The History of Scotland from the earliest period to the middle of the ninth century

Front matter

THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND. EDINBURGH : PRINTED BY JAMES WALKER. THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND, FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD, TO THE MIDDLE OF THE NINTH CENTURY. BY THE REV. ALEXANDER LOW, A. M. CLATT, ABERDEENSHIRE, CORRESPONDENT MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ANTIQUARIES. EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR BELL & BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH; LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, & GREEN, LONDON; AND A. BROWN & CO. ABERDEEN. 1826. HIS MAJESTY, KING GEORGE IV. CHIEF OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF LONDON ; THE FATHER OF HIS PEOPLE, AND THE MUNIFICENT PATRON OF LITERATURE, ARTS, AND SCIENCES; THIS WORK IS HUMBLY DEDICATED, WITH THE ROYAL PERMISSION, BY HIS MAJESTY'S MOST DUTIFUL SERVANT, AND MOST LOYAL SUBJECT, ALEXANDER LOW.

Preface

. f ew events excite our curiosity more, than those which take place at a remote period. Though of little importance in themselves, they are highly use ful in explaining the history of modern times, and in tracing the progress of laws, manners, and political institutions. The ancient history of the Scots has al ways been involved in great uncertainty, not so much from a deficiency of materials, as the great difficulty of separating truth from falsehood, — the ordinary events of the times, from the prejudice and misrepre sentations of modern writers. Many of these, not sa tisfied with the authenticated annals of Scotland, have carried back its history to a period, when it is lost in fable. The attention of the Writer of the following Work was directed to this subject, by an advertisement of the Highland Society of London, making offer of a premium " to the Author of the best Essay on the

PREFACE.

. " Ancient History of the Kingdom of the Gaelic " Scots, the extent of the country, its laws, population, " poetry, and learning." He was fortunate enough to gain the prize and medal of the Society. Since that time the Work has received many additions, un dergone a different arrangement, and, it is hoped, is rendered more interesting and useful. The following is part of a plan, embracing the more remote ages of Scottish history, which may, perhaps, be extended at some future period. It would be absurd, to expect that any one, upon the authority of a modern writer, should give credit to events, which took place in this country a thousand years ago. The Author of the following pages has therefore been careful to point out those sources of information, and refer to those ancient chronicles and authorities, to which we are indebted for the preser vation of our history.

Every doubtful authority has been rejected ; and the more obscure parts of the his tory are illustrated, at considerable length, in the Ap pendix. To some this part may appear unnecessary ; to others the most valuable portion of the Work ; and by many it may be altogether overlooked. In various instances, he has ventured to leave the beaten track of former historians, and to represent facts in a new light. In some of these unfrequented paths, he has met

PREFACE.

. IX with no assistance from modern writers ; but nothing has he presumed to bring forward, without the sanction of ancient authority. This country was, in the middle ages, the nursery of learning, and the cradle of the arts and sciences ; and, when the greater part of Europe was buried in superstition, and Christianity well nigh extinguished, our ancestors struggled manfully against the degene racy of the times, and propagated learning and religion, in many nations of Europe. For these reasons, the Author has employed a considerable part of the history, in tracing the progress of learning and reli gion. It may, however, be necessary, to give some explanation, in regard to the arrangement adopted in this part of the Work. In ancient times, the study of religion and learning was inseparable.

