son of Brancaster: Yet in the time of Claudius, Vespasian, and Severus, we finde no lesse than three Legions dispersed through the Province of Brittain. And as high as the Reign of Claudius a great overthrow was given unto the Iceni, by the Romane Lieutenant Ostorius. Not long after, the Countrey was so molested, that, in hope of a better state, Prastaagus bequeathed his Kingdome unto Nero and his Daughters; and Boadicea, his Queen fought the last decisive Battle with Paulinus. After which time and Conquest of Agricola, the Lieutenant of Vespasian, probable it is they wholly possessed this countrey, ordering it into Garrisons or Habitations best suitable with their securities. And so some Romane Habitations, not improbable in these parts, as high as the time of Vespasian, where the Saxons after seated, in those thin-fill'd Mappes we yet finde the Name of Walsingham. Now if the Iceni were but Gammadims, Anconians, or mer that lived in an angle, wedge, or Elbow of Brittain, according to the Originall Etymologie, this countrey will challenge the Emphaticall appellation, as most properly making the Elbow or Iken of Icenia.

That Britain was notably populous is undeniable, from that expression of Cæsar.1 That the Romans themselves were early in no small Numbers Seventy Thousand, with their associats slain by Boadicea, affords a sure account. And though many Roman habitations are now knowne, yet some by old works, Rampiers, Coyns, and Urnes, doe testifie their Possessions. Some Urnes have been found at Castor, some also about Southcreake, and not many years past, no lesse than ten in a Field at Buxton,2 not near any recorded Garison. Nor is it strange to find Romane Coynes of Copper and Silver among us; of Vespasian, Trajan, Adrian, Commodus, Antoninus, Severus, &c.

But

1 Hominum infinita multitudo est, creberrimaque ædificia ferè Gallicis consimilia.-Cæs. de Bello Gall. 1. v.

2 In the ground of my worthy friend Rob. Jegon, Esq. wherein some things contained were preserved by the most worthy Sir William Paston, Bart.

the greater number of Dioclesian, Constantine, Constans, Valens, with many of Victorinus Posthumius, Tetricus, and the thirty Tyrants in the Reigne of Gallienus; and some as high as Adrianus have been found about Thetford, or Sitomagus, mentioned in the itinerary of Antoninus, as the way from Venta or Castor unto London. But the most frequent discovery is made at the two Casters by Norwich and Yarmouth, at Burghcastle, and Brancaster.

2

Besides the Norman, Saxon, and Danish peeces of Cuthred, Canutus, William, Matilda, and others, some Brittish Coynes of gold have been dispersedly found; and no small number of silver peeces near Norwich ;5 with a rude head upon the obverse, and an ill formed horse on the reverse, with inscriptions Ic. Duro. T.; whether implying Iceni, Durotriges, Tascia, or Trinobantes, we leave to higher conjecture. Vulgar Chronology will have Norwich Castle as old as Julius Cæsar; but his distance from these parts, and its Gothick form of structure, abridgeth such Antiquity. The British Coyns afford conjecture of early habitation in these parts, though the City of Norwich arose from the ruines of Venta, and though perhaps not without some habitation before, was enlarged, builded, and nominated by the Saxons. In what bulk or populosity it stood in the old East-Angle Monarchy tradition and history are silent. Considerable it was in the Danish Eruptions, when Sueno burnt Thetford and Norwich, and

6

1 From Caster to Thetford the Romanes accounted thirty-two miles, and from thence observed not our common road to London, but passed by Combretonium ad Ansam, Canonium, Cæsaromagus, &c. by Bretenham, Coggeshall, Chelmeford, Burntwood, &c.

2 Most at Caster by Yarmouth, found in a place called Eastbloudyburgh furlong, belonging to Mr. Thomas Wood, a person of civility, industry and knowledge in this way, who hath made observation of remarkable things about him, and from whom we have received divers Silver and Copper Coynes.

3 Belonging to that Noble Gentleman, and true example of worth, Sir Ralph Hare, Baronet, my honoured Friend.

A peece of Maud, the Empresse, said to be found in Buckenham Castle, with this Inscription, Elle n' a elle.

5 At Thorpe.

6 Brampton Abbas Journallensis.

Ulfketel, the Governour thereof, was able to make some resistance, and after endeavoured to burn the Danish navy.

How the Romanes left so many Coynes in Countreys of their Conquests, seems of hard resolution, except we consider how they buried them under ground when upon barbarous invasions they were fain to desert their habitations in most part of their Empire, and the strictness of their laws forbidding to transfer them to any other uses; wherein the Spartans1 were singular, who, to make their Copper money uselesse, contempered it with vinegar. That the Brittains left any, some wonder; since their money was iron and Iron rings before Casar; and those of after stamp by permission, and but small in bulk and bigness; that so few of the Saxons remain, because, overcome by succeeding Conquerours upon the place, their Coynes, by degrees, passed into other stamps and the marks of after-ages.

