The very name of their neighbours, Cattichleuni, confirms our opinion; signifying the clan of the Cassii; a most ancient word of the Britons, equivalent to the Latin civitas, used by Cæsar; still in use in Scotland. Baxter owns the Cassii to be of Frisian, or British origin.
This word Frisian puts us in mind of the British stories of Trinobantum being Troja nova, built by the wandering Trojans: so deep rooted among our ancestors is the notion of a Trojan original. I know several foundations that may be assigned for this notion: one seems to come from the utmost source of antiquity, the founder of the British nation, APHER, grandson of ABRAHAM: for which I can bring very large proofs, not so much pertaining to this place. He is the Greek Phryxus, a near relation to Melicerta or Melcartus, the Tyrian Hercules: he founded the Phrygians; he gave name to Africa, and Britain; so that Phrygii, Frisones, and Bryges, Britones, Brigantes, are all words in different pronunciation meaning the same. Of it I say no more at present, than that it further illustrates my opinion of the Trinobantes being most ancient, an aboriginal people here; and that their city was fenced about, whether with a wall, or with a vallum, and ditch, I cannot pretend to say, any more than when it was first called Londinium: and it is not my humour to carry conjectures beyond what they will reasonably bear. But I think I am not distant from truth, when I judge the Novii to be the same as the Nubæ of Africa, on the west side the Nile; neighbour to the Troglodites, says Strabo: these were neighbours too to the Arabians; the Red sea between them: natural navigators they must needs be. And Josephus makes the children of ABRAHAM by Keturah to be settled by him in Trogloditis, and Arabia the Happy, upon the Red sea. Antiq. i. 15. The colony of these people at Cadiz is always said to come from the Red sea. Pliny mentions the Nubæi, a people of Arabia Deserta.
Further, Novantæ are a people in the west of Scotland, now Galloway. Novantum promontorium, the Mull, Chersonesus, and Novaritæ; and the city Novantia, north of Severus’s wall. The river Nid, in Scotland, is called Novius. No reason to think either one or the other of Belgic original, but undoubtedly a colony of our Trinobantes.
Josephus, in his xiv. of the antiquities of the Jews, gives us the decree of the senate and people of Pergamus, in favour of the Jews; setting forth, “Since the Romans, following the conduct of their ancestors, undertake dangers for the common safety of mankind, and are ambitious to settle their confederates and friends in happiness, and in firm peace—”
The decree proceeds as at large set forth by Josephus, and well worthy perusal; concluding, “That the Jews would remember, their ancestors were friendly to the Jews, even in the days of ABRAHAM, who was the father of the Hebrews; as we have also found it set down in our public records.” Many useful observations may be made from this testimony.
1. We learn hence, mankind at that time, which was but about forty years before the vulgar Christian æra, had the same notion of the Romans, as I have enlarged upon in chap. 1. of the Medallic History of Carausius. The Romans, for their valour, virtue, fortitude and temperance, were the nation chosen by divine Providence to conquer, polish, and set free, all the world, to prepare for the advent of Messiah.
2. These Phrygians were a colony of the defendants of ABRAHAM by Keturah. At Pergamus the ancient and famous physician Æsculapius had a shop, and practised physic, as Lucian testifies. Midian, the father of Phryxus, APHER, was a great physician, and no other than the Greek Chiron; as I have shown elsewhere: so our Druids, the people of APHER, were famous for medicine. The Genius of physic remained at the place: the famous Galen was born here.
3. These people assert, what they say is written in their public records; so that they had an early use of letters, from the Abrahamic family: our Druids likewise had the use of letters from the same fountain.
4. What they say is confirmed by the Lacedemonians claiming like kindred to the Jews; as we read in Maccabees, xii. 19. 23. and Josephus, xii. 4. 10. Mr. Whiston mentions, on this occasion, the testimony of the Armenian writer, Moses Chorenensis; affirming that Arsaces, founder of the Parthian empire, was of the seed of ABRAHAM, by Keturah: and thus we find this posterity of the great patriarch, from Britain by sea, to Parthia by land; the extent of the habitable world: and Josephus often mentions his countrymen the Jews exceeding numerous, in after-times, in every country and city throughout the habitable world; which is true to this very day, both in respect to Jews, properly speaking, by Sarah, as well as the Arabians by Hagar, and Keturah: for by these latter all Asia and Africa are at this day peopled: the signal favour of God to the greatest of all men, ABRAHAM.
Return we to the city of Trinobantum. I shall mark out the original form, which we may conceive it to have been of, in the time we are writing of. If we look on the plan of London, which I engraved long ago in my Itiner. Cur. we discern, the original ground-plot of the oldest part of the city is comprehended, in length, from Ludgate to the present Walbroke; in breadth, from Maiden-lane, Lad-lane, Cateaton-street, to the Thames. This makes an oblong square, in proportion as 2 to 3: I have there made it to be composed of two principal streets, crossing two other principal streets; which makes nine principal quadrangular spaces, for the habitations, area’s, and public buildings.