The latter was rendered subservient to the former, and cultiva ted only by the clerical orders, for the better illustra tion of the Sacred Writings. In treating these sub jects, he has therefore viewed them in connection ; and although he has not uniformly adhered to chro nological order, the history is given in centuries and periods, for the purpose of marking more correctly the progress of knowledge, and the succession of events. CONTENTS. Page. Preface, _„ 5

Book I

— CHAP. I. The obscurity of ancient history... Its utility... The geography of Hibernia and Britain... The etymology of the Scots... Their origin... Neither from Scandinavia... Nor Spain. ..Nor the same people as the Picts...The fabulous antiquity of the monarchy... The authority of Seanachies and bards... Boece... Veremund...Hibernicus... Scotia in the first century. ..Colonies from Ireland. ..Treaty. ..Reuda... State of Caledonia... Constance... Expedition against the Scots... Arrival of some Saxons... The Attacotti... Dicaledones ... Vecturiones...The inroads of the Scots in England... In the time of Valentinian ...Theodosius... Province of Valentia... Roman wall... Defeat of the Britons... Northumbrian wall 17 CHAP. II. The introduction of Christianity... Palladius...Ninian... Irish bishops...

Conquest beyond the wall. ..The Scottish expulsion ...Progress of the Scots in England... Supplication of the Britons ... Arrival of the Saxons ...Conquest of the Scots in Northumbria... Military discipline... Battle of Stanford, 53 CHAP. III. The political state of the Scottish nation ... Form of government democratical...The clans in Gaul and in Britain... Ireland... CONTENTS. Page. Caledonia... Their local situation... Number... The nature of Scottish colonization. ..The independence of settlers. ..The formation of clans. ..By the natural state of the country. ..The intercourse of individuals. ..Antiquity. ..The chief.. .His authority, . . .Limited. . . The first notion of property. . .Agriculture ...Improved by the Romans and Anglo-Saxons... Diversity of interests... Effects of Christianity, in strengthening society. . .

Dependencies... King, , 75 CHAP. IV. Fergus I, son of Erch, the first king... Union of Loam with Argyle.. .. Angus. ..Domangard... Character of the Scots. ..Wandering tribes ... Gabran ... Gavelkind succession... A battle with the Picts... Gabran slain... Progress of Christianity... Conal... Power of the house of Gabran... Contest of Aidan and Duncha... State of the nation... Tenure, laws... Allodial ...Beneficia... Forfeiture of estates... Religious feeling... Inauguration of Aidan... Assists Givenddolan, king of Stratclyde, against Rydderech...His contests in Ireland. ..The council of Drumkeat... Bards... The fate of Aidan's sons. ..State of Northumbria...Aidan's success at Fethanlea...Leithreadh... Micithorum... Ancient mode of warfare... Defeat of the Scots at Degastane...Eochoid Beudhe...The exile of Ethilirid...

Conal Keir...The victory of Arderan...The alliance with Northumbria... Battle of Fedhævin in Ireland... Fercar I... Irish war. ..Donald Brec.Glenmoreson... Irish alliance... The progress of the English arms... Subjection of the Scots to Northumbria. ..Conal and Dungal...Donal Duin...Malduin... Rising power of Loarn... Murder of Domangard. ..Assassination of Conal... Fercar Fada II. ..Defeat of Egfrid, and independence of Scotland... The murder of Donal...The ferocity of the people. ..Cause. ..Religious skirmishes... Achy Rinneval ... Ambkellach ... Selvach ... Stratclyde defeat... Easter... Camps... Ambkellach's escape from Ireland... Character of the sept of Argyle...Eochoid III. ..French alliance ...Charlemagne... Usurpation of Murdach...Forai and Dungal. ..Ravages of the Picts... Defeat at Cunic Coirbre...

CONTENTS. XIII CHAP. V. Page. Nature of succession... Female line. ..The feudal system... Power of the aristocracy... Siege of Fortren...Donal III. ..Fergus II. ...Doncorcai... Conal IV. ..Danish piracies... Cause... The intercourse between France and Scotland. ..Honoughi ... The Vikingr...Mode of attack... Jealousy of Loarn and Argyle... Sept of Argyle. ..Principality of Kintyre...C'olumcille burnt... AnguB...Aodh II... The sacrifice of Blackmac Mac Flain... Eoganan...DongalII...The power of the Tiernas... The state of the Stratclyde principality. ..Pictish kingdom... Alpin... Decline of Pictland... Conquests in Galloway. ..Extent. ..Character of Alpin. ..Kenneth. ..The overthrow of that independent state... Conquests in Pictland... Subversion of that kingdom... Siege and capture of Forteviot...

