LIN 
by fire, converted into folitude and filence, and become 
the dreary manfion of the dead. At the time of the pre- 
fent dil’covery, the fcene had again changed ; exhibiting, in 
a richly-cultivated corn-field, in its billy hulbandrnen, and 
in the flocks of the adjacent grounds, an interefting pic¬ 
ture of animated nature. It was evident, from the coins 
of the younger Conftantine being difcovered here, that 
the villa had been inhabited by fome Roman commander 
as late at leaft as that reign ; and it is probable that, fo 
long as the Romans remained in Britain, this elegant villa 
continued to be the fummer-refidence of the commander 
of the Roman army in thefe parts; the head of the co¬ 
lony, Lindum, being diflant only five miles. The prin¬ 
cipal entrance into the villa was through a gateway, where 
was difcovered a large ftone lying north and fouth on the 
foundation of the outward wall, of an oblong form, fix 
feet ten inches long, three feet four inches wide, (the 
width of the outward wall,) and one foot thick; and this 
threlhold was in the centre of the paflage or narrow gal¬ 
lery, which was one hundred and forty feet long, thirteen 
feet wide in the centre, fifteen feet at the north and eight 
at the fouth end, being probably intended to lead to the 
north and fouth wings. In one of the eaftern apartments, 
he fays, was difcovered a beautiful teffellated pavement, 
thirty-one feet in length, and ten feet in width, which is 
compofed of four large compartments of fquare and ob¬ 
long forms, elegantly diverfified, having at the fouth end 
part of a large circle 5 and, from the nature of the pat¬ 
tern, there is reafon to fuppofe it extended to the'end of 
the room. The tefleras, or dies, of which it is compofed, 
are of a cubical form, and various in their fize and colour. 
The inner compartments are of flate-blue, white, and deep 
red, half an inch fquare. Thefe are furrounded by a bor¬ 
der of circles, in which are quarter-circles inverted, of a 
deep red, inlaid amongft tefferse of a pale yellow. Be¬ 
yond the circles are feveral rows of plain teflerae of the 
latter colour, an inch and an inch and a half fquare; evi¬ 
dently compofed of the ftone of the country. When firft 
difcovered, the colours of this pavement were extremely 
bright; which circumftance, added to the curioufly-arti- 
ficial workmanftiip, afforded a pleafing fpecimen of the 
Roman art. But it fhortlv after loft much of its original 
elegance, feveral of the teflerae having been picked up by 
the country people, who flocked in numbers to view it. 
In order, however, to prevent the pavement fuftaining any 
further injury, a building was erected over it. Notwith- 
ftanding this precaution, it is ftill to be lamented that the 
decay of its beauty becomes vifibly rapid, from the effefts 
produced by the hands of idle curiofity. 
About eleven miles from Lincoln is a place called Spit- 
tal, all round which are great foundations, fuppofed ge¬ 
nerally to be Roman ; and fome writers have aflerted, that 
Lincoln once extended itfelf northwards as far as here. 
This village at prefent con lifts but of two farm-houfes, a 
chapel, an inn, and a fefiions-houfe ; upon the latter is the 
following infcription: 
Hitcce domus dat, amat, punit , confervat, lionorat, 
jEquitiam, pacem, crimina, jura, bonos. 
This court does right, loves peace, preferves the laws, 
Deteifls the wrong, rewards the righteous caufe. 
LIN'COLN, a maritime county of North America, in 
the ftate of Maine, bounded north by Kennebeck county, 
fouth by the ocean, eaft by Hancock county, and weft by 
that of Cumberland. The fea-coaft extends from that 
part of Penobfcot bay, oppofite to Deer-ifland ealtward, 
to Cape Small-point weltward. The fea-coaft of the 
caunties of Cumberland and Lincoln is 100 miles in ex¬ 
tent meafured in a ftraight line, but laid to be above 200 
by the courfe of the waters. It abounds with fafe and 
commodious harbours ; and the whole Ihore is covered by 
a line of illands, among which veflels may generally an¬ 
chor in fafety. Acrofs the country there is awater-com- 
munication by lakes, ponds, and rivers, from the weltern 
to the eaftern bounds; fo that the productions of the 
L I N 7 35 
country may be conveyed to the different fea-ports. The 
chief towns are Wifcaffef, Waldoborough, and Warren. 
