Page:Essays ethnological and linguistic.djvu/50

38 it was called Y Vel Ynys (the honey Isle). And after the people were formed into a commonwealth by Prydain, the Son of Aedd Mawr (the Great) it was denominated Ynys Prydain (the Isle of Prydain or Britain). And no one has any right to it but the tribe of the Cymri, for they first settled in it, and before that time no persons lived there, but it was full of bears, wolves and bisons. Triad I.

The three social tribes of the Isle of Britain.

The first was the tribe of the Cymry that came with Hu Gadarn (the mighty) into the Isle of Britain, because he would not possess a country and lands by fighting and persecution but justly and in peace."

(Here we may observe by way of note that this seems evidently an acknowledgment that the mighty Hu had been driven away from his former country and lands by fighting and persecution.)

"The second was the tribe of the Lloegrians (the dwellers about the Loire or Liger) who came from the land of Gwasgwyn, or Gwas Gwynt (the country of the Veneti about the mouth of the Liger or Loire where the Britons sent assistance to their relations against Cæsar. Compare triad 14 with Cæsar B. G. 3. § 8, 9) and they were descended from the primitive tribe of the Cymry.

The third were the Brython, who came from the land of Llydaw (Letavia or Lexovia the waterside). And these were also descended from the primitive tribe of the Cymry.

These (say the triads) were called the three peaceful tribes, because they came by mutual consent and permission in peace and tranquillity, and these three tribes had sprung from the primitive race of the Cymry and the three were of one language and one speech."

Such are the traditionary records of the Cymri, which I repeat appear to me entitled to be considered trustworthily historical, as detailed in the various works on the subject. See especially the Cambro-Briton 3 Vols, and the Ecclesiastical Antiquities by the Rev. John Williams. 1844. They show I think further the truth of Cæsar's statement that having been driven away from their former country by the German Belgæ, they were afterwards followed by them into this island and were then subjected to a succession of contests which they had in vain sought to escape by coming hither. Thus driven on by their foes to the West of England, I next attempt to show that they fell in there with