Though many of the Antiquities of Britain have been so accurately described and illustrated by the learned of our nation, that we have as large and valuable a treasure of this kind as any of our neighbours; yet, in so vast a field, it is impossible but some things must have slipped by unregarded, or have been but transiently mentioned; a nearer and more particular view of which, as well as a further enquiry into their origin, I presume, would not be altogether unacceptable; so that what at first might seem to have had but a slender foundation, would become settled upon the immoveable basis of Reason and Truth.

Though many of the antiquities of Britain have been so accurately described and illustrated by the learned of our nation, that we have as large and valuable a treasure of this kind as any of our neighbours; yet, in so vast a field, it is impossible but some things must have slipped by unregarded, or have been but transiently mentioned; a nearer and more particular view of which, as well as a further enquiry into their origin, I presume, would not be altogether unacceptable; so that what at first might seem to have had but a slender foundation, would become settled upon the immoveable basis of Reason and Truth.

The passage of Julius Caesar over the river Thames, to attack the famous Cassivellaun, and the army of Britons under his command, who were drawn up upon the opposite bank to hinder his crossing there, is a matter of so great antiquity, that, though it has been in general well attested by several historians, yet, as to the particular place where this remarkable event happened, there have been various opinions and conjectures; which for brevity omitting, I shall endeavour to set this affair in as clear a light as possible, by laying before you the most authentic evidences.

The passage of Julius Caesar over the river Thames to attack the famous Cassivellaun, and the army of Britons under his command, who were drawn up on the opposite bank to hinder his crossing there, is a matter of so great antiquity, that, though it has been in general well attested by several historians, yet, as to the particular place where this remarkable event happened, there have been various opinions and conjectures; which for brevity omitting, I shall endeavour to set this affair in as clear a light as possible, by laying before you the most authentic evidences.

By the statute 17 Edward IV, 1477, it was provided, “That “whereas divers fairs be holden and kept in this realm, some “by prescription, allowed before justices in Eyre, and some by the “grant of our Lord the King that now is, and some by the grants of “his predecessors; and to every of the same fairs, is of right pertaining “a court of Pypowders, to minister in the same due justice in this be-“half, in which court it hath been atall times accustomed, that every “person coming to the said fairs should have lawful remedy of all “manner of contracts, trespasses, covenants, debts and other deeds, “made or done within any of the same fairs, during the time “of the same fair—and within the jurisdiction of the same, and to “be tried by merchants being of the same fair; which courts at this “day be misused by the stewards, under-stewards, bailiffs, commis-“sioners and other ministers, holding and governing the said courts “of the said fairs, for their private profit, holding pleas by plaints, “as well of contracts, debts, trespasses, and other feats, done and “committed out of the time of the said fair, or jurisdiction of the “same, whereof, in truth, they have no jurisdiction surmising the “same debts, trespasses, &c.

By the statute 17 Edward IV, 1477, lt was provided, “ That “ whereas divers fairs be holden and kept in this realm, some “ by prescription, allowed before justices in Eyre, and some by “ the grant of our Lord the King that now is, and some by the “ grants of his predecessors; and to every of the same fairs, is of “ right pertaining a court of Pypowders, to minister in the same “ due justice in this behalf, in which court it hath been at all “ times accustomed that every person coming to the said fairs “ should have lawful remedy of all manner of contracts, trespasses, covenants, debts and other deeds, made or done within “ any of the same fairs, during the time of the same fair, and “ within the jurisdiction of the same, and to be tried by merchants “ being of the same fair; which courts at this day be misused By “ the stewards, under-stewards, bailiffs, commissioners and other ministers, holding and governing the said courts of the said “ fairs, for their private profit, holding pleas by plaints, as well “ of contracts, debts, trespasses, and other feats, done and com- “ mitted out of the time of the said fair, or jurisdiction of the “ same, whereof, in truth, they have no jurisdiction surmising the “ same debts, trespasses, &c. to be done within the time of the “ said fair, and within the jurisdiction of the same: where, of “ truth, they were not so; and some time by the device of evil- “ disposed people, several suits be feigned, and trouble them to “ whom they bear evil will, to the intent that they for lucre “ may have favourable inquests of those that came to the said fairs “ where they take their actions: And whereas divers persons “ coming to the said fairs be grievously vexed and troubled by “ feigned actions, and also by actions of debt, trespass, deeds, and “ contracts, made and committed out of the time of the said fair, “ or the jurisdiction of the same, contrary to equity and good “ conference; whereby the Lords of the fairs do lose great profit “ by the not coming of divers merchants to fairs, which by this “ occasion do abstain, and also the commons be unserved of such “ stuff and merchandise, which otherwise would come to the “ said fairs,” &c.—Then comes the enacting clause, that the plaintiff shall swear, that the cause in declaration happened in the time of the fair, &c.

Thys bill indentyd mead the viii day of Aprille in the thridde yer of Kyng Edward the fowrte betwyn Thomas Peers and John Scheelyng Balyffs of Donewych and John Strawnge of Brampton Esquyer.

Thys bylle intentyd mead the viii day of Aprille in the thridde yer of Kyng Edward the fowrte betwyn Thomas Peers and John Scheelyng Ballyffs of Donewych and John Strawnge of Brampton Esquyer, Wetnessyth that the sayd John Strawnge grauntyth be these presents to been oon of the Burgeys for Donewych at the P'lement to been holdyn at Westmr the xxix day of the sayd monyth of Aprille ffor the qwhech qwehdyr it holde longe tyme or schortt or gwhedye it fortune to been p'rogott the sayd John Strawnge grauntyth no more to takyn for hys wagys then a Cade of full Heryng tho’ to been dyliv˜id be Xitenmasse next comyng In Wetnysse heroff eythyr partt to others Indentur interchawngubilly her selys han sett day and yer above sayd.

