| Description | Bayly gives thanks for the sight of Martin’s draft of the Roman inscription lately found at Chichester and he encloses a copy, filling in missing pieces, although he has few books to assist him. He apologises for its imperfections. Martin may send this version with his own draft to London, for the opinion of the learned. It appears to have been done at the beginning of Nero's reign and was 'undoubtedly one of the most ancient Roman Inscriptions we have next to that of the Temple found in the same Lane some years ago wch. I take to be the very oldest in Brittain & probably belonged to the very Temple mention’d by Tacitus Annal Lib. XIV. cap. XXXI.' He speculates that this may belong to a monument created after the victory over Queen Boadicea by Suetonius and discusses the importance of Chichester in the time of Claudius and Nero. He would be glad to see the stone in person but has not had time as yet. |