Than the time of these Urnes deposited, or precise Antiquity of these Reliques, nothing of more uncertainty. For since the Lieutenant of Claudius seems to have made the first progresse into these parts, since Boadicea was overthrown by the Forces of Nero, and Agricola put a full end to these Conquests; it is not probable the Countrey was fully garrison'd or planted before; and therefore however these Urnes might be of later date, not likely of higher Antiquity.

And the succeeding Emperours desisted not from their Conquests in these and other parts; as testified by history and medall inscription yet extant; The Province of Brittain in so divided a distance from Rome, beholding the faces of many Imperiall persons, and in large account no fewer than Casar, Claudius, Britannicus, Vespasian, Titus, Adrian, Severus, Commodus, Geta, and Caracalla.

A great obscurity herein, because no medall or Emperours Coyne enclosed, which might denote the date of their interrments, observable in many Urnes,

1 Plut, in vitâ Lycurg.

and found in those of Spittle Fields, by London,1 which contained the Coynes of Claudius, Vespasian, Commodus, Antoninus, attended with Lacrymatories, Lamps, Bottles of Liquor, and other appurtenances of affectionate superstition, which in these rurall interrments were wanting.

Some uncertainty there is from the period or term of burning, or the cessation of that practise. Macrobius affirmeth it was disused in his days. But most agree, though without authentick record, that it ceased with the Antonini. Most safely to be understood after the Reigne of those Emperours, which assumed the name of Antoninus, extending unto Heliogabalus. Not strictly after Marcus; For about fifty years later we find the magnificent burning, and consecration of Severus; and if we so fix this period or cessation, these Urnes will challenge above thirteen hundred years.

But whether this practise was onely then left by Emperours and great persons, or generally about Rome, and not in other Provinces, we hold no authentick account. For after Tertullian, in the dayes of Minucius it was obviously objected upon Christians, that they condemned the practise of burning.2 And we find a passage in Sidonius, which asserteth that practise in France unto a lower account. And perhaps not fully disused till Christianity fully established, which gave the finall extinction to these sepulchrall Bonefires.

Whether they were the bones of men or women or children, no authentick decision from ancient custome in distinct places of buriall. Although not improbably conjectured, that the double Sepulture or burying place of Abraham, had in it such intention. But from exility of bones, thinnesse of skulls, smallnesse of teeth, ribbes, and thigh-bones; not improbable that many thereof were persons of minor age, or 1 Stowe's Survey of London.

2 Execrantur rogos, et damnant ignium sepulturam.-Min. in Oct. 3 Sidon. Apollinaris.

women. Confirmable also from things contained in them: In most were found substances resembling Combes, Plates like Boxes, fastened with Iron pins, and handsomely overwrought like the necks or Bridges of Musical Instruments, long brasse plates overwrought like the handles of neat implements, brazen nippers to pull away hair, and in one a kinde of Opale, yet maintaining a blewish colour.

Now that they accustomed to burn or bury with them, things wherein they excelled, delighted, or which were dear unto them, either as farewells unto all pleasure, or vain apprehension that they might use them in the other world, is testified by all Antiquity. Observable from the Gemme or Berill Ring upon the finger of Cynthia, the Mistresse of Propertius, when after her Funerall Pyre her Ghost appeared unto him. And notably illustrated from the Contents of 'that Romane Urne preserved by Cardinal Farnese,1 wherein besides great number of Gemmes with heads of Gods and Goddesses, were found an Ape of Agath, a Grasshopper, an Elephant of Ambre, a Crystall Ball, three glasses, two Spoones, and six Nuts of Crystall, and beyond the content of Urnes, in the Monument of Childerick, the first, and fourth King from Pharamond, casually discovered three years past at Tournay, restoring unto the world much gold richly adorning his Sword, two hundred rubies, many hundred Imperial Coyns, three hundred golden Bees, the bones and horse shoe of his horse interred with him, according to the barbarous magnificence of those dayes in their sepulchral Obsequies. Although if we steer by the conjecture of many and Septuagint expression; some trace thereof may be found even with the ancient Hebrews, not only from the Sepulchrall treasure of David, but the circumcision knives which Joshua also buried.

Some men considering the contents of these Urnes, lasting peeces and toyes included in them, and the 1 Vigeneri Annot. in 4 Liv.

2

Chifflet. in Anast. Childer.