther matters incident to the morall and politike gouernement of mans life: & to haue deliuered the ſame in the Ph [...]nician letters:In qui [...] temp. De [...] Contra [...] pio [...]. out of whiche the Grekes (according to the opinion of Archilochus) deuiſed & deriued the greke charecters, in ſomuche that Xenophon & Ioſephus do conſtantly report (although Diogenes Laertius be againſt it) that both the Grekes and other nations receyued their letters and lerning firſt from theſe countreys. Of this king and his lerning, aroſe a ſect of Phi|loſophers, ſaith Annius, firſt in Britain,li. de [...] ſucceſ [...] & after in Gallia, the whiche of his name were called S [...]|mothes. They, as Ariſtotle & Secion write, were paſſing ſkilful both in the law of god & man: and for that cauſe excedingly giuen to religion, eſpe|cially the inhabitants of this yle of Britain, in ſo much that the whole nation did not only take the name of thẽ, but the yland it ſelfe,Script. [...] cent. 1. De [...] cent. lib. [...] This [...] Sa [...]thea as Bale & doc|tor Cay agree, came to be called Samothea, which was the firſte peculiar name that euer it had, and by the which it was eſpecially known: before the arriuall of Albion.

5.4. Magus.

Magus.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [figure appears here on page 2] MAgus ye ſon of Sa|mothes, after ye deth of his father was the ſe|cond king of Celtica, by whõ (as Beroſus wri|teth) there were manye townes builded among the Celtes, Lib. 3. which by the witneſſe of Annius,Anni [...] co [...] [...] per [...] Ge [...]ge. dyd bear the addition of their foũder Magus: of which townes diuers are to be found in Ptolomie: and Antoninus a painful ſurueyor of the world & ſer|cher of cities, maketh mencion of .4. of them here in Britain, Sitomagus, Neomagus, Nioma|gus, and Nouiomagus. Neomagus, ſir Tho|mas Eliot writeth to haue ſtoode where the citie of Cheſter nowe ſtandeth: & Niomagus George Lilly placeth where the towne of Buckinghã is now remaining: beſide this, doth Bale ſo highly comend ye forſaid Magus, for his lerning renou|med ouer al the world, yt he wold haue ye Perſiãs & other nations of the ſouth & weſt partes, to de|riue the name of their diuines called Magi from him. In dede Rauiſius Textor & ſir Iohn Priſe affirme, yt in the days of Plinie, the Britons wer ſo expert in arte Magike, yt they might be thoght to haue firſte deliuered the ſame to the Perſians. What the name of Magus importeth,De diui. i [...] De faſti [...] & of what profeſſion ye Magi were, Tulli declareth at large, and Mantuan in brief, after this maner:

Ille penes Perſas Magus eſt qui ſidera norit,
Qui ſciat herbarum vires cultum deorum,
Perſepolifacit iſta Magos prudentia triplex.
The Perſians terme him Magus, that the courſe of ſtarres doth knowe,
The power of herbes and worſhip due to god that man doth owe.H.i.
By threefolde knowledge, thus the name of Magus then doth growe.

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EEBO page image 1

THE FIRST BOOKE of the historie of England.

1.1. [figure appears here on page 1] Who inhabited this Iland be|fore the comming of Brute: of Noah & his three sonnes, among whom the whole earth was di|uided: and to which of their portions this Ile of Bri|taine befell. The first Chapter.

[figure appears here on page 1]

