togither, with comparison of times, likewise of manners and customes, affinitye of woordes and names, propertyes of natures and uses, resemblances of rytes and ceremonyes, monumentes of churches and tombes, and many other like circumstaunces. I doe gather a likelihood of trueth; not certaynly affirming any thing, but by conferring of times, languages, monumentes, and such like, I doe hunte out a probabilitye of thinges, which I leave to your judgement to beleve or refuse. Nevertheless there be some very auncient authors which make mention of these thinges, and some moderne, which by comparing them with present times, experience, and theyr owne reason, doe open a windowe of great light unto the rest that is yet unseene; as namely, of the older Cæsar, Strabo, Tacitus, Ptolomie, Plinie, Pompeius Mela, and Berosus: of the later, Vincentius, Æneas Silvius, Luddus, Buckhanan; of all which I doe give most credit unto Buckhanan, for that he himself, being an Irish Scott or Picte by nation, and being very excellently learned, and industrious to sceke out the trueth of these thinges concerning the originall of his owne people, hath both sett downe the testimonyes of the ancientes truely, and his owne opinion, withall very reasonably, though in some thinges he doth somewhat flatter. Besides, the Bards and Irish Chroniclers themselves, though throughe desire of pleasing perhaps to much, and through ignoraunce of arte and purer learning, they have clouded the trueth of those times; yet there appeareth amongest them some reliques of the true antiquitye, though disguised, which a well-eyed man may happely discover and find out.

Eudor. Howe can there be any trueth in them at all, since the ancient nations which first inhabited Ireland were altogither destitute of letters, much more of learning, by which they might leave the veritye of thinges written. And these Bards, coming alsoe soe many hundred yeares after, could not knowe what was done in former ages, nor deliver certayntye of any thing, but what they fayned out of theyr unlearned heades.

Iren. Those Bardes indede, Cæsar writeth, deliver noe certayne trueth of any thing, neither is there any certayne hold to be taken of any antiquitye which is receaved by tradition, since all men be lyars, and may lye when they will; but yet for the antiquitye of the written Chronicles of Ireland give me leave to say something, not to justifye them, but to shewe that some of them might say trueth. For where ye say that the Irish have

allwayes bene without letters, ye are therin much deceaved, for it is certayne, that Ireland hath had the use of letters very aunciently, and long before England.

Eudor. Is it possible? Howe comes it then that they are soe barbarous still and soe unlearned, being soe old schollers? For learning (as the Poet sayth) Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros: whence then (I pray you) could they have those letters?

Iren. It is hard to say: for whether they at theyr first coming into the land, or afterwardes by trading with other nations which had letters, learned them of them, or devised them amongest themselves, it is very doubtfull; but that they had letters aunciently it is nothing doubtfull. for the Saxons of England are sayd to have theyr letters, and learning, and learned men, from the Irish, and that also appeareth by the likeness of the characters, for the Saxons character is the same with the Irish. Now the Seithyans never, as I can reade, of old had letters amongest them: therfore it seemeth that they had them from that nation which came out of Spayne, for in Spayne ther was (as Strabo writeth) letters aunciently used, whether brought unto them by the Phonesians, or Persians, which (as it appeareth by him) had some footing there, or from Marseilles, which is sayd to have bene inhabited first by the Greekes, and from them to have had the Greeke character; of which Marsilians it is sayd, that the Gaules learned them first, and used them only for the furtheraunce of theyr trades and private business for the Gaules (as is strongly to be prooved by many auncient and authentycal writers) did first inhabite all the sea-cost of Spayne, even unto Cales and the mouth of the Streits, and peopled also a great parte of Italye, which appeareth by sundrye cittyes and havens in Spayne called of them, as Portingallia, Gallicia, Galdunum; and alsoe by sundrye nations therin dwelling, which yet have receaved theyr owne names of the Gaules, as the Rhegni, Presamarci, Tamariti, Nerii, and divers others. All which Pompeius Mela, being himself a Spanyard, yet sayeth to have discended from the Celties of Fraunce, wherby it is to be gathered, that that nation which came out of Spayne into Ireland were aunciently Gaules, and that they brought with them those letters which they had learned in Spayne, first into Ireland, the which some also say doe much resemble the old Phoenician character, being likewise distinguishel with pricke and accent, as theyrs aunciently; but the further enquirye therof needeth a

place of longer discourse then this our short

conference.

