TESSELLATED PAVEMENT FOUND AT CIRENCESTER. THERE are few sites of the magnificence of the Roman times in Britain at which more interesting remains have been discovered, at various periods, than at the ancient Corinium, now called Cirencester. Leland says in his Itinerary, "The compace of the old wall,* cujus pauca adhuc extant vestigia, was nere hand two miles." In taking down an old tower "was found a quadrate stone, broken in aliquot frustra, wherein was a Romain inscription, of the which one scantly lettered that saw yt, told me that he might perceive Pont. Max. Amongst divers numismata found frequently there, Dioclesian's be most fairest. In the middes of the old town in a medow was found a flore de tessellis versicoloribus." Camden in his notice of Cirencester has evidently followed Leland, adding no real information, but merely an expression of regret that the "Roman coins, tessellated pavements, and stones with inscriptions frequently dug up here, falling into the hands of ignorant persons, have been destroyed, to the no small loss of antiquity." The discoveries placed on record from time to time subsequently may be found in Gough's Additions to Cam den, in the History of Gloucestershire by Samuel Rudder, who was a printer in Cirencester, and paid due attention to the antiquities of his own town,† and in a History of Cirencester, published by Messrs. Baily and Jones in 1842. On the present occasion we shall principally confine ourselves to the more remarkable tessellated pavements. Sir Robert Atkyns says, "There was accidentally discovered in a meadow [the Leases] near the town an ancient building underground. It was 50 foot long and 40 foot broad, and about 4 foot high; supported by 100 brick pillars, inlaid very curiously with teseraick work, with stones of divers colours, little bigger than dice. It is supposed to have been a bathing-place of the Romans." This discovery, according to a MS. seen by Rudder, was made in 1683, and the same ground was reopened in 1780, when many further remains were found, which Rudder describes at length. The hypocaust, he says, appeared to have been formed of near four times the number of pillars mentioned by Sir Robert Atkyns. Dr. Stukeley states that " a fine mosaic pavement was dug up here in September 1723, with many coins." * The wall is traced in a plan of the town, showing the sites of Roman discoveries, engraved as Plate III. of the second volume of that magnificent work the Reliquiæ Britannico-Romanæ of Samuel Lysons. †The Roman antiquities of Cirencester have been further illustrated by the following engravings: In the Archæologia, vol. VII. pl. xxix. a brass statue of a Cupid or Genius, found at the Lewses in 1732, and in 1767 in the possession of the Rev. John Price of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. [This seems to be the same which Rudder incorrectly described as a figure of Apollo, 18 inc. high, and presented by Mr. Master to the University of Oxford. Qu. Is it still in the Bodleian Library ?] Ibid. vol. X. pl. Ix.-XIII. various antiquities found at the Querns, the Lewses, &c. drawn by Mr. Samuel Lysons. (In “the Querns” the Roman amphitheatre is still existing.) Ibid. vol. XVIII. pl. vIII. a Corinthian capital, found in 1808 with the pavement mentioned in the text hereafter. Again engraved, together with two other pieces of sculptured stone found at the same time, in Lysons' Reliquiæ Britannico-Romanæ, vol. II. pl. IV. At the corner of the map of the town (pl. 111.) is a small figure of Diana, found in the Lewses gardens; and in plate vi. are fragments of Samian ware, a copper ornament, and an earthen bottle, all found at Cirencester. At Watermore, near Cirencester, were found in 1835 and 1836 three Roman monumental stones, carved with bas-reliefs: these are engraved in the Gentleman's Magazine for June 1837, and again in the Archæologia, vol. XXVII. pl. xiv. Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire, p. 350. Rudder further states, "There was a Roman tessellated pavement found in a garden in Dyer-street, belonging to a house the property of Mr. Joseph Small. Another was lately discovered in digging a cellar in Mr. Cripps's house, belonging formerly to the family of the Georges; and another was found, a few years ago, in digging the vault under the shambles at the Boothall." Mr. Cripps's house was in Crickladestreet, a little to the west of which, on the premises of Messrs. Brewen, another pavement was found only six years ago.* The Boothall was in Dyerstreet, nearly opposite to the church, and it is in this line that the most frequent discoveries, including that we now record, have been made. Between the church and the present excavation is the warehouse of Messrs. Croom; here a pavement was found in 1777, and a few yards from it a road forming an angle with the present street of thirty degrees. Between that again and the present excavation is the house called by Rudder " Archibald's," now Mr. Byrch's, the site of further remains. Proceeding in the same direction we arrive at the present office of the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, in building which a pavement was found, of which no other than a traditional record seems to be preserved. This is said to have been "thirty or forty years ago." At the same point of the street, on the opposite side, is the house described by Mr. Lysons as having belonged in 1783 to John Smith, esq. and in 1814 to Richard Selfe, esq. in which was found a very remarkable pavement, which we shall presently describe; and it is in the street between these two houses that the discoveries of 1849 have taken place. It is thus evident