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“BRUDE” TITLE OF KINGS OF PICTS 85

diocese until 1189-1199, presumes that it was in existence before Bartolf’s time.

The ‘‘ Brude”’ title, also, of so many of the ancient historical kings of the Picts in Scotland—whose chief stronghold in the north of Scotland at the dawn of literary Scottish history in the sixth century A.p. was Aberdeenshire to Invernessnow appears to be clearly derived from this “ Prwt”’ or “ Prat,’ with variant “ Brut,” title of this early Phoenician “ Part-olon, King of the Scots’ of our monument.

When modern native Scottish history opens in the pages of Adamnan, the disciple and biographer of the Irish-Scot missionary prince Columba (b. A.D. 521, @. A.D. 597)' we learn that Columba, in his mission for the conversion of the pagan Picts of Scotland, visited, in A.p. 556, the king of the Picts named ‘“ Brude.’’ This king whose name is also significantly spelt “ Bruide”’ and “ Brides,’ and latinized into “ Brudeus”’ (parallel with “‘ Brutus’) resided in his fortress at Inverness, now called Craig Phadraig, on the Moray Firth—to which leads the old trunk road from Aberdeen which passes the site of the Newton Stone. Receiving Columba in a friendly manner, he invited him to a trial of skill against his Druid high priest; and on Columba defeating the Druid by his superior “ magic,’ King Brude embraced Christianity and was with many of his subjects baptized by Columba—an event which, it should be noted, happened forty years before the arrival of St. Augustine in Britain to convert the English to Christianity. He also granted Columba permission to open a missionary station and build a monastery at Deer, about twenty miles to the north-east of this stone; and he also confirmed Colwmba in his possession of the Island of Iona. This latter incident indicates that King Brude or ‘‘ Bruide '"’ was king of the whole of Scotland and the Isles; and he held the Prince of Orkney hostage.

Significantly also, this kingly title of ‘‘ Brude’’ or “ Bruide,”’ also spelt “‘ Bridei, Bride, Brete and Breth,’’? was used by the great majority of this King Brude’s predecessors in the King-Lists of the Picts, as preserved in the Colbertine

1 A.L.R., 149f. *See S.C.P., 436. H