AT first sight, this map appears very extraordinary; but when I came to compare it with those of Britain, in Ptolemy, and other old geographers, I was much surprised to find how far it exceeds them: that in the oldest editions of Ptolemy is very mean, and especially erroneous, in turning all the major part of Scotland toward the east, instead of the north. Printed at Ulm, 1482.

I have Schottus’s edition at Argenson, 1513, with Mirandula’s translation.

Also another edition, 1540, at Basil, by Munster: but the map of Britain and Ireland, in all, poor and jejune.

The description in Ptolemy is composed from two separate pieces; one, a map of all the country north of Coria, or of the prætentura in Scotland, which Agricola made: this, I say, when they came to join it to the map of the rest of the island, they placed it eastward, instead of northward; and from this erroneous map Ptolemy composed his description of Britain. This map, in other respects, is very empty and incorrect: our author himself finds fault with it.

Mercator afterwards made his map for the next edition of Ptolemy, somewhat improved; but the northern part, or that of Scotland, still aukwardly bent toward the east.

Consequent to this, Ortelius his map is much improved; the northern part placed properly: yet in an unseemly manner, as well as out of the rules of geography, he turns the western side of Britain and Ireland upward in the plan, instead of the northern, agreeable to our present geographical charts.

Next follows our Richard of Cirencester’s map, which exceeds them all, beyond compare; and the more we consider it, the more we approve: it is only equalled by his written description, or chorography of Britain; but he turned his map with the east side uppermost, instead of the north. We easily discern, how far it is preferred to the Brittania Romana of the excellent Mr. Camden, whose judgement and diligence we have reason to admire.

There are in Brittain, says our author, cities of greater eminence XCII. of greatest XXXIII. I give the modern names.

Municipia II.

Verolanium, Verlam cester, St. Alban’s.

Eboracum, York; olim Colonia, legio Sexta.

Colonies IX.

Londinium Augusta, London.

Camulodunum: legio gemina Martia XIV. Colchester.

Rhutupis, Sandwich. Richborough.

Therma, Aquæ Solis, Bath.

Isca Silurum, legio secunda, Augusta, Britannica, Caerleon, Wales.

Deva, legio Cretica, XX. V. V. West Chester.

Glevum, legio Claudia, VII. Gloucester.

Lindum colonia, Lincoln.

Camboritum, Chesterford, Cambridgeshire.

Civitates Latio jure donatæ X.

Durnomagus, Caster by Peterborough.

Cataracton, Catteric, Yorkshire.

Cambodunum, Alkmundbury, Yorkshire.

Coccium, Burton, north of Lancaster.

Lugubalia, Carlisle.

Pteroton, Alata castra, Inverness.

Victoria, Perth.

Theodosia, Dunbriton.

Corinium Dobunorum, Cirencester.

Sorbiodunum, Old Sarum.

Stipendiariæ XII.

Venta Silurum, Caerwent.

Venta Belgarum, Wintchester.

Venta Icenorum, Caster by Norwich.

Segontium, Carnarvon.

Muridunum, Seaton, Dorsetshire.

Ragæ Coritanorum, Ratæ, Leicester.

Cantiopolis, Durovernum, Canterbury.

Durinum, Dorchester.

Isca Dumnoniorum, Exeter.

Bremenium, Ruchester.

Vindonum, Silchester.

Durobrovis, Rochester.

This is a most curious catalogue of matters hitherto we were ignorant of; what British cities were municipia, what Roman colonies, what free of Rome, what stipendiary. Colonies lived under the Roman laws; municipia, under their own.

Ninnius and Gildas name twenty-eight most famous Roman cities in Britain, which the excellent archbishop Usher has commented upon; but the catalogue is quite different from ours: yet therein our author is confirmed in calling Verulam a municipium. In Ninnius it is called Caer, municip.

From ours we learn, in the early time of the empire, where the Roman legions were quartered: the legio gemina Martia victrix was the XIVth, here said to be at Camulodunum, Colchester; it was left here in Claudius’s time: this legion vanquished Boadicia; was called out of Britain early by Vespasian. Here then we see our author’s manuscript was prior to that time, viz. A. D. 70. I mean that from whence he extracted his work; the original manuscript: for we are to understand of it, as we do of that called Antonini Itinerarium, that it was a parchment roll made for the use of the emperor and his generals; which being transmitted down from one general to another, and frequently copied and transcribed, received from time to time several additions and interpolations of cities new built; and likewise others struck out, which were then in ruins.

