Old English Chronicles Part 45

[Footnote 274: V.R. Ca.s.sibela.n.u.s.]

[Footnote 275: V.R. Eucharistus. A marginal note in the Arundel MS.

adds, "He is wrong, because the first year of Evaristus was A.D. 79, whereas the first year of Eleutherius, whom he ought to have named, was A.D. 161." Usher says, that in one MS. of Nennius he found the name of Eleutherius. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 10.]

[Footnote 276: V.R. Thirty-two.]

[Footnote 277: Or, the Wall. One MS. here adds, "The above-mentioned Severus constructed it of rude workmanship in length 132 miles; i.e.

from Penguaul, which village is called in Scottish Cenail, in English Peneltun, to the mouth of the river Cluth and Cairpentaloch, where this wall terminates; but it was of no avail. The emperor Carausius afterwards rebuilt it, and fortified it with seven castles between the two mouths: he built also a round house of polished stones on the banks of the river Carun [Carron]: he likewise erected a triumphal arch, on which he inscribed his own name in memory of his victory."]

[Footnote 278: This pa.s.sage is corrupt, the meaning is briefly given in the translation.]

[Footnote 279: V.R. Mirmantum, Mirmantun, Minmanton, Minimantone. The _Segontium_ of Antoninus, situated on a small river named Seiont, near Carnarvon.]

[Footnote 280: This is an inaccuracy of Nennius; Maximus and Maximia.n.u.s were one and the same person; or rather no such person as Maximia.n.u.s ever reigned in Britain.]

[Footnote 281: Geoffrey of Monmouth gives the t.i.tle of consul to several British generals who lived after this time. It is not unlikely that the town, name, and dignity, still lingered in the province after the Romans were gone, particularly as the cities of Britain maintained for a time a species of independence.]

[Footnote 282: This district, in modern language, extended from the great St. Bernard in Piedmont to Cantavic in Picardy, and from Picardy to the western coast of France.]

[Footnote 283: These words relate evidently to some cause of dispute between the Romans, Ambrosius, and Vortigern. Vortigern is said to have been sovereign of the Dimetae, and Ambrosius son to the king of the Dumnonii. The latter was half a Roman by descent, and naturally supported the Roman interest: the former was entirely a Briton, and as naturally seconded by the original Britons. See Whitaker's Manchester, b. ii. c. 2.]

[Footnote 284: V.R. not the G.o.d of G.o.ds, the Amen, the Lord of Hosts, but one of their idols which they worshipped.]

[Footnote 285: Sometimes called Ruoichin, Ruith-in, or "river island,"

separated from the rest of Kent and the mainland of Britain by the estuary of the Wantsum, which, though now a small brook, was formerly navigable for large vessels, and in Bede's time was three stadia broad, and fordable only at two places. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 37, _note_.]

[Footnote 286: The rest of this sentence is omitted in some of the MSS.]

[Footnote 287: King of Powys. V.R. Benli in the district of Ial (in Derbyshire); in the district of Dalrieta; Belinus; Beluni; and Benty.]

[Footnote 288: Or Cadell Deyrnllug, prince of the Vale Royal and the upper part of Powys.]

[Footnote 289: V.R. Who had come with him from the island of Oghgul, Oehgul (or Tingle), Angul. According to Gunn, a small island in the duchy of Sleswick in Denmark, now called _Angel_, of which Flensburg is the metropolis. Hence the origin of the _Angles_.]

[Footnote 290: V.R. Gnoiram cono, Goiranegono, Guoiracgono. Malmesbury, Gorongi; Camden, Guorong, supposed to mean governor, or viceroy.]

[Footnote 291: Antoninus's wall.]

[Footnote 292: Some MSS. add, "beyond the Frenesic, Fresic.u.m (_or_ Fresic) sea," i.e. which is between us and the Scotch. The sea between Scotland and Ireland. Camden translates it "beyond the Frith;" Langhorne says, "Solway Frith."]

[Footnote 293: V.R. "Immodest" is omitted in some MSS.]

[Footnote 294: V.R. You shall find a fortified city in which you may defend yourself.]

[Footnote 295: V.R. Guined, Guoienet, Guenez, North Wales.]

[Footnote 296: V.R. Heremi, Heriri, or Eryri, signifying eagle rocks, the mountains of Snowdon, in Carnarvonshire. The spot alluded to is supposed to be Dinas Emrys, or the fortress of Ambrosius.]

[Footnote 297: V.R. Elleti, Electi, Gleti. Supposed to be Ba.s.salig in Monmouthshire.]

