21. =THE LATIN ELEMENT OF THE FIRST PERIOD= (i).--The Roman power, as is generally known, was settled in Britain from the year 43 till the year 410. In the beginning of the year 410, the very existence of the Roman Empire was threatened by the Goths and other warlike peoples; and the Roman forces were withdrawn to defend the very heart of the empire. The Romans, though conquerors, were true benefactors. They gave the Britons good laws; cut roads for them through the island; established camps; built forts and strongholds; dug harbours or ports; and planted military settlements--which they called _colonies_--here and there among the conquered people. When the Romans went away, they left these important benefits behind them; and, with the things themselves, the words also remained. But they left only six words behind them, and all of these have combined themselves, or gone into composition, with words that are purely English. The following are the six words: =Castra=, a _camp_; =Strata= (_via_), a _paved road_; =Vallum=, a _rampart_; =Fossa=, a _ditch_; =Colonia=, a _settlement_; and =Portus=, a _harbour_. 22. =THE LATIN ELEMENT OF THE FIRST PERIOD= (ii).--(_a_) The Latin word =Castra= has become _chester_, _caster_, _cester_, and even _ter_ (in _Exeter_). We generally find it in the form of _chester_ in the south and west; _cester_ in the middle; and _caster_ in the north and east of England. Thus we have Chester, Manchester, and Winchester in the west and south; Leicester and Towcester in mid-England; and Tadcaster, Doncaster, and Lancaster in the north. (_b_) =Strata.=--The Romans drove a strongly-built military road from the south-east to the north-west of the island--from =Richborough=, near Dover, up to the standing camp on the river Dee, which is now called =Chester=. This was _the_ =Strata= or =Street=. It was afterwards carried farther north, and even into Scotland. It went right over the crest of a hill in Westmoreland, which is called =High Street= to this day. We can trace the path of this great military road by the names of the towns and villages that are strung upon it. Thus there are =Streat=ham (near London), =Stret=ton, =Strat=ford-on-Avon, Stony =Strat=ford, =Stret=ford (near Manchester), =Strad=broke, and many others. (_c_) =Vallum= is found in _wall_. (_d_) =Fossa= is found in the names _Fossway_, _Fosbrooke_, _Fosbridge_, and others. (_e_) =Colonia= is found in _Colne_, _Colchester_, _Lincoln_, and others. (_f_) =Portus= appears in _Portsmouth_, _Portsea_, _Bridport_, and some other names.