History of the Scottish Nation.

Vol. I.

PRE-HISTORIC, DRUIDIC, ROMAN, AND EARLY CHRISTIAN SCOTLAND.


Contents

Chapter 1

FIRST PEOPLING OF BRITAIN.

The Phoenicians the first Discoverers of Britain,—They trade with it in Tin,—Greatness of Sidon and Tyre partly Owing to British Trade, Triumphal Gates of Shalmanezer, —Tyrian Harbours, and probable size of Tyrian Ships, When and whence came the first Inhabitants of Britain?—The resting place of the Ark the starting-point of the enquiry, —Mount Ararat,—The Four great Rivers, —Their courses regulate the Emigration of the Human Family, —The Mountain girdle of the Globe, —Divided by it into a Southern and Northern World,—For what purpose? —The Three Fountainheads of the World's Population, —Ham peoples Egypt, —Shem, Arabia and Persia, —Migration of Japhet's Descendants, —Two great Pathways,—The basin of the Mediterranean, —The slopes of the Caucasus running betwixt the Caspian and the Euxine, —The Sons of Japhet travel by both routes, —The one arrives in Britain through the Pillars of Hercules, —The other by the Baltic, —The Journey stamps its imprint on each,—Their foot-prints,—The Sons of Gomer, or Cymri, the first Inhabitants of Britain,

Chapter 2

JOURNEY OF THE KYMRI TO BRITAIN.

Three guides to the Cradle of the Race,—Etymology, Mythology, Folk-lore,—All three conduct to Iran,—The Welsh Triads,—Division of the Earth among the Sons of Noah, —Nimrod's Tower,—An attempt to establish a Universal Monarchy,—Migration of the bands of Gomer,—Their journey to Britain,—Nomads,—The pasture-grounds of Europe the nursing-place of Warriors,—Character of the first Settlers.

Chapter 3

HABITS, HABITATIONS, AND ARTS OF THE FIRST SETTLERS.

First Settlers bring the essentials of Revelation with them,—The first Ages the Purest, —Log huts of first Dwellers,—Aboriginal Dwellings on banks of Loch Etive, —Picture of the Inmates,—Food, Arts, Garments of the Aborigines,—Weems, description of,—Progress of the Arts,—Beauty of later Home Art, Growth of Government and early Kings.

Chapter 4

THE STONE AGE.

The Stone Age coeval with Man,—The only record of the first Races,—The Cairn on the Floor,—The Sleeper within,—Glimpse into his Coffin,—Weapons interred with the Warrior, —Uses of the Stone Axe,—Flint Arrow-heads,—Battle in the Stone Age, —Mental horizon of the Men of the Stone Age,—The Landscape of the Stone Age.

Chapter 5

THE BRONZE AGE.

The Celts brings Bronze with him into Britain,—Quickening in all the Arts, —Irruption of the Celts into Europe,—Threaten Athens and Rome, Europe known to Herodotus as the land of the Celts,—Nomads but fierce Warriors, Their Tastes and Character, —Changes consequent to the introduction of Bronze,—In Ship building,—In House building,—In articles of Ornament,—In Domestic Utensils,—Cinery Vases —Burning of the Dead,—Advance in Dress, In Spinning and Weaving, In Agriculture,—Invention of Bronze of unknown antiquity.

Chapter 6

THE IRON AGE.

Uses of Iron,—Power it confers on Man,—First historic traces of Iron in Asia, —Noric Swords,—Iron known to Caledonians in Caesar's day,—Comes slowly into Use, —Revolutionises the Art of War,—Employed for Personal Adornment,—Iron Ring Money, —Interred with the Dead,—Changes with Iron,—Advance in Art, in War, in the Industries,—The Weaver and Potter,—Grain-stones,—Female Cosmetics, —Banquets and Cuisine of the Iron Age,—Brochs,—Their great number,—What knowledge of a Future State—Divine Traditions transmitted from Noah,—No Idol or Graven Image dug up in Scottish soil,—No idol or Graven Image dug up on Scottish soil,—Worship of Caledonians less gross than that of Greece and Romans,—Inference with modes of burial,—Valhalla and its Delights,— Departed Heroes permitted to revisit their Barrow,—A trysting place with earthly Friends,—Lesson of history, or Earth the picture of Heaven.

Chapter 7

THE DRUIDS—THE SUN WORSHIP OF ASIA AND CALEDONIA.

