First edition (a second appeared in 1722) of Gibson’s translation of Camden’s momentous multidisciplinary attempt “to restore Britain to Antiquity, and Antiquity to Britain” (translated preface, quoted in ODNB). A translation made by Philemon Holland in collaboration with Camden had appeared in 1610 but was often inaccurate and less than faithful to the original material, and so is now considered inferior to this 1695 Gibson edition. “The Britannia had an enormous and lasting impact on multidisciplinary historical writing, and was also of the highest importance as a cultural icon affecting the national self-image. […] Recognizing the imperfection of the written record, particularly the scarcity of genuine British material, Camden looks to multiple kinds of evidence to push the record as far back as possible and to trace continuities through the different periods of British history. Histories of the different peoples who settled Britain supplement the chorographical description of the country. In the process of tracing Britain's cultural diversity, Camden was also a major force in discrediting the Brutus myth that had long dominated perceptions of British origins.” (Herendeen, ODNB).
ESTC R12882; Chubb, CXIII; Upcott I, pp.xxi-xxii.