Union with Scotland ...The battle of Dunblane ... The conquest of Saxony or England. ..Overrun six times. ..Conspiracy against Kenneth ...Conclusion, 152

Book II

— CHAP. I. The extent of the country... Drumalbane, or the Grampian mountains... The Scottish dominions in Wales. ..The acquisitions made in England in the sixth century... Settlements of the Picts... The encroachments of the Saxons... Settlements in Ireland. ..In Inverness. ..Boundaries of Galloway, 187 CHAP. II. Population in the time of Cæsar... Tribes... In Caledonia... Britain... Before the arrival of the Romans. ..In the third century... Population, numerous ... The loss of men sustained on a single Roman expedition... New colonies... The tribes of Valentia... Beyond Northumbria... Colony of Lorimoni... The physical strength of the nation, ....„.»„.„, 199 CHAP. III. Laws. ..Their source... Celtic nations... Their independence... The laws of the Æbudæ...Druidical worship... Privileges...

The murder of a husband... Land marks... Titles of honour... CONTENTS. Page. Tierna. . . . Righ . . .Maormor. . . Tanistear. . . Tanistry . . . Ochiern ...Toscheadarach... Administration of justice ... Brehons... Galmes...Cro and Kelchyn...Mulmutin laws. ..The law of Mæcentium... Those of Edafin...Adamnan... Courts of the clergy.... Canon law...Regiam Majestatem...The Mac Alpin, ...The feudal laws. ..Those of Galloway... The Can and Cuneveth...Sardit de Sergaunt, „„„.„„- ~_m„~w~.»m~__^~m~ 207 CHAP. IV. Poetry. ..The poetical genius of the Celtic nations. ..Bards... Their duties. ..Hymnists... The Ferdan...The Seanachies... The Vates... Poets... Eubates... Inspired the courage of the soldier... Ossian's poems... Conformity of the Scottish, Celtic and Caledonian manners with those of Ossian's heroes...

Softness and colour of the hair. ..Their mode of dressing... Rites of marriage . . .Divorce . . . Succession . . . Burial rites . . . Description of the islands of Albany. ..The harp. ..The emit or violin... Their recreations . . . The resemblance of their swords . . . Shields ... Helmets .. . Habergeon . . . Similarity in the working of metals ...Retiring the night before a battle. ..The shield of Trenmor ...The bards sung the war song, and encouraged the combatants. ..The song of peace. ..The Græcian song. ..That of the Magi of Persia... Sprinkling of the sword with blood... The car of Cuthullin... British chariots... Leathern thongs ...Curraughs...The pendragon or chief.. .The twelve chiefs or counsellors... Appellation of forests... The stone of power ...The circle of Loda... Scandinavian or Dmidical...The worship of stones among the Celts and Britons...

Curmi... Wine... Hawking. ..Ossian, of the family of Baoiscone .. Where he lived, and when... Compared with Homer and Virgil. ..His poetry... Melancholy... Its beauties... Tragical narration... Wherein he excels... In what he falls short of Homer ... Accuracy of description. ..Comparison. ..Episodes. ..Delicate selection... From whence he drew his similes... Tenderness. ..Sublimity. ..Ullin... Ardar...Orran.. . Poetry, dramatic ...War.. ..Triumphal. ..Elegiac. ..Love and festal songs CONTENTS. XV CHAP. V. Page. Poetry... Sedulius... His paschal works... The Tain Bho of Cuailgne, most probably Scottish ... Hymns ... Hymns of Shaghlin...Columbanus...His poems... Ancient language... Figurative... Laws and philosophy delivered in verse... A poem on the conversion of the Dumblinians...The sacred muse...Merlinus Sylvestris...The poem of Emanuel...The wise men and Alexander the Great...

