Cap. VII. _Itinerarium Brittaniarum omnium._ Our author had been upbraided, particularly by an eminent prelate, for turning his head this way, and spending his time in studies of this kind; which he here apologizes for: he shows the use of these studies, and the certainty of things he recounts. “As to the certainty (says he) of the names of people and towns transmitted to us, we can no more doubt of them, than of the being of other ancient nations, such as the Assyrians, Parthians, Sarmatians, Celtiberians, &c. of the names of Judea, Italy, Gaul, Brittain, London, and the like, which remain to this day, the same as formerly, monuments of the truth of old history. “As to the use (says he) we learn hence the veracity of the holy Scriptures; that all mankind sprung from one root, not out of the earth as mushrooms: that a variety must be sought for in all studies. “Particularly, this study gives us a noble instance of the efficacy of the preaching of the Gospel; which with amazing celerity quite beat down Paganism, through this country, he is describing, as well as through the whole world. “Another use of the study, is assisting us in forming true schemes of chronology.” Then, to the point, he acquaints us, he “drew much of his materials _ex fragmentis quibusdam a Duce quodam Romano consignatis, et posteritati relictis, sequens collectum est Itinerarium. additis ex Ptolemeo et aliunde nonnullis_.” He says, there were ninety-two eminent cities in Britain, thirty-three more famous than the rest; nine colonies of the Roman soldiers; ten cities of _Latio jure donatæ_, twelve _Stipendiariæ_. All these he recites particularly. DIAPHRAGMATA, or ITERS. He gives us the whole length and breadth of the island in miles; and then presents us with no less than nineteen _Iters_, or journeys, in all manner of directions, quite across the island; the names of places, and distances between; in the manner of that celebrated antique monument, called Antoninus’s Itinerary. Very many of the names of places here, are intirely new to us: and as to the whole, though it is unavoidable, that they must in some journeys coincide with Antoninus’s Itinerary, yet it is not in the least copied from thence: nay, our author never saw that monument: on the contrary, his _Iters_ are all distinct things; more correct and particular, and much better conducted than the others, and likewise fuller: they exceedingly assist us in correcting that work, on which the learned have from time to time bestowed so much pains. It is very obvious, that this must be of an extraordinary use and certainty in fixing places, and their names, in our _Brittania Romana_: which hitherto, for the most part, was done by guess-work, and etymology, and criticism. * * * * * Cap. VIII. _De insulis Brittanicis._