[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.