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de maiore." Thus was it decided, that Thomas Halle, the third mace-bearer, should receive as his salary six shillings and eightpence from the Mayor and Commonalty, and his board and livery from the Mayor. Six shillings and eightpence for a year's wages, gentle reader, does appear, at first sight, a very slender remuneration; but let us remember, that he was supplied also with food and clothes. Henry, in his "History of Britain," calculates, that, by the depreciation of money, its mean value in the fifteenth century was tenfold greater than that of the period, of which he wrote, the eighteenth century; consequently, the foregoing sum of six shillings, and eightpence, was equal to that of three pounds, six shillings, and eightpence, of the present day. Wages, however, have advanced in a greater ratio than this.

NOTES TO ESSAY III.

NOTE 1-(p. 27.)

"Labarum." This word signifies that peculiar Roman Standard, which was adopted by Constantine, the Great, and also used by his successors. In my text (whence the reference to this note) I was somewhat incorrect in the statement, that, prior to the use of the Labarum, the Romans had but one standard-the eagle. I should have said, that this was their principal one, but that, amongst others, they had, also, a banner of a square form, but not possessing the name of the Labarum. "The Romans" (says Fosbroke) "borrowed it" (this square banner)" from the Germans, Dacians, &c., and, upon coins of Augustus, and of the Emperors preceding Constantine, it refers to some conquered nation."* I cannot, at present, vouch for the fact, but, I think, it is probable, that, during the Republic at least, they bore a square vexillum inscribed with the letters S. P. Q. R., i. e. "Senatus, Populusque, Romanus," indicative of the national union, and power. The vexillum is supposed to have differed from the Labarum in being only attached to the upper edge, whereas the latter was preserved more securely in

"Encycl. of Antiq." Vol. 1, p. 281.

its square form by being tightened at the angles. The Labarum is said to have been borrowed by the Greek Emperors from the Celtic Tribes, by whom it was called Llab. On the other hand, it is asserted to be derived from labor, quasi laborum ogos, (because Constantine delivered the Church from persecution, or Rome itself from the calamities brought on her by Maxentius,) from suλaßa, reverence, piety-from λaußars, to rule-or from λapoga, spoils. The Labarum is related to have had this origin: Constantine, on the day before his great battle with Maxentius, who disputed the Empire of Rome with him, saw (together with his army) at mid-day the appearance of a shining cross in the heavens surrounded with these Greek Words: "EN TOYTO NIKA," "In this conquer." The Emperor, it is said, did not, at first, understand the meaning of this vision; but, on the following night, Jesus Christ appeared, and bid him make a military standard similar to what he had seen on the previous day. This he did; and, fighting under the auspices of this sacred banner, he, with eight thousand horse, and ninety thousand foot, defeated his foes to the number of eighteen thousand horse, and a hundred and seventy thousand foot. Maxentius was drowned in the Tyber, the bridge breaking under him in his flight.

The truth of this alleged miracle has been strongly called in question, yet it is asserted by Eusebius, who lived in those times. -who was in especial favour with Constantine-whose veracity stands unimpeached, that he received in person the solemn assurance of the truth of this miracle from Constantine himself.

Cooke, also, the learned, and ingenious, author of the

"De Vita Constantini," Lib. ii. cap. ix.

The Rev. William Cooke, M. A., was Rector of Oldbury and Didmarton in Gloucestershire, Vicar of Enford, near Ambresbury, Wilts, and Chaplain to the Right Honourable, the Earl of Suffolk. He was a learned, and ingenious, man. In the year 1781 he published the "Medallic History of Imperial Rome," in two vols. 4to. This History is based on the successive, and numerous, issue of medals, of which he gives plates of those, to which he refers, selected from the "Numismata Pembrochiana." The copies of this well-conceived, and as well-executed, work, are rare, and valuable. Cooke was also the author of a "Translation of Sallust," and of a 66 Pantheon." He, likewise, published "An Enquiry into the Patriarchal, and Druidical, Religion, Temples, &c., being the substance of some Letters to Sir Hildebrand Jacob, Bart.," &c. Gough, in his "Anecdotes of British Topography," says of this author, and of the work just mentioned, “Had the author been less infected with Hutchinsonianism, his book would be a useful compendium."

"Medallic History of Imperial Rome," was a firm believer in the reality of this asserted miracle, nor do I think, that I can better illustrate this subject than by making the following extract from his pages. In speaking of Constantine, that author thus remarks: "The miserable End of the great Persecutors of Christianity, and the continued Success, and peaceable Death of his Father, who had protected that Profession, struck him forcibly. His Principles, therefore, he determined from this Time to embrace, and adhere to. Accordingly he made his fervent Addresses to the One God of Heaven and Earth for Support, and Assistance. The Consequence of which was, the miraculous Vision of the Cross, which appeared to himself and the whole Army at Noon-day with the Inscription EN TOYTË NIKA, In this conquer. Instructed by a divine Admonition, he caused the Figure to be engraven on his Shields and Ensigns, and a rich Imperial Standard to be made in Imitation of it.'