that the same villa or mansion occupied the ground on which the Standard office stands, con tinued across the street, where the pavement represented in our present Magazine and another not yet fully uncovered have been found, and was still further extended on the site of the house in which the pavement was found in 1783. This fine pavement, when entire, was probably eighteen feet square, of which rather more than a fourth part was preserved. Its design seems to have been to represent a reservoir filled with various aquatic beings, part of which occupied the area and part made a border. Among them are a female and a winged boy, each riding on a dolphin, an eel and various other fish, a lobster, and a crab. The border is formed of a leopard, a horse (and other animals now lost), whose hinder quarters are exchanged for those of dolphins, and among them are also interspersed smaller fish and shells. In the centre was a four-spoked wheel, supported by winged genii; but the remaining portion of the pavement went no further than one such figure. This beautiful pavement is engraved in the Vetusta Monumenta of the Society of Antiquaries of London, vol. II. pl. XLIV. and more carefully in Lysons's Reliquiæ BritannicoRomanæ, vol. II, pl. vII.; and in illustration of this subject Mr. Lysons copied in outline the design of a mosaic pavement found at Rome, which represented Neptune in his chariot, attended by Nereids, Cupids, sea monsters, and various fish, &c. taken from the 18th plate of Bartoli's Picturæ Antiquæ Cryptarum Romana rum. The pavement which is represented in our present Plate was discovered early in August, by some workmen digging to form a drain or sewer. It lay from three feet and a half to four feet below the surface of the road;† the sides of the square not running * The other pavements found at Cirencester, besides those noticed in the text, have been one in the Lewses in 1808, described in the Archæologia, vol. XVIII. p. 124, and engraved in the Reliquiæ Britannico-Romanæ, vol. II. pl. vI. and xxxIII. (it is one of geometrical figures only, without other objects, animate or inanimate); and one found in 1826 at the Barton Farm at the other extremity of the town, said to have been" remarkably fine," but of which we have no description before us. + It was covered with a light kind of gravel or yellow mortar for about three inches, on which was about six inches of rubbish, then a stratum of pitching of later date, and parallel or at right angles to the present line of street, but intersecting it diagonally. That side of the pavement which is most imperfect approached the foot-way in front of the Standard printing office; the opposite corner extended towards the centre of the road. About a dozen yards higher up the street the excavators had uncovered a wide border of a running pattern, but as the design was considered inferior to the specimens previously brought to light they did not extend their research beyond the limits of the sewer. The arrangement and designs of the pavement will be seen by reference to our Plate. The geometrical patterns will be familiar to those acquainted with mosaic pavements. In the sealeopard and the sea-dragon, each pursuing fish, the same idea is continued which suggested the pavement published by Mr. Lysons. The centre picture represents a hunting scene on dry land, but the object of the chase is broken out. The heads above are those of sea-gods, a favourite ornament of pavements, the beard often terminating in fish. In the upper corner is a Medusa's head. The colours employed are black, red, yellow, dark brown, and white. As it was impossible to preserve the pavement in its existing situation it was determined to remove it in such portions as should be found practicable and relay it in some spot to be afterwards determined on, it being understood that Lord Bathurst would erect a suitable building to shelter it. The work of removal was safely accomplished in about ten days. The plan adopted was to cut through the white tessellæ between the borders, and, having introduced a stage beneath, to lift each circle, half-circle, or quadrant from its place by means of pulleys. An engraving in the Illustrated News of the 8th September gives a good idea of this process; but, as a representation of the general appearance of the town or the position of the pavement, it is extremely incorrect. The tessellæ were found to rest on a bed of terras or concrete, about six inches thick, of a brick-red colour; this was supported by short pillars or blocks, also of concrete, except in one or two instances, where a stone, evidently chiseled for some other purpose, and therefore probably the fragment of a more ancient building, had been used instead. Each pillar of concrete was crowned by a tile, and a second tile lay across from pillar to pillar, thus forming a complete bearing for the floor above. afterwards some rubbish, then another coat of pitching of later date still, and on this the macadamised materials of the present road, so that the Roman pavement lies about four feet below the present level of the road.