Building Trades  Book III, Chapter 8, Section 3
 
3. Now for a few Instruments and Tools belonging to Labouring Artificers, as Masons, Bricklayers, Pavers, Slaters and Plasterers.


Crane
 LXVII. He beareth on a Ground Plot fixed to the Dexter Base, an Engine called a Crane. This is a thing like a Wind Mill House, fixed near to the Key of a great or Navigable River, by the help whereof great and massy weights are taken off the Shoar, and laid in Ships; and so on the contrary from the Ship to the Land, by the strength of one Man.


Turn Engine
 LXVIII. He beareth an Engine called a Turne, or the Turne Engine. This is another thing by which great Weights are lifted up, and is much used for the taking up of large Mill-stones of the Mill, when they are to be new Picked.


Windlass
 LXIX. He beareth a Windlass. This is a third sort of Engine, used much by Masons, Carpenters, Plummers, Brick-layers, and such like Artificers, for the lifting up of massy Weights to the top of Houses, Churches and Steeples, by the help of Ropes and Pulleys fixed on high.


Paver's pick
 LXX. He beareth a Pick. This is also termed a Pavers Pick; and of some a Pick-Axe. It hath a long head and back part, that it may strike deep into the ground: There are other sorts of them as they have been made of old, as numb. 72, 73, 74 but this is the modern shape of them.


Mattock
 LXXI. He beareth a Mattock. This is an Instrument by which Labourers do dig and sink into the Earth withal, when it is hard and stony, or of a Clay like substance; the one end of it being broad, and the other sharp pointed.


Paver's pick
  LXXII. He beareth a Pavers Pick. This is an Ancient Pavers Pick, having the handle to go into a socket at the head end of the Iron.


Paver's pick
 LXXIII. He beareth an old fashioned Pavers Pick, with a short flat face. This I drew from an old Coat. but could not learn the name of the Bearer.


Billet
 In this square I have caused a Billet to be set, of which I shall say more, numb.82. This by Mr Gwillim taken to be a Paper folded up in form of a Letter.


Paver's pick
 LXXIV. He beareth a Pavers Pick pointed at both ends. This much resembles the Mill Pick, only this difference there is, that goes through the Stock or Handle, and is there wedged; this the handle goeth into the eye or socket of the Iron, and is secured there that it move not.


Slater's hatchet
 LXXV. He beareth a Slaters, or a Plasterers Hatchet. This is a kind of Hammer-Hatchet, the one end being made like the Hammer face, cross nicked, like a rough File, and the other end like an Hatchet, so that it is made both to drive Nails, and cut Laths or other small Timber.


Mason's mallet
 LXXVI. He beareth a Masons Mallet; between two Wedges. The Mallet, when it is large and a long Stail or Handle, is termed a Maul by Wood Men; but a Commander by Masons and Stone Getters: Also that term Carpenters give it, who use it with an handle about 3 foot or more long, to knock on the corners or Framed work, to set them in their places.


Trowel
  LXXVII. He beareth a Trowel and a Brick-Axe of the second. The Brick-layers have several names for this kind of Axe; it is called a Salter, a Cutting Axe, with the denomination of Bricklayers added thereunto; else by the term, it would be taken for a contrary thing.


Brick layer's plumb rule
 LXXVIII. He beareth a Brick-layers or Masons Plumb Rule; with Line and Plummet pendant between one of their Joynters, and a Cutting Axe of Salter. These are all Instruments and Working Tools belonging most especially to Brick-men.
The Plumb-Rule sheweth him whether his Walling doth range straight, and stand upright; which if neither, there may be a timely mending.


Jointer
 The Joynter, is to make smooth the Joints between the laying of each Brick or Stone.


Salter
 The Salter or Brick Axe, or Cutting Axe, is to cut the rough and knotty places of Bricks, to make them lye flat and even in the Bed of Mortar; but more especially it is used for the Camphering or cutting of Bricks, for Cornishes and Splaying of an Angle, or rebating or a Corner, and such like, where Bricks are sometimes cut half or quarter round, sometimes square, &c.


