Transcriber’s Notes:

Stukeley delin.

Itinerarivm. Cvriosvm.
Centvria. i.

ITINERARIUM CURIOSUM:
OR,
AN ACCOUNT OF THE
ANTIQUITIES,
AND REMARKABLE
CURIOSITIES
IN
NATURE OR ART,
OBSERVED IN TRAVELS THROUGH
GREAT BRITAIN.

ILLUSTRATED WITH COPPER PLATES.

CENTURIA I.

THE SECOND EDITION,
WITH LARGE ADDITIONS.

By WILLIAM STUKELEY, M.D. F.R. & A.S.

O Patria, O Divûm domus, Albion, inclyta bello!

O quam te memorem, quantum juvat usque morari

Mirarique tuæ spectacula plurima terræ!

LONDON:
Printed for Messrs. Baker and Leigh, in York-Street, Covent-Garden.
M.DCC.LXXVI.

Table of Contents.

PREFACE.

THE intent of this Treatise is to oblige the curious in the Antiquities of Britain: it is an account of places and things from inspection, not compiled from others’ labours, or travels in one’s study. I own it is a work crude and hasty, like the notes of a traveller that stays not long in a place; and such it was in reality. Many matters I threw in only as hints for further scrutiny, and memorandums for myself or others: above all, I avoided prejudice, never carrying any author along with me, but taking things in the natural order and manner they presented themselves: and if my sentiments of Roman stations, and other matters, happen not to coincide with what has been wrote before me; it was not that I differ from them, but things did not so appear to me. The prints, beside their use in illustrating the discourses, are ranged in such a manner as to become an index of inquiries for those that travel, or for a British Antiquary. I shall probably continue this method at reasonable intervals. The whole is to invite Gentlemen and others in the country, to make researches of this nature, and to acquaint the world with them: they may be assured, that whatever accounts of this sort they please to communicate to me, they shall be applied to proper use, and all due honour paid to the names of those that favour me with a correspondence so much to the glory and benefit of our country, which is my sole aim therein.

It is evident how proper engravings are to preserve the memory of things, and how much better an idea they convey to the mind than written descriptions, which often not at all, oftener not sufficiently, explain them: beside, they present us with the pleasure of observing the various changes in the face of nature, of countries, and the like, through the current of time and vicissitude of things. These embellishments are the chief desiderata of the excellent Mr. Camden’s Britannia, and other writers of this sort, whose pens were not so ready to deliver their sentiments in lines as letters: and how hard it is for common artificers to draw from mere description, or to express well what they understand not, is obvious from our engravings in all sciences. I am sensible enough, that large allowances must be made for my own performances in this kind, and some for the artificers parts therein, who, for want of more practice in such works, cannot equal others abroad. I know not whether it will be an excuse, or a fault, if I should plead the expedition I used in the drawing part; but I may urge, that a private person, and a moderate fortune, may want many useful assistants and conveniences for that purpose. It is enough for me to point them out; to show things that are fine in themselves, and want little art to render them more agreeable, or that deserve to be better done; or any way to contribute toward retrieving the noble monuments of our ancestors; in which case only, we are behind other the learned nations in Europe. It is not that we have a less fund of curiosities than they, were the description of them attempted by an abler hand, and more adequate experience.

Two or three of the plates are inserted only as heads, being not referred to in the discourse, as Tab. VIII. the ground-plot of the ruins of Whitehall. I myself never saw the palace, but was pleased that I chanced to take this draught of its ruinous ichnography, but the very week before totally destroyed. Thus much I thought owing to the venerable memory of that name, which is ever the word at sea with British ships, and which makes the whole world tremble. Tab. X. is an ancient seal of the bishops of Norwich.[1] This plate the learned and curious Mr. le Neve, Norroy king at arms, lent me out of his good will to promote the work: the seal is remarkable for having letters upon the edge, represented in the empty ringlet; the manner of it is like our milled money; but how it was performed in wax, is not easy to say. Tab. XV. was likewise lent me by Mr. Norroy abovesaid. I design always, in these collections of mine, to insert one plate in a hundred, of some person’s effigies that has deserved well of the antiquities of Britain: it is but a just piece of gratitude to their memory. Tab. XL. (the Greek view at Athens) I took from an original drawing in Mr. Talman’s collection. I have some more of that sort: though they relate not to Britain, I do not fear the reader will be displeased with me on that account. How much rather ought we to lament the scarcity of such! What noble monuments of Greece are sunk into eternal oblivion, through want of Drawing in travellers that have been there in great numbers, or for want of encouragement to those that are able! With what regret do I mention that most beautiful temple of Minerva in the citadel of Athens, without dispute the finest building upon the globe, anno 1694! that year it was casually blown up with gunpowder, and not a drawing of it preserved.