LIN'COLN, a county of Upper Canada, divided into 
four ridings and 20 townfhips, containing about 6000 in¬ 
habitants, and furnifhing five battalions of militia. It is 
faid that 19 covered waggons brought families to fettle in 
the vicinity of the county of Lincoln, in June 1799. 
LIN'COLN, a county of Morgan diftricf, North Caro¬ 
lina, containing 12,568 inhabitants, of whom 1479 are 
Haves. In this county are mineral fprings and mines of 
iron. The manufaftnre of iron is carried on in this coun¬ 
ty. Lincolntown is the capital. 
LIN'COLN, a county of Georgia, formed in 1796, con¬ 
taining feven townlhips, and 4766 inhabitants, including 
1433 Haves. 
LIN'COLN, a county of Kentucky, containing 8555. 
inhabitants, of whom 1750 are Haves'. The road from 
Danville on Kentucky river paffes through fouth-wefterly, 
and over Cumberland mountain to Virginia. 
LIN'COLN, a town in Mercer county, Kentucky, on 
the road from Danville to Virginia : twelve miles fouth- 
eaft of Danville.—A townlhip in Grafton county, New 
Hamplhire, incorporated in 1764, and containing 41 in¬ 
habitants.—A townlhip in the north-eaft part of Ad- 
difon county, Vermont, containing 97 inhabitants.—A 
townlhip in Middlefex county, Maffachufetts, incorporated 
in 1754, and containing 756 inhabitants; 16 miles north- 
weft of Bofton. 
LINCOLN-GREEN', J. A*particular colour, formerly 
ufed at Lincoln for dying garments; 
All in a woodman’s jacket he was clad 
Of Lincolne-green. Spenjtr » 
Who fees fo pleafant plains, or is of fairer feen, 
Whofe fwains in Ihepherd’s gray, and girls in Lincoln-gran, 
Drayton. 
LINCOLNSHIRE, a county of England, bounded on 
the north by the river Humber, which feparates it from 
Yorklhire; on the eaft by the German ocean; on the 
fouth by Cambridgelhire and Northamptonlhire ; and on 
the weft by the counties of Rutland, Leicefter, Notting¬ 
ham, and York. It is in length feventy-feven miles, and 
about forty-eight in breadth ; and contained, according 
to the return made to parliament in 1810, 245,900 inha¬ 
bitants; the area of this county is liated to be 2787 fquare. 
ftatute miles, equal to 1,783,680 ftatute acres-; the average 
of the deaths for ten years appears to be as 1 to 51 of the 
population. 
That part of Britain which is now called Lincolnftiire, 
was, anterior to the Roman conqueft, poffeffed by a clafs 
of Britons known by the name of Coritani. During the 
Roman dominion, this diftridt was included within the. 
province of Britannia prima ; and v/as interfered by dif¬ 
ferent roads, occupied by military ftations, and fome of 
its natural inconveniences removed by Roman fcience and 
induftry. The principal roads were the Britilh Ermin-, 
ftreet, afterwards adopted by the Romans, and the Fofs- 
way. A great work of this county, generally attributed . 
to the Romans, is the Car-dyke, a large canal or drain, 
which extends from the river Welland, on the fouthern 
fide of the county, to the river Witham, near Lincoln.. 
Its channel, for nearly the whole of this courfe, an extent 
of upwards of forty miles, is fixty feet in width, and has 
a. broad flat bank on each fide. This great canal receives . 
from the hills all the draining and flowing waters, which 
take an eafterly courfe, and which, but'for this Catch- 
water drain, a.s it is now appropriately called, would fevve 
to inundate the fens. Several Roman, coins have been.- 
found on the banks of this dykt. The whole of the pre¬ 
fent county is fuppofed to have been named by the Ro¬ 
mans Lindum, and the principal, ftation or town Lindum co- 
lonia . See Lincoln. 
During the Anglo-Saxon dominion in England, Lin- 
colnlhire was incorporjted within the kingdom of Mercia,., 
which, according to an old chronicle quoted by Leland,/ 
a was. 