Who inhabited this Iland be|fore the comming of Brute: of Noah & his three sonnes, among whom the whole earth was di|uided: and to which of their portions this Ile of Bri|taine befell. The first Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _WHat manner of peo|ple did first inhabite this our country, which hath most generallie and of longest continu|ance béene knowne a|mong all nations by the name of Britaine as yet is not certeinly knowne; neither can it be decided frõ whence the first inhabitants there of came, by reason of such diuersitie in iudgements as haue risen amongst the learned in this behalfe.The originall of nations for the most part vncerteine. But sith the originall in ma|ner of all nations is doubtfull, and euen the same for the more part fabulous (that alwaies excepted which we find in the holie scriptures) I wish not any man to leane to that which shall be here set downe as to an infallible truth, sith I doo but onlie shew o|ther mens coniectures, grounded neuerthelesse vp|on likelie reasons, concerning that matter whereof there is now left but little other certeintie, or rather none at all.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 To fetch therefore the matter from the farthest,whither Bri|taine were an Iland at the first. and so to stretch it forward,Geog. com. lib. it séemeth by the report of Dominicus Marius Niger that in the beginning, when God framed the world,No Ilands at the first, as some coniec|ture. and diuided the waters apart from the earth, this Ile was then a parcell of the continent, and ioined without any separation of sea to the maine land. But this opinion (as all other the like vncerteinties) I leaue to be discussed of by the learned: howbeit for the first inhabitation of this Ile with people, I haue thought good to set downe in part, what may be gathered out of such writers as haue touched that matter, and may séeme to giue some light vnto the knowledge thereof.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 First therefore Iohn Bale our countrieman, who in his time greatlie trauelled in the search of such an|tiquities,In the first part of the acts of the English vota|ries. dooth probablie coniecture, that this land was inhabited and replenished with people long be|fore the floud, and that time in the which the generati|on of mankind (as Moses writeth) began to multi|plieBritaine in|habited before the floud. vpon the vniuersall face of the earth:Genesis. 6 and ther|fore it followeth, that as well this land was inhabi|ted with people long before the daies of Noah,Berosus ant. lib. [...] as any the other countries and parts of the world be|side. But when they had once forsaken the ordinan|ces appointed them by God, and betaken them to new waies inuented of themselues, such loosenesse of life ensued euerie where, as brought vpon them the great deluge and vniuersall floud, in the which peri|shed as well the inhabitants of these quarters, as the residue of the race of mankind, generallie dis|persed in euerie other part of the whole world, onelie Noah & his familie excepted, who by the prouidence and pleasure of almightie God was preserued from the rage of those waters, to recontinue and repaire the new generation of man vpon earth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 AFter the flood (as Annius de Viterbo recordeth)Noah. and reason also enforceth,In comment. su|per 4. lib. Berosus de anti|quit. lib. 1. Annisus vt supr. Noah was the onlie monarch of all the wrold, and as the same Annius ga|thereth by the account of Moses in the 100. yeare af|ter the flood, Noah diuided the earth among his thrée sonnes; assigning to the possession of his eldest sonne all that portion of land which now is knowne by the name of Asia; to his second sonne Cham, he ap|pointed all that part of the world which now is called Affrica: and to his third sonne Iaphet was allotted all Europa, with all the Iles therto belonging, wher|in among other was conteined this our Ile of Bri|taine, with the other Iles thereto perteining.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 IAphet the third son of Noah, of some called Ia|petus,Iaphet and his sonnes. and of others, Atlas Maurus (because he departed this life in Mauritania) was the first (as Bodinus affirmeth by the authoritie and consent ofIohannes Bodi|nus ad fac. hist. cogn. the Hebrue, Gréeke & Latine writers) that peopled the countries of Europe, which afterward he diuided among his sonnes:Franciscus Tarapha. of whom Iuball (as Tarapha affirmeth) obteined the kingdome of Spaine. Go|mer had dominion ouer the Italians, and (as Bero|sus and diuers other authors agrée) Samothes was the founder of Celtica, which conteined in it (as Bale witnesseth) a great part of Europe, but speciallie those countries which now are called by the names of Gallia and Britannia.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus was the Iland inhabited and peopled with|inBritaine in|habited short|lie after the floud. 200 yéeres after the floud by the children of Ia|phet the sonne of Noah: & this is not onlie prooued by Annius, writing vpon Berosus, but also confirmed by Moses in the scripture, where he writeth, that of the offspring of Iaphet, the Iles of the Gentiles (wherof Britain is one) were sorted into regions in the time of Phaleg the sonne of Hiber, who was borne at the time of the diuision of languages. Herevpon Theo|philus Theophilus epis|cop. Antioch. ad An [...]ol. lib. 2. hath these words: Cùm priscis temporibus pauei forant homines in Arabia & Chaldaea, post linguarum di|uisonem aucti & multiplicati paulatim sunt: The words of Theophi|lus a doctor of the church, who liued an. Dom. 160. hinc quidam abierunt versus orientem, quidam concessere ad partes maioris, continentis, alij porrò profecti sunt ad septentrionem sedes quae|siu [...]i, nec priùs desierunt terram vbi occupare, quàm etiam [...] annos in Arctois climatibus accesserint, &c. That is; EEBO page image 2 When at the first there were not manie men in Ara|bia and Chaldaea, it came to passe, that after the diui|sion of toongs, they began somewhat better to in|crease and multiplie, by which occasion some of them went toward the east, and some toward the parts of the great manie land: diuers went also north|wards to seeke them dwelling places, neither staid they to replenish the earth as they went, till they came vnto the Iles of Britaine, lieng vnder the north pole. Thus far Theophilus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 These things considered, Gildas the Britaine had great reason to thinke, that this countrie had bene inhabited from the beginning. And Polydor Virgil was with no lesse consideration hereby induced to confesse, that the Ile of Britaine had receiued inha|bitants foorthwith after the floud.

1.2. Of Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, and Bardus, fiue kings suc|ceeding each other in regiment ouer the Celts and Samotheans, and how manie hundred yeeres the Celts inhabited this Iland. The second Chapter.

