When the Romans first invaded Britain, there was hardly in the island any thing anfwering to our ideas of a city or town*. The dwellings of the Britons were scattered over the country, like thofe of the ancient Germans, and generally fituated on the brink of fome rivulet, for the fake of water, and on the fkirt of fome wood or foreft, for the convenience of hunting, and pasture for their cattle, Tacit. mor. G. 16. For, when invaded by the Romans, moft of the inhabitants of the interior parts of Britain lived on milk and flesh, without corn; and had no clothing but skins f. The To fecure their conquefts, and to accuftom the vanquished to the Roman manners, they planted colonies in different parts, as at York, Lincoln, and Chefler; The first colony planted in Britain was at CAMELODUNUM, Tacit. Annal. xii. 32. which Camden and Horfely think was the fame with Malden in Effex: fome fuppofe it to have been at Colebefter. Other places they made municipia, that is, they granted to the inhabitants the privileges of Roman citizens; as to London, and Verulam near St Alban's, which in confequence of this advantage fuddenly increased in opulence and population; to fuch a degree, that in the great revolt under Boadicea, in thefe two towns alone no fewer than feventy thoufand were flain on account of their attachment to the Romans, Tacit. Annal. ziv. 33. So great progrefs did the Britons make in agriculture and the other arts under the Romans, that they did not recover the effects of the devastation which fucceeded the departure of the Romans for feveral hundred years. * The Britons called by that name a thick wood fortified by a rampart and for ditch to fecure them against the incurfions of an enemy. Caf. b. G. v. 17. f. 21. Having cut down the trees, they formed a circle, where they built cottages themfelves, and hovels for their cattle, Strab. iv. 400. The houfes of the Britons, like thofe of the ancient Germans, confifted only of a few stakes driven into the ground, interwoven with wattles, and covered over with the boughs of trees. Tact. de mor. G. 46. According to Diodorus, they were constructed of wood, and covered with ftraw, v. 21. as it is thought, in a circular form, with high tapering roofs, and an opening at top, as thofe of the Gauls, Strab. iv. 197. Hence the first tone-edifices, of which there are still fome remains in the western ifles, were built in the form of a circle, and have a large aperture at the top. The inhabitants of Cantium had learned from the Gauls to build houfes fomewhat more fubitantial and convenient. Caf. b. G. v. 10. f. 12. † Tacitus reprefents the foil of Britain as fertile in grain, and all kind of fruits, except the olive and vine, and fuch fruits, as require a warmer fun. Vegetation, he obferves, is quick in fhooting up, but flow in coming to maturity; both owing to the great moisture of the ground and of the atmosphere. Agric. 12. All the Britons painted their bodies with woad, (vitrum vel glaftum,) which gave them a bluish appearance, and a more dreadful afpe&t in battle.-They wore their hair long, and fhaved all the other parts of their body, except their head and upper lip. There was a community of wives, especially among brothers, and other near relations. The children were fuppofed to belong to those by whom each had been married when a virgin. Dio Caffius fays their children alfo were brought up in common, lxii. 6. lxxvi. 12. & 16.-They ufed either brafs or iron rings, adjusted to a certain weight, for money. Cæfar mentions neither gold nor filver in Britain, B. G. v. 10. f. 12. and Cicero fays he had been informed, probably by his brother Quintus, that there was none in it, ep. Fam, vii, 7.; Att. iv. 16. But Strabo fays it produced both, iv. 199. So Tacitus The principal ftrength of the British forces confifted in infantry; although they alfo had a numerous cavalry; and fome nations likewife fought from chariots (currus, effeda v. covini; unde ESSEDARII vel COVINARII, vocabantur, qui inde pugnabant,) armed with fcythes, Mela. iii. 6. which they managed with great dexterity. The chieftains managed the reins, while their dependents fought from the chariot *, Tacit. Agric. 12. Diodor. v. 21. The Tacitus, Agric. 