408 NOTES ON LATIN INSCRIPTIONS FOUND IN BRITAIN. 
From these statements, it may, I think, be reasonably inferred, that 
this temple was the resort of persons seeking relief from sickness, 
and that the cocks, serpents, and dogs, as well as the limbs found 
there, were votive offerings of those who gratefully acknowledged the 
sanatory powers of the deity worshipped in the place. 
The circumstance that limbs were offered, leads to the conjecture 
that the diseases cured here were such as affect these portions of the 
body, perhaps rheumatism and gout, the influence of which is felt in 
the joints, the nodi, whence we find nodosa cheragra, or podagra. 
And this further suggests the query,—whether the same deity pre- 
sided over vegetable and animal nod: ? But—to turn from mere con- 
jecture to something more certain—the inscriptions, marked I. II. 
and III. are the same as those which formed the subjects of my 
articles 35, 36, and 37. 
The only thing worth noticing regarding them is, that, as given 
by Dr. Ormerod, they present one or two different readings. They 
are, however, of no importance; but u. IV. is particularly deserving 
of attention, The beginning is unfortunately so imperfect, that I 
can offer no explanation which satisfies me. If the D be regarded as 
standing for Deo or Dei, it is not easy to find a suitable word or 
abbreviation of four* letters, commencing with A. Aram (or 
Adem ?) seems the most plausible. It is possible that D. A... 
may be prenomina of Flavius Senilis, scil. Decimus Aulus, the A 
and V being ligulate. The abbreviations PR: REL: are also doubt- 
ful, from the want of authority. It seems probable to me, however, 
that they stand for PR[ETIO]+ REL[ATO], the cost [of the strue- 
ture or altar] having been obtained ex stipibus, i.e. the small pieces 
of money offered by the votaries of the god, either voluntarily or 
at the solicitation of the priests, who, like others of their order, 
during a portion of the day,—“ post templi apertionem stipes emen- 
dicabant.”” The portion of the inscription—ew stepibus [stipibus| 
possuit | posuit |—may be well illustrated by an inscription to Mercurius 
Augustus, found at Yverdun, in Switzerland, Orelli, n. 348. 
DONA VENIBVNT 
AD ORNAMENTA EIVS 
ET EX STIPIBVS 
PONENTVR: 
* This limitation excludes the conjectures, otherwise plausible, AGREST* or AGRIO* 
\ + The following may also be suggested : pr[zeses], pr[eesul], or pr[efectus] rel[igionis]. 
