THE EARLY POTTERIES OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 31 



with a dark yellow, which they use for their black wares, 

 being mixt with the 



3. Red blending clay, which is of a dirty red colour. 



4. White clay, so called it seems, though of a blewish colour, and 



used for making yellow-colour'd ware, because yellow is the 

 lightest colour they make any ware of. 



All which they call throwing clays, because they are of a closer 

 texture, and will work on the wheel. 



" 26. Which none of the three other clays they call Slips will 

 any of them doe, being of looser and more friable natures ; these, 

 mixt with water, they make into a consistence thinner than a 

 Syrup, so that being put into a bucket it will run out through a 

 Quill. This they call Slip, and is the substance wherewith they 

 paint their wares, whereof the 



1 . Sort is called the Orange Slip, which, before it is work't, is of 



a greyish colour, mixt with orange balls, and gives the ware 

 (when annealed) an orange colour. 



2. The White Slip : this, before it is work't, is of a dark blewish 



colour, yet makes the ware yellow, which being the lightest 

 colour they make any of, they call it, as they did the clay 

 above, the white slip. 



3. The Red Slip, made of a dirty reddish clay, which gives ware 



a black colour. 



Neither of which clays or slips must have any gravel or sand in 

 them. Upon this account, before it be brought to the wheel, they 

 prepare the clay by steeping it in water in a square pit till it be of 

 a due consistence ; then they bring it to their beating board, where, 

 with a long Spatula, they beat it till it be well mixt ; then, being 

 . first made into great squarish rolls, it is brought to the wageinn 

 board, where it is slit into thin flat pieces with a wire, and the least 

 stones or gravel pick't out of it. This being done, they wage it, 

 i.e. knead or mould it like bread, and make it into round balls pro- 

 portionable to their work ; and then 'tis brought to the wheel, and 

 formed as the workman sees good. 



" 27 , When the potter has wrought the clay either into hollow 

 or flat ware, they set it abroad to dry in fair weather, but by the 

 fire in foule, turning them as they see occasion, which they call 

 whaving. "When they are dry they stouTc them, i.e. put ears and 

 handles to such vessels as require them. These also being dry, they 

 slip, or paint them, with their sevcrall sorts of slip, according as 



