*DEVIZES, (Wiltshire) 72 cm. 89 mm. from London. 'Tis supposed, from coins, pots, urns, and other antiquities dug up
hereabouts, to have been once inhabited by the Romans; and a number of little brass statues of the heathen deities were
found under a Roman brick here, in 1714, which were carried about the Km. for a shew. Here was once a noble castle, said
to have been one of the strongest in England; and the Gt. of it was accepted by some of the prime nobility, as an honour.
It was besieged several times in the civil wars, but was taken and destroyed at last by the Pt's. forces. 'Tis a pretty
populous T. on high ground, fenced from the E. winds by hills, that are 2 m. off; and has 2 Chs. besides a chapel, and a
dissenters meeting-house. The corp. by charter of K. Cha. I. consists of a mayor, recorder, 11 masters, and 36 C.C. Its
chief mf. besides malt, is the woollen, especially druggets. The inh. value themselves for being tenants to the K. and for
one of the best Mts. in England; which being on Th. is much frequented for corn, wool, horses, and all sorts of cattle;
but here is great scarcity of water. The buildings are old, and for most part timber; yet the model of them being good,
they look tolerable; and here is a very good ch. sc. The Fairs are Febr. 2, Holy-Th. Trinity-Th. June 24, Aug. 29, Sept.
21, and Oct. 9. which holds 6 days, and is called the Devizes-Green, because it is kept in a pretty plain, so called, in
the suburbs just without the T. where is another handsome Ch. and steeple. A rivulet rises near the castle, which runs
into the Avon, not far from Bromham.