Imitations of Ossian ...Sacred poems... The Hymns of Columba...Colmain...The art of versification... Different kinds of verse. ..The decline of poetry — Icelandic poets. ..Common song. ..Adonian. ..Literary and syllabical harmony, ..^, 255

Book III

— CHAP. I. Druids in Caledonia... Their knowledge of arts and sciences... Physiology.. .Nature of the Deity. ..Astronomy. ..Astrology ...The rise of religion... Computation of time. ..Their idea of a Sabbath... Signs of the Zodiac. ..Origin of superstition ...Geometry... Arithmetic... Mechanics ... Druidical physicians... Materia Medica...Mistletoe---Vegetable ointments... Eloquence... Writing... Gaelic letters... Schools of learning, 269 CHAP. II. Christian literature... Its origin... Those sent out for education ...Nature of teaching... Conversion of the Irish by Scotchmen... Progress of monkery. ..Ascetic institutions. ..Columba ...Hyona... Progress of Christianity in Scotland... The method adopted by reformers, 285 CHAP. III. Culdee establishment... College or monastery of Hv.. .Bishops ...Presbyters ...

Monks... Abbots ... Seniors... Origin of this mode of life... Privileges and character, 312 CHAP. IV. Superstitions in England... Learning on the Continent... The conversion of the Germans... Franks... Swiss, by Scotsmen ...Their lives and writings, ■ ~~..,.~.~.. CONTENTS. XVI CHAP. V. Page, Hyona...Its learning... Missions to North unibria and England... State of literature at home... In England... Aidan... Arts and sciences... Finnan ...Conversion of Mercia ... Corruptions... Causes ...Colman ... Tuda ... Western Isles ... Adamnan... Pasch or Easter... Papal innovations State of literature among the Culdees.... Flight of science to Hyona, ° 337 CHAP. VI. The sciences which were taught at Hyona... Jurisprudence ... Geometry...Music . . . Arithmetic . . . Astronomy . . .Computation of time. ..Writings and charters, 361 CHAP. VII.

Decline of learning... The Continent. ..Literary characters.. ..Albin... Dungal...Scotus...Charlemagne...Maurus... Etymology ... Pursuits of the learned ... Mode of teaching. ..Celibacy... Clement, a supporter of presbytery. ..Samson. ..Abbots of Hy ...SeduHus...Wilibald...Rumoldus... Virgil ... Geography... Decline of learning... Flowers of Britain... Abbots of Hy... Church of Rechraine, ~- 370 CHAP. VIII. Philosophy ... Theology ... Transubstantiation ... Presbyterian forms . . . Auricular confession . . . Tonsure . . . Altar. . . Arianism . . . Materiality of the soul... Usages... The efforts of the Scots against innovation... Predestination... The interpretation of Scriptures... Continental Scottish ceremonies. ..Requisites of a clergyman... The grammatical art. ..The Priscian system...

Short notice of the sciences... History... A comparison of the Scottwh and continental writers, 393 Appendix, divided into Notes, containing several Dissertations, and many Proofs and Illustrations of the History, at considerable length, ™»™.™ m^m^mm^m~,. „,,„~~.~.„~. 1-84 THE HISTORY Ol SCOTLAND.

Book I

— CHAP. I. The obscurity of ancient history. — Its utility. — The geography of Hibernia and Britain. — The etymology of the Scots. — Their origin. — Neither from Scandinavia, — Nor Spain, — Nor the same people as the Picts.— The fabulous antiquity of the monarchy. — The authority of Seanachies and Bards. — Boece. — Veremund. — Hibernicus. — Scotia in the first century. — Colonies from Ireland. — Treaty. — Reuda. — State of Caledonia. — Constance. — Expedition against the Scots. — Arrival of some Saxons. — The Attacotti. — Dicaledones. — Vecturiones. — The inroads of the Scots in England. — In the time of Valentinian. — Theodosius. — Province of Valentia. — Roman wall. — Defeat of the Britons. — Northumbrian wall. -N othing is more interesting, and yet nothing is more obscure, than the history of remote ages.