12. Suetonius imputes Cæfar's invafion of Britain to his hope of obtaining pearls, (margarita v. uniones,) 57. which Pliny informs us were found on different parts of the coast, ix. 35. but, as Tacitus obferves, of a dark and livid colour, Agric. 12. There was plenty of timber of all kinds, except the beech and fir. Most of the country indeed was covered with wood.—It was reckoned unlawful to taste of hare, fowl, (gallina) or goofe; although they bred thefe animals for the fake of faucy and pleasure. Dio Caflius relates, what is hardly credible, that they in like manner abftained from fish, lxxvi. 12. The climate of Britain is faid to have been more temperate than that of Gaul. Cafar. ib. The Britons were remarkable for their fize, according to Strabo, (who men tions his having feen them, iv. 200.) exceeding the tallest perfous at Rome by half a foot; but ill fet on their limbs, and clumfy in their make. They had blue or azure-coloured eyes, (Carula lumina,) and yellow hair, Ib. as the Ger mans, Juvenal. xiii. 164. but lefs yellow (hroor Eavdorpixes) than the Gauls. Strab. ib. The Caledonians had ruddy hair, which, with their large limbs, Tacitus obferves, indicated a German origin. The fwarthy or olive-coloured complexion and curled hair of the Silures, together with the fituation of their country, oppofite to Spain, rendered it probable that they were fprung from a colony of Iberians.-Similarity of customs, temper, and language fhewed that the parts of Britain next to Gaul were peopled from thence. Tacit. Agric. 11. The remarkable figure of the Britons, as well as their being a newly conquered enemy, feems to have induced the Romans to exhibit them in the fcenery on the ftage; Virg. G. iii 25. being reprefented on the purple curtains, (intexti, interwoven in the cloth,) which on the Roman theatre, contrary to our custom, uted to be raised (tolli) from the flooring to the top; where the figures appeared to rife gradually with the curtain, as it is beautifully defcribed by Ovid, Met. iii. 111. whence the Britons themselves are faid to raise these curtains, Virg. ib. Poflibly fome captives or flaves of that nation were alfo employed for this purpofe; for the words of Virgil, in the opinion of Servius, convey both thefe fenfes. Servius however is mistaken in afcribing to Auguftus the conqueft of Britain. * Cæfar, in defcribing the British mode of fighting from chariots, B. G. iv. 29.. 33. appears to differ fomewhat from Tacitus. The ancient Britons, except the Druids, were all trained to arms, and even their youthful diverfions were ufually of a martial kind. Solinus informs us, c. 22. that when a woman in Britain brought forth a male child, he laid its firft food upon the husband's fword, and with the point gently put it within the infant's mouth, praying to her country deities, that his death might in like manner be in the midst of arms. But this must be understood of the dirk or dagger, Dio. lxxvi. 12. for the Britens, at leaft the Caledonians, used a broad-fword without a point, Tacit. Agric. 36.; Veget. i. 12. Befides the fword and dirk, they had alfo a fpear, with which they fometimes fought hand to hand, and fometimes ufed it as a miffile weapon, with a thong fixed to it for recovering it again; and at the butt end a round ball of brafs, filled with pieces of metal, to make a noife when they en gaged The cruel policy of the Romans in difarming the inhabitants of the conquered provinces, produced a wonderful change of character in the Britons; which the artful conduct of Agricola contributed greatly to accelerate. After building caftles and forts in proper places through the diftricts which had submitted, he ufed every poffible method to habituate the natives to the arts of peace, by exhorting them in private, and aiding them in public, to build temples, courts of justice, and commodious dwelling houfes. The children of the chief men he caused to be inftructed in the liberal arts, and is faid to have preferred the genius of the Britons to the learning of the Gauls. Thus thofe who lately difdained the Roman language, grew fond of its beauties, Tacit. Agric. 