Gratulor tibi ex animo, Willielme dilectissime, tibi omnia procedere rectè, atque ex voto; praecipuè vero Almam Matrem Academiam tuo merito concessisse, quod rarentèr tironibus contingit, et ςχολαςιϰὸν et χαδιςιϰὸν de fuâ munificientiâ.

Gratulor tibi ex animo, Willielme dilectissime, tibi omnia procedere rectè, atque ex voto; praecipuè vero Almam Matrem Academiam tuo merito concessisse, quod rarentèr tironibus contingit, et σχολαςικὸν et χαριςικὸν de tuâ munificientiâ. Praeclara sanè et egregia de tuâ indole atque ingenio mecum sperant omnes tui: tu etiam ipse, modò fueris ausus, profectus dabis quos non expectas. In isto certò lumine omnia clariùs videbis. quàm in nostro angulo. Confido tamen neque te olim nostrae amicitiae et puerilis institutionis poeniturum. Subit mihi, ex occasione hâc, communicare tecum quod nuperrimè legenti occurrit de voce βροτὸς, atque etiam βϱότος, quae posterior vox emortuum sanguinem, sive tabum significat. Satis scio tibi nondum excidisse, quod saepiùs à me audieras; linguam scilicet Romanorum constare ferè ex obsoletis Graecis vocabulis. Quod igitur postero tempore communi Graecorum dialecto βροτὸς efferebatur, illud olim μορτὸς fuerat, unde et Latinis, sive adjectivum, sive malis participium, mortuus. Si unde illud nôrim quaeras, praestò est Alexandrinus Ammonius, qui eruditissimè in Aristotelis logicam commentatus est. In libellum ωερὶ ἑρμηνείας haec habet: : quod est, condidimus urbes nos mortales. Graecis autem scriptoribus Graecus poëta Callimachus, cujus Hymni in deos adhuc exstant, ὁ Κυρηναῖος, à patriâ Cyrene dicitur.

Reve'nt piere en Dieu, et tresch' ami—Nous vous mercions entierement de ce que nous avons, entendu, q' vous vous estes si bien et si naturelment porte dev's nous, en p'ant Dieux p'r nous et p'r n're exploit; et sumes tout certiens q' p'r cause de vos devoutes p'eres et dautres, Dieu nous a en toutes nos besoignes be' vueliz aide; de quoi nous sumes a touz jo's tenuz de lui grazier, en p'ant que v're part ancy vieullietz faire en continuant dev's nous come devant ces heures avetz fait, de quoi nous nous tenons g'n'ment tenuz a vous.

Reve'nt piere en Dieu, et tresch' ami. Nous vous mercions entierement de ce que nous avons entendu q'vous estes si bien et si naturelment porte dev's nous, en p'ant Dieux p'r nous et p'r n're exploit; et sumes tout certiens q' p'r cause de vous devoutes p'eres et dautres, Dieu nous a en toutes nos besoignes be’ vueliz aide; de quoi nous sumes a touz jo's tenuz de lui grazier, en p'ant que v're part ancy vieullietz faire en continuant dev's nous come devant ces heures avetz fait, de quoi nous nous tenons g'n'ment tenuz a vous.

On the trace of the great Roman military way from York to Manchester, in the township of Saddleworth, within the county of York, and diocese of Chester, at a place called Castleshaw, are the remains of a double camp, or station, of a Roman form, as will appear from the following representation of it:

On the trace of the great Roman military way from York to Manchester, in the township of Saddleworth, within the county of York, and diocese of Chester, at a place called Castleshaw, are the remains of a double camp, or station, of a Roman form, as will appear from the following representation of it:

In Smith's edition of Bede's Ecclesiastical history of England, p. 96. are the following words: “Attamen in Campodono, “ ubi tunc etiam villa regia erat, fecit (Paulinus) basilicam, quam “ postmodum pagani, à quibus Aeduini rex occisus, cum tota “ eadem villa succenderunt.” This Campodonum Camden, and others on his authority, have thought was the same as the Cambodunum mentioned in the second Iter of Antonine, which they have placed at Castle Hill near Almonbury, in the West-Riding of Yorkshire.

In Smith's edition of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, p. 96. are the following words: “Attamen in Campodono, “ubi tunc etiam villa regia erat, fecit (Paulinus) basilicam, quam “postmodum Pagani, à quibus Aeduini rex occisus, cum tota eadem “villa succenderunt.” This Campodonum, Camden, and others on his authority, have thought was the same as the Cambodunum mentioned in the second Iter of Antonine, which they have placed at Castle-Hill near Almonbury, in the West-Riding of Yorkshire.

The drawing I now lay before you, contains a Roman inscription on a rock, situated at a place called Shawk Quarries, near Rose Castle in Cumberland, which has hitherto been overlooked by all our antiquaries, even by my famous predecessor Bishop Nicholson, though so near to his own mansion, and within his own manor of Dalston: I read it thus,

LEGIONIS SECVNDAE AVGVSTAE

MILITES POSVERVNT.

COHORS TERTIA–COHORS QVARTA.

The drawing I now lay before you, contains a Roman inscription on a rock, situated at a place called Shawk Quarries, near Rose Castle in Cumberland, which has hitherto been overlooked by all our antiquaries, even by my famous predecessor Bishop Nicholson, though so near to his own mansion, and within his own manor of Dalston: I read it thus

Since my last, I have not had an occasion of seeing old Taylor; but he is still alive and well, and I hope soon to have an opportunity of visiting him, when I shall take care to have the fullest account of him I can possibly obtain.

Since my last, I have not had an occasion of seeing old Taylor; but he is still alive and well, and I hope soon to have an opportunity of visiting him, when I shall take care to have the fullest account of him, I can possibly obtain.