-Wills and Gloucestershire Standard. it is hollow throughout, and has two holes (as represented) in the side visible, and two others exactly corresponding on the opposite side. It is asserted that charcoal was discovered near them. A portion of a large earthen jar was turned up; and also the base of a pil lar, about a foot in diameter. These were the only objects of any interest in connection with the pavement now under consideration. It being however apparent that the isolated specimens of tessellated flooring found in this locality at different times were portions of one villa, the explorers were tempted to uncover the ground on either side, and in both instances with success. On the side towards the printing-office was found some bordering of chequered work, evidently belonging to a room adjoining the one previously laid open. It is however on the opposite side that the most remarkable discovery has been made. A pavement has here been partially exposed of still larger dimensions. It is in an excellent state of preservation so far as the workmen have gone, but it is feared that nearly half of it is lost, as it must evidently have extended beyond the walls of the houses now standing. 3 What we have however is sufficient to shew that this pavement was of a very superior character. It consisted originally of nine circles, each bordered by the frequent convoluted or cable ornament. Of these circles four are visible, and some progress has been made in clearing the central one. In one is Acteon attacked by his dogs. The two adjoining circles have heads of Ceres and Flora, very finely executed; and next to Ceres is Silenus on an ass. The intervals between the circles would of course be lozenge-shaped figures, and of these two may be seen. In one is a head of Medusa, and in the other a full-length naked figure, probably a Bacchante. The gentleman to whom we are indebted for the present accurate drawing, has also kindly undertaken to supply us with another of this additional discovery, which we propose to present to our readers next month. MANUSCRIPT COMPILATIONS FOR "HISTORIES OF THE COUNTIES OF IRELAND." MR. URBAN, No. IX.-COUNTY OF CAVAN-THE PLANTATION. 48, Summer Hill, Dublin. I WAS almost " aweary " of intruding the neglected literature of my country upon your columns, but, as long as you afford such a refuge, I hail you as the pilot of a life-boat, and willingly commit to your preservation, ere I go down myself, such detached articles as I may be able to put overboard, and you to take in charge. Even in the interval since my last communication to you great changes have come over Ireland; the face of the country is smiling with an abundance of harvest, and the hearts of the people are startled from despair. The visit of our gracious Queen too has had the most benign influence over all, and the projected introduction of industry, skill, and capital from your country to this, on a more enlarged and liberal, though indirect, adoption of the memorable plantation of King James, has received the warm approval of many an honest patriot. Under these circumstances I have selected from my collections (No. 23 in the classification of my catalogue,) for this link of my series, some general notices of a county, where that plantation was carried out with more than ordinary consideration of the natives and their interests. The county of Cavan, to which I thus allude, forms the eastern portion of the ancient territory of Brefney, as that of Leitrim does the western, the former having been distinguished as Brefney-O'Reilly, while the latter was styled Brefney-O'Rourke, they being so denominated from their respective tanists or rulers, each of whom was descended in common origin from an early sovereign of Connaught. Consequently, in relation to this territory, the native annals afford numerous and interesting notices of the O'Reillys of Cavan, from the time of the first adoption of surnames. Passing over the mass of these, and especially over such records as more apply to them individually than as the captains and lords of this country, the first striking memorial is a royal summons of 1314, in which King Edward announced that, GENT. MAG. VOL. XXXII. "provoked by the injuries of the King of Scotland, and for revenging the many injuries he had committed," his majesty had purposed to make war upon him, and he therein relied, confident of the love of "Gyllis O'Reilly, Captain of the Irishry of Brefney," and of many other Irish chiefs (whom he addressed at the same time), that they will co-operate in this expedition, and for that purpose come over to the nearest port of Scotland in person, and with full succour, to harass the enemy. In the ensuing centuries this powerful sept, availing themselves of the position which they occupied in the northwestern marches of the Pale, while their own district was at the time inaccessible by reason of its woods, its mountains, its lakes, and its bogs, overran and despoiled the English lands in their vicinity, and exercised the prerogatives of royalty within those of their immemorial inheritance; they even coined their own money, and it was found necessary to restrain the circulation of that medium within the Pale by contemporaneous legislative enactments. Their tanist or captain was during a long interval elected and inaugurated on a hill near the town of Cavan. On the first visit of Richard the Second to Ireland the O'Reilly made his submission to the King by indenture, which he renewed in the ensuing year, his duties being prescribed to be performed to Mortimer Earl of March and Ulster, and Palatine of Meath. So likewise, in the time of Henry the Fifth, did the tanist of Brefney tender his duty and liegeance to the memorable Sir John Talbot, Lord Furnival. The most hitherto undaunted opponents of English government yielded to the influence of a character which subsequent events so strongly developed ; and various indentures between him and the Irish leaders O'Brien, O'Conor, &c. yet extant, so testify the fears which his presence excited (for he was even then distinguished by military abilities), as might almost justify the application of that sentiment in this country which Shakspere attributes to 3 A |