DIPLOMATICS; 265 



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They fomctimes added alfo the dates and 

 epoch or" the fignature, the feafts of the church, 

 the days of the calendar, and other like matters. 

 The fuccefliv- corruption of the Latin language, 

 ; orthography of each age, as well 



as their ditferent titles and forms i the abbrevia- 

 tions, accentuation, and punctuation, and the va- 

 rious methods of writing the dipthongs, all thefe 

 matters united, form fo many characters and 

 marks, by which the authenticity of a diploma 

 is to be known. 



VIII. The feal, annexed to a diploma, was 

 anciently of white wax, and artfully imprinted on 

 the parchment itfelf. It was afterward pendent 

 i the paper, and inclofed in a box or cafe, 

 which they called Bulla. There are fomc alfo 

 that are ftamped on metal, and even on pure 

 gold. When a diploma bears all the chara 

 that are requifite to the time and place where it 

 i, iuppofed to be written, its authenticity is not 

 to be doubted , but, at the fame time, we cannot 

 examine them too fcrupuloufly, feeing that the 

 monks and pricfts, of former ages, have been 

 very adroit in making of counterfeits ; and the 

 more, as they enjoyed the confidence of princes 

 ftatefmen, and were even fometimes in pof- 

 feflion of their rings or feals. 



IX. With 



