Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of England — John Shaqi
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of EnglandHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of England
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D.
But now there resteth a great doubt among writers, where this citie
or towne called Camelodunum did stand, of some (and not without good
ground of probable coniectures gathered vpon the aduised consideration
of the circumstances of that which in old authors is found written
[Sidenote: Camelodunum, Colchester.]
of this place) it is thought to be Colchester. But verelie by this
place of Tacitus it maie rather seeme to be some other towne, situat
more westward than Colchester, sith a colonie of Romane souldiers were
planted there to be at hand, for the repressing of the vnquiet
[Sidenote: Silures where they inhabited.]
Silures, which by consent of most writers inhabited in Southwales, or
néere the Welsh marshes.
There was a castell of great fame in times past that hight Camaletum,
or in British Caermalet, which stood in the marshes of Summersetshire;
but sith there is none that hath so written before this time, I will
not saie that happilie some error hath growne by mistaking the name of
Camelodunum for this Camaletum, by such as haue copied out the booke
of Cornelius Tacitus; and yet so it might be doon by such as found it
short or vnperfectlie written, namelie, by such strangers or others,
to whom onelie the name of Camelodunum was onelie knowne, and
Camaletum peraduenture neuer séene nor heard of. As for example,
an Englishman that hath heard of Waterford in Ireland, and not of
Wexford, might in taking foorth a copie of some writing easilie commit
a fault in noting the one for the other. We find in Ptolomie Camedolon
to be a citie belonging to the Trinobants, and he maketh mention also
of Camelodunum, but Humfrey Lhoyd thinketh that he meaneth all one
citie.
Notwithstanding Polydor Virgil is of a contrarie opinion, supposing
the one to be Colchester in déed, and the other that is Camelodunum
to be Doncaster or Pontfret. Leland esteeming it to be certeinelie
Colchester taketh the Iceni men also to be the Northfolke men. But
howsoeuer we shall take this place of Tacitus, it is euident inough
that Camelodunum stood not farre from the Thames. And therefore to
séeke it with Hector Boetius in Scotland, or with Polydor Virgil so
far as Doncaster or Pontfret, it maie be thought a plaine error.
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