321 The Natural Hiftory 



and that from Woodfiock. to ward Mandueffedum, now Manchesler in 

 Warwickrjbire, or rather the old Etocetum, now the Wall in vSVd/- 

 fordfiire. 



39. Which are all the raifed banks or deep trenches that I met. 

 with in Oxford-fiire, except the two banks with a /rewc/6 between 

 them (therefore called dike-bills') South and by Weft of Vorche* 

 tier, which I cannot imagin part of any Roman way, becaufe ex- 

 tended only as a ftringto a great bow of the River Ifis, as defcribed 

 in the Map ; but rather a Fortification, fuch as P. Oftoriu* Proprie- 

 tor herein Britan under Claudius, is faid by Tacitus to have made 

 on the Rivers Antona and Sabrina* or elfe fome of the Out- 

 works of the Fortifications on Long-Witenham hill on the other 

 fide the water, which perhaps was the Sinnodunum l of the an-, 

 cient Britans. 



40. Nigh to the raifed ways thus call: up by the Romans, they 

 placed the Tumuli, or Sepulchres of their Generals, or fuch o- 

 ther valiant perfons as dyed in the wars; it being forbid by the 

 Law of the 1 2 Tables to bury within their Cities or Stations. Ho- 

 minem mortuum in Vrbe ne fepelito neve urito k : And by a penal 

 Refiript of the Emperor Hadrian l . Now the reafon why they 

 placed them on the military ways, rather then elfewhere, is given 

 us by Camden, viz^. that Paffengers might be put in mind, that as 

 thefe here buryed were fomtimes mortal men, that they them- 

 felves are no better now m : whence perhaps the formula ftill ufed 

 on Tombs, Sifte Viator, and monumentum d monendo. 



41. But I guefs that there could not but be fomwhat more in't, 

 for as it was accounted the greateft dijhonor imaginable to lie un- 

 buryed, fo it was a great reputation to the perfon deceafed to be co- 

 ver'd with a large Tumulus, which 'tis like might in part at leaft 

 be the reafon of their placing them fo near the public ways, that 

 Paffengers might continually add to the heap, it being look'd up- 

 on as piety in them fo to do ; nor fufficed it to throw on a fingle 

 handful of earth, but (as may be colle&ed from Horace') ufually 

 three. For in Archytats requeft to the Mariner, that he would not 

 fuffer his Body any longer to lye on the floar unburyed, he makes 

 it part of his plea, that notwithftanding the fwift motion of Sea- 

 men, yet he might find time enough to throw 3 handfuls of duft. 



* Taciti Annal lib. ii. t*p. $1. l Vid. Leldnd. Comment, in Cigntarn C*nt. in verbo Sinnidumtm. 

 1 Ex Legibus 12. Tab.de Jure Sacrorum. Vid. etiamCicer.de L.L. lib. a. ' ff. Di Sepulcbroviolato. L. 

 Prator a:t, . Divus Hadrianus. Vid. Camdeni Britan- m Com. Wilts. 



Qua?- 



