———————their houses were the thicks,
And bushy queaches, hollow caves, and hardles made of sticks.
To like purpose Vitruvius.Vitru. lib. 2. In the first Age of the World (saith he) men lived in woods, caves, and forests, but after they had found out the use of fire, and by the benefit thereof were invited to enter into a certain kind of society, cœperunt alii de fronde facere tecta, alii speluncas fodere sub montibus, nonnulli hirundinum nidos, & ædificationes earum imitantes, de luto & virgultis facere loca, quæ subirent. Some of them began to make themselves habitations of boughs, some to dig dens in mountains; other some, imitating the nests of birds, made themselves places of lome and twigs, and such like materials, to creep into, and shroud themselves in. Directly after which manner of workmanship, were the houses of the ancient Britans.
Domos ex calamis aut lignis ut plurimum habent compactas. Their houses for the most part are of reed and wood, saithDiodo. li. 6. Diodorus Siculus.
In the Northern parts they live in tents. Degunt in tentoriis, (saith Dion, epitomis’d by Xiphiline.)
Their Cities were without walls, the Country without Towns. Urbium loco ipsis sunt nemora, (saith Strabo)Strab. lib. 4. woods stand them in stead of Cities or Towns. Arboribus enim dejectis ubi amplum circulum sepierunt, ipsi casas ibidem sibi ponunt, & pecori stabula condunt, ad usum quidem non longi temporis. For when by felling of trees, they have inclosed, and fenced therewith a large circuit of wood, therein they raise cabbins and cottages for themselves, and hovels for their cattell, of no great continuance, but only to supply their present use and occasion.
Opidum Britanni vocant (saith Cæsar)Cæsar. lib. 5. quum silvas impeditas vallo atque fossa munierunt, quo incursionis hostium vitandæ causa, convenire consueverunt, The Britans call a thick wood, enclosed about with a ditch and rampire, made for a place of retreat to avoid the invasion and assault of their bordering enemies, a Town.
Thus, you see, in what condition the Inhabitants of this Island lived in those ancient times, having of themselves, neither desire, nor ability to exercise, nor from others, encouragement to attain whatever knowledge in the Art of Building. Precepts, and rules therein, the Druid’s neither could, nor would impart unto them. That they could not, appears from what is formerly said, and in what skilfull above others, they communicated nothing, but to those of their own society, taking speciall order (as Cæsar affirms) their discipline might not be divulged.
As for Colonies of any Nation practised in Arts, from whom they might receive or knowledge, or civil conversation, there were none setled amongst them: neither had they commerce, or traffique, with any people experienced therein, much lesse acquaintance with any other, except those of Gaul, welnear as barbarous as themselves. None of the Gauls in a manner, had any knowledge (saith Cæsar)Cæsar. lib. 4. of the nature and quality of the people of Britain, or of the places, ports, or passes of the Countrey. Neque enim temerè præter mercatores illò adit quisquam, neque iis ipsis quidquam, præter oram maritimam, atque eas regiones quæ sunt contra Galliam, notum est. For, not any went thither without eminent danger, except merchants, and they also could give accompt of nothing, save only the Sea-coast, and those Countreys which were opposite to Gaul. Never any Colony of the Greeks, for ought I know (saith Ortelius)Ortel. descr. Fr. was seated in Britain. And Cæsar, the first of all the Romans that discovered it, saith Camden.Camden fo. 2.
If desire neverthelesse, to know in what times the ancient Britans began to be civilized, when to learn the knowledge of Arts, to build stately Temples, Palaces, publick Buildings, to be eloquent in forrain languages, and by their habits, and attire, attain the qualities of a civil, and well ordered people, Tacitus shall relate the same.