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SPECVLVM BRITANIAE.
The first part, conteining a briefe Historicall and Chorographicall discription of MYDDLESEX.
HAuing thus briefely touched the generall, I purpose to proceede to the particular descriptions of this out BRITANIA: wherein (imitating the artificial Painter, who beginneth alwaies at the head, the principall part of the bodie:) I thought it not vnfit to begin my Speculum Britaniae with MYDDLESEX,* 1.1 which aboue all other Shyres is graced, with that chiefe and head Citie LONDON: which as an adamant draweth vnto it all the other parts of the land, and aboue the rest is most vsuallie ferquented with hir Maiesties most regall presence.
Of MIDDLESEX, and of the Trinobantes.
IT is called MIDDLESEX of the mid∣dle Saxons,* 1.2 for that they inhabited that part betweene the East Saxons, West Saxons, and South Saxons.
MIDDLESEX was a percel of that countrey wherin (as Caesar saith) dwel∣led the Trinobantes whom Ptolomy cal∣leth Trinoantes, omitting the b.* 1.3 some call them Trinouantes, putting u. for b.
The chiefe Citie of these Trino∣bantes, was then called Trinobantum,* 1.4 of some held to be Colchester of some London; Beede saith that London was the chiefe Citie of the East Saxons, If so, then of necessitie, of the Middle saxons, and consequently of the Trinobantes; yet Tacitus saith, that London was not Trinobantum; nor the people Trinobantes, neere London, and his reason is that if the Trinobantes had beene neere London, they would not haue suffered Suetonius to haue passed thither; which argument Humfrey Lloyde seemeth to confute in this manner.* 1.5 The Trinobantes (saith he) being Suetonius enemies, would haue as well preuented him in the inner part of the countrey, as neere London, considering that Suetonius came from the Isle of Anglesey, marching through the whole countrey. So that in what place so∣euer the Trinobantes were resident, they could not be ignorant of his passage.