Eudor. Surely you have shewed a great probabilitye of that which I had thought impossible to have bene proved; but that which you now say, that Ireland should have bene peopled with the Gaules, seemeth much more straunge, for all theyr Chronicles doe say, that the west and south was possessed and inhabited of Spanyards: and Cornelius Tacitus also doth strongly affirme the same, all which you must overthrowe and falsifye, or renounce your opinion.

Iren Neither soe, nor soe; for the Irish Chronicles (as I sayd unto you) being made by unlearned men, and writing thinges according to the appearaunce of the trueth which they conceaved, doe err in the circuinstaunces, not in the matter. For all that came out of Spayne (they being noe diligent searchers into the differences of nations) supposed them to be Spanyards, and soe called them; but the groundwoorke thereof is nevertheless as I sayd true and certayne, however they through ignoraunce disguise the same, or through their owne vanitye (while hey would not seeme to be ignoraunt), doe therupon build and enlarge many forged historyes of theyr owne antiquitye, which they deliver to fooles, and make them believe them for trewe: as for example, that first of one Gathelus the sonn of Cecrops or Argos, who having marryed the King of Egipts daughter, thence sayled with her into Spayne, and there inhabited: Then that of Nemed and his fowre sonnes, who coming out of Scythia peopled Ireland, and inhabited it with his sonnes two hundred and fiftye yeares untill he was overcome of the Gyauntes dwelling then in Ireland, and at last quite banished and rooted out, after whom two hundred yeares, the sonnes of one Dela, being Scythyans, arrived there agayne, and possessed the whole land, of which the youngest, called Slevius, in the end made himself monarch. Lastly, of the fowre sonnes of Mylesius King of Spayne, which conquered that land from the Scythyans, and inhabited it with Spanyardes, and called it of the name of the youngest, Hiberus, Hybernia: all which are in very trueth fables, and very Mylesian lyes (as the Latine proverbe is), for never was there such a King of Spayne called Mylesius, nor any such colonie seated with his sonnes, as they fayne, that can ever be prooved; but yet under these tales ye may in a manner see the trueth lurke. For Sevthians, heere inhabiting, they name and doe put Spanyards,

wherby appeareth that both those nations heere inhabited, but whether very Spanyards, as the Irish greatlye affect, is noe wayes to be prooved. Eudox. Whence cometh it then that the Irish doe soe greatly covett to fetch themselves from the Spayniards, since the old Gaules are a more auncient and much more honorable a nation?

Iren. Even soe of a very desire of new fangleness and vanitye, for being as they are nowe accounted the most barbarous nation in Christendome they to avoyde that reproche would derive themselves from the Spanyards, whom they nowe see to be a very honorable people, and next bordering unto them: but all that is most vayne; for from the Spanyard that nowe is, or that people that nowe inhabites Spayne, they noe wayes can approove themselves to discend; neither should it be greatly glorious unto them; for the Spanyard, that nowe is, is come from as rude and savage nations as they, there being, as it may be gathered by course of ages and viewe of theyr owne historyes, (though they therin laboure much to ennoble themselves) scarce any dropp of the old Spanish bloud left in them; for all Spayne was first conquered by the Romains, and filled with colonyes from them, which were still encreased, and the native Spanyard still cutt of. Afterwardes the Carthagenians in all the long Punicke Warres (having spoyled all Spayne, and in the end subdued it wholye to themselves) did, as it is likelye, roote out all that were affected to the Romayns. And lastly the Romaynes, having agayne recovered that countrey and bett out Hanniball, did doubtless cutt of all that favoured the Carthagenians, soe that betwixt them both, to and froo, there was scarce a native Spanyard left, but all inhabited of Romayns. which tempestes of troubles being overblowen, there long after arose a newe storme, more dreadfull then all the former, which over-rann all Spayne, and made an infinite confusion of all thinges; that was, the coming downe of the Gothes, the Hunnes, and the Vandals: And lastly all the nations of Scythya, which, like a mountayne flude, did over flowe ali Spayne, and quite drowne and wash away whatsoever relickes there were left of the land-bredd people, yea, and of all the Romayns to. The which Northerne na tions finding the complexion of that soyle, and the vehement heate there farr differing from theyr natures, tooke noe felicitye in that countrey, but from thence passed over,

