Britannia antiqua illustrata, or, The antiquities of ancient Britain derived from the Phœenicians, wherein the original trade of this island is discovered, the names of places, offices, dignities, as likewise the idolatry, language and customs of the p by Aylett Sammes ...

THE CONTINUATION OF THE British History, From the Daies of VESPATIAN, To the fourteenth Year of HADRIAN.

ABOUT the fourteenth year of HADRIAN, according to the best Computations, died MARIUS, who, in the British History, ruled King of Britain, in some part of it, from the daies of Vespatian, in the year of our Lord 80, to this present Emperour. * 1.1

His Reign is filled up with his Atchievments against the Picts, who are called in the British and Scotch Tongue, Phightiaid, a Warlike and fierce Nation, and to make up their terrible Character, they were Scythians by descent, and near Kinsmen at least to the Gothes, and (as some think) the Off-spring of the Nation of the Agathyrses, a Race of painted Cannibals, setting forth from their Native Country, or, as some write, from Sweden, or Norway.

With these most excellent endowments, as Pirates and Rovers, they arrived on the Coast of Ireland, where they met with their Brethren the Scots, who then inha∣bited that Island, who easily understood their Language, as being themselves of Scy∣thian extraction.

Having scarce landed their Forces, they required Places to inhabit, but the Scots who well understood the stomach of their Country-men, and had but just now given over themselves to eat one another, so diverted and shifted themoff, with telling them the pleasures of Britain, and the plenty thereof; I wonder they should omit their Painting also; The Picts, hoysting up Sail, made for this blessed Island, little dreaming of the warm entertainment they were to receive, for the Scots had laid the sairest side outwards, and concealed the Courage and Numbers of the Britains. When they had arrived upon the North of this Island, finding there but few Inha∣bitants, they began to waste wide, and forrage all those Tracts which Nature it self had sufficiently laid desolate.

King Marius informed of the insolent Behaviour of these Strangers, levies For∣ces, and with speedy Marches hastned into the North, and there gave them Battle. The success was so great on the Britains side, that the Picts were totally discomfited, many slain, among whom was their Leader Rodorick, and the rest all taken Prisoners, to whom King Marius gave license to inhabit the Northern part of Scotland, called Cattness, a cold and Mountainous Country.

They had not long lived there, but they began to think of warm Bed-fellows, and to that purpose sent unto the Britains for Wives, but their Suit being there enter∣tained with scorn, they applied themselves to the Scots, who granted them their Daughters upon this condition, That if the Male Issue of the King should fail, then the next Heir on the Womans side should succeed in the Kingdom, which Ordinance ever after was observed among them, and this was the cause of the great Union of both these Nations.

This Victory of King Marius, against the Picts, was obtained at Stanes-moor in Westmoreland, and from his name was the Country called Westmaria; But that which seemeth to give some credit to this Relation, was, this Inscription found in * 1.2 Carlile, MARII VICTORIAE, of which the Reverend Bishop Usher writes thus; Although the British History in many things is found faulty, yet the testimony of the Inscription of Marius his Victory is not altogether to be slighted. For before Jeoffe∣ries Translation, an Author much Graver, William of Malmsbury, writeth of it in this manner; In the City Luguballia, commonly called Carlile, there is seen a Dining * 1.3 Room built of Stone, and arched with Vaults, which neither the force of Weather, nor Fire on purpose set to it, could scatter or destroy. And on the Fore-front of it was this In∣scription, MARII VICTORIAE, that is, To the Victory of Marius.

Mr. Cambden, who draws all Antiquities to the Romans, saith, That another ma∣king mention of this Stone (who that other is he tells us not) saith, It was not in∣scribed, Marii Victoriae, but Marti Victori, and this, he saith, may better content some, and seemeth to come nearer to Truth.

But however it may please some, vet it is absolutely against the meaning of Malmsbury, who immediately adds; What this Inscription should mean, I know not, unless part of the Cimbri should inhabit these Places, after they were driven out of Italy by Marius the Consul, of whom Ranulphus maketh mention in his Polycro∣nicon.

This is Malmsbury's guess, as being certain it was Marii Victoriae, not Marti Vi∣ctori, and having never seen the British History, he gave it to that Consul rather than no body, little thinking how improbable it was, that a Nation driven from its Coun∣try, should raise Trophies to their Conquerour.

But if it must be Marii Victoriae, Mr. Cambden hath a Roman of that name to fix it upon, namely, MARIUS, who was proclaimed Emperour against Gallienus, a Man of wonderful strength, insomuch that it was written of him, That he had no Veins in his Fingers, but all Sinews, saith Mr. Cambden (but who they are he again nameth not) and attributes this Inscription to him, and so let it be, for what Victory could ever slip from the hands of so nervous a Person?

King Marius died in the year of Grace 132, and was Interr'd at Carlile, he left the * 1.4 Kingdom to his Son Coyll.

COYLL in his youth had been educated at Rome, where he employed his time in learning the Sciences, and the discipline of War. He loved the Romans, and was by them highly esteemed and honoured, so that paying his Tribute, and receiving their Protection, he filled out a long, just and peaceable Reign, governing Britain 54 years, to the fifth year of Commodus the Emperour, when we shall hear of his Son LUCIUS, the first Christian Prince of the British Line, till whose daies the British Histories are silent, there being nothing else memorable in the life of this Coyll, save that some ascribe to him the building of Colchester in Essex, which work others give to a later Coyll, which reigned next after Asclepeodotuis

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ann. Dom. 80.
• * 1.2

  Bishop Usher.
• * 1.3

  William of Malmsbury.
• * 1.4

  An. Dom. 132.