A sharp (or), at the beginning of a line, denotes that all the notes in that line are to be taken a semitone higher than in the natural series; and the same affects all the octaves above or below, though not marked; but when prefixed to any particular note, it shews that note alone to be taken a semitone higher than it would be without such character.

A flat note (b or ), this is contrary to the above, that is, a semitone lower.

When a natural note (or), in a line or a series of artificial notes, marked at the beginning b or happens to be required, it is denoted by this character. *

A single bar is a plain perpendicular line drawn across the staff, to divide the tune. A double bar consists of two such lines, somewhat thicker, and is usually placed at the end of the piece. When the double bar is dotted, it signifies Repeat.

In ancient music, the effect of the sharp was counteracted by the flat, and the flat by the sharp.

N.B. In the distribution of musical characters, care ought to be taken to save the edges of the traversing lines from being battered.

AMES OF NORFOLK.

ARMS.-Argent, a Boar's head couped, between three cross-croslets, Sable. CREST.-On a wreath, a Stag's head gorged with a wreath Argent and Sable; tied, and the ends hanging down at the back of the neck.

LAUNCELOT AMES, or AYMAS, a native of Norwich.

JOHN, born in the parish of St. Peter Mancroft, in Norwich, March 3, 1576; died April 17, 1647, aged 71.

judging whether the latter are not best adapted for this purpose. with flowers, in order that our readers may have an opportunity of usually cast for genealogical tables; the second portion is executed The first part of this Pedigree is composed with the characters

MARKS AND CHARACTERS USED IN DOMESDAY BOOK AND OTHER ANCIENT RECORDS.

Pre

It is an improvement of latter years only, to have type cast to resemble the abbreviations used in the more ancient manuscripts; they being formerly rudely imitated, either from a common fount, or else were cut in wood for the purposes of any particular work. The first punches for the Domesday letters were made by Mr. Thomas Cottrell, in facsimile of the original writing; but this plan was afterwards resigned, and gave place to the improved characters cut by Mr. Joseph Jackson, which were first used in 1783 for the edition of the Domesday Book, which occupied ten years in printing, in two vols. folio, at the press of Mr. Nichols, the types for which were destroyed by fire in 1808. vious to their destruction, however, they were used in Kelham's Introduction and Glossary to that Record. In 1800 an improved fount of Small Pica, and in 1805 a new Pica, of the modern Domesday characters now in use, were cut and cast by Mr. Figgins, (apprentice and successor of the aforesaid Mr. Jackson) for Messrs. Eyre and Strahan, his Majesty's printers, expressly for the purpose of printing the splendid and valuable publications of the Commission of Enquiry into the State of the Records of the Kingdom. * It is also an improvement, which seems a natural consequence of the former, that in most of the modern topographical works, the extracts from Domesday and the various ancient Charters, which are referred to, are printed with similar characters, and contractions; and in composing these a knowledge of their nature and use is evi

In the years 1807 and 1808, three new founts of Domesday characters were cut by Mr. Figgins (viz. Pica, Long Primer, and Brevier) for his Majesty's printers in Scotland, for the purpose of printing the Records of that portion of the Empire.

dently of the greatest importance. For this purpose, we have procured all the ancient characters now in existence which have hitherto been cast, and some we have had purposely engraved on blank metal shafts, in order to make our collection more complete. At the same time we do do not presume to offer the following series as a perfect list of Record abbreviations, but the reader will also remember that it is entirely a new feature in a typographical work, that even from the following a general idea of ancient contractions will be given to the young Compositor, and that if our production be not entitled to praise, we shall at least deserve it for our intentions.

It is hardly requisite to state that some knowledge of the Latin, Saxon, and Norman-French languages, are requisite to give even a guess at some abbreviated words; as otherwise they are frequently unintelligible; thus, Chr, is put for Chevalier, Knight, which would certainly remain incomprehensible if the language were not known; in the instance of Latin, it is next to impossible to understand the passage if this be the case; as a wrong termination of a word will frequently alter the sense of a whole paragraph. Practice and attention are the only means of arriving at perfection in this art; for no rules will generally apply, as abbreviations varied considerably at particular periods; we have however collected the following, and now offer them not as perfect guides, but only as indicators of the way. For the convenience of reference we have placed the characters in the margin, and have arranged them all in alphabetical order: after each article we have also stated whether it is peculiar to Domesday, or whether it is an abbreviation common to Charters or other Records: