Monday, January 3, 2022

Counting Sheep

      The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers surrounded the life and family of Inigo Jones, Sr.  In this context members generally fell into two categories, i.e. freemen or liverymen.  It is unclear which group our Inigo (Sr.) belonged, but it was accepted that if either parent was a liveryman one could be admitted by patrimony.  Inigo (Jr.) seemed to have taken a different course later in his life, but he would have been born under these traditions in 1573.  Anyway, the clothworkers would depend on wool for their livelihood and business success.

      Peter Spufford in his book "Owner and Profit The Merchant In Medieval Europe" p. 326 states that "Apart from building materials, fuel and metals, the most significant raw materials to be carried about Europe were those destined to feed the textile industries, particularly the woollen cloth industry."  In addition, Frances and Joseph Giles in their book "Life In A Medieval Village" p. 65 indicates that "English wool was especially prized for its fineness, the most sought-after single characteristic of a fiber."  Again in Spufford's book just listed p. 328, he identifies "...the Welsh Marches which produced the very best wool in Western Europe...".

      Now counting the sheep, Spufford p. 326,  indicates that a stack of wool was very large, taking a whole wagon to hold a single sack of wool.  He states, "Each sack contained the wool of between 180 and 250  sheep, since fleeces varied greatly in weight." Just imagine what it would take to shear 188 to 250 sheep!  You certainly would not lose any sleep after this endeavor.

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