I. THe Ancient Geographer writeth thus concerning Islands ; — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Cambden's Britannia , sub Titulo Hiberniae in ipso initio : That is , The Indian Taprobane exceeds all Islands in Greatness and Glory : next after it , Brettaine : the third , that other British Island , Ireland . And hence Ptolomy called Ireland , Little-Bretaine .

Lipsius in his Book de Constantiâ , lib. 2. cap. 22. ( who lived Anno Domini 1600. ) gives the Title of Insularum maxima unto Cuba in America ; where immediately before speaking of America , I conceive he onely meaneth Cuba to be the greatest among the American Isles ; alitèr errat . And the Oriental Navigators ascribe that Title unto Sumatra , taken for Ptolomy's Taprobane ; or to Madagascar , called also the Island of Saint Laurence ; both which are near to the Equinoctial Line : So Speed on his Map of Great Brettaine and Ireland .

This Brettaine , commonly called Great Brettaine , hath on the East the German Ocean , dividing it from Belgium , Germany , and Denmark : On the West , Saint Georges Channel , dividing it from Ireland : On the North , the Deucalidonian Ocean : And on the South , the English Channel , dividing it from France . The Length from North to South is reckoned 620 Miles : the greatest Breadth , from East to West , in a Right Line , no more than 250 of the same Italian Miles ; but by the Crooks and Bendings of the Sea-coast it extendeth to 320 Miles . It is the greatest Island in the World , except Java , Borneo , Sumatra , and Madagascar ; the three first are among the Oriental Islands , Madagascar among the African . It is situate under the eighth , ninth , tenth , eleventh , and twelfth Climates ; so that the longest day at the Lizard-Point in Cornwal ( which is the most Southern part of it ) containeth 16 Hours and a Quarter ; and at Barwick , which is now the Border or Limit between England and Scotland , the longest Day is 17 Hours and three Quarters long , and one Hour more at Straith-by-head in the North of Scotland . where some observe , that there is scarce any Night at all in the Summer-Solstice , but a dark Twilight . Thus Dr. Heylyn in his Cosmography put out by him in Anno Domini 1660. pag. 293.

Diodorus Siculus ( who was Contemporary with Julius Caesar ) saith , Brettaine is the greatest Island in Europe , lib. 5. pag. 300. which I think will not be denied : And Henry Huntington calleth it Insularum nobilissima , lib. 1. Histor. sub initio .

There are also certain lesser Islands dispersed in several Parts of the British Sea , adjacent and belonging to Great Brettaine , which were called British Isles ; as , 1. The Orcades , or Isles of Orkney . 2. Schetland . 3. The Hebrides . 4. The Isle of Man . 5. The Isle of Anglesey . 6. The Islands of the Severn-Sea . 7. The Sorlings , or Isles of Silley . 8 , The Isle of Wight . 9. The Isle of Thanat . 10. Sunderland . 11. Holy-Island .

The Isles of Orkney , Schetland , and the Hebrides , belonged to the Crown of Scotland ; the other , to the Crown of England : But were all united in King James , who was the first Monarch of Great-Brettaine , being King of Scotland by Descent , and next Heir of Blood to the Crown of England after the death of Queen Elizabeth . He was proclaimed King of England the twenty fourth day of March , which was the last day of the Year 1602 , according to the Computation of the Church of England ; whose Style Imperial ran , — Jacobus , Dei Gratiâ , Magnae Britanniae , Franciae , & Hiberniae Rex .

II. Henry of Huntington saith , it was first called Albion , and afterwards Brettaine : Haec autèm Insularum nobilissima , cui quondam nomen Albion fuit , posteà verò Britannia . lib. 1. Hist. sub initio . He lived in the Reign of King Stephen , Anno Christi 1148 : So Pitseus , p. 211. And Bede ( who died Anno Christi 734 , according to Malmesbury ) begins his History of England thus , — Britannia Oceani Insula , cui quondàm Albion nomen fuit . Also Dr. Heylyn , in his Cosmography , p. 295. saith , The whole Island of Brettaine was first called Albion , and afterwards Brettaine : Which name of Brettaine was first found in Athenaeus among the Greek Authors , and in Lucretius and Julius Caesar among the Latins ; and was retained by Strabo , Pliny , and all other ancient Writers , except Ptolomy onely , by whom it is called Albion , as at first : And the name of Brettaine continued till the time of Egbert the first Saxon Monarch , who called the Southern part of this Island by the name of England , from the Angli , who with the Juits and Saxons had conquered the same .

