Chronicles 1: The Historie of England | Page 6

came out of the parties of Gallia, although some of them dissent about the time and
maner of their comming. Sir Brian Tuke [Sidenote: Sir Brian Tuke.] thinketh it to be
ment of the arriuall of Brute, when he came out of [Sidenote: _Cæsar_.] those countries
into this Ile. Cæsar and Tacitus seeme to be of opinion, that those Celts which first
inhabited here, came ouer to view the [Sidenote: Tacitus. Bodinus.] countrie for trade of
merchandize. Bodinus would haue them to come in (a Gods name) from Languedoc, and
so to name this land Albion, of a citie in [Sidenote: Beda. Polydor.] Languedoc named
Albie. Beda, and likewise Polydore (who followeth him) affirme that they came from the
coasts of Armorica, which is now called little Britaine.
But that the authorities afore recited are sufficient to proue the time that this Iland was
first inhabited by the Celts, the old possessors of Gallia; not onelie the néernesse of the
regions, but the congruence of languages, two great arguments of originals doo fullie
confirme [Sidenote: Bodinus.] the same. Bodinus writeth vpon report, that the British and
Celtike language was all one. But whether that be true or not, I am not able to affirme,
bicause the Celtike toong is long sithens growne wholie out of vse. Howbeit some such
Celtike words as remaine in the writings of old authours may be perceiued to agrée with
the Welsh toong, being the [Sidenote: _Pausanias_] vncorrupted spéech of the ancient
Britains. In déed Pausanias the Grecian maketh mention how the Celts in their language
called a horsse _Marc_: and by that name doo the Welshmen call a horsse to this day: and
the word Trimarc in Pausanias, signifieth in the Celtike toong, thrée horsses.
Thus it appeared by the authoritie of writers, by situation of place, and by affinitie of
language, that this Iland was first found and inhabited by the Celts, that there name from
Samothes to Albion continued here the space of 310 yeares or there abouts. And finallie it
is likelie, [Sidenote: Iohn Bale.] that aswell the progenie as the spéech of them is partlie
remaining in this Ile among the inhabitants, and speciallie the British, euen vnto this day.
* * * * *

_Of the giant Albion, of his comming into this Iland, diuers opinions why it was called
Albion: why Albion and Bergion were slaine by Hercules: of Danaus and of his 50
daughters._
THE THIRD CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: Bale. Annius de Viterbo. Diodorus Sicubis. Pinnesses or gallies. Higinus.
Pictonius.] Neptunus called by Moses (as some take it) Nepthuim, the sixt sonne of Osiris,

after the account of Annius, and the brother of Hercules, had appointed him of his father
(as Diodorus writeth) the gouernement of the ocean sea: wherefore he furnished himselfe
of sundrie light ships for the more redie passage by water, which in the end grew to the
number of a full nauie: & so by continuall exercise he became so skilfull, and therewith
so mightie vpon the waters (as Higinus & Pictonius doo write) that he was not onelie
called the king, but also estéemed the god of the seas. He had to wife a ladie called
Amphitrita, who was also honored as goddesse of the seas, of whose bodie he begat
sundrie children: and (as Bale reporteth) he made euerie one of them king of an Iland. In
the Ile [Sidenote: _Scrip. Bri. cent._ 1.] of Britaine he landed his fourth son called Albion
the giant, who brought the same vnder his subjection. And herevpon it resteth, that Iohn
Textor, [Sidenote: _Ioh. Textor_. Polydor.] and Polydor Virgil made mention, that light
shippes were first inuented in the British seas, and that the same were couered round with
the hides of beasts, for defending them from the surges and waues of the water.
This Albion being put by his father in possession of this Ile of Britaine, within short time
subdued the Samotheans, the first inhabitantes thereof, without finding any great
resistance, for that (as before ye haue heard) they had giuen ouer the practise of all
warlike and other painefull exercises, and through vse of effeminate pleasures, wherevnto
they had giuen themselues ouer, they were become now vnapt to withstand the force of
their enimies: and so (by the testimonie of [Sidenote: _Nichol. Perot._ Rigmanus
Philesius. Aristotle. _Hum. Lhoyd_.] Nicholaus Perottus, Rigmanus Philesius, Aristotle,
and Humfrey Llhoyd, with diuers other, both forraine & home-writers) this Iland was
first called by the name of Albion, hauing at one time both the name and inhabitants
changed from the line of Iaphet vnto the accursed race of Cham.
This Albion (that thus changed the name of this Ile) and his companie, are called giants,
which signifieth none other than a tall kind of men, of that