An essay towards illustrating the ancient history of the Britannic Isles containing an explanation of the names Belgæ, Scythæ, Celtæ, Brittanni, Albanich, Erinnich, Caledonii, Siluri, &c., &c. : Intended as a preface to a work entitled, A vindication of the ancient history of Ireland / By C.V. [ie. Charles Vallancey].

  • Vallancey, Charles, 1721-1812.
Date:
1786
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay towards illustrating the ancient history of the Britannic Isles containing an explanation of the names Belgæ, Scythæ, Celtæ, Brittanni, Albanich, Erinnich, Caledonii, Siluri, &c., &c. : Intended as a preface to a work entitled, A vindication of the ancient history of Ireland / By C.V. [ie. Charles Vallancey]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/48 (page 21)
    / [ *1 ] Who, for diftindlion fake, named another If!and on the Weft coaft of Scotland itf'Q Bua, i. e. Occafus Solis, whence Ai, regio, infula Sc Bua, formed the name Euboea, both on that coaft and in the Mediter- rannean, their lituation being all to the weftward; hence Bua Saca, the Weftern Navigators, or Bafques, or Bafcanians of Spain, a name given them by the Tyrians, from their being the firft navigators to the Weft, a name they gloried in and ftill preferve. In vain, therefore, do the Scots and Irifh endea¬ vour to boaft of their antiquity over each other; both were in pofteftion of the Britannic Iftes at the fame time ; both were driven to their prefent abodes in the fame inftant. One, inhabiting the Eaftern Mand, called himfelf Albanich; the other, inhabiting the Weftern Iftand, properly named himfelf Iarnach, or Eirineach ; but both preferved the general name of Gaedhl, or blZ Gadul, i. e. the defcendants of Ja- phet, by Magog, to diftinguifh themielves from the Sons of Gomer, &c. with whom they mixed in their migrations* In vain do the Scots make a diftindtioi* betwixt Gaodhal and Gael; their anceftors wrote it Gaedal and Gaodhal, as the Irifh, but by 3. vicious pronunciation, not long introduced, the d was afpi- rated and loft its found ** Iar-ghael (properly Iar-gaedhil), fays Dr. Mac- “ pherfon, is that divifion of the Weftern Highlands “ which is partly comprehended within the County • ‘ of Argyle. It plainly fignifies the Weftern Gad, “ or Caledonians, in contradiftindtion to the Pidts and {S Chaledonians, who poftefled the Eaft coaft of Scot- ts land.” Can there be a ftronger proof of qur deri¬ vation of the name Caledonia ? * By Gal or Gall, the Erfe and Irifti mean a foreigner; hence, in all their writings, (iall an Englifhman or low country Scotch¬ man ; Galldachd, the low country of Scotland. (See Shawe’s Di£t. of the Erie andlriili.) Guuidhyl, Scotia et Hibernia. Lexi¬ con Geogr, Ferrarii, B 3 u They'