Historic Sketches.

Otago Witness, Issue 1502, 28 August 1880, Page 25

Historic Sketches.

THE ANCIENT BRITONS. (Continued,)

(Written for the Otago Witnttb.)

By E. N. Adams.

No. XII. " The ancestral records of the p*st." There are many circumstances \rhloh. o©m« bine to show a close relationship between the Iberian colonists of Spain and the anoienfc people of Britain. This connection was not. left for the partizans of any particular oast of opinions to discover, but bas been bronghfc prominently before the publio by some of the best known ethnologists; who oannot possibly be charged with a bias in that direction. To the result of the labours of Buch men we »re indebted for the produotion of faota whioh almost conclusively prove that those who migrated, on, or prior to the advent of th« Kelts npon Spain, and those who entered Britain about the same period, were the same. Those who advocate the Hebrew descent of the British people, have simply verified, aocepted, aad classified the evidence supplied by these various and cultured contributors to a soientific construction of ancient history. By this means they have Bought to disarm suspicion, by presenting what seems to be * new method of tracing historical events, not upon their own responsibility, but upon the authority of men whose works are accepted by the learned and crltioal, as trustworthy standards of reference ; believing that they thus give a more solid ground of confidence to those who, while they have a deep and commendable interest in the subject, have neither time nor opportunity to examine the question for themselves. This is, however, no admission that those who are engaged in this particular phase of the argument are incapable of conducting the examinations in a manner as careful and scientific as others, or that they are unable on their own authority to make these a«aer< tlons. It isonly anasßeverationof the faot that they have adopted a more modest plan, as well as one calculated to secure more unhesitating credenoe amongst the general class of readers, on account of their guarantee, contained in the names of already accredited writers, whose faots hare been selected as the basis of the arguments. They have felt that there is a natural, and not foolish caution, or possibly a suspicion, of the arguments advanced by persons who have a speoial end in view, existing in the public mind, and they have therefore employed the statements of independent men, known in literature for their erudition and veracity. That a striking resemblance ' existed between the Iberl (more anciently the Ebro, or Hebrew) of Spain, and the people of Britain was recognised by both Strabo, of Greek historic fame, and Tacitus of Boman celebrity. Strabo in noticing the people called Aquitani who lived on the coaßt of Europe opposite the shores of Britain, and who, if our argument is correct, are the same race as those across the channel, ' says of them : "They are more like the Iberi, or people of Spain, in language asd general than any other Gauls." Tacitus was so impressed as to feel confidence in making the suggestion that " the people who in his day inhabited Wales were descended from the ancient Spanish" because of their very close resemblance to each other.

The evidenoe whioh has been supplied by the careful researches of Priohaid Is of even a more conclusive nature. The arguments thence derived would be considered absolutely demonstrative, in the case of the migrations of any less important people than ourselves. I reproduce Prichard as quoted by Bishop Titoomb, regarding the identity of names whioh occur in Spain and Britain signifying towns, beginning with sego or sege. "In Spain we find Segobria, Segontia, Segessamo, Saguntum, Segeda. In Britain we have Segontium (Bilchester) Segedunum, 3egelocum, and Segontium (near Anglesey.) The same with places containing the syllables cant, or con. Thus in Spain Ganaca, Gantaßri t Goncana, Gontestani, §c. In Britain Canto' bri, Goncangium, Goneonium, Anconium, uro conium, (Wroxetter), Veroconium, and Conway, in Wales." Facts like these cannot well be disregarded ; they speak In a manner whioh commands attention. We cannot believe that they are mere Jortuitous coincidents — things which merely happen without any connection with, or bearing upon, each other, If then they have any significance— and who will deny?— that significance is an emphatic declaration that in some put period of the history of the two oountries there existed between them an immediate relationship. Hence not only are the Irish Gaels (or Gadhlic) historically connected with Spain in their ancient annals; but the earliest colonists of England were also intimately related to that celebrated peninsula, whioh in the days of Solomon, King of Israel, was a colony under the dominion, and contributed to the revenue of that renowned Monaroh,

That testimony left behind, by these earliest of Britain's colonists, gives reasonable ground for believing that they were immigrants from Palestine, as well as from Spain, there is unquestionable evidence. Referring to some of these old way-marks, Bishop Titcomb remarks: "I was forcibly struck by a fact which is indisputable, (viz.) ; that one of the oldest seaport towns on the coast of Cornwall, has a Hebrew name being called Mara-zion ; and another is oalled Port Isaac. I was no less struck with the faofc that in Lloyd's Cambria, there are three old British Kings named Solomon."

These facta can surely point to only one conclusion. Few persons would be bo absurd as to suppose that such a name as " Marazion" could be chosen for the name of a seaport town by a people who had never known, or were not nationally interested in, the a*, cicnt oity of Jerusalem with its magnificent templa built upon Mount Zioa ; or that a peo« pie without an interest; in the child of pro*

