no 



MEMOIR OP THE LATE MR, JOHW JUST, OP BUBY. 



which is printed in the Transactions of the former Society, 

 (vol. i., p. 121,) accompanied by a wood engraving of the 

 cross and another of the inscription, — and giving the various 

 reach* ngs already referred to. 



Having taken some part in these investigations, it is to me 

 a matter of regret, that this Runic inscription should still 

 have appended to it, in the Museum, two erroneous transla- 

 tions, when, in point of fact, that of Mr. Just, made nearly 

 four years ago, has the highest claims to accuracy. 



The latest labour of this nature undertaken by him, was 

 during his last illness, in September, 1852. A friend, having 

 seen in the Illustrated London News of August 28th, 1852, 

 a wood engraving of an ancient slab found in St. Paul's 

 Churchyard, London, with a fac-simile of two fragmentary 

 lines of Runes upon it, — transmitted to Mr. Just his decy- 

 phering of the characters, which was promptly verified and 

 returned with a translation of the Runes, which, in the form 

 of a joint letter to the Editor of the above periodical, was 

 published in the Manchester Guardian of September 4th, 

 1852. This was but six weeks before his decease, and is 

 believed to be his last contribution to archaeology, or, indeed, 

 to any branch of science. 



The circumstance that both at Natland, his birth-place, and 

 at Bury, where he resided during the last twenty years of his 

 life, Roman roads and remains exist, seems to have induced 

 him, with his characteristic energy, to devote himself to the 

 careful examination and tracing of the great military roads 

 traversing Lancashire from north to south, and from west to 

 east. The information which he thus collected by personal 

 inquiry and examination of the district, led to his temporary 

 connection with the Officers of the Ordnance, while they 

 were engaged in the survey of Lancashire. This gave him 

 an opportunity of verifying the conclusions he had formed; 

 and these conclusions are now transmitted to posterity in 

 a permanent, official, and authoritative form ; the lines of 



