PAULUS OROSIUS. A.D. 416.

THE ocean-island, Britain, extends in length northwards. To the south lies Gaul, passing along whose nearest coast we find the city and port of Rhutubus [Richborough*] ; from this, not far off, and lying to the south, are the nations of the Moreni, Menapii, and Batavii. This island is in length eight hundred miles, and in breadth two hundred ; and behind, in the boundless ocean, are the islands of the Orcades, twenty of which are deserted, and thirteen inhabited. Beyond is the island Thule, separated from the others by an immense distance, and situated in the middle of the ocean, but not of much note. The island Hibernia lies between Britain and Spain, and extends from the south in a northerly direction. Of these places the former inclines towards the Bay of Biscay and city of Brigantia, in Callecia, run-fling from the south in a circular direction to the space between it and the principal promontory, where the mouth of the river Scene is, and where stand Velabria and Lucenia. This island is nearer Britain, but smaller, and possesses a more useful and temperate climate and soil, and is inhabited by a nation of Scots.^** Next to it is the island Mevania,⁺ of no inconsiderable extent, and possessing a tolerably fertile soil ; it is also inhabited by a tribe of Scots.

* Near Dover.

** The ancient name of Ireland was Scotia, and its inhabitants were called Scots till the 9th century.

+The Isle of Man.

EX PAULO OROSIO. LIB. I.

BRITANIA Oceani insula per longum in boream extenditur. A meridie Gallias habet, cujus proximum littus transmeantibus civitas aperit, quae dicitur Rhutubi portus ; unde haud procul a Morinis, in austro posito Menapios, Batavosque prospectat. Haec insula habet in longo millia passuum octingenta ; in lato millia ducenta ; a tergo autem, unde Oceano infinito patet, Orcades insulas habet, quarum viginti desertae sunt, tredecim coluntur. Deinde insula Thule, quae per infinitum a caeteris separata, circium versus medio sita Oceani, vix paucis nota habetur . Hibernia insula, inter Britanniam et Hespaniam sita, longiore ab africo iii boream spatio porrigitur. Hujus partes priores intentw Cantabrico oceano, Brigantiam, Calleciae civitatem, ab africo sibi in circium occurrentem, spatioso intervallo procul spectant, ab eo praecipue promontorio, ubi Sceme fluminis ostium est, et Velabri Lucenique consistunt. Haec propior Britannhe, spatio terrarum angustior ; sed coeli solique temperie magis utiis, a Scotorum gentibus colitur. Huic etiam Mevania insula proxima est, et ipsa spatio non parva, solo commoda; aeque a Scotorum gentibus habitatur.

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