BEL 



the middle age for a fort of towr, erefled by beficgers 

 to overlook and command tlie place beiiegcd. 



They were all called lerfrcili, herefrcili, vcrfreilt, and bfl- 

 frag'ia. Their llrufture and ufe are defcribed in verfe by 

 a poet of thofe days. 



Belfry originally denoted a high tower, whereon centi- 

 iiels were placed to watch the avenues of a place, and pre- 

 vent furpri/e from parties of the enemies, or to give no- 

 tice of fires by ringing a bell. Du-Carige. 



In the cities of Flanders, wh.ere there is no belfry on 

 pnrpofe, the tower of the chief church ferves the fame end. 

 The word belfry is compounded of tlie Teiit(.iiic " bell" 

 and " freid," p:ace, becaiife the bells were hung for pre- 

 ferving the peace. 



Bel FRY, is alfo ufed for that part of a ileeple wherein 

 the bells were hung. This is fometimes called by mic'- 

 dle-afred writers campanile, clocaria, and tr}jlegum. Du- 

 C-iiige. This is fometimes ufed in Heraldry as a crelh 



Belfry, is more particularly ufed for the timber-work, 

 which fullains the bells in a lleeplc ; or that wooden ftruiture, 

 to wlirch the bells in cliurch-ileeples are fattened. 



Belfry, Great, in Ornithology, the alarum thru(h of La- 

 tham, and turdus tinniens of Gmelin, Ic grand befroi of Buf- 

 fon, is fo called by this latter naturalill, from the fingular 

 found which it makes in the evenings and m.ornings, and 

 which refembles the din of an alarum bell. Thefucceflion of 

 founds is as rapid as the quick ftrokes of a bell, and conti- 

 nues about an hour. See Turdus TiNNitNs. The " fmall 

 belfr)'," is the fpeckled thvulh of Latiiam, and Turdus Li- 

 NEATUS of Gmehn, which fee. 



BELG^, in /Incient Geography, were ScTthiansor Goths, 

 who, advancing from Alia, drove the Cinibri or northern 

 Celts before them ; and at a long period preceding the Chrif- 

 tian ■SV3. feized on the north-well part of Gaul, where tliey ac- 

 quired the provincial denomination of Belgss ; and from them 

 the country which they inhabited obtained the name of Bel- 

 gic Gaul. Writers are not agreed as to the etymology of 

 this appellation. As they were a fierce, contentious, and 

 warlike people, and dlfpofed to domineer over all their neigh- 

 bours, according to the character which Cxfar (Comment. 

 1. ii. c. 4,) has given of them, fome have fuppofed that they 

 were called " Belgx" on thnt account ; the word " Belga" 

 in the old Teutonic fignifying "fierce" and " quafrelfame." 

 Others have fuggtiled, that the term " Belgx" is fyiiony- 

 nious with the Celtic " Beligheis," and that it fignifier. perfons 

 who inhabited the high or northern part. Others again have de- 

 rived Belgre from " Belgen"or " Velgen," iignifying ftranger. 

 Some time after their fettlemtnt in Gaul, but at an unknown 

 period, they penetrated into Britain ; and accordingly when 

 Ccefar firft explored this ifland, he informs us (1. v. c. lo.) 

 that the primitive inhabitants were driven into the interior 

 parts, while the regions on the fouth-eaft vreve peopled by 

 Belgic colonies. The Belgs may, therefore, be juftly re- 

 garded as the chief anceftors of the Englifii nation. On the 

 continent, the Belgx having taken poffelTion of part of Gaul, 

 End being naturally a ferocious people, waged frequent wars 

 with the Germans ; io that thefe two nations continued i.i 

 a ftate of hodilitv and friendfhip, fomet'.mes invading each 

 other's territories, and at other times afTilling each other 

 againft the Romans. In the time of Caefar, the Btlgae, 

 alarmed at the fuecefs of the Romans in their expeditions 

 againll the Germans, formed a grand alliance with the Cel- 

 tes, Germans, and Gauls, in order to drive them farther from 

 their neighbourhood. C^far, according to his ulual manner, 

 found means to fow fiich diffenfions among them, that many 

 of thefe allies fubmitted to him ; however, the Nervii, Attre- 

 bates, and Veromandui, Hood firm, and though at length de- 

 feated, it was one of the dearell viftorics which Cxfar 



B E L 



had ever obtained ; and, in confcquence of this defeat, the 

 whole Fcigic nation was compelled to fubn.it to the Romjn 

 yoke. The Belgae of Britain were feated to the call of the 

 Durotr gcs, on tlie fatne coaft, and inliabited the coii::tie8 

 now called Hampdiire, Wiltfiiire, and Somerfetfhirc. When 

 Caefar invaded Britain, fome part of this countrv- was pofTefT- 

 ed by the Segontinci, whofe chief town was' VVinchefter, 

 called by the Britons " Caer-frgucnt," from the nnme cf 

 thefe, its ancient inhabitants. Vy.-X thefe people fcem. to hav"? 