In commemoration of this illustrious victory a triumphal arch was erected at Rome. It was built, partly, from the ruins of the arch of Trajan, and, therefore, in some measure, made up of incongruous parts. I am not aware of the present state of this arch; but, as Addison, in his "Remarks on several Parts of Italy," &c., in speaking of it, refers to this subject, I beg permission to make the following quotation: "Among the triumphal arches" (says he) " that of Constantine is not only the noblest of any in Rome, but in the World. I searched narrowly into it, especially among those additions of sculpture made in the Emperor's own age, to see if I could find any marks of the apparition, that is said to have preceded the very victory, which gave occasion to the triumphal arch. But there are not the least traces of it to be met with, which is not very strange, if we consider, that the greatest part of the ornaments were taken from Trajan's arch, and set up to the new conqueror in no small haste by the senate, and people of Rome, who were then most of them Heathens. There is, however, something in the inscription, which is as old as the arch itself, which seems to hint at the Emperor's vision. Imp. Cæs. Fl. Constantino maximo P. F. Augusto S. P. Q. R. quod instinctu Divinitatis mentis magnitudine cum exercitu suo tam de Tyranno quàm de omni ejus factione uno tempore justis Rempublicam ultus est armis arcum triumphis insignem dicavit.' There

"Medallic History," &c. p. 485.

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is no statue of this Emperor at Rome with a cross to it, though the Ecclesiastical Historians say, there were many such erected to him. I have seen of his Medals, that were stamped with it, and a very remarkable one of his son Constantius, where he is crowned by a Victory on the reverse with this inscription, In hoc Signo Victor eris. This triumphal arch and some other buildings of the same age show us, that Architecture held up its head after all the other arts of designing were in a very weak and languishing condition, as it was probably the first among them that revived.”*

Cooke (the author previously quoted) refers to the foregoing passage of Addison, and then offers these remarks: "There have been found some, who have called the Miracle in Question, but without sufficient Grounds: For the Appearance was given in open Day, and in the Sight of the whole Army; so that, when Eusebius published the Account of it, which he received from the Emperor himself, had it been false, it must have been disproved by many thousands, who were then living. For there being no express Mention of it in the Inscription, a Reason may be easily assigned. The Senators in general, perhaps all of them, were Idolaters, and held Christianity in Contempt and Abhorrence. To have given, therefore, so public a Record in Favour of it, had been contrary directly to their own Principles. Yet could they not well avoid taking some Notice of it, which was done by using the comprehensive Term of instinctu Divinitatis.' The same may be said of the Panegyrists. Yet one of them manifestly alludes to it, when he says, ' Vix quartâ parte exercitus contra centum millia armatorum hostium Alpes transgressus es, ut appareret penitus considerantibus, id quod nos fugit in amore trepidantes, non dubiam te, sed promissam divinitùs petere victoriam.' 'You passed the Alps with scarce a fourth Part of your Army; so that, to those, who thoroughly considered Things, it appeared, (which escaped us who were anxious in our Affection,) that you was not in quest of an uncertain Victory, but of one promised from above.' To the like Purposes there are several Passages in the same Work. 6 • In But Nazarius has improved it into Celestial Auxiliaries. ore denique est omnium Galliarum exercitus visos, qui se divinitùs missos præ se ferebant.' "Tis in the Mouth of every

* Addison's "Works," Vol. ii. p. 126. (Tonson's Edition.)

Body throughout Gaul, that Armies were seen, which declared themselves sent from Heaven,' &c., with much more to the same Purpose; for he dwells upon it largely. In fact, they were content to give it any Turn, which might not seem to acknowledge it as a Miracle in Favour of Christianity, which they had been taught to consider as the grand Impiety of the Times. Before this Expedition, Constantine had not professed himself a Christian, nor made the necessary Enquiries into the Nature of that Profession. For though he protected the Christians, as his Father had done, yet, having been bred under the Inspection of Diocletian and Galerius, we find him paying the like Honours to the Gods of the Heathen, of which there is Evidence enough upon his Coins; witness those struck at Lyons and Treves, inscribed "Soli Invicto Comiti," and others " Marti," others "Herculi," others “Jovi”—“Conservatori." But from the Time of the Vision, he consulted the most eminent Professors of Christianity, listened with all Attention to their Instructions, and applied himself to the Study of the Sacred Writings.'

Thus strongly does Cooke contend for the authenticity of this alleged miracle.

The credibility of it is discussed by Gibbon, at some length, in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," and it may be at once assumed, that he does wholly repudiate this signal, and supposed, event. His arguments are, of course, principally supported by negative evidence; but, with all his gilded sophistry, and seductive eloquence, he has by no means conveyed the conviction of disproof to my mind. This presumed miracle of the Cross is, also, noticed by Mosheim in his "Ecclesiastical History;" and although he does not assign his belief in the truth of it, yet he modestly doubts, but seems to place greater reliance, that the whole was the vision of a nocturnal dream of Constantine, rather than the real appearance of a Cross in the air at noon-day. Maclaine, the Commentator on Mosheim, treats this latter hypothesis as visionary in itself. He seems to be still more incredulous on the subject than Mosheim, yet in his comment is this remarkable passage: "The nocturnal vision was, it must be confessed, more generally known, and believed." Here Maclaine appears to allow, that the general opinion was at variance with his own.

As to the possibility of the alleged miracle, all things are "Medallic History of Imp. Rome," Vol. ii. p. 490.

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