As in the map I have adopted the Anglo-Saxon names of places, I have subjoined, for the convenience of the reader, the modern appellations of the same places, in alphabetical order. When the difference is small, I have neglected it. Æbbanceaster. Ebchester. Æthelinga-igge. Ethelingey or Athelney. Etwalle. Welton or Walbottle. Amfleot. Ambleteuse. Angles-ege. Anglesey. Bancorn. Bangor. Barwe. Barton or Barrow. Bebbanburh. Bambrough. Beoferlic. Beverley. Beornice. Inhabitants to the north of the Tees. Bonogia. Boulogne. Bradanford. Bradford. Byrcing. Barking. Cantwaraburh. Canterbury. Cissanceaster. Chichester. Clofeshoe. Abingdon. Coludesburh. Coldingham. Conceaster. Chester-le-street. Cridiantun. Crediton. Cwentowic. Etaples. Derawuda. In the neighbourhood of Beverley. Dere. The Deiri, between the Humber and the Tees. Deomod. Demetia, the south part of Wales. Domuc. Dunwich. Dunholm. Durham. Elig. Ely. Eoferwic. York. Exanceaster. Exeter. Gent. Ghent in Flanders. Girwum. Jarrow. Gleaweceaster. Glocester. Glestyngbyrig. Glastonbury. Grantebrige. Cambridge. Hagulstad. Hexham. Hefenfelth. Heavenfield near Hexham. Heortea. Hartlepool. Hripum. Rippon. Hrofceaster. Rochester. Hweallæge, Whalley. Læstinga-ea. Near Whitby. Licetfeld. Lichfield. Loidis. Leeds. Mailras. Melros. Maldulfesburh. Malmsbury. Manigceaster. Manchester. Maserfeld. Generally supposed to be Oswestry. From Bede's words I am inclined to prefer Winwick. Medhamstad or Medeshamstede. Peterborough. Wielea. Wells. Wigraceaster. Worcester. Wintanceaster. Winchester. The situation of Calcuith is unknown. Perhaps it Chelsey. may be Chriftianity introduced into Britain-the conquefts of the Saxonstheir converfion-conduct of the miffionaries-controverfies reSpeding Eafter. AT the commencement of the christian era, Britain was the principal seat of the Druidical superstition. By whom, and at what period, the natives were converted to christianity, are subjects of interesting but doubtful inquiry (1). If we may believe the testimony of an ancient and respectable historian, they were indebted for this invaluable blessing, to the zeal of some among the (1) For the time, we are often referred to the words of Gildas, (tempore, ut scimus, summo Tiberii Cæsaris. Gild. de excid. Brit. edit. Bertram. p. 71) but a diligent perusal will shew that the writer alludes to the first preaching of the gospel in the Roman empire, not to the conversion of Britain. first disciples of Christ (2). The names of the mission ries he thought proper to omit: but the omission, h been amply supplied by the industry of more moder writers. With the aid of legends, traditions, and cor jectures, they have discovered that St Peter and St Pau St Simon and St James, severally preached in Britain and that after their departure, the pious undertaking w continued by the labours of Aristobulus, and Joseph Arimathea (3). To notice the evidence which has bee adduced in support of these fables, would be superfluou In an age of less discernment, they could hardly obtai credit: in the present they may be deservedly neglected If it be true that, at this early period, any of th Britons embraced the doctrine of the gospel, we ma safely pronounce their number to have been inconsidera ble, and must look to some later epocha for the mor general diffusion of religious knowledge. By the nativ (2) See Eusebius, (Dem. Evang. 1. i. c. 7.) who informs us, tha the apostles not only preached to the nations on the continent, bu passed the ocean and visited the British isles, (Yπ τον ωκεαν παρελθειν επι τας καλεμένας Βρεττανικας νησές.) Theodoret ap pears to assert the same, though his words may admit a wider in terpretation. Οι δε ημέτεροι αλιείς & μόνον της Ρωμαίες αλλά και Βρεττανες-δεξασθαι τε σταυρωθέντος τες νόμες ανεπείσαν. Theod Tom. iv. p. 610. (3) The original testimonies are carefully collected by Usher (De Brit. Eccl. primord. p. 1—30.) The catholic polemics wer anxious to prove that the British church was founded by St Peter (Parsons, Three conver. vol. i. p. 7. fol. 1688. Broughton, Eccles hist. p. 68. Alford, Annal. Tom. i. p. 26, 39, 49,) and the pro testant objected with equal zeal the rival pretensions of St Paul (Godwin, De prim. Brit. conver. p. 5. Stillingfleet, Orig. Brit. p 37.) The former relied on the treacherous authority of Meta phrastes: the latter on the ambiguous and hyperbolical expres sions of a few more ancient writers. |