Unwritten History of Testimony of Barrows and Cairns, —Authenticity and Truth of these records, —How did the Caledonians Worship?—Had he any knowledge of a Supreme Being? Testimony of the Stone Circles,—In what age were they Erected?—Various Theories, These Theories considered, —Did the Vikings erect them? Are they Graveyards? Monuments of Early Nations reared to their Gods, —Stone Pillars,—Biblical Examples, —The First Altars, —The Idols and Idol Groves of Early Canaan, —Rise and Progress of Stone and Sun Worship, —Travels westward and reaches Caledonia, Stone Circles and Cromlechs of Ancient Moab, —Light thrown by them on the Early Caledonia

Chapter 8

THE DRUIDS—THEIR RELIGION, DEITIES, HIERARCHY, DOCTRINES.

Religion the most Potential of all Forces, —The Druidic Age as plainly written on the Face of Scotland as the Stone and Iron Ages, —Scottish Druidism imported from the East, —Its Comparative Purity in Early Times, —Testimonies of M. Reynaud, and others, —Druidism, a Branch of Sun Worship, —The Root Ideas of Revelation in all the Idolatries, —Explanation, —Identity of the Druidic and Greek Deities, —The Hierarchy of the Druids, —Their Studies in Science and Magic, —The Arch-Druid, —Their Political Power, —Their Annual Convention, —Their Emoluments and Privileges, —Their Doctrines, —Testimonies of Caesar, Pliny, Tacitus, and Pomponius Mela, —A Supreme Being and a Life to come taught by them, —A Long Initiation demanded of their Disciples, —Their Tenets wrapt up in Mystery.

Chapter 9

THE DRUID’S EGG—THE MISTLETOE—THE DRUID’S SACRIFICE.

The Druid's Egg known to the Ancients, —Marvellous Process of Production, —Wonderful Virtues, —The Mistletoe, —Ceremony of gathering it, —Was it to Druid a Symbol of the Saviour, —No ground to think so, —Sacrifice of the Druid, —Was it Evangelical or Pagan? — Sacrificial Rites, —The High Priest, the Procession, the Victim, — The Three Acts and the Three Lessons in the Sacrifice of the Druid, — Universality of the Rite of Sacrifice, —Explanation, —Philosophy of Sacrifice as a Mode of Worship.

Chapter 10

THE TEMPLES OR STONE CIRCLES OF THE DRUID.

The Stone Circle the earliest of Temples, No Architectural Grace, —In Construction Simple, Rugged, Strong, —Stennes in Orkney, — A Temple to the Sun-god, —Its Antiquity, —Stonehenge, —Its Site and Size, —Supposed Description of Stonehenge by Hecataeus, B.C. 30O, —Its Hippodrome, —Weird Appearance and Outline of its History, —Its Dimensions, —Footnote, Avebury, —Its Genera Arrangements, —Its Central Mount, —Its Grand Approaches, — Its surrounding Sepulchral Tumuli, —Beauty the Characteristic of the Greek Temple, Strength and Size that of the Druid, —Mount Nebo a great Dolmen Centre, —Ruins of Dolmens and Stone Circles around Mount Nebo, —Universality of Stone Worship, —Human Victims offered by the Druid, —Human Sacrifice practiced by Greeks and Romans, —"Stones of Remembrance."

Chapter 11

THE "ALTEINS’’ OR STONES OF FIRE—BELTINE OR MAY-DAY AND MIDSUMMER FESTIVALS.

Rise of Pagan Mythology,—footnote, Indelibility of Aboriginal Names,—Key to early History of Locality, —Clackan,—Its Meaning,—Altein,—Stone of Fire, —The Altein of Old Aberdeen, —Tragedies enacted at, —Stone of Liston, —Druidic Ceremonies of 30th October, —Extinction of Fire on Hearths, —Rekindled from "Stone of Fire-brands," —Link betwixt Phoenicia and Caledonia, — "Stones of Fire" of Tyre, —Beltane, or 1st May, —Beltane Rites at Crieff, —At Callander, —Midsummer Fires,—St John's Fires in Ireland, In France,—Identity of these with the Fires of Moloch, —The Clocks of the Druid.

Chapter 12

VITRIFIED FORTS—ROCKING-STONES—DRUID’S CIRCLE—NO MAN'S LAND— DIVINATION—GALLOW-HILLS
—A YOKE BROKEN.

