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determined to besiege the tower； and after a year's preparation；
advanced towards it； with the whole number of their ships； and all
the women； one ship only excepted； which had been wrecked； and in
which were thirty men； and as many women； but when all had disem…
barked on the shore which surrounded the tower； the sea opened and
swallowed them up。 Ireland； however； was peopled； to the present
period； from the family remaining in the vessel which was wrecked。
Afterwards； other came from Spain； and possessed themselves of
various parts of Britain。
＇1＇ V。R。 Partholomaeus； or Bartholomaeus。
＇2＇ A blank is here in the MS。 Agnomen is found in some of the
others。
14。 Last of all came one Hoctor；＇1＇ who continued there； and whose
descendants remain there to this day。 Istoreth； the son of
Istorinus； with his followers； held Dalrieta； Buile had the island
Eubonia； and other adjacent places。 The sons of Liethali＇2＇ obtained
the country of the dimetae； where is a city called Menavia；＇3＇ and
the province Guiher and Cetgueli； ＇4＇ which they held till they
were expelled from every part of Britain； by Cunedda and his sons。
＇1＇ V。R。 Damhoctor； Clamhoctor； and Elamhoctor。
＇2＇ V。R。 Liethan； Bethan； Vethan。
＇3＇ St。 David's。
＇4＇ Guiher； probably the Welsh district Gower。 Cetgueli is Caer
Kidwelly； in Carmarthenshire。
15。 According to the most learned among the Scots； if any one
desires to learn what I am now going to state； Ireland was a
desert； and uninhabited； when the children of Israel crossed the
Red Sea； in which； as we read in the Book of the Law； the Egyptians
who followed them were drowned。 At that period； there lived among
this people； with a numerous family； a Scythian of noble birth；
who had been banished from his country and did not go to pursue
the people of God。 The Egyptians who were left； seeing the
destruction of the great men of their nation； and fearing lest he
should possess himself of their territory； took counsel together；
and expelled him。 Thus reduced； he wandered forty…two years in
Africa； and arrived； with his family； at the altars of the Philis…
tines； by the Lake of Osiers。 Then passing between Rusicada and
the hilly country of Syria； they travelled by the river Malva
through Mauritania as far as the Pillars of Hercules； and crossing
the Tyrrhene Sea； landed in Spain； where they continued many years；
having greatly increased and multiplied。 Thence； a thousand and
two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea； they passed
into Ireland； and the district of Dalrieta。* At that period； Brutus；
who first exercised the consular office； reigned over the Romans；
and the state； which before was governed by regal power； was
afterwards ruled； during four hundred and forty…seven years； by
consuls； tribunes of the people； and dictators。
* North…western part of Antrim in Ulster。
The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world； and in
the fourth； the Scots took possession of Ireland。
The Britons who； suspecting no hostilities； were unprovided with
the means of defence； were unanimously and incessantly attacked；
both by the Scots from the west； and by the Picts from the north。
A long interval after this； the Romans obtained the empire of the
world。
16。 From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain； to the
fourth year of king Mermenus； are computed four hundred and twenty
eight years； from the nativity of our Lord to the coming of St。
Patrick among the Scots； four hundred and five years； from the
death of St。 Patrick to that of St。 Bridget； forty years； and from
the birth of Columeille＇1＇ to the death of St Bridget four years。＇2＇
＇1＇ V。R。 Columba。
＇2＇ Some MSS。 add； the beginning of the calculation is 23 cycles
of 19 years from the incarnation of our Lord to the arrival of
St。 Patrick in Ireland； and they make 438 years。 And from the
arrival of St。 Patrick to the cycle of 19 years in which we live
are 22 cycles； which make 421 years。
17。 I have learned another account of this Brutus from the ancient
books of our ancestors。* After the deluge； the three sons of Noah
severally occupied three different parts of the earth： Shem extended
his borders into Asia； Ham into Africa； and Japheth in Europe。
* This proves the tradition of Brutus to be older than Geoffrey
or Tyssilio； unless these notices of Brutus have been interpolated
in the original work of Nennius。
The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus； with his three sons；
Hisicion； Armenon； and Neugio。 Hisicion had four sons； Francus；
Romanus； Alamanus； and Brutus。 Armenon had five sons； Gothus；
Valagothus； Cibidus； Burgundus； and Longobardus。 Neugio had three
sons； Vandalus； Saxo； and Boganus。 From Hisicion arose four
nationsthe Franks； the Latins； the Germans； and Britons： from
Armenon； the Gothi； Balagothi； Cibidi； Burgundi； and Longobardi：
from Neugio； the Bogari； Vandali； Saxones； and Tarinegi。 The
whole of Europe was subdivided into these tribes。
Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir；* Fethuir； the son
of Ogomuin； who was the son of Thoi； Thoi was the son of Boibus；
Boibus of Semion； Semion of Mair； Mair of Ecthactus； Ecthactus of
Aurthack； Aurthack of Ethec； Ethec of Ooth； Ooth of Aber； Aber of
Ra； Ra of Esraa； Esraa of Hisrau； Hisrau of Bath； Bath of Jobath；
Jobath of Joham； Joham of Japheth； Japheth of Noah； Noah of Lamech；
Lamech of Mathusalem； Mathusalem of Enoch； Enoch of Jared； Jared
of Malalehel； Malalehel of Cainan； Cainan of Enos； Enos of Seth；
Seth of Adam； and Adam was formed by the living God。 We have
obtained this information respecting the original inhabitants of
Britain from ancient tradition。
* This genealogy is different in almost all the MSS。
18。 The Britons were thus called from Brutus： Brutus was the son
of Hisicion； Hisicion was the son of Alanus； Alanus was the son
of Rhea Silvia； Fhea Silvia was the daughter of Numa Pompilius；
Numa was the son of Ascanius； Ascanius of Eneas； Eneas of Anchises；
Anchises of Troius； Troius of Dardanus； Dardanus of Flisa； Flisa
of Juuin； Juuin of Japheth； but Japheth had seven sons； from the
first named Gomer； descended the Galli； from the second； Magog； the
Scythi and Gothi； from the third； Madian； the Medi； from the fourth；
Juuan； the Greeks； from the fifth； Tubal； arose the Hebrei； Hispani；
and Itali； from the sixth； Mosoch； sprung the Cappadoces； and from
the seventh； named Tiras； descended the Thraces： these are the sons
of Japheth； the son of Noah； the son of Lamech。
19。* The Romans； having obtained the dominion of the world； sent
legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of them hostages and
tribute； which they received from all other countries and islands；
but they； fierce； disdainful； and haughty； treated the legation
with contempt。
* Some MSS。 add； I will now return to the point from which I made
this digression。
Then Julius Caesar； the first who had acquired absolute power at
Rome； highly incensed against the Britons； sailed with sixty
vessels to the mouth of the Thames； where they suffered shipwreck
whilst he fought against Dolobellus； （the proconsul of the British
king； who was called Belinus； and who was the son of Minocannus
wh