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REV. PREBENDARY H. E. FOX, M.A., ON 



bearing the names of nearly a hundred rulers. Most of them 

 were found in the well of Coventina, with rings, brooches and 

 jewels, all probably representing the votive offerings of suc- 

 cessive generations for at least two hundred years. The other, 

 a diploma of citizenship, is not now at Chesters, as it was trans- 

 ferred by Mr. Clayton to the British Museum. It is too long and 

 too technical to be given fully in this paper. It begins with a 

 laboured recital of the names, ancestors, titles and honours of the 

 Emperor Antoninus Pius ; and then gives the names of over 

 twenty regiments (as perhaps we might call them), and confers 

 on all the men who had obtained honourable discharge after 

 twenty-five campaigns "the Roman citizenship and the right of 

 lawful marriage with the wives they had when the citizenship 

 was given, or with those they may afterwards take, provided one 

 at a time." 



So far no trace has occurred in connection with the Wall of 

 any other than pagan religions, during the centuries of its occu- 

 pation by Roman forces. To what extent Christianity had 

 spread in England during those years is very uncertain. Con- 

 temporary writers, such as Clement of Rome, Tertullian and 

 Origen, speak in somewhat rhetorical language of Britain pos- 

 sessing the Gospel ; but the extent could have been very local 

 and limited. Only one bit of evidence, and that not more than 

 probable, comes from the Northumbrian Wall. This is in the 

 form of a rude inscription on a stone beside the military road. 

 It contains but three words, which translated are, " Brigowaglos 

 lies here." The name is certainly British, and the other two 

 words, common on Christian tombs, are hardly ever used by 

 heathen. It is not unreasonable to think that they mark a 

 Christian grave. 



As to other evidence of Northumbrian Christianity, I can only 

 come to such a conclusion as that which old Thomas Fuller gives 

 at the close of his chapter on the third century in his great book 

 of Church History. " This is all I have to say of this century, 

 and must now confess myself as unable to go on, as ashamed 

 to break off, since having had, of a full hundred years, so many 

 words of solid History. But as I find little, so I will feign 

 nothing ; time being better spent in silence than in lying. . . . 

 If any hereafter shall light on more History of these times, let 

 them not condemn my Negligence, whilst I shall admire their 

 Happiness." 



