"Remarks on the probability of Gothic Settlements in Britain previously to the year of our Lord 450." By Ernest Adams, Esq. The following passage occurs in the last edition of Dr. Latham's work on the English language:-"We must consider that the displacement of the original British began at an earlier period than the one usually admitted, and consequently that it was more gradual than is usually supposed. Perhaps if we substitute the middle of the fourth, instead of the middle of the fifth, century as the epoch of the Germanic immigrations into Britain, we shall not be far from the truth." (Part. I. c. 1.) The opinion expressed in the first paragraph of the above extract is a natural and necessary consequence of the application of a more cautious and enlightened criticism to the Saxon legend of Hengest and Hors: but certain considerations induce the present writer to hesitate in adopting the period suggested by Dr. Latham "as the epoch of the Germanic immigrations into Britain." These considerations will be most clearly developed in the attempt to establish the two following propositions: 1. That Gothic races were settled along the northern sea-board of Gaul at least 400 years previous to the period suggested by Dr. Latham as the epoch of Germanic immigration into Britain. 2. That what is predicated of the northern sea-board of Gaul may be predicated of the southern portion of Britain. The writer is aware that this view of the subject is not indicated for the first time, but he is inclined to believe that the evidence upon which it is founded has not been exhibited with sufficient care in previous investigations. As an important link in the chain of evidence, it will be necessary to review the ethnical affinities and distribution of the inhabitants of Gaul at the period when history first conveys authentic intimations of their existence. The earliest detailed account of these tribes is contained in the narrative of Cæsar. He commences the memoirs of his administration in Gaul with a geographical sketch of the country and a brief notice of the people; and the experience of ten years' incessant warfare and constant communication with the native tribes, places the accuracy and authentic character of his narrative beyond suspicion ::-"Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, alteram Aquitani, tertiam, qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli adpellantur. Hi omnes lingua, institutis, moribus, inter se differunt." (B. G. 1. 1. c. i.) This definition is confirmed by the general description supplied by Strabo (1. iv. c. 1.):-Oi μev dn τριχῇ διῃρουν, Ακυϊτανους και Βελγας καλουντες και Κελτας. μεν Ακυΐτανους τελεως εξηλλαγμενους, ου τῇ γλωττῇ μόνον, αλλά και τοις σωμασιν, εμφερεις Ιβηρσι μαλλον η Γαλαταις. τους δε λοιπους Τους VOL. V. D Γαλατικήν μεν την οψιν, ὁμογλωττους δε ου παντας αλλ' ενίους μικρον παραλλάττοντας ταις γλωτταις και πολιτεια δε και οἱ βιοι μικρον εξηλλαγμένοι εισιν. The question naturally arises, who were these Belgae who presented such marked peculiarities of language, customs and laws as to constitute a basis of ethnographical distinction? Let us first determine the extent of their geographical distribution, and then endeavour to answer the inquiry respecting their original home and race. The geographical distribution of the Belgae is thus defined by Caesar (l. i. c. 1.) :- Belgae ab extremis Galliae finibus oriuntur; pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni: spectant in septemtriones et orientem solem." Its southern limit is intimated in the following words: "Gallos a Belgis Matrona et Sequana dividit." It is thus described by Pliny (lib. iv. c. 17):—" Gallia omnis, Comata uno nomine appellata, in tria populorum genera dividitur, amnibus maxime distincta. A Scalde ad Sequanam Belgica; ab eo ad Garumnam Celtica eademque Lugdunensis: inde ad Pyrenaei montis excursum Aquitanica, Aremonica ante dicta.” Strabo gives the dif vision of Julius Caesar, and