But contrarily , Sir John Prise ( of the race of the Bretans ) in his Book de Defensione Historiae Britannicae , Printed at London 1573. p. 55. saith , — Ego sanè Britanniam priùs dictam esse quam Albion facilè crediderim . And the reason whereupon he grounds his Opinion , is the Authority of Caesar , who in his Commentaries always calleth it Britain , but never Albion ; and that from this more Noble Island , all the rest of the lesser Isles adjacent , as appurtenant unto this , were also called Insulae Britannicae ; which out of Pliny , Ptolomy , and other Authors , is manifest : And then began this Brettaine to be called Albion , in distinction from the rest . And he addeth the Authority of Pliny , ( who lived about 80 Years after Christ ) lib. 4. Naturalis Historiae , cap. 16. in ipsissimis verbis ; — Albion ipsi nomen fuit , cùm Britanniae vocarentur omnes . And herewith agreeth Learned Cambden in his Britannia , pag. 17. of the Edition Printed at London 1607. with Maps at large ; who conceiveth that the Grecians gave it the name of Albion fabulously , from Albion Son of Neptune , for distinction sake : For Neptune being the God of the Sea , and this an Island of the Sea , they might term it by the name of Neptune's Son , in allusion . But Buchanan , lib. 1. Hist. Scot. pa. 12 , 13 , saith , That Alpum and Album were anciently used for a Hill or Mountain ; and that the Alpes were so called ab Altitudine , non Albedine ; and that he thinketh our Brettaine was called Albion from the rising Shore and Hills , which on the Narrow Seas , between Ireland and our Brettaine , do appear in sight ; Ireland seeming low and level , and Brettaine rising up into Mountains : Which word Album in that sence is common to many Nations , whereof he alledgeth many Instances .

Neither doth Bede say that it was called Albion before it was called Brettaine ; but that it was formerly called Albion : So that the name of Albion may seem to have been left off in Bede's time .

And whereas Heylyn affirms in his Cosmography , in the Place before-quoted , That the name of Brettaine was first found in Athenaeus among the Greek Writers ; It is certain , that we often find it mentioned in Diodorus Siculus , lib. 4. Bibliothecae Historicae , pa. 300 , 301. where he writeth thus , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is , There are many Islands [ in Europe ] in the Ocean , whereof the greatest is called Brettaine : This anciently was untouched , without the intermixture of any Foreign Force ( for we never heard that either Bacchus , or Hercules , or any other of the Worthies , ever warred or fought against it ) but our Caius Caesar , who for his Actions was termed a God , was the first ( of all we find mentioned ) who subdued this Island , and fighting against it , compelled the Brettans to pay Tribute .

So that we see Diodorus was Contemporary with Caius Julius Caesar , who first attempted Brettain 55 Years before the Birth of Christ , according to the Computation commonly received .

Now Athenaeus the Historian lived about Anno Christi 166 , somewhat after Ptolomy the Geographer ; and both of them after Strabo , who died Anno Christi 25 , as Helvicus computes in his Chronology : And therefore Athenaeus could not be the first Greek Writer who mentioned Brettaine , unless there be some other Athenaeus whom Heylyn meaneth .

And if that Book de Mundo be Aristotle's , which is commonly bound up among the Works of Aristotle , then have we the name of Brettaine , and Albion too , more anciently than of any before-mentioned : For Aristotle was Tutor to Alexander the Great , and died the third Year of 114 Olympiad , 320 Years before Christ was born , at the age of 63 Years .

In which Book de Mundo , cap. 3. we read , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. e. In that Ocean are two great Islands , called British Islands , Albion , and Ireland , greater than those before-mentioned , lying beyond the Celtae , People of Gallia . But this Book de Mundo ( saith Learned Cambden in his Britannia , pag. 64. ) is of much later stamp than the Age wherein Aristotle lived , as the most Learned have judged . Indeed Duvall , in his Synopsis on Aristotle , Tom. 1. pag. 171. a a In the beginning of the first Tome before Aristotle . tells us , That Justin Martyr Believed that Book to be Aristotles : Yet ( saith Duvall ) it is not ; as the Reason of the Doctrine , and the laxity of the Style do demonstrate ; being rather decked with Words of an Historian , or 〈◊〉 ●●ratour , than a Philosopher .

III. Now this Brettaine was not known to the Ancient Romans before Julius Caesar's time , saith Bede de Historiâ Gentis Anglorum , lib. 1. cap. 2. and by consequence never Invaded by any of them , before Caesar : And Caesar himself , Caesar de Bello Gallico , lib. 5. with his Powerful Army of the formidable Romans , was beaten back by the stout Brettans upon his first Attempt of the Island , Cassibelaun being then General of the Brettans , and Commander in Chief . And Caesar returning into Italy , and recruiting his Army , coming again into Brettaine the second time , was in the first Encounter beaten again by the Brettans ; but in a second Battel the Romans routed the Brettans , and the strong City of the Trinobantes ( which is now called London ) yielded themselves and their City to Caesar , with Androgorius their Governor ; after which Example , many other Cities also submitted , and yielded up their Towns to the Romans : But the Town of Cassibelaun , Caesar took by Storm , Caesar , lib. 5. pag. 163 , 164. saith Bede in the same Chapter ; which Town is now called St. Albans : And Caesar appointing what Tribute they should pay , returned back with his Army .

