286 THE STAIRFOOT INSCRIBED STONE. 



At the Meeting referred to, wheu the stone was first shewn, 

 I was asked to express an opinion on its probable use and on 

 the meaning of its characters. 



I remarked that most Kkely it had served as a rude weight, 

 and its letters Villi — represented the numeral 9. Other 

 scratches appeared, but I then had no opportunity of examining 

 them minutely. I have deciphered them since. 



Mr. Hamilton James supported my general surmise by 

 stating that he had ascertained the weight of the stone to be 

 about 9 lbs. 



It was pointed out that, for 9. the more usual sign would 

 have been iX ; but it was thought that in this case there might 

 have been a particular reason for its non-adoption. The shape 

 of the stone afforded no clue to the top or bottom of the 

 inscription, and therefore the letters were continually liable to 

 inversion. If inverted, IX (nine) would have appeared as XI 

 (eleven), but Villi would be unmistakable in any position ; on 

 that account, perhaps, Villi had been preferred to IX. 



Many instances, however, are known in which the number 

 was written as it appears on this stone, even when there was no 

 risk of inversion. 



Our learned Primate, Dr. Benson, then Bishop of Truro, 

 was present at the Meeting, and subsequently forwarded to me 

 from London, references to numerous ancient and some modern 

 examples, which he had most kindly collected for me, in which 

 the letters Villi appear instead of IX, He wrote to me, "your 

 conjecture is quite certain your conclusion is quite safe." 



After that, it only remained for the age of the inscription 

 to be determined. 



To decide this, it became necessary to consider very carefully 

 all the marks upon the stone, and to compare them with its 

 exact weight according to ancient and modern standards (these 

 last of course differing from each other). 



The Roman pound and foot were less than ours are. The 

 As, Libra, or pound of the Romans, was not so heavy as f of our 

 pound avoirdupois. If, then, this stone — marked with a Roman 

 Villi — weighed just that number of Roman pounds, it would 

 be lighter than the same number of pounds avoirdupois. 



9 lbs. Roman, are equal to about 5 lbs. 9 ounces, English. 





