INSCRIBED STONES AND ANCIENT CROSSES OF DEYON. 397 
tive of B is so ascertained without resorting to any external 
proof. 
" External corroboration is however found abundantly in the sub- 
stantial agreements of the results with those derived from the Irish 
lapidary Ogham texts, many of which ' echo ' formulae found in 
Latin inscriptions, and in one Ogham legend in South Britain. The 
manuscript keys to the Ogham alphabet preserved in the Irish 
books differ in one material respect from the South British, and 
from the generality of Irish lapidary texts, but agree with the 
Scottish examples; and the South British texts being older than 
the manuscripts, an inference arises that the Scottish Oghams are 
more recent than the others.' 7 
The following represents the Oghamic inscription on the stone : 
N ABA R R 
The stone is irregularly square, and probably represents some old 
boundary mark. 
There are three names in three lines, and the inscription may be 
read as being in memory of Dobunnius Eaber, the son of Ennabarrus ; 
or, according to Mr. Bray, of Dobunnius the smith, the son of Enna- 
barrus ; or of Eaber, the son of Ennabarrus, one of the Dobuni. 
Eaber in later ages was no uncommon name, and meant a skilful 
workman in any art (more particularly in metal; for Eaber has 
more especial reference to a smith or worker of iron). It would 
be of paramount importance in barbarous ages, that a man's trade 
or occupation would naturally become, not only an addition, but in 
itself a proper name ; and probably it is so in this case, just as that 
of Smith in our own. It is also probable, Mr. Bray thought, that 
the first name in the inscription may have been that of his people. 
According to Henry (p. 32), a part of the Dobuni submitted to 
the Romans. These were probably the subjects of Cogidunus, who 
became a great favourite of Claudius and succeeding emperors for 
his early submission and steady adherence to their interests. 
Camden says that the Cassii had conquered the Dobuni before 
the arrival of Caesar, who made the prince of this country com- 
mander-in-chief of the forces of the whole island. 
This tribe inhabited Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. They are 
supposed to have derived their name Duffen y a British word signi- 
2 D 
