by the Romans GARIENIS, near which they had erected a fortress, for the protection of the Stablesian horse, stationed there to guard the Saxon shore, and named by them GARIANONUM: the south channel was subsequently improved by the other blocking up with sand and gravel, which was effected by the violence of the north-east winds, thus compelling the back waters to form their junction with the ocean further southward.

The exact situation of Garianonum, or the precise period of its erection, has never been accurately ascertained, and on these points authors have differed very materially. Sir Henry Spelman, in his Icenia, places it at Caister, but admits that Burgh has also a Roman appearance; and it has been remarked, that the Roman coins found at Caister, are more ancient than those taken up at Burgh. The same author also observes upon the marshy and confined situation of the latter; and urges that it must have been extremely inconvenient for the excursions of horse, while that at Caister, standing upon an open plain, was attended by opposite advantages. Sir Henry's opinion has been combated with considerable success by the late ingenious Mr. Ives, who has endeavoured to prove that Caister was only the summer camp of the Romans, to which they occasionally retired for shelter and convenience: certain it is, however, that the Romans occupied both stations, and not unlikely at the same time, when a communication might easily be kept up between them.

Respecting the period in which these castles were constructed, Swinden quotes a passage of Roman history, which he suggests may not a little conduce to point out the date and purpose of their erection, Claudius, the Roman emperor, with Aulus Plautius, his lieutenant, invaded and conquered several parts of Britain, and retired from thence in the 44th year of the christian era, leaving Plautius to govern his newly-acquired subjects and subdue others that remained yet unconquered. Plautius, after the emperor's departure, pursued his conquests with such success, that upon his return to Rome, he was honoured with an Ovation. In the meantime, it is presumed, some other Pro-Prætor succeeded him, although not noticed by any of the Roman historians; "some years after," says Swinden, "that is, in the 9th of Claudius's reign, as we gather from Tacitus, Publius Ostorius Scapula being sent into Britain, fell unexpectedly upon the Britons, who had broken into the Roman conquests there, and having put great numbers of them to the sword and dispersed the rest, to restrain them from making inroads for the future into the territories of the Romans or their allies, he built several forts upon the Severn, the Avon, and the Nen, reduced that part of the island which lies south of those rivers to a Roman province; and for a further security, made CAMALODUNUM (the royal palace of Cunobeline, now Maldon in Essex) a military colony. This the Iceni could not brook, and therefore, being joined by the neighbouring nations, they raised a considerable army, and encamped in an advantageous position, in

order to prevent the Romans from penetrating further into the island. Ostorius, however, advancing against them, after a most obstinate conflict, put them to flight, and pursued them with great slaughter."

Hence, infers Mr. Swinden, from this and many other parts of history, it is apparent that the ancient Britons had no strong holds or fortified places but such as the natural situation of their country afforded them, with some rude additional intrenchments; and, that Ostorius was the first of the Romans who determined to build forts in Britain, as well to keep the conquered nations in subjection as to protect them from any sudden incursions of their enemies, well knowing that a peace made by constraint would ensure no permanent repose either to him or his troops; and, as at this period the Iceni, who, as Tacitus observes, had before of their own accord become Roman confederates, were entirely overthrown by Ostorius, we may reasonably presume, that to keep them in awe and subjection, several forts were erected in these parts, as Caister by Yarmouth, and the Garianonum or Burgh Castle, which were probably the first constructed, as commanding the principal avenue into the country of the Iceni.

Little, if any, of the ancient camp at Caister at present remains, although Spelman mentions the existence of a wall and fortification in his time; but whether Roman or otherwise could not be ascertained with any certainy. Its claim therefore to be considered the ancient Garianonum rests princi

pally upon the silent testimony of the Roman coins and other relics taken up at different times near its site, while that at Burgh, from its superior durability, appears calculated to point out with certainty to future ages the long disputed fact of its identity.

Intimately connected as this fortress is with the subject of the following pages, it may not be improper to describe concisely its situation and appearance. Built upon the slope of a rising hill, near the confluence of the rivers Yare and Waveney, in the County of Suffolk, it forms an irregular parallelogram. In the middle of the eastern wall, which is 14 feet high, 642 in length, and nearly 9 in thickness, is the Porta-Prætoria or principal entrance: the walls on the north and south are exactly the same height and breadth, and about half the length; the western side is entirely open, and it is the opinion of Mr. Ives was never enclosed, for the sea at that time washing the foot of the hill, might be considered a sufficient barrier to any attempt made by an enemy barbarous and undisciplined as the Iceni, wholly destitute of ships, and almost every idea of mural fortification. The walls are flanked by six round towers of solid masonry, four on the eastern side, and one at each of the north and south corners, the latter of which is fallen down nearly entire. These towers do not appear exactly coeval with the building, to which they are only slightly joined, and were probably not added until after the walls were built; but they are notwithstanding strictly Roman in their appearance. Secure within their walls from the hostile attacks of the Britons,

the invaders reposed themselves in tents and such other habitations as their leisure and materials enabled them to construct, and observed in the disposition of their troops within the area, the greatest order, enforced by the strictest discipline. The camp was probably divided, according to the Roman custom, into two parts, the upper and the lower. In the upper partition was a circular space, somewhat elevated, called the PRETORIUM, where were the pavilion of the General, the tents of the Imperatores Contubernales or young gentlemen, who attended the army for experience; and the AUGURALE, a space assigned for the performance of prayers, sacrifices, and other public offices. On the right of the Prætorium stood the Questorium, where the QUESTOR or treasurer was lodged, and near at hand the Forum, which served at once for the meeting of councils and the distribution of provisions. The lower part was occupied by the tents of the inferior officers and common soldiers, the centre of which, being the most honourable situation was assigned to the former. Between the two partitions of the camp, in about the middle of the area, was included a small spot of ground, called the Principia, where the statues of the gods were fixed, together with the military ensigns. The field to the east has been considered the burial place of the Roman soldiers, and there a vast number of coins have been and still continue to be found, with fragments of earthen urns. About two years since a small vessel was discovered, supposed to have