21. The Roman habit began to be refpected, and the toga became fashionable. By degrees they acquired a tafte for thofe refinements which ftimulate to vice, (delinimenta vitiorum,) porticos, baths, and elegant entertainments; and what constituted part of their flavery was, through inexperience, termed by them humanity or politenefs, Tacit. ib. Thus the Britons, after being fubjected to the Roman yoke, although greatly increafed in numbers, and improved in point of domeftic enjoyment, funk in a short time. from being one of the bravest of nations into feebleness and gaged with cavalry, Dio. ib. Herodian. iii. 14. & 46. Some instead of spears were armed with bows and arrows. They had no defenfive armour, but small light fhields or targets, (breves cetra,) made of ofiers or boards covered over with leather, ib. Tacit. Agric. 36. The troops of the ancient Britons were not divided into diftin& corps, confifting each of a certain number of men, and commanded by officers of different ranks, like the Roman legions or our modern regiments; but the warriors of each clan or gens formed a feparate hand, commanded by its own chieftain, (DUX GENTIS,) Tacit. Ann. xii. 34. The feveral clans of one ftate were commanded by the fovereign (princeps vel rex) of that state. When feveral states formed a confederacy, they chofe by common confent a generaliffimo of the combined army. Such were Caffivellaunus, or Caffibellanus, against Cæfar, Caf b. G. v. 9. f. 1. Caractacus agamft Oftorius, Tacit. Ann. xii. 33. Boadicea against Suetonius, Ib. xiv. 31. and Galgacus against Agricola, Id. Agric. 29. Before battle the general ufed to harangue his troops; after which they commonly expreffed their alacrity by fongs, yells, and loud fhouts, Ib. 33. Then they rufhed forward to the attack with great fury, Tacit. Agric. 16. finging the war fong, as the Germans, Id. de mor. G. 2. But the impetuous courage of the Britons, could not withstand the fuperior arms and difcipline of the Romans. They were all therefore, after a long and obftinate conteft, obliged to yield, one ftate after another, except the Caledonians, who likewife, notwithstanding their ferocity, muft finally have been fubdued, had not the death of Severus fortunately preferved to them their independence. Hence Juvenal fays, Nunc totus Grajas, noftrafque babet orbis Athenas, (i. e. literature, Cic. Orat. i. 4.; Flacc. 26.) Gallia caufilicos docuit facienda Britannos; De conducendo loquitur jam rhetore Thule, xv, 112. 3 R effeminacy; effeminacy; fo that when the Romans left them, they were in a manner quite defencelefs, and thus became an easy prey to the first invaders. E Modern Divifions of ENGLAND. INGLAND is divided into the kingdom of England, and principality of Wales. England comprehends fix circuits, befides Middlefex and Chefhire, which belong to no circuit; the former being the feat of the fupreme courts of juftice, and the latter what is called a county-palatine, privileged with having its own judges. Counties. 1. Home Cir- 3. Kent, cuit. 4. Surry, 5. Suffex, Chief Towns. Chelmsford, Colchester, Harwich. fChichester, Lewes, Rye, Haftings, Eaft- 1. Bucks, or Buck-Buckingham, Aylesbury, Marlow. inghamshire, Bedford, Woburn, Dunflable. Ox-Oxford, Whitney, Dorchester. 17. Northampton, Circuits. Counties. 2. 5. Western Cir-3. Dorfet, cuit. 4. Somerset, 5. Devon, 6. Cornwall, 1. York, 2. Durham, 6. Northern 3. NorthumberCircuit. land, 4. Lancaster, Chief Towns. (Winchefter, Southampton, Portsmouth, York, Leeds, Wakefield, Halifax, Hull, Lancaster, Manchester, Prefton, Liver- 5. Westmoreland, [Appleby, Kendale, Longfdale. JCarlifle, Penrith, Cockermouth, White haven. (LONDON, N. lat. $1. 30. Westminster, Chefter, Nantwich, Macclesfield, Malpass 3. Carmarthen, 1 Chief Towns. Flint, St Afaph, Holywell. Beaumaris, Newburgh, Holyhead. Brecknock, Bealt, Hay. Cardiff, Landaff, Swanfey. Pembroke, St David's, Milfordhaven, Carmarthen, Kidwelly. Cardigan, Aberistwyth. The chief mountains in England are the hills of Westmoreland, the Malvern hills in Worcester, the Peek in Derby, Snowdon and Plenlimmon in Wales. The chief ports for the King's fhips are, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Deptford, and Chatham. The chief trading towns are, London, Bristol, Liverpool, and Hull; Birmingham is famous for hard-ware manufactures, buttons, buckles, &c.; Sheffield, for cutlery; Manchester for cottons, checks, dimitties, &c.; Norwich, for drug |