tniae would call one of their havens by the name of "Isaac," The choice of two such important and truly sacred names for two chief towns amongßt the ancient Britons, iB a matter too minute in its nature— too perfect in its bearing upon their national origin —to pa«B an a mere "fortuitous coincidence. " Our mental structure f orcea upon ua the recognition of the inseparable relation Bubsistfac between them. But what of the proper name JSokmim ? What bearing has this upon •our argument ? Three ancient Kings named Solomon. This is a pure Hebrew name, and is the name of Israel's ■ most celebrated monarch — that particular monarch who had such an immediate interest in the tin trade with Britain and Palestine. Amongst whom but a people to whom the name of Solomon suggested, some patriotic or affec tionate story, would we find it used in those olden times? • It would be doing violence to our own mower -of discrimination between things vhich! differ and our recognition of things ■which, agree,' were we to contend that these beacon lights do not indicate the correot channel through whioh has flowed the stream of Britain's early population, aa well as thei meat source from which it has descended. A, very simple incident may serve to determine 1 a momentous question. A straw will show.' , the speed of the current of a slow stream.' But the arguments which support our contefa. tion that the British have deicended from those renowned Patriarchs to whom the promises of Jehovah .were pledged, do not rest upon weak or obscure events, but aarte t confirmed by evidence of unquestionable' authority, and singular variety. _ ■ . .Therefore I now proceed to introduce a; sew argument, which is one that has been; iecognised by' t writers of'different classes for, many .years, to whom it has been a subjeot' of fonder and surprise. It is derived from' the character of the most ancient religion of tbe ; Britons. A'guard, however, is necessary while entering upon this phase of the question. * It wi|l. not do for us to go upon the assumption .that we are to find a priesthood and initial answering to the oldLevitioal economy.. Something very different. It was because they'had abandoned that Divinely instituted form of worship, and hadbetaken themselves to idols that, they were scattered and driven but of, or, had to forsake, their own land. „ .The Israelites had always exhibited a Weakness for, idols, and before the dajs of Samuel had lapsed into that worship. But After the" death of David, even during the .reign of the wise Solomon, the worship of idols was resumed, In which that of Baal and • Molech seems to have been the most popular. Itia for a form of religion analogous to thia that we mtist look amongst the Hebrew colonists of Britain. But as the Israelites kept 1 up certain fundamental doctrines of the Mosaic' teachings, so in Britain we shall expect to find them per- , petuated. A short review of the worship of idols in , Israel 'may facilitate our appeoiation of the investigation into the Pagan worship of the Britons. Every one acquainted with the character and life of Solomon, mußt remember, .that after having ereoted his palacein Jerusalem, he associated himself with women from all the surrounding .nations; aad that he even chose for his wife thje daughter of Pharaoh. The effect of this was to completely draw away, his affections from the worship of the God of his father, ,to such an extent as to induce him to eßfiablish and authorise the worship of the gods of the nations. He erected temples and , altaira on hill sides and mountain tops, in the .groves aad by the gigantic oak trees, to these strange'gods, and although the worship of Jehovah was .not interdicted, the rites of Baal, Moleob, and Astoreth were common and popular throughout his dominions. This idolatrous deolenslon in Israel probably reached its climax in the days of Ahab (925 b. o.) during whose reign there was, maintained a very large body of the priests of Baal. A most interesting and graphic sketch of its extent and nature is preserved in 1 Kings xviii, which contains one of the most exquisite pieces of saroaam to be found in the whole of the Bible. The Rev h\ W. Gotch, L.L.D. (Smith's Diotionary of the Bible) has remarked " The .worship of Baal amongst the Jews appears to have been appointed with much pomp and ceremonial. Temples were erected to him (1 Kings xvi, 32 ; 2 Kings xi, 18), his images were set up (2 Kings x, 26), his altars were {.very- numerous (Jer. xi, 13), were erected .particularly on lofty eminences ,(1 Kings xviii, .20), on the roofs of houses (Jer. xxxii, 29) ; there'were priests in great numbers (1 Kings xviii, 19), and of various classes (2 Kings x, 19.) The worshippers appear to have been arrayed in appropriate robes (2 Kings x, 22). The worship w»b performed by burning incense (Jer. vii, 9), and offering burnt sacrifices, which occasionally consisted of human victims (Jer. xix, 5). The officiating priests danced with frantic shouts around the altar, and cut themselves : with; knives to excite the attention and compassion of the god (1 Kings xviii, 26;28.)" . . - The worship of Molech was more inhuman ; and revolting than that of Baal. Mr W. A. Wright, MA, says, amongst these rites, "were human sacrifices, purifications, and ordeals . by fire, devoting the firstborn, mutilation, and vows of perpetual celibacy and,virginity." Jewish commentator* have .endeavoured to deny that in the worship of Molech the children were burned in the fire by explaining that they were only " made to pass, between two burning pyres as a purifi' oatory.rite." But soripture history is moßt emphatic—" They have built high places of . tTpphet, . • • to burn their sons and their '„ daughters in the fire." . ..Hebrew traditions assert that the image of Molech was a large figure of brass, hollow within ; that one of them was Bet up by the wall t f Jerusalem., Kimchi describes this image as being set within seven ohapels, and to whoso offered fine flour, they opened one of them j to whoso gave turtle-doves or young pigeons, they opened two ; for a lamb, he was admitted to three j for a ram, to four ; for a calf, five j for an ox, six ; but to him only who offered his son, they gave permiallon to enter the seven. When a victim was to be offered the image was heated by means of a great fire kindled within it, the priest then took the child from its mother's arms, and placing it u&on the oujiheld arms of the monster, the innocent victim of idolatrous ignorance and superstition, rolled jatio the raging furnaoe and was

thus consumed, while a orowd of speotators stood— Gazing 1 with strange emotion in their eyes Upon that act of human sacrifice.