I T 4 Examination of an Ittfcriplion

pofed antiquity of the Shalford date [/]" And poffibly thefe figures might have admitted of another amendment, viz. of 1583 for 1383. Mr. North, in his letter to the earl of Morton having juftly obferv- ed, that, " in deeds of the reign of Elizabeth the figure 5 is fre- quently fo like the figure 3 as to make a recourfe to the other part of the deed neceffary to afcertain it [#]."' And all will allow that in fculptured inscriptions there is likely to be greater difficulty in decyphering the figure. A mifconception of the dates in which fame Arabian numerals are clearly difcernible, has occasioned much perplexity; and to me it appears very, very dubious, whether the date on the mantle-tree of the chimney in the Redlory-houfe of Helmdon in the county of Northampton, has not hitherto been mifread* The fame of this mantle-tree extended from England to Germany, from Oxford to Wirtemberg K ; and I choofe to refer to it, becaufe it was the firft infcription brought forward in the controversy. Dr.Wallis com- municated his fentiments upon it to the Royal Society, and with his paper was exhibited a drawing of the whole mantle-piece, of which there is an engraving in the Phildfophical Tranfaclions [*'], With the hope of rendering what I have to offer upon the fubjecl: the more eafily underftood, my ingenious and obliging neighbour,. Mr. Peete of Dartford, has furnimed me with the enclofed fac fimile of this engraving, as alfo with a copy of the engraving of [f] Arehaeologia r V. I. p. 140. For the opinion of Dr. Ward there is a reference to Philofophical TranfacYions abridged^ V. X. p. 1265. [^] Archaeologia, V. X. p. 370. [A] De chara<5teribus numerorum vulgaribus et eorum aetatibus, &c. A Joanne friderico Wekllero, et M. Georgio Weidlero Witembergiae, 1727. p. 14. An ac- count of this Differtation was publifhed in the Philofophical Tranfaclions, V. XLI1I. Art. I. N 474. It was communicated to the Royal Society by Profeflbr Ward. [z] Ibid. Vol. XIII. N 154. The fame Plate is alfo published in his Treatife of .Algebra. ClC