We look up with feeling of veneration to the period, when our ancestors followed their chief over their own mountains ; when their manners were simple as they were unaffected, diver- A

BOOK I. HISTORY OF SCOTLAND.

sified with events which at this distance of time are but faintly discernible. But the transactions of this period, though they happened many hundred years since, and are besides but few in number, are highly valuable, so far as they serve to illustrate the progress of arts and sciences, — the improvements of literature, — the gradual civilization of mankind, — the rise and fall of empires, — the constitution of a country upon which we place so great a value, — and that religion which has imparted so many blessings to the human race. An account of these particu lars, as well as of many institutions which have proved of the highest importance to the civilization of the rude bar barian, is only to be found in ancient history, without which, the annals of modern times would be frequently uninstructive and obscure.

Hibernia, from whence the principal colonies of the Scots emigrated to Caledonia, was situated above Bri tain, 1 to the west of it ; 2 and being of an oblong fi gure, 3 Juverna, 4 or Ierne, s as it was sometimes called, was more extensive in length than in breadth. 6 This island was eight thousand seven hundred stadia from Massilia, a famous nursery of learning in France;7 its western side is said, in the time of Cæsar, to have been about eight hundred thousand paces from the Orkney islands ; 8 and its extent was almost equal to that of 1 Pomponius Mela. 1 Cæs. de Bell. Gall, j Claudius Ptolemæus's Geograph. ; Claud, de Laud. Stilichonis; Orosius; Abraham Peritsol. Itinera Mundi, c. 7. 12, a Hebrew writer ; Gildas, c. 12. 19; Beda, lib. i. ; Orpheus, Argonaut, vol.i. 78. It is, however, uncertain from Strabo, lib. iv. p. 192 and 201 ; lib. vi. 132; lib. v. p. 3; lib. ii. p. 72 and 114, whether Hibernia was north or west of Britain. ' Pomp.

Mela. * Ib. b Claud, lib. ii. de Laud. Stilicho. Strabo, Ub. iv. p. 2pi. ' Strabo, lib. I. p. 63. • Cæs. ETYMOLOGY OF THE SCOTS, &C. 19 CHAP. I. South Britain, J although scarcely more than half the size of the whole island, including Albany. 2 Caledonia, the parent country of the ancient Gaelic Scots, where the principal Irish colonies settled, was supposed to be situated between the fifty-seventh and sixty -first degree of la titude, 3 to the north of Britain. It was a mountainous country, mostly covered with wood,4 particularly in the western parts, where the Caledonian forest was situated. 5 Its extent from north to south was supposed to be three thousand six hundred and ninety-six stadia, 6 four hun dred and sixty-three Roman miles, that is, about four hundred and twenty-two English. No part of the British history is more intricate and lia ble to be misapprehended, than that relating to the an cient Scots.

The gross ignorance which formerly per vaded the whole of Europe, and the various revolutions incident to every nation, afforded but too wide a field for the prejudices and passions of men ; and these circumstances render it almost impossible to rescue from obli vion the scanty remains of our ancient history, which escaped the destroying hand of Edward, king of England. Various have been the derivations of the word Scot. It has been supposed to come from Scoth, a boat ; from Scyth, a Scythian ; from Scoet, a target ; 7 and, among others, this word is also derived from Scuit, a wanderer, — an opinion which, at least, carries a probability along with it, since the term was at first applied to those Britons who fled from their native country, on the arrival of the 1 Pomp. Mela. " Cæsar. 3 Ptol. lib. xi. c. 6 ; vid.

