Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
;.:.,..-.3. .........< .
-......-
18.8 The Antzqaztzex of IR ELA ND:
“ of the petty;P.r.i,nces, of that ,N‘a‘tion, who‘ had been driven out of it by
‘ fome domeltick Sedition, and under Colour of Friendlhip detained him‘
“ with him, till an Oppo'rt‘unity fhould prefent. Ihave often heard him fay,-
“ that Ireland might be" fubdtied and brought under by one Legion, and mo.
“ derate Succours, and that it would be of great Advantage againft Britain;
‘F which then would be furrounded by the Roman Arms, and the Profpeft of
“ Liberty removed out of Sight.” Thus far Taeilat; from whofe Words
Camden draws this Conclulion, that Numbers of People ‘from Spain,-' Gaul
and Britain, had, retired into ‘Ireland to withdraw their Necks from the Ra.
man Yoke. But let others be at the Pains of difculiing this Point more fully.
"I am Tenlible in all Matters obfcure Opinions are various. But finally I muff
‘obfeive, that in England, Franee, and other Countries, where the Roman‘ Arms‘
prevailed, befides antique Roman Coins, many Altars, Statues, Urns, Columns
and Infcriptions on Marble, as fo many Miracles of antique Workmanlhip,
have been difcovered, which were left there by the antient Romans; but in
Ireland none of thefe Curiolities are to be feen, no not fo much as the Roman‘
Coin,- unlefs fuch as has been brought into it from other Parts. From whence
one may conclude with William of Neahurg, (d) that Ireland has heen inateehihle
to the Roman Arms, though they held the Dominion of the Oreadex.
A
C H A. P. XXVIII.
Of fame Errors and ’Fie‘t’ion: qf antient Writers, who treat of Ireland:
And Qf other Errors of Writers if the middle Ages.
WE have before fuccinftly handled (a) the Ornaments, and fpecial natural
Advantages of Ireland-, let us now take a View of thofe Things which
antient Writers have invented of it, and to which their followers have alfented.
Solz'nzts’alI'erts “ that a Bird is a very great rarity in Ireland,” and a little
after adds, “ That there are no fuch Thing as Bees there; that Dult or
“ fmall Pebbles carried‘ from thence, and fcattered amongAHives, will banifh
S‘, the Swarms from their Combs ; that the’ Sea between Britain, and Irelaml is
-“‘ fo tempeI’cuous and5(unfettled, that through theVwhole Y‘eai' it"is ’iibflr'iavi- ..
“‘ gable, except ‘oirfome ‘few vDays.” ' Whereas it is well known that Yreland
jaboundsi in "Birds and Bees; -[and as to the latter, we fee an; early convin-
feing,Proof "in the Rule of St. gdilhe, written in the Beginning of 7 the 5th Century,
fnot earlier. “ Wheii the Monks lit at Table (fays that Writer) let there be
"" laid before them Herbs or Roots walhed with Water, and in clean Difhes,
“ alfo ‘Angles, Ale, and from the.Hi72e the Breadth of an Inch of Honey Comh.”
lEronn'wl1ence it follows, thatQHoney (and'confequently Bees) mult be very
‘plentiful fiitifrelazzd, lince it was made the common Repaff of the poor Monks ;
'and the Words, hraught from the Hive, imply that it-was the‘eGr9w;t“h”;of the
Country: Add to thisthe Charaelgeriltick giveril of -Ireland -‘by? tliejfyeiietable
Bede,’ (I2) “ that it "was eanfillland’-yaboundingi in’ Milk 5and;Ho‘1iey'.t’q,’-I'9r’3As'to
‘the Sea the frequent Navigations from England,’ Frante,iland"Spai(ifi3;c: into
Jreland, and from thence into foreign Countries, is a‘jfufHcient“Den'ionflra-
-'tion, that it is navigable even. in the Depth of ,-VVinte‘r.‘;"' ‘'j7:'‘f-’ .3
The firlt Alfertion of Saljnzet, as to the Scarc,ity"of‘Bit,lds;’a” .Bees in Ire-
land,‘ has drawn Jjidare (e):ofwSe'ville into the fame Error,’ viifrilihct”-‘makes Ufe of
almolt the fame VVords. -“ There are in’, Ir'“eleind"’(fays‘;he) few Birds and
no Bees ;, infomuch that if any Body fhould fcatfei‘ 3among'Hives Duff and
Pebbles carried out of Ireland into other Parts, -the Bees would forfalie
their Combs.” So Bartholomew Cafaneus (d) fays. “ There is a great Scar-
'“ city of Birds in Ireland, and no Bees.” Some Writers alfo have followed
Selina:
n
as
‘S
(C
(:1) Rer. Angl. lib. 2. c. 26. a
(I) Orig Lib 14.. Cap; 6 ap. 22. (5) Eccl. Hill. Lib. i. Cap. i.
l 1 Ch . .
I (:1) Catalog. Gloria: Mundx pars. 12. Confid. 57.
..r