The Major Works (English Library) (30 page)

CHAPTER II

The Solemnities, Ceremonies, Rites of their Cremation or enterrment, so solemnly delivered by Authours, we shall not disparage our Reader to repeat. Only the last and lasting part in their Urns, collected bones and Ashes, we cannot wholly omit, or decline that Subject, which occasion lately presented, in some discovered among us.

In a Field of old
Walsingham
, not many moneths past, were digged up between fourty and fifty Urnes,
¹
deposited in a dry and sandy soile, not a yard deep, nor farre from one another: Not all strictly of one figure, but most answering these described: Some containing two pounds of bones, distinguishable in skulls, ribs, jawes, thigh-bones, and teeth, with fresh impressions of their combustion. Besides the extraneous substances like peeces of small boxes, or combes handsomely wrought, handles of small brasse instruments, brazen nippers, and in one some kinde of
Opale
.
²

Near the same plot of ground, for about six yards compasse were digged up coals and incinerated substances, which begat conjecture that this was the
Ustrina
or place of burning their

[See page opposite, note 1]

bodies or some sacrificing place unto the
Manes
, which was properly below the surface of the ground, as the
Aræ
and Altars unto the gods and
Heroes
above it.
³

That these were the Urnes of
Romanes
from the common custome and place where they were found, is no obscure conjecture, not farre from a
Romane
Garrison, and but five Miles from
Brancaster
, set down by ancient Record under the name of
Brannodunum
.
⁴
And where the adjoyning Towne, containing seven Parishes, in no very different sound, but Saxon Termination, still retains the Name of
Burnham
, which being an early station, it is not improbable the neighbour parts were filled with habitations, either of
Romanes
themselves, or
Brittains Romanised
, which observed the
Romane
customes.

Nor is it improbable that the
Romanes
early possessed this Countrey;
⁵
for though we meet not with such strict particulars of these parts, before the new Institution of
Constantine
, and military charge of the Count of the
Saxon
shore, and that about the
Saxon
Invasions, the
Dalmatian
Horsemen were in the Garrison of
Brancaster
: Yet in the time of
Claudius, Vespasian
, and
Severus
, we finde no lesse then three Legions dispersed through the Province of
Brittain
. And as high
⁶
as the Reign of
Claudius
a great overthrow was given unto the
Iceni
, by the
Romane
Lieutenant
Ostorius
. Not long after the Countrey was so molested, that in hope of a better state,
Prasutagus
bequeathed his Kingdome unto
Nero
and his Daughters; and
Boadicea
his Queen fought the last decisive Battle with
Paulinus
.
⁷
After which time and Conquest of
Agricola
the Lieutenant of
Vespasian
, probable it is they wholly possessed this Countrey, ordering it into Garrisons or Habitations, best suitable with their securities. And so some
Romane
Habitations, not improbable
in these parts, as high as the time of
Vespasian
, where the
Saxons
after seated, in whose thin-fill’d Mappes we yet finde the Name of
Walsingham
. Now if the
Iceni
were but
Gammadims, Anconians
, or men that lived in an Angle wedge or Elbow of
Brittain
, according to the Originall Etymologie, this countrey will challenge the Emphaticall appellation, as most properly making the Elbow or Iken of
Icenia
.
⁸

That
Britain
was notably populous is undeniable, from that expression of
Cæsar
.
⁹
That the
Romans
themselves were early in no small Numbers, Seventy Thousand with their associats slain by
Boadicea
, affords a sure account. And though many
Roman
habitations are now unknowne, yet some by old works, Rampiers,
¹⁰
Coynes, and Urnes doe testifie their Possessions. Some Urnes have been found at
Castor
, some also about
South-creake
, and not many years past, no lesse then ten in a Field at
Buxton
,
¹¹
not near any recorded Garison. Nor is it strange to finde
Romane
Coynes of Copper and Silver among us; of
Vespasian, Trajan, Adrian, Commodus, Antoninus, Severus
, &c. But the greater number of
Dioclesian, Constantine, Constans, Valens
, with many of
Victorinus Posthumius, Tetricus
, and the thirty Tyrants in the Reigne of
Gallienus
; and some as high as
Adrianus
have been found about
Thetford
, or
Sitomagus
, mentioned in the itinerary of
Antoninus
, as the way from
Venta
or
Castor
unto
London
.
¹²
But the most frequent discovery is made
at the two
Casters
by
Norwich
and
Yarmout
,
¹³
at
Burghcastle
and
Brancaster
.
¹⁴

Besides, the
Norman, Saxon
and
Danish
peeces of
Cuthred, Canutus, William, Matilda
,
¹⁵
and others, som Brittish Coynes of gold have been dispersedly found; And no small number of silver peeces near
Norwich
;
¹⁶
with a rude head upon the obverse, and an ill formed horse on the reverse, with Inscriptions
Ic. Duro. T
. whether implying
Iceni, Dutotriges, Tascia
, or
Trinobantes
, we leave to higher conjecture. Vulgar Chronology will have
Norwich
Castle as old as
Julius Cæsar
; but his distance from these parts, and its
Gothick
form of structure, abridgeth such Antiquity. The
British
Coyns afford conjecture of early habitation in these parts, though the City of
Norwich
arose from the ruines of
Venta
,
¹⁷
and though perhaps not without some habitation before, was enlarged, builded, and nominated by the
Saxons
. In what bulk or populosity it stood in the old East-angle Monarchy, tradition and history are silent. Considerable it was in the
Danish
Eruptions, when
Sueno
burnt
Thetford
and
Norwich
, and
Ulfketel
the Governour thereof, was able to make some resistance, and after endeavoured to burn the
Danish
Navy.
¹⁸