Strabo, lib. i. p. 63. * The Latin Iter, or Roman I tinerarium of Richard, p. 18. 26, denominated Caledon. s Ptolemæus. ■ The distance between Massilia and Hibernia 800,000 paces. Com pared with Strabo, lib. i. c. 63. ' Vid. Note A. Append. a2 Belgæ on the shores of Britain. ' But whether the name of the Scots sprung from their unsettled mode of life, or whether it was originally given them as a term of re proach, they were a wandering race when they were at first taken notice of by ancient writers. 2 It is the opinion of some that they came from Scandi navia, a country which differed from that of the Scots in language, manners and customs. 3 The vernacular tongue of this people appears to have been a branch of the Cel tic, since they were descended from the Britons, who went over into Ireland, 4 the language of which differed little from that of the Gauls, being a dialect of the same. 5 But it was much corrupted, like that language in general, by the invasion of the Goths into Europe long before the Christian era.

The Scots appear to have been the first inhabitants of Ireland, 6 although they are mentioned be fore the third century by no Greek nor Roman writer, nor even by Ptolemy, who, in his Geography of that country in the first or second century, gives the names of twenty different races of people descended from the ancient Bri tons. 7 It is far from being probable that they could be either Scyths or Scandinavians, since that race of men nei- 1 In Hibemiam commigrarunt ejecti a Belgis Britones, ibique sedes posue runt,—ex illo tempore Scoti appellati ; Richard's Itinerarium. * Scoti per diversa vagantes. » Vid. Note A. in Appen. * Richard's Itinerarium, p. 50. Vide infra, and Notes A. B. and C. in App. * Tacitus, Vit. Agricolæ. See the ancient Gaelic MSS. of the seventh, eighth and ninth centuries in the Report of the Highland Society upon Os sian.

Richard's Latin or Roman Itinerarium, p. 50. * In Hibemiam commigrarunt ejecti a Belgis,— ex illo tempore Scoti appellati; Rich. Itin. p. 50. CHAP. I. ther agreed with the Celtic nations in language, a man ners, religion, 2 nor laws. 3 Others have supposed that they came from Spain, on account of the etymology of the word Ibernia, which is thought to have been derived from Iberia. But this ac count is by no means correct. If the Scots be of Spanish origin, they must have been descended from the Celtibe rii, who passed over from the east of Gaul into Spain, and invaded that country ; 4 and this expedition was composed principally of German Gauls, 5 who differed from the Celts in the appearance of the body, 6 in their manners, customs, 7 laws, religion and language. 8 This people are said to have lived in Ireland even before or about the time when those who were denominated Celtiberii settled in Spain, 9 so that they could not be descended from the Spaniards, a mixed race of people.

The origin of the Scottish nation has indeed been a much agitated question among the learned, but more es pecially since the time of Fordun, who first collected the remaining fragments of ancient chronicles, after the de- 1 Tacitus de Moribus Germanorum, c. 18, et in Vit. Agric. c. xi. ; Cæs. lib. v. 2 Aristot. Polit. lib. ii. c. 2 ; Tacitus de Mor. Germanorum, c. 18, et in Vit. Agric. c. xi. ; Cæs. lib. v. 3 Cæs. de Bell. Gall. lib. vi., and Tacitus de Mor. Germ. * This appears from Lucan, Silus Italicus, Diod. Sic. Strabo and Appian. s This is evident from the manner in which Cæsar describes Gaul ; Cæs. Comm. lib. i. c Tacitus in Vit. Agric. lib. xi. ' Tacit, de Mor. Ger. c. 18 ; Cæs. lib. v. ; Arist. Polit. lib. ii. c. 2. ' Tacitus, Germ, passim ; Cæs. de Bell. Gal. lib. vi. Chiverius, a modern writer, affirms that the Celts and Germans were the same people, contrary to Suetonius, Herodotus, Aristotle, Polybius, Diod.

