278 The Statural Hi/lory 



ings, puthimfelf on chinking of a nearer way : whereupon ha- 

 ving obferved the contrivance of the flitches by unravelling a 

 flocking, he defigned a Loom accordingly, which fucceeded fo 

 well, that (with but fmall alteration) it remains the fame to this 

 very day. 



168. And 'tis confidently vouched, that the Engine for cut- 

 ting of bandies of Knives, we commonly buy cut into thofe va- 

 rious figures,was firft invent ed^ndi practiced here in Oxford by Tho- 

 ma6 Pierce a Cutler, whofe apprentice now practices the fame Art 

 in London : But not with fo much accuracy as Robert Alder ano- 

 ther Cutler of Oxford, who only by obfervanceofthe others work, 

 andlongftudy, atlaft found it out alfo, and hath improved it 

 much: which two laft, as I am informed, are the only two per- 

 fins that can do this in England, perhaps I may fay ith' World. 

 Nor can I pafs by the Invention in the Coopers Trade, of making 

 barrels without hoops, whereof I found a ftecimen in St. Ebbs 

 Parifti Oxon. though 1 know the Invention belongs to another 

 place, of which more whenl come thither. 



169. For Improvements, 'tis certain that the Blanketing trade 

 of Witney is advanced to that height that no place comes near it ; 

 fome I know attribute a great part of the excellency of thefe 

 Blankets to the abflerfive nitrous water of the R'werWindrufi where- 

 with they are fcoured, as was mentioned before, cap. 2, . 12. 

 but others there are again that rather think they owe it to a pecu- 

 liar way of loofe (pinning the people have hereabout, perhaps they 

 may both concur to it : However it be, 'tis plain they are efteem- 

 ed fo far beyond all others, that this place has engroifed the whole 

 trade of the Nationtox: this Commodity ; in fo much that the wool 

 fit for their life, which is chiefly fell wooll (oft* from Sheep-skins^) 

 centers here from fome of the furthermoft parts of the Kingdom, 

 MQ from Rumney-marfi, Canterbury, Colchefter, Norwich, Exeter, 

 Leicefter, Northampton, Coventry, Huntington, &c. of which the 

 Blankgters, whereof there are at leaft threefcore in this Town, that 

 amongft them have at leaft 150 Looms, employing near 3000 poor 

 people, from children of eight years old, to decrepit old age, do 

 work out above a hundred packs of wool per week. 



170. This Fell wool they feparate into five or fix forts, z/i^. 

 long fell wooll, head wooll, bay wool, ordinary, middle, and tail wooll: 

 Long fell wooll they fend to Wells, Taunton, Tiverton, &c. for ma- 

 king 