All

and did spredd themselves into all countreys in Christendome, of all which there is none but hath some mixture and sprinckling, yf not through peopling of them. And yet after all these the Moores and Barbarians, breaking over out of Africa, did finally possess all Spayne, or the most part therof, and did tredd downe under theyr heathenish feete whatever litle they found there yet standing. The which, though afterward they were beaten out by Ferdinando of Aragon and Isabell his wife, yet they were not soe clensed, but that through the marriadges which they had made, and mixture with the people of the land, during theyr long continuaunce there, they had left noe pure dropp of Spanish bloud, noe more of Romayue, nor of Scythyan. Soe that of all nations under heaven (I suppose) the Spanyard is the most mingled, most uncertayne, and most bastardly; wherfore most foolishlye doe the Irish thinke to ennoble themselves by wresting theyr auncientrye from the Spaynyarde, who is unable to derive himself from any certayne.

Eudor. You speake very sharpely, Iræneus, in dishonour of the Spanyard, whom some other boast to be the only brave nation under the skye.

Iren. Soe surely he is a very brave man ; neither is that which I speake anything to his derogation, for in that I sayed he is a mingled nation, it is noe disprayse, for I thinke there is noe nation nowe in Christendome, nor muche further, but is mingled, and compounded with others: for it was a singular providence of God, and a most admirable purpose of his wisedome, to drawe those northerne heathen nations downe into these Christian partes, where they might receave Christianitye, and to mingle nations soe remote myraculously, to make, as it were, one kinred and bloud of all people, and ech to have knowlege of him.

Eudor. Neither have you sure any more dishonoured the Irish, for you have brought them from very great and auncient nations, as any were in the world, how ever fondly they affect the Spanish. For both Scythians and Gaules were two as mightye nations as ever the world brought foorth. But is there any token, denomination, or monument of the Gaules yet remaynyng in Ireland, as there is of the Scythians?

Iren. Yea surely very many woordes of the Gaules remayning, and yet daylye used in common speache.

Eudox. Why what was the Gaulish

speach? is there any part of it still used

amongest any nation?

Iren. The Gaulish speach is the very Brittish, the which was very generally used heere in all Brittayne before the coming in of the Saxons; and yet is retayned of the Walshmen, the Cornishmen, and the Brittons of Fraunce, though time, woorking the alteration of all thinges, and the trading and interdeale with other nations rounde about, have chaunged and greatly altered the dialect therof: but yet the originall woordes appeare to be the same, as whoe that list to read in Camden and Buckhanan, may see at large. Besides, ther be many places, as havens, hills, townes, and castles, which yet beare names from the Gaules, of the which Buchanan reherseth above 300 in Scotland, and I can (I thinke) recount neere as manie in Ireland which retaine the old denomination of the Gaules, as the Menapii, the Cauci, the Venti, and others; by all which and many other very reasonable probabilityes (which this short course will not suffer to be layed foorth) it appeareth that the cheif inhabitauntes in Ireland were Gaules, coming thither first out of Spayne, and afterwardes from besides Tanais, where the Gothes, the Hunnes, and the Getes sate downe, they also being (as it is sayd of some) auncient Gaules; and lastly passing out of Gallia it self, from all the seacoste of Belgia and Celtica, into al the southerne coastes of Ireland, which they possessed and inhabited, wherapon it is at this day, amongest the Irish a common use to call any straunge inhabitaunt there amongest them, Gaull, that is, discended from the Gaules.

Eudox. This is very likely, for even soe did those Gaules aunciently possess and people all the southerne coastes of our Brittayne, which yet retayne theyr old names, as the Belge in Sommersettshire, Wiltshire, and part of Hampshire, the Atrebatii in Barkshire, Regni in Sussex and Surrey, and many others. Nowe thus farr then I understand your opinion, that the Scythians planted in the North partes of Ireland: the Spanyards (for soe we will call them, what ever they were that came from Spayne) in the West; the Gaules in the South: soe that there nowe remayneth the East partes towardes England, which I would be gladd to understand from whence you thinke they were peopled.

