Page:Chronicles of the Picts, chronicles of the Scots, and other early memorials of Scottish history.djvu/117

 PEEFACE. cix The Scots first appear in the year 360, as one of The Scots. the barbaric tribes who then assailed the Roman province in Britain, and continued to ravage it till they were finally driven back by Theodosius in 369, and the Roman province restored. The language of Claudian leaves no room to doubt that these Scots came from Ireland, and again returned to Ireland when the province was finally freed from their ravages. They again joined the Picts in their in- cursions upon the Roman province after Maximus, who usurped the empire, had left the country ; but the language of Gildas, who records these incursions, is equally clear that these Scots likewise came from Ireland, and again returned to Ireland. While he describes the Picts as coming ab aquilone, i.e., the regions north of the Roman wall, he adds that the Scots came a circione, that is from a more westerly direction ; and he concludes by saying, that while the Picts settled down in the country, the Scots, whom he denominates "Hiberni grassatores," re- turned home. The first permanent settlement of the Scots, for which there is any real basis in historic record, is the colony led from Irish Dalriada by the three sons of Ere, Lorn, Fergus, and Angus. Flann Mainis- treach and Tighernac record this, and know of no other, nor is any other mentioned in any authentic document. The allusions to earlier settlements which occur in Irish legends may all be referred to the two occasions above mentioned, when the Scots