[Sidenote: _Gen._ 2.]
[Sidenote: _De migr. gen._]
SAMOTHES the sixt begotten sonne of Iaphet called by Moses Mesech, by
others Dis, receiued for his portion (according to the report of
Wolfgangus Lazius) all the countrie lieng betwéene the riuer of Rhene
and the Pyrenian mountains, where he founded the kingdome of Celtica
[Sidenote: _Cent. 1._]
ouer his people called Celtae. Which name Bale affirmeth to haue bene
indifferent to the inhabitants both of the countrie of Gallia, 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
[Sidenote: _Anti. lib._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _Bale Script._]
[Sidenote: _Brit. cent._ 1.]
in the Iland. He is reported by Berosus to haue excelled all men of
that age in learning and knowledge: and also is thought by Bale to
haue imparted the same among his people; namelie, the vnderstanding
[Sidenote: _Caesar. comment. lib._ 8.]
of the sundrie courses of the starres, the order of inferiour things,
with manie other matters incident to the morall and politike
gouernment of mans life: and to haue deliuered the same in the
Phenician letters: out of which the Greekes (according to the opinion
[Sidenote: _In epithet. temp._]
[Sidenote: _De aequinorus contra Appionem._]
of Archilochus) deuised & deriued the Gréeke characters, 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. Of
[Sidenote: _Lib. de Magic. success. lib._ 22.]
this king and his learning arose a sect of philosophers (saith Annius)
first in Britaine, and after in Gallia, the which of his name were
called Samothei. They (as Aristotle and Secion write) were passing
skilfull both in the law of God and man: and for that cause
[Sidenote: _Script. Brit. cent._ 1.]
exceedinglie giuen to religion, especiallie the inhabitants of this
Ile of Britaine, insomuch that the whole nation did not onelie take
[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant. cent. lib._ 1.]
[Sidenote: This Ile called Samothea.]
the name of them, but the Iland it selfe (as Bale and doctor Caius
agree) came to be called Samothea, which was the first peculiar name
that euer it had, and by the which it was especiallie knowne before
the arriuall of Albion.
[Sidenote: MAGUS THE SON OF SAMOTHES.]
[Sidenote: _Lib._ 9.]
[Sidenote: _Annius in commen. super eundem. Geogr._]
MAGUS the sonne of Samothes, 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 witnesse of Annius did
beare the addition of their founder Magus: 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, Neomagus, Niomagus, and Nouiomagus. Neomagus sir
Thomas Eliot writeth to haue stood where the citie 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 renowmed 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 _Magi_ 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 Persians.
[Sidenote: _De diui. lib._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _De fastis li._ 5.]
What the name of _Magus_ importeth, and of what profession the _Magi_
were, Tullie declareth at large, and Mantuan in briefe, after this
maner:
Ille penes Persas Magus est, qui sidera norit,
Qui sciat herbarum vires cultumq; deorum,
Persepoli facit ista Magos prudentia triplex.
[Sidenote: _H.F._]
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,
By threefold knowledge thus the name
of Magus then dooth growe.
[Sidenote: SARRON THE SON OF MAGUS.]
[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant. lib._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _Bale. script._]
[Sidenote: _Brit. cent._ 1.]
SARRON the third king of the Celts succéeded his father Magus in
gouernement of the countrie of Gallia, and the Ile Samothea, wherein
as (D. Caius writeth) he founded certaine publike places for them that
professed learning, which Berosus affirmeth to be done, to the intent
to restraine the wilfull outrage of men, being as then but raw and
void of all ciuilitie. 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 writeth in this sort: "There are
[Sidenote: _Lib._ 6.]
(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 beleefe, that sacrifices ought onelie to
be made by such as are skilfull in the diuine mysteries, as of those
who are neerest 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."
[Sidenote: DRUIS THE SON OF SARRON.]
[Sidenote: _De morte Claud._]
DRUIS, whom Seneca calleth Dryus, being the sonne of Sarron, was after
his father established the fourth king of Celtica, indifferentlie
reigning as wel ouer the Celts as Britons, or rather (as the
inhabitants of this Ile were then called) Samotheans. This prince is
commended by Berosus to be so plentifullie indued with wisedome and
learning, that Annius taketh him to be the vndoubted author of the
begining and name of the philosophers called Druides, whome Caesar and
all other ancient Greeke 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
[Sidenote: _Anti. lib._ 5.]
