Having been for these several days too much pressed for time to return you an answer to your obliging favour on the Roman sword in my possesion, I beg you will permit business to apologize for the delay.

I have enclosed to you a letter from Mr. Mutlow of the College Precincts, Gloucester, in answer to some queries which I directed to him on the subject of the relic in question; but as I have since received further information on the discovery of Roman remains dug out of the spot from whence the sword was taken, I here subjoin a few remarks and a concise account of them.

I duly received your favour of the 23d of September, and have endeavoured all in my power to get satisfactory answers to your queries. In the first place I have to inform you that the coffin was found within about fifty yards of the Roman Way called Ermin-street, which went from St. David's in Wales to Southampton, and about eighteen miles from Cloucester crosses the Roman Foss-way: but notwithstanding this circumstance, I am of opinion that the coffin in question did not belong to a Roman, but to a Saxon, in support of which I have to say that in the heptarchy Gloucestershire being a part of the Mercian kingdom, the Roman Way went by a palace of the kings of Mercia, which was situate in a field adjoining to that in which the coffin, &c. was found (the foundation of which I have seen) and to this day is called the Kingsholm, and a few years since there were two stone coffins (there generally supposed Roman) found close to the Ermin street, one of which was about fix feet and a half in length, and nearly in the form of a cistern, and I believe upon consideration, you will be of opinion that the Romans never interred their dead in lead.

It has long been surmised that the vagrant tribes of people called in this country Gypsies, and on parts of the continent of Europe, Cingari, Zingari, and Chingali, were of Eastern origin. The former name has been supposed a corruption of Egyptian, and some learned persons have judged it not improbable that their language might be traced to the Coptic.

Having been present at the meeting of the Society when Mr. Marsden's letter on the Gypsey language, was read, I recollected that, several years ago, I had heard my friend Mr. Bryant mention his having collected a considerable number of words used by this wandering tribe; several of which words appeared to bear a close affinity to those of the same meaning in the languages of ancient and of distant nations.

It is uncertain whether the Romans built any bridges of stone in Britain while they were masters of it; but, that they erected bridges of wood can hardly be doubted; yet the Thames and Medway were impassable at London and Rochester by any other means than ferries until about one hundred years before the Norman Conquest, when a timber bridge was erected at London, and it is hot improbable that at Rochester was built about the same time. These bridges being of timber, which of all materials used in building is most subject to decay, were afterwards rebuilt with stone, that at London in 1176, that at Rochester about the year 1386 or 1387. It is impossible to say with certainty how either of these bridges were constructed, though it is well known to those who have observed the progress of the various arts relating to architecture in this kingdom, that the earliest works of carpentry were very rude, their strength depending more on the quantity and substance of the timbers, than on the judicious disposition of them.

113. 1. add in England