How the
Romanes
left so many Coynes in Countreys of their Conquests, seems of hard resolution, except we consider how they buried them under ground, when upon barbarous invasions they were fain to desert their habitations in most part of their Empire, and the strictnesse of their laws forbidding to
transfer them to any óther uses; Wherein the
Spartans
were singular, who to make their Copper money
¹⁹
uselesse, contempered it with vinegar. That the
Brittains
left any, some wonder; since their money was iron, and Iron rings before
Casar
;
²⁰
and those of after stamp
²¹
by permission, and but small in bulk and bignesse; that so few of the
Saxons
remain, because overcome by succeeding Conquerours upon the place, their Coynes by degrees passed into other stamps, and the marks of after ages.

Then the time of these Urnes deposited, or precise Antiquity of these Reliques, nothing of more uncertainty. For since the Lieutenant of
Claudius
seems to have made the first progresse into these parts, since
Boadicea
was overthrown by the Forces of
Nero
, and
Agricola
put a full end to these Conquests; it is not probable the Countrey was fully garrison’d or planted before; and therefore however these Urnes might be of later date, not likely of higher Antiquity.

And the succeeding Emperours desisted not from their Conquests in these and other parts; as testified by history and medall inscription yet extant. The Province of
Brittain
in so divided a distance from
Rome
, beholding the faces [of] many Imperiall persons, and in large account no fewer then
Casar, Claudius, Britannicus, Vespasian, Titus, Adrian, Severus, Commodus, Geta
, and
Caracalla
.

A great obscurity herein, because no medall or Emperours Coyne enclosed, which might denote the date of their enterrments. Observable in many Urnes, and found in those of
Spittle
Fields by
London
,
²²
which contained the Coynes of
Claudius, Vespasian, Commodus, Antoninus
, attended with Lacrymatories,
²³
Lamps, Bottles of Liquor, and other appurtenances of affectionate superstition, which in these rurall interrements were wanting.

Some uncertainty there is from the period or term of burning,
or the cessation of that practise.
Macrobius
affirmeth it was disused in his dayes. But most agree, though without authentick record, that it ceased with the
Antonini
. Most safely to be understood after the Reigne of those Emperours, which assumed the name of
Antoninus
, extending unto
Heliogabalus
. Not strictly after
Marcus
; for about fifty years later we finde the magnificent burning, and consecration of
Severus
;
²⁴
and if we so fix this period or cessation, these Urnes will challenge above thirteen hundred years.

But whether this practise was onely then left by Emperours and great persons, or generally about
Rome
, and not in other Provinces, we hold no authentick account. For after
Tertullian
, in the dayes of
Minucius
it was obviously objected upon Christians, that they condemned the practise of burning.
²⁵
And we finde a passage in
Sidonius
,
²⁶
which asserteth that practise in
France
unto a lower account. And perhaps not fully disused till Christianity fully established, which gave the finall extinction of these sepulchrall Bonefires.

Whether they were the bones of men or women or children, no authentick decision from ancient custome in distinct places of buriall. Although not improbably conjectured, that the double Sepulture or burying place of
Abraham
,
²⁷
had in it such intension. But from exility
²⁸
of bones, thinnesse of skulls, smallnesse of teeth, ribbes, and thigh-bones; not improbable that many thereof were persons of
minor
age, or women. Confirmable also from things contained in them: In most were found substances resembling Combes, Plates like Boxes, fastened with Iron pins, and handsomely overwrought like the necks or Bridges of Musicall Instruments, long brasse plates overwrought like the handles of neat implements, brazen nippers to pull away hair, and in one a kinde of
Opale
yet maintaining a blewish colour.

Now that they accustomed to burn or bury with them things
wherein they excelled, delighted, or which were dear unto them, either as farewells unto all pleasure, or vain apprehension that they might use them in the other world, is testified by all Antiquity. Observable from the Gemme or Berill Ring upon the finger of
Cynthia
, the Mistresse of
Propertius
, when after her Funerall Pyre her Ghost appeared unto him.
²⁹
And notably illustrated from the Contents of that
Romane
Urne preserved by Cardinall
Farnesse
,
³⁰
wherein besides great number of Gemmes with heads of Gods and Goddesses, were found an Ape of
Agath
, a Grashopper, an Elephant of Ambre, a Crystall Ball, three glasses, two Spoones, and six Nuts of Crystall. And beyond the content of Urnes, in the Monument of
Childerick
the first,
³¹
and fourth King from
Pharamond
, casually discovered three years past at
Tournay
, restoring unto the world much gold richly adorning his Sword, two hundred Rubies, many hundred Imperial Coyns, three hundred golden Bees, the bones and horseshoe of his horse enterred with him, according to the barbarous magnificence of those dayes in their sepulchral Obsequies. Although if we steer by the conjecture of many and Septuagint expression; some trace thereof may be found even with the ancient Hebrews, not only from the Sepulcrall treasure of
David
, but the circumcision knives which
Josuah
also buried.
³²