By the Devices engraved on it, viz. the Arcus and Sagitta, it feems to have been a Pin of the modest Goddess Diana-Subnectit fibula veftem. It has fmall Eye at the larger End, as the Roman Acus, through which something of Lace or Bobin might be drawn (as a Nail through the [a] Linch-pin of an Axle-tree, to keep the wheel on) that the Fibula might not at any Time flip out, and expose the Nakedness of that chafte Deity. I fhall not difpute it with the learned, if they choose to fuppofe, that this is a Fibula Chirurgica; and that the Arcus and Sagitta are as well Emblems of Apollo, the God of Phyfick; though fuch an Explanation fubjects the Faculty to idle Jokes, and Reflexions; and it had certainly been more decent, if not more juft, to have given Emblems of his healing, rather than of his murdering Capacity. This Inftrument probably the Pollinatores made ufe of to lard the dead Bodies, it had killed, with the more ftringy, though unctuous Sorts of Spices. It is now ufed, O Tempora! O Mores! as a Bodkin.

There are but two Names remaining in the Villa of Roman Extraction; (viz) the Rufil Family, probably defcended from that Fop Rufillus recorded by Horace but it is much departed from all idle Tafte of Effences and Perfumes: And the Vince Family, from thofe hardy People the Veientes, [b] or Vincentes, as they fhould be called, fo early incorporated with the Romans: And much of that Robuftnefs continues in this athletic Family.

[a] Vitruv.

[6] Liv.

After

་ ་ ་ ་

After the Departure of the Romans, and upon the Irruption of the Scots and Pias, this Village was again made a Settlement of the Enemy; [c] but they proved lefs cruel and oppreffive than was ex pected; for when they had filled their hungry Bellies, they laid themfelves down at their Eafe, and gave little Moleftation; for the ancient Inhabitants, obferving the pacific Power of Plenty and Fulness, took Care to avail themselves of it; and accordingly appointed Officers, not unlike the Keepers of wild Beafts, to ply them, whenever they feemed reftlefs, with Dumpling; the Tertium quid of chemical Cookery, from thofe two fimple Ingredients, Meal and Water. Gildas, indeed, that forrowful Hiftorian, with a peculiar Propenfity to turn every thing into Lamentation, deduces their Savageness and Cruelty from fome innocent Posts, erected for a different Purpose, by fuppofing them Engines and Gibbets of Torture, for the poor Natives of this Place. But a late eminent Antiquary, though he has not given us the true Use of them, has certainly led us to it. He fancies from an old Manufcript, that thefe were Mile and rubbing Pofts; and then with an Imagination as airy as New Market itfelf, talks of Matches and King's Plates being run for on this two Mile Course; not confidering, that if the Soil has continued from the Flood, in the State it is now in, it was always too deep and heavy for fuch Diverfions. 'Tis much more probable that Worms or Mould

have robbed his Manufcript of two Letters SC, and that it was Scrubbing inftead of rubbing Pofts; a Contrivance not lefs politic than the other of feeding their Enemies; Optimus, quas pafcere et fcabere, eft triumphus For Naturalifts inform us, that all cutaneous Diftempers, even those that spring from Poverty of Blood, are always inflamed by high living; and that a thriving is conftantly an itching Condition; a Senfation fo pleasing with, and fo intolerable without fcratching, that Inftinct has directed brute Beafts. under fuch Titillations to affift one another; and. from thence comes the Latin Proverb, Scabunt mutue Muli.

The Religion of these People did by no means res quire Temples, and their want of Tafte and Elegance made them quite indifferent about the Order. of their other Buildings; fo that the Huts they erected, which are the greater Part now ftanding, are rather Dormitories, than Houses of any other Accommodations. They left behind them no good, nor, indeed, wicked Customs; but many that were clownish and indelicate: Such as blowing the Nofe without a Handkerchief,-fitting down to Dinner without a Table-cloth, and doing the Occafions of Nature over a Rail, or a Battling. They left no Noftrums but what were culinary, such as how to make Frumentary, and Hafty Pudding, and no Diftemper, but the Itch, for which they will be always had in Remembrance. Many of thefe People, enamoured with the Plenty, and change of Diet, peaceably fettled here, and fome of their Pofterity

are

are still remaining in the Village. Of the firft, are the Jahnouns, the Stewards, and a numerous Family, provincially called, Scots, who coming in a hurry left their proper Names behind them. Of the fecond, are the Greens, the Browns, and the Osborn Family, which latter, though written with an O, according to the broad Pronunciation of those People, is, orthographically, Afborn, a Word fynonymous to naked. To the Pics we are indebted for the Barberry, the Saffron, the Woad, and the Madder, fo useful, and even neceffary, in Dying.

The Saxons fucceeded next, who, coming by [a] Invitation of the Britons; and as Friends and Allies, were neither formidable to the Village, nor, at first, injurious to it; but rather set out as Benefactors, correcting fome Errors, and filling up fome Omiffions their Predeceffors had been guilty of. But this peaceable and improving Spirit lafted a very little Time; for as foon as their treacherous Leader concluded a Peace with the Pias, this little Detachment, Regis ad Exemplum, dealt as treacherously with the Natives of this Village; entering into Leagues and Cabals with the Scots and Pitts now fettled here: And had it not been for the many Foffe and Intrenchments of the Romans which the Natives were luckily poffeffed of, they had been totally extirpated. But in Procefs of Time thefe Animofities ceased, and indeed a perfect Amity commenced between the two People: The Britons returned to the Plough, and tilling the Ground, and the Saxons

[d] Gild, Bed.

bufied

buffed themselves in mechanical Employments. They made Doors to the Hutts erected by the Scots and Picts, built Chimnies which the former never heard of, and made Windows which they never wanted. They carved huge Columns for Bedpofts, and emboffed Bread-and-Cheese Cupboards; fet Tables upon magnificent Pillars, and Chairs upon Cloven Feet. They prayed a Faculty for building a Church, and another for Liberty to make Ufe of the [e] Roman Horreum as a Part; both which they obtained for the customary Fees, fo religioufly due, upon Deodands: And that ftately Structure, all but the Steeple, which is now the Parish Church, is the pious Effect of the good Bifhop's Indulgence, and the Saxons Devotion. The almoft angular arched Door-ways, the loaded Windows with gouty Pillars and Gothic Devices, like fo many Centinels placed there to keep the Light out, the Harpies to hang Hats on, and the Devil's Faces on the Cieling to turn our Devotion into Horror; the Dragons fpouting Water without, and the Dolphins breathing the Holy-Fire within, are all the unnatural Invention of the Saxons.

There are, at leaft, two Saxon Families now in the Village, viz. the Edgars and the Cuthberts: the firft, though defcended from the King of that Name, is no more than a poor Day-Labourer; and the latter's vaft Poffeffions here are reduced to a small Farm of ten Pounds per Ann. Such is the Inftability

[e] Cod. Theod. de Paganis,

of