( M ) 
ftrange, that no Date of any Wilting Ihould have 
been produced in thofe Figures, or any other Ufe 
of them difcovered (except perhaps in fome mathe- 
matical Calculations, or Books of Arithmetic) long 
before the fourteenth Century ; and yet that a Date 
fhould be found, fo carved in a Piece of Wood, be- 
fore the Middle of the twelfth Century, for fo com- 
mon a Purpofe as the Mantle-tree of a Chimney. 
But upon a clofer Examination of the Characters, 
I found Reafon to think, this was not really the 
Cafe ; and that inftead of 1 1 3-3, they ought to be 
read 1133, what has been taken for a 1, being de- 
figned for a 1. This Reading feems to be confirm- 
ed by the Shape of the two 33 that follow it, 
lfom which, if the bottom Curve towards the right 
Hand (as it was often made formerly) was taken off, 
the upper Part would make the z. Which Agree- 
ment between thole Figures is not only ufual af 
prefent, but often found in Manufcriprs of the 
fourteenth and fifteenth Centuries. Though fome- 
times indeed ’tis otherwife ; and the z has an Angle 
at the Top, when the 3 is round, which would not 
fo well have fuited this fquare Hand. The Reafoa 
which occafioned the carrying this Date fo high, 
mufit, I prefume, have been the Similitude between 
the fimal! i over the preceding abreviated Word 
‘Domini and this 2. But though they appear to 
have fome Likenels, yet there is a manifeft Dif- 
ference between them \ for the 2 is much larger at 
the Top, where it has an Angle, and a Curve down- 
ward, that plainly diftinguilh it from the former. 
Could it be taken for a i» I Ihould much rather 
fiippofe it was defigned for a Letter than a Figure, 