adds that of the Emperor Augustus :Ακυΐτανους μεν τοινυν έλεγον τους τα βόρεια της Πυρηνης μερη κατεχοντας, και της Κεμμένης μεχρι προς τον Ωκεανον, τα εντος Γαρουνα ποτάμου. Κελτας δε, τους επι θατερα μερη καθηκοντας, και τον κατα Μασσαλιαν και Ναρβωνα θαλατταν, άπτομενους δε και των Αλπεων ορων ενίων. Βελγας δε ελεγον τους λοιπους τε των παρωκεανιτών μεχρι των εκβολων του Ρηνου. και τινας των παροικούντων τον Ρηνον και τας Αλπεις. (l. iv. c. 1.) The geographer continues, ὁ δε Σεβαστος Καισαρ τετραχη διελών, τους μεν Κελτας της Ναρβωνιτιδος επαρχίας απέφηνεν. Ακυϊτανους δε ώσπερ κακεινος (Jul. Caes.) προσέθηκε δε τεσσαρας και δεκα εθνη των μεταξύ του Γαρουνα, και του Λιγυρος ποταμου νεμομένων. την δε λοιπην διελων διχα, την μεν Λουγδουνῳ προσωρισε μεχρι των ανω μερων του Ρήνου, την δε τοις Βελγαις. Again (l. iv. c. 4), τούτων δε τους Βελγας αριστους φασιν, εις πεντεκαιδεκα εθνη διῃρημενους, τα μεταξυ του Ρήνου και του Λειγηρος παροικούντας τον Ωκεανον. From these extracts it appears that the Belgae extended in a westerly direction from the mouth of the Rhine to the Loire; in a southerly direction along the western bank of the Rhine as far as the Alps; and that further west the Marne formed the boundary between the Keltic and Belgian population of Gaul. It will next be necessary to ascertain, as accurately as the means of information will admit, the specific designation of the tribes that were recognized by the ancient writers as members of this great Belgian confederation. The following list is derived from Caesar, Pliny and Strabo :: 1. Remi; 2. Suessiones; 3. Bellovaci; 4. Nervii; 5. Atrebates ; 6. Ambiani; 7. Morini; 8. Menapii; 9. Calěti; 10. Velocasses ; 11. Veromandii; 12. Aduatici; 13. Condrusi; 14. Eburones or Tungri ; 15. Caeraesi; 16. Paemani; 17. Essui; 18. Segni; 19. Toxandri ; 20. Oromansaci; 21. Britanni; 22. Castologi; 23. Sueconi; 24. Ulmanetes; 25. Sunuci; 26. Frisiabones; 27. Betasi; 28. Leuci; 29. Lingones; 30. Rauraci; 31. Nemetes; 32. Tribocci; 33. Vangiones ; 34. Ubii; 35. Guberni; 36. Batavi; 37. Treveri; 38. Veneti; 39. Osismii; 40. Unelli; 41. Curiosolitae; 42. Sesuvii; 43. Aulerci; 44. Rhedones; 45. Andes; 46. Eburovices; 47. Lexovii; 48. Nannetes; 49. Ambiliati; 50. Diablintes. We will now proceed to examine the question, to which of the stocks of the Indo-European family these confederate tribes are to be referred; and if it can be shown that some among them are unquestionable members of a certain stock; that none among them can be proved to belong to any other stock; that the direct evidence of antiquity implies and assumes identity of language and race in all members of the confederation; it may reasonably be inferred that all are to be included in that particular stock to which the majority of the most important can be with certainty referred. It is the opinion of the present writer that this particular stock was the Gothic. His reasons for adopting this opinion will appear in the sequel. We have first the explicit declaration of Caesar. At the outbreak of the Belgian war, he appears to have made the most searching inquiries as to the character and resources of his new antagonists. The sources of his information were beyond suspicion. They were the chiefs of the renegade Remi, themselves members of the Belgian league, and consequently faithful expositors of the national traditions current among their countrymen respecting the origin of their race. The result of his inquiries was-" Plerosque Belgas esse ortos ab Germanis; Rhenumque antiquitus transductos, propter loci fertilitatem ibi consedisse, Gallosque, qui ea loca incolerent, expulisse." (B. G. 1. ii. 4.) We have next the express testimony of the geographer Strabo (1. iv. c. 4): Αλλ' εκ των παλαιων χρονων τουτο λαμβανομεν περι αυτων εκ των μεωρι νυν συμμενόντων παρα τους Γερμανοις νομιμων. και γαρ τῇ φύσει και τοις πολιτευμᾶσιν εμφερείς εισιν οὗτοι και συγγενεις αλληλοις, όμορον τε οικουσι χώραν διοριζομενην τῷ Ρηνῳ ποταμῳ, και παραπλησια εχουσιν τα πλειστα. That Caesar recognised the existence of a German population on the western banks of the Rhine is evident from several passages in his Memoirs. When he says of the Belgae (1. i. c. 1)," Proximi sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt," it cannot be supposed that a writer, whose terse and luminous style rarely admits superfluous expressions would have added these words as a local definition of the Germani. The words were advisedly written for the purpose of distinguishing the Germans on the Gallic side from those on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the 27th cap. of the 1st book he employs the same expression: "Ne propter bonitatem agrorum Germani qui trans Rhenum incolunt e suis finibus in Helvetiorum fines transirent." That this view is correct is evident from other passages in which the existence of cisrhenane Germans is expressly indicated. Thus (1. ii. 3): "Germanosque, qui cis Rhenum incolunt, sese cum his coniunxisse.' Again (1. vi. 2)," Adiunctis cisrhenanis omnibus Germanis;" and again, (vi. 32), “Neve omnium Germanorum, qui essent citra Rhenum, unam esse caussam iudicaret." It may be desirable briefly to inquire by what means, and at what period, these German tribes acquired a permanent settlement in Gaul. It is generally admitted that the various tribes which constitute the stocks of the Indo-European family arrived in Europe from the East at successive periods; that the Kelts were the foremost of those great immigrant bodies whom the excess of population over the means of subsistence had driven from their primitive home; and that they were followed, at least in the north of Europe, by the Gothic hordes. The writer is anxious to indicate what he conceives to have been a fundamental error in all investigations into the movements and distribution of these wandering bodies, viz. a sufficiently early date has not been assigned to their arrival and settlement in Europe. At the period when the power of Rome began sensibly to affect the bordering nations, and the schemes of aggrandisement entertained by the directors of that power were absorbing the neighbouring states, the Keltic migration had reached its extreme limit in the west, and had already been for centuries exposed to the pressure of the more energetic tribes of Gothic origin who followed them from the East. The districts which formed the line of demarcation between these races-races of necessity placed in a state of antagonism from the peculiarity of their relative position-may naturally be presumed to have been the battle-field of alien tribes; one, incapable of resisting the pressure from behind, ever encroaching on the territories of the first settlers; and the other, with the energy of despair, resisting the aggressions of their restless and warlike neighbours. It will be found that the social condition of the inhabitants of eastern Gaul, as disclosed in the narrative of Caesar, presents us with an instructive example of a nation in this depressed and unsettled state, with its social and political system disorganized and undergoing a process of gradual disintegration. At the period when Caesar commenced his Gallic campaigns this struggle between hostile races had in a great measure ceased along the northern districts of Gaul, but was still in active operation on the western bank of the Rhine. The extent to which these inroads had been carried at the time when Caesar undertook the government of his province, may be readily inferred from the indignant remonstrance addressed to the Roman general by the German chieftain Ariovistus ::- "Sibi mirum videri quid in sua Gallia, quam bello vicisset, aut Caesari aut omnino populo Romano negotii esset" (i. 34); and again (i. 44), "Quid sibi vellet? cur in suas possessiones veniret? Provinciam suam hanc esse Galliam, sicut illam nostram." It appears that he had been invited to assist the Sequani in suppressing their rivals