The antiquity of the royal line of Scotland farther cleared and defended, against the exceptions lately offer'd by Dr. Stillingfleet, in his vindication of the Bishop of St. Asaph by Sir George Mackenzie ...

For clearing some Passages in this Book, the Reader may be pleased to consider seri∣ously, these following Addi∣tions and Alterations.

PAG. 3. lin. 4. for Kenneth III. reade Kenneth II.

Pag. 5. lin. 10. Add to what I have said concerning Lese Majesty; That Dr. Stil∣lingfleet, Praef. p. 5. calls this, the shar∣pest and most unhandsome Reflexion in all my First Book, and I am glad he does so; for if there be any severity in these my words, Luddus is to be blamed, and not I: for my words in my Letter to my Lord Chancellour, p. 11. are—and since Luddus owns, that he durst not deny the British descent from Brutus; lest he might thereby wrong the Majesty of the English Nation; I admire, that any of the Subjects of Great Britain did not think it a degree of lese Majesty, to injure and shorten the Royal Line of their Kings. By which it may very easily appear, that I did take the word Lese Majesty in a Rhetorical, and not in a le∣gal sense, though I find, that Dr. Stil∣ling

fleet does not answer my Objections, even supposing the word to be there o∣therwise taken; for it seems for ought that's yet answered, that to injure and shorten the Royal Line, is a degree of lese Majesty; that is to say, it tends (in Luddus's own words) to wrong the Ma∣jesty of the British Monarchy.

Pag. 8. lin. 10. Put out these words, —and this is clear also by the Book of Pasley.

Pag. 9. lin. 17. Instead of these words, that the People deposed Kings; reade, that the People sometimes de facto deposed Kings in those ancient barbarous times; ibidem, lin. 23. Instead of these words, till Kenneth the Third's time, reade, long af∣ter Fergus the Second's time.

Pag. 20. lin. 19. For these words, and the inquisitive Bede was not able to reach so far back in the year 700. reade, that Bede made it not his business, to search out se∣cular Antiquities, having onely design'd (as is clear by his Book) to write of us in so far as was necessary, for his Eccle∣siastical History, which needed not the helps of the old Manuscripts in our Mo∣nasteries. Ibid. l. 14. Put out the words, ut fertur, as they say, a word used in the remotest Antiquity.

For farther clearing Pag. 22, 23, 24. Cap 2. Whether the Meatae and Cale∣donii were Britains distinct from the Scots and Picts, whom Dion calls the Uncon∣quered

Nations, and who the Doctor says, were different from the Scots and Picts; It's fit to add to what I said on this subject, that our Adversaries differ among themselves, and contradict one another in this point; for Cambden, whom St. Asaph follows, makes the Picts * 1.1 Caledonians, or Extraprovincial Britains, thinking it thereby more easie to make the settlement of one Nation late, than to make both so; because thus he differs less from received Histories: But the Doctor sticks not to make the settlement of the Picts later, than that of the Scots; because he never finds the name of the Picts mentioned, till about the time the Scots are, and therefore refutes Cambden: * 1.2 whereas Offlaharty rejects this reason, contending, as we do, that it is ridicu∣lous to say, that a Nation is no older, than from its being mentioned in Histo∣ry under such a name.

Pag. 29. lin. 18. For &c. 492. reade &c. pag. 492.

Pag. 32 lin. 3. After the word Piracy, add, And whereas the Doctor objects, that this Wall was unnecessarily built be∣twixt the two Seas to hinder the incur∣sions of the Scots and Picts; seeing, I supposed, the custome was to cross over the two Firths, and to land on this side of the Wall; for so they landed on the British side, and left the Wall behind them, and consequently the expence had