15

Guil: Faithorne Sculp:

HENRICUS SPELMANNUS.
Eques Auratus.

8

Palaces.

Stukeley del.

JVder Gucht Sculp

The Groundplot of the Ruins of Whitehall June 14. 1718.

10

I. Harris sculpt.

Ex autographo penes Maiorem et Com̃unitat.
Villæ Lenne Regis in Com Norff.

40

A View at Athens.

Stukeley del.

I. Harris sculp

Ex collectionᵉ Johis Talman Ar.

101·2d.

A View of the Temple of the Winds at Athens. A Lyon Cast in brass standing by ye Port of Athens.

102. 2d.

The Temple of Minerva at Syracuse.

The Ichnography of the same Temple.

Stukeley del.

100

Insignis Synodus quinq, Planetarum Anno 1722, Mense Decembrifacta ad ho:7 .matutinas.
Gradus Sigittary.

Celeberrimo Hallejo Astronomo Regio tabulam reddit L. M. Ws. Stukeley.

The last plate, of the great conjunction of the five planets, I added as an æra of my book. This memorable appearance, because it affected not the vulgar like a solar eclipse, was almost neglected by the learned. I had a mind to do it justice by printing the type of it from the diagram sent me by the great Dr. Halley. For my part, I congratulate myself for living in an age fruitful of these grand phænomena of the celestial bodies, and am pleased, that beside the total eclipse 1715, we have in the space of two years this great conjunction, a transit of Mercury across the sun, a comet, the last eclipse of the sun, and in March next another great conjunction.

The numerous plates I have given the reader, of ground-plots and prospects of Roman cities, I thought contributed much towards fixing their site, and preserving their memory: they may be useful to curious inhabitants, in marking the places where antiquities are found from time to time, and in other respects. There are some few errors of the press escaped me, notwithstanding all my care; but none, I think, of any consequence. I have taken care to make the Index as instructing as I could. The title of Roman roads belongs to such as are anonymous, or not commonly taken notice of: that of Roman coins points to such places as are not Roman towns, or particularly described. Etymology includes only such words as are scattered casually in the work, or matters that are not comprehended under any other head; and so of the rest.

One general observation I have made within the short space of time my travels were limited to, that husbandry, grazing, cultivation of waste lands, all sorts of trades and manufactures, towns and cities, are hugely improved; and especially the multitude of inhabitants is increased to a high proportion: the reason of it is not difficult to be guessed at.

What I shall next trouble the reader withall, will be my intended work, of the history of the ancient Celts, particularly the first inhabitants of Great Britain, which for the most part is now finished. By what I can judge at present, it will consist of four books in folio. I. The history of the origin and passage of the Celts from Asia into the west of Europe, particularly into Britain; of their manners, language, &c. II. Of the religion, deities, priests, temples, and sacred rites, of the Celts. III. Of the great Celtic temple at Abury in Wiltshire, and others of that sort. IV. Of the celebrated Stonehenge. There will be above 300 copper plates of a folio size, many of which are already engraven; and many will be of much larger dimensions. Upon account, therefore, of the vast expence attending this work, I shall print no more than are subscribed for; the money to be paid to me only. Thus much I thought fit to advertise the friendly reader.

Ormond-street, 26 Dec. 1724.

GULIELMO STUKELEY, M. D.
Amicus Amico, &c.

LUbrica Romani dum Tu monumenta pererras

Nominis, & tacito saecula lapsa pede:

Docte opifex, variis seu vim sermonibus addas,

Seu placet artifici pagina picta manu;

Quanta vetustatis summae miracula promis,

Obrutaque indigno moenia celsa situ!

Vindice Te, fossas video procedere longas.

Per loca constratum devia ducit iter.

Nunc via sublimi conscendit vertice montes,

Flumina declivis nunc per aperta ruit.

Castra quot immenso retegis constructa labore?

Et tua non sinit ars oppida posse mori.

Hic mira antiquae pendent compagine portae,

Hic tremulo fulget lumine grata pharos.

Celsior exsurgit chartis Romana potestas

Clara tuis; ultro est fassa ruina decus.

Ecce iterum ingenti pandunt curvamine sedes,

Et plausu resonant amphitheatra novo.

Roma triumphato jamdudum languida mundo

Nequicquam invictam se superesse dolet.

Nec te dira cohors morborum sola tremiscit,

Ast tempus medicas sentit inerme manus.

Quantum Roma tibi, quantum Brittannia debet.

O ingens patriae, Romulidumque decus!

Accipe Phoebea merito dignissime lauro,

Sint, quæ das aliis, saecula sera tibi.

I. S.

GULIELMO STUKELEY, M. D. &c.

