EBORACUM LEGIO SEXTA VICTRIX. M. P. XVII.]
The distance here from Aldburgh to York is various, accord∣ing to the variety of Copies, and the severall journeys in which we meet with it. In the first journey you have seventeen miles, in some books sixteen; in the second, eighteen, and in this four∣teen, according to Surita; but in his divers readings, he takes notice of seventeen also: which Aldus, Simlerus, and Har∣rison admit; and this will make the generall number in the foot of the reckoning, to agree with the particulars, as is before ob∣served. Neither will the distance at this day unhandsomely sure; if you conceive, as you must, that the antient site is some∣what altered.
The first mention you meet with of this place, is this in Anto∣nine, except you make Ptolomie antienter, as indeed he should be, if it be true that he wrote in Antoninus Pius dayes, as the common Chronologie gives it out. Truly, as it is already ob∣served, the time when this Itinerarie was published, though commonly it bears Antoninus Pius name, is not certain: neither is it likely it was extant till under Severus: For Britain indeed, being by Julius Agricola, the Pro-Pretor under Domitian, a wholy reduced, and falling a way by little and little under Ha∣drian, the Antonini, and Commodus; so that in b Hadrian's time, who * in person did what he could to restore all, the Romanes having not much c above one half thereof, and that not very Page 58 usefull, or beneficiall to them, and in Antoninus Pius time the (d) Brigantes, of whom Eboracum was a principall city, revolt∣ing from them; things, me thinks, could not be at this passe, as * they are represented in this Itinerary, till Severus time: especi∣ally if you consider the stirs and turmoiles at home for the Em∣pire, immediately before his arrivall here: the Britains from thence taking ground for their defection.
But omitting here a more exact enquiry after the just time when either of them wrote; we are to take notice, that the VI. Legion that had the Title of Victrix from it's conquests, brought over out of Germany, saith Camden (and yet for all Seve∣rus coin, which follows, he dare not assure it, by reason of this former mention of it, as he saies, in Ptolemie) by Severus, had it's residence at Eboracum. It is plain in Antonine, as well as Ptolemie too. But in Ptolemie then you must recover him from a violent luxation, (which he suffers in some common e Editions, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Camalodunum, which should come after, is interposed, between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Legio VI. Vict. which number also Z. as Surita mis-cites him, is to be corrected: But Talbot * using a right Copy, of Ptolem•…, as it appears he did, I wonder how he could make any question here about it.
There are many such in Ptolemie: as where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is turned out of it's place; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or London made a City of the Cantii, and others. But far worse are they out, who from abu∣sed Copies, would have that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. as the all learned Selden hath taken notice; to belong to Camalodunum, next to Eboracum (of which see more in CAMBODUNUM in the II. Journey:) and it to be the f Colony placed by Clan∣dius the Emperor so long before in Essex, and so far away short of Eboracum: contrary to the evident testimony of a Coyn of Severus in the averse of which we read:
