ROPE, CORDAGE, AND LINE. 603 



years. In the last it falls, a fact which has been frequently 

 noticed in other articles. 



In early years the rope which is used for ringing bells was 

 also employed for such clocks as were in existence. But in 

 course of time, a finer and stronger article, sometimes called 

 spun line, was used for timepieces and for small bells. This 

 finer and more tightly twisted cord is not expressly mentioned 

 in a period earlier than this, though it appears that there were 

 differences of quality and price in ship stores of rope and line, 

 which indicate that a considerable number of varieties were 

 known and distinguished. 



The first entry of the kind is white line bought at Rochester 

 by the hundred, at >/d. a pound, or more than double the price 

 of rope. The next time in which this higher-priced line is 

 bought is in 1600, when it is again at 7*/., or double the average 

 price of rope. In 1629 it is at ivd. the pound ; in 1631 at an 

 average of us. ^d. the dozen pounds, or more than double the 

 price of rope. In 1633 it is at u., and we are told that it was 

 bought for the Saint's bell, or little bell. From 1637 it is 

 described as clock-rope or clock-line. In 1649 it is called 

 pulley-line, but the common name is clock-line. 



The highest price at which this clock-line is purchased is in 

 1656 and 1663, when it costs is. 6d. a pound. This is again 

 double the price of rope at Eton, and more than double that 

 at Winchester. And here it may be observed that within 

 those places which are under the influence of London prices 

 the cost of rope is very uniform, and that it is generally 

 cheaper in more remote places. 



Entries of cordage from the various dockyards are numerous 

 but interrupted. Cordage is generally the same price as rope, 

 but is priced by the cwt. or ton. It was, it seems, bought as 

 it came from the rope-maker's hands, and was subsequently 

 tarred in the ship-yards, the quantity of tar which cordage 

 took by the ton being calculated by the officials. Cordage 

 however varies very considerably in quality and even in price 

 year by year. The highest prices which I have found are at 



