As to the forms of the numerals, fashion played a leading part until printing was invented. This tended to fix these forms, although in writing there is still a great variation, as witness the French 5 and the German 7 and 9. Even in printing there is not complete uniformity,
and it is often difficult for a foreigner to distinguish between the 3 and 5 of the French types.
As to the particular numerals, the following are some of the forms to be found in the later manuscripts and in the early printed books.
1. In the early printed books "one" was often i, perhaps to save types, just as some modern typewriters use the same character for l and 1.[[587]] In the manuscripts the "one" appears in such forms as[[588]]
2. "Two" often appears as z in the early printed books, 12 appearing as iz.[[589]] In the medieval manuscripts the following forms are common:[[590]]
It is evident, from the early traces, that it is merely a cursive form for the primitive