1

east, passes Redburn, and Redburn Bury: thence proceeding towards St. Alban's, it crosses that town at St. Michael's Bridge, and flows on towards the ruins of Sopwell Nunnery, near which it changes its course to the south, and continues in that direction till it unites with the Colne, which is but a very inconsiderable stream, till thus enlarged by the waters of the Meuse. It should be remarked, that the Colne, in one part of its course, has a short under-ground passage, though not particularly observable but in dry weather: this occurs near its entrance into Colney Park, in which it also again emerges, though the precise spot cannot be ascertained.

The Mimeram, or Maran, has its source in the vicinity of King's Walden, and flowing to the south-east,, is soon enlarged by the Kime, after which it runs past Welwyn, and flows on in a meandering course, till it falls into the Lea at Hertford. Many other streams rise in this county, and several of them form the heads of more considerable streams in the adjacent shires: of these the Thame has its origin from three springs in the parish of Tring, and which uniting in one current, leave the county near Puttenham, and enter Buckinghamshire. The Oughton, the Hiz, the Pirral, and the Ivel, also rise on the north side of this county; the three former flow into the latter, which forms one of the principal rivers of Bedfordshire. Several of the small streams which unite to form the Rhee, a chief branch of the Cam, have likewise their origin in this county, in the vicinity of Ashwell. It must also be remen bered, that the springs which constitute the source of the New River, have their rise in Hertfordshire, in the neighbourhood of Ware; yet, as this useful stream may, with the greatest propriety, be regarded as belonging to Middlesex, the description of it will be reserved for that county.

The few Medicinal Springs which rise in Hertfordshire, are chiefly Chalybeate; these are confined to the south part; the prin⚫cipal is near the Race-ground, on Barnet Common; others rise on Northaw Common; and another at Cuffley, in-Northaw parish. Some incrustating springs have been noticed near Clothall, in the northern part of the county.

VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S.

VERULAM, or Verulamium, from the ruins of which ST. ALBAN's derived its origin, was an important British city, the seat of the Princes of the Cassii, and, according to the evidence of the Roman historians, of greater antiquity than even London itself. Camden mentions British coins, which he supposes to have been struck here, from the letters VER on one side, and on the reverse, the word TASCIA surrounding a running horse. In White's Table of British Coins, (published in 1773,) is an engraving of a gold coin, that has also been referred to this city,t it having on one side the word VERO; the reverse exhibits several rude and, perhaps, inexplicable marks, together with a chariot wheel, and a figure bearing a distant resemblance to a stork, though probably intended for a horse, as appears from comparing it with other coins of the British period.

Under the domination of the Romans, Verulam acquired the dignity and privileges of a Municipium, and this as early as the time of Aulus Plautius; a circumstance that strikingly intimates its previous consequence. Its advance to the peculiar honors of a free city is, however, ascribed to its attachment to the Roman government, and to the essential aid furnished by its inhabitants to the Roman arms. But the same causes by which its prosperity

had

* Camden, on the authority of Dr. Powel, contends, that the word Tascia signifies Tribute Money, and that the coins on which it appears, were struck by the British Sovereigns, to pay the tribute imposed on them by the Romans: this opinion has been refuted by Mr. Pegge, and other antiquaries. The former explains the term Tascia, as the name of the Monetarius, or Mint-master, who, on a coin attributed to Cunobeline, is represented as sitting at his work: this figure, however, Mr. Gough supposes to be a Vulcan, and copied from the Phoenicians.

+Pegge's Treatise on the Coins of Cunobeline.

See Gough's Camden, Vol. I. Plate of British Coins, Nos. 4, 25, 42, 52, 54, and 55: the four latter are copied from Borlase.

bad been augmented, contributed to its fall, by inflaming the vengeance of the Britons associated under Boadicea, who, after the destruction of Camalodunum and Londinium, poured forth her indignant wrath upon this devoted settlement. Tacitus insinuates, that the riches of Verulam operated as an additional incentive for the Britons to attack it; and that they passed other military posts without assault, for the sake of the plunder to be acquired here.t

The victory achieved by Suetonius over the undisciplined multitudes of Boadicea, ensured the predominance of the Roman power, and Verulam gradually recovered its former lustre. In succeeding ages, its fame was still more heightened by the martyrdom of ALBANUS, or Alban, during the fell persecution of the Christians, which commenced under the authority of Dioclesian, in the year 303. At that period, the enmity of its citizens to the Gospel was so great, that, as a disgrace to Albanus's memory, and as a terror to other Christians, they had the story of his murder inscribed upon marble, and inserted in the city walls.' Yet the flames of Paganism proved insufficient to effect the purpose for which they had been ignited; and both Bede and Gildas concur in the fact, that, within a very few years after the cessation of the persecution, a Church was founded in honor of the memory of Albanus, and that on the very spot on which he suffered, the precise site of the present Abbey Church of St. Alban's. The sculpture recording the scene of his martyrdom, was removed from the view; and in its place, and over the gates of their walls, the inhabitants erected square stones, inscribed with memorials of the triumph of their newly-adopted religion.

+ Annal XIV. c. 33. Omissis castellis, præsidiisque militum, quod uberrimum spoliant, et defensoribus intutum; læti prædá et aliorum segnes petebant.

In hujus opprobrium et Christianorum terrorem, ut in antiquo ejus agone habetur, Verolamienses ejus martyrium marmori inscripserunt, manibusque inseruerunt. Camden, from an ancient History of St. Alban's.