NENNIUS’ HISTORY OF BRITAIN, A.D. 858.

GREAT BRITAIN.—CHAP. II.

IT takes its rise from the south west, inclining to the west, and to its northern extremity measures eight hundred miles, and in its breadth two hundred. In it are twenty-eight cities, a great many promontories, and castles innumerable, built of stones and bricks. It was anciently inhabited by four distinct nations, the Scots, Picts, Saxons and Britons. Three large islands belong to it, one of which lies opposite the coast of the Amorican people, and is called Inisgueith.* The second is placed in the middle of the sea between Ireland and Britain, and called by its name Eubonia⁺ The third is situated in the extreme limits of Britain beyond the Scots, and called Orkneys. Thus it was anciently said to be a proverbial expression in reference to its Rulers or Kings, " they ruled over Britain with its three islands."

EX NENNIO BANCHORENSIO COENOBIARCHÆ.

CAP. II.

Hæc consurgit ab Africo boreali ad occidentem versus octingentorum in longitudine millium, ducentorum in latitudine spatium habet. In ea sunt viginti octo civitates, et innumerabilia promontoria, cum innumeris castellis cx lapidibus et latere fabricatis ; in ea habitant quatuor gentes, Scotti, Picti, Saxones atque Brittones. Tres magnas insulas habet, quarum una vergit contra Armoricas, et vocatur Inisgueith ; secunda sita est in Hæc consurgit ab Africo boreali ad occidentem versus octingentorum in longitudine millium, ducentorum in latitudine spatium habet. In ea sunt viginti octo civitates, et innumerabilia promontoria, cum innumeris castellis cx lapidibus et latere fabricatis ; in ea habitant quatuor gentes, Scotti, Picti, Saxones atque Brittones. Tres magnas insulas habet, quarum una vergit contra Armoricas, et vocatur Inisgueith ; secunda sita est in umbiculo mans inter Hiberniam et Brittanniam, et vocatur nomen ejus Eubonia, id est Manau ; alia situ est in extremo limite orbis Brittanniæ ultra Pictos, et vocatur Ore. Sic in proverbio antiquo dicitur, quando de judicibus vel regibus sermo fuit, " Judicavit Brittanniam cum tribus insulis."

* Or Gueith ; the ancient name of the Isle of Wight.

+ Isle of Man.

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