Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/145

 made so strong with one small entrance, that whosoever came thither first, were he one or two, or like few, he or they might there rest safe, and defend themselves against many, till more succour came unto them: and when they were gathered to a sufficient number, they marched to the next fort, and so forward till they met with the perill, or knew the occasions thereof. But besides these two sorts of hills, there were anciently divers others; for some were raised, where there had been a great battle fought, as a memory or trophie thereof; others, as monuments of burialls, of the carcasses of all those that were slaine in any field, upon whom they did throwe such round mounts, as memorialls of them, and sometimes did cast up great heapes of stones, (as you may read the like in many places of the Scripture,) and other whiles they did throw up many round heapes of earth in a circle, like a garland, or pitch many long stones on end in compasse, every of which (they say) betokened some person of note there slaine and buried; for this was their auncient custome, before Christianity came in amongst them, that church-yards were inclosed.

Eudox. You have very well declared the originall of their mounts and great stones incompassed, which some vainely terme the ould Giants Trevetts, and thinke that those huge stones would not else be brought into order or reared up, without the strength of gyants. And others vainely thinke that they were