ADDITIONAL NOTE RESPECTING ROMAN RELICS FOUND ON THE

BREIDDEN.

In connection with this subject it seems appropriate to mention the Roman remains that have within recent years been found upon the Breidden, as furnishing evidence of the Romans having been some time upon the spot, if not further corroborative of the arguments which have been adduced in favour of the Breidden being the site of the last struggle of Caractacus.

There is in the Powys-land Museum a Roman coin, Third brass of Constantine II, or the younger (presented by Miss Marian Luxmoore of Llanymynech Rectory,) which was found

on the Breidden in 1863.

The Powys-land Museum also contains four other Roman coins, presented this year (1875) by William Fisher, Esq., of Maesfron, viz. :

"Third brass of Constantine II, or the younger; rev. Gloria Romanorum-A soldier holding the Labarum2 with the sacred monogram. Another of the same Emperor; rev. Gloria Exercitus-A trophy between two soldiers; struck at Arles-i.e., Constantina, as the Romans called it.

Third brass, Victorinus; rev. defaced.

Third brass, defaced and illegible."

These were found in a rocky fissure on the east side of the Breidden, where stone is now being obtained by Mr. Francis for paving purposes. It is believed the workmen found many more; but these are all that have been rescued, and are perhaps

them. The piece of silver was by them given to a clergyman, the then curate at Llanymynech, for the purpose of being submitted to the Rev. Walter Davies for his opinion upon it, and the reverend gentleman, the curate, never had the grace, as Mr. Asterley assured me, to return it. Thus is lost to us an important piece of evidence in the history of Clawdd Coch. Mr. Asterley believes them to have been Roman reliques. Perhaps the portions of what he described

as very little spoons, may have been portions of "ligula". I be

lieve there is every reason for thinking that the Romans visited Clawdd Coch at some period or other.

1 Mont. Col., vol. vii, p. li.

2 The Labarum was a richly ornamented standard, on which was a figure or emblem of Christ, woven in gold upon purple cloth, substituted for the head of the Emperor of Rome, when Constantine the Great embraced Christianity.

sufficient to supply additional and independent testimony in support of our theory.

Mr. Fisher has also presented to the Powys-land Museum a large iron instrument, much corroded with rust, about 20 in. in length, and 1 in. in diameter at one end, where it is socketed to let in the handle. It tapers to a point, something in the form of a pike-head, but it is much heavier and thicker and clumsier than would be necessary for a weapon. It has been suggested by several persons that it is rather a mining implement or a borer.

It was found lately in a crevice of the rock on the Breidden, 45 feet from the surface, near a place called "Goblin's Hole". It is doubtful whether it is of sufficient antiquity to have relation to our subject, but it seemed desirable to take the opportunity of mentioning it.

It is hoped that this short note may be the means of bringing to light other relics found in this interesting neighbourhood, and of affording further evidence tending to unravel the eventful incidents of a bygone age, and to confirm the conclusion at which we have arrived. We readily acknowledge the claims of archæological lore on our thoughtful consideration, and while we delight to wander in the rich fields of antiquarian research, we have a peculiar satisfaction in marking the imprints on our soil, which testify "in solemn silence" of the heroic struggles of the Britons in the sacred cause of liberty on the hills of Ordovicia.

MYTTON MANUSCRIPTS.

LETTERS AND PAPERS OF THOMAS MYTTON, OF HALSTON, ESQ.,

(Sometime Major-General of the Parliament's Army in North Wales, 1642 to 1655).

(Continued from page 172 of Vol. viii.)