 been foon after fubdued by and incorporated with the Btlgcc, 

 as they are never afterwards mentioned. As to tlic firit 

 iutrouuaion of the Bdgs into Britain, hifl or)- is fileiit ; but 

 with refpcA to fome few of the latcfl colonics who fettled 

 liere not very long before the Roman invafio!!, and who in- 

 habited the fouth parts of Britain, Cxf„r informs u;, (1. v. 

 c. IO.) " that the fca-coall of Britain is peopled with Bel- 

 gians, drawn thither by the love of war and plunder." 

 "Thefe lail (he fays) paflirig over from diffcretit parts, and 

 fettling in the ccu-Ury, ftiil retain the names of the fcveral 

 ttates from, wlience they were defcended." The lateft of 

 thefe Belgic colonies came into Britain only a few years be- 

 fore Cx-far's invafion. This colony was conducted by Divi- 

 tiacus, king of the Sueffioiies, one of the moil powerful of 

 the Belgic nations in Ga'il ; and having obtained a footing 

 on the Biitilh coaft, he continued to reign over the Be)- 

 gx in this illand, as well as over his ancient fubjcfts on 

 the continent. In his continental territories, he was fuc- 

 ceeded by Galba, and in his Britifh dominions by another 

 of his fons, perhaps Segonax, who attempted to deftroy 

 Cxfar's fleet. Although the Segontiaci fubmitted to Cr- 

 far, we have no account of the fubmiflion of the Btlgs 

 to that conqueror. The honour of fubdulng that Britilh 

 nation was referred to Vefpafian, ivho, landing ar, army 

 in thefe parts, A. D. 49, fought 32 battles, took more 

 than 20 towns, fubdued two very powei ful nations, one of 

 which was the Belgi, and the ill; of Wight. After this 

 time, the country of the Belgx was much frequented by 

 the Romans, who made in it many excellent military ways, 

 and built feveral beautiful towns, which are mentioned by 

 both Ptolemy and Antoninus. The mod remarkable of 

 thefe towns were Venta Belgarum, Winchefter, famous for 

 the imperial weavery which was there eftablifhed, and Aqux 

 Solis, Bath, even then renowned for its warm and falutary 

 fprings. The country of the Belgx was included in the 

 Roman province, called Flavia Casfarienfis, and govern- 

 ed by the prefident of that province, and his inferior ofE- 

 cers, Henry's Hift. vol. i. p. 246, &c. 



BELGARD, or Belgrad, in Geography, a town of 

 Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, and chief place 

 of a circle to which it gives name, in the duchy of Po- 

 merania, feated on the Perfante, and noted for its market 

 for horfes. It wn« a place of fome diilinftion as early as 

 the nth century, for its ftrengtli and for the number and 

 valour of its inhabitants ; but it has fuffered much by fire 

 and by war ; particularly by the 30 years' war. By the 

 treaty of Weftphalia, it devolved to the houfe of Branden- 

 burgh. It has a callle and a provoftfhip, and is the feat 

 of a royal bailliage. N. lat. 54" ic'. E. long. 16' 51'. 



BELGERN, a town of Germany, in the circle of Up- 

 per Saxony, and margravi:;te of Meifien, feated on the river 

 Elbe, 36 miles N. W. of Drefden, and 24 N. W. of Meif- 

 fen. 



BELGERS, a town of Afiatic Turkey, in the pro* 

 vince of Caramania, 78 miles weft of Cogni. 



BELGEVAN, a town of Afia, in Tartar)*, in the 

 kingdom of Bucharia, and province of Catland. 



BELGICA, in Conchalogy, a fpecies of Sabella, very 



brieily defciibed by Gmehn, as having a conic (hell " tefta 



T 2 conica>" 



