I , An Account of a Roman Monument found in the Bifho- 
prick ^/'Durham,'^:;?^ of fome Roman Antiquities at Yorkj 
fent w a Letter from Mminhl&^X ^fq^ 
I have with much trouble got into my hands a Piece of 
'B^man Antiquity^ which was but a very few years ago 
difcovered upon the South Bank of the River T/W, 
near the Sheilds in Bifhopric^. It is a very large and fair 
J{oman AUar of one entire Stone. But after alf my coft and 
pains, lam very forry to find the Infcription very ill de- 
faced, that much of it is not legible. And I believe it hath 
been alfo mif-handled by thofe who have endeavoured to 
read it; whereas if the remainder of the Letters had been 
exadly meafored, and the face blackt and lightly wafht 
oflf again, as in Prints , fome things more might have been 
fpelled. 
As to the nature of the Stone it felCit is of a courfe T^cigy 
thefame withthatof the jPym;??/'^/ at Burrorv-Briggs, It is 
4 foot high, andwasakended to by fteps^ which appear-, 
eth in that all the fides , but the Front, have two fquare 
holes near the bottom^e, which let-in the Irons that joyn'd 
it to the Steps. 
I have carefully defigned it in all it's fides :,and have given 
the Plane of the Top alloy which if you pleaf«^ we will fur^ 
veyinordeir. .cf .^.^ v^^^^v. 
I. The Back- fide, oppofite to the Infcription^ on which 
is ingraven in Baffe-reliefe, a /'/w^r-^^?^ furnifbed* I fup- 
pofe with what pleafed the StonerCUtter, fpr thefe men 
needed not to be more curious than the P^riefts them- 
felves, who were wont to inake ufc of fJerbs next hand 
to adorn the Altar^:, and therefore Verbenas: is put for any 
kind of Herb* Yet if we will have it refemble any thing 
with us> I think ir moft like^ if not truly Nmphm, a known 
an^d common River Plant. /^c; 
2% One 