Wherefore since the name of Brettaine is nowhere to be found , either among the Greek or Latin Writers , before Caesar , but was till that time unknown both to the Grecians and Romans , as Learned Cambden is of Opinion , in his Britannia , pag. 24 , 25. and also Sheringham de Gentis Anglorum Origine , pag. 99. we can expect no certain History of the Brettans , but from Caesar downwards : For Gildas , sirnamed Sapiens , is the first Brettan that I meet withal , who hath left us any mention in writing of the Affairs of Brettaine , and that but little also : yet what he writ ( as he confesseth in his Prologue ) was more by relation of others from beyond Sea , than from any Writings or Records in his own Country ; for if any such were , they were either burnt by the Enemies rage , or carried away by the Banished Natives ; so that in his time none did appear : and he was born in the forty fourth Year after the English-Saxons came into Brettain , as he himself saith in his Book de Excidio Britanniae , reprinted at London 1568. fol. 23. and died in the Monastery of Bangor in Wales , aged 90 Years , buried the fourth of the Calends of February , about the Year of Christ 583. as Pitseus saith in his Book de Illustribus Britanniae Scriptoribus .

IV. As to the name of Brettaine , the Ancient Greek Writers do constantly write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Brettania ; not Britannia , as Caesar writes it : Howbeit Cambden thinks it more truly writ by Caesar than by the Greeks ; but of that I make great doubt ; for from the Grecians doubtles was the name of Brettaine first imposed .

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be derived from the two Greek Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying an Image or Picture , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the old Glossary betokening a Region or Country : So that Brettaine soundeth as much as — The Country of a People painting themselves with Images and Pictures : For the Ancient Brettans used to paint their Bodies with various Pictures of all manner of Living Creatures , as appears by sundry good Authors a a Pomponius Mela , l. 3. c. 6. Caesar de Bello Gall. lib. 5. pag. 159. ; and you may see them quoted by Cambden in his Britannia , pag. 19. Onely let me tell you here , how Cambden fetcheth the name from two Languages ; ( Brith ) which in the British Language ( saith he ) signifies Painted b b Davyes his Welsh Dictionary . or Coloured ; and Tania , which with the Greeks signifies a Region , pag. 20. Whereof there is no necessity , since the Greek Language doth clearly bear both the Words : and we may observe how their Druids ( who were Learned Men , and Philosophers ) did anciently disciplinate the Brettans in the Greek Tongue before Caesar's time , as Caesar himself doth witness , lib. 6. de Bello Gallico , p. 212. And many Greek words are retained in the ancient British Language , as Sheringham , de Gentis Anglorum Origine , pag. 99. doth shew ; and also Cambden , in his Britannia , pag. 21. of the Edition Printed 1607. And so possibly the Word ( Brith ) corruptly for Breth , might be by them retained from the Greeks .

Nor doth it seem reasonable that the Brettans gave this Name to themselves ; neither at this day do they call themselves Brettans in their own Language , but Kumeri : Wherefore the Grecians gave them the name of Brettans from their Painted and Carved Bodies .

However , the Fabulous Story of Brute ( which many Authors seek to defend , and thence would fetch the name of the Brettans Originally ) I conceive ought to be utterly exploded : Nor can any wise and learned Man , who is versed in Antiquity , ever believe for truth those many Kings mustered up by Geoffrey of Monmouth , in so ancient Ages ; who lived himself but in the days of King Henry the Second , and was by William of Newbery , in the Preface of his Book , ( a Man who lived in that very Age with Geffrey ) taxed for a fabulous lying Author ; his words are these : Porrò ad ea , quae vel antè eum , vel in diebus ejus evenerunt , talitèr sua , quod utiquè facilè poterat , temperavit figmenta , ut congruam possent interpretationem recipere : Praetereà in libro suo , quem Britonum Historiam vocat , quàm petulantèr & impudentèr ferè per omnia mentiatur , nemo nisi veterum Historiarum ignarus , cùm in librum illum incidit , ambigere sinitur : That is , Moreover , as to those things which hapned either before him , or in his days , he so tempered his Lies , ( which he knew very well how to do ) that they might receive a congruous Interpretation : And furthermore , in his Book which he calleth The History of the Britans , how frowardly and impudently he lieth almost in all things , none but he that is ignorant of the Ancient Histories , when he falls upon that Book , may be suffered to doubt .

