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.
He begins with Ireland; and besides a map of it along with that of Britain, he gives an accurate description of the country, people, rivers, promontories, divisions, manners, mensuration; the fertility of the land, origin of the inhabitants, &c.
A very exact chorography of the nations and cities:
Then of the other islands, Hebudes, Orcades, Thule, Wyght, and many more.
LIBER II.
The chronological part of the work; which does not appear to have been taken from other authors now known: it chiefly handles the chronology of Britain, and its history, in matters not mentioned in other chronologies.
All the imperial expeditions hither, those of legates, proprætors, in their successive order; the taking of particular cities; the moving off of British people into Ireland; the building of the walls; the Romans abandoning Vespasiana province; the persecutions of the christians.