as in those of the air, and deferve to be mentioned, even proverbially, as Horace mentions it. But the barrel, though not corroded, is partly covered with a thick incruftation of fhells, mixed with gravel and fand, and hard as a rock; a proof that a fpecies of petrefaction is continually going on, at the bottom of the fea, on our coafts, in a manner fimilar to that mentioned by Dr. Donati, at the bottom of the Adriatic, of which an account is given in the Philofophical Tranfactions*. We are farther informed, that there was a very large old cannon, of extraordinary length, which had the date 1354 on it, and therefore was, probably, one of the very pieces ufed by Edward III. at the battle of Poitiers, in 1356, which was one of the first occasions on which they were introduced into the field in Europe; but I am forry to add, fays Mr. King, that it was laft year taken away in order to be melted down." A notion has prevailed, though it is questionable whether it generally prevails at prefent, that Ireland and Thanet are void of ferpents. Mr. Pegge examines it, and calls it a miftaken opinion; but he does not fo much deny the fact, as the miraculous cause, to which it is attributed, viz. the bleffing and influence of fome early faints. When we confider that they are iflands, it feems, fays he, no more than natural, that they should be deftitute of noxious animals, as is faid to be the cafe with fome other iflands; and what occafion is there for fuperftitious notions, and incredible manoeuvres, when the facts, fuppofing them real, can be fo readily accounted for on the flighteft confideration, from the common courfe and nature of things? Several hundred gold coins, in excellent prefervation, were discovered a short time fince, on demolishing the ancient castle of Fenwick, in Northumberland, and in the poffeffion of Sir Walter Blackett. One of thefe coins, a very fair noble of Edward III. was exhibited to the Society, Feb. 1, 1776. This anonymous article tells us, that they had been depofited in an open cheft, covered with fand, twelve inches deep; the cheft was placed over the arch of a cellar door which flood immediately under the flags of the threshold of the caftle gate. A fhort account here given of the Fenwick family, the original proprietors, renders it probable, that the coins were lodged there about the year 1360, by a Sir John Fenwick, who, in troublefome times, took this method of concealing a treasure, of no inconfiderable amount in those days; which was alfo the more fcarce and curious, as being a novel and valuable fpecies of English coinage: and it is likely he alone was privy to the concealment of it. * Vol. xlix. p. 588——40. REV, Feb. 1780. In In a letter to Dr. Milles, dated from Venice, Mr. JohnStrange gives a farther account of some ancient Roman infcriptions obferved in the provinces of Iftria and Dalmatia: these are communicated to him, as were the former *, by the learned Abbe Fortis, who alfo hoped to have made a collection of the kind, in a late Appennine tour, but was rather difappointed in his researches, fince Italy has been fo thoroughly vifited with ' this view, that it is no eafy matter to make new discoveries; some few, however, he imparts, which are here inferted. To compensate for the Abbe's ill fuccefs, Mr. Strange avails himfelf of fome information he received from his friend Sir Roger Newdigate, who having vifited the city of Aofte, in Savoy, fends fome account of its remaining antiquities, and adds a few Roman infcriptions, which he copied from the collection at the convent of St. Bernard; but the ftones are no longer remaining. It is to be wifhed, that this learned Society would favour the public with fome fhort remarks on, and explications of, these infcriptions, without which, to the greater part of readers, they are often of little ufe or amusement. Dr. Morell, in a Latin letter to the Hon. Daines Barrington, offers confiderations to confirm his opinion concerning the Corbridge altars. Vid. Archaeol. vol. iii. p. 333. This letter is followed by an illuftration of a Saxon infcription on the church of Kirkdale, in the North Riding of York fhire. John Charles Brooke, Efq; fent an exact representation of it, to Mr. Gough, with a view of the church, which are here engraved. Memorials of the erection and confecration of our churches by infcriptions, are faid not to be numerous; but, antecedently to the Norman conqueft, to be indeed exceeding rare. This, therefore, is regarded as a fingular curiofity. The infcription tranflated is this; "Orm, Gamal's