been unnecessary, and the Romans and Britains very idle in building it. To this it is answered, that I very justly sup∣posed that the invasions were over the Firths; and though they had left the Wall behind them after their landing, yet the objection concludes not, that therefore the building of the Wall was unnecessary; for the Britains being sepa∣rated and distinguished from the Scots and Picts by two Firths which did meet onely in a short neck of Land, they com∣pleted this natural fortification of Wa∣ter, by building a Wall on the Land where it was wanting, thereby defending themselves against the irruptions of their Enemies; so that the Scots and Picts be∣ing debarred from entring by this Neck, which was the easie and ordinary way be∣fore, were after necessitated to invade by water, formerly the more difficult way. And this is not onely a conjecture ari∣sing from the clear probability of the thing (which were sufficient to answer * 1.3 the Doctor's Objection that is onely founded on a bare conjecture) but it's the express reason given by Beda, who lived so near the time and the place, and who speaking of this Wall, saith, Fece∣runt autem eum inter duo freta, vel sinus (de quibus diximus) maris per millia pas∣sum plurima, ut ubi aquarum munitio de∣erat, ibi praesidio valli fines suas ab hostium irruptione defenderent—from which I

must also add, that the Seas we came over, were our own Firths abovemen∣tion'd, and not the Irish Sea; for the Wall is said to be betwixt the two Firths and Bays of the Sea, and thereafter in the same Chapter it's said fugavit eos transmaria, which are also the words of Gildas: All which is appliéd to our Firths, and not applicable to the Irish Sea, which can neither be called Firth nor Bay in the singular number, nor Ma∣ria in the plural, it being called Mare Hibernicum, as our Seas are called Mare Germanicum, or Deucaledonicum. And that the Irish Sea was not passable, nor fit for such Anniversary Invasions in Cor∣roughs, is (beside all I have said former∣ly) clear from the English Writers them∣selves, Bartholomaeus Anglicus, and the English Polychronicon in their descriptions * 1.4 of Ireland. But the Sea that is between Britain and Ireland is all the year round full of great waves, and uneasie; so that men can seldom sail it securely. This Sea is sixscore miles broad, and Bartholo∣maeus Anglicus says of it,—Mare au∣tem * 1.5 Hibernicum versus Britanniam undo∣sum & inquietum est, & toto anno vix na∣vigabile.

The Doctor, to evite the force of our Arguments, makes the Caledonii and Me∣atae to differ from the Scots and Picts, and to be Britains dwelling near the Wall; who being forced to attend there

for the defence of the Wall against the Romans, left the more Northern parts of the Isle waste, which they formerly inhabited, as the Bloud doth the extre∣mities, when it runs to the Heart: Whereupon the Scots invaded their Pos∣sessions from the West out of Ireland, and the Picts from Scandanavia. But besides the Arguments I urged formerly in my Second Chapter, I now add, that first, Beda makes onely mention of five Nations, who inhabited Britain, viz. the Britains, Romans, Picts, Scots and Saxons, whereas if the Caledonii and Meatae had been different from the Scots and Picts (and not the Highlanders and Lowlanders of the Scots and Picts under different names; as I have formerly pro∣ved them to be) then there had not one∣ly been five, but seven Nations inhabi∣ting Britain. Whereas the Doctor con∣tends that Dion must interpret Beda's words, it's more reasonable that Beda, who wrote long after Dion, should inter∣pret his words; since Beda is so express in describing who were Inhabitants of old, and in his time; and Dion, who was before Beda, could not interpret him.

2. Either the Scots and Picts came in∣to the Possessions of these Caledonii and Meatae before the Romans, or after: if they came in before, then the Scots and Picts must have come and setled here be∣fore the Year 412. because the Romans

left this Isle altogether about that time, without ever returning, and consequent∣ly were setled here before the Year 503. which is the Bishop of St. Asaph's Posi∣tion: But if after the Romans left the Isle, then it was not when the Caledonii and Meatae were necessitated to come for the defence of the Wall against the Ro∣mans, which is Doctor Stillingfleet's Po∣sition.

