It cannot then be doubted but that Glevum stood, in part at least, on the present site of Gloucester, but how far it extended, can only be conjectured. The opinion of some, that the Kingsholm was within its compass, is supported by the coins and other antiquities which have been found there, and the tradition that this was the direction of the Irminstreet. It is satisfactorily traced from Cirencester to the place where the turnpike-gate stands, half a mile from the city; and here is supposed to have deviated to the northwest, and to have continued in the direction of a lane to the Kingsholm, then crossing the Tewkesbury-road, a little north of the turnpike-gate, to have proceeded to an old channel of the Severn (now filled up, but plainly to be traced). Of the latter part of this route no vestiges remain, and in truth, if this was the line of the Roman road, it will be difficult to determine how the communication was maintained with the western side of the Severn, through swampy and marshy grounds, which must have been the state of those meadows in the time of the Romans, since so late as the great Rebellion they are called marshes. The more probable course of the road seems to be from the turnpike-gate through the town to the Westgate bridge. In those days, indeed, there were no bridges over the Severn, but there is no difficulty in supposing that bridges were soon built or boat ferries established under the improving hands of the Romans.

It is to be observed, that it was the custom of the Romans to bury without the monia or boundaries of the town; therefore, if the vast number of bodies dug up at the Kingsholm, were Roman, it is probable that Glevum did not extend so far. The practice, indeed, of burying in towns did not commence till about 750, so that it might from hence be inferred, that this was the common place of sepulture for the town for two centuries after the Romans had ceased to be its inhabitants.-Rudge. A 2

UNDER THE SAXONS.

The Romans, soon after the commencement of the fifth century, finding that all their exertions were necessary to protect the country immediately around the capital, withdrew their troops from Britain, and left the inhabitants, who were just beginning to taste the pleasures of repose, in a wretched and defenceless state; for it had been the uniform policy of the conquerors to enlist the flower of the British youth into their armies, and disperse them in the other provinces of the empire. The last legion left the island about 426 or 427.

From this period the sufferings of the islanders were great, from civil contentions, and the irruptions of the Scots and Picts; and the Saxons were invited to assist in their deliverance. The auxiliary troops were put in possession of the isle of Thanet, and paid by the Britons: the first body arrived in 449. Gloucester does not appear to have been much concerned in the disputes which followed this unfortunate alliance, till the year 577, when Commail, Condidan, and Farinmail, three British Princes, were defeated by Ceaulin, the Saxon King of Wessex, and his brother Cutha or Cuthwin, at Dyrham, and thé taking of Bath, Gloucester, and Cirencester, was the consequence of their victory. In 584, the conquest was completed by Crida, an adventurer of the same nation, and of the race of Woden; and the Britons, unable to defend themselves against these new invaders, retired into Cambria, beyond the Severn, leaving the empire of Britain wholly to the Saxons.

Out of his several conquests, Crida, in 584, formed a large kingdom, known at that time by the name of the Kingdom of the Middle Angles, but afterwards more generally of Mercia. Gloucester was one of the fifteen cities of which it was composed, and was doubtless, both during the wars between the Britons and Saxons, and under the government of the latter, a place of considerable importance, on account of its situation on a navigable river; in the Saxon annals, however, either from the concise way in which they are written, or from the loss of others more full, Gloucester is seldom mentioned, except for the purpose of recording the arrival, departure, or death, of some great personage. Gloucester, in the time of the Saxons, was governed by a Portgreve.—Atkyns.

As at the council, or synod of Grateley, held by King Athelstan, in 928, and also by the King's own order, it was appointed that there should be one mint for coining of money in all burghs, it might be expected that Saxon or Danish coins of the Gloucester mint, would not be scarcer than those of the Romans; in fact, however, one only is mentioned in history, which is a silver coin of Harold, with the following inscription ;-HAROLD REX ANGLORUM. The King had Crown and Sceptre. The reverse is, WULFGEAT On (de) GLE-aue-cester. With PAX in the middle. This is taken from Rudder's account, but he gives no authority, nor mentions the catalogue or cabinet where it is to be found.

The following chronological account comprehends the whole that is upon record, relating to Gloucester, except what has been already recited, during the Roman and Saxon governments.

488. Hengist, the brave leader of the Saxons, is said by G. Monmouth, to have been beheaded at this place. Aurelius Ambrosius, King of the Britons, having taken him

prisoner, at a battle fought at Masebell, beyond the Humber, in Yorkshire, brought him to Gloucester, and there assembled a council of the nobility to determine his fate. Edel, the Earl, Eldad, the Bishop, and Eldo, the Mayor, or chief governor, were present, and when the majority shewed an inclination to spare the prisoner's life, they were persuaded to deliver him up to the Mayor, who led him out of the city and put him to death. This account is altogether denied by the Saxon writers, as well as by the best modern historians, who assert that he died a natural death.

670,* or thereabouts, Wulfer, son of Penda, repaired the city, which had been considerably injured during the wars, and so much enlarged and beautified it, that according to Bede, it was esteemed, about the beginning of the eighth century, one of the noblest cities in the kingdom.

836, or soon after, the Danes possessed themselves of this place, and pitching their tents here, lorded it over this part of the country, and made themselves masters of the Forest of Dean, and great part of Herefordshire.-Rudder.

896. A Wittena Gemot of the great men of Mercia was held at Gloucester, with the leave of Alfred. At this Gemot the Bishop of Worcester complained that he had been deprived of his woodland. All the Witan declared that the church should have its rights preserved, as well as other

persons.-Heming Chart. Turner's Sax.

918. The inhabitants of this city were instrumental in routing and destroying the Danish army.

940. King Athelstan died here, and was buried at Malmesbury, with great funeral pomp.-Will. of Malmsb.

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Soon after this, Elgiva, the unfortunate wife of Edwy,

* In the Monasticon Anglicanum the date is 679; this, however, cannot be correct, since Wulfer died in 675.

the eleventh King of England, was intercepted at Gloucester, and put to death, with circumstances of peculiar cruelty. Edwy had contracted a violent passion for his fair cousin Elgiva, but the marriage was condemned by Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dunstan, on account of their being within the prohibited degrees. In consequence of their opposition to the opinion of the churchmen, Edwy and Elgiva suffered great persecution. He found his subjects in rebellion against him, and she, being seized by a party of armed men, was branded in the forehead with a hot iron, and sent to Ireland. On her return, she was intercepted, hamstringed, and cruelly put to death. Edwy died of a broken heart.— Anglia sacra.

964. King Edgar resided a short time in the town, and one of his battles against the Danes is said to have been fought here. Rapin, however, asserts, that during his reign, there were no invasion from abroad, and all was quiet at home, and that he did not once draw his sword.—Rapin and Hume, sub. reg. Edgar. Turner, vol. 3. p. 165, 178, 184.

978. Ethelred was crowned King, and in 980, the Danes, after an interval of nearly sixty years, again made a descent on England, in various parts at different periods. In 997, they appeared in the Severn, and at this time probably Gloucester was, for the third time, ravaged and almost consumed by fire, as mentioned by Rudder.

1016. Edmund Ironside, having been defeated at Ashdon, co. Essex, or Essedin, according to Atkyns, came to Gloucester, for the purpose of recruiting his forces. Canute followed him, and in a short time the two armies, headed by their respective kings, stood in sight of each other at Derhurst, five miles up the Severn. Here Edmund challenged the Danish chief to single combat, which, according to some authors, was accepted. The fact seems to be, that Canute