 In Alyngton’s view, the seven species of quantity correspond to the seven possible ways of measuring the being (esse) of the material substance. In fact, substance has two main kinds of being: permanent and in succession. And both of them can be either discrete or continuous. In turn, the being permanent and continuous of material substance can be measured either from inside or from outside. If from inside, then in three different modes: according to one, two or all the three dimensions proper to material substances. In the first case, the measure is line, in the second surface, and in the third solid. If it is measured from outside, then it is place. The being of material substance which is permanent and discrete is measured by numbers. The being which is in succession and continuous is measured by time. And finally, the being of substance which is in succession and discrete is measured by the quantity called ‘speech’ (oratio) (In Cat., cap. de quantitate, fol. 107r–v).