ROMAN REMAINS IN BATH. 95 



" Erutum," the word which follows in the inscription. Tliis 

 led Air. Whitaker to search for another meaning, and he 

 reads it, " which had been overtumed by the ' Insolence,' '' 

 supply — " of the Christians^ Ali*. Ward supposes that the 

 place was only one of bimal. Before Severus restored it, it 

 was " repiu'gatum " purified, " virtute et numine Augusti," 

 by " the zeal and authority of the Emperor." In this in- 

 scription there are a few of the " hterje nexje." Mr. Ward 

 thinks that the form of the character marks it as belonging 

 to the age of Severus. 



Before passing to the votive offerings, I must mention a 

 Square stone found in 1825, in digging for the foundation of 

 the United Hospital, which is now in the Literary Insti- 

 tution. It contains the inscription : NOVANTI EIL 

 PEO SE ET SUIS EX VISV POSSVf. Mr. 

 Hunter is the first who has described the inscription. It 

 indicates that the son of Novantus erected something, pro- 

 bably a sepulchre, for hhnself and famUy, The term 

 EX VISV is Said of those who do any thing to which they 

 suppose themselves to be adnionished by the gods in sleep, 

 ü e., in consequence of a vision. 



VOTITE OFFERINGS. 



I now come to the votive offerings, which are ftül of in- 

 terest, as illustrating not only the pious custom of the 

 heathen in making offerings, but as pointing out their 

 grateful feelings for benefits which ihej had received from 

 the waters, or from other sources. 



Horsley obscrves, in speaking of vows in sickness : 



" There is one thing in these pagan votive altars that 



may bc a shame and a reproach to a great many that call 



themselves Christians ; and that is, the wiUingncss and 



chcerfulucss with which they paid, or pretended to pay, the 



