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3.24. Of antiquities found. Chap. 24.

Of antiquities found. Chap. 24.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _HAuing taken some occasion to speake here and there in this treatise of antiquities, it shall not be amis to deale yet more in this chapter, with some of them apart, & by themselues, whereby the secure authoritie of the Romans ouer this I|land EEBO page image 217 maie in some cases more manifestlie appeare. For such was their possession of this Iland on this side of the Tine, that they held not one or two, or a few places onelie vnder their subiection, but all the whole countrie from east to west, from the Tine to the British sea, so that there was no regi|on void of their gouernance: notwithstanding that vntill the death of Lucius, and extinction of his issue, they did permit the successors of Lud and Cimbalme to reigne and rule amongst them, though vnder a certeine tribute, as else-where I haue declared. The chéefe cause that vrgeth me to speake of antiquities, is the paines that I haue taken to gather great numbers of them togither, intending (if euer my Chronologie shall happen to come abroad) to set downe the liuelie porfraitures of euerie emperour ingrauen in the same: also the faces of Pompeie, Crassus, the seuen kings of the Romans, Cicero, and diuerse other, which I haue prouided readie for the purpose, beside the monuments and liuelie images of sundrie philosophers, and kings of this Iland, since the time of Edward the Confessor. Wherof although presentlie I want a few, yet I doo not doubt but to obteine them all, if friendship at the leastwise procu|red for monie shall be able to preuaile. But as it hath doone hitherto, so the charges to be emploied vpon these brasen or copper images, will hereafter put by the impression of that treatife: whereby it maie come to passe; that long trauell shall soone proue to be spent in vaine, and much cost come to verie small successe. Whereof yet I force not greatlie, sith by this means I haue reaped some commoditie vnto my selfe, by searching of the histories, which often minister store of examples readie to be vsed in my function, as oc|casion shall mooue me. But to procéed with my pur|pose.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Before the comming of the Romans, there was a kind of copper monie currant here in Britaine, as Caesar confesseth in the fift booke of his Commenta|ries, but I find not of what maner it was. Hereto he addeth a report of certeine rings, of a proportionate weight, which they vsed in his time, in stead likewise of monie. But as hitherto it hath not bene my lucke (I saie) to haue the certeine view of anie of these, so after the comming of the Romans, they inforced vs to abandon our owne, and receiue such imperiall mo|nies or coines, as for the paiment of their legions was dailie brought ouer vnto them. What coines the Romans had, it is easie to be knowne, and from time to time much of it is found in manie places of this Iland, as well of gold and siluer, as of copper, brasse, and other mettall, much like stéele, almost of e|uerie emperour. So that I account it no rare thing to haue of the Roman coine, albeit that it still repre|sent an image of our captiuitie, and maie be a good admonition for vs, to take heed how we yéeld our selues to the regiment of strangers. Of the store of these monies, found vpon the Kentish coast, I haue alreadie made mention in the description of Richbo|row, and chapter of Iles adiacent vnto the British Albion, and there shewed also how simple fishermen haue had plentie of them, and that the conies in ma|king profers and holes to bréed in, haue scraped them out of the ground in verie great abundance. In speaking also of S. Albans, in the chapter of townes and villages, I haue not omitted to tell what plentie of these coines haue bene gathered there: wherfore I shall not néed here to repeat the same againe. How|beit this is certeine, that the most part of all these an|tiquities, to be found within the land, & distant from the shore, are to be gotten either in the ruines of an|cient cities and townes decaied, or in inclosed bur|rowes, where their legions accustomed sometime to winter, as by experience is dailie confirmed. What store hath béene séene of them in the citie of London, which they called Augusta, of the legion that soiour|ned there, & likewise in Yorke named also Uictrix, of the legion Victoria, or Altera Roma (because of the beautie and fine building of the same) I my selfe can partlie witnesse, that haue séene, & often had of them, if better testimonie were wanting. The like I maie affirme of Colchester, where those of Clau|dius, Adrian, Traian, Vespasian, and other, are often|times plowed vp, or found by other means: also of Cantorburie, Andredeschester (now decaied) Roche|ster, then called Durobreuum, Winchester, and di|uerse other beyond the Thames, which for breuitie sake I doo passe ouer in silence. Onelie the chiefe of all and where most are found in deed, is néere vnto Car|leon and Cairgwent in Southwales, about Kenche|ster, thrée miles aboue Hereford, Aldborow, Anca|ster, Bramdon, Dodington, where a spurre and péece of a chaine of gold were found in king Henrie the