NEC sola est medicina Tui, sed Apolline dignam

Artem omnem recolis, mente, manuque potens.

Non modo restituis senio morbisque gravatos,

Ad vitam reddis sæcla sepulta diu.

Te Lindensis ager gestit celebrare nepotem,

Quæque dedit, patriæ lumina grate refers.

GEOR. LYNN, Interior. Templ. Soc.

In Itinerarium Curiosum amici sui charissima viri doctissimi & Cl. Domini Gulielmi Stukeleii M. D. CML. SRS. & Antiquar. Secretar.

O Jane bifrons! Temporis inclyte

Vindex remoti, de superis videns

Post terga solus, nunc adesto et

Egregium tueare amicum

Opusque. templi janua sit tui

Serata, dum ex bis nostra quietior

Discat juventus, quid avorum

Indomitæ potuere dextræ.

Quicquid Britannus ferre recusans

Servile collo Romulidum jugum,

Terra sua contentus egit,

Artibus ingenitis beatus.

Quicquid Quirites gentibus asperis

Cultu renidens tradere providi:

Victoriam, Musasque & artes,

Arma simul rapiente dextra.

Nec vestra omittit pagina Saxonem

Sicâ timendum, relligionibus

Valde revinctum: bellicosis

Horribilemve Dacum carinis.

Nec tu recondis facta silentio

Præclara Normanni immemor inclyti;

Quorum omnium est imbutus Anglus

Sanguine, moribus, & vigore.

Quæ mira doctus condidit artifex

Excelsa prisci mœnia seculi,

Quæ strata, pontes, templa, castra,

Amphitheatra, asarota, turres!

Plaudit sibi jam magna Britannia

Antiqua splendet gloria denuo.

Chartis resurgit Stivecleji

Celsa canens iterum triumphos.

MAUR. JOHNSON, J. C.
Interioris Templi Soc. MDCCXXIV.

In Stukelejanas Antiquitates.

DEperditorum restitutor Temporum

Et veritatis in tenebris abditæ

Scrutator eruditus, arte quâ mirâ valet!

Retegit vetustum quicquid obscuro sinu

Abscondit Ævum. Tempus, hic aciem tuæ

Falcis retundit invidam: frustra omnia

Comples ruinis. jam tuæ pereunt minæ.

Ipsæ perire nam ruinæ nesciunt. M. M.

Ad Itinerarii Curiosi auctorem.

QUantum Roma tibi, et Romana Britannia debet,

Ingenui Vates, Vir celebrande, canant.

Me nec Roma modos suaves, nec Celtica tellus

Argutæ docuit stringere fila lyræ.

Muneris hoc igitur vani cur hybrida tentem

Normannus, Cimber, Saxo, Britannus ego?

Musa negat, Natura negat, sed suggerit unus

Qualiacunque potest carmina noster Amor.

Gratulor inceptum tibi nobile, gratulor illis,

Inter quos nomen glorior esse meum:

Qui patriæ priscas arteis, loca, nomina, & ipsas

Relliquias sancta relligione colunt;

Quo brevis ostendis conclusus limite campi,

Limite quam nullo clauditur ingenium.

Quòque tuos sensus permulcet amore Vetustas,

Qui nullos casus, ardua nulla fugis.

Per salebras asp’ras, per tortas ambitiones,

Et cæcos calles, improbe, carpis Iter.

Stagna lacúsque inter, limosáque pascua Lindi,

Romanæ explorans avia strata viæ.

Hic ubi sorte dolens, pelagi tot jugera rector

Æquoris herbosi non sua, rapta tenet.

Plura quidem tenuit, sed jussit Jupiter acres

Martigenas patrui vim cohibere sui.

Haud secus ac jussi faciunt, partémque receptam

Terreni, ut par est, æquoris esse jubent.

Cætera raptori quæ nunc manet Ennosigæo,

Si quibus est armis, est repetenda tuis.

Qui terræ pelagíque adeo declivia monstras,

Et quò præcipites Nereus urget equos;

Tanta mathematicis se tollit gloria vestra

Artibus; at numeris grandior illa meis.

Me rapit addictum veterum admiratio rerum,

Plenáque deliciis pagina quæque suis.

Tu monumenta pius, monumentis adstruis ipsis,

Perdita quæ fuerant, posse perire vetans.

Quid referam quantum tibi debet Classicus auctor,

Qui priscas urbes, castrà que prisca doces?

Mercator siccis quærens adamantas in oris,

Non tam conductam versat avarus humum,

Quam tu cum nummos, urnas, & cætera signa

Antiquæ effodias indubitata notæ.

Nomina, quæ fuerant olim, Romana reducis,

Perdita restituens, obsolefacta novans.

Nec te, antiquarum tam mira peritia vocum est,

Fallunt Teutonici, barbaricique soni.

