. .[ 35 ] 
i. By this infcription, and many others of the like 
fort, found in Britain and other countries, it appears, 
that thefe female deities, under the name of Matres ) 
were worfhiped in mod; parts of the Roman territo- 
ries. So that the obfervation of the learned Spoil 
feetns not to have been fo well founded, when he 
fais : Notandum , has Matres fere tantum in Gallia et 
Germania fluff e cult as , raro enirn alibi earum reperi- 
untur infcriptae arae (i). In mod of thefe infcri- 
ptions they are only called Matres , but in fome Deae 
Matres ; and frequently the country, or particular 
place, where they were worfhiped, is fubjoined. 
Thus, in Horjley s Britannia Roman a , among the 
inferiptions found in Britain , we have, Matres do- 
me ft icae, Matres Alatervae , et Matres campejlres ; 
as alfo Matres tramarinae y for tranfmarinae (2). 
Which lad title, being in another infcription writen 
Matres tramai (3), occafioned the learned Selden to 
fay: dfiid fibi vellet , ne hariolari quidem aufus film (4). 
And in the infcription now under confideration we 
meet with Matres Africae , Italicae , Gennanica-e. 
Writers are not agreed in their opinion concerning 
thefe female deities, who were, worfhiped under the 
character of Matres. Spoil fuppofes they were dei~ 
fied women, who, while living, were thought to 
have the gift of prophecy. The reafons for which 
opinion having been given at large in Horjley , I final 1 
for brevity fake take leave to refer to the padage (*;). 
E 1 But 
(1) Ml feel, erucl. anliq. p. 105. 
(2) Brit. Rom. Cumb. XL. Scotl. xxix. Cumb. Li. 
(3) Ibid. p. 2g8. 
(4) De Diis Syris , Syntagm. 11. c. 2. 
(5) S- 201 • ^ec a ^° Rieinef. Cl. 1. n . 175. p. 188. 
I 
