“You may then notice what was evidently an addition of later times, the highly ornamented gilt-silver work, made fast on the remains of the brass box, and the chased compartments, which seem to have formed the top or lid of the box.  But, as you have seen the whole, I need not perhaps have troubled you with this description.  I shall only direct your attention to the two inscriptions.  In the chasing you will see that they are referred to their supposed places.

“The upper inscription, when deciphered, is—­

“‘Johannes:  O’Karbri:  Comorbanus:  S. Tignacii:  Pmisit.’  For S. Tigcnaii I would conjecture St. Ignacii:  P, I should conjecture to be Presbyterus.  On this I. should be very glad to have Sir William’s opinion.  I cannot imagine, if P stands part of a compound with misit, what it can mean.  I would read and translate it thus—­’John O’Carbery, coadjutor, priest, of the order of St. Ignatius, sent it.’

“This inscription, is on a narrow slip of silver, and is presumed to have formed part of the under edge of the upper part of the back of the box.  The lower inscription is—­;

“‘Johannes O’Barrdan fabricavit.’

“This also is on a slip of silver, and appears to have fitted into a space on the upper surface which is supposed to have been the top, and to have lain in between the two square compartments on the left hand:  this is marked in the drawing.  I have expressed myself here in the language of doubt, for the box is all in confusion.

“Now, on the inscriptions, I would say, that they indicate to me a date much later than some gentlemen who have seen the box are willing to ascribe to it.  In the island of Devenish, in our lake (Lough Erne), is an inscription, that was discovered in the ruins (still standing) of a priory, that was built there A. D. 1449.  The characters in this inscription are much more remote from the Roman character in use among us than those used in the inscriptions on the box.  The letters on the box bespeak a later period, when English cultivation had begun to produce some effect in our island, and the Roman character was winning its way into general use.  I shall probably be able to let you see the Devenish inscription, and ajuxta position of it and the others will satisfy you, I think, on this point.  In my opinion, then, the box, with all its ornaments, must have been made at some time since the year 1449.  I cannot think it reasonable to suppose that an inscription, containing many letters like the Roman characters, should be more ancient than one not only having fewer letters resembling them, but also having the letters that differ differing essentially.”

Now for the MSS.