eight his daies, besides much of the said Roman coine, Binchester, Camalet, Lacocke vpon A|uon, and Lincolne, Dorchester, Warwike, and Che|ster, where they are often had in verie great abun|dance. It seemeth that Ancaster hath beene a great thing, for manie square & colored pauements, vaults, and arches are yet found, and often laid open by such as dig and plow in the fields about the same. And a|mongst these, one Uresbie or Roscbie, a plowman, did ere vp not long since a stone like a trough, coue|red with another stone, wherein was great foison of the aforesaid coines. The like also was séene not yet fortie yeares agone about Grantham. But in king Henrie the eight his daies, an husbandman had far better lucke at Harleston, two miles from the afore|said place, where he found not onelie great plentie of this coine, but also an huge brasse pot, and therein a large helmet of pure gold, richlie fretted with pearle, and set with all kind of costlie stones: he tooke vp al|so chaines much like vnto beads of siluer, all which, as being (if a man might ghesse anie certeintie by their beautie) not likelie to be long hidden, he presen|ted to quéene Katharine then lieng at Peterborow, and therewithall a few ancient rolles of parchment written long agone, though so defaced with mouldi|nesse, and rotten for age, that no man could well hold them in his hand without falling into péeces, much lesse read them by reason of their blindnesse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the beginning of the same kings daies also at Killeie a man found as he eared, an arming girdle, harnessed with pure gold, and a great massie pomell with a crosse hilt for a sword of the same mettall, be|side studs and harnesse for spurs, and the huge long spurs of like stuffe, whereof one doctor Ruthall got a part into his hands. The boroughs or buries, wher|of I spake before, were certeine plots of ground, wherin the Romane souldiers did vse to lie when they kept in the open fields as chosen places, from whence they might haue easie accesse vnto their aduersa|ries, if anie outrage were wrought or rebellion moo|ued against them. And as these were the vsuall a|boads for those able legions that serued dailie in the wars, so had they other certeine habitations for the old and forworne souldiers, whereby diuerse cities grew in time to be replenished with Romane colo|nies, as Cairleon, Colchester, Chester, and such o|ther, of which, Colchester bare the name of Colonia long time, and wherein A. Plautius builded a temple vnto the goodesse of Uictorie (after the departure of Claudius) which Tacitus calleth Aram sempiternae do|minationis, a perpetuall monument of that our Bri|tish seruitude. But to returne vnto our borowes, they were generallie walled about with stone wals, and so large in compasse that some did conteine thir|tie, fourtie, three score, or eightie acres of ground EEBO page image 218 within their limits: they had also diuerse gates or ports vnto each of them, and of these not a few re|maine to be seene in our time, as one for example not far from great Chesterford in Essex, néere to the li|mits of Cambridgshire, which I haue often viewed, and wherein the compasse of the verie wall with the places where the gates stood is easie to be discerned: the like also is to be séene at a place within two miles south of Burton, called the Borow hils. In these therefore and such like, and likewise at Euols|burg, now S. Neots, or S. Needs, and sundrie other places, especiallie vpon the shore and coasts of Kent, as Douer, Rie, Romneie, Lid, &c: is much of their coine also to be found, and some péeces or other are dailie taken vp, which they call Borow pence, Dwarfs monie, Hegs pence, Feirie groats, Iewes monie, & by other foolish names not woorthie to be re|membred. xsAt the comming of the Saxons, the Bri|tons vsed these holds as rescues for their cattell in the daie and night, when their enimies were abroad; the like also did the Saxons against the Danes, by which occasions and now and then by carieng of their stones to helpe forward other buildings néere at hand) manie of them were throwne downe and defaced, which otherwise might haue continued for a longer time, and so your honour would saie, if you should happen to peruse the thickenesse and maner of building of those said wals and borowes. It is not long since a siluer saucer of verie ancient making was found néere to Saffron Walden, in the open field among the Sterbirie hils,Sterbirie a place where en armie hath lien. and eared vp by a plough, but of such massie greatnesse, that it weighed better than twentie ounces, as I haue heard repor|ted. But if I should stand in these things vntill I had said all that might be spoken of them, both by expe|rience and testimonie of Leland in his Commenta|ries of Britaine, and the report of diuerse yet liuing, I might make a greater chapter than would be ei|ther conuenient or profitable to the reader: where|fore so much onelie shall serue the turne for this time as I haue said alreadie of antiquities found within our Iland, especiallie of coine, whereof I purposed chiefelie to intreat.

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2.17. ¶Of the Antiquities, or auncient Coines found in England. Cap. 17.

¶Of the Antiquities, or auncient Coines found in England. Cap. 17.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 HAuing take ſome occaſion to ſpeak here and there in thys treatize of Antiqui|ties, it ſhall not be amyſſe to deale yet more in this chapter, with ſome of them apart, & by themſelues, whereby the ſecure authori|rie of the Romaines ouer thys Iſland maye in ſome caſes more manifeſtly appéere. For ſuch was theyr poſſeſſion of this Iſlande on this ſide of the Tynethat they helde not one or two or a fewe places onely vnder there ſubiection, but all the whole countrey from the eaſt to weſt, from the Tyne to the Bri|tiſh Sea, ſo that there was no region voyd of theyr gouernaunce, notwythſtanding that vntil the death of Lucius & extinction of his iſſue, they did permit ye ſucceſſors of Lud & Cimbaelyne to reigne & rule amongſt thẽ, though vnder a certeine tribute, as elſe where I haue declared. The chief cauſe that vrgeth me to ſpeake of Antiquities, is the paines that I haue taken to gather great numbers of them togither, entending if euer my Chronology ſhal happẽ to come abroad, to ſet downe the liuely protraitures of euery Emperour ingraued in the ſame: alſo the fa|ces of Pompey, Craſſus, the ſeauen kinges of the romaines, Cicero and diuers other which I haue prouided ready for the purpoſe, beſide the monuments & liuely Images of ſundrye Philoſophers, and Kinges of thys Iſlande, ſithens the time of Edwarde the confeſſor, whereof although preſently I want a fewe, yet I doe not doubt but to obtaine them all, if eyther friendeſhip or money ſhall be able to preuaile. But as it hath done hetherto, ſo the charges to be employed, vpon theſe bra|ſen or coper Images, will hereafter put by the impreſſion of my booke, whereby it maye come to paſſe, that long trauaile ſhall ſoone prooue to be ſpent in vaine, and much coſt come to very ſmall ſucceſſe, whereof yet I force not greatly, ſith by this meanes, I haue reaped ſome commoditie vnto my ſelfe, by ſearching of the hiſtories, which often my|niſter ſtore of examples, ready to be vſed as occaſion ſhall compell me. But to procéede with my purpoſe. Before the comming of the Romains, ther was a kind of copper money currant herein bryteine as Caeſar confeſſeth in ye ſith booke of his comentaries, whervnto he addeth a report of certeine rings, of a pro|portionate weight, which they vſed in his time, in ſtéed likewiſe of money. But as he|therto it hath not béene my lucke to haue the certeine viewe of any of theſe, ſo after the cõ|ming of ye Romaines, they inforced vs to a|bandon our owne and receiue ſuch imperiall coine, as for the payment of ye Legions was daily brought ouer vnto vs. What coynes ye romaines had it is eaſie to be knowne, & frõ time to time much of it is founde in manye places of this Iſlande, aſwell of Golde and Siluer, as of copper, braſſe, and other met|tall, much lyke ſtéele, almoſt of euery Empe|rour, ſo that I account it no rare thyng to haue of the Romaine coyne, albeit, that it ſtil repreſent an ymage of our captiuity, & maye be a good admonition for vs, to take heede howe we yéelde our ſelues to the regiment of ſtraungers. Of the ſtore of theſe monies, found vpon the Kentiſhe coaſt, I haue alrea|dy made mencion, in the deſcription of Rich|borowe, and chapiter of Iſles Adiacent vnto the Brittiſh Albion, and there ſhewed alſo howe ſimple fiſher men haue had plentye of them, and that the very conyes in makyng profers and holes to bréede in, haue ſcraped them out of the grounde in very great abun|dance. In ſpeaking alſo af S. Albanes, in the chapter of townes and villages, I haue not omitted to tell what plenty of theſe coynes haue béene gathered there, wherfore I ſhall not néede here to repeate the ſame againe: Howbeit this is certaine, that the moſt part of all theſe Antiquities, to be founde with in the lande, & diſtant from the ſhore, are to be gotten eyther in the ruines of auncient Ci|ties & Townes decayed, or in incloſed boro|wes, where their legions acuſtomed ſome|time to winter, as by experience is dailye confirmed. What ſtore hath béene ſéene of them in the citie of London, which they cal|led Auguſta, of the Legion that ſoiourned there, & likewiſe in Yorke named alſo Vic|trix, of the Legion, Victoria or (Altera Roma, becauſe of beautie and fine buylding of the ſame) I my ſelfe can partely witneſſe, that haue ſéene, and often had of them, if better teſtimony were wãting. The like I may af|firme of Colcheſter, where thoſe of Claudius Hadriane, Traiane, Veſpaſian and other, are EEBO page image 102 oftentymes plowed vp or founde, by other meanes: alſo of Cantorbury, Andreſcheſter, (now decayed) Rocheſter then called Duro|breuum, Wincheſter and diuers other be|yonde the Thames, which for breuities ſake I doe paſſe ouer in ſilence: onely the chiefe of all & where moſt are founde in deede is néere vnto Carleon & Cairgwent in Southwales, about Kencheſter, thrée