gs.

The _Cesters_ are even more degraded (philologically speaking) than the
_Chesters_, but are not less interesting and illustrative in their way.
Their farthest northeasterly extension, I believe, is to be found at
Leicester and Towcester. The former we have already considered: the
latter appears in the _Chronicle_ as Tofe ceaster, and derives its name
from the little river Towe, on which it is situated. Anciently, no
doubt, the river was called Tofe or Tofi, like the Tavy in Devonshire;
for all these river-words recur over and over again, both in England
and on the Continent. In this case, there seems no immediate connection
with the Roman name, if the site be rightly identified with that of
Lactodorum; but at any rate the river name is Celtic, so that Towcester
cannot be claimed as a Teutonic settlement.

Cirencester, the meeting-place of all the great Roman roads, is the
Latin Corinium, sometimes given as Durocornovium, which well
illustrates the fluctuating state of Roman nomenclature in Britain. As
this great strategical centre--the key of the west--had formerly been
the capital of the Dobuni, whose name it sometimes bears, it might
easily have come down to us as Durchester, or Dobchester, instead of
under its existing guise. The city was captured by the West Saxons in
577, and is then called Ciren ceaster in the brief record of the
conquerors. A few years later, the _Chronicle_ gives it as Cirn
ceaster; and since the river is called Chirn, this is the form it might
fairly have been expected to retain, as in the case of Cerney close by.
But the city was too far west not to have its name largely rubbed down
in use; so it softened both its initials into Cirencester, while Cissan
ceaster only got (through Cisse ceaster) as far as Chichester. At that
point the spelling of the western town has stopped short, but the
tongues of the natives have run on till nothing now remains but
Cisseter. If we had only that written form on the one hand, and
Durocornovium on the other, even the boldest etymologist would hardly
venture to suggest that they had any connection with one another. Of
course the common prefix Duro, is only the Welsh Dwr, water, and its
occurrence in a name merely implies a ford or river. The alternative
forms may be Anglicised as Churn, and Churnwater, just like Grasmere,
and Grasmere Lake.

I wish I could avoid saying anything about Worcester, for it is an
obscure and difficult subject; but I fear the a