the Ædui; but, finding himself superior in force to both the contending factions, he had availed himself of the advantages of his position, seized upon the greatest portion of their land, and reduced the inhabitants to a condition of slavery. The terms upon which he consented to render the assistance required were the cession of one-third of the territory of the Ædui. He subsequently demanded a second third for his friends and countrymen the Harudes, 24,000 of whom had joined him. The Ædui represented the number of his followers as 120,000. In addition to the Harudes, a third body of Germans, 100 pagi of the Suevi, were threatening to cross the Rhine. A portion of them were already in the camp of Ariovistus. We have the following enumeration of the tribes that swelled the ranks of the German army (i. 51), the Harudes, Marcomanni, Tribocci, Vangiones, Nemetes, Sedusii, Suevi. That this hostile occupation of Gaul had existed for many years is proved by an incident recorded by Caesar, viz. that Ariovistus had learnt the Celtic language. Caesar selected a certain agent to confer with Ariovistus: "propter linguae Gallicae scientiam, qua multa iam Ariovistus longinqua consuetudine utebatur." (i. 47). In addition to the tribes above-mentioned, we learn (1. iv. c. 1) that two other formidable bands of Germans, the Usipetes and the Tenchtheri, crossed the Rhine, and were ultimately allowed by Caesar to settle in the territories of the Ubii. Their number is stated to have been 420,000 (iv. 15). This is doubtless an exaggerated estimate. Strabo again states in general terms that such incursions were of frequent occurrence, owing to the proximity of the two countries : δια τουτο δε τας μεταναστάσεις αυτων ῥᾳδίως υπαρχειν συμβαινει, φερομενων αγαληδον και πανστρατιᾳ. μαλλον δ' εκ πανοικιων εξαίροντων, ὅταν ὑπ' αλλων εκβαλλονται κρειττονων (l. iv. c. 4), and in this statement he is supported by the evidence of Tacitus : Nunc singularum gentium instituta ritusque quatenus differant, quae nationes e Germania in Gallias commigraverint, expediam.” (Germ. 27.) These instances, which might readily be increased, of German migrations into Gaul, have been adduced to prove the fact, that for at least half a century before the Christian æra the gradual displacement of the Celtic population of Gaul was in progress on the western banks of the Rhine. The writer proposes next to examine the evidence respecting the nationality of certain tribes belonging to the Belgian confederation. 1. Aduatici.-Respecting the origin of this tribe, we have the express declaration of Caesar (ii. 29): "Ipsi erant ex Cimbris Teutonisque prognati; qui, cum iter in Provinciam nostram atque Italiam facerent, iis impedimentis, quae secum agere ac portare non poterant, citra flumen Rhenum depositis, custodiae ex suis ac praesidio sex milia hominum una reliquerunt. Hi, post eorum obitum, multos annos a finitimis exagitati, quum alias bellum inferrent, alias inlatum defenderent, consensu eorum omnium pace facta, hunc sibi domicilio locum delegerunt." In Caesar's time their numbers had greatly increased, as they furnished a contingent of 29,000 men to the allied army of the Belgae. On a subsequent occasion (vi. 2) we find them vindicating their nationality by uniting their forces with "all the Cisrhenane Germans," in an abortive attempt to oppose the progress of the Roman arms. 2. Nervii.-That this powerful tribe was of German origin is attested by Strabo (l. iv. c. 3): Τρηουΐροις δε συνεχεις Νερουιοι, και τουτο Γερμανικον εθνος; and by Tacitus (Ger. 28): "Treveri et Nervii circa affectationem Germanicae originis ultro ambitiosi sunt." This statement is fully confirmed by the brief notice which Caesar supplies of their manners and mode of life (ii. 15): "Nihil. pati vini reliquarumque rerum ad luxuriam pertinentium, inferri, quod iis rebus relanguescere animos et remitti virtutem existimarent.” Compare this passage with the description of the Suevi (iv. 2): |