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DISCOURSE

ABOUT SOME

ROMAN ANTIQUITIES

Discover'd near CONQUEST

In SOMERSETSHIRE,

Supposed to be the Place where the ROMANS Conquest of BRITAIN was compleated.

By an anonymous Author.

CLAUDIUS CAESAR's,

AND OTHER OLD

ROMANE EMPERORS,

TREASURE

Newly found out near CONQUEST in SOMMERSETT, supposed to be the place where their Conquest of BRITAINE was compleated :

By Philantiquarius Britannicus.

N that most criticall year of our Lord 1666. two large earthen Pitchers, full of Roman Medalls, each ε01. Troy weight, were diged up by Labourers with Mattocks in ploughed fields, the one in Laurence Liddyard, the other within the Parish of Stogumber adjoyning, and secing that 'Nummus est rei certissimus testis, I can think no

1 I Camd, in Belg.

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other

other, but that the resurrection of so much of such an

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cient coyne, so neare the same time and place, was, by speciall providence, to mind us (of these parts) of some memorable thing, or things, done hereabouts, now forgotten, and, therefore, I having thus long expected, shall now endeavour to extract, or pumpe out, the interpretation of this riddle, out of the mouth, or pen, of some neighbourne Antiquarie, by de claring this my conjecture, (viz.) That in some place of the valley, that extends, on the West side of Quantocke, from Taunton to Liddyad, Stogumber and Watchett, the Romans com

Antiquity is best illustrated by inhabitants, who have opportunities to survey all circumstances of time, place and persons.

pleated the conquest of so much of Britaine, as is now called England, (Wales and Scotland being then unattempted by them,) and that the Romans throughout many ages afterward continued a Legion, or part of one, here, which they paid with such money as this, to pre vent insurrection by Land, and invasion by Sea; for demonstration whereof, it will be requisite, in the first place, to goe backe, and fetch my force as farr as from Julius Cæsar, &c. that I may run and leape forward the more vigorousely. Julius Cæsar having once and againe audaciously envaded, and as shamefully evaded, Britaine, thereby forfeited his Triumphant Motto Veni, vidi, vici, was stigmatized with Venit, vidit, fugit, and scoffed at, by one of his own Poëts, with a Territa quæsitis ostendit terga Britannis. So that now he was ne cessitated to draw up all his forces into a fleete of 800. saile, and therewith envaded 3 Britaine a third time, even to vindicate his honour, which lay bleeding in the dust amongst his late slaughtered souldiers: and now

Sic H. Sueto. Tranq. Cæf. Com. lib. 5to.

Par

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Parturiunt montes, natusque est ridiculus mus :
A mouse instead of a Mount,

Kent, and a little more, subdued, and he return'd. After Julius Cæsar came Octavius Augustus in his place, and he, being well contented with what his predecessor had wonne, lived and died in peace. After him rose up Tiberius Cæsar, which was soe over powred with civill Warres, that he had no opportunity to make any attempt on Britaine. And after him Caligula Cæsar; and he had a great minde to Britaine, but would not adventure:

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He came to Calice, where he looked over the Sea on Britaine, and put his Army in batalia on the Shore, in a braveado of a seeming attempt against Britaine. At an ebbing Sea, he commanded the Souldiers, upon the Sound of a charge, to fill their bosomes and helmetts with Shells, as Spoiles of the British Sea, whilest he, and some select friends, lanched out a little in their Galleyes, and, to perpetuate the memory of this vaine glorious, or rather ridiculous, action, he built upon the shore, altissimam turrim, since called Britain Huis, (i. e.) Britains house, appointing it for a Sea Mark with Fire on the topp by night, in imitation of that 3 Phares at the Port of Alexandria.

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After Caligula rose Claudius Cæsar, who, by the in-. stigation of Bericus a banished Britain, first sent Plautius

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