312 SKETCH OF TFIE HISTORY OF THE 



They had one chief, or arch-druid, to whom the 

 whole order paid impHcit obedience ; and under 

 whofe directions their mofl: important affairs were 

 conducted *. He held an annual tribunal, to which 

 the people were regularly affembled, and in all 

 caufes fubmittcd to his judgment, his determination 

 was conclufive, and from it the parties could have 

 no appeal. After the death of the arch-druid, the 

 next in dignity and reputation, decided by a ma- 

 joiity of votes of the inferior orders, fucceedcd to 

 his high office f. 



The employment in which the druids were chiefly 

 occupied, was the exercife of religious functions, for 

 it v^'as their fole prerogative to prefide over the 

 various rites and myileries of their worfhip. — It was 

 confidered the office of the bards to fmg their reli- 

 gious precepts to the people : to iing to the harp at 

 nuptials, obfequies, games, and other folemnities ; 

 and at the head of the armies to chant the praifes 

 of thofe perfons who had fignalized themfelves by 

 virtuous or heroic actions. To the ovate the con- 

 duel of the moft trivial duties appertaining to their 



man of the oak, from dernv an oak, and j^i;^, a Wclfli termination 

 of nouns. — ^^r^^/ fignifies the branching, or what fprings from, 

 derived from bar, a branch, or top. — Ovydd implies a difciple, 

 from oz», raw, and. ydd, the termination above explained. Jones's 

 Bards, p. 2. 



* His omnibus Druidibus prxeft unus, qui funimam inter eoa 

 liabet auftoriiatem. Csefar, lib. vi. f. 13. 



t Ibid. 



religion 



