Volume 1

The beauties of Ireland. Being original delineations, topographical, historical, and biographical, of each county / By J.N. Brewer. Illustrated with engravings, by J. & H.S. Storer, after original drawings, chiefly by Mr. Petrie.

  • Brewer, J. N. (James Norris)
Date:
1825-1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The beauties of Ireland. Being original delineations, topographical, historical, and biographical, of each county / By J.N. Brewer. Illustrated with engravings, by J. & H.S. Storer, after original drawings, chiefly by Mr. Petrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    56/718 (page 38)
    Richard of Cirencester* has bequeathed to posterity a map and description of Ireland, differing considerably from the table of the Egyptian geographer. Positions widely dissimilar are ascribed to several of the tribes, or nations. It remains to be ascertained whether these variations proceeded from a want of due information in the more recent writer, or whether internal wars had really effected vicissitudes so conspicuous in territorial possession. Many Irish historical manuscripts are now under a course of more attentive examination, amongst able Gaelic scho- lars, than they have hitherto experienced ; and it will be a source of much interest with the antiquarian part of the public , if any of those writings should be found to convey intelligence. illustrative of the geographical delineations of Ptolemy an Richard. As the work of the latter author has not been introduced to general notice in Ireland, a brief analysis of the part which relates to this country may, not be unacceptable. 4 Ireland, according to this writer, was “ formerien inhabited by twenty tribes, of whom fourteen lived on the coast. This, in the opinion of Richard, << is the true country of the Scots, who, emigrating from hence (Britain) added a third nation to the Bri- tons and Picts in Albion.” He proceeds to observe that he cannot agree with Bede, who. affirms tha' ythe Scots were fo- reigners, but “ conceives that they derived their origin from Britain, passed over from thence, and speained a settlement. in this Island. It is certain that the Damnii, Voluntii, Brigantes, _ Cangi, and other nations. were descended from the Britons.” | In what is termed by Richard “a description of ‘the island * Richard, usually termed Richard of Cirencester, from the place of his birth, was a monk of St. Peter’s, Westminster, and lived in the fours teenth century. His work, entitled: De Situ Britannia, contains an Itinerary of Britain, which he states to have been collected from antient records, now lost. In his map of Ireland he profits by the later intelli- gence he possessed, and introduces the “ Scotti,’’ which word does not occur in the map of Ptolemy. But it will be observed that he considers the Scotias a distinct People, having a determinate position amongst the other tribes, or nations, of Ireland, though he is desirous of deriving their origin from Britain,