Level
 LXXIX. He beareth a Level; with its Line and Plummet; in chief a pointing Trowel. This is called also a Water Level; the use is to lay all ground Plots streight and even, and therefore much esteemed by Carpenters, Pavers, and other Trades-men, which have occasion to lay any Flats, that they may be laid without swellings of fallings.


Pointing trowel
  Image from published plate
A Pointing Trowel, is long and narrow in the flat or face part, with which Joints and Creeks and Crevices, are filled with Plaster and Mortar.


Level
 LXXX. He beareth a Level, with the Line and Plummet pendant. This is the only Level without any addition or Substraction, being an instrument that will plainly declare the fall and rising of the parts it stands upon, thereby to make it even with less difficulty.


Billet
 LXXXI. In this quarter I have placed three sorts of Billets or Stones for Masons work, as I have seen them drawn of old, which for distinction may be thus termed.
The first a square Billet, or a square Stone Billet, or a square Ashler, because it is four square in its breadth, and being long makes it to be Blazoned a Billet, which is any thing, be it Paper, Wood, or Stone, or any Metal that is square and long; or a long square.


Billet
Proof plate Image from proof plate
The second is a Billet, or a Stone Billet; Masons and Brick layers in their terms will call it either an Ashler, or a Brick, or a Brick Bat, because the breadth is larger than the thickness, and the length more than the squareness.


Billet
Proof plate Image from proof plate
The third is a Billet made after the old manner, rather square than long; and hath been termed, as thus it stands, both a Billet, and a Stone Billet. This is by Artists called a Parallel side Billet, or a Bevile Billet, because the sides are of an equal length, but the ends run askew.


Brick
Proof plate Image from proof plate
LXXXII. He beareth a Brick and a Tile: These are severally termed by Work-men, both ancient and modern, as The first is called a Brick, or a Brick Stone, or Brick-Bat, whose whole thickness is not half that of the breadth, being a long square, having the Angles right but not of equal length, the sides oblong to the ends.


Tile
Proof plate Image from proof plate
The second is a Tile, or a square Tile, whose superficies is of an equal breadth, but much short of it in the solid or thickness. Some term this a Delfe, because of its squareness, but in a Delfe there is nothing of a thickness to be seen as there is in this; for in these things you are to take notice that there is a great difference in things of thickness or substance, and the like things which carry no thickness at all; as in this of the Tile and a Delfe, a Fess couped and a Humett; as lib.1. cap.4. numb. 63. 64. and of a Billet and a Stone, and a Billet or an Ashler, as numb.73. 81. 82.


Roman tile
Proof plate Image from proof plate
LXXXIII. He beareth a Roman Tile and a Stone Billet, the latter charged with an Imbossed Work of Flowers and Branches. The first is termed a Roman Tile, by reason such have been often found in the Earth with Roman Letters upon them, made as is very certain by the Roman Legion Soldiers when they Inhabited these parts: Several have been found in Vaults and Cellars in Chester, having these Letters moulded thereon, LEG. XXV. V. signifying Legio, Vicessimus Quintus, Victrix; that the 25 Legion called Victrix was Quartered here. These Tiles are generally a foot or 14 Inches square.


Stone billet
Proof plate Image from proof plate
The second is a Stone Billet adorned with Carved Work, which kind of Bilets are often born by the Germans and Dutchmen.


Bundle of laths
 LXXXIV. He beareth a Fasce, or Bundle, or Bunch of Laths. See lib.2. cap.3. numb.86.


Wheel barrow
 LXXXV. He beareth a Wheel-Barrow. This is an Instrument much used by Workmen of the Trowel, for the Transporting of their Materials (or the work) from place to place; though the thing carried be of great Burthen, yet by the help thereof, and the Labour of one Man, it is with much ease brought to the place designed.


Pick
  Image from published plate
In the chief of this square, is another kind of Pick than what is mentioned formerly