198 THE MARBLERS 



and the local habitation of the body is, according to the articles, 

 within the town of Corfe Castle ; near to which the vein of Pur- 

 beck marble seems mainly to have been worked. In a later set 

 of articles, provision is made for the foot-ball to be carried to 

 Owre, " as also a present to be made of one pound of pepper as 

 an acknowledgment in order to preserve the company's right to 

 the way or passage to Owre key according to antient and usual 

 custom." This is still done, though the value of the passage, 

 along which the marble used to be drawn in sledges from Wilks- 

 wood to Owre can hardly be worth, in a commercial point of 

 view, even the pound of pepper. 



The Articles in question are entitled, "Articles of Agree- 

 ment made on stampt parchment according to a late Act of 

 Parliament which are to be performed used and kept by the 

 whole Company of Marblers Inhabiting within the Towne of 

 Corfe Castle and the Island of Purbeck in the County of Dorset," 

 &c. Dated at Corfe Castle this Shrove Tuesday the Eighth 

 day of March Anno Dom. 1697-.8 



Their provisions are the same in substance with those of the 

 older ones above set out. The carrying of the foot-ball is also 

 therein directed. 



The ninth article speaks of the "Stock" of the Company. 

 That the Wardens which are to be chosen yearly according to 

 usual and ancient practice, shall have power, by and with the 

 consent of the said Company, to put out any part of the Com- 

 pany's Stock remaining in their hands from time to time, at 

 interest, upon good and sufficient security, for the advantage 

 and benefit of the said Company. * 



At the close of these articles is an interesting set of pro- 

 visions, intended to meet the difficulties under which the trade 

 laboured from being in the hands of so numerous small dealers 

 possessed of no capital. It was therefore attempted to place 

 the whole trade on the footing of a Joint Stock Company, se- 

 curing to the smaller Quarriers, a fixed payment per foot for 

 their Stone ; the larger dealers feeling assured of their power 



* This Stock, here named, so far as I have seen for the first time, 

 would appear to have been the proceeds of the fines and payments on 

 entrance and marriage. 



