LIST OF MAPS. I. SPAIN, (from the Latin Ptolemy, printed at Rome in 1478). 2. THE WORLD OF THE ANCIENTS (from the Latin Ptolemy of 1478). 3. EASTERN EUROPE (from the Latin Ptolemy, printed at 4. 5. 6. 7. Strasburg in 1525). NORTHERN EUROPE (from the Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus of Olaus Magnus, printed at Basel in 1567). GAUL (from the Latin Ptolemy of 1478). THE BRITISH ISLES (from the Latin Ptolemy of 1478). SOUTH-EASTERN BRITAIN (from the Tabula Peutingeriana). 8. GERMANY (from the Latin Ptolemy of 1478). 9. IO. THE ISLE OF THANET (from Dugdale's Monasticon, edition of 1655-73). THE BRITISH ISLES (from the Latin Ptolemy of 1525). ORIGINS OF ENGLISH HISTORY, CHAPTER I. Object of the work.-Prehistoric inhabitants of Britain.-The Welsh bards on the first settlement. The ancient Fauna of the island.—Commencement of authentic history. -The Hyperborean legends.-The travels of Pytheas in Britain-Fragments of his writings.-Marseilles in the age of Alexander the Great-Her commerce.-Rivalry with Carthage.-Mineral riches of Spain.-Extensive deposits of tin.-Manufacture of bronze. -The Phoenician commerce.-The visit of Scipio to Marseilles. - Plans for interfering with trade of Carthage.-Voyage of discovery proposed.-The scientific discoveries of Pytheas-He is chosen as leader of an expedition-His writings. Course of the expedition.-Gadeira.-The Tagus.-Erroneous notions of Spanish geography.-Havens of the Artabri.-Situation of the Cassiterides on Spanish coast.-Description of the inhabitants.-Visit of Publius Crassus.-Theory that the Cassiterides were the Scilly Islands discussed.-Carthaginian discoveries.The voyages of Hanno and Himilco.-Course of Himilco's voyage.-The tindistricts. The Sargasso Sea.-Teneriffe.-Pytheas at Finisterre.-Religious rites of natives.-The Pyrenees.-The Ligurian shore.-The Loire and Island of Amnis. -Barbarous ritual.-The Morbihan and Celtic Islands.-The College of Druidesses. -Voyage to Britain.—Albion and Ierne.-Pytheas travels in Britain.—His observations.-Erroneous measurements.-Ancient ideas of the extent of the world.— State of Kent and Southern Britain.-Wheat-cultivation.-Metheglin and beer.Agriculture. Mode of dressing corn.-Pytheas did not visit Ireland, or the West of Britain.-Traditions of Stonehenge.-British trade in tin.-British coins from Greek models.-Districts where tin is found. -The Island of Mictis or Ictis-Its situation-Probably to be identified with Thanet.-Visit of Posidonius.-Description of tin-works.-Portus Itius.-Thanet formerly an island.—St. Michael's Mount formerly situated inland. HE following chapters are the result of an attempt of the history of this country from those obscure ages which preceded the Roman invasions to the time when the English accepted the Christian religion and the civilising influences of the Church. The subject must always be interesting to those who care to trace the development of society from its remote and savage beginnings. The compiler's task is lightened by the labours of a multitude of scholars, from the Greek travellers who first explored the wonders of the northern world to the Welsh scribe who might have seen King Arthur: and from them to the B masters of comparative history who have lately traced the origin and growth of most of our modern institutions. The compilation may still be useful or convenient, though the field has been well laboured for centuries, and "hardly a gleaning-grape or ear of corn is left when the vintage and harvest are done." The really prehistoric times are the province of the archæologist, and must be explored by his technical methods, though every one who approaches the subject of English history must feel a desire to know something of all kinds of men who have colonised or traversed our islands. Our principal ancestors, no doubt, came late from the shores and flats between the Rhine and the Gulf of Bothnia. But the English nation is compounded of the blood of many different races; and we might claim a personal interest not only in the Gaelic and Belgic tribes who struggled with the Roman legions, but even in the first cave-men who sought their prey by the slowly-receding ice-fields, and the many forgotten peoples, whose relics are explored in the sites of lakevillages or seaside refuse-heaps or in the funeral mounds, or whose memory is barely preserved in the names of mountains and rivers. For it is hardly possible that a race should ever be quite exterminated or extinguished : the blood of the conquerors must in time become mixed with that of the conquered; and the preservation of men for slaves and of women for wives will always insure the continued existence of the inferior race, however much it may lose of its original appearance, manners, or language. The Welsh bards indulged their fancy in describing the state of Britain before the arrival of man. According to the authors of the earliest Triads, the swarms of wild bees in the woods gave its first name to the "Isle of Honey": |