Historiam quantum decoras, si dicere vellem,

Historiam videar scribere, non literas.

Tu das præteritis veluti præsentibus uti,

Et redeunt scriptis secula lapsa tuis.

Detrahis ancipiti Jano mirabile monstrum,

Et recta facie cernere cuncta jubes.

Sed dum commendo tua, carmine digna Maronis.

Ingenii culpâ detero, scripta, mei.

Macte tua virtute esto, patriamque quotannis

Quo pede cæpisti demereare. Vale.

R. AINSWORTH.

To Dr. Stukeley, upon his Itinerarium Curiosum.

HAIL, Baxter lives! in each descriptive page

Are seen the labours of the Roman age:

What ere the sons of Rome or Albion knew,

We here discern at one compendious view.

Thus taught we pass the Caledonian flood,

Or fertile plains that smile from Cimbric blood:

Where Vaga’s streams glide murmuring near the tomb,}

(Darksome recess) where mighty Chiefs of Rome

Have slumber’d ages in its silent gloom:

Where airy lamps the distant sailor guide,

Or where the labour’d arch deceives the tide:

Where Geta kept the Belgic youth in awe,

Or where Papinian gave the Roman law.

Pleas’d I behold Sabrina’s silver stream,

Or hear the murmurs of the doubtful Teme.

With you, methinks, from Cred’nil I survey

Th’ important conflict of the furious day:

See, see! Frontinus fierce in armour shine,

Where the war burns upon the vale of Eigne.

Here on the plains of Aricon we learn

Life’s various period from the peaceful urn.

Yon hoary Druids pray celestial aid,

Where sacred oaks diffuse a solemn shade;

Each branch aspiring to the blest abode

Lifts up the vows of Britain to the God.

Go on, my friend! the curious theme pursue,}

The mystic scenes of early time review,

And tell Britannia, Baxter lives in you.

JAMES HILL, J. C.
Middle-Temple, London, Dec. 1. 1724.

[See transcription]

ITINERARIUM CURIOSUM, &c.

ITER DOMESTICUM. I.

I, fuge, sed poteras tutior esse domi. Mart.

To MAURICE JOHNSON, Jun. Esq.
Barrister at Law of the Inner-Temple.

THE amity that long subsisted between our families giving birth to an early acquaintance, a certain sameness of disposition, particularly a love to antient learning, advanced our friendship into that confidence, which induces me to prefix your name to this little summary of what has occurred to me worth mentioning in our native country, HOLLAND, in Lincolnshire; but chiefly intended to provoke you to pursue a full history thereof, who have so large a fund of valuable papers and collections relating thereto, and every qualification necessary for the work. That these memoirs of mine are so short, is because scarce more time than that of childhood I there spent, and when I but began to have an inclination for such enquiries: that the rest which follow are grown to such a bulk as to become the present volume, is owing to my residence at London. Great as are the advantages of this capital, for opportunities of study, or for the best conversation in the world, yet I should think a confinement to it insupportable, and cry out with the poet,

Invideo vobis agros, formosaque prata. Virg.

I envy you your fields and pastures fair.

which engages me to make an excursion now and then into the country: and this is properly taking a review of pure nature; for life here may be called only artificial, especially when fixed down to it; like the gaudy entries upon a theatre, where a pompous character is supported for a little while, and then makes an exit soon forgotten. My ancestors, both paternal and maternal, having lived, from times immemorial, in or upon the edges of our marshy level, perhaps gave me that melancholic disposition, which renders the bustlings of an active and showy life disagreeable. The fair allurements of the business of a profession, which have been in my road, cannot induce me wholly to forsake the sweet recesses of contemplation, that real life, that tranquillity of mind, only to be met with in proper solitude; where I might make the most of the pittance of time allotted by Fate, and if possible doubly over enjoy its fleeting space. I own a man is born for his country and his friends, and that he ought to serve them in his best capacity; yet he confessedly claims a share in himself: and that, in my opinion, is enjoying one’s self; not, as the vulgar think, in heaping up immoderate riches, titles of honour, or in empty, irrational pleasures, but in storing the mind with the valuable treasures of the knowledge of divine and human things. And this may in a very proper sense be called the study of Antiquities.

Of the study of Antiquities.

