speaking of the Druids, confirms exceedingly all that we have said
on this head. He writes, “that they seek studiously for an oak-tree,
large and handsome, growing up with two principal arms, in form of a
cross, beside the main stem upright. If the two horizontal arms are not
sufficiently adapted to the figure, they fasten a cross-beam to it.
This tree they consecrate in this manner. Upon the right branch they
cut in the bark, in fair characters, the word HESUS: upon the middle
or upright stem, the word TARAMIS: upon the left branch BELENUS: over
this, above the going off of the arms, they cut the name of God, THAU:
under all the same repeated, THAU.”
We cannot possibly understand otherwise, than that by this they
intended to show the unity in the divine nature; for every word
signifies God emphatically, and in their general acceptation, _Thau_
especially. The other three words have each particularly a more
restrained sense, regarding the oeconomy of the deity or godhead. And
this is _Schedius_ his opinion.
This tree, so inscribed, they make their _kebla_ in the grove,
cathedral, or summer-church, toward which they direct their faces in
the offices of religion, as to the ambre stone or the cove in the above
described temples of _Abury_. Like as the Christians to any symbol or
picture over the altar. And hence the writers got a notion of their
worshipping trees; and of these names belonging to so many gods: which
serves the poets to descant upon. But if we examine them to their
origin, they are easily to be reduc’d to orthodoxy.
The word _Hesus_ means the supreme God in the _celtic_ language,
as ESAR among the _Hetruscans_. _Sueton. in Aug._ It was pronounced
_Eisar_, as the _germans_ pronounce _Cæsar_, _Keisar_. It comes from
the _hebrew_ ה _Ei_, and סר _Lord_, שר _Prince_. ה is emphatically
the name of the divinity, as השם το ονομα, the NAME _Jehovah_,
_Levit._ xxiv. 11. 16. Hence ה or EI, inscribed over the door of the
temple at _Delphos_, of which _Plutarch_ has wrote. It was the way
of the _babylonish_ monarchs to assume divine names, as _Esar-adon_,
signifying no less than God the Lord. _Esi_ is God, says _Hesychius_.
In the _arabic_ it signifies the _Creator_, says _Dickenson delph.
phœnic._ But these authors do not go to the bottom, for it comes from
AS or AT, signifying God the father. Ἄτα or Ἄττα, with the _Greeks_
is _pater_. The _Armenians_ call it Αδς, the _Egyptians_ Ὠτ, those of
_Sarmatia_ and _Slavonia_ Ος: says the learned _Baxter_, _v. Ascania_,
_gloss. ant. Rom._ where he has much of ancient learning upon it. This
is the _Atys_ of the _Phrygians_.
_Belenus_ is the _Baal_ in scripture, us’d originally to be spoken
of the true God _Jehovah_, ’till adopted into idolatry. _Belus_ of
the _Assyrians_. If we examine the word to the bottom, it means God
the son. Βηλ, in the _babylonic_ language is the _son_, Βηλτις the
_daughter_. He is the _Apollo_ of the _Latins_.
_Tharamis_ is the same as _Tat_, _Thoth_ of the _Egyptians_, _Thor_ of
the northern nations, call’d more particularly the _spirit: lord of
the air_, from the wings being symbolical of him; and hence made the
thunderer, from the _Phœnician_ and _celtick Tarem_. He was sometimes
call’d _Theutates_, the _Mercury_ of the _Latins_, who was particularly
worshipped by the _Germans_, says _Tacitus de mor. germ._ _Cæsar_ the
same, VI. _bell. gall._ Hence the _Greeks_ dress’d their _Mercury_ with
a winged cap, and winged heels, which was no other than the _circulus
alatus_ we have been speaking of. He bears a staff in his hand, with a
globe on the end of it with wings and snakes. The _Phœnicians_ call’d
him _Taautus_. _Sanchoniathon_, _Varro_ IV. _de ling. lat._
So in the temple of _Belus_ or the _sun_, at _Edessa_ in _Mesopotamia_,
in idolatrous times, by his statue was another of _Ezizus_, who is our
_Hesus_, and another of _Mercury_, whom they call _Monimus_. _Julian_,
in his _hymn to the sun_, mentions the same. And so generally the true
theology communicated to mankind from the beginning, was perverted into
polytheism and idolatry.