The legio Claudia, quartered at Gloucester, was the VIIth Aug. This legion came over into Britain with Julius Cæsar; he calls it veterrima legio; it was named Claudia from the emperor, and called pia fidelis by the Roman senate. Hence Gloucester was called Claudio cestria, from its residence here: and that it resided here, we learn from our author, who says he has it from writers of most ancient Roman times. It remained here in Carausius’s time.

The legio Cretica, quartered at Westchester, was the XX. V. V. they were in Britain in Nero’s time; settled here by Agricola, A. D. 84. From our author only, we learn this title of Cretica, as having been originally levied in Crete. This was here in Carausius’s time.

Legio II. Aug. quartered at Caerleon in Wales, came into Britain in the reign of Claudius, under the command of Vespasian. This legion was stationed at Canterbury in some later times, according to our author, C. VI. whence we gather, he compiled his work out of old writers of different ages.

The legio VI. came into Britain with Hadrian, settled at York; by Mr. Gale thought to be called Gordiana. York was made a colony of that legion. Antoninus Pius made it a municipium, and continued this legion there: it was concerned in perfecting the Carsdike navigation to Peterborough.

These legions are all mentioned in our author. Before the time that Vespasian was emperor, Josephus relates, Bell. jud. II. 16. that king Agrippa, in his speech to the Jews, in Nero’s time, and before that emperor called the XIVth legion from Britain, speaks of four legions then in Britain.

I have this further to add, in relation to our map: when I began to consider it with that attention which it deserves, I was a little surprised to see the river Trent, instead of falling northward into the Humber, to be carried eastward through Lincolnshire, into the East sea.

I presently suspected, this was owing to the artificial cut of the Romans, called Fossdike, part of the Carsdike; which Fossdike is drawn from Torksey at the Trent, to Lincoln: there it meets the river Witham coming from the south, and proceeds eastward toward Boston.

Ever since I was capable of observation, I often took notice, that the whole flat, or fenny country of Lincolnshire, has a gentle declivity, or natural descent eastward. This is owing not only to the sea lying that way, but is the case of all levels in the whole globe: the cause must be asserted to be the earth’s rotation upon its axis; which observation I printed, long since, in my Itinerarium Curiosum.

It is a principle in nature, that, when a globe is turned on its axis, the matter on the surface flies the contrary way to its motion. The philosophers call this improperly a conatus recedendi ab axe motus: it is not owing to an endeavour of matter to fly the contrary way, but to the innate inactivity of matter that resists the motion; does not readily follow it.

But it is evident from hence, that the earth, receiving its motion before the surface was perfectly consolidated, the moistish matter would be left westward, as far as it could be, and produce an extended and gentle declivity on the east; and at the same time, by stiffening, would render the west side of all hills steep.

This is a fact throughout the whole globe. Hence it is, that all plains and levels have naturally their descent towards the east; and hence it is, that the river of Witham, from Grantham side, running northward to Lincoln, readily takes its course thence eastward, to meet the ocean over the fenny level.

The Romans, when they made the artificial canal, the Carsdike, from Peterborough along the edge of the Lincolnshire fens, introduced it into the river Witham, three miles below Lincoln. The purpose of this artificial cut was, to convey corn in boats, from the southern parts of England, to the northern prætentura’s in Scotland for maintenance of the forces kept there: therefore the canal, entering the Witham, passed through Lincoln, and then was continued by another artificial cut, called the Fossdike, from Lincoln to Torksey, where it enters the Trent, in order to go down the stream to the Humber: from thence the fleet of corn-boats passed up the river Ouse to York, by force of the tide; for so high will the tide carry them; which was the reason of building the city there.

After this Fossdike, between the Trent and Witham rivers, was made by the Romans, it is easy to imagine, that the extensive river of Trent, which runs altogether northwards, would very readily, upon great floods, discharge part thereof into the Fossdike; for there is a descent that way, as being to the east: and this might be the occasion of the geography in our map, mistaking the Fossdike, and the continuation of the Witham, for that of the Trent.

The river Witham, from Lincoln, goes south-east into the sea, by Boston; and it seems to me, that in very early times it might (at least in great floods) have another channel running over the East fen (as called) along that natural declivity, full east, into the sea, as in the map of Richard of Cirencester.