Vitrified Forts, —Probable Relics of Druidism, —Rocking-Stones, — Common to many Countries, Known to the Egyptians, Described by Pliny, &c., —Judgment Stones,—Stone at Boddam, How Placed, —The Druid's Circle, —Its Virtue, —Surviving Druidic Usages, —The teine eigin, —Days on which the Plough was not to be Yoked, —Plots that must not be Cultivated, —Divination practiced by the Druids, Laws or "Gallovv Hills," —Mounts of Divination, —Enslavement of the People by the Druid, His yoke broken.

Chapter 13

SCOTLAND AS SEEN BY AGRICOLA AND DESCRIBED BY TACITUS AND HERODIAN.

History with her Torch, —Invasion of England by Caesar, —Startling Reverse, —Agricola crosses the Tweed, —Penetrates to Firth of Forth, —Agricola probably accompanied by Tacitus, —The Time comes for Scotland to be Born,—A Marvelous Transformation, — Picture of Scotland as seen by Tacitus, —Its Moors and Forests, — Its Rivers and Pathways, Its Seas,The Land and the Natives as Painted by Herodian, 170—Their Armour, 170— Their Bodies Painted or Tattooed, 171—Process of Tattooing, 172—Their flair, 172—A Contrast, the Scotland of the First Century and the Scotland of the Nineteenth.

Chapter 14

THE CALEDONIANS AS PAINTED BY HERODIAN.

The Land and the Natives as Painted by Herodian, —Their Armour, — Their Bodies Painted or Tattooed, —Process of Tattooing, —Their flair, —A Contrast, the Scotland of the First Century and the Scotland of the Nineteenth.

Chapter 15

CALEDONIAN HOUSES—LAKE DWELLINGS.

Picture of the Scotland of To-day,—The Architecture of Italy and the Architecture of Scotland in the First Century, —Not a Stone Edifice in Scotland in Agricola's Day, —First Dwellings in Caledonia an Underground Cave, —A Hut of Wattles,—Lacustrine or Lake Dwellings, —Method of Construction,—Utensils found in them, —Relics of their Feasts,—Second Class of Lake Dwellings,—Placed in the Lake,—Manner of Building, —Venice a Superb Specimen of a Lake Dwelling, —Crannog of Lochea, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, —Description,—Lochar Moss and its Buried Treasures, —The Site of Glasgow and its Embedded Canoes, —Changes in the Estuaries of the Forth and Tay, —The Modern Scotland bigger than the Ancients.

Chapter 16

ROMAN PERIOD OF BRITAIN—ENGLAND INVADED BY CAESAR, AND SCOTLAND BY AGRICOLA.

An Unpromising Land,—A yet more Unpromising People, —Roman Invasion, B.C. 55, —Fight off Deal, —Devastations of the Roman Sword in Britain, —Opinion of Tacitus,—Caesar withdraws from Britain, —Aulus Plutius enters in A.D. 43, —The British Chief Caractacus before the Emperor Claudius, —Agricola arrives in A.D. 80, —Character of Agricola, —Crosses the Tweed and hews his way to the Forth, —The Caledonians and the Legions Face to Face, —Line of Forts and Skirmishes, —In Third Summer Agricola Traverses Fife to the Tay, —In the Fourth, constructs his Line of Forts,—In the Firth, makes an Expedition to the West Coast, Next turns towards the North, —His Fleet, —Tragic Fate of German Contingent, —Agricola's Hesitations,—Night Attack on the Roman Camp near Lochleven,—The Caledonian Tribes hold a Convention, —They Prepare for war,—Soldiers Enrolled and Weapons Forged,—If Agricola will not come to the Grampians, the Grampians will go to Agricola.

Chapter 17

THE BATTLE OF MONS GRAMPIUS.