Siculus, Dio nysius, Perugetes, Plutarch and Ptolemy. Vid. A. Append. 5 Compare Richard's Itinerarium, p. 50, with Lucan, Diod. Sic, Silus Italicus, Strabo and Appian. Vid. A. Append, struction of our historical documents by the crooked policy of Edward, king of England. It is generally supposed, upon the authority of one or two writers, who paint the overthrow of the Pictish nation in rather glow ing colours, 1 that this race was entirely destroyed and cut off in the ninth century. As the greater part of the names of towns found in Scotland, including the country of the Picts, is Gaelic, it was thence inferred, that they were of the same origin as the Scots. It is only upon the authority of ancient writers, corroborated by a similarity of manners and customs, that we can trace the aborigines of any nation.

According to the testimony of the most ancient writers who bear any evidence to the origin of the Picts, they are said to have been of German or Scandina vian origin, or descended from the Scythians, the same race of people, who spoke a language which agrees not with that of the Scots ; 2 and were as different in their manners and customs from that people, 3 as in this parti cular they resemble the German nations. 4 The Picts differed from the Scots in the form and appearance of the body, in their religious rites and super stitions, in their manners and customs, the form of their warlike instruments, their language and dress, s and al most in every particular of resemblance which traces two 1 Henry of Huntingdon, sol. v. 217 ; Rog. of Chest, in Bib. Haul. N. 655 ; and Fordun, lib. iv. c. 14. 8 Tacit.

Vit. Agric. Ut perhibent gentem Pictorum, contigit de Scythia. Their language differed from that of the Scots, Bed. Hist. Eccl. lib. i. c. 1. 3 They were from the south of Scythia and Germany, Suthan Scitthian, Sax. Chron, ; Giraldus Cambrensis, lib. i. c. 15, p. 308. Lond. edit. sol. 1687. A colony of the Peukini, Jornandes and Amm. Mar. 1. 17 ; the same as the German Picts, Tacitus de Mor. Germ. ; Dethr. p. 296 ; Pliny, iv. 13, who lived near the shores of the Baltic. See E. A. and B. Append. * See Note D. Append. 5 Gildas, p. 12. CHAP. I. nations to the same origin. 1 Like every other nation, the Scots carry back the antiquity of their monarchy to a period which is hid in obscurity and wrapt in fable ; and give a detail of events 2175 years before their first king reign ed in Caledonia ; from the time of Scota, Pharaoh's re puted daughter, and Cain's three daughters who settled in Ireland, " to whom they pretend to trace back their descent.

These notions originated with the bards, 3 an order of men belonging to the Druids, who were held in great estimation by the Celtic nations of Britain. 4 It was indeed from this race of men that the most ancient histo rians of the country derived their fabulous accounts of the antiquity of the Scots. 5 But what credit can we give to these bardic parasites, who lived by flattering the rich and the great — 6 who spoke not the truth unless it contri buted to the aggrandizement of their fortunes ? The Irish seanachies, who were the authors of these ancient Scot tish fables, were indeed banished the kingdom, in the end of the sixth century, for their excessive flattery and sati rical invective. 7 The latter historians, from the time of Fordun, made many additions to the fables of former ages. To the names of a spurious race of kings, which are only given promiscuously together with those of their sons, as they were received from the Irish seanachies and other le gendaries, 8 a circumstantial history is added by posterior writers. 9 In order, however, to give an air of probabi- 1 See Notes A. B. C. D. and E. App. • Dromas Nachta, the book with the white cover. * See Note F. Appendix. ' See the article Learning. ' Bed.

Hist. Eccl. lib. i. c. 1, &c. * Diodorus Sic lib. v. ; Possodonius and Appian. ' Colgan Triad. Thaumaturga, p. 430-1. " Fordun, lib. i. c. 50 ; Kb. ii. c. 12 ; and lib. iii. c, 2. edit. Hearn. ' Boecc and Buchanan. lity to these tales, and the fabulous history of the new race of kings which Boece invented, l it was also necessary to adduce some writers of inflexible veracity as authorities. For this purpose, Veremund, John Campbell, and Cornelius Hibernicus, were forged between the year 1524 and 1525. 2 It was not till the first century that the name of Scotia was heard of. 3 About the middle of the third, the Scots settled in the western parts of Caledonia, * and received several successive colonies before the reign of Fergus, son of Erch, their first king, in the end of the fifth and beginning of the sixth century. 5 This race of people were neither Goths nor Scandinavians, Celtiberii from Spain, nor Thracians ; nor were they altogether in digenal inhabitants of Caledonia; but were principally composed of those successive colonies which left the plains of Erin for the fens of Albany.

They came from Circo or Circio, a term which is generally understood to im ply the north-west or west. This wind, which is called Trastkias, 6 is indeed placed on the right of Loarktias, 7 the north. 8 But the author of this opinion must either have been mistaken, or supposed to be standing with his face to the south ; since he observes, that Boreas 9 or Aquilo was situated to the left of the same point, that is, 1 Vid. Boece's Hist, ante an. 403. * See Note F. Appen. for a general account of the sabulous antiquity of the Scottish nation. ' Percusisse totam terrain occidentalem Aschenaz (sive Germaniam) et Scotiam et totam terrain Tubal, et universam Togamia. Joseph. Compend. p. 206, edit. Basil, 1559, a Hebrew writer. Gildas, Beda, Hist. Eccl. lib. i. 6 Chart. St. Andr. ; the Chronicles called James Gray's Chronicles ; Chro nicon Rythmicum, c. 5, 6, 7 ; the Chronicle of Winton, lib. iv. sol. 37, 38-43. 8 T{«s*x««s, Timosthenes, Georg.

I. ii. 7 Vegetius, Aa>«g*Ti*s. • Ibid, et Seneca. 1 Btftctf. CHAP. I. ORIGIN OF THE SCOTS, &C. 25 north-west, whereas, we know, that it was north-east. 1 An ancient author, of no ordinary celebrity, was of opinion, that Circius signifies south ; 2 but it appears, from several ancient writers of equal authority, that it was the north-west. It neither agrees exactly with Corus the west or north-west, 3 nor with Zephyrus, the west 4 wind, 5 al though it corresponds pretty nearly with the former. 6 Thrascias or Circius lay between Aparctia the north, 7 and Agraste the south-west 8 wind ; 9 and as the highest point was Aquilo, 10 the north-east,11 and the middle Sep tentrio or the north, 12 Thrascias or Circius must have been the lower or the north-west point, more especially since Britain was situated toward Circius and the west. 13 The Picts, who invaded the Roman provinces of Britain, are said to have come from the north, 14 and the Scot tish colonists from Circius, ,5 which signifies the north west ; and as Erin, the ancient country of the Scots, lay in this direction, this is an additional proof of their Irish origin.

But although the Scots and Picts were two very diffe rent races of men, the one being descended of the Celts, and the other of the Germans or Scandinavians, yet it appears that there was an original tribe of people, who were Irish Scots, and at the same time indigenal inhabitants of Caledonia or Albany. Britain was originally possessed 1 Aquilo ab oris hyperboreis, (or Scythiis). Virg. ; Ovid's Met. 6. 690. • Pliny, lib. ii. 47. • Auson. 4 Virgil. 5 Non Corus in ilium jus habet, aut Zephyrus, sola sua littore turbat Cir cms. Lucan de partu Hercul. lib. I. v. 406. • Sulpitius. 6 Sulpitius. ' Pliny. s Pliny, Timosthenes in Agathemeris de re milit. iv. 38. 3 Pliny, Seneca. ,0 Foid. 10 Ibid. " Virgil, and Ovid's Met. vi. 490. " Ibid. " Gildas, lib. i. c. 1. " Ab Aquilone. 18 Gildas et Beda, lib. i. c. 12.