cle it is variously written, Gleawan-cester, Gleaw-ceastre, Glew-ceastre, and Glowe-ceastre. On the seal of the Constable Milo, Gloecestria. Walter de Frowcester, in the 14th century, uniformly writes, Gloucestria and Gloucestriensis in the records of the Abbey. In Dorney's Diurnal Account, and Corbett's History of the Siege, both published during the usurpation, the same appellation is always used. In Domesday-book, all the charters, and public instruments to the present time, it is the same. The weekly journal, which began to be published in 1722, was styled, The Gloucester Journal, and it was not till several years after that the editor altered the mode of spelling. An almost infinite number of testimonies might be adduced to the same purpose, if it were necessary, but as the subject is interesting perhaps only in the estimation of an antiquary, it may be deemed tedious to lengthen the investigation,

UNDER THE ROMANS.

About the year 44, of the christian æra, it is conjectured, that the Romans had penetrated as far as Caer Glow, under the victorious conduct of Plautius. This general having in various battles defeated the Britons, and possessed himself of such advantages as seemed to secure their total subjection, sent a request to the Emperor Claudius, that he would in person reap the glory of putting an end to the war. On his arrival he found little opposition, and easily pushed his conquests into the interior parts of the island. His great moderation and kindness to the conquered natives, while

among them, raised him to so high a degree of estimation, that they erected a temple to his honour, and worshiped him as a god.

The Romans finding here a settlement of the natives, protected and improved it sufficiently to lay the foundation of that consequence, which at no subsequent period has been entirely lost. This wise and politic people, indeed, carried with their victorious arms, the arts and comforts of social life, and from the peaceable disposition, which characterized the inhabitants of these parts, it may be presumed that they profited by the superior attainments of their new masters. Glevum, however, as the Romans called it, was at this time a garrison, or military station, designed to check the incursions of the Silures, who inhabited on the western side of the Severn, and being brave and powerful, not only resisted all the efforts of the invaders with success, but were ready to seize every opportunity of harrassing them in their turn. Being thus a settlement of the Roman garrison, it became more numerous, and obtained the privileges of a colony then the name Glow, by adopting a Latin termination, was changed to Glevum: thus much appears from an inscription on a monumental stone found some years since in a wall at Bath, near the Northgate.-DEC. COLone Glev. VIXT. AN. LXXXOVI. This was first noticed by Camden, and was mentioned by Gibson and Horsely as remaining in their days, though now lost. Gale supposes this Decurio to have died at Bath, whither he had gone either for the recovery of his own health or the refreshment of his forces; Horseley imagines him to have been rather a senator in the colony, than a commander of ten horse in the army. It is said by Atkyns, that in the time of the Romans, the colony was governed by a consul.

:

That this was a Roman station, of considerable conse

quence, though perhaps inferior to Cirencester, is indisput ably proved by the various coins, fragments of pottery, military and domestic utensils, and pavements, which have been found. Among the former are burial urns, coffins of lead and stone, pieces of amphora, a small brass lamp, an iron hatchet, a brass patera with a handle, a small ornamental bell, part of a pair of brass compasses, several brass beads, and a statera or Roman balance of the same metal. Some of these are now in the possession of Samuel Lysons, Esq. and all have been described in different parts of the Archæologia.

Opinions, however, differ about the exact situation of Glevum; though from the following considerations it may probably be inferred, that the present plan of Gloucester nearly corresponds with what it was in the time of the Romans. In the four principal streets, some remains have been discovered of Roman houses and buildings. In the cellar belonging to the master's house of Crypt school, is a piece of tessellated pavement, but whether it was there first discovered, or removed to it from some other place, is not known but that such kind of flooring does exist in the Southgate-street, is proved by the discovery lately made of some in a house adjoining to the Ram Inn, in the digging of a well.

On the south side of the Westgate-street, at a house then in the occupation of Mr. Parker, surgeon, in opening the ground for the same purpose as the preceding, stone steps were found, as if leading from the ground floor to an upper apartment, with part of the shaft of a broken Doric column, unquestionably Roman. In the Northgate-street, three or four years since, when improvements were making in the house of T. Mee, Esq. formerly called the Black Spread Eagle, a tessellated pavement was dug up, formed of dies in the

usual way,

men.

but destroyed by the ignorance of the work

The most complete discovery, however, was made on the 26th of July, 1806, as the foundation for the new Blue Coat Hospital, in the Eastgate-street, was being dug out. The workmen came down to a very beautiful tessellated pavement, in a parallel direction with the street, extending on that side 30 feet, and from north to south 20 feet. On the south side was a circular excavation, about two feet diameter, which, from the remains of ashes, still there, and the burnt bricks, had evidently been used for a hearth or fire place. From this a communication had been made in several directions, by pipes of earthen-ware, apparently intended to convey heat under the pavement to different parts of the building. The pavement (which unfortunately was not preserved entire) was divided into compartments, enriched with a variety of scrolls, frets, and other architectural ornaments, having a wreathed or braided border, inclosing different figures of fish. The colours of the tessella were white, red, blueish grey, pale and dark brown; the sizes varying from one half to three quarters of an inch; the shapes accommodated to the form of the animals represented. They were laid in a bed of cement, apparently composed of sand, pulverized brick, and lime. The pavement seemed to extend much farther to the west, and is still concealed under the adjoining house, belonging to Sir Thomas Crawley Boevey, Bart. and in the wall of the house on the east was a window of Roman construction. It is to be lamented, that so valuable and per fect a specimen of Roman building should not have been preserved entire; the loss, however, is somewhat compensated by a correct drawing and engraving made by Mr. Thos. Tovey, and intended for the Antiquarian Society; and a considerable quantity of tessella collected by John Mac

laren, nurseryman, and at some expence put together, and now forming the floor of a small room at his nursery, near the Regnum Stile Grounds.

To these evidences it may be added, that within the last. six years, in the Northgate and Southgate-streets, foot pavements, running parallel with the houses, have been found, at about the distance of seven or eight feet under ground (which is also the general depth of the tessellated floors). These were supported by timber piles, and about four or five feet wide.

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