I need not make an apology to you for that which some people of terrestrial minds think to be a meagre and useless matter; for truly what is this study, but searching into the fountain-head of all learning and truth? Some antient philosophers have thought that knowledge is only reminiscence. If we extend this notion no further than as to what has been said and done before us, we shall not be mistaken in asserting that the past ages bore men of as good parts as we: enquiry into their thoughts and actions is learning; and happy for us if we can improve upon them, and find out things they did not know, by help of their own clue. All things upon this voluble globe are but a succession, like the stream of a river: the higher you go, the purer the fluid, less tainted with corruptions of prejudice or craft, with the mud and soil of ignorance. Here are the things themselves to study upon; not words only, wherein too much of learning has consisted. If we examine into the antiquities of nations that had no writing among them, here are their monuments: these we are to explore, to strike out their latent meaning; and the more we reason upon them, the more reason shall we find to admire the vast size of the gigantic minds of our predecessors, the great and simple majesty of their works, and wherein mainly lies the beauty and the excellence of matters of antiquity. But more especially it is not without a happy omen, that the moderns have exerted themselves in earnest, to rake up every dust of past times, moved by the evident advantages therefrom accruing, in the understanding their invaluable writings, which have escaped the common shipwreck of time. It is from this method we must obtain an accurate intelligence of those principles of learning and foundations of all science: it is from them we advance our minds immediately to the state of manhood, and without them the world 5000 years old would but begin to think like a child. Nothing more illustrates this than looking into the comments that were wrote upon them 200 years ago, voluminous enough, but barbarous, poor, and impertinent, when compared to the solid performances of learned men since, whose heads were enriched with an exact search into the customs, manners and monuments of the writers. Hence it is, that history, geography, mathematics, philosophy, the learned professions, law, divinity, our own faculty, and the muses in general, flourish like a fresh garden richly watered and cultivated, weeded from rubbish of logomachy and barren mushrooms, gay with thriving and beautiful plants of true erudition, inoculated upon the stocks of the antients.

Of Britain.

If ruminating upon antiquities at home be commendable, travelling at home for that purpose can want no defence; it is still coming nearer the lucid springs of truth. The satisfaction of viewing realities has led infinite numbers of its admirers through the labours and dangers of strange countries, through oceans, immoderate heats and colds, over rugged mountains, barren sands and deserts, savage inhabitants, and a million of perils; and the world is filled with accounts of them. We export yearly our own treasures into foreign parts, by the genteel and fashionable tours of France and Italy, and import ship-loads of books relating to their antiquities and history (it is well if we bring back nothing worse) whilst our own country lies like a neglected province. Like untoward children, we look back with contempt upon our own mother. The antient Albion, the valiant Britain, the renowned England, big with all the blessings of indulgent nature, fruitful in strengths of genius, in the great, the wise, the magnanimous, the learned and the fair, is postponed to all nations. Her immense wealth, traffic, industry; her flowing streams, her fertile plains, her delightful elevations, pleasant prospects, curious antiquities, flourishing cities, commodious inns, courteous inhabitants, her temperate air, her glorious show of liberty, every gift of providence that can make her the envy and the desirable mistress of the whole earth, is slighted and disregarded.

You, Sir, to whom I pretend not to talk in this manner, well know that I had a desire by this present work, however mean, to rouse up the spirit of the Curious among us, to look about them and admire their native furniture: to show them we have rarities of domestic growth. What I offer them is an account of my journeyings hitherto, but little indeed, and with expedition enough, with accuracy no more than may be expected from a traveller; for truth in every particular, I can vouch only for my own share, strangers must owe somewhat to informations. I can assure you I endeavoured as much as possible not to be deceived, nor to deceive the reader. It was ever my opinion that a more intimate knowledge of Britain more becomes us, is more useful and as worthy a part of education for our young nobility and gentry as the view of any transmarine parts. And if I have learnt by seeing some places, men and manners, or have any judgment in things, it is not impossible to make a classic journey on this side the streights of Dover.

Thus much at least I thought fit to premise in favour of the study of antiquities. And with particular deference to the society of British Antiquaries in London, to whom I remember with pleasure you first introduced me: since for some time I have had the honour of being their secretary; to them I beg leave to consecrate the following work. To the right honourable the Earl of Hartford the illustrious and worthy President, the right honourable the Earl of Winchelsea, Peter le Neve, esq; Roger Gale, esq; the illustrious and worthy Vice-presidents, and to the learned Members thereof. Then, lest I should fall under my own censure passed upon others, that know least of things nearest them, I shall deliver my thoughts about the history of Holland before mentioned, which may serve as a short comment upon the map of this country which I published last year, with a purpose of assisting the gentlemen that are commissioners of sewers there, though it is of such a bulk as cannot conveniently be inserted into this volume.

