THE HENSBAREOW INSCRIBED STONE. 289 



On further examination it becomes clear that the central 

 character is not a cross, but the letter f with a transverse stroke 

 through it. 



In connection with this, fresh ideas arise, and we are led to 

 ask — may not I followed by C stand for " IC (HIC) jacet," 

 "Here Kes," or be a short form of IHC, the well-known 

 abbreviation of a sacred name. A likeness also to the title 

 "Christos," being perhaps seen in the other characters, in the 

 formation of one of which the Greek letters X (ch) and P (r) 

 might appear to be combined ? 



But these appearances prove to be delusive. 



A very different reading, far less mysterious and much more 

 common-place, occurs to me as probably the true one. 



Rejecting all the foregoing surmises, we may regard the 

 matter thus : — 



The ancient inscribed stones, met with in various parts of 

 Cornwall, have been more or less reduced to regularity of 

 outline, whereas this stone has not been so treated. It is as 

 rough as ever it was, and has not been tooled into any sort of 

 shape. 



The ancient memorials are either wrought slabs, erect 

 shafts or pillars. This stone seems to be a mere boulder lying 

 on its natural bed. 



In ancient inscriptions some care was taken to keep the 

 characters in line or in a traceable order, and some formula or 

 other was adopted. The Hensbarrow letters seem to be placed 

 "any " way, and they are destitute of any form of expression. 



No really ancient inscription has the letter { formed with a 

 stroke across the middle, although such marks were sometimes 

 cut across the ends. The { with central stroke was in use in the 

 16th and 17th centuries, and later. 



I therefore think that the Hensbarrow stone was not 

 inscribed in early times. 



Possibly its lettering may be accounted for in some such 

 way as the following: — A couple of tinners, (perhaps at the time 

 of their mid-day meal,) found a convenient resting place on or 

 beside this flat rock ; a pick or other iron implement being at 

 hand, one of the men cut his initials upon the granite, and 

 afterwards the other ciit his ; or both may have inscribed the 



