Of XFO %T>^SHIXE. ^ 



verings, by the Saxons alfo called F^el r - from one of thefe, or 

 both, 1 guefs this Town took its name. 



70. As alfo the Prxtorian or Confular way, called Watlingftreet, 

 and Wattle-bank here in Oxford/hire, thefe in all probability be- 

 ing made the fame way, that Hadrian is faid to have made bounda- 

 daries (where Rivers were wanting) between barbarous people, 

 Stipitibws magnh in modum muraltsfeph funditm jatik atque con- 

 nexh\ i. e. with great fiakfs fet faft in the ground, and knit to- 

 gether 'tis like with fmaller wood woven between ; which if hap- 

 pily made ufe of in thefe ways to keep up the earth at firft, 

 might well invite the Saxons to name them Wattleing-jlreet*, Wat- 

 tle-bank, isrc 



7 1 . Juft upon the meeting of Akemanslreet way, and the Port 

 way from Wallengford, there are alfo fome foot-fteps of that decay- 

 ed ancient slation, by Camden called Akheiier, ftill remaining^ 

 which he gueffes fo called, as one would fay an oldTown \ But I 

 have met with fomenotes in a MS. now by me, that fays it was 

 the Seat of Ahftu* the Emperor, who having trecheroufly flain 

 his Friend and Mafter, the Emperor Caraufiws, bafely ufurped 

 Britan for himfelf, calling this his new Seat after his own name, 

 Alefti Caftrum, fince Alcheiler or Aldcefier : but it feems by the 

 ftory that it florifh'd not long, for Conftantiws Chlorus being fent 

 againft him by the Emperors Dioclefian and Maximian*, and by 

 the benefit of a mift, landing privatly fomwhere on the South 

 (hoar, near the IJle of Wight (whether Ahftws came to prevent it) 

 gave him battle, defeated, and put him to flight towards this 

 his chief Fortrefs, but was over-taken and flain by Afclepiodotuit, 

 one of Con$~lantiu4\ Captains (as this Author will have it) here 

 at Elsfield u near Oxon, (which he alfo would have a corruption of 

 AleSlus -field} before he could reach it. 



72. For the credit of this relation, it having no foundation 

 in the Roman ftory, I (hall wholly leave it to the Readers judge- 

 ment ; yetihall add thus much for its reputation, that the Roman 

 military ways lye very agreeable to it ; for on fuppofition> this 

 conf/ift happened about Regnum, now Ring-wood; or Clanfentum, 

 now Southampton, the Roman ways lye directly thence to Venta 

 Belgarum, now Winchefter ; and fo to Callena, now Wallengford, 



* Gul.SirmneriDiBionariumSaxonico-Lat-tjingl.inverbis. f AttiuiSpartiantninHaelriario. l Cdmd. 

 Britan. inOxon. " MS. penes Authorm. 



accord- 