[Footnote 298: The district between the Usk and Rumney, in Monmouthshire.]

[Footnote 299: An ancient scholiast adds, "He then built Guasmoric, near Lugubalia [Carlisle], a city which in English is called Palmecaster."

Some difference of opinion exists among antiquaries respecting the site of Vortigern's castle or city. Usher places it at _Gwent_, Monmouthshire, which name, he says, was taken from Caer-Went, near Chepstow. This appears to agree with Geoffrey's account, in page 208 of this volume. See Usher's Britan. Eccles. cap. v. p. 23. According to others, supposed to be the city from the ruins of which arose the castle of Gurthrenion, in Radnorshire, Camden's Britannia, p. 479. Whitaker, however, says that Cair Guorthegirn was the Maridunum of the Romans, and the present Caermarthen. (Hist. of Manchester, book ii. c. 1.) See also Nennius, sec. 47.]

[Footnote 300: Some MSS. here add, "This Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, in a synod held at Guartherniaun, after the wicked king, on account of the incest committed with his daughter, fled from the face of Germa.n.u.s and the British clergy, would not consent to his father's wickedness; but returning to St. Germa.n.u.s, and falling down at his feet, he sued for pardon; and in atonement for the calumny brought upon Germa.n.u.s by his father and sister, gave him the land, in which the forementioned bishop had endured such abuse, to be his own for ever. Whence, in memory of St.

Germa.n.u.s, it received the name of Guarenniaun (Guartherniaun, Gurthrenion, Gwarth Ennian) which signifies, _a calumny justly retorted_, since, when he thought to reproach the bishop, he covered himself with reproach."]

[Footnote 301: According to Langhorne (p. 13), Epsford was afterwards called, in the British tongue, _Saessenaeg habail_, or 'the slaughter of the Saxons.' See also the note at page 188 of this volume.]

[Footnote 302: V.R. "The stone of t.i.tulus," thought to be Stone in Kent, or Larger-stone in Suffolk.]

[Footnote 303: Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln; Geoffrey, at London, see p. 189.]

[Footnote 304: V.R. Of his wife, and no one was able manfully to drive them off because they had occupied Britain not from their own valour, but by G.o.d's permission.]

[Footnote 305: The VV. RR. of this section are too numerous to be inserted.]

[Footnote 306: A district of Radnorshire, forming the present hundred of Rhaindr.]

[Footnote 307: V.R. This paragraph is omitted in the MSS.]

[Footnote 308: The Tobias of Ptolemy.]

[Footnote 309: In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor and Brecknock.]

[Footnote 310: V.R. The MSS. add, 'and he had one daughter, who was the mother of St. Faustus.']

[Footnote 311: Fernvail, or Farinmail, appears to have been king of Gwent or Monmouth.]

[Footnote 312: V.R. 'Two provinces, Builth and Guorthegirnaim.']

[Footnote 313: V.R. All this to the word 'Amen,' in other MSS. is placed after the legend of St. Patrick.]

[Footnote 314: Supposed by some to be the Glem, in Lincolnshire; but most probably the Glen, in the northern part of Northumberland.]

[Footnote 315: Or Dubglas. The little river Dunglas, which formed the southern boundary of Lothian. Whitaker says, the river Duglas, in Lancashire, near Wigan.]

[Footnote 316: Not a river, but an isolated rock in the Frith of Forth, near the town of North Berwick, called "The Ba.s.s." Some think it is the river Lusas, in Hampshire.]

[Footnote 317: The Caledonian forest; or the forest of Englewood, extending from Penrith to Carlisle.]

[Footnote 318: Variously supposed to be in Cornwall, or Binchester in Durham, but most probably the Roman station of Garionenum, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk.]

[Footnote 319: V.R. The image of the cross of Christ, and of the perpetual Virgin St. Mary.]

[Footnote 320: V.R. For Arthur proceeded to Jerusalem, and there made a cross to the size of the Saviour's cross, and there it was consecrated, and for three successive days he fasted, watched, and prayed, before the Lord's cross, that the Lord would give him the victory, by this sign, over the heathen; which also took place, and he took with him the image of St. Mary, the fragments of which are still preserved in great veneration at Wedale, in English Wodale, in Latin _Vallis-doloris_.

Wodale is a village in the province of Lodonesia, but now of the jurisdiction of the bishop of St. Andrew's, of Scotland, six miles on the west of that heretofore n.o.ble and eminent monastery of Meilros.]