THE following Papers contain only one letter from Major-General Mytton himself: a letter of orders to Col. Jones, his second in command in North Wales. It is believed that Mytton disapproved of Cromwell's government; at all events, he did not take a prominent part in it. His relative Edward Mytton, writing to him in 1649 (see letter XXIX) says, "future hope making many sparinge of busynes at this tyme, Col. Pope wilbe with you before the receipt hereof and his nephew, both for forrin parts by report to avoyd future daunger, I wish others as provident and farseeing." However, Mytton did not go abroad. North Wales, after the capture of Sir John Owen, remained quiet under his superintendence. The first five letters of this series refer principally to Welsh affairs. To keep the reader informed of current public events, we will remind him that the fruitless rising of the Langharnes in South Wales was suppressed by Cromwell himself in 1648; in the following year Cromwell was equally successful in suppressing the Irish Royalists; in 1650 he broke the strength of the Scotch Covenanters at Dunbar, on the 3rd of September; and on the same day of the same month in 1651 he gained the crowning victory of Worcester, after which there was no more regular fighting.

In 1653 Cromwell dissolved by force the "Rump" of

the Long Parliament. In the same year he nominated a Parliament of his own, choosing the representatives for each county himself. After an existence of only five months this assembly was dissolved, and in December, 1653, the officers of the army and the Council conferred upon Cromwell the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Ireland, and Scotland. In 1654 a new Parliament was summoned, elected this time by the constituencies, but under two conditions, the first of which made all persons who had fought for the King ineligible, the second subjected all who were returned to the approval of Cromwell's Council, before they were allowed to take their seats. The Protector had, indeed, now become an object of suspicion to a large body of Republicans, and was in equal opposition to those who had failed to obtain the sort of government for which they had fought, as to those who had always adhered to the monarchy.

From the beginning of the long struggle a deep religious enthusiasm had moved a section of the Parliamentarians, and it was for religious opinion, rather than for civil liberty, that they fought. When they got the upper hand, they had always removed the clergy who did not agree with them. But in the year 1654 a more regular system of appointment to and removal from benefices was organised. A committee of thirty-eight members, nine laymen and twenty-nine ministers, was organised; and without the approval of these "Triers", as they were called, no clergyman could officiate. The committee sat in London, but in each county sat a subcommittee of puritan laymen and preachers, called expurgators", who were authorised to eject "scandalous, ignorant, insufficient ministers." This reference will explain the application in favour of Mr. Giles, "an able, painful, and godly minister", in letter No. xxxiv.

In 1655, Parliamentary government turning out very unsatisfactory, a scheme of government by the majorgenerals was formally inaugurated. The major-generals must long ago have been the true centres of local

authority, but in this year they were invested with more definite civil powers. We should have expected that Major-General Mytton would have been appointed for North Wales; but his life was drawing to its close, and possibly such an appointment would have been no longer acceptable to him on political grounds. Col. Berry was made Major-General for Hereford, Salop, and North Wales. In order to pay for the increased costs of these military establishments, a singularly simple and effective plan was devised. A £10 per cent. income tax was laid upon the Royalists. We have one or two little glimpses of the troubles of unfortunate persons whose properties fell into the hands of the sequestration committees in the letter of Rachel, Lady Newport (No. XXXVI), and in allusions to the business of Lady Harris, wife of Sir Thomas Harris, of Borreatton, Bart., and daughter to our General Mytton (letters No. XXV and XXIX). The central committee for sequestrations sat at the Goldsmith's Hall, in London, and there were sub-committees in all the counties.

In the year 1656 Major-General Thomas Mytton died at his house in London, and was buried among his ancestors in the chancel of St. Chad's Church, in Shrewsbury.

PAPER XXVII.

To the Honorble Major Generall Mytton at Mr. John Jackson's house over against the round Court nigh the new Exchange, London, these: "Bewmarish, 8 Feb.

"HONORED SIR, -I receaved yours by the last week's post, and shall give you a full accompt of what Mr. Foxwist wished you to write aboute, so sone as I can speeke with Mr. Sheeriffe1 Madderine; since the last post I wryte a letter to you, which I sent to Salop, and doute not but wilbe with you before this, yt will assure you of the taking of both the Post Barques; I have adventured to draw a petition and gett hands to yt, but I much suspect myselfe that I have not done

1 Sheriff of Caernarvonshire.