Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/209

 1S0 THE HISTORY: BookL. lenges a ftriking but general affinity to the other. The high: dry grounds of the hills, and the low moift meadows of the vale, muft have been fucccflively and alternately the paftures of the Roman cattle. The Romans appear to have regularly kept a fimilar change and relay of paftures for their ihepherds in Italy, confining their cattle to the marfhes during the fummer, and driving them up into the hills at the return of the win- ter * And the Roman Britons are equally attefted, though they are not equally known, to have adopted the fame pra&ice. Britain, fays Gildas, abounds in hiUs that are very convenient . for the alternate paftures of our flocks and our herds, montibus alternandis animalium paftibus magne convenientibus x6 * Thefe low meadows are generally overflowed every winter from the many arms of the Irwell that indent and interfedt the face of • them, ^nd prefent a ftrongly imprelfive fcenery to the eye^ an ocean of water in wild agitation tumbling round the valley. In .■ winter therefore thefe meadows muft have been totally deferted t by the Roman garrifon, and the Roman cattle muft have beheld the growing deluge fecurely froift the hills above And both to- • gether muft have regularly formed the one great nurfery of tl^e Roman cattle, and both together muft have regularly /fuppjied . the little fubordinate nurfery at the confluence of the Medlock and the Irwell. Vegetius lib, iii. c. 8. — * Mr. Percival hi Phil. Tranf.r— - W • getius'lib. iii. c. 8* — > 4 See B. Lc. iv. f. 3. for another, ft^tion . upon a field called Rie-Hey. — $ The name of the brook Read is actually Britifh. See b.I. ch. i. f. 3. note ". — 6 Vegetius. lib. Hi..
 * c. 8. Subveftio frumenti eaeterarumque fpecierum, — - 7 A. deed hi

the cheft of the collegiate chapter at Manchefter, entitled the feoffment made by the feoffees, to John Huntingdon Wardei). '. 8 See B. I. ch. v. f. 3. — * And the neighbouring penuiiula..of Portwood muft have been fo denominated, hecaufe it. was more recently the fite of the remaining wood of the caftle. — ,0 In. a • record of 1322, entitled Perquifitae Curisg [de Manchefter], and . mentioning viarn regiam inter Manchefter et Burghton ufquc le 5 JLow-