SECOND WINTER MEETING. xlix. 



The EXCHEQUER-TALLY [Dorset, 5th May, 1825] was presented to 

 the Dorset Museum by Mr. E. Hollis, 28th August, 1920. 



This tally is 2ft. Sin. long one end is pointed, the other square, lin. 

 There are 17 notches, consecutive, about fin. wide, but cut very shallow 

 and flat. The tally is an old device formerly used in the English Exchequer 

 for the purpose of keeping accounts. An account of the transaction was 

 written on two opposite sides of the stick, the notches being made right 

 across an intermediate side ; the stick was then split down the middle 

 through the notches; one half, called " the tally," was given as a receipt to 

 the person making the payment, the other half called " counter tally " was 

 kept in Exchequer. 



Different sized and shaped notches represented different sums ; e.g. : 

 a notch lin. deep (V-shape)=^100; gin. deep=10; fin. deep but of a 

 different shape=l; others represented I/- and Id. This custom was 

 finally discontinued in 1826, and all the old tallies collected. They were 

 used some years later as fuel for stoves in the Houses of Parliament; and, by 

 overheating a stove with tallies, the great fire was caused which destroyed 

 the buildings in October, 1834. 



The Encyclopaedia Brit, gives an example of a Tally with various shaped 

 notches, and an inscription, which appears to read De Edv'o Ironside 

 p' ip'um K' q' mutuat' p' annuit' iijl p' sent, solubil' ex le Sinking Fund 

 a xj R' R' Georg' se'di cone'. Mag. Brit. Michs xxvj die Octobr' a Ri 

 Ris Georg' se'di xij.* 



The above is a Tally acknowledging the receipt oi 236 4s. 3^d. on 

 26th October, 1738f, from Edward Ironside, Esq., as a loan to the King on 

 3 per cent, annuities, payable out of the Sinking Fund on account of 

 500,000 granted by Act 11, George II, c. 27. The date is written on the 

 upper side of the tally. The 200 is notched on one of the intermediate 

 sides, the remaining 36 4s. 3d. on the other.! 



3. By MR. VERB OLIVER, F.S.A. 



An ancient sword recently recovered from the Backwater, 

 Wey mouth. 



4. By MR. R. HAYNE. 



(a). A late 12th century French M.S. of the Gospel of S. 

 Matthew on vellum in Latin, with paraphrase and notes. 



* Encyd. Brit, llth Edit., Vol. XXVI.. p. 379. 



t Not 7759, as given in Encyd. Brit. 



See Archaologia, Vol. LXII, pp. 368-380; Proceedings of Society of 

 Antiquaries, Vol. XXX11I, pp. 334-337 ; D.F.C. Proceedings, Vol. XXXVIII, 

 p. 53-58. 