If the Irish had overcome the Extra∣provincial Britains, whom, as the Doctor confesses, the Romans could not overcome; this Conquest must needs have fallen out near to those times wherein Gildas and Beda lived, and whereof they write the Wars and Vastations so particularly and exactly; and especially since the Learned Doctor gives as a Rule, that a negative testimony is concluding, where the Wri∣ter is knowing, and had opportunity to know, and the thing omitted is of im∣portance to the subject treated of; all this quadrats exactly with this case: and though these Authours had omitted this Conquest, yet it is incredible that these Ancient Irish Annals (by the Doctor alone so much preferred to ours) would have omitted the full and clear relation of a Conquest so very glorious to them, as the overcoming Nations, who could never be conquered by the mighty power of the Romans; especially since this must have been, not some particular Victories

onely, but one intire extinction of the Meatae and Caledonii, for these are never after so much as mentioned: And it's yet more incredible to think that we could have overthrown these Extraprovincial Britains, after the Romans had been for∣ced to leave the Island, and yet never be able to prevail so far against them, when they had the Britains, Romans, and Us to be their Enemies; it being acknow∣ledged that we were by continual incur∣sions endeavouring to settle here about 200 years before the Romans left the Isle.

Whereas the Doctor cites Fordon di∣stinguishing the Picts and Scots from the Caledonii, and Meatae; and making them to be the Extraprovincial Britains in the 36th Chapter of the Third Book of his Scoto-Chronicon, I have considered the place cited, but I find no such thing in that Chapter. Indeed in the 37th Chap∣ter of the Second Book I find Fulgentius is called Dux Britannorum Albanensium, and that the Britanni Boreales, are distingui∣shed from the Britanni Australes; but there is no mention made in that place of the Caledonii and Meatae; nor does the division of South and North-Britains make any thing against us, but on the contrary, it seems very clear by that Chapter, that the Scots and Picts had been long setled in Scotland, before the Romans left this Isle; for it's said there,

that the Scots and Picts having (accor∣ding to their accustomed manner) over∣run the Countrey, notwithstanding the assistence given by the Romans to these Britains, Fulgentius was forced to make a peace with them.

Pag. 36. lin. 2. For Fourth Chapter, reade Fifth Chapter. And here add, that by these words (totam cum Scotus Iernam movit) may be meant of our be∣ing forced to retreat or return to Ireland, when we were expelled by Maximus; which agrees with the time here de∣scribd by Claudian.

Pag. 36. lin. 10. For this, reade thus.

Pag. 38. lin. 16. The Comma is be∣fore, but should be after Usher. And for do, reade doth.

Pag. 41. I desire the Reader may be pleased to observe, First, That Offla∣hartie himself confesses, that the words (soli Britanni) in Eumenius, are under∣stood to be in the Genitive, as Scaliger and we contend; and not in the Nomi∣native, as the Bishop and the Doctor al∣ledge. And here I would have the Doc∣tor to mind that true Maxime of Law cited by himself; a Witness which a man bringeth for himself ought to be admitted against him.

Secondly, That the Bishop of St. A∣saph makes use of Plantin's Edition in the Catalogue prefixt by him, and in that Edition Eumenius's words are pointed as I have cited them.

Thirdly, I wish the Reader to observe that in my First Book against the Bishop of St. Asaph, Pag. 70. lin. 8. the parti∣cle & (in Eumenius his words, Natio adhuc rudis & soli Britanni) is printed (it) and so the force of the Argument is not understood, which was, that (&) copulat diversa, and so the Natio rudis could not be the same with soli Britanni, but must needs have been of the Genitive Case, and the words must have run, Pictis & Hibernis soli Britanni, the Picts and Irish of the British Isle.

Pag. 45. For Britons, reade Britains. And here add, that the words in Ta∣citus are Nobilissimi totius Britanniae, which does not at all prove Galgacus his men to have been Britons, but Britains; and so this agrees very well with the Scots, who were Caledonian Britains.

Pag. 41. lin. 19. For Scotice primae, reade Scoticae pruinae.

Pag. 51. lin. 2. For Fourth Chapter, reade Fifth Chapter.