3. So by the tree came death, by the tree came life, which the Druids
seem to have had some knowledge of. _Ruffinus_ II. 29. affirms the
cross among the _Egyptians_ was an hieroglyphic importing the life that
is to come. _Sozomen_ the same, _hist. eccl._ VII. 15. and _Suidas_.
_Isidore_ tells, “it was the method of the muster-masters in the
_roman_ army, in giving in the lists of the soldiers, to mark with a
cross the name of the man that was alive; with a Θ him that was dead.”
The ancient inhabitants of _America_ honour’d the form of the cross. So
the conjurers in _Lapland_ use it. Which intimate this hieroglyphic to
be most ancient, probably antediluvian.
But concerning the knowledge of the cross which the Druids had, and
of their religion more at large, I shall discourse fully in the next
volume, which will conclude what I have to say concerning them and
their works.
4. From what has been delivered in the speculative part of this
treatise, the springs of idolatry appear sufficiently. For the race of
heroes that built these patriarchal temples in the eastern part of the
world especially, and propagated true religion, were some ages after
deify’d by their idolatrous posterity; and had names of consecration
taken from the divine attributes, and the just notions delivered to
them concerning the nature of the deity.
5. If then we reflect on the foregoing description of the work of
_Abury_, whether we consider the figure it is built upon, the antiquity
or the grandeur of it, we must needs admire it, as deservedly to
be rank’d among the greatest wonders on the face of the earth. The
ancients indeed did make huge temples of immense pillars in colonnades,
like a small forest; or vast concaves of cupolas to represent the
heavens; they made gigantick colosses to figure out their gods; but to
our _British_ Druids was reserv’d the honour of a more extensive idea,
and of executing it. They have made plains and hills, valleys, springs
and rivers contribute to form a temple of three miles in length. They
have stamp’d a whole country with the impress of this sacred character,
and that of the most permanent nature. The golden temple of _Solomon_
is vanish’d, the proud structure of the _Babylonian Belus_, the temple
of _Diana_ at _Ephesus_, that of _Vulcan_ in _Egypt_, that of the
_Capitoline Jupiter_ are perish’d and obliterated, whilst _Abury_,
I dare say, older than any of them, within a very few years ago, in
the beginning of this century, was intire; and even now, there are
sufficient traces left, whereby to learn a perfect notion of the whole.
Since I frequented the place, I fear it has suffer’d: but at that time,
there was scarce a single stone in the original ground-plot wanting,
but I could trace it to the person then living who demolish’d it, and
to what use and where.
This I verily believe to have been a truly patriarchal temple, as the
rest likewise, which we have here described; and where the worship
of the true God was perform’d. And I conclude with what _Epiphanius_
writes, speaking of the old religion from the beginning of the world.
_Non erat judaismus aut secta quæpiam alia: sed ut ita dicam, ea quæ
nunc in præsenti sancta Dei catholica ecclesia obtinet, fides erat; quæ
cum ab initio extiterit, postea rursum est manifestata._ He affirms
_Adam_ and all the patriarchs from him to _Abraham_, were no other than
christians; and this is the doctrine of the apostle of the _Gentiles_,
1 _Cor._ ix. 21.
INDEX.
_The dignity of the study of antiquities_, Page 1, 46
_Religion the principal purpose of life_, 6, 7, 55, 85, 100
_The patriarchal and Christian religion the same_, 4, 6, 62, 68,
89, 102
_Publick religion began with_ Adam’_s grandson_, Enos, 2, 6
_Exercis’d in a publick place call’d a temple_, 3, 7, 25
_A temple was an open circle of stones_, 4, 8
_Groves planted as cathedrals, summer-temples_, 4, 5
_Groves and temples equivocal_, ibid.
_The Druid temples were patriarchal_, 4, 5, 102
_Heathen remains of patriarchal temples_, 5, 8, 33, 52, 83
_Our patriarchal round temples often dedicated to the sun_, 9, 67
_Likewise to dead heroes who built them_, 13, 84, 95, 98, 101
_Publick religion was on a stated day, the sabbath_, 6, 36, 68
_Heathen remains of the sabbath_, 68
_The ordinary service of publick religion was call’d invoking_, 3,
4, 6
_Heathen remains of invoking_, 4, 6
_This implies an expected mediator, Messiah_, 3, 6
Jehovah _was the Messiah who appear’d visibly_, 3, 6
_Knowledge of the nature of the deity, the highest wisdom_, 7, 85,
90
_From that knowledge idolatry first began_, 62, 84, 89, 101
_Sacrificing was the extraordinary service of religion_, 4, 38
_At the four solar ingresses_, 68
_Temples were form’d on figures of the symbol of the deity_, 8, 9,
92
_Whence thought prophylactic, to guard the ashes of the dead_, 41,
52, 82, 95
_When desecrated to idolatry, the_ Mosaic _tabernacle was order’d;
square and cover’d_, 3, 5, 8, 14, 24, 62, 72
_Three kinds of Druid or patriarchal temples, from the threefold
symbol of the deity._ First, _the circle_, 9
_The circle, the symbol of the Supreme_, 54, 61
_The Supreme, as invisible, had no picture, no name_, 3, 50, 62, 98
_Called_ As, Atys, Hesus, _by the Druids_, 100
Rowldrich _temple described, as an example of the first kind_, 10
_The requisites of a Druid temple drawn up_, 10, 13
_The_ Second _kind of temple, the circle and snake_, Dracontium, 9,
54
ABURY, _a serpentine temple of the second kind, described_, 14
_Another at_ Shap _in_ Northumberland, 62
_Another at_ Classerness, ibid.
_Of the symbol of the snake_, 49, 54, 56, 92
_It means the divine Son_, 55, 60, 61, 62, 93, 94
_The Druids’ great regard to it_, 56
_The natural history of the serpent_, 50, 57
_Origin of serpent worship_, 59
_Of symbols in general_, 55
_It was the ancient form of writing_, 56
_The divine Son call’d_ Phtha, νους ἑτερος, mind, creator, wisdom,
word, Logos, 50, 61, 62, 88
_He was_ Jehovah, _the Mediator, who appeared visibly_, 3
_He was called the__ NAME, _3, 6, 100
_Called_ Belenus _by the Druids_, 100
_Of the_ kebla _or central obelisc in our temples, called_ ambre,
5, 23, 24, 67, 100
_Became idols_, 5, 67
_The_ petra ambrosia _of the heathen_, 24, 75, 82
_Of the cove, or_ ansæ, 5, 23, 100
Kist vaen, 13
_Indicative of the divine presence_, 24
_The_ Hakpen, _or snake’s head_, 15, 31, 32
_Heathen remains of such_, 33, 84, 97
_The snake’s tail_, 36, 37, 52
_The whole symbol of the deity was a circle, snake, and wings;
call’d_ Cnephtha, 9, 29, 54, 62, 92, 93
_Heathen remain of this in_ Medusa’_s head_, 69, 93
_The_ Third _sort of Druid temple form’d like the circle and wings,
alate temples_, 9, 76, 83, 92
_This figure call’d Cneph, means the divine spirit, or_ anima
mundi, 62, 92, 93
_An alate temple of the Druids on the banks of the_ Humber,
_described_, 92
_An alate temple on_ Navestock-common, 96
_Another in_ Cornwall, 97
_Another in the isle of_ Scianach, ibid.
_Hence the_ Mercury _of the heathen_, 84, 98, 101
_The same as_ Neptune, 84, 94, 98
_Same as_ Taranus, Thoth, 101
_Same as_ Hermes, 98
_Same as_ Canaan, ibid.
