BUILDING CONVENIENCES. 68 1 



the Bodleian Library (Rawlinson, A) as necessary for the 

 construction of the Admiralty docks at Chatham and Deptford, 

 and actually purchased for repairs by the City of London in 

 1630 at 4s. the bushel. At this time I believe the sole source 

 of hydraulic lime was Italy, the German material not having 

 been yet discovered, still less the lias product of the Midland 

 Counties. Masons' buckets were bought in 1623 at yd. each. 



A pump was a rather expensive affair. In 1584 it cost 41 s. ; 

 in 1629, 40s. M. ; in 1632, 463. In 1650 however King's College 

 pays 24s. 6d. for this convenience, and Oriel College 30^. But 

 in 1698 Winchester College, near enough one would think to 

 water, spends $8s. 6d. on one antlia, and in 1699 84?. on another. 



Glue, employed for carpenters' and joiners' work, is still pur- 

 chased, from the first year till nearly the last, at intervals. 

 The earliest price is 35. 6d. a dozen, and it rapidly rises to 6s. 

 at the beginning of the seventeenth century. It drops twice 

 to 5?., but in 1654 rises to 8s. But the next year it is again 

 6s. t and it remains at this price till the last entry in 1697. 

 Pitch was also employed, especially to caulk decks of ships, 

 and though not so obviously related to building materials, may 

 be discussed here. The price varies from year to year, from 

 is. $\d. the dozen to 5$-. It does not tend to increase in price 

 as time goes on. It is generally bought by the pound, but 

 occasionally by the stone. It is purchased by the dockyards 

 in large quantities, and here by the last. 



Among implements are hand-saws, purchased, generally by 

 the dockyards, at from 4^. to 6s. the dozen, between 1589 and 

 1 630 ; sawyers' saws, once at 2J., and stone saws, at prices 

 ranging from 5^. to is. 4^., the difference of price being in all 

 likelihood due to the size. In 1594 a ' new gimlet' is bought 

 in London for is. 6d., the first occasion on which I have noted 

 the use of this tool, and in 1600 a file at 3< l 



But the most significant of these purchases is that of locks. 



1 Some significant illustrations of the difference between roofing and building 

 lead are to be found in the building accounts of Westminster Abbey ; Addenda, 

 vol. vi. 



