Nature hath given not only to the highest, but also to the
inferior, classes of the people of this nation, a boldness and
confidence in speaking and answering, even in the presence of their
princes and chieftains. The Romans and Franks had the same
faculty; but neither the English, nor the Saxons and Germans, from
whom they are descended, had it. It is in vain urged, that this
defect may arise from the state of servitude which the English
endured; for the Saxons and Germans, who enjoy their liberty, have
the same failing, and derive this natural coldness of disposition
from the frozen region they inhabit; the English also, although
placed in a distant climate, still retain the exterior fairness of
complexion and inward coldness of disposition, as inseparable from
their original and natural character. The Britons, on the
contrary, transplanted from the hot and parched regions of Dardania
into these more temperate districts, as
"Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt,"
still retain their brown complexion and that natural warmth of
temper from which their confidence is derived. For three nations,
remnants of the Greeks after the destruction of Troy, fled from
Asia into different parts of Europe, the Romans under AEneas, the
Franks under Antenor, and the Britons under Brutus; and from thence
arose that courage, that nobleness of mind, that ancient dignity,
that acuteness of understanding, and confidence of speech, for
which these three nations are so highly distinguished. But the
Britons, from having been detained longer in Greece than the other
two nations, after the destruction of their country, and having
migrated at a later period into the western parts of Europe,
retained in a greater degree the primitive words and phrases of
their native language. You will find amongst them the names Oenus,
Resus, AEneas, Hector, Achilles, Heliodorus, Theodorus, Ajax,
Evander, Uliex, Anianus, Elisa, Guendolena, and many others,
bearing marks of their antiquity. It is also to be observed, that
almost all words in the British language correspond either with the
Greek or Latin, as [Greek text which cannot be reproduced], water,
is called in British, dwr; [Greek text], salt, in British, halen;
[Greek text], eno, a name; [Greek text], pump, five; [Greek text],
deg, ten. The Latins also use the words fraenum, tripos, gladius,
lorica; the Britons, froyn (ffrwyn), trepet (tribedd), cleddyf, and
lluric (llurig); unicus is made unic (unig); canis, can (cwn); and
belua, beleu.
CHAPTER XVI
Concerning the soothsayers of this nation, and persons as it were
possessed
There are certain persons in Cambria, whom you will find nowhere
else, called Awenddyon, (24) or people inspired; when consulted
upon any doubtful event, they roar out violently, are rendered
beside themselves, and become, as it were, possessed by a spirit.
They do not deliver the answer to what is required in a connected
manner; but the person who skilfully observes them, will find,
after many preambles, and many nugatory and incoherent, though
ornamented speeches, the desired explanation conveyed in some turn
of a word:
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