verus. The fourth Carinus. The fifth Constantius. The sixth Maximus. The seventh Maximianus. The eighth another Severus Æquantius. The ninth Constantius.[1]
Here beginneth the history of the Britons, edited by Mark the anchorite, a holy bishop of that people.
§ 7.The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a Roman consul. Taken from the south-west point it inclines a little towards the west, and to its northern extremity measures eight hundred miles, and is in breadth two hundred. It contains thirty-three cities,[2] viz.
- Cair ebrauc (York).
- Cair ceint (Canterbury).
- Cair gurcoc (Anglesey?)
- Cair guorthegern.[3]
- Cair custeint (Carnarvon).
- Cair guoranegon (Worcester).
- Cair segeint (Silchester).
- Cair guin truis (Norwich, or Winwick).
- Cair merdin (Caermarthen).
- Cair peris (Porchester).
- Cair lion (Caerleon-upon-Usk).
- Cair mencipit (Verulam).
- Cair caratauc (Catterick).
- Cair ceri (Cirencester).
- Cair gloui (Gloucester).
- Cair luilid (Carlisle).
- Cair grant (Grantchester, now Cambridge).
- Cair daun (Doncaster), or Cair dauri (Dorchester).
- Cair britoc (Bristol).
- Cair meguaid (Meivod).
- Cair mauiguid (Manchester).
- Cair ligion (Chester).
- Cair guent (Winchester, or Caerwent, in Monmouthshire).
- Cair collon (Colchester, or St. Colon, Cornwall).
- Cair londein (London).
- Cair guorcon (Worren, or Woran, in Pembrokeshire.
- Cair lerion (Leicester).
- Cair draithou (Drayton).
- Cair ponsavelcoit (Pevensey, in Sussex).
- Cair teim (Teyn-Grace, in Devonshire).
- Cair Urnahc (Wroxeter, in Shropshire).
- Cair celemion (Camalet, in Somersetshire).
- Cair loit coit (Lincoln).
These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of Britain. It has also a vast many promontories, and castles innumerable, built of brick and stone. Its inhabitants consist of four different people; the Scots, the Picts, the Saxons, and the ancient Britons.
§ 8.Three considerable islands belong to it; one, on the south, opposite the Armorican shore, called Wight;[4] another between Ireland and Britain, called Eubonia or Man; and another directly north, beyond the Picts, named Orkney;