The connection of the Society of Antiquaries with the Patron of the English Nation St. George, whose Anniversary is the day appointed by statute for the Election of their Officers, and whereof the King's most excellent Majesty is the Founder and Patron, as well as Sovereign of the Order of St. George, seems to make it necessary that some proper notice should be taken, by some of its members, of two late publications tending to the Annihilation of this Saint. There can be no reason, at this day, against an Enquiry into the truth of the Admission and Acceptance of St. George, the Martyr, by our Ancestors as the Patron and Protector of this kingdom; especially since Dr. Pettingal, Author of one of the Pieces alluded to, supposes the George and Garter to be entirely of an emblematical or allegorical Nature; and Mr. Byrom, Author of the other Piece, has declared, that St. Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, and not St. George, was the real Patron-Saint of the English.

From Brecknock I proceed to Abergavenny chiefly along the vale of Usk, through which the twelfth iter of Antoninus is supposed to have passed. As there were several Roman stations along, or near, this valley, as Gobannium, Burrium, Isca, or Caerleon, according to Camden, and Venta Silurum, now Caerwent, Monmouthshire has constantly engaged the attention of curious inquirers, and has already afforded very considerable and interesting remains of Roman Antiquities. But as some particulars have, notwithstanding, passed unnoticed, and others have not been faithfully represented, I shall submit to the judgement of this learned Society such observations as occurred to me in my researches through this county.

I some time since addressed to you several particulars relative to the remains of the Cornish language, which the Society of Antiquaries did me the honour to insert in the Third Volume of the Archaeologia (p. 278). It may not be improper therefore to lay before the Society some further information on this head, which the Rev. Mr. Penneck, F. R. S. hath been so obliging as to procure for me.

It is something remarkable, that the general plan of the Roman military stations in this island is better known than those of the Saxons and Danes, which in great measure is owing to these latter not making roads of communication between the different places which they fortified. Another reason is, that sufficient attention has not been paid to the subject, especially in some of the northern parts of England, as is evident with respect to the former of these two invaders, from the map inserted in Gibson's Chronicon Saxonicum. An improvement of this has often been wished for; but we cannot expect such an undertaking to have the desired effect, till better search has been made after these kind of remains, and the discoveries made public. With this view, I beg leave to lay before the Society a short account of a few military works of this sort, as yet, I believe, unnoticed by any writer.

Rudston, a village in the East-Riding of Yorkshire, on the Wolds, near Burlington, is thus noticed in bishop Gibson's edition of Camden, col. 901. “More inward into the “land, is Ruston, where, in the church-yard, is a kind of “pyramidal stone of great height. Whether the name of the “town may not have some relation to it, can be known only “from the private history of the place; but if the stone bear “any resemblance to a cross, rod in Saxon doth imply so much.” This cross, as the bishop calls it, and I think not improperly, is a very curious monument; and, no doubt, of very remote antiquity. I am not aware that it has ever been engraved, and therefore I here present the Society with an accurate drawing* of it, which I received A. 1769, from the friendly hand of Mr. Willan, whose account I shall take the liberty to subjoin. “This stone stands about four yards from the North East “corner of Rudston church, which is situated on a high hill. “Its depth under ground equal to its height above, as appeared “from an experiment made by the late Sir William Strickland. “All the four sides are a little convex, and the whole covered “with moss. No tradition in this country of any authorrity, either concerning the time, manner, or occasion of its “erection.”

On sinking the cellars for a large house at the upper part of Church-street in this town, now building by Daniel Wilson, esq. on the site of which stood some very old houses (formerly called the Judge's lodgings), was discovered, at about six feet below the present surface of the street, a supposed Roman burying-place; as burnt wood, bones, and ashes, broken paterae, urns, Roman brick, gutter tiles, coins, horns of animals, &c. were found; also, two fragments of thick walls, at about five yards distant from each other, in a direction from front to back, and seeming to continue under Church-street, be-twixt which were several large stones, some of which were hewn. By this it may be conjectured, to have been a vault to deposit the ashes of the dead, and fallen-in, or pulled down, at some time, as there were found, within the walls, several pieces of urns, an earthen sepulchral lamp entire (the end of the spout where the wick came out was burnt black), broken paterae, burnt bones, ashes, a large human skull, Roman coins, &c. also, at the North-end a well, filled with hewn stones, but not meddled with.

It always gives me pleasure when I see gentlemen of known parts and learning reviewing any of our national antiquities, as one has a reasonable expectation of having them better illustrated; for though the modern antiquary may not perhaps be superior to his great predecessors in point of substantial literature, nor even equal them, yet he is possessed of some very singular advantages; he not'only stands upon their shoulders, but is sure to be divested of all local prejudice and personal partiality; he is not to be led away by every idle, perhaps legendary, story; nor will he pronounce hastily, without examining carefully and closely, by calling to his aid reason, experience, and probability; all which he will employ with liberality of sentiment, as well as with accuracy of description and expression.

I have the honor to exhibit to this Society a brass instrument lately found by digging in the ruins of Gleaston Castle, situated in The Lower Furness, in the county of Lancaster. Lord George Cavendish the elder, whose property it is, was so obliging as to put it into my hands, as a curiosity not unworthy the notice of this Society. It is about nine inches long, and half an inch thick in the middle; one end, formed like our common hatchet, with a sharp edge, is 5 inches broad; from this end it tapers on both sides, gradually, to the other end, which is not above if inch broad, and is formed also with a sharp edge. It is for the most part finely polished, and covered with a beautiful patina, except where it has been injured by rust. It weighs two pounds, five ounces. In some respects it is similar to those instruments, called Celts, which have been found in great numbers in various parts of this island, and figured and described by various authors. These, in general, have had one end sharp, as this has; but the other has been formed into a kind of groove, or socket, to fix a handle in; and some have a loop annexed to them; but this is destitute of every thing of that kind, and seems intended to have been held in the hand only for use, whatever that use might have been; for there can be no doubt, but that, if a handle of any kind had been necessary, the workmen who formed this, could as easily have formed it with one, or with a conveniency to fasten one to it. The learned antiquaries who have seen and considered these Celts, have differed much as to the uses for which they were designed.

