THE NATURAL HISTORY OF Gloucester-shire.  By ABEL WANTNER, Citizen of GLOUCESTER. 

CHAP. I. Of the Ancient City of Gloucester, from its Original.  
AFTER such time as Julius Cesar had compelled the Britain's, to become Tributaries to the Roman Empire, Ann. Mundi ●0●5. He by reason of the Civil wars that arose at Rome, was obliged to continue at Home for many Years. During which time, either through his remiss Government, or else being not mindful of those Kingdoms and Provinces, which had sorn Allegiance unto him, they revolt from their Obedience, infomuch, that after his Decease, the succeeding Emperors, (viz.) Octavian Augustus, Tiberius Claudius, and Cajus Caligula, thought it more Prudence, carefully to preserve what they had already gotten, rather than uncertainly to grasp at any more: By which means Britain was left, as it were, almost forgotten; until one Bericus, a Nobleman, Born in Britain (who for Sedition, and other high Misdemeanours, was expelled his Native Country) greatly solicited Claudius, the Son of Drucis, who was newly chosen Emperor, by the Praetorian Soldiers (Ann. Dom. 43.) to reduce Britain again to the Roman Obedience; who being over-persuaded thereunto, Claudius Cesar raiseth a powerful Army out of Gaul (or France) and other Places, and sends them against Britain, under the Conduct of Aulus Plautius, his Praetoria, or Deputy (Ann. Dom. 44.) who, having crossed the Seas, landeth his Army without Opposition, and giveth Battle to Togodumus, their King, whom he forceth to a Retreat: But in this their good Success they did not long continue, for the Britain's did so assault the Romans, with their daily Fight, and Skirmishing, that Aulus Plautius was constrained to send to Rome for Claudius Cesar (according to his own Appointment before, if Occasion so required) who after some Dangers upon the Seas, safely arrived in Britain, and soon joins his Forces with Aulus Plautius, his Deputy.  
The Success of whose War, according to Dion, was the taking of Camolodunum, (now Maldon in Essex) the chief Seat of the British Kings; the Subjection of that part thereof next the Gauls, the disarming of the Inhabitants, and the placing of a Colony of old Roman Soldiers therein, Claudius Cesar being the first that ever fixed a complete Conquest in Britain.  
These Things being happily achieved, Cesar, at the End of six Months, returned to Rome, leaving Publius Ostorius Scapula, his Praetoria, (or Deputy) to end the War; who soon reduced the higher Part of Britain into the Form of a Roman Province; taking the Dobunies (who then possessed Oxford shire, and Gloucester-shire,) into his Protection.  
But our British Historians (viz.) Jeffery of Monmouth, Llanquet, and Others relate these Things far otherwise; saying, That Arviragus, the Youngest Son of Cunobeline, (nor Togodumus) was King of the Britain's, Ann. Dom. 45. In which Year, (say they) Claudius Cesar came in Person against Britain, who, when he could not obtain it by Force of Arms, came to a Composition with Arviragus, and gave him his Daughter Jennissa in Marriage, which Marriage, (say they) was consummated at Gloucester. Hereupon King Arviragus, to make the Town more famous, where this Marriage was solemnised, did not only Beautify the same, but he likewise greatly Enlarged it with new Buildings, and gave it the Name of Claudia-Castria, or (Castrum,) alluding to Claudius Cesar's Name.  
But William of Malmsbury, an approved Author, tells you, that these were idle Fables, begun by Jeffery of Monmouth, and carried on by their Historians, and Commentators, Men altogether ignorant and unskilful in Antiquity, whose Truth and Authority is so much to be doubted, that no Man of Sense will give any Credit to them.  