fon, bought St. Gregory's church, then it was all gone to ruin and fallen down. Chehitle, and others, renewed it from the ground, to Chrift and St. Gregory, in Edward's days the king, and in Tofli's days the Earl." Under the dial, "And Hawarth me made, and Brand the priest." This infcription is engraved on one entire freeftone of large dimenfions, being feven feet five inches long, one foot ten inches high, and in perfect prefervation, except a small part in the centre, where the infcription is disfigured, but not obliterated by the weather. It may be inferred with a great probability, that the church was rebuilt, and this infcription engraved, between the years 1056 and 1065. Hayman Rooke, Efq; furnishes a description of two Roman camps in Lydney Park, Gloucefterfhire, the feat of Thomas • Vid. Archaeol. vol. iii. p. 337-349; alfo, Review for Dec. 1775, P. 499. Bathurst, Bathurst, Efq; about eight miles caft of Chepflow; a spot abounding with pleafing profpects and romantic fcenes. On two hills, of confiderable eminence, ftand two camps, or forts, overlooking the Severn, which, with fome works on the oppofite fide, on a spot now called Oldbury, entirely command the paffage of that river. As the command of fuch a river made thefe parts of confiderable confequence, they were undoubtedly entrusted to officers of fome rank, and accordingly they appear to have had all neceffary accommodations for the Roman ftyle of living. A very elegant bath is ftill pretty entire ; and from remaining foundations of buildings, it appears that fome of the pavements were teffelated. Various coins are found here; a filver one of Galba, with many of Adrian and Antoninus. A good engraving of these camps attends the article, and alfo four different views of them; which are indeed elegant and pleafing. Mr. John Charles Brooke, of the Heralds college, presents us with the following Number, which gives an account of an ancient feal that belonged to Robert the Vth, Baron FitzWalter, who was, he fays, the fon of Walter, and grandson of Robert, Lord Fitz-Walter, Marfhal of the army of God, and holy church, as appears by the fhield of arms under the horse's head (in the feal), which bears the coat of his fecond wife, who was a Ferrers. This, and much more, is in the Heralds style. The feal was found at Stamford, in Lincolnshire, in the reign of Charles IId, and was given to Robert Saunderson, then bishop of Lincoln, whofe great grandfon, John King, Efq; fold it to the Rev. Richard Neate, LL. B. of Whetstone, in Middlefex, the prefent poffeffor. It is of filver, and weighs feven ounces and feven penny weights. The extreme elegance of the workmanship, we are told, might induce a common obferver to doubt its antiquity; but Mr. Brooke offers arguments to remove the objection. He particularly proves, from ancient manufcripts, that this Robert, Lord Fitz Walter, poffeffed Baynard's Caftle, in the city of London, which was then called the Caftle of London, and as conftable of the fame, enjoyed divers liberties and priveleges. In time of war, it was ordered, that he should ride on a light-horfe, with twenty men at arms, to the door of St. Paul's church, with the banner of his arms carried before him; and that there he fhould be met by the Mayor, and others, when the Mayor fhould appoint him Banner-bearer to the city, and prefent him with a horse worth twenty pounds; which horfe, it is added, fhall be faddled with a faddle of his arms, and covered with filk, depicted likewife with the fame arms. In memory of this privilege and honour, Mr. Brooke fuppofes the feal in queftion to have been made. This feal is here engraved, together with the drawing of another of I 2 the the fame Baron, which he is faid to have ufed 28 Edw. I. anno 1300. [To be concluded in our next.] ART. III A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Rochester, in the Year 1779. By John Law, D. D. Arch* deacon of Rochefter. 