_An alate temple over the tomb of_ Canaan, ibid.
_By the lake_ Canopus, 96
_In the isle_ Chios, 98
_In the isle of_ Cyprus, 97
_At the tomb of_ Hermes _or_ Lud, 98
_At the tomb of_ Memnon, 95
_Over the tomb of_ Neptune _or_ Tarsis, 98
_In the isle of_ Rhodes, 95, 97
_In the isle of_ Tenos, 97
_The crab likewise a symbol of the_ anima mundi, 76
_Serpentine temples_, Dracontia, _built by the ancients_, 9, 61
_By_ Phut _or_ Typhon, _son of_ Cham, 61, 63
_The history of_ Phut, 64
_His effigies_, 66
_The patriarchal and heathen genealogy_, 65
_The heroical effigies of_ Phut’_s mother_, 66
Dracontia _built by the_ Tyrian Hercules, 70, 75, 76
_He was a great navigator, and had the use of the compass_, 97
_His history and time fixed_, 53, 71
_He planted_ Britain, 53, 77, 78
_He was king in_ Egypt _when_ Abraham _went thither_, 72
_He learn’d religion and other things from_ Abraham, 74, 76
_He built temples wherever he came, thence call’d_ Saxanus, 74
_He brought the use of alphabet-writing hither_, 73
_He had a son call’d_ Isaac, 76
Apher, _grandson of_ Abraham, _a companion of_ Hercules _in
planting_ Britain, 70, 77
_Of_ Albion _and_ Bergion, 77
Dracontia _built by_ Cadmus, 34, 80
_History of_ Cadmus _son of_ Canaan, 79
_The_ Cadmonites _related to the_ Jews, 84
_Serpentine temples at_ Acon, 75
_At_ Colchis, 69
_By_ Damascus, 84
_By the tomb of_ Orpheus, 95
_By the river_ Orontes, 69
_At_ Parnassus, 67
_In the isle of_ Rhodes, 95
_At_ Sarephtha, 82
_At_ Tyre, 75
_The Druid measure, cubit_, stadium, 11, 19, 31
_A demonstration of the Druid works prior to_ roman _times_, 26,
43, 45
_A Druid celt or hatchet found at_ Abury, 27
_Another at_ Stonehenge, 41
_The time of founding_ Abury _conjectured_, 52
_The founder’s_ tumulus, Silbury-hill, 41
_A conjecture concerning his name_, 42
_A conjecture concerning the time of his death_, 44
_The founder of_ Abury’s _bridle dug up_, 42
_Antediluvian bones_, 17, 35
_The formation of_ sarsens, 16
British _beads, urns_, &c. _dug up_, 44, 45
_Heathen barrows like ours_, 42, 44, 46, 52, 66, 98
_Conjecture concerning the age of_ Abury, _from the wear of the
weather_, 17, 38
_From the Variation of the magnetic needle_, 51, 52
_Of the use of the loadstone of old_, 51, 96
_Seems to have been known to_ Noah, _to_ Japhet, _to_ Phut, _to_
Hercules, 97
_A magnetic needle among the constellations_, ibid.
_The origin of alphabet-writing_, 56, 73
_The patriarchal genealogy_, 65
_Origin of_ Egyptian _learning from_ Abraham _and_ Joseph, 72, 74
_The reason of the_ Mosaic _institution_, 8, 62, 72
_Of mythology, the oldest heathen history_, 13, 31, 33, 63, 76, 83
_Our present reports at the Druid temples the same mythology_, 5,
13, 76, 83
_Why_ EI _inscrib’d on the door at_ Delphos, 100
_Temples made on account of sepulchres_, 13, 41
Typhon’_s couch, what it means_, 66, 98
_The_ atlantic _islands, where_, 14
_Of_ Solomon’_s temple_, 38, 39
_The astonishing tumulus of_ Silbury, 41, 42, 43
_Of_ british _chariots_, 42
_Why antient temples regarded the east_, 50, 51
_Origin of animal-worship_, 55
_Origin of the_ Phallus, 60
_The_ Roman _road_, Runway, Via Badonica, 26, 30, 32, 43
_A demonstration that ’tis later than our works_, 26, 27, 43
_A demonstration that ’tis later than the_ Wansdike, 27
_King_ Divitiacus _founder of_ Devizes, 27
Cunetio Marlborough, 19, 26
Verlucio Hedington, 27
ETYMOLOGY.