The Cloud on the North Hills, —March of the Roman Army Northward,—First Sight of the Tay, or Ecce Tiberim,—Strathmore or Ecce Campanium,—Where was Mons Grampius?—At Ardock? At Meigle? At Fettercairn?, The Fleet and Discovery of the Oarkneys, The Romans approach the Grampians,—The Muster of the Caledonians, Numbers, of the Caledonians and of the Romans,—The War Chariots of the Caledonians,—Speech of Galgacus to his Soldiers,— Speech of Agricola to his Army,—Order of Battle,—Battle Joined,—Disadvantageous Armour of the Caledonians, —Fierceness and Carnage of the Fight, —Tacitus' Description of the Field, —The Caledonians Defeated, —Their Bravery, —Flight to their Mountains, —The Numbers of Fallen on both sides,—Night Rejoicings in the Roman Camp, —Sights which Morning Discloses,—The Wail among the Grampinns,—The First of Scotland's Historic Battles,—Its Fruit,—It begins the long struggle for Scottish Independence,—Agricola retreats southwards.

Chapter 18

EXPEDITION OF SEVERUS, AND WITHDRAWAL OF ROMANS FROM BRITAIN.

Northern Boundary of the Empire a moving line, —Antoniae's Wall betwixt Forth and Clyde, —Hadrian's Wall betwixt Tyne and Solway,— Boundary again advanced to the Forth,—Pushed back to the Solway, —Severus' Expedition, AD. 204-224—The Caledonians shun battle, —Traps set for the Legions,—Hardships of the March,—Severus reaches the Cromarty Firth, —Retreats and dies at York,—Rich and magnificent Realms subject to Rome,—Yet not content without the little Britain,—Changes effected by the Roman occupation,— Roads,—Husbandry,—Trade and Commerce,—Villas and Towns, South England a favourite Residence of the Romans, Law and Literature introduced,—Roman Civilisation swept away.

Chapter 19

CHRISTIANITY ENTERS BRITAIN.

Entrance of two new POWERS, —Why is the Scotland of to-day not a Land of Painted men?—The Civilisation of Scotland other than that of the nations around it,—Its special Type or Charaereristic,—A new Life descends on Scotland, —The two necessities, —Conscience or the Moral Sense the measure of a Nation's Liberty, —The Model of the. Nations, —The second century and its facilities for the communication of Thought, —Wide diffusion of Christianity by the end of second century, — Picture of the first British Convert to Christianity, —The Pudens and Claudia of Paul's Epistle,—The Pudens and Claudia of Martial's Epigram, —Chain of proof that they are the same couple, —Claudia most probably a British Lady, —Proof from Tacitus of the early entrance of Christianity into Britain, —Did Paul preach the Gospel in Britain, —Contention of Usher and Stillingfleet that he did,—Ontline of their argument, Rapidity of Christianity’s spread in the first age, —Tertullian's Testimony, —Earliest Congregations in Britain,—Converts beyond the Roman Wall, —Prosperity of British Church after Dioclesian's Persection, —British Pastors at Councils of Aries and Sardica,—Routes by which Christianity entered Britain,—Britain Christianised by Missionaries from the East,—Testimony of Neander.

Chapter 20

THE CRADLE OF THE SCOTS.

The Caledonian and Scot to form one Race,—The two branches of the Cymric Family, the Scythians and the Gauls,—The early Inhabitants of Britain Cymric, —Additional varieties, Caesar on the Britons of his day, —Scythia a fountain-head of Nations, —Picture of the Scythians, —Ancient testimonies to the Virtue and Valour of the Scythians, —They overthrow Rome, —Scythia the original cradle of the Scottish Race,—Scythae and Scott, two Names for one People, journey south over Germany and France, They arrive in Spain, —Cross to Ireland, —Division of the Scythic Stream,—The Picts, —Their physical Prowess, —Their Mode of Fighting, —Burials, Dress, Food, Feasts,—Their War Songs and Music, The one extant Pictish Word.

Chapter 21

THE COMING OF THE SCOTS TO IRELAND.

The Scots first mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus in end of Fourth Century,—Arrive in Ireland probably in the First Century,—The Scots formed the van in the descent of the Gothic Nations,—Marked Individuality,—The Inhabitants of Ireland in Patrick's time, —Scots give Kings to Ireland,—Their Fighting qualities.

Chapter 22

THE PLANTING OF THE SCOTTISH NATION.

