88 Stonehenge and its Barrows. 



" As I remember there is a great stone that lies in the water at 

 Fighelden as left by the way to Stonehenge : another is somewhere 

 on the Downes which rests on three low stones as a Suffulciment 

 as in order to be carried away, w* Dr. Charleton shewed his 

 Majestic and R. Highnesse as we wayted on them from Aubury : 

 ^twas on the Downes between Rockley and Marleborough, 



" Mr. Conyers Apothecary at the White Lyon in Fleet Street 

 hath an old manuscript Roll of the time of Henry VI., which con- 

 firms that Aurelius Ambrosius was buried at Stoneheng, w°\ see. 



" These times were troublesome, and by that meanes there might 

 not be erected for him any magnificent Regal monument : but had 

 there been one of marble or free-stone, the country people would 

 have converted it to their use : and had not this Antiquity of Stone- 

 henge consisted of such an extreme hard and ill coloured stone, that 

 it is hardly fit for any use, without much trouble, this venerable 

 Temple had long since been erased and forgotten. Though this 

 Work might probably be built long before the Romans were masters 

 of Britaine,yet they being delighted with the stateliness and grandure 

 of it, and considering the drie situation of it (which they aSected 

 for Urne-buriall) ^tis not unlikely but that they might bury here 

 and hereabout, e.g., the Seaven Barrows.^ So when the Christian 

 religion was settled, the temples dedicated to the heathen gods 

 (were converted) to their owne use and worship. ^ 



" At Stonehenge one may count, round about it fourty five Bar- 

 rowes. I am not of the opinion, that all these were made for 

 burying the dead that were slayne herabout in Battels : it would 

 require a great deale of time and leisure to collect so many thousand 

 loades of earth : and soldiers have something els to doe flagrante 

 bello : to pursue their victorie, or preserve themselves pursued : the 

 cadavera remained a feast for the Kites and Foxes. So that I presume 

 they were the Mausolea or Burying places for the great Persons and 

 Rulers of those times. 



" Lawrence Washington, Esq., owner of this place, told me (1666) 



*Note by Aubrey.^'Tis most likely that they might have Ceremonies, 

 Prayers, and Sacrifices, at these Burial places : bo we,the Chiistians,have Masses. 

 'Note by Aubrey. — See a passage in St. Hierome's epistle to this purpose. 



