MYTHOLOGY AND RITES

OF THE

British Druids,

ASCERTAINED BY

NATIONAL DOCUMENTS;

AND COMPARED WITH THE

GENERAL TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF HEATHENISM,
AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE MOST EMINENT

ANTIQUARIES OF OUR AGE.

WITH AN

APPENDIX,

CONTAINING

ANCIENT POEMS AND EXTRACTS,

WITH SOME

REMARKS ON ANCIENT BRITISH COINS.

AD QUE NOSCENDA ITER INGREDI, TRANSMITTERE MARE SOLEMUS, EA

SUB OCULIS POSITA NEGLIGIMUS,-PLIN. L. VIII. Ep. 20.

BY EDWARD DAVIES,

RECTOR OF BISHOPSTON, IN THE COUNTY OF GLAMORGAN,
AND AUTHOR OF CELTIC RESEARCHES.

London:

PRINTED FOR J. BOOTH, DUKE-STREET, PORTLAND-PLACE.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

RICHARD, LORD BISHOP OF LANDAFF.

MY LORD,

THE noble frankness with which your Lordship grants a favour, encourages me to hope, that you will pardon the liberty I now take, in prefixing your name to an Essay upon the Mythology and Rites of the Heathen Britons.

It is with diffidence I lay this subject before a man of your Lordship's distinguished character; whether in reference to private worth, to reputation in the world of letters, to rank in society, or to that zeal and ability which you have so successfully displayed in the defence of our holy religion.

But whatever the merits of this Work may be, I eagerly embrace the opportunity which it affords me, of acknowledging a debt of gratitude, in the audience of the Public.

When MR. HARDINGE, amongst his other acts of generosity, which it is impossible for me to enumerate or to forget, pointed me out to your Lordship's notice, under the character of his friend, it was your good pleasure to place me in a respectable station in the Church, and thus confer upon me the comfort of independence.

Your Lordship's manner of bestowing a benefit, is a great addition to its value; and whilst I am offering my humble tribute of thanks, it emboldens me to aspire to the preservation of your good opinion. I have the honour to remain,

Your Lordship's much obliged

and devoted humble servant,
E. DAVIES.