Many thanks Audrey. I think you are quite right that the word is "p[re]d[icto]". I couldn't make out the squiggle between the p and the d which seemed to change shape every time I saw it. Now that it has been explained it all makes perfect sense. Debbie In a message dated 17/10/2006 21:12:50 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Dear Debbie I should think it is pdt, abbreviated for predicto, i.e. anno predicto = the year aforesaid. In other words, it just means that it is 1691, as written at the beginning of the entry. Audrey