V. As to the ancient Inhabitants of Brettaine , Cambden conceiveth they were originally sprung from Gomer the eldest Son of Japhet , Son of Noah , in his Britannia , pag. 7. For ask we any of the Brettans of Wales ( who are the Remnant of our Ancient Brettans ) how they call themselves , they tell us Kumero , or Kumroh , and in the Plural Number Kumeri ; a British Woman , Kumeraes ; and the British Tongue , Kumeraeg : as we should say , a Kumerite , or Gumerite , as sprung from Gomer . For Josephus saith , lib. 1. de Antiqu. Judaeorum , cap. 7. That the Posterity of Gomer were called Gomari . And these ( saith Cambden ) were formed sometimes into Gomoraei , and Gomeritae , and afterwards into Cymerii , then to Cimbri , and afterwards into Cambri ; whence we call a Welshman , Cambro-Britannus : And these Cimbri did not onely plant Germany , but the ancient Gallia likewise , and this part of the World : And from these Galli , or Gaules , it is most probable our Brettaine was first planted , it being an Island next adjacent to the Gauls : And from Galli , the French word Galles , and the Bretton 's Gales , and the Saxon Wales , are all derived : For our Saxon Ancestors did usually in their Pronunciation and Dialect turn G into W , as we see in many other of their Words , as Warre for Guerre , Ward for Gard , &c. And since these Ancient Galles in France , who planted Brettaine , were originally called Cimbri , and Cimmerii , they could have no better a Distinction than by the Painting and Carving of their Bodies ; whence this Island gained the name of Brettaine . So Cambden , ibid. pag. 19.

But Sheringham , de Gentis Anglorum Origine , pag. 51. will not allow the Cimmerii to come from Gomer ; which he seems to prove by good Authorities ; for that the Grecians imposed that name on the People of Moeotia , long time after the death of Gomer , yet very ancient too : For that Kimmerii , or Cimmerii , Sheringham , pag. 425. is a word framed out of the Greek Tongue , and not from the Hebrew , as the ancient Greek Writers do affirm ; and that the Kimmerians were Scythians originally , and therefore should rather be descended from Magog ( the second Son of Japhet , and not from Gomer ) who were anciently called Magogaei : Josephus lib. 1. de Antiq. Jud. cap. 7. But the Getae ( expelling those Scythians called Magogaei originally , but at this day called Turks and Tartars ) were also called Scythians , after they had possessed themselves of Scythia : And that these Getes , Sheringham , p. 42 , , & 424. after called Scythians , were the Progeny of Hul or Chul , Son of Aram , Son of Sem , whom Pliny calleth Aramaei originally , lib. 6. Natur. Hist. cap. 17. These Getae-Scythici were called also Massagetae before they came into Scandia .

The name of Kimmerii was frequent in the time of Herodotus , who lived about 440 Years before Christ , Anno Mundi 3508. which name is very ancient . They were called Cerberii , before Cimmerii ; and their City called Cerberium , before it was called Cimmerium : Pliny lib. 6. cap. 6. Sheringham pag. 50.

Afterwards these Kimmerii , or Cimmerii , were called Cimbri , or Kimbri . Vide Plutarchum , Tom. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pag. 75● . Diod Siculus , lib 5. pa. 309. Cimmerii were called Cimbri by the Graecians : Strabo , li. 7 p. 293. D. The name of Cimbri was first known to the Romans , Anno Urbis Conditae 640. antè Christum Natum 110. which in the Language of the Ancient Gauls ( scilicet , Linguâ Gallicâ ) signifies Robbers , or Stout Warriers : Thysius upon Justin , pag. 391. And all those People , whom the Romans generally called Cimbri , part of them the Germans called Saxons , Sheringham , pag. 46. Quamvis enìm Saxones antè Ptolomaeum , solo Cimbrorum nomine à Graecis & Romanis scriptoribus appellantur ; initio igitur Saxones pars tantùm Cimbrorum fuerunt : Reliquis autem Cimbris ab eisdem Caecis victísque , aut factâ Deditione in amicitiam receptis , Omnes mutato nomine Saxones dici coeperint : atque ità Cimbrorum nomen paulatìm exolevit . Sheringham , pag. 47.

So the Cambro-Brettan's name seems rather to savor of the Kimmerii , than of the Gomari . The Town Cimmerium was situate in Taurica-Chersoneso , near the Sea called Bosphorus .

After the Eruptions and Transmigrations of these Cimerii , afterwards called Cimbri , Diodorus Siculus tells us , lib. 5. pag. 308. ( who lived in the time of Julius Caesar , a little before the Birth of Christ ) those who possessed the inward parts above Massilia , and inhabited about the Alpes , and on that side the Pyrenaean Mountains , were called Celtae ; and those who inhabited that Celtica toward the South Parts , and the Sea , and the Hercynian Mountain , and all those People scattered even to Scythia , were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , Galli , or Gaules : But the Romans called all these Nations by the name of Galli onely . See also Stephanus his Latin Dictionary , voces Celtae , and Galli . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graece ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Suidas , and Hesychius .