35 



Irish, as Scots or Scythians ; and these were followed by Gildas, 

 Nenius, and otiiers. These synonimous denominations, thus early 

 introduced, so generally used, and so long continued, must have 

 had some motive for their origin ; and, in the endeavour to account 

 for them, I must advert to tribes, which, in a subsequent part of 

 this tract, wll be noticed in their proper order. 



These tribes originally were situated upon the coasts of Germany 

 and Gaul, and the cause Avas obvious. They were traders in 

 Gaul and Britain ; and the descendants of those maritime tribes also 

 settled upan the S. E. and W. coasts of Ireland, and pursued the 

 same occupations. Hence, probably for the purpose of trade, the 

 origin of Walling,^*- or Gaoilach-street ; which was constructed at 

 an early period, and extended from Dover to Cardigan in South 

 "Wales.^^- Accordingly Tacitus informs us, that ' the harbours and 

 approaches to the Irish coast were well known to the merchapts 

 resorting thither for the sake of commerce.**" Hence the informa- 



p 2 



84. Whit. Man. v. 1. p. 103. 105. ' The Watling-street, tlierefore, was originally de- 

 nominated by the British Sarn Guethelin, or the way of the Irish : and the Ikening-street 

 was equally denoaiinated Sarn Ikenin, or the way of the Iceni." 



• Both those roads must have been begun by the Belgae of the S. counties ; and, what is 

 very extraordinarj', both appear plainly to have commenced from the south, p, 106. 

 The Cantii opened a communication with the NW. parts of Britain and the colonists of Ire- 

 land, that they might receive from them those supplies of cattle, which tlie Irish must then 

 have furnished in a considerable degree ; and such was equally the object of the Ikening 

 street.' 



P. 105. ' But the BelgEe were strongly actuated by 3 commercial spirit, and pursued its 

 directions so vigorously, that, within a century from their first entrance into the island, the 

 most Westerly tribes of them carried on a considerable trade with the Phenicians ; and all 

 of them afterward a much greater with the Romans of Narboane and the Greeks of 

 Marseilles.' 



85. Gibson, Explic. Norainura & locorum in Chron. Sax. 



88. Tac. Agricol. Vita Sect. 2i. ' Melius aditus portusque per cornraercia & negotiatores 

 cogni ti. 