myles aboue Here|forde, Aldborow, Ancaſter, Bramdon, Do|dington, Cirnecheſter, Bincheſter, Cama|let, Lacock vpõ Auon, Lincolne, Dorcheſter, Warwick, & Cheſter, where they are often had in verye great abundaunce. It ſéemeth that Ancaſter hath béen a great thing, for ma|ny ſquare & coloured pauemẽts, vaults, and arches are yet found, & of [...] layde open by ſuch as digge and plowe in the fieldes about the ſame, & amongſt theſe, one Vreſby or Roſe|by, a plowmã, did ere vp not lõg ſince a ſtone lyke a troughe couered wyth an other ſtone, wherein was great abundaunce of the afore|ſayde coynes: the lyke alſo was ſeene not yet fourtie yeare agone about Grantham: but in kyng Henryes the eyght hys dayes an huſ|bandman had far better lucke at Harieſtone, two miles from the aforeſaid place, where he founde not only great ſtore of this coyne, but alſo an huge braſſe pot, and therein a large helmet of pure golde, rychely fretted wyth pearle, & ſet with all kindes of coſtly ſtones: he tooke vppe alſo cheanes much lyke vnto beades of ſiluer, all which, as being (if a man might geſſe any certaintie by their beautie) not likely to be long hidden, he preſented to Quéene Catherine then lying at Peterbo|row, and therewithall a few auncient rowles of Parchment written long agone, though ſo defaced with mouldineſſe, and rotten for age, that no man coulde well holde them in hys hand without falling into péeces, much leſſe reade them by reaſon of their blindneſſe. In the beginning of the ſame kinges dayes alſo at Killey a man foũd as he eared, an arming girdle, harniſed wyth pure golde, & a great maſſy pomell with a croſſe hilt for a ſworde of the ſame mettalle, beſide ſtuddes and har|neſſe for ſpurres, and the huge long ſpurres alſo of lyke ſtuffe, wherof doctor Ruthall got part into his handes. The borowghes or bu|ries whereof, I ſpake before, were certaine plots of ground, wherein the Romaine ſoul|diours dyd vſe to lye when they kept in the open fieldes as choſen places, from whence they might haue eaſie acceſſe vnto their ad|uerſaries, yf any outrage were wrought or rebellion mooued againſt them. And as theſe were the vſuall abodes for thoſe able Legiõs that ſerued dayly in the warres, ſo had they other certaine habitations, for the olde an [...] forworne ſouldiours, whereby diuers cities grewe in time to be repleniſhed with Ro|maine colonie, as Cairleon, Colceſter, Che|ſter, and ſuch other, of which, Colceſter bare the name of Colonia long tyme, and wherin A Plautius builded a temple vnto the goddes of victorie (after the departure of Claudius) which Tacitus calleth Aram ſempiternae dominationis, a parpetuall monument of that our Brittiſh ſeruitude. But to returne vnto our borowes they were generally wal|led about wyth ſtone walles, and ſo large in cõpaſſe that ſome dyd contayne thirtie, four|tie, thrée ſcore, or eyghtie Acres of grounde within their limites: they had alſo diuers gates or portes vnto eache of them, and of theſe not a fewe remayne to be ſéene in our time, as one for example not far from great Cheſterforde in Eſſex, néere to the limites of Cambridgſhire, which I haue often viewed, and wherein the compaſſe of the very wall wyth the places where the gates ſtoode is eaſie to be diſcerned: the lyke alſo is to be ſéene within two miles ſouth of Burton, cal|led the borow hilles. In theſe therefore and ſuch lyke, is much of their coyne alſo to be founde, and ſome péeces or other are dayly taken vppe, which they call borowe pence, dwarfes mony, hegges pence, feiry groates, Iewes money, and by other fooliſhe names not woorthie to be remembred. At the com|ming of the Saxons the Britons vſed theſe holdes as reſcues for their cattell in the daye and night when their enemies were abrode, the lyke alſo dyd the Saxons agaynſt the Danes, by which occaſions (and nowe and then by carying of their ſtones to helpe for|warde other buyldings néere at hand) many of them were throwne downe and defaced, which otherwyſe myght haue continued for a longer time, and ſo your ſelues would ſay, yf you ſhoulde happen to pervſe the thicke|neſſe and maner of buylding of thoſe walles & borowes. It is not long ſince a ſiluer ſau|cer of verye auncient making, was founde néere to Saffron Walden, in the open field among the Stertbyry hilles, [...] and eared vp by a plough, but of ſuch maſſy greatneſſe, that it weighed better then twentie ounces, as I haue hearde reported, but yf I ſhoulde ſtand in theſe thinges vntill I had ſayde all that might be ſpoken of them, both by experience and teſtimonie of Lelande in his Commen|taries of Britayne, and the report of diuers yet liuing, I might make a greater chapter then woulde be eyther conuenient or profita|ble to the reader: wherefore theſe ſhall ſerue the turne for this time that I haue ſayde al|readie EEBO page image 93 of antiquities founde within our I|ſlande, eſpecially of coyne, whereof I pur|poſed chiefely to treate.