Having read the book of Genesis lately with attention, I have formed a short sketch of the patriarchal customs and manners, some of which, and more particularly what relates to their marriages, I never could at all comprehend from the perusal of detached chapters; it need scarcely be observed also that such customs and manners must in many respects differ from those of their descendants, when they became a considerable nation, and lived in cities.

The Roman roads that pass through this county of Eissex, are thus described by the fifth Iter of Antonine:

Caesaromagus M. P. XXVIII.

Colonia M. P. XXIV.

As the Council of the Society hath so far approved of a drawing, which I presented to them, from the Tomb-stone of the Saint to whom the church of Laniestin, in Anglesey, is dedicated, as to have ordered it to be engraved in the Archaeologia; it is incumbent upon me to give the best account I am able of this British Saint.

A few months ago I ventured to communicate to the Society, through your hands, some observations on the structure of ancient castles, and the mode of fortifying them; apprehending an enquiry of that nature might possibly have a tendency to illustrate the more early periods of our history, and to fling light upon the relations of many particular events, which are interesting in themselves, but not capable of being fully understood, without some acquaintance with the ancient manners, customs, and arts, that prevailed in those times. The very favourable reception which that attempt met with, induces me now to trouble you still further, with a short account of a single fragment of antiquity, a very extraordinary piece of old Ordnance; which, although it may, at first sight, be deemed an object unworthy the attention of the Society, may perhaps contribute to illustrate some few historical facts, equally with more magnificent and important remains. And I connot help adding, that perhaps the collecting a number of such ancient fragments, of various ages, and preserving faithful accounts of them, may even be a means of furnishing a very useful comment on history.

There are yet many points in natural history which want to be cleared. It is not certainly known whether the elephant casts its teeth; the bee-fanciers have lately been very generally of opinion, that the working bees are of no sex; but as this is contrary to analogy, or the usual course of nature in her productions, it has been called in question, and with much appearance of reason, insomuch that this matter wants to be better ascertained.

Owen Salusbury Brereton, esq. exhibited February 1, 1776, a very fair noble of Edward IIId. rendered curious on account of the particulars of the discovery, and other circumstances attending it.

The Society having been pleased to insert, among their printed tracts, the letter which I lately did myself the honour to address to you, concerning some ancient Roman Inscriptions, collected a few years since by the learned Abbé Fortis, in a tour through Istria and Dalmatia; I persuade myself that a further account of other similar remains of antiquity, since communicated to me, chiefly from those parts, by the same gentleman, will also prove agreeable. I am therefore encouraged in the present communication, which I also hope will prove acceptable to the gentlemen of the Society, should you think proper to recommend it to them.

Me dudum tibi, vir eruditissime, illam etiam alteram Corbrigiensem inscriptionem excutere, et cogitationes meas rescribere (mutuo conferendi gratia, non edendi) pollicitum suisse, haud diffiteor. Sed et otium et materies mihi defuêrunt. Si enim in hac inscriptione aliquid obscuri, aut difficile intellectu inesset, quid tuam diligentiam, quid tuam in antiquitatis monumentis eruditionem potuit fugere? Quin et Jacobus Oberlinus, in orbis antiqui monumentis suis illustrati Prodromo, rectè admonet, quàm cautè sit in dijudicandis interpretandisque monumentis versandum. Cum verò nomina negligentiae me suspectum esse nollem, en tibi pauca, non ad aliquid novi proserendum, sed ad tuam sententiam, sicut prius, confirmandam, commentata.

In a tour I made last summer from Scarborough to the South of Yorkshire, I paid a visit to the Rev. Dr. Comber, a relation of mine, whose seat is not far distant from Kirkdale church in Rydale in that county; and one day we took a ride to see the curious Saxon inscription over the South door of that building, sometime since discovered by the Rev. Mr. William Dade, rector of Barmston, a worthy clergyman in the East-Riding, and of which, as you informed mè, Mr. Pegge communicated a copy to the Society in a letter addressed to the late Bishop of Carlisle, anno 1771.

I take the liberty of sending you the inclosed drawings and description of two Roman forts in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire, hitherto undescribed. If you think them worthy the notice of the Society, I must beg you to communicate them in such manner as you shall judge proper.

The elegant Seal [a] produced by you at the last meeting of the Society, belonged to Robert the 5th Baron Fitz-Walter, who was son of Walter, and grandson of Robert, Lord Fitz-Walter, Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church, as appears by the shield of arms under the horse's head, which bears the coat of his 2d wife, who was a Ferrers.

The Dune, or Tower, of Dornadilla [a], in the parish of Diurnes, on Lord Reay's estate, is situate in a place called Strathmore, on the East side of the river that runs through Strath, on a sloping ground; so that it seems the foundation gave way on that side towards the river, being on a declivity. It stands seven miles from the ocean, or rather ten miles, and from the building to the sea, is a ridge of hills, rising higher and higher till they terminate in the sea, and they are all forest ground, called Bin-hope. There are on the hill near it, several hollows, or pits, which were quarries of old; but fanciful people would make them places where men and dogs lodged in the hunting season.