DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0117
OP THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 89
in which wool, thus combed, is combined with cotton and with silk. The name " worsted"
is derived from a village in Norfolk, where these goods were first produced. These
fabrics are to be distinguished from " woollen cloths," the chief characteristic of which
is, that they undergo the well-known process of "felting" or " fulling." In opening up a
number of fleeces, a distinction is easily observable between the wool of short and that
of long staple. The short wool, if examined by a microscope, is noticeable for the
immense number of little feathery serrations, or imbrications on its surface, which enable
the individual fibres to be locked into one another by the felting process j and this wool
is accordingly most used for the production of woollen cloths. The longer wool does
not possess these serrations to the same extent, and is better suited for combing, the
object of which is to unravel all the fibres, and lay them smooth and even. From the
earliest times of English history, wool has always been regarded as our great national
raw material for woven goods. The mother of Alfred the Great is described, like the
virtuous woman spoken of in the Book of Proverbs, as busying herself diligently in
spinning wool. Of Edward the Elder, an old chronicler tells us, that whilst " he sette
his sons to schole, his daughters he sette to wool-werke." Nor was wool regarded with
less favour by our early sovereigns as a means of replenishing the royal exchequer.
No subsidies are more common as granted to the crown, than those on wool, and no
articles more frequent subjects of legislative interference than wool and its manufactures.
Amongst other instances of the wisdom of our ancestors it was at one time provided
that no wool " should be sold by any man of Scotland, or to any other to carry into
Scotland," under pain of life and member. A paternal government attempted to regu-
late the length, breadth, quality, and price of the cloth to be produced, and prescribed
the wages and diet of the artificers. There seems little doubt that the first great impulse
to our manufactures from wool of all kinds was given by the prudence and patriotism of
Edward III., who encouraged cloth-workers from Flanders to settle in Norfolk, York,
Kendal, and other places. It is scarcely to an ecclesiastical writer that we should look
for manufacturing details; yet the witty Fuller, in the third hook of his Church History,
so pleasantly describes this event, that I am sure our readers will pardon us for tran-
scribing the passage:—"The king and state began now to grow sensible of the great gain
the Netherlands got by our English wool: in memory whereof, the duke of Burgundy,
not long after, instituted the order of the Golden Fleece; wherein, indeed, the fleece
was ours, the gold theirs, so vast their emolument by the trade of clothing. Our king
therefore resolved, if possible, to reduce the trade to his own country, who, as yet, were
ignorant of that art, as knowing no more what to do with their wool than the sheep
that wear it, as to auy artificial and curious drapery; their best clothes then being no
better than friezes, such their coarseness for want of skill in their making. But soon
after followed a great alteration, and we shall enlarge ourselves in the manner thereof.
The intercourse now being great betwixt the English and the Netherlands (increased
of late, since king Edward married the daughter of the earl of Hainault), unsuspected
emissaries were deployed by our king into those countries, who wrought themselves
into familiarity with such Dutchmen as were absolute masters of their trade, but not
masters of themselves, as either journeymen or apprentices. These bemoaned the
slavishness of these poor servants, whom their masters used rather like heathens than
Christians; yea, rather like horses than men! Early up and late in bed, and all day
hard work and harder fare (a few herrings and mouldy cheese), and all to enrich the
churls their masters, without any profit unto themselves. But, Oh ! how happy should
they be if they would but come over into England, bringing their mystery with them,
which would provide their welcome in all places ! Here they should feed on fat beef and
mutton, till nothing but their fulness should stint their stomachs; yea, they should
vol. ii. 2 a
in which wool, thus combed, is combined with cotton and with silk. The name " worsted"
is derived from a village in Norfolk, where these goods were first produced. These
fabrics are to be distinguished from " woollen cloths," the chief characteristic of which
is, that they undergo the well-known process of "felting" or " fulling." In opening up a
number of fleeces, a distinction is easily observable between the wool of short and that
of long staple. The short wool, if examined by a microscope, is noticeable for the
immense number of little feathery serrations, or imbrications on its surface, which enable
the individual fibres to be locked into one another by the felting process j and this wool
is accordingly most used for the production of woollen cloths. The longer wool does
not possess these serrations to the same extent, and is better suited for combing, the
object of which is to unravel all the fibres, and lay them smooth and even. From the
earliest times of English history, wool has always been regarded as our great national
raw material for woven goods. The mother of Alfred the Great is described, like the
virtuous woman spoken of in the Book of Proverbs, as busying herself diligently in
spinning wool. Of Edward the Elder, an old chronicler tells us, that whilst " he sette
his sons to schole, his daughters he sette to wool-werke." Nor was wool regarded with
less favour by our early sovereigns as a means of replenishing the royal exchequer.
No subsidies are more common as granted to the crown, than those on wool, and no
articles more frequent subjects of legislative interference than wool and its manufactures.
Amongst other instances of the wisdom of our ancestors it was at one time provided
that no wool " should be sold by any man of Scotland, or to any other to carry into
Scotland," under pain of life and member. A paternal government attempted to regu-
late the length, breadth, quality, and price of the cloth to be produced, and prescribed
the wages and diet of the artificers. There seems little doubt that the first great impulse
to our manufactures from wool of all kinds was given by the prudence and patriotism of
Edward III., who encouraged cloth-workers from Flanders to settle in Norfolk, York,
Kendal, and other places. It is scarcely to an ecclesiastical writer that we should look
for manufacturing details; yet the witty Fuller, in the third hook of his Church History,
so pleasantly describes this event, that I am sure our readers will pardon us for tran-
scribing the passage:—"The king and state began now to grow sensible of the great gain
the Netherlands got by our English wool: in memory whereof, the duke of Burgundy,
not long after, instituted the order of the Golden Fleece; wherein, indeed, the fleece
was ours, the gold theirs, so vast their emolument by the trade of clothing. Our king
therefore resolved, if possible, to reduce the trade to his own country, who, as yet, were
ignorant of that art, as knowing no more what to do with their wool than the sheep
that wear it, as to auy artificial and curious drapery; their best clothes then being no
better than friezes, such their coarseness for want of skill in their making. But soon
after followed a great alteration, and we shall enlarge ourselves in the manner thereof.
The intercourse now being great betwixt the English and the Netherlands (increased
of late, since king Edward married the daughter of the earl of Hainault), unsuspected
emissaries were deployed by our king into those countries, who wrought themselves
into familiarity with such Dutchmen as were absolute masters of their trade, but not
masters of themselves, as either journeymen or apprentices. These bemoaned the
slavishness of these poor servants, whom their masters used rather like heathens than
Christians; yea, rather like horses than men! Early up and late in bed, and all day
hard work and harder fare (a few herrings and mouldy cheese), and all to enrich the
churls their masters, without any profit unto themselves. But, Oh ! how happy should
they be if they would but come over into England, bringing their mystery with them,
which would provide their welcome in all places ! Here they should feed on fat beef and
mutton, till nothing but their fulness should stint their stomachs; yea, they should
vol. ii. 2 a