Now Dr. Plott, in his History of Oxford-shire (pag. 135.) saith, That if it be urged out of Ponticus Virinius, and some Others, that the Emperor Claudius was at Gloucester, and that he either Enlarged, or Built that City, after his own Name, in Memory of the Marriage of his Daughter Jennissa, with Arviragus, the then King of the Britain's: Nevertheless (saith he) it must be answered, That notwithstanding the Name of Claudius-Castrum, (now Gloucester) yet, in all likelihood, there was never any such Matter; for neither Suetonius nor Dion, (who both lived in his time, and had each of them born the Office of Conful,) do make mention of any such Name as Jennissa, or that she was so disposed of by him in Marriage, altho' they both do number up how many Children Claudius Cesar had. Besides all this, the Dr. further adds, How was it possible that Claudius Cesar, who came hither, and returned back to Rome in six Months, should have so much time as to come to Gloucester, being a Place far in the Country, much more to build or re-edify that City? For Dion expressly faith, that Claudius Cesar was but sixteen Days in Britain, and in all Probability, those sixteen Days were spent in ordering his Army, and that Arviragus was not known to Claudius Cesar, but that he rather lived in the time of Domitian the sixth in Succession after him.  
Now altho' it cannot be certainly proved (by any reputable Author) who was Gloucester's first Founder, yet most certain it is, that the Romans did Build it, and that of set Purpose to be like a Yoke, as it were, upon the Necks of the Silureses, a fierce and warlike People, who then possessed all that Tract of Ground, which lieth between the two great Rivers, (viz.) Wye and Severn, called by the ancient Britain's, Vaga, and Hafferne, of purpose to curb their violent Incursions. And it is altogether as certain, that the Emperor Antoninus gave it the Name of Glevum, and that he there planted a Colony of Roman Soldiers, which were called, according to Ptolemy, Coloni-Glevum (or the White Colony) and to confirm the same, the learned Cambden, in his former Treatise saith, (fol. 36.) That there was an ancient Inscription, found upon a Quadrant Stone in the Walls of Bath, (viz.) Dec. Colonia Glev. vixit, Ann. LXXXVI.  
It farther appears, that after the Exturpation of the Romans, that the Saxons gave it the Name of of Glau-cester, which Word, according to Ninius, (as Mr. Cambden well observeth) came from Glev, and so proportionably Glevum, from the British Word Caire-Glow, which signifieth, white, fair, or splendid; derived or taken from the High Duke Glovi, or Glovis, Great-Grandfather to King Vortigern, from whence Glovernia, after whom, the Latins called it Gloucestriae, and the Vulgar Gloucester, etc.  
Having thus far spoken of its Original Foundation, and Name, come we, in the next place, to treat of the Honour and Reputation it had in the time of the Britain's, with other Remarks to the Conquest, and from thence you have Variety of Observations, to the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, who made it a City.  
I find nothing recorded, by any reputable Author, concerning the City, or Town, of Gloucester, during the time that the Romans were here in Britain: Neither have I met with any thing that may be termed remarkable, till the coming in of Hengist, Prince of the Pagan Saxons, who, through their perfidious Treachery, slew four Hundred and Sixth of the British Nobility upon the Plain of Amsbury, within three Miles of Salisbury, at a Place called since stonehenge; which Stones are said to have been there erected as a Monument, or Memorial of that most bloody and barbarous Slaughter. Amongst whom, at that time, was the valiant Eldol, Duke of Gloucester, Brother unto Eldade, Bishop of Gloucester: Who finding of a Stake, which by chance lay on the Ground, He, with his own Hands, slew (according to Sr. William Dugdale) Seventeen of those Saxons, and afterwards made his Escape to his Dukedom of Gloucester, where he raised what Forces he could procure, and at Place called Maezbel, on the North of Humber, meets with Hengist, gives him Battle, and defeats his Army, (Cambden out of Higden, sol. 208.).  
Aethelstan, the 25th King of the Westsaxons, Died at Gloucester, but was Buried at Malmsbury in Wilt-shire, Ann. Dom. 940.  
King Edward the Confessor held a famous Parliament at Gloucester, Ann. Dom. 1503. During which time Gruffith, King of South-Wales, Rebelled; and, with thirty Sail of Danish Ships, entereth the River Severn, doing great Spoil to the Country: But at last he was taken at Bullen-Dane, the same we now call Bully, and there Beheaded, and afterwards his Head was presented to King Edward, at Gloucester.