Of Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, and Bardus, fiue kings suc|ceeding each other in regiment ouer the Celts and Samotheans, and how manie hundred yeeres the Celts inhabited this Iland. The second Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _SAmothes the first begot|ten sonne of Iaphet called by Moses Mesech,Gen. 2. Dis,De migr. gen. by others receiued for his portion (according to the report of Wolfgangus Lazius) all the countrie lieng betwéene the riuer of Rhene and the Py|renian mountains, where he founded the kingdome of Celtica ouer his people called Celtae. Which name Bale affirmeth to haue bene indifferent to the inha|bitants both of the countrie of Gallia,Cent. 1. and the Ile of Britaine, & that he planted colonies of men (brought foorth of the east parts) in either of them, first in the maine land, and after in the Iland.Anti. lib. 1. He is reported by Berosus to haue excelled all men of that age in lear|ning and knowledge:Bale script. Brit. cent. 1. and also is thought by Bale to haue imparted the same among his people; name|lie, the vnderstanding of the sundrie courses of the starres,Caesar commen [...]. lib. 8. the order of inferiour things, with manie o|ther matters incident to the morall and politike go|uernment of mans life: and to haue deliuered the same in the Phenician letters: out of which the Gréekes (according to the opinion of Achilochus) deuised & deriued the Gréeke characters,In epithes. temp. De aequiuocis contra Appio|nem. insomuch that Xenophon and Iosephus doo constantlie report (although Diogenes Laertius be against it) that both the Gréekes and other nations receiued their letters and learning first from these countries.Lib. de Magic. success. lib. 22. Of this king and his learning arose a sect of philosophers (saith An|nius) first in Britaine, and after in Gallia, the which of his name were called Samothei. They (as Aristo|tle and Secion write) were passing skilfull both in the law of God and man: and for that cause excéeding|lie giuen to religion,Script. Brit. cent. 1. De ant. Cant. cent. lib. 1. especiallie the inhabitants of this Ile of Britaine, insomuch that the whole nation did not onelie take the name of them, but the Iland it selfe (as Bale and doctor Caius agree) came to be called Samothea, This Ile cal|led Samo|thes. which was the first peculiar name that euer it had, and by the which it was especiallie knowne before the arriuall of Albion.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 MAgus the sonne of Samothes,Magus the son of Samothes Lib. 9. after the death of his father, was the second king of Celtica; by whome (as Berosus writeth) there were manie townes builded among the Celts, which by the wit|nesse of Annius did beare the addition of their foun|der Magus:Annius in co [...] men. super [...]|dem. Geogr. of which townes diuers are to be found in Ptolomie: And Antoninus a painfull surueior of the world and searcher of cities, maketh mention of foure of them here in Britaine, Sitomagus, Neo|magus, Niomagus, and Nouiomagus. Neomagus sir Thomas Eliot writeth to haue stood where the ci|tie of Chester now standeth; Niomagus, George Lillie placeth where the towne of Buckingham is now remaining. Beside this, Bale dooth so highlie commend the foresaid Magus for his learning re|nowned ouer all the world, that he would haue the Persians, and other nations of the south and west parts, to deriue the name of their diuines called Ma|gi from him. In déed Rauisius Textor, and sir Iohn Prise affirme, that in the daies of Plinie, the Britons were so expert in art magike, that they might be thought to haue first deliuered the same to the Per|sians. What the name of Magus importeth, and of what profession the Magi were, Tullie declareth at large,De diui. lib. 1. DE fastis li. 5. and Mantuan in briefe, after this maner:

Ille penes Persas Magus est, qui sidera norit,
Qui sciat herbarum vires cultumú deorum,
Persepoli facit ista magos prudentia triplex.
The Persians terme him Magus, that
the course of starres dooth knowe,
The power of herbs, and worship due
to God that man dooth owe,H. F.
By threefold knowledge thus the name
of Magus then dooth growe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 SArron the third king of the Celts succéeded his father Magus in gouernement of the contrie of Gallia,Sarron the sonne of Magus. De ant. Cant. lib. 1. Bale script. Brit. cent. 1. and the Ile Samothea, wherein as (D. Caius writeth) he founded certaine publike places for them that professed learning, with Berosus affirmeth to be done, to the internt to restraine the wilfull outrage of men, being as then but raw and void of all ciui|litie. Also it is thought by Annius, that he was the first author of those kind of philosophers, which were called Sarronides, of whom Diodorus Siculus wri|teth in this sort:Lib. 6.

There are (saith he) among the Celts certaine diuines and philosophers called Sarronides, whom aboue all other they haue in great estimation. For it is the manner among them, not without a philosopher to make anie sacrifice: sith they are of be|léefe, that sacrifices ought onelie to be made by such as are skilfull in the diuine mysteries, as of those who are néerest vnto God, by whose intercession they thinke all good things are to be required of God, and whose aduise they vse and follow, as well in warre as in peace.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DRuis, whom Seneca calleth Dryus,Druis the son of Sarron. being the sonne of Sarron,De morte Claud was after his father establi|shed the fourth king of Celtica, indifferentlie reig|ning as wel ouer the Celts as Britons, or rather (as the inhabitants of this Ile were then called) Samo|theans. This prince is commended by Berosus to be so plentifullie indued with wisedome and lear|ning, that Annius taketh him to be the vndoubted author of the beginning and name of the philosophers called Druides, whome Caesar and all other ancient Gréeke and Latine writers doo affirme to haue had their begining in Britaine, and to haue bin brought from thence into Gallia, insomuch that when there arose any doubt in that countrie touching any point of their discipline, they did repaire to be resolued therein into Britaine, where, speciallie in the Ile of Anglesey (as Humfrey L [...]oyd witnesseth) they made their principall abode.Anti. lib. 5. Annius super eu [...]ndem. De bello Gal|lico. lib. 9. De belio Gal|lico. 6; Touching their vsages many things are written by Aristotle, Socion, Plinie, La|ertius, Bodinus, and others: which I will gather in briefe, and set downe as followeth. They had (as Cae|sar saith) the charge of common & priuate sacrifices, EEBO page image 3 the discussing of points of religion, the bringing vp of youth, the determining of matters in variance, with full power to interdict so manie from the sacri|fice of their gods and the companie of men, as diso|beied their award.Hist. an. lib. 1. Polydore affirmeth, how they taught, that mens soules could not die, but departed from one bodie to another, and that to the intent to make men valiant and dreadlesse of death. Tullie writeth,De diui. lib. 1. that partlie by tokens, and partlie by surmi|ses, they would foretell things to come. And by the report of Hector Boetius, Hi [...]t. S [...]oti, li. 2. some of them were not ig|norant of the immortalitie of the one and euerla|sting God.Demigr. gen. [...] 2. All these things they had written in the Greeke toong, insomuch that Wolf Lazius (vpon the report of Marcellinus Marcellinus.) declareth how the Gréeke let|ters were first brought to Athens by Timagenes from the Druides. And herevpon it commeth also to passe, that the British toong hath in it remaining at this day some smacke of the Gréeke. Among other abuses of the Druides, they had (according to Dio|dorus) one custome to kill men, and by the falling, bleeding, and dismembring of the, to diuine of things to come: for the which and other wicked prac|tises, their sect was first condemned for abhomina|ble (as some haue written) and dissolued in Gallia (as Auentinus witnesseth) by Tiberius and Cladius the emperours;Anna. B oiorum. lib. 22. and lastlie abolished here in Bri|taine (by the report of Caius) when the gospell of Christ by the preaching of Fugatius and Damianus was receiued among the Britaines,De ant. Caut. vnder Lucius king of Britaine, about the yeare of our sauior, 179.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 BArdus the sonne of Druis succéeded his father in the kingdome of Celtica,Bardus the sonne of Druis. Berosus ani. lib. 2. Annius in com| [...]en super eur [...]|dem. and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans, amongst whom he was highlie renoumed (as appeareth by Be|rosus) for inuention of dities and musicke, wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth, that he trained his peo|ple: and of such as excelled in this knowledge, he made an order of philosophicall poets or heraulds, calling them by his owne name Bardi. And it should séeme by doctor Caius and master Bale, Ant. Cant. li. 1. script. Britain. cent. 1, that Caesar found some of them here at his arriuall in this Ile, and reported that they had also their first begining in the same. The profession and vsages of these Bardi, Nonnius, Strabo, Diodorus, Stephanus, Bale, Nonnius Marcel. Strabo. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 6. [...]arol. Stepha. [...]n dict. hist. Bale. Iohn Prise. and sir Iohn Prise, are in effect reported after this sort. They did vse to record the noble exploits of the ancient capteins, and to drawe the pedegrées and genealo|gies of such as were liuing. They would frame plea|sant dities and songs, learne the same by heart, and sing them to instruments at solemne feasts and as|semblies of noble men and gentlemen. Wherefore they were had in so high estimation, that if two hosts had beene readie ranged to ioine in battell, and that any of them had fortuned to enter among them, both the hosts (as well the enimies as the friends) would haue holden their hands, giuen eare vnto them, and ceassed from fight, vntill these Bards had gone out of the battell. Of these Bards Lucane saith,