If we cast our eyes upon the geography of England, we must observe that much of the eastern shore is flat, low ground, whilst the western is steep and rocky. This holds generally true throughout the globe as to its great parts, countries or islands, and likewise particularly as to its little ones, mountains and plains. I mean, that mountains are steep and abrupt to the west,[2] especially the north-west, and have a gentle declivity eastward or to the south-east, and that plains ever descend eastward. I wonder very much that this remark has never been made. I took notice of it in our own country, almost before I had ever been out of it, in the universal declivity of that level eastward, in those parts where it did not by that means regard the ocean; particularly in South Holland, or the wapentake of Elho: the natural descent of water therein is not to the sea, as the rivers run, but directly eastward, and that very considerable. Beside, the current of every river is lower as more eastward: thus the Welland is higher in level than the Nen, the Nen than the Ouse; and probably at first both emptied themselves by the Ouse or Lyn river as most eastward. I observed in June 1732, that the Peterborough river Nen would willingly discharge itself into Whitlesea mere, and so to the Ouse at Lyn, if it were not hindered by the sluice at Horsey bridge by the river Nen. I see no difficulty to attribute the reason of it to the rotation of the globe. Those that have gone about to demonstrate to us that famous problem of the earth’s motion, have found out many mathematical and abstracted proofs for that purpose, but neglected this which is most sensible and before our eyes every minute. It is a property of matter, that when whirled round upon an axis, it endeavours to fly from the axis, as we see in the motion of a wheel, the dirt and loose parts are thrown the contrary way in a tangent line. This is owing to the natural inactivity of matter, which is not easily susceptible of motion. Now at the time that the body of the earth was in a mixt state between solid and fluid, before its present form of land and sea was perfectly determined, the almighty Artist gave it its great diurnal motion. By this means the elevated parts or mountainous tracts, as they consolidated whilst yet soft and yielding, flew somewhat westward, and spread forth a long declivity to the east: the same is to be said of the plains, their natural descent tending that way, and, as I doubt not, of the superfice of the earth below the ocean. This critical minute is sublimely described by the admirable poet and observer of nature,

Namque canebat, uti magnum per inane coacta

Semina terrarumque, animæque, marisque fuissent,

Et liquidi simul ignis. Ut his exordia primis

Omnia, & ipse tener mundi concreverit orbis.

Tum durare solum & discludere nerea ponto

CÅ“perit, & rerum paulatim sumere formas. Virg. Ecl. VI.

which may thus be englished.

He sang, how from the mighty void, in one

Large space, collected were the fluid seeds

Of earth, air, sea and fire; from these came all.

The callow world became one massive globe;

The ocean by the hard’ning ground disjoin’d,

New forms surpris’d the beauteous face of things.

The truth of this observation I have seen universally confirmed in all my travels, and innumerable instances of it will occur to the reader throughout these discourses. I design another time professedly to treat of it in a philosophical way. But consequent to this doctrine it is that we have so large a quantity of this marshland in the middle of the eastern shore of England, seeming as if made by the washings and eluvies of the many rivers that fall that way, such as the Welland, the Witham, the Nen, the Ouse great and little, together with many other streams of inferior note. These all empty themselves into the great bay formed between the Lincolnshire wolds and cliffs of Norfolk, called by Ptolemy Mentaris æstuarium, as rightly corrected by Mr. Baxter, seeing it is composed of the mouths of so many rivers; Ment, or Mant, signifying ostium in the British language. Beside the great quantity of high and inland country that discharges its waters this way, even as far as Fritwell in Oxfordshire; all the level country lies before it, extending itself from within some few miles of Cambridge south, to Keal hills near Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire north, about sixty miles long, known by the names of the Isle of Ely, Holland and Marshland. This country, since the flood, I believe was much in the same state as at present, and for its bulk the richest spot of ground in the kingdom; once well inhabited by gentry, especially the religious. I apprehend the more inland part of it, the Isle of Ely, Deeping Fen, &c. was not in distant ages in so bad a condition as now, because the natural drainage of it was better, before the sea had by degrees added so much solid ground upon the coasts.

Holland, its name.

In this country I have observed abundance of old Welsh words left among us; and I am persuaded that the name of Holland is derived from that language, though now terminated by a later word, as is frequent enough. It signifies no more than salt or marsh land, such as is gained from the sea; and to this day we call the marshes adjoining to, and sometime overflowed by the sea, salt marshes. Likewise upon the sea shore they formerly made salt in great abundance. The hills all along upon the sea bank, the remains of such works, are still called salt hills: such are at Fleet, Holbech, Gosberton, Wainflet,[3] &c. Many names of rivers and roads, thence derived, remain still, such as Salters Lode, Salteney Gate, &c. Hallt in the British is salsus, salt, as ἅλς in the Greek is mare, the sea; and most evidently borrowed from the British, because of its most notorious quality. The adjoining part of this country in Norfolk, is called marsh land, in the very same sense: so is Zeland and Holland at the mouth of the Rhine, where our Cimbric ancestors once lived. In the Cimbric Chersoness, now Denmark, is Halland, a division of the country by the Saxons called Halgo land. Vid. Spelman’s Glassary, voce Sciringes heal. Holsatia, Holstein, &c. and our Holderness in Yorkshire, must thus be understood. Hence the isle of Ely too is denominated, the very word heli being salsugo in the British. This, in the most antient British times, was as much marsh land as our wapentake of Elho is now, which acknowledges the same original; hoe signifying a parcel of high ground.

