1. Distaff.—2. Roman Farthing.—3. Stone Money Weights.—4. Hand Mill. 5. Eastern Wine and Water Bottles.
The distaff was the instrument which wrought the materials for the robes of the Egyptian Kings, and for the "little coat" which Hannah made for Samuel; by it, too, were wrought the cloths, and other fabrics used in Solomon's temple. By reference to the above engraving, it will be seen that nothing can be more simple than this ancient instrument, which is a sort of wooden skewer, round which the flax is wrapped; it is then spun on the ground in the same manner as a boy's top, and the thread wrought off, and wound upon a reel shown in the foreground of the picture. "Querns," or stone hand-mills of various sizes, similar to that represented in our engraving, have been repeatedly found in connection with Roman, Saxon, and other ancient remains in this country. They are still to be met with in constant use over the greater part of India, in Africa, and also those districts of the East which are more particularly associated with Holy Writ. It may be worth while to mention that this description of mill is an improvement upon the method of simply crushing the corn laid on a flat stone with another held in the hand. The "Quern" is a hard stone roughly rounded, and partly hollowed, into which another stone, which has a handle, is loosely fitted. The corn required to be ground is placed in the hollow receptacle, and the inner stone is moved rapidly round, and, in course of time, by immense labour, the wheat &c. is ground into flour. The Scripture prophecies mention that of two women grinding at the mill, one shall be left, and the other taken—the two-handled mill will explain the meaning of this passage.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF REMARKABLE EVENTS.
- The following curious table is extracted literatim from Arthur Hopton's Concordancie of Years, 1615:—
- 1077.—A blazing star on Palm Sunday, nere the sun.
- 1100.—The yard (measure) made by Henry I.
- 1116.—The moone seemed turned into bloud.
- 1128.—Men wore haire like women.
- 1180.—Paris in France, and London in Englande, paued, and thatching in both left, because all Luberick was spoiled thereby with fire.
- 1189.—Robin Hood and Little John lived. This yeare London obtained to be gouerned by sheriffes and maiors.
- 1205.—By reason of a frost from January to March wheate was sold for a marke the quarter, which before was at 12 pence. Anno Regni 6. John.
- 1209.—London bridge builded with stone; and this yeare the citizens of London had a grant to choose them a maior.
- 1227.—The citizens of London had libertie to hunt a certain distance about the citie, and to passe toll-free through England.
- 1231.—Thunder lasted fifteen daies; beginning the morrow after St. Martin's day.
- 1233.—Four sunnes appeared, beside the true sunne, of a red colour.
- 1235.—The Jews of Norwich stole a boy and circumcised him, minding to have crucified him at Easter.
- 1247.—The king farmed Queene-hiue for fifty pounds per annum, to the citizens.
- 1252.—Great tempests upon the sea, and fearful; and this year the king (Henry III.) granted, that wheretofore the citizens of London were to present the maior before the king, wheresoeuer he were, that now barons of the exchequer should serue.
- 1292.—The Jewes corrupting England with vsury, had first a badge giuen them to weare, that they might be knowne, and after were banished to the number of 150,000 persons.
- 1313.—This yeare the king of France burned all his leporous and pocky people, as well men as women: for that he supposed they had poysoned the waters, which caused his leprosie. About this time, also, the Jews had a purpose to poyson all the Christians, by poysoning all their springs.
- 1361.—Men and beasts perished in diuers places with thunder and lightning, and fiends were seene speake unto men as they trauelled.
- 1372.—The first bailiffes, in Shrewsbury.
- 1386.—The making of gunnes found; and rebels in Kent and Essex, who entred London, beheaded all lawyers, and burnt houses and all bookes of law.
- 1388.—Picked shooes, tyed to their knees with siluer chaines were vsed. And women with long gownes rode in side-saddles, like the queene, that brought side-saddles first to England; for before they rode astrid.
- 1401.—Pride exceeding in monstrous apparrell.
- 1411.—Guildhall in London begun.
- 1417.—A decree for lantherne and candle-light in London.
- 1427.—Rain from the 1st of Aprill to Hollontide.
- 1510.—St. John's College in Cambridge being an ancient hostell, was conuerted to a college by the executors of the Countesse of Richmond and Derby, and mother of Henry VII., in this yeare, as her will was.
- 1552.—The new service book in English.
- 1555.—The first use of coaches in England.
- 1606.—The cawsies about London taken down.
- 1610.—Britaines Bursse builded. Hix Hall builded. Aldgate builded new. Sutton's Hospitall founded. Moore fields new railed and planted with trees. Westminster palace paued.
COCK-FIGHTING AT SCHOOLS.
Many years ago the scholars at our large schools had regular cock-fights, which would appear to have been an affair of the school, recognised by the masters, and the charges for which were defrayed by them, to be afterwards paid by the parents, just as some innocent excursions and festivities are managed now a days. The credit of the school was, without doubt, often involved in the proper issue of the fight.
Sir James Mackintosh, when at school at Fortrose in 1776-7, had this entry in his account, in which books were charged 3s. 6d.:—
To cocks'-fight dues for 2 years, 2s. 6d. each, 5s.