Vos quo qui fortes animas belló peremptas,Lucan. lib. 1.
Laudius in longum vates dimittitis aeuum,
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi:
And you ô poet Bards from dan|ger void that dities sound,
Of soules of dreadlesse men,H. F. whom rage of battell would confound,
And make their lasting praise to time of later age rebound.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from the ciuilitie of the Romans, nor re|pugnant to the religion of the Christians, they (of all the other sects before specified) were suffered onlie to continue vnabolished in all ages, insomuch that there flourished of them among the Britains (accor|ding to Bale) before the birth of Christ,Iohn Bale script Britan. cent. 2. Iohn Prise defen hist. Brit. Caius de ant. Cant lib. 1. Iohn Leland syllab. ant. dict. Hum. Lloyd de Mona insula. Plenidus and Oronius: after Christ (as Prise recounteth) Thale|stine, and the two Merlins, Melkin, Elaskirion, and others: and of late daies among the Welshmen, Dauid Daie, Iollo Gough, Dauid ap William, with an infinite number more. And in Wales there are sundrie of them (as Caius reporteth) remaining vn|to this day, where they are in their language called (as Leland writeth) Barthes. Also by the witnes of Humfrey Llhoyd, there is an Iland néere vnto Wales, called Insula Bardorum, and Bardsey, whereof the one name in Latine, and the other in Saxon or old English, signifieth the Iland of the Bardes or Barthes.

Thus farre the gouernement of the Celts in this Ile.

1.2.1. An appendix to the former chapter.

An appendix to the former chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 AFter Bardus,Bale. the Celts (as Bale saith) loathing the streict ordinances of their ancient kings, and b [...]aking themselues to pleasure and idlenesse, were in short time, and with small labour brought vnder the subiection of the giant Albion, the sonne of Neptune, who altering the state of things in this Iland, streicted the name of Celtica and the Celts within the bounds of Gallia, from whence they came first to inhabit this land vnder the conduct of Sa|mothes, as before ye haue heard, accordinglie as Annius hath gathered out of Berosus the Chaldean,Annius. who therein agréeth also with the scripture, the sai|eng of Theophilus the doctor,Theophilus. and the generall con|sent of all writers, which fullie consent, that the first inhabitants of this Ile came out of the parties of Gallia, although some of them dissent about the time and maner of their comming. Sir Brian Tuke thin|keth it to be ment of the arriuall of Brute,Sir Brian Tuke when he came out of those countries into this Ile. Caesar and Tacitus séeme to be of opinion,Caesar. Tacitus. Bodinus. that those Celts which first inhabited here, came ouer to view the countrie for trade of merchandize. Bodinus would haue them to come in (a Gods name) from Languedoc, and so to name this land Albion, of a citie in Languadoc named Albie. Beda, Beda. Polydor. and likewise Polydore (who fol|loweth him) affirme that they came from the coasts of Armorica, which is now called little Britaine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But that the authorities afore recited are suffi|cient to proue the time that this Iland was first in|habited by the Celts, the old possessors of Gallia; not onelie the néernesse of the regions, but the congru|ence of languages, two great arguments of origi|nals doo fullie confirme the same. Bodinus writeth vpon report,Bodinus. that the British and Celtike language was all one. But whether that be true or not, I am not able to affirme, bicause the Celtike toong is long sithens growne wholie out of vse. Howbeit some such Celtike words as remaine in the writings of old authours may be perceiued to agrée with the Welsh toong, being the voncorrupted spéech of the an|cient Britains. In déed Pausanias the Grecian ma|keth mention how the Celts in their language cal|led a horsse Marc: Pausanias. and by that name doo the Welsh|men call a horsse to this day: and the word Trimarc in Pausanias, signifieth in the Celtike toong, thrée horsses.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus it appeareth by the authoritie of writers, by situation of place, and by affinitie of language, that this Iland was first found and inhabited by the Celts, that there name from Samothes to Albion continued here the space of 310 yeares or there a|bouts. And finallie it is likelie,Iohn Bale. that aswell the proge|nie as the spéech of them is partlie remaining in this Ile among the inhabitants, and speciallie the Bri|tish, euen vnto this day.

