[l287] 
A Letter from W William NicoHon, to the Reve- 
rend Mr Walker, Mafter of Univerfity Coll : 
in Oxford; concerning a Runic Infcription at 
Beaucaftle. 
TIS now high time to make good my promife of 
giving you a more perfe<9: Account of our two 2^- 
nic Infcriptions at Beau-Cafile and Bridekirk* The for- 
mer is fallen into fuch an untoward part of our Country, 
and fo far out oi the common Road, that I could not 
much fooner have either an opportunity^or the Courage 
to look after it. I was affur'd by the Curate of the place, 
(a Perfon of good fence & Learning in greater matters,) 
that the Charadiers were io miferably worn out fince 
the I^otdi William Howards time, by whom they were 
communicated to H.Spelman,ScmQi\%\oncA by Wormim^ 
Mon.Dan.ip. 1 6 1,) that they were now wholly defaced, 
and nothing to be met with worth my while. The former 
part of this Relation I found to be true for (tho it ap« 
pears that the forementioned Infcription has bin much 
larger then Wbrmius has given it, yet) *tis at prefent fo 
far loft, that, in fix or feven lines, none of the Chariadiers 
are fairly difcernable, fave only n P ^ R j and thefe too 
are incoherent, and at great diftance from each other. 
However, this Epyftilium Cruets (as S'' H. Spelman^ in 
his Letter to Wormius^ has called it,) is to this day a 
noble Monument; and highly merits the View of a Cu- 
rious Antiquary. The beft account, S', lam able te 
give you of it, be p^eafed to take as follows. 
*Tis one entire Free-Stone of about five yards in 
heightiwafhed over(as theFont at Bridehirh^ with a white 
oyly Cement, to preferve it the better from the injuries 
Z z z of 
