Inscripep Roman Stones or DUMFRIESSHIRE. 115 
“column,” though without a receptacle for the block. Sir John 
Clerk informs us that, believing a statue of the god Mercury was 
lying somewhere near the place where he first saw the stone, he 
caused a search to be made for it, when the body and limbs of a 
figure of great size were discovered. It appeared to have been 
broken in pieces, and afterwards repaired by joining the fragments 
together. From this he mistakenly inferred that the statue 
had been shattered in pious indignation by Christians in the reign 
of Constantine the Great, and set up again in that of Julian, the 
Apostate. There is not a shadow of ground for such a sup- 
position. The ‘‘ statue,’ whatever it was, has not been heard of 
for a long time. 
5. “ From Middleby” (Sir J. Clerk); in the Penicuik col- 
lection till 1857; presented in that year by Sir George Clerk, 
Bart., to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland ; now in the 
National Museum, Edinburgh. 
A small legionary tablet, 4$ in. high and 9 in. broad. A 
piece has been broken off from the stone both at the 
LEGIO top and at the bottom. A plain wreath or a torque sur- 
V vie 
r ¢ rounds the number of the legion. Harly in the last 
century Birrens was spoken of as the “ Fort of 
Middleby.’ 
Expanding the letters of the inscription, we have :—Zegvo VZ., 
Viictrix), p(ta), fadelis), flecit), t.e., “The Sixth Legion, (called) 
the Victorious, loyal and faithful, set this up.” 
It is uncertain what purpose these small tablets and certain 
stones of like dimensions, known among British archeologists as 
‘“centurial,” could have served. When found within a station 
they are supposed by some to have marked the place assigned as 
quarters to a particular detachment or century. 
Ss 
6. (Fig. 2.) ‘Found at the station at Burrens” (Pennant) ; 
seen by Pennant at Hoddam Castle in 1772 ; remains there (1896). 
A small altar of neat design, 2 ft. 33 in. high, 1 ft. broad at 
the base, and 1 ft. 2 in. at the top. It is ornamented at the base 
and the capital with mouldings of some width, and on the top of 
the latter are volutes with a bason-shaped projection between them. 
Its surface is much decayed by exposure. The letters are only 
fairly legible. 
