52 Who first founded Malmcsbury ? 



Wilts (Wylt, British, the Wild) being part of Scnonia, thus contri- 

 buted its quota of heroes in these remote ages to the martial host, 

 who " stormed the walls that Hannibal but gazed at," and whose 

 leader throwing his heavy sword into the balance pronounced the 

 celebrated " Voo victis " to the Roman Consuls and Senate. 



Ariminum (Rimini) and Ravenna in Italy, were founded by 

 Belinus, who continued to be worshipped in the temples with divine 

 honors, as late as the fifth century of the Christian era. In con- 

 sulting the Italian local authors of the Middle Ages, who are 

 valuable as repertories of primitive traditions, some identical with, 

 some varying from those of the classic authors, I find all agreeing 

 in assigning the foundation or restoration of these ten cities to the 

 two brothers, Belinus and Brennus, and not a few of them stating 

 in express terms that these were the two sons of Malmutius, King 

 of Britain. Amongst others, Tristanus Calchas who composed the 

 first History of Milan writes thus — " All authors concur in making 

 Brennus, who burnt Rome at the head of the Gauls, the founder of 

 Milan as a fortified city. This Brennus was the son of a very 

 famous Monarch and Legislator of the Britons named Malmutius, 

 and with his brother Belinus conquered Gaul first and then led his 

 army over the Alps into Italy. He was the first who crossed the 

 Alps with a military force, having done so 140 years before Hannibal 

 the Carthaginian. " The names of these towns no less than the topo- 

 graphy of most of the rivers, mountains, and natural features of 

 Northern Italy, certainly indicate a British origin, as the names 

 Belinus, Brennus, themselves are pure British, one signifying "The 

 Sun " or " Apollo," the other " a King." The capture of Rome by 

 Brennus belongs to Roman History, nor need it be further adverted 

 to than to supply us from Plutarch and Yirgil with a description 

 of the uniform worn by the soldiers of this island who served under 

 Brennus. Their helmets represented the heads of wild beasts or 

 imaginary monsters adorned with winged crests to add to the apparent 

 height, their bodies were guarded with steel-mail, and they carried 

 shields polished to extreme brilliancy. Every one of noble blood 

 wore a torque or chain of twisted gold round the neck and a tunic 

 figured with gold. Each soldier bore a battle axe, and in close 