Iren. Mary, I thinke from the Brittons themselves, of which though there be litle footing now remayning, by reason that the

Saxons afterwardes, and lastly the English, driving out all the inhabitauntes therof, did possess and people it themselves. Yet amongest the Tooles, the Brinnes, the Kavanaghs, and other nations in Leinster, there is some memorye of the Brittons remayning; as the Tooles are called of the old Brittish woord Tol, that is, an hill countrey, the Brinnes of the Brittish woord Brin, that is, woodes, and the Kavanaghs of the woord Kaun, that is, stronge; soe that in these three people the very denomination of the old Brittons doth still remayne. Besides, when any flyeth under the succour or protection of any agaynst an enemye, he cryeth unto him, Cummurreeih, that is in Brittish helpe, for they call theyr owne language, Cummeraig. Furthermore to proove the same, Ireland is by Diodorus Siculus, and by Strabo, called Britannia, and a part of Great Brittayne. Finally it appeareth by good record yet extant, that King Arthur, and before him Gurgunt, had all that Iland in his alleageaunce and subjection: herunto I could add manye probabilityes of the names of places, persons, and speeches, as I did in the former, but they should be to longe for this time, and I reserve them for another. And thus you have had my opinion, howe all that realme of Ireland was first peopled, and by what nations. After all which the Saxons succeeding, subdued it wholy unto themselves. For first Egfrid, Kinge of Northumberlande, did utterly wast and subdue it, as it appeareth out of Bede his complaynt agaynst him; and afterwardes King Edgar brought it under his obedience, as it appeareth by an auncient record, in which it is found written that he subdued all the lands of the North, even unto Norway, and them the king did bring into his subjection.

Eudor. This ripping up of auncient historyes, is very pleasing unto me, and indeede savoureth of good conceite, and some reading withall. I see heerby howe profitable travell, and experience of forreine nations, is to him that will applye them to good purpose. Neither indeede would I have thought, that any such antiquityes could have bene avouched for the Irish, that maketh me the more to long to see some more of your observations, which ye have gathered out of that countrey, and have erst half promised to putt foorth and sure in this mingling of nations appeareth (as you erst have well noted) a wonderfull providence and purpose of Allmightye God, that stirred up that people of the farthest partes of the woorld to seeke out

those regions so remote from them, and by that meanes both to restore theyr decayed habitations, and to make himself knowen to the Heathen. But was there, I pray you, noe more generall winning of that Iland, then first by the Scythians, which you say were the Scotts, and afterwardes by Spanyards, besides the Gaules, Brittons, and Saxons ?

Iren. Yes, there was an other, and that the last and the greatest, which was by the English, when the Earle Strangbowe, having conquered that land, delivered up the same unto the handes of Henry the second, then King, whoe sent over thither great store of gentellmen, and other warlick people, amongest whom he distributed the land, and settled such a strong colonye therin, as never since could, with all the subtill practises of the Irish, be rooted out, but abide still a mighty people, of soe many as remayne English of

them.

Eudor. What is this that you say, of soe many as remayne English of them? Why, are not they that were once English abiding English still?

Iren. Noe, for the most part of them are degenerated and growen allmost meere Irish, yea and more malicious to the English then the very Irish themselves.

Eudox. What heare I? And is it possible that an Englishman, brought up naturally in such sweete civilitye as England affoordes, can find such liking in that barbarous rudeness, that he should forgett his owne nature, and forgoe his owne nation? how may this be, or what (I pray you) may be the cause hereof?

Iren. Surely, nothing but the first evill ordinaunce and institution of that Commonwealth. But therof now is here noe fitt place to speake, least, by the occasion therof offering matter of a long discourse, we might be drawen from this that we havein hand, namely, the handling of abuses in the customes of Ireland.

Eudox. In trueth, Irenæus, you do well remember the plott of your first purpose; but yet from that (me seemes) ye have much swarved in all this long discourse, of the first inhabiting of Ireland; for what is that to your purpose?