First Inhabitants the Britons.

We may be assured that this whole country was well inhabited by the antient Britons, and that as far as the sea coasts, especially the islets and higher parts more free from ordinary inundations of the rivers, or though not imbanked above the reach of the spring tides; for the nature of this place perfectly answered their gusto, both as affording abundant pasturage for their cattle, wherein their chief sustenance and employment consisted, and in being so very secure from incursion and depredations of war and troublesome neighbours, by the difficult fens upon the edge of the high country. Here I have not been able to meet with any remains of them, except it be the great quantity of tumuli, or barrows, in all these parts; scarce a parish without one or more of them. They are generally of a very considerable bulk, much too large for Roman; nor has any thing Roman been discovered in cutting them through; though, a few years ago, two or three were dug quite away near Boston, and another at Frampton, to make brick of, or to mend the highways. I guess these were the high places of worship among our Cimbrian predecessors, purposely cast up, because there are no natural hills in these parts; and we know antiquity affected places of elevation for religious rites. No doubt, some are places of sepulture, especially such as are very frequent upon the edges of the high countries all around, looking down upon the fens. Hither seem to have been carried the remains of great men, whose habitations were in the marshy grounds, who chose to be buried upon higher ground than where they lived; as is the case all over England; for the tumuli are commonly placed upon the brink of hills hanging over a valley, where doubtless their dwellings were.

Romans.

But when the Romans had made considerable progress in reducing this island into the regular form of a province, and began the mighty work of laying down the great military ways; then I suppose it was, that they cast their eyes upon this fertile and wide-extended plain, and projected the draining it. The Hermen Street.In the reign of Nero, in all probability, they made the Hermen Street,[4] as now called by a Saxon word equivalent to the Latin via militaris. That this was the first, seems intimated by the name, in that it has retained κατ’ εξοχην, what is but a common appellative of such roads. TAB. LVI.This noble work, taking in the whole of it, was intended to be a meridian line running from the southern ocean, through London, to the utmost bounds of Scotland. This may be inferred from the main of it, which runs directly north and south. And another argument of its early date, drawn from three remarkable particularities, I have observed in travelling upon it, and which show it was begun before that notable people had a thorough knowledge of the geography of the island. One is, its deviation westward as it advances towards these fens from London: another is, the new branch, drawn a little beyond Lincoln westward into Yorkshire, out of the principal stem going to the Humber: a third is, that it is double in Lincolnshire. Of these I shall speak again when we come to the following Iter Romanum. Now we will only consider such part of it as has relation to the country we are upon; and that is the road going from Caster by Peterburgh to Sleford in this county, which is undoubtedly Roman, and which first occasioned the draining this fenny tract, and surely more antient than that which goes above Stanford, and along the heathy part of the county to Lincoln. My reasoning depends upon the manner of the road itself, and upon that other great work which accompanies it, called the Cardike, equally to be ascribed to the same authors. This road is nearer the first intention of a meridian line than the other: but, when they found it carried them through a low country, where it perpetually needed reparation, and that they must necessarily decline westward to reach Lincoln, they quitted it, and struck out a new one, more westerly, that should run altogether upon better ground. This, if we have leave to guess, was done after the time of Lollius Urbicus, lieutenant under Antoninus Pius, who with great industry and courage had extended and secured the whole province as far as Edinburgh. Then it was they had time and opportunity to complete the work in the best manner, being perfect masters of the country, and of its geography: and this road was for the ready march of their armies and provisions to succour those northern frontiers. But it seems as if they had long before that time brought the Hermen Street as far as Lincolnshire,[5] especially that eastern branch, or original stem, of which we are treating, and that as early as the reign of Nero, and at the same time made the Cardike. I shall give you my further reasons for this conjecture, and nothing more than conjecture can be expected in such matters.

42·2d.

Old Hermen Street.