First Appearance of the Scott in Scotland, —Join the Picts in Ravaging the Territory betwixt the Two Walls, —Penetrate to the South of England, —Forced back by Theodosius, —Second Irruption of Pict and Scot, —Again Repulsed, —A Third Raid, —A Third Repulse, Fall of Rome,—Miseries of Britain on Departure of the Romans, —Groans of the Britons, —Four Nations in Britain, —The Anglo-Saxons, —Their Territory extends from Portsmouth to the Forth, —The BRITONS, —Their Kingdom Stretches from Cornwall to the Clyde, 294—The Picts or Caledonians,—Their Kingdom extends from the Forth to the Pentland Frith, —The Scots, —Boundaries of their Kingdom, —Identical nearly with Argyleshire, —The Scotia of the Early Centuries, —Fergus Mor leads the Scots from Antrim to Caledonia, —The Scottish Settlers Christian, —Angus and Loarne, —First Capital of Scots, —Early System of Government, —Peace between the Scots and Picts.

Chapter 23

KINDLING OF THE LAMP OF IONA.

A Coracle crosses the sea from Ireland, —Columba and his Twelve Companions, —They step ashore on Iona, —First Survey of the Island,—One of the Great Voyages of History, —Columba obtains a Grant of the Island, —Conversion of King Bruidi,—A Century's Peace in Caledonia, Anglo-Saxon Conquest of England, —English Christianity swept away, —A Partition Wall of Heathenism betwixt Scottish and Latin Christianity, —Iona and Rome, or the Two Principles at the two opposite extremities of Europe, —Work of the Men of Iona, — Their Mission Field Christendom, —Brief Sketch of their Mission Tours, —Their Dress, Dangers, Bravery.

Chapter 24

BATTLES, POLITICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL.

Early Light Bearers, —Ninian and Kentigern, —Servanus, —Patrick, —Columban Institution, —Its Work, Training of Missionaries, and Evangelisation of Scotland, —The School and the Plough, —A Spirit of Peace Breathes over the Land, —King Aidan anointed by Columba, —Summary of his Reign, —Ethelfrith of Northumbria. Slaughters the Monks of Bangor, —Arrival of Augustine and his Monks in England, —What comes out of it, —0swald of Northumbria finds asylum in Scotland, —Sits at the Feet of the Elders of Iona, —King Edwin Converted to the Roman Rite, —His Death in Battle, —Oswald Ascends the Throne of Northumbria, —Sends to Iona for Evangelists to Instruct his People, —Aidan sent, —Aidan and the King Evangelise together, —Oswald dies and Oswy ascends the Throne, Perversion of King Oswy, —He drives the Columban Missionaries out of Northumbria, —War breaks out, —Bloody Battle at Nectan's Mere, —It saves Iona, —Lindisfarne, or "Holy Island," —Cuthbert of Melrose, —His beautiful Life, —Goes to Lindisfarne, —His touching Death scene.

Chapter 25

IONA AND ROME; OR THE SECOND ROMAN INVASION.

Calm after Tempest, —Two Learned and Wise Princes, —Venerable Bede, —Outline of his Life and Labours, —What he Lacks, —Eugene VI. of Scotland, —His Learning, —The Eighth Century of Scotland Rises in Haze, —Romish Missionaries at the Court of Nectan, King of the Southern Picts, —Questions of Easter and the Tonsure, —Nectan Listens and Submits, —The Clergy who refuse to have their Heads Shorn are driven out, —They find Refuge among the Scots, —War follows, —Nectan Retires to a Monastery, —Confusions and Battles.

Chapter 26

UNION OF THE SCOTS AND PICTS—THE SCOTTISH NATION.

Invasion of the Vikings, —Form of their Ships, —Prodigies in the Sky,—Their Terrible Ravages as described by Simeon, —Lindisfarne Destroyed, —Iona Ravaged, —Slaughterings in the Western Isles, —Iona Finally Destroyed, —Removed to Kells in Ireland, and Dunkeld in Scotland, —Changes, —Picture of Scotland at Opening of Eighth Century, —Pre-eminent among the European Countries, —War between the Northern and Southern Picts, —The Scots Join the Northern Picts, —These Wars Traced to the Romanizing Monks, —The Various Indications and Proofs of this, —Learned Scotsmen in France, —Gradual weakening of the Picts, —The Religious Divisions and Wars of the Picts pave the Way for the Ascendancy of the Scots, —Extinction of Royal Line of the Picts, —Throne Claimed by Alpin the Scot, —Death of Alpin on the Battle-field, —His Son Kenneth resumes the War, —Extraordinary Stratagem, —The Final Battle near Perth, —The Scots Victorious, —Kenneth MacAlpin Ascends the Throne, —The One Scottish Nation.

End of Vol. I.


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