Pag. 57. lin. 17. Add, And that he was sent to the Scots in Britain is clear.

Pag. 60. lin. penult. For Nomination, reade Omination.

Pag. 65. lin. 3. For the Conquered Na∣tions, reade relates to the Unconquered Na∣tions.

Pag. 68. lin. 10. Put a Comma after the word Mortal.

Pag. 72. lin. 15. In place of, a Nation

before Constantius's time, say, a Nation setled here before Constantius's time. Ibid. lin. 22. add, That these words in Scali∣ger, & Scoti sunt adhuc in Hibernia, must be so interpreted as to consist with Sca∣liger's former Arguments for proving our early settlement here, and therefore the sense must be; That there are yet in Ireland some of these Ancient Scots, or That the Nation from which the Albanian Scots are descended are yet in Ireland; nei∣ther of which contradicts our ancient Settlement here.

Pag. 76. lin. penult. For these words, Neither is Buxhornius special, and has been misled by Usher; reade, And Buxhornius has been misled by Ubbo Emmius, whom he cites, and is later than Usher.

Pag. 77. lin. 8. For Spartan, reade Spartian. Ibid. lin. 12. For all that, reade that which.

Pag. 81. lin. 16. Add, That the Doc∣tor, Pref. p. 23. is very unjust in saying that our Antiquities went not down with Iohn Major, and that he gave little cre∣dit to the being of Fergus the First; for it's clear that he repeats onely the Story of Gathelus, Scota, and Simon Brek, but is very positive in asserting the Story of Fergus the First, and shews particularly that Beda did not contradict that part of our History, but gives the true and re∣conciling distinction, that Fergus laid the foundation of the Monarchy, and

Reuda or Rether enlarg'd it; and reckons above 700 years betwixt the two Fer∣guses, and relates the Genealogy of Alexander the Third, as it was repeated by that Highland Gentleman at the Co∣ronation.

Pag. 83. lin. 13. For these words, he could have no warrant but Tradition, reade He could have no sufficient warrant without Tradition.

Pag. 94. lin. penult. Put out the word Saint from Fergus.

Pag. 97. lin. ult. Immediately after the word Verimund, add these words, many material things which are not in Boe∣thius.

Pag. 98. lin. 11. Put out these words, which are not in Boethius.

Pag. 108. lin. 25. After Alarick, add the word is.

Pag. 116. lin. ult. When Kenneth is called the first Monarch of Scotland, The meaning is, he was the first Monarch of all Scotland, having subdued the Picts, and therefore he is so termed by Fordon.

Pag. 119. lin. 17. For, it is likely, reade is it likely.

Pag. 121. For de Muro lapideo, reade de Mora lapidea. i. e. the stony Moor.

Pag. 129. lin. 16. For Ferchard's second Son, reade Ferchard the Second his Son.

Pag. 167. lin. For Tich, reade Fich.

Pag. 175. lin. 14. For created, reade treated of.

The Reader is intreated to excuse these mistakes in the printing, since they were occasion'd by the Au∣thour's great distance from the Press.

And if the Reader doubt of the old Alliance betwixt France and Scotland, the Articles of the old League shall be printed, for they have been lately found upon record in an old Register at Paris, and bear date 791. agreeing exactly with what I have said page 109. of my First Book; and with page 74. of this: and this proves us to have been a Nation setled long before, and of very considerable reputation abroad in the World: for how is it imaginable that Charles the Great, King of France, and Emperour of the West, should have thought it ei∣ther his honour or interest to engage in so strict an alliance with a pack of Pilsering Vagabond Robbers, con∣fin'd to the then very insignificant County of Argyle, as is most unjust∣ly alledg'd against us.

THE END.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Camb. Brit. pag. 82.
• * 1.2

  Chap. 5. p. 240.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 1. cap. 12.
• * 1.4

  Polychr. lib. 1. cap. 32.
• * 1.5

  Lib. 15. cap. 80.