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A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

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NOTES. 361Note LXXXVILVergohreius.—On <strong>the</strong> testimony <strong>of</strong> Caesar, (lib. 1. cap. 16.)Liscus wa-S chief magistrate or Vergohret <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> i^^dui. TliisVergobret was elected annually, and had <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> life anddeath over his own nation. Divitiacus was at <strong>the</strong> same timeArchdruid. The true etymon <strong>of</strong> this word is Fear.go.Bhraiikjor according to <strong>the</strong> Irish dialect, Fer.go.Breth^ i. e. " <strong>the</strong> manfor judgment.'* The Indian Brahmin^ (Latinized Brathmanniyor Brachmanni) is a name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> very same import. In <strong>the</strong> Sanscritlanguage, Brath signifies judgment and man^ a man.Bj^athman^ or Brachman or Brahmin^ (for <strong>the</strong>y are all <strong>the</strong>same) literally signifies <strong>the</strong> judgment man^ or man fur judgment.Mr. Pinkarton has been kind enough to favour us with a Gothicetymology <strong>of</strong> Vergobret^ but has prefaced it with a grave,formal, deliberate falsehood. " Vergobret^ (says he, vol. 1. p.286.) <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> a magistrate among <strong>the</strong> German gauls, asCcesar tells us.'' Now Cassar tells no such thing, but <strong>the</strong> veryreverse. Mr. Pinkarton has indeed, contrary to Caesar's obviousmeaning, laid hold <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Belgae, as German Gauls^ but,except in this instance, has laid no claim to <strong>the</strong> Celtae^ <strong>the</strong> inhabitants<strong>of</strong> Gallia Celtica, or Lugdunensis. The Edui were agens or tribe <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Celts, and inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Celtic Gaul. Ccesaruniformly places <strong>the</strong>m in this district, and Pliny^ (lib. 4. cap.18.) is as express to <strong>the</strong> point as words can make it. He, aswell as Caesar, places <strong>the</strong> Carnutes, (in whose territories <strong>the</strong>Druids annually met,) in <strong>the</strong> same district. Caesar says <strong>the</strong>Germans had no Druids, yet, on <strong>the</strong> testimony <strong>of</strong> Cicero, Divitiacus,cotemporary with Liscus <strong>the</strong> Vergobret <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> JEdui^was himself an JEduan^ and an Archdruid.The ^duan nobilitywere, on <strong>the</strong> motion <strong>of</strong> Caesar himself, (Tacit. Annal. lib.11. cap. 7.) admitted to <strong>the</strong> honourable privilege <strong>of</strong> Roman seliators.This distinction was <strong>the</strong> more flattering, because though<strong>the</strong> application was genera], from <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> Gallia Comata^which included Belgic, Celtic^ and Aqaitanian Gaul, <strong>the</strong> Eduialone obtained this signal honour. The only Vergobret, men-

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