( '3-5 > 
IV. Remarks npoti an Antient Date^ over 
a Gale-way , near the Cathedral, at Wor- 
cefter. <By John Ward, Rhet. frof. Grejh. 
and F. R* S. 
PON the 27th of February laft, I had the 
Honour to lay before this Society a Paper, 
Containing fome Remarks upon an antient Date, 
carved in Wood, that was found at Widgel Hall 
near Bmtingford in Hertfordjhire , with the Cha- 
racters S85i<S; which had been read 1016, fuppofed 
to be mixed Numbers, the 05 Roman , and the two 
others Arabian or Indian , as they are indifferently 
called. This led me to confider two other Dates of 
the like Kind, formerly publilhed in the ‘Phiiofopht- 
cal Traiijacitons ; one found at Helmdon in 
Northamptonjhire , in mixed Characters exprefling, 
as was thought, 05 1 3 3 ; and the other at Colchejier , 
laid to denote the Year 1090, wholly m Arabian 
Figures. But upon learching into the Origin of thole 
Figures, and the Time when they were firft brought 
into thefe Parts of the World, I could meet with no 
Examples of them in any Manufcripts, before lome 
Copies of Johannes de Sacro Bofco (mentioned by 
Dr. Wallis) who died in the Year 1256, which was 
12.3 Years after the lateft of the three Dates above- 
mentioned. As it could not therefore but feem very 
ltrange, that Workmen Ihould have made Ule of thole 
Figures for fuch common Purpofes, lb long before 
they appear in the Writings of the Learned} fo upon 
a 
