Notes and Queries, Number 59, December 14, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 59, December 14, 1850
Various

Various

Notes and Queries, Number 59, December 14, 1850

NOTES

THE FIRST PAPER-MILL IN ENGLAND

In the year 1588, a paper-mill was established at Dartford, in Kent, by John Spilman, "jeweller to the Queen." The particulars of this mill are recorded in a poem by Thomas Churchyard, published shortly after its foundation, under the following title:—

"A description and playne discourse of paper, and the whole benefits that paper brings, with rehearsall, and setting foorth in verse a paper-myll built near Darthforth, by an high Germaine, called Master Spilman, jeweller to the Queene's Majyestie."

The writer says:

"(Then) he that made for us a paper-mill,
Is worthy well of love and worldes good will,
And though his name be Spill-man, by degree,
Yet Help-man now, he shall be called by mee.
Six hundred men are set at work by him,
That else might starve, or seeke abroade their bread;
Who now live well, and go full brave and trim,
And who may boast they are with paper fed."

In another part of the poem Churchyard adds:

"An high Germaine he is, as may be proovde,
In Lyndoam Bodenze, borne and bred,
And for this mille, may heere be truly lovde,
And praysed, too, for deep device of head."

It is a common idea that this was the first paper-mill erected in England; and we find an intelligent modern writer, Mr. J.S. Burn, in his History of the Foreign Refugees, repeating the same erroneous statement. At page 262, of his curious and interesting work be says:

"The county of Kent has been long famed for its manufacture of paper. It was at Dartford, in this county, that paper was first made in England."

But it is proved beyond all possibility of doubt that a paper-mill existed in England almost a century before the date of the establishment at Dartford. In Henry VII.'s Household Book, we have the following:—

"1498. For a rewarde geven at the pulper-mylne, 16s. 8d."

Again:—

"1499. Geven in rewarde to Tate of the Mylne, 6s. 8d."

And in Bartholomeus de Proprietatibus Rerum, printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1495, mention is made of a paper-mill near Stevenage, in the county of Hertford, belonging to JOHN TATE the younger, which was undoubtedly the "mylne" visited by Henry VII.

The water-mark used by John Tate was an eight-pointed star within a double circle. In the twelfth volume of the Archæeologia, p. 114., is a variety of fac-similes of water-marks used by our early paper makers, exhibited in five large plates, but is not a little singular that the mark of John Tate is omitted.

    EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

SPECIMENS OF FOREIGN ENGLISH

The accompanying specimens of foreign English you may perhaps consider worth a corner among the minor curiosities of literature:—

Basle.—

"Bains ordinaires et artificiels, tenu par B. Sigemund, Dr. in medicine, Basle. In this new erected establishment, which the Owner recommends best to all foreigners are to have,—Ordinary and artful baths, russia and sulphury bagnios, pumpings, artful mineral waters, gauze lemonads, fournished apartments for patients."

Cologne. Title-page in lithograph.

"Remembrance on the Cathedral of Cologne.—A collection of his most remarkable monumens, so as of the most artful ornamous and precious hilts of his renaconed tresory. Draconed and lithographed by Gerhardt Levy Elkan and Hallersch, collected by Gerhd. Emans."

Augsburg, Drei Mohren Hotel. Entry in travellers' book.

"January 28. 1815.—His Grace Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, &c. &c. &c. Great honour arrived at the beginning of this year to the three Moors: this illustrious warrior, whose glorious atchievements, which, cradled in Asia, have filled Europe with his renown, descended in it."

Mount Etna. Printed notice found attached to the wall of one of the rooms in the Casa degl' Inglesi, Mount Etna, October, 1844:

"In consequence of the damage suffered in the house called English set on the Etna for the reprehensible conduct of some persons there recovered, the following provisional regulations are prescribed, authorized, and granted to M. Gemmellaro[1 - The name of this gentleman will be recognised by some of the readers of NOTES AND QUERIES as that of a most indefatigable explorer of the wonders of the mountain, and the author, in the Transactions of the Catanian Academy., of excellent descriptions of its recent eruptions.], who has the key of the mentioned house for his labour, honour, and money spent to finish such edifice, besides his kind reception for travellers curious to visit the mountain.

I. Any person desirous to get the key of the house is requested to apply to M.G., and in case of his absence, to … signing his name, title, and country, in the same time tell the guide's and muleteer's name, just to drive away those have been so rough to spoil the moveables and destroy the stables … are the men to be particularly remarked.

II. Nobody is admitted without a certificate of M.G., which will assure to have received his name, &c. &c., except those are known by the fore-going strangers.

III. According to the afore-mentioned articles, nobody will take the liberty to go in the house and force the lock of the door: he will really suffer the most severe punishment fixed against violence.

IV. Is not permitted to any body to put mules in the rooms destined for the use of people, notwithstanding the insufficiency of stables. It is forbidden likewise to dirtes the walls with pencil or coal. M.G. will procure a blank book for those learned people curious to write their observations. A particular care must be taken for the moveables settled in the house.

V. The house must be left clean and without fire, to avoid conflagration; it is forbidden to leave rooms or windows opened, as the house has been lately damaged by the winds, snow, sand, &c. &c.; the aforementioned A.D., M.N. are imputed of negligence and malice: persons neglecting to execute the above article will be severely punished, and are obliged to pay damages and expences.

VI. As soon as the traveller returns at Nicolosi, either to S. Nicolo l'Arena, will immediately deliver the key to M.G., as it commonly happens that foreigners are waiting for it. A certificate must be likewise delivered, declaring that the afore-mentioned regulations have been exactly executed. It is likewise proper and just to reward M. Gem. for the expense of moveables, money, &c, &c., and for the advantage travellers may get to examine the Volcan, for better than Empedocli, Amodei, Fazelli, Brydon, Spallanzani, and great many others. M. Gemm. has lately been authorized to deny the key whenever is unkindly requested. He is also absolutely obliged to inform the gen. of the army, who is determined to punish with rigour their insolence."

Mount Sinai.—(On the fly-leaf of the travellers' book.)

"Here in too were inscribed as in one legend, all whose in the rule of the year come from different parts, different cities and countries, pilgrims and travellers of any different rank and religion or profession, for advise and notice thereof to their posterity, and even also in owr own of memory acknowledging. 1845, Mount Sinai."

    VIATOR.

FOLK LORE

May-dew.—Every one has heard of the virtues of "May-dew," but perhaps the complex superstition following may be less generally known. A respectable tradesman's wife in this town (Launceston) tells me that the poor people here say that a swelling in the neck may be cured by the patient's going before sunrise, on the 1st of May, to the grave of the last young man who has been buried in the church-yard, and applying the dew, gathered by passing the hand three times from the head to the foot of the grave, to the part affected by the ailment.[2 - If the patient be a woman, the grave chosen must be that of the last young man buried, and that of the last young woman in the case of a man patient.] This was told me yesterday in reply to a question, whether the custom of gathering "May-dew" is still prevailing here. I may as well add, that the common notion of improving the complexion by washing the face with the early dew in the fields on the 1st of May extensively prevails in these parts; and they say that a child who is weak in the back may be cured by drawing him over the grass wet with the morning dew. The experiment must be thrice performed, that is, on the mornings of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of May. I find no allusion to these specific applications of "May-dew" in Ellis's Brand.

    H.G.T.

Piskies.—An old woman, the wife of a respectable farmer at a place called "Colmans," in the parish of Werrington, near Launceston, has frequently told my informant before-mentioned of a "piskey" (for so, and not pixy, the creature is called here, as well as in parts of Devon) which frequently made its appearance in the form of small child in the kitchen of the farm-house, where the inmates were accustomed to set a little stool for it. It would do a good deal of household work, but if the hearth and chimney corner were not kept neatly swept, it would pinch the maid. The piskey would often come into the kitchen and sit on its little stool before the fire, so that the old lady had many opportunities of seeing it. Indeed it was a familiar guest in the house for many months. At last it left the family under these circumstances. One evening it was sitting on the stool as usual, when it suddenly started, looked up, and said,—

"Piskey fine, and Piskey gay,
Now Piskey! run away!"