and [1] remembrances of Bardes, which use to forge and falsifie every thing as they list, to please or displease any man.
Iren. Truly I must confess I doe so, but yet not so absolutely as you suppose. I do herein rely upon those Bardes or Irish Chroniclers, though the Irish themselves through their ignorance in matters of learning and deepe judgement, doe most constantly beleeve and avouch them, but unto them besides I adde mine owne reading; and out of them both together, with comparison of times, likewise of manners and customes, affinity of words and names, properties of natures, and uses, resemblances of rites and ceremonies, monuments of churches and tombes, and many other like circumstances, I doe gather a likelihood of truth, not certainely affirming any thing, but by conferring of times, language, monu-
- ↑ Remembrances of Bardes,] Of the ancient Bards or Poets, Lucan makes this mention in the first booke of his Pharsalia.
"Vos quoque qui fortes anima, belloque peremptas
"Laudibus in longum vates dimittis ajvum,
"Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi."The word signified among the Gaules a singer, as it is noted by Mr. Camden, and Mr. Selden, out of Festus Pompeius, and it had the same signification among the British. Sir lohn Price in the description of Wales, expounds it to bee one that had knowledge of things to come, and so (saith he) it signifieth at this day, taking his ground (amisse) out of Lucan's verses. Doctor Powell, in his notes upon Caradoc of Lhancarvan, saith, that in Wales they preserved gentlemens armes and pedigrees. At this time in Ireland the Bard, by common acceptation, is counted a rayling rimer, and distinguished from the poet. Sir James Ware.
