Part of a Letter to the Publisher, concerning Some Roman Coins, and Other Matters Lately Observed in Lincolnshire

IV. Part of a Letter to the Publisher, concerning some Roman Coins, and other matters lately observed in Lincolnshire. SIR, This comes only to acquaint you with what may not be improper to insert in some of your next Philosophical Transactions, viz. That in July last one Edward Lenton, who lives with one Philip Wolverston of Fleet in South Holland in Lincolnshire, being about to fence in a Hay-stack, and digging a grip for that purpose about the depth of half a yard, he struck his Spade upon a Pot, which when he broke, (else nothing could be got out of it) there was no less than 36 pound weight of old Roman Copper Coin found in it. The Pieces were found set in rows edge-ways one by another, and stuck so together with the Verdigrase or Rust of Copper, that many of them required a Chisel or some such thing to separate them; but being separated, clean'd and brighten'd, the Heads or Figures of all or most of them were very fair, (some as when newly stamped,) and the Inscriptions of many are very legible. The Fellow (who at first hoped for a better Treasure, when he saw what the Pot produced) profusely and carelessly gave them away, and dispersed them up and down the Country to such as desired them, and that, I suppose, for nothing, or next to nothing. Here was amass'd together a great variety of Coins in this Pot: They say Dr Hart, a Physician of Wisbech, has a dozen of the best Pieces; and an Apothecary at Long Sutton a score of the same, the largest and most legible: and Philip Wolverston himself has two or three, so very large and fair, that he says he will not part with them: Notwithstanding these hands, is yet many pounds weight of them in Edward Lenton's hands, the man that found them, if he have not lately parted with them. The place where they were found is in the midst of the vastest Flat or Level in England, and in a Ground that for many Ages past, used to be cover'd with Water in the Winter, and overgrown with Reed in the Summer. 'Tis about a mile and a half South by West from Fleet-Church, and about as far South by East from Holbeach. There are no Banks or Hillocks, old Works or Ruins to be seen near it; nor any remains or tokens of any thing extraordinary to have been there; (but the old Sea Bank about two or three mile off; which Dugdale from a passage in Tacitus believes to be cast up by the Roman Souldiers.) But all is as flat as the Sea, and a low Country, producing a Course Flaggy Grass for the most part round about it. The Pot, which was narrowest at the top and bottom, but thicker in the middle, had an Inscription about it, which tho' it seemeth in some of the Sherds or Pieces to be fair at first sight, yet is not legible, tho what it may be to men skill'd in Antiquities I know not. I thought it was necessary, that the Learned World should know this, and so should any second Dugdale, that may afterwards write the History and Antiquities of the Fens: And I knew not whether any would Communicate it to you or no; and therefore I have ventured to do it. If you have fuller and better accounts, this will do no harm; if you have not, you may make what use you please of this. You need not know from whom this comes, but you may be assured of the truth of it. I might have given you an account of some discoveries, at the laying a Tunnel under the Welland at Spalding in Lincolnshire, about 5 or 6 years ago, viz. of Jettys Boats, Tannfats, and the knobs and great quantities of Ox Horns belonging thereto, and Shoe Soles of a very strange unusual form; all dug up at the depth of 12 or 14 foot. As also at the laying the New Goat at the fall of Hammond Beck into Boston Haven, about 4 or 5 years ago, they found (at the same or greater depth, in a different Soil from what they had dug through) many Roots of Trees, where it is believed the surface of the old Country was before it was covered by the Sea, (as also at Spalding) But having given an account thereof to Mr Ralph Thoresby of Leeds in Yorkshire, a year or two ago, if you think it worth the Recording, you may have it I suppose from him when you please. V. Part of a Letter from Mr Thoresby, F. R. S. to the Publisher, giving a further account of the same. The Person you inquire of, is, I am sure an ingenious, obliging and good man, what you desire a transcript of, I here send you in his own words. 'Near the River Welland, that runs thro the Town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, at the depth of above 8 or 10 foot, there were found Jettys, as they call them, to keep up the old Rivers Bank, and the head of a Tunnel that emptied the Land-water into the old River; and at a considerable distance from the present River, I guess 20 or 30 yards, there were dug up (about the like depth) several old Boats, which things shew that anciently the River was either much wider than now it is, or ran in another place, or both. On the other, viz. the North West side of the River, and more upwards in the Town, were digg'd up (at about the afore-mentioned depth) the remains of old Tanvats or Pits, a great quantity of Ox-horns, and the Shoe-soles, which I told you of, and I think the very Tanners knobs, &c. which things shew, that the surface of the Country lay anciently much lower than now it does, and has been raised by the Seas throwing in its Sand in the Maritime parts (now most inhabited) and by the Moor