It would seem that Whittichind, the Saxon author, had seen such like works as our Richard perused; he writes, that Britain was divided into provinces by Vespasian.
Richard writes expresly, that he copied some papers transmitted to posterity by a Roman general, who probably was Agricola; he had some informations from certain religious of his order, who had been in Scotland.
He learnt what he writes on Caledonia, from British merchants. Again, speaking of Glevum, Gloucester, he says, it is a Roman colony, constituted by Claudius, ut scriptores de istis temporibus affirmant; so that he omitted no kind of means to acquire knowledge of the British geography.
In medio, ad fines, ad Itunam flu. ad montem Grampium, Herirus mons, Alpes Pennini, ad Pontem, ad Murum, ad Vallum; a very great number of these, and the like, being recited, intimate the high antiquity of the Itinerary; that the roads were generally made, or marked out; but towns, cities, castles, not then built, only some inns, for present conveniency. Especially we see this in Scotland, a good way on the sea-coast northerly, and remarkably in the IXth Iter; ad Tavum, ad Æsicam, ad Tinam, ad Itunam, ad montem Grampium, ad Selinam; and in the map these rivers are named, and the Grampian mountain, without a town’s name annexed, as then not fully built; and probably that country was left by the Romans before the towns were built, the Romans having chiefly strong camps by the rivers. We may reasonably hence judge, the original itinerary and map, which our Richard copied, was constructed in Agricola’s time; though afterward additions were made to it.
We see likewise this method of nomination used in other more distant parts, as Herirus mons in Wales, Alpes pennini in the mountainous tract of Lancashire.
In Iter IV. Ad Tisam amnem, Ad Murum, Ad Alaunam flu. Ad Tuedam flu. Ad Vallum.
In Iter XI. Ad Alone, Ad Sabrinam, Tibia amnis, Ad Vigesimum lapidem, &c.
In Iter XV. Ad Lapidem, Ad Decimum lapidem, where only mile-stones are named; and the remains of this manner of denomination are left in the English names Stoneham, Stone, Stanefield, Stanwic, Stanton, and the like.
We learn to correct many words in our geography, which before were not truly wrote: for instance, Bannavenna, Towcester, sometimes Benavona, Bennaventa, which words have no meaning, is really Isannavaria, ill placed at Weedon, or rather Isantavaria; which words are easily deduced from the British.
I judge it will be a matter useful to the Studious in this kind of learning, to collect into one general Index all the names of places, hitherto recited in the Map and Itinerary, with the annexed asterisc, denoting those names, which are new, or better placed than in former books, or of new denomination; to which we must add those recited in his VIth chapter of the Chorography of Britain. This contains above 100 names not found in my friend Mr. Baxter’s Glossarium Brittanicum; who has collected all the names we before knew; and this present must justly be esteemed the noblest monument of antient Britain.