1.3. Of the giant Albion, of his comming into this Iland, diuers opinions why it was called Albion: why Albion and Bergion were slaine by Hercules: of Danaus and of his 50. daughters. The third Chapter.

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Of the giant Albion, of his comming into this Iland, diuers opinions why it was called Albion: why Albion and Bergion were slaine by Hercules: of Danaus and of his 50. daughters. The third Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _NEptunus called by Mo|ses (as some take it) Nepthu|im,Bale. the sixt sonne of Osiris, after the account of Annius, and the brother of Hercules,Annius de Vi|terbo. Diodorus Si|culus. had appointed him of his fa|ther (as Diodorus writeth) the gouernement of the ocean sea: wherefore he furnished himselfe of sundrie light ships for the more redie pas|sage by water,Pinnesses or gallies. which in the end grew to the number of a full nauie: & so by continuall exercise he became so skilfull, and therewith so mightie vpon the wa|ters (as Higinus & Pictonius doo write) that he was not onelie called the king,Higinus. Pictonius. but also estéemed the god of the seas. He had to wife a ladie called Am|phitrita, who was also honored as goddesse of the seas, of whose bodie he begat sundrie children: and (as Bale reporteth) he made euerie one of them king of an Iland.Scrip. Bri. cens. 1. In the Ile of Britaine he landed his fourth son called Albion the giant, who brought the same vnder his subiection. And herevpon it resteth, that Iohn Textor, and Polydor Virgil made men|tion, that light shippes were first inuented in the British seas,Ioh. Textor. Polydor. and that the same were couered round with the hides of beasts, for defending them from the surges and waues of the water.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This Albion being put by his father in possession of this Ile of Britaine, within short time subdued the Samotheans, the first inhabitantes thereof, without finding any great resistance, for that (as be|fore ye haue heard) they had giuen ouer the practise of all warlike and other painefull exercises, and through vse of effeminate pleasures, whereunto they had giuen themselues ouer, they were become now vnapt to withstand the force of their enimies: and so (by the testimonie of Nicholaus Perottus, Rigma|nus Philesius, Aristotle, Nichol. Perot. Rigmanus Philesius. Aristotle. Hum. Lhoyd. and Humfrey Llhoyd, with diuers other, both forraine & home-writers) this I|land was first called by the name of Albion, hauing at one time both the name and inhabitants changed from the line of Iaphet vnto the accursed race of Cham.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This Albion (that thus changed the name of this Ile) and his companie, are called giants, which sig|nifieth none other than a tall kind of men, of that vn|corrupt stature and highnesse naturallie incident to the first age (which Berosus also séemeth to allow,Berosus. where he writeth, that Noah was one of the gi|ants) and were not so called only of their monstrous greatnesse, as the common people thinke (although in deed they exceeded the vsuall stature of men now in these daies) but also for that they tooke their name of the soile where they were borne:What Gigantes signifie. for Gigantes signi|fieth the sons of the earth: the Aborigines, or (as Ce|sar calleth them) Indigenae) that is, borne and bred out of the earth were they inhabited.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus some thinke, but verelie although that their opinion is not to be allowed in any condition, which maintaine that there should be any Aborigines,Against the o|pinion of the Aborigines. or o|ther kind of men than those of Adams line; yet that there haue béene men of far greater stature than are now to be found, is sufficientlie prooued by the huge bones of those that haue beene found in our time, or lately before: whereof here to make further relation it shall not need, sith in the description of Britaine ye shall find it sufficientlie declared.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now to our purpose. As Albion held Britaine in subiection, Bale. Bergion [...] ther to [...] Hercules [...]bicus. so his brother Bergion kept Ireland and the Orkenies vnder his rule and dominion, and hearing that their coosine Hercules Lybicus ha|uing finished his conquests in Spaine, meant to passe through Gallia into Italie, against their bro|ther Lestrigo that oppressed Italie, vnder subiection of him & other of his brethren the sons also of Nep|tune; as well Albion as Bergion assembling their powers togither, passed ouer into Gallia, to stoppe the passage of Hercules, whose intention was to vanquish and destroie those tyrants the sonnes of Neptune, & their complices that kept diuers coun|tries and regions vnder the painefull yoke of their heauie thraldome.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The cause that moned Hercules thus to pursue vpon those tyrants now reigning thus in the world,The cause why Hercu|les purs [...] his coosins. was, for that not long before, the greatest part of them had conspired togither and slaine his father. O|siris, not withstanding that they were nephues to the same Osiris, as sonnes to his brother Neptune, and not contented with his slaughter, they diuided his carcase also amongst them, so that each of them got a peece in token of reioising at their murtherous atchiued enterprise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 For this cause Hercules (whome Moses calleth Laabin) proclamed warres against them all in re|uenge of his fathers death: and first he killed Tri|phon and Bustris in Aegypt, then Anteus in Mau|ritania, & the Garions in Spaine, which enterprise atchiued, he led his armie towardes Italie, and by the way passed, through a part of Gallia, where Al|bion and Bergion hauing vnited their powers togi|ther,Pomp Me [...] were readie to receiue him with battell: and so néere to the mouth of the riuer called Rhosne, in Latine Rhodanus, they