Iren. Trulye very materiall; for yf ve marked the course of all that speach well, it was to shewe by what meanes the customes, that nowe are in Ireland, being some of them indeede very straunge and allmost heathenish, were first brought in: and that was, as I sayd,

by those nations from whom that countrey, was first peopled; for the difference of manners and customes doeth followe the difference of natious and people: the which I have declared unto you to have bene thre speciall, which seated themselves there; to witt, first the Scythians, then the Gaules, and lastly the English. Notwithstanding that I am not ignoraunt, that there were sundrye other nations which gott footing in that land, of the which there yet remayne diverse great famiIyes and septs, of whom I will also in theyr proper places make mention.

Eudox. You bring your self, Irenæus, very well into the way agayne, notwithstanding that it seemeth that ye were never out of the way, but nowe that ye have passed through those antiquityes, which I could have wished not soe soone ended, beginn, when you please, to declare what customes and manners have bene derived from those nations to the Irish, and which of them you find fault withall.

Fren. I will then begin to count theyr customes in the same order that I counted theyr nations, and first with the Scythian or Scottish manners. Of the which there is one use amongest them, to keepe theyr cattell, and to live themselves the most part of the yeare in bolyes, pasturing upon the mountayn, and wast wild places; and removing still to fresh land, as they have depastured the former. The which appeareth playne to be the manner of the Scythians, as you may reade in Olaus Magnus, and Jo. Bohemus. and yet is used amongest all the Tartarians and the people about the Caspian Sea, which are naturally Scythians, to live in heardes as they call them, being the very same that the Irish bolyes are, driving theyr cattell continually with them, and feeding onely upon theyr milke and white meates.

Eudor, What fault can ye find with this custome? for though it be an old Scythian use, yet it is very behoofull in that countrey of Ireland, where there are greate mountaynes, and wast desartes full of grasse, that the same should be eaten downe, and nourish many thousand of cattell for the good of the whole realme, which cannot (me thinkes) be well any other way, then by keeping those Bolyes there, as ye have shewed.

Iren. But by this custome of bolyes there growe in the meane time many great enormityes unto that Common-wealth. For first, yf there be any out-lawes, or loose people, (as they are never without some) which live upon stealthes and spoyles, they are evermore suc

coured and find relief onely in those Bolyes, being upon the wast places, wheras els they should be driven shortly to starve, or to come downe to the townes to steale relief, where, by one meane or other, they would soone be caught. Besides, such stealthes of cattell as they make, they bring commonly to those Bolyes, where they are receaved readilye, and the theif harboured from daunger of lawe, or such officers as might light uppon him. Moreover, the people that thus live in those Bolyes growe therby the more barbarous, and live more licentiously then they could in townes, using what meanes they list, and practising what mischeives and villanyes they will, either agaynst the government there, by theyr combinations, or agaynst privat men, whom they maligne, by stealing theyr goodes, or murdering themselves. For there they thinke themselves halfe exempted from lawe and obedience, and having once tasted freedome, doe, like a steere that hath bene long out of his yoke, grudge and repyne ever after to come under rule agayne.

Eudor. By your speache, Irenæus, I perceave more evills come by this use of bolves, then good by theyr grazing; and therfore it may well be reformed: but that must be in his due course: do you proceed to the

next.

Iren. They have another custome from the Scythians, that is the wearing of Mantells and long glibbes, which is a thick curled bush of heare, hanging downe over theyr eyes, and monstrously disguising them, which are both very badd and hurtfull.

Eudor. Doe you thinke that the mantell came from the Scythians? I would surely thinke otherwise, for by that which I have read, it appeareth that most nations in the world aunciently used the mantell. For the Jewes used it, as vou may reade of Elias mantell. The Chaldeans also used it. as you may reade in Diodorus. The Ægiptians likewise used it, as ye may reade in Herodotus, and may be gathered by the description of Berenice, in the Greeke Comentarves upon Calimachus. The Greekes also used it aunciently, as appeareth by Venus mantell lined with starres, though afterwardes they chaunged the forme therof into their cloakes, called Pallia, as some of the Irish also doe. And the auncient Latines and Romayns used it, as ye may reade in Virgill, who was a very auncient antiquarye,-that Evander, when Enæas came unto him at his feast, did entertayne and feast him, sitting on the grounde, and lying on mantells. In soe