4t. Is. Payne, &c. T is an unequivocal proof of the progrefs of a liberal spirit, in the prefent times, that fo many of our clergy adopt, and have the courage openly to avow, the principles of univerfal toleration. There are, we are perfuaded, not a few respectable names among this Reverend body, who, with the judicious and candid Author of this Charge, have not oppofed the late meafures for the extenfion of religious liberty, merely from a deference to legislative authority, but from a conviction that these indulgences were juftly granted:' and who affure themselves, that this liberal, tolerating difpofition, will fecure to them the public esteem, inftead of fubjecting them to the groundless charge of inattention to the caufe of genuine chriftianity.' It is the intention of this Charge, to vindicate the equity and propriety of the late acts of the legislature, in favour of Proteftant Diffenters and Roman Catholics. Dr. Law, at the fame time that he acknowledges the neceffity of rigorous measures with refpect to the Roman Catholics at the beginning of the Reformation, when the revival of perfecution, and the deftruction of civil liberty, would have been the probable confequences of indulgence, judges it perfectly reasonable, that the severity of the laws against them should be relaxed, when the political dangers arifing from Popery are removed. Let a diftinction (fays he) be always obferved between the political and religious tenets of a party, and where they are not so neceffarily joined, as to prove hostile or dangerous to a state, the toleration of the latter is furely warranted by every rule of diftributive juftice and general benevolence. Nor, if experience is to be our guide, need we fear any great political inconveniences from the allowance of the Romish worship, fince we find that this has been long admitted, without any apparent ill confequences, among the zealous Proteftants in HolIand and America.' With refpect to Proteftant Diffenters, Dr. Law pleads for them, both on the ground of equity and gratitude. As the happy restoration of civil liberty at the Revolution had been effected by the joint efforts of the members of the Church of England, and of those who diffented from it, was it not fit, independently of other arguments, that as each party had been equally zealous in the recovery of legal rights, each fhould be equally intitled to every privilege compatible with the fecurity of the ftate? And, as it is well known, that no privileges are more highly esteemed, than thofe which relate to the exercise of religion, had not the Diffenters a claim, from gratitude, to be indulged in a liberal toleration of their modes of religious worship.' To the objection, that withdrawing fubfcription to articles of faith, is removing the ftrongest barrier againft falfe doctrines, heresy, and fchifm, our Author makes this manly and judicious reply: However a fubfcription to our articles of religion might feem, in theory, an adequate mean to prevent the rife and incurfions of error, and to guard the boundaries of religious truth, yet, in fact, neither of thefe ends was anfwered by it. The non-fubfcribing teacher was indeed fubject to heavy penalties for his wilful contempt and difobedience; but fo unreafonable did it appear to inflict these penalties upon him, that scarcely an inftance can be heard, of late, of their being put in force; and if the diffenting minifters and fchool-mafters had not publicly complained of cruelty, in being fubject to fuch heavy punishments, it is more than probable that the very subscription required from them would have been unknown to the generality of their own perfuafion, as well as to those within our pale. Whenever, then, a law ceafes to operate to its intended defign, whether from the general difapprobation of it, or from its fuppofed inexpedience, there cannot, I think, be any great hazard in repealing it; efpecially, if a part of the community folicit its reverfal, and the part wishing its continuance admit that they have regularly declined to carry it into execution. If laws are not obferved, and we think it prudent not to enforce them, to what purpose are they retained? For, in general, it may be observed, and particularly on this occafion, that nothing tends more effectually to abate the reverence due to our laws, than the formal maintenance of fuch of them, as, from a change of circumftances, are not only allowed, but even wifhed, to be tranfgreffed with impunity.Admitting then, that the Diffenters differ from us in fome points which we deem effential, yet have they not heretofore as freely propagated their heterodox opinions, whilft expofed to the terrors of the law, as they poffibly can in future, when exempted from them? And if no mischief has enfued from an utter relaxation of legal coercion, can more be apprehended from the removal of it? Truth wants not for its defence the fanction of pains and penalties, but may be confidently trufted to its own efficacy.' From this frank acknowledgment of the rights of toleration, we cannot help entertaining an expectation, that the fame liberal principles will lead our Author to queftion, what he seems at I 3 prefent |