28 ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 



MARTI VICTORl 

 COH lit NERVIORVM 

 PRAFKCT I CANINIVS 



It is thirty-four inches long, and twelve inches and an half broad, 

 the under part hammered off by the incurious mafons ; the in- 

 fcription within a neat molding or raifed border, much injured 

 by the weather, though cut upon that durable ilone, the fine 

 white rag, found plentifully on the neighbouring moors. The 

 fcflival of Man, was id March. In the cabinet of the Revd.'Mr. 

 Walton, vicar of Corbridge, is a brafs coin ilruck in honour of it, 

 Marti pacifero ; the deity in armour, helmeted ; a Parma or fhield 

 on his left arm ; a fprig of olive held forth in his right (o). 



He is fometimes on coins in armour, dancing. The Saltatio 

 anna t a of the Roman militia on their feftival Armiluftrium, celebrat- 

 ed i pth Oftober, is ftill praclifed by the country people in this 

 neighbourhood, on the annual feftivity of Chriftmas, the, Yule- 

 Tide of the Druids, Young men march from village to village, 

 and from houfe to houfe, with mufic before them, drefied in an, 

 antic attrre, and before the Veftibulum or entrance of every houfe 

 entertain the family with the Motusincompoftus, the antic dance (p), 

 or Chorus armatus, with fwords or fpears in their hands, erect, 

 and lliining. This they call, The/worJ-dance. For their pains 

 they are prefented with a fmall gratuity in money, more or lefs, 

 according to every houfholder's ability. Their gratitude is ex- 

 prefTed by firing a gun. One of the company is diftinguifhed 

 from the reft by a more antic drefs ; a fox's fkin generally ferv- 

 ing him for a covering and ornament to his head, the tail hang- 



(o) Stukeley. 



(P) V' r S- G eo - L. i. v. 350. 



ing 