met & fought. At the first there was a right terrible and cruell conflict betwixt them. And albeit that Hercules had the greatest number of men, yet was it verie doubtfull a great while, to whether part the glorie of that daies worke would bend. whereupon when the victorie began outright to turne vnto Albion, and to his brother Bergion, Hercules perceiuing the danger and likelihood of vtter loose of that battell, speciallie for that his men had wasted their weapons, he caused those that stood still and were not otherwise occupied, to stoope downe, and to gather vp stones,Hercules [...] conifite [...]h [...] enimies. whereof in that place there was great plentie, which by his commande|ment they bestowed so fréelie vpon their enimies, that in the end hée obteined the victorie, and did not only put his aduersaries to flight,Albion is slaine. but also slue Al|bion there in the field, togither with his brother Ber|gion, and the most part of all their whole armie. This was the end of Albion, and his brother Bergion, by the valiant prowesse of Hercules, who as one ap|pointed by Gods prouidence to subdue the cruell & vnmercifull tyrants, spent his time to the benefit of mankind, deliuering the oppressed from the hea|uie yoke of miserable thraldome, in euerie place where he came.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And by the order of this battell wée maye learne whereof the poets had their inuention,The occ [...] of the fables Iupiters [...]ping his s [...] Hercules. How this [...] was called Albion, [...] giant Ilbe [...] Iohn Bale. when they faine in their writings, that Iupiter holpe his sonne Hercules, by throwing downe stones from heauen in this battell against Albion and Bergion. More|ouer, from henceforth was this Ile of Britaine cal|led Albion (as before we haue said) after the name of the said Albion: because he was established chiefe ruler and king thereof both by his grandfather Osi|ris, and his father Neptune that cunning sailour reigning therein (as Bale saith) by the space of 44. EEBO page image 5 yeares, till finally he was slaine in maner afore re|membred by his vncle Hercules Libicus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 After that Hercules had thus vanquished and de|stroied his enimies, hée passed to and fro thorough Gallia, suppressing the tyrants in euerie part where he came, and restoring the people vnto a reasonable kinde of libertie, vnder lawfull gouernours. This Hercules (as we find) builded the citie Alexia in Burgongne, nowe called Alize. Moreouer, by Li|lius Giraldus in the life of Hercules it is auouched, that the same Hercules came ouer hither into Bri|taine. And this dooth Giraldus writer by warrant of such Britons as (saith he) haue so written them|selues, which thing peraduenture he hath read in Gil|das the ancient Briton poet: a booke that (as he confesseth in the 5. dialog of his histories of po|ets) he hath séene. The same thing also is confirmed by the name of an head of land in Britaine called Promontorium Herculis, as in Ptolomie ye may read, which is thought to take name of his arriuall at that place. Thus much for Albion and Hercules.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now,Diuers opi|nions why this Ile was called Albion. See more hereof in the description. whereas it is not denied of anie, that this Ile was called ancientlie by the name of Al|bion: yet there be diuers opinions how it came by that name: for manie doo not allow of this historie of Albion the giant. But for so much as it appertei|neth rather to the description than to the historie of this Ile, to rip vp and lay foorth the secret mysteries of such matters: and because I thinke that this opi|nion which is here auouched, how it tooke that name of the forsaid Albion, sonne to Neptune, may be con|firmed with as good authoritie as some of the other, I here passe ouer the rest, & procéed with the historie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When Albion chiefe capteine of the giants was slaine, the residue that remained at home in the Ile, continued without any rule or restraint of law, in so much that they fell to such a dissolute order of life, that they séemed little or nothing to differ from brute beasts: and those are they which our ancient chro|nicles call the giants, who were so named, as well for the huge proportion of their stature (sithens as be|fore is said, that age brought foorth far greater men than are now liuing) as also for that they were the first, or at the least the furthest in remembrance of any that had inhabited this countrie. For this word Gigines, or Gegines, from whence our word giant (as some take it) is deriued, is a Gréeke word, and signifieth, Borne or bred of or in the earth, for our fore-elders, specially the Gentiles, being ignorant o the true beginning of mankind, were persua|ded, that the first inhabitants of any countrie were bred out of the earth, and therefore when they could go no higher, reckoning the descents of their prede|cessours, Terrae filius what it signi|fieth. they would name him Terrae filius, The sonne of the earth: and so the giants whom the poets faine to haue sought to make battell against heauen are called the sonnes of the earth: and the first inha|bitants generally of euery countrie were of the Gréekes called Gigines, or Gegines, and of the La|tines Aborigines, Aborigines. Indigenae. and Indigenae, that is, People borne of earth from the beginning, and comming from no other countrie, but bred within the same.