[Sidenote: _Annius super eundem._]
[Sidenote: _De bello Gallico._ 6.]
Anglesey (as Humfrey Llhoyd witnesseth) they made their principall
abode. Touching their vsages many things are written by Aristotle,
Socion, Plinie, Laertius, Bodinus, and others: which I will gather in
briefe, and set downe as followeth. They had (as Caesar saith) the
charge of common & priuate sacrifices, 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 sacrifice of
[Sidenote: _Hist. an. lib._ 1.]
their gods and the companie of men, as disobeied their award. 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
[Sidenote: _De diui. lib._ 1.]
valiant and dreadlesse of death. Tullie writeth, that partlie by
tokens, and partlie by surmises, they would foretell things to come.
And by the report of Hector Boetius, some of them were not ignorant of
[Sidenote: _Hist. Scoti. li._ 2.]
[Sidenote: _De migr. gen. lib._ 2.]
[Sidenote: _Marcellinus._]
the immortalitie of the one and euerlasting God. All these things they
had written in the Greeke toong, insomuch that Wolf. Lazius (vpon the
report of Marcellinus) declareth how the Gréeke letters 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 Diodorus) one custome to kill men, and by the
falling, bleeding, and dismembring of them, to diuine of things to
come: for the which and other wicked practises, their sect was first
condemned for abhominable (as some haue written) and dissolued in
Gallia (as Auentinus witnesseth) by Tiberius and Claudius the
[Sidenote: _Anna. Boiorum. lib._ 22.]
emperours; and lastlie abolished here in Britaine (by the report of
Caius) when the gospell of Christ by the preaching of Fugatius and
[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant._]
Damianus was receiued among the Britaines, vnder Lucius king of
Britaine, about the yeare of our sauior, 179.
[Sidenote: BARDUS THE SONNE OF DRUIS.]
[Sidenote: _Berosus ant. lib._ 2.]
[Sidenote: _Annius in commen. super eundem._]
[Sidenote: _Ant. Cant li._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _script. Britan. cent._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _Nonnius._]
[Sidenote: _Marcel._]
[Sidenote: _Strabo._]
[Sidenote: _Diodor. Sicul. lib._ 6.]
[Sidenote: _Carol. Stepha. in dict. hist._]
[Sidenote: _Bale._]
[Sidenote: _Iohn Prise._]
BARDUS the sonne of Druis succéeded his father in the kingdome of
Celtica, and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans, amongst
whom he was highlie renoumed (as appeareth by Berosus) for inuention
of dities and musicke, wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth, that he
trained his people: 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, 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, 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 genealogies of such as were
liuing. They would frame pleasant dities and songs, learne the same by
heart, and sing them to instruments at solemne feasts and assemblies
of noble men and gentlemen. Wherefore they were had in so high
estimation, that if two hosts had bene 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
[Sidenote: _Lucan. lib._ 1.]
Bards had gone out of the battell. Of these Bards Lucane saith,
Vos quoq; qui fortes animas bellóq; peremptas,
Laudius in longum vares dimittitis aeuum,
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi:
[Sidenote: _II. F._]
And you ô poet Bards from danger
void that dities sound,
Of soules of dreadlesse men, whom rage
of battell would confound,
And make their lasting praise to time
of later age rebound.
Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from the
ciuilitie of the Romans, nor repugnant 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 (according to Bale) before
[Sidenote: _Iohn Bale script. Britan. cent._ 2.]
[Sidenote: _John Prise defen. hist. Brit._]
[Sidenote: _Caius de ant._]
[Sidenote: _Cant. lib._ 1.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn Leland._]
[Sidenote: _syllab. ant dict._]
[Sidenote: _Hum. Lloyd de Mona insula._]
the birth of Christ, Plenidius and Oronius: after Christ (as Prise
recounteth) Thalestine, and the two Merlins, Melkin, Elaskirion, and
others: and of late daies among the Welshmen, Dauid Die, Ioslo Gough,
Dauid ap William, with an infinite number more. And in Wales there are
sundrie of them (as Caius reporteth) remaining vnto this day, where
they are in their language called (as Leland writeth) Barthes. Also by
the witnes of Humfrey Llhoyd, there is an Iland neere 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._
* * * * *