Ninnius and Gildas name twenty-eight most famous Roman cities in Britain, which the excellent archbishop Usher has commented upon; but the catalogue is quite different from ours: yet therein our author is confirmed in calling Verulam a municipium. In Ninnius it is called Caer, municip.
From ours we learn, in the early time of the empire, where the Roman legions were quartered: the legio gemina Martia victrix was the XIVth, here said to be at Camulodunum, Colchester; it was left here in Claudius’s time: this legion vanquished Boadicia; was called out of Britain early by Vespasian. Here then we see our author’s manuscript was prior to that time, viz. A. D. 70. I mean that from whence he extracted his work; the original manuscript: for we are to understand of it, as we do of that called Antonini Itinerarium, that it was a parchment roll made for the use of the emperor and his generals; which being transmitted down from one general to another, and frequently copied and transcribed, received from time to time several additions and interpolations of cities new built; and likewise others struck out, which were then in ruins.
The legio Claudia, quartered at Gloucester, was the VIIth Aug. This legion came over into Britain with Julius Cæsar; he calls it veterrima legio; it was named Claudia from the emperor, and called pia fidelis by the Roman senate. Hence Gloucester was called Claudio cestria, from its residence here: and that it resided here, we learn from our author, who says he has it from writers of most ancient Roman times. It remained here in Carausius’s time.
The legio Cretica, quartered at Westchester, was the XX. V. V. they were in Britain in Nero’s time; settled here by Agricola, A. D. 84. From our author only, we learn this title of Cretica, as having been originally levied in Crete. This was here in Carausius’s time.
Legio II. Aug. quartered at Caerleon in Wales, came into Britain in the reign of Claudius, under the command of Vespasian. This legion was stationed at Canterbury in some later times, according to our author, C. VI. whence we gather, he compiled his work out of old writers of different ages.
The legio VI. came into Britain with Hadrian, settled at York; by Mr. Gale thought to be called Gordiana. York was made a colony of that legion. Antoninus Pius made it a municipium, and continued this legion there: it was concerned in perfecting the Carsdike navigation to Peterborough.
These legions are all mentioned in our author. Before the time that Vespasian was emperor, Josephus relates, Bell. jud. II. 16. that king Agrippa, in his speech to the Jews, in Nero’s time, and before that emperor called the XIVth legion from Britain, speaks of four legions then in Britain.
I have this further to add, in relation to our map: when I began to consider it with that attention which it deserves, I was a little surprised to see the river Trent, instead of falling northward into the Humber, to be carried eastward through Lincolnshire, into the East sea.
I presently suspected, this was owing to the artificial cut of the Romans, called Fossdike, part of the Carsdike; which Fossdike is drawn from Torksey at the Trent, to Lincoln: there it meets the river Witham coming from the south, and proceeds eastward toward Boston.
Ever since I was capable of observation, I often took notice, that the whole flat, or fenny country of Lincolnshire, has a gentle declivity, or natural descent eastward. This is owing not only to the sea lying that way, but is the case of all levels in the whole globe: the cause must be asserted to be the earth’s rotation upon its axis; which observation I printed, long since, in my Itinerarium Curiosum.