[Footnote 321: Exeter.]

[Footnote 322: Or Ribroit, the Brue, in Somersetshire; or the Ribble, in Lancashire.]

[Footnote 323: Or Agned Cathregonion, Cadbury, in Somersetshire; or Edinburgh.]

[Footnote 324: Bath.]

[Footnote 325: At Fordun, in the district of Mearns, in Scotland.--_Usher._]

[Footnote 326: V.R. Germa.n.u.s "sent the elder Segerus with him to a wonderful man, the holy bishop Amathearex." Another MS. "Sent the elder Segerus, a bishop, with him to Amatheorex."]

[Footnote 327: V.R. "Received the episcopal degree from the holy bishop Amatheorex." Another MS. "Received the episcopal degree from Matheorex and the holy bishop."]

[Footnote 328: King of Connaught.]

[Footnote 329: A mountain in the west of Connaught, county of Mayo, now called Croagh-Patrick.]

[Footnote 330: V.R. that no Irishman may be alive on the day of judgment, because they will be destroyed seven years before in honour of St. Patrick.]

[Footnote 331: V.R. Fifteen.]

[Footnote 332: V.R. By the holy bishop Amatheus.]

[Footnote 333: Here ends the Vatican MS. collated by Mr. Gunn.]

[Footnote 334: These t.i.tles are not part of the original work, but added in the MSS. by a later hand.]

[Footnote 335: Guercha is a distortion of the name of Uffa or Wuffa, arising in the first instance from the p.r.o.nunciation of the British writer; and, in the next place, from the error of the transcriber.--_Palgrave._]

[Footnote 336: Or Wibba.]

[Footnote 337: V.R. Conquered.]

[Footnote 338: Hatfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 106.]

[Footnote 339: Cadwalla, king of the Western Britons.]

[Footnote 340: V.R. United the castle, i.e. Dinguerin and Gurdbernech, which two countries were in one country, i.e. Deurabernech; Anglice Deira and Bernicia. Another MS. Built Dinguayth Guarth Berneich.]

[Footnote 341: Talhaiarn was a descendant of Coel G.o.debog, and chaplain to Ambrosius.]

[Footnote 342: Better known as Maelgwn.]

[Footnote 343: Bambrough. See Bede, iii. 6, and Sax. Chron. A.D. 547.]

[Footnote 344: See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 96. From the share which Paulinus had in the conversion of the Northumbrian king, it has been inferred that he actually baptized him; but Nennius expressly states, that the holy sacrament was administered by Rhun, the son of Urien. The Welsh name of Paulinus is Pawl Hen, or Polin Esgob.]

[Footnote 345: Llauiguin, means the "fair," or the "bounteous hand."]

[Footnote 346: This name has been variously written; Bede spells it _Caedualla_ (Cadwalla); Nennius, _Catgublaun_; the Saxon Chronicle, _Ceadwalla_; and the Welsh writers, _Cadwallon_ and _Katwallawn_: and though the ident.i.ty of the person may be clearly proved, it is necessary to observe these particulars to distinguish him from _Cadwaladr_, and from another _Caedualla_ or _Caedwalla_, a king of the West Saxons; all of whom, as they lived within a short time of each other, have been frequently confounded together.--_Rees's Welsh Saints._]

[Footnote 347: Gwynedd, North Wales.]

[Footnote 348: Bede says at Denis's-brook. Eccles Hist. p. 109.]

[Footnote 349: The British chronicles a.s.sert that Cadwallader died at Rome, whilst Nennius would lead us to conclude that he perished in the pestilence at home. See Geoffrey, p. 288.]

[Footnote 350: The isle of Farne.]

[Footnote 351: Maserfield. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 123.]

[Footnote 352: In Carmarthenshire. Perhaps the town now called Kidwelly.]

THE

SPURIOUS CHRONICLE

OF

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

[_An eighteenth century forgery._]

[_SPURIOUS._]

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER

ON THE

ANCIENT STATE OF BRITAIN.

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

1. The sh.o.r.e of Gaul would be the boundary of the world, did not the island[353] of Britain claim from its magnitude almost the appellation of another world; for if measured to the Caledonian promontory[354] it extends more than eight hundred miles in length.[355]

2. Britain was first called by the ancients Albion,[356] from its _white_ cliffs; and afterwards in the language of the natives, Britain.

Hence all the islands hereafter described were denominated British.[357]