Page 29

              ST 6 E-HEFN GReflord
 much lefs able were they, without all Peradventure, to undertake
 fo great a Work as Stone-Heng, wherein, as all rational Men
 muft grant, numbers of Men employed, and many Years taken up,
 before brought to its abfolute Perfeffion.
   But, nothing can better exprefs the Ignorance of that Age, than
 the barbarous Manner of Infcription upon the Tohib of the Britlfb
 Heor King A4rthuri Nephew to A. Ambrofus, found long fince
 in the Church-yard of the Abbey at Glaflenbury, the Letters
 whteof, being exadly teprefented to our View by Camden, do, cam.fa. i2z.
 as by Demonfiration, fully difcover to us the Barbarifm of thofe
 Times. As, barbarous in thofe Charaters, fo were they ignorant
 in, and had loft the Ufe of all other Arts. Nor Exercqfe, nor
 Pragice of good Arts, was then amongfl them, faith the Hiftorio-
 grapher of Malmesbury.   And well he might fo deliver him-
 felf, notwithfanding Matthew Wefiminfler tells us, 4. Ambrojius
 repaired Churches, which the Rage of Saxons, Enemies to Chri-
fla Religion, fpoiled. For, befdes, the vaft Difference btxixt
fuch Works as Stone-Heng, where Art overnafters the cffohiion
Skill of Man, and making up the Decays of rtainated Buildit's,
is apprehenfive even to the meaneft Cdpacitits: Gildas ahd Bek
(whofe Antiquity and Learning the greater it i, the more is fhiir
Authority acceptable) affirm, the Britains ia thofe Times knew
not in what mannet to bring up bare Walls of Stone. Wlhen,
the Roman Legion fent to aid the Britaiis by Valentinian the
Third, under the Condo& of Gatio of Ravenna, was remande.
hence, for Defence of Franre; before departing, they eihorted-
the Britains to make a Wall overthwar t the Ijland, tb fe'cure
themfelves from the Barbatians, Pigs, and Sits: which Wall,
Pede tells us, was made iot fo much with Stone, as Turfs, con-
fidering they bad no Vorkmen to bring up _ach Works of Sito#'
and fo, (Oith the venerable Hiftorian) they didft up one, good for
nothitig. 'Twas made by the rude, and unski/tul common Multi-
tude, not fo much of Stone, as Turfs (faith Gildas alfo) none bein
found able to give Direion for buildizg Woks of Stone. This
was about thirty fix Years preceding A. Ambryzis's Gdvcif  rit.
fn which Time, the Romans abandoning Britaif,     tigeri ufarip-
ed; call'd in. the Sax ns to' his Aid,; wa depo'feXU  his Nobility ;
and Vortimerhis Son fet up. Wh6m Rlweta, having made away,
Vortigern was re-enth-roniz'd. Hi'r A. A*4broius infades, aid hav-
ing. burnt him-, together with Rowena in lales, afftimes the Crown
as his; holding coinih':a War with the Saxons, until poifon by
9'afcentius as aforefaid..
   It being. thu. that nothing but uivfrfflV Corfufi&b, and ddhuc-
 tive Broils of Wat, appeared' then in alt Patts; more anciernt, an-4
 far more propitious Times muft be fdght 6ut fok d61gigi     a'
 Strudure, fo exquifite in the Compoftdre as' this: even fli a
 flourifhing Age, as when Architeature in rare Perfeid;n, and& fuclN
 People lookt upon, as by continua4: Su-befs, Atain'ing unto- t.he,
 fole Power over. Arts, as well as Em ire     a     allI I a;
 fuch Times, and Pefons, becaufe rhof t4iings:' wli, atwtid not
 with the Courfe of Time, which by a g,&t&tal Confnt of Author'
 agree not 5 which by the. approved CuftoMi   of a6knt Ags., and,
                                                        Votes