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 These giants and first inhabitants of this Ile con|tinued in their beastlie kind of life vnto the arriuall of the ladies,The mista|king of the name of Dio|clesianus for Danaus. which some of our chronicles ignorantly write to be the daughters of Dioclesian the king of Assyria, whereas in déed they haue béene deceiued, in taking the word Danaus to be short written for Dioclesianus: and by the same meanes haue diuers words and names beene mistaken, both in our chro|nicles, and in diuers other ancient written woorks. But this is a fault that learned men should not so much trouble themselues about, considering the same hath bin alreadie found by sundrie authors ling sithens, as Hugh the Italian, Iohn-Harding, Iohn Rouse of Warwike,Hugh the I|talian. Harding. Iohn Rous out of Dauid Pencair. and others, speciallie by the helpe of Dauid Pencair. a British historie, who recite the historie vnder the name of Danaus and his daugthers. And because we would not any man to thinke, that the historie of these daughters of Da|naus is onelie of purpose deuised, and brought in place of Dioclesianus, to excuse the imperfection of our writers, whereas there as either no such histo|rie (or at the least no such women that arriued in this Ile)Nennius. the authoritie of Nennius a Briton writer may be auouched who wrote aboue 900. yeares past, and maketh mention of the arriuall of such ladies.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 To be short, Belus priscus. Dictionarium poeticum. the historie is thus. Belus the sonne of Epaphus, or (as some writers haue) of Neptune and L [...]bies (whome Isis after the death of Apis ma|ried) had issue two sonnes: the first Danaus, called also Armeus; and Aegyptus called also Rameses: these two were kings among the Aegyptians. Da|naus the elder of the two,Danaus. Aegyprus. Higinus. hauing in his rule the vp|per region of Aegypt, had by sundrie wiues 50. daughters, with whome his brother Aegyptus, ga|ping for the dominion of the whole, did instantlie labour, that his sonnes being also 50. in number, might match. But Danaus hauing knowledge by some prophesie or oracle, that a sonne in law of his should be his death, refused so to bestow his daugh|ters. Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren, in the end whereof, Danaus being the weaker, was inforced to flée his countrie, and so prepared a nauie, imbarked himselfe and his daughters, and with them passed ouer into Gréece, where he found meanes to dispossesse Gelenor (sonne to Stenelas king of Argos) of his rightfull inheritance, driuing him out of his countrie, and reigned in his place by the assistance of the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardes Gelenor, and a great liking to|wardes Danaus, who in verie deed did so farr ex|cell the kings that had reigned there before him, that the Gréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But his brother Aegyptus, taking great disdaine for that he and his sonnes were in such sort despised of Danaus, sent his sonnes with a great armie to make warre against their vncle, giuing them in charge not to returne, till they had either slaine Danaus, or obteined his daugthers in mariage. he yoong gentlemen according to their fathers com|mandement, being arriued in Greece, made such warre against Danaus, that in the end he was con|strained to giue vnto those his 50. nephues his 50. daughters, to ioine with them in mariage, and so they were. But as the prouerbe saith, In trust appea|red treacherie. For on the first night of the mariage, Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword, charging them that when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were once brought into a sound sléepe, ech of them should slea hir husband, me|nacing them with death vnlesse they fulfilled his commandement. They all therefore obeied the will of their father, Hypermnestra onely excepted, with whom preuailed more the loue of kinred and wed|locke, than the feare of hir fathers displeasure: for shee alone spared the life of hir husband Lynceus, waking him out of his sléepe, and warning him to depart and flée into Aegypt to his father. He there|fore hauing all the wicked practises reuealed to him by his wife, followed hir aduice, and so escaped.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Now when Danaus perceiued how all his daughters had accomplished his commandement,Pausanias. sauing onelie Hypermnestra, he caused hir to be brought forth into iudgement, for disobeing him in a matter wherein both the safetie and losse of his life rested: but she was acquitted by the Argiues, & EEBO page image 6 discharged. Howbeit hir father kept hir in prison, and séeking to find out other husbands for his other daughters that had obeied his pleasure in sleaing their first husbands, long it was yer he could find any to match with them: for the heinous offense com|mitted in the slaughter of their late husbands, was yet too fresh in memorie, and their bloud not wiped out of mind. Neuerthelesse, to bring his purpose the better to passe, he made proclamation, that his daughhters should demand no ioinctures, and euerie suter should take his choise without respect to the age of the ladie, or abilitie of him that came to make his choise, but so as first come best serued, according to their owne phantasies and likings. Howbeit when this policie also failed, & would not serue his turne, he deuised a game of running, ordeining therewith, that whosoeuer got the best price should haue the first choise among all the sisters; and he that got the se|cond, should choose next to the first; and so foorth, ech one after an other, according to the triall of their swiftnesse of foote.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 How much this practise auailed, I know not: but certeine it is, diuers of them were bestowed, either by this or some other meanes, for we find that Auto|nomes was maried to Architeles, Chrysanta or (as Pausanias saith) Scea was matched with Archan|drus, Amaome with Neptunus Equestris, on whome he begat Nauplius.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But now to returne vnto Lynceus,Higinus, whome his wife Hypermnestra preserued, as before ye haue heard. After he was once got out of the reach and danger of his father in law king Danaus, he gaue knowledge thereof to his wife,Pausanias. in raising a fire on heigth beaconwise, accordingly as she had requested him to doo at his departure from hir: and this was at a place which afterwards tooke name of him, and was called Lyncea. Upon his returne into Aegypt, he gaue his father to vnderstand the whole circum|stance of the treacherous crueltie vsed by his vncle and his daughters in the murder of his brethren, and how hardly he himselfe had escaped death out of his vncles handes. Wherevpon at time conuenient he was furnished foorth with men and ships by his fa|ther, for the spéedie reuenge of that heinous, vnnatu|rall and most disloiall murder, in which enterprise he sped him foorth with such diligence, that in short time he found meanes to dispatch his vncle Dana|us, set his wife Hypermnestra at libertie, and sub|dued the whole kingdome of the Argiues.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This done, he caused the daughters of Danaus (so many as remained within the limits of his domini|on) to be sent for, whome he thought not worthie to liue, bicause of the cruell murther which they had committed on his brethren: but yet for that they were his wiues sisters, he would not put them to death, but commanded them to be thrust into a ship, without maister, mate or mariner, and so to be tur|ned into the maine ocean sea, and to take and abide such fortune as should chance vnto them. These la|dies thus imbarked and left to the mercy of the seas, by hap were brought to the coasts of this Ile then called Albion,Harding and Iohn Rous out of Dauid Pen|cair. where they tooke land, and in sée|king to prouide themselues of victuals by pursute of wilde beasts, met with no other inhabitants, than the rude and sauage giants mentioined before, whome our historiens for their beastlie kind of life doo call diuells. With these monsters did these ladies (fin|ding none other to satisfie the motions the motions of their sen|suall lust) ioine in the act of venerie, and ingendred a race of people in proportion nothing differing from their fathers that begat them, nor in conditions from their mothers that bare them.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 But now peraduenture ye wil thinke that I haue forgotten my selfe, in rehearsing this historie of the ladies arriuall here, bicause I make no mention of Albina, which should be the eldest of the sisters, of whome this land should also take the name of Albi|on. To this we answer, that as the name of their fa|ther hath bene mistaken, so likewise hath the whole course of the historie in this behalfe. For though we shall admit that to be true which is rehearsed (in ma|ner as before ye haue heard) of the arriuall here of those ladies; yet certeine it is that none of them bare the name of Albina, from whome this land might be called Albion. For further assurance whereof, if any man be desirous to know all their names,Higinus. we haue thought good bere to rehearse them as they be found in Higinus, Pausanias, The names of the daughters of Danaus. and others, 1 Idea, 2 Philo|mela, 3 Scillo, 4 Phicomene, 5 Euippe, 6 Demodi|tas, 7 Hyale, 8 Trite, 9 Damone, 10 Hippothoe, 11 Mirmidone, 12 Euridice, 13 Chleo, 14 Urania, 15 Cleopatra, 16 Phylea, 17 Hypareta, 18 Chrysothe|mis, 19 Heranta, 20 Armoaste, 21 Danaes, 22 Scea, 23 Glaucippe, 24 Demophile, 25 Autodice, 26 Polyxena, 27 Hecate, 28 Achamantis, 29 Ar|salte, 30 Monuste, 31 Amimone, 32 Helice, 33 A|maome, 34 Polybe, 35 Helicte, 36 Electra, 37 Eu|bule, 38 Daphildice, 39 Hero, 40 Europomene, 41 Critomedia, 42 Pyrene, 43 Eupheno, 44 Themista|gora, 45 Paleno, 46 Erato, 47 Autonomes, 48 I|tea, 49 Chrysanta, 50 Hypermnestra. These were the names of those ladies the daughters of Dana|us: howbeit, which they were that should arriue in this Ile, we cannot say: but it sufficeth to vnder|stand, that none of them hight Albina. So that, whe|ther the historie of their landing here should be true or not, it is all one for the matter concerning the name of this Ile, which vndoubtedlie was called Al|bion, either of Albion the giant (as before I haue said) or by some other occasion.See more in the descripti|on.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And thus much for the ladies, whose strange ad|uenture of their arriuall here, as it may séeme to manie & (with good cause) incredible, so without fur|ther auouching it for truth, I leaue it to the conside|ration of the reader, to thinke thereof as reason shall moue him; sith I sée niot how either in this, or in other things of such antiquitie, we cannot haue sufficient warrant otherwise than by likelie coniectures. Which as in this historie of the ladies they are not most probable, yet haue we shewed the likeliest, that (as we thinke) may be déemed to agrée with those au|thors that haue written of their comming into this Ile. But as for an assured proofe that this Ile was inhabited with people before the comming of Brute, I trust it may suffice which before is recited out of Annius de Viterbo, Theophilus, Gildas, and other, al|though much more might be said: as of the comming hither of Osiris, as well as in the other parties of the world: and likewise of Ulysses his being here,Ulysses in Britaine. who in performing some vow which he either then did make, or before had made, erected an altar in that part of Scotland which was ancientlie called Cali|donia, as Iulius Solinus Polyhistor in plaine words dooth record.Iulius Solinus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶Upon these considerations I haue no doubt to de|liuer vnto the reader, the opinion of those that thinke this land to haue bene inhabited before the arriuall here of Brute, trusting it may be taken in good part, sith we haue but shewed the coniectures of others, till time that some sufficient learned man shall take vpon him to decipher the doubts of all these mat|ters. Neuerthelesse, I thinke good to aduertise the reader that these stories of Samothes, Magus, Sar|ron, Druis, and Bardus, doo relie onelie vpon the au|thoritie of Berosus, whom most diligent antiquaries doo reiect as a fabulous and counterfet author, and Vacerius hath laboured to prooue the same by a spe|ciall treatise latelie published at Rome.