Abl, Hal, Healle, 19
Au, Aux, Awy, ibid
As, Ata, Atys, 100
Atlas, 9
Apher, 77
Avim, Hevæus, 81, 98
Athamanes, 71
Belenus, Baal, Bel, Belus, 100
Bratanac, 77
Beth, 5
Canopus, 94, 96
Cnephtha, 93
Cronius, 97
Cneph, 92
Cromlechen, 49
Dionysus, 11, 98
Efi, 100
Esar-haddon, ibid.
Elohim, 71
Elagabalus, 24
Gilgal, 11
Genessa, Geneva, Gnaphalus, Gnavus, 96
Gable, Gaveloc, 9, 24, 29
Hesus, 100
Har, 67
Hakpen, 16, 31, 32, 75, 76
Hycsi, 71, 78
Javelin, 9, 24, 25
Kibla, ibid.
Kist-vaen, 12, 49
Knave, Knap, 96
Kneph, 62
Magus, 38, 55, 69
Neptune, 94
Nebula, Nebulo, 96
Nahas, 67
Nesi, 72
Ogmius, 73
Parnassus, Larnassus, 67
Ptha, 62, 93
Rhwl drwyg, 11, 12
Rhode, Rod, 97
Sarsens, 16, 48
Sarephtha, 82
Scianach, 97
Taramis, Thoth, 101
Themis, 67
Titans, 71
Tempe, Temple, 7, 25
_Knowledge of the nature of the deity, the most valuable_, 7, 85,
90, 100
_Of divine geniture, a metaphysical discourse_, 49, 50, 85, 99
_Of divine procession_, 100
_This doctrine is discoverable by reason_, 85, 99, 100
_The Druids came from_ Phœnicia, 38, 42, 51, 73, 78
_The Druids were not idolaters, preface_, 24, 51, 85
_They were a great and learned people_, 38, 49, 76
_They were disciples of_ Abraham, 5, 35, 73, 74, 76, 85
_Of the patriarchal religion_, 11, 37, 51, 55, 62, 69, 85, 102
_They observ’d the sabbath_, 6, 35
_A proof that the patriarchs observ’d the sabbath_, 68
_Tithe paid by the patriarchs_, 68
_Baptism and sponsors in the patriarchal religion_, 76
_The Druids built our temples of stones untouch’d of tool_, 20, 21,
39
_Groves not their only temples_, 5
_They bore a celt on a staff ordinarily_, 27
Abaris _a_ hyperborean _Druid_, 96
Chyndonax _a_ gallic _arch-druid_, 49
_They believ’d a future state, and resurrection of the body_, 13,
40, 41, 46, 82
_They knew Messiah was to be born at the end of the year_, 72
_The yule festival then_, 76
_They knew the mysterious nature of the deity_, 6, 7, 9, 90
_As the patriarchs, the ancient priests and philosophers_, 4, 6, 9,
85, 89, 94, 100
_They believ’d the unity of the divine nature_, 100
_All this deducible from reason_, 6, 85, 100
_They had knowledge of the cross_, 101
_They knew alphabet-writing_, 56
_Notions of the magic of the Druids_, 21, 38, 69
_Druid houses_, 12, 27, 47, 48, 94
_Druid celt or hatchet_, 27
_Sharp flints_, 33
FINIS.
Transcriber’s Notes:
- Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
- Text enclosed by equals is in blackletter (=blackletter=).
- Blank pages have been removed.
- Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.
- Sidenote references to illustrations removed.
- Page numbers removed from illustrations in text version.