( ) 
minions, does not feem to be the Inventor of the 
Chart re Membranacetf) fince Herodotus , who lived 
• long before his Time, informs us, that the lonians 
and other Nations Were ufed to write upon Goat and 
Sheep-Skins, Jofephus alfo tell us, that the Jews 
fent the ; ir Laws written upon Skins in Letters of Gold 
to Ptolomy\ by which it feems as if the writing up- 
on Skins was no new thing at that Time among the 
Jews. 
The Ufe of the' Pugillares was alfo very ancient, 
being mentioned by Homer , and among the Latins 
by Plautus . They Were made of all Sorts of Wood, 
Ivory, and Skins covered over with Wax. They were 
like wife of feveral Colours, as red, yellow, green, 
faffron. White, and others. Being waxed over, any 
thing was eafily wrote upon them by the Point 
of the Stylus , and as eafily rubb’d out, and al- 
ter’d by the flat Part of it. Sometimes thefe Pu- 
gillares were made of Gold, Silver, Brafe, or 
Lead, and then there was a Neceffity of an Iron 
Stylus to write or cut the Letters upon them, which 
explains that Paflage in the 19th Chapter of Job , 
Jpuis mihi det ut exarentur in libro , Stylo ferreo 
& plumbi lamina , vel celte fculpiintur in Silice. 
They confided fometimes of two, three, five, or more 
Pages, and thence were called Diplices> Priplices , 
QuintUplices , and Multiplices \ and by the Greehs y 
AnrTi/^, T£,t7r7y^6, & C . 
The Diptychs and Priptychs that were covered 
with Wax, ferved only for common Occurrences, the 
other Sorts received every thing elfe that was wrote 
upon Charts or Membran<$ y and were fometimes 
called 