The road which we suppose the original stem of the Hermen Street goes in a direct line, and full north and south from Durobrivæ, or Caster, to Sleford; and there, for aught I know, it terminates. It is manifest, that if it had been carried further in that direction, it would have passed below Lincoln heath, and arrive at the river where it is not fordable. It parts from the present and real Hermen Street at Upton, a mile north of Caster; but this is continued in a strait line, which demonstrates that it is the original one: the other goes from it with an angular branching. This traverses the river Welland at Westdeeping, and is carried in a high bank across the watery meadows of Lolham bridges.[6] These are numerous and large arches made upon the road, to let the waters pass through, taken notice of by the great Camden as of antiquity; and no doubt originally Roman: then it crosses the Glen at Catebridge, (whereabouts it is now called King’sgate, via regia) to Bourn, (where Roman coins are often found, many in possession of Jos. Banks, jun. esq.) so to Fokingham and Sleaford. It is now called Longdike. All along parallel to this road runs a famous old drain, called The Cardike. Cardike.[7] Mr. Morton has been very curious in tracing it out through his county, Northamptonshire. I am sorry I have not yet had opportunity to pursue his laudable example, in finishing the course of it through Lincolnshire: but as far as I have observed it, it is marked in the map. This is a vast artificial canal drawn north and south upon the edge of the fens, from Peterburgh river to Lincoln river, about fifty mile long, and by the Romans without all peradventure. It is taken notice of by serjeant Callis, our countryman, in his readings on the sewers. That wise people, with a greatness of thought peculiar to themselves, observed the great use of such a channel, that by water carriage should open an inland traffic between their two great colonies of Durobrivæ and Lindum, or Lincoln, without going round the hazardous voyage of the Estuary: just such was the policy of Corbulo in Tacitus, Annal. xi. Ne tamen miles otium indueret inter Mosam Rhenumque trium & viginti millium spatio fossam produxit, qua incerta oceani evitarentur. And lest the soldiery should be idle, he drew a dike for the space of three and twenty miles between the Maese and the Rhine, whereby the dangers of the ocean are avoided; which is exactly a parallel case with ours. Besides, it is plain that by intercepting all the little streams coming down from the high country, and naturally overflowing our levels, it would much facilitate the draining thereof, which at this time they must have had in view. This canal enters Lincolnshire at Eastdeeping, proceeding upon an exact level, which it takes industriously between the high and low grounds all the way, by Langtoft and Baston: passing the river Glen at Highbridge, it runs in an uninterrupted course as far as Kyme: beyond that I have not yet followed it; but I suppose it meets Lincoln river near Washenburgh, and where probably they had a fort to secure the navigation, as upon other proper intermediate places, such as Walcot, Garick, Billingborough, Waldram-hall, Narborough, Eye antiently Ege, agger; and I imagine St. Peter’s de Burgo hence owes its original: and a place called Low there, a camp ditched about, just where the Cardike begins on one side the river: another such fortification at Horsey bridge on the other side the river: all these names point out some antient works. It is all the way threescore foot broad, having a large flat bank, on both sides, for the horses that drew their boats. Roman coins are frequently found through its whole length, as you well know, who are possessed of many of them of different emperors. Now it seems to me highly probable that Catus Decianus, the procurator in Nero’s time, was the projector both of this road and this canal, two notable examples in different kinds of Roman industry and judgment; and the memorial of the author of so great a benefit to the country is handed down to us in several particulars; as that of Catesbridge before mentioned upon the road, and of Catwater, a stream derived from this artificial channel, at the very place where it begins, to the Nen at Dovesdale bar: likewise at Dovesdale bar comes in another stream from the north, from a place by Shephey bank, called Catscove corner; and this was first hinted to me by our deceased friend, the learned and reverend Mr. John Britain, late schoolmaster of Holbech: to which we may add Catley, a town near Walcot upon the Cardike beyond Kyme; and Catthorp, a village near Stanfield, upon the road. We may likewise upon the same grounds conjecture that Lollius Urbicus repaired this work; whence it seems that his name, though corrupted, is preserved in Lolham bridges; for there is no town of that kind near it. Vid. Gale’s Itinerar. pag. 28. Lowlsworth upon the Hermen Street without Bishops-Gate, in Spittle-Fields. Certainly this is a good hint for our imitation, had we a like public spirit. Now this road thus accompanying the canal, was of great service to the traders, who might have an eye upon their vessels all the while. And even after the projection of the other branch which goes to Lincoln upon the higher ground, the navigation here was undoubtedly continued in full perfection, till the Romans left the island; for such is its advantage of situation, that it could never want water, nor ever overflow: that stream of Catwater seems to be cut on purpose, at least scoured up, to preserve these uses in drawing off the floods of Peterburgh river into the Nen, if its proper channel was not sufficient. The meaning of the word Cardike is no more than Fendike: we use the word still in this country, to signify watery, boggy places: it is of British original.

I doubt not but that the Romans likewise made that other cut, between Lincoln river and the Trent, called the Foss: the name seems to indicate it, as well as the thing itself; for it is but a consequent of the Cardike, and formed on the same idea: so that I suppose it was not originally cut, but scoured by Henry I. as Hoveden mentions: then the navigation was continued by land from Peterborough quite to York, and this was very useful to the Romans in their northern wars. The other way they might come from Huntingdon.