This channel might pass out of the present river of Witham a little below Coningsby, where the river Bane falls into it, at Dockdike and Youldale, by the water of Hobridge, north of Hundle-house; so running below Middleholm to Blacksike, it took the present division between the two wapentakes, all along the south sides of the deeps of the East fen; and so by Blackgote to Wainfleet, the Vainona of the Romans.

My friend, John Warburton, Esq; Somerset herald, has some manuscripts of our Lincolnshire antiquary, some years ago, Mr. De la Pryme, who was perfectly acquainted with that part of Lincolnshire, and therein discovers some suspicions of the Trent running toward Lincoln in antient days; but I think, all we can certainly conclude from our map is the extreme antiquity of it: as the Carsdike must have been projected and done by Agricola, on his conquest of Scotland, we may reasonably judge this to be in the main his map, i.e. copied from his, though with some additions by our author.

This consideration, duly attended to, shows the antiquity of the Fossdike, and Carsdike, and of our map.

We are told in the History of Carausius, that he repaired the prætentura made in Scotland by Agricola, and added seven forts to it: a wise and politic prince knew the necessity of it; and consequently infer we, that he as surely repaired the Carsdike navigation, to supply the soldiers with corn, in that northern situation: and I have several reasons to induce me to conclude, he not only did so, but carried it further southward than before, viz. from Peterborough quite to Cambridge; some of which reasons I shall recite in the history of that hero. At present I shall only hint, that his name has ever been affixed to this famous canal, which has never been regarded by writers. It is of utmost importance in the knowledge of Roman antiquity; and it is an affair of such public emolument, as not to be unworthy of the notice of the legislature; where an inland water-carriage is made, for 200 miles in length, from Cambridge to Boroughbridge.

The Roman provinces, as we find them in our map, are these. Maxima Cæsariensis, or Brittania superior, chiefly the country of the Brigantes, conquered by Cerealis, and so named by him, in the beginning of Vespasian’s reign.

Valentia, all that country comprehended between the two Prætentura’s.

Brittania prima, or inferior, that part of the island south of the Thames.

Brittania secunda, being Wales.

Flavia Cæsariensis, that part between the Humber and the Thames; denominated from the family-name of Vespasian.

Vespasiana, that part of Scotland between the Varar Æstuary, or highland boundary, and the northern Prætentura.

Lastly, Caledonia properly, or the Highlands, which the Romans never conquered; and that part called Vespasiana, after Agricola returned, was neglected by Domitian, and recovered by the Scots; at least, to the first Prætentura: and it is from Richard of Cirencester alone, that we have an Itinerary of it from the Vararis Æstuary, on which is the last Roman station, called Alata castra, now Inverness.

I shall next recite all the places, rivers, mountains, &c. specified in our map, the provinces they are in, and that in alphabetical order; together with the modern names of each, according to the best of my knowledge; whereby the value and excellence of our manuscript will more easily appear; seeing so many of them we were hitherto unacquainted withall, which I shall mark particularly thus *, as also those wherein we are able to correct former writers.

Thus I have recounted the names of places contained in this excellent map, to the number of 250; whereof 100, marked in this catalogue thus *, are wholly new, or ill-placed by former writers. The reader versed in these kind of inquiries, will find no small number of them; to his judgement I leave them: as to me, the finding fault with others endeavours is very disagreeable. This I may say; it sets us right in abundance, wherein before we had no guide but conjecture, from similitude of names: as, for instance, Uxella, placed in some great authors at Lestwthiel, Cornwall, is in Somersetshire, viz. at Barton, where the Roman road called Foss crosses the river, a little north of Ilchester. Many more might be specified, where only a map can properly direct us.

I must take notice of another use in our map. In the province of Brittania Prima are two Venta’s; but till now we could not ascertain them both: the map shows us, one is Wimborn minster, the other Winchester: the former is on the river Alauna, seen plainly in Blandford, being the ford over the Alauna; Llaunford, in the Belgic pronunciation: called now Allen river. Our author calls Canterbury, Cantiopolis, though before we knew no other name it had than Durovernum: but the modern name of Canterbury seems derived from the former; and the termination favours our author’s observation, in another part of his history, of remains of Greek traders preserved in some places; of which several more instances may be given.

I extend my inquiries here, on Richard of Cirencester’s map, no further than our island of Britain; leaving that of Ireland to those that have proper opportunities.

Nor shall I pretend to assign places in Scotland, any further than the map directs me; but leave them too to those that have proper opportunities of inquiry, in that kingdom.