Paper-Making
an account of paper-making from its earliest
known record down to the present time by
J.W. Butler Paper Company 1901
made in England or not) bore the royal arms, but later on, in
contempt of Charles I., a fool with cap and bells' was substituted
for the king's arms.
For some reason, the industry to paper-making languished in
England, and in 1670 the people of the "right little, tight little
island" were almost entirely dependent upon France for their
supply of the indispensable fabric, its manufacture, if carried on at
all in their own country, meeting with but slight success. In the ((
History of Commeret," by Anderson, published in I 690, it is
claimed that this was the date of the first manufacture of paper in
England, and that previous to this time England had bought
paper of her neighbor across the Channel to the amount of
£100,000 annually. The war with France occasioned such high
duties on foreign products as to make the cost of importation too
great; but, as sometimes happens, the temporary deprivation
was in course of time transmuted into a permanent benefit. The
way was opened for the home manufacturer, and the opportunity
was soon improved by French Protestant refugees, who, fleeing
for the establishment of a mill for the making of white writing-paper; in the following year it was stated, in an article in
the British Merchant," that hardly any but brown paper was manufactured, while in 1689, according to report, paper
became so scarce and high that all printing ceased. It is evident that up to the time when the patents of 1675 and
1685 were granted, the industry was in anything but a prosperous condition, existing only in brief and isolated
attempts at manufacture, and comprehended merely the crudest products.
The first British patent for paper-making was granted to Charles Hildegard, February, 1665, for the way and art of
making blue paper used by sugar bakers and others." A decade later, in January, 1675, was granted the second
patent, already referred to in this chapter, which was for the making of white paper for the use of writing and printing,
being a new manufacture and never before practiced in any way in any of our kingdoms or dominions." Another
decade intervened between the second and the third patents, the latter bearing the date of July 4, 1685, and being
cc for the true art and way of making English paper for writing, printing, and for other uses, both as good and
serviceable in all respects and as white as any French or Dutch paper.
A seeming contradiction of the statement of the second patent is found in Shakespeare's Henry VII., where Jack Cade,
in 1450, makes the accusation against Lord Say: Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in
erecting a grammar school, and whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou
hast caused printing to be used; and contrary to the king, his crown and his dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill." In
the same act Cade observes, "Is not this a lamentable thing, that, of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made
parchment; that parchment being scribbled o'er should undo a man?" thus making it evident that parchment and not
paper was in general use. Since, however, Shakespeare delineated Cade as a low, ignorant rebel, we are not
compelled to believe that he was necessarily truthful or historically correct in all his accusations. The charges put into
his mouth are intended to exhibit his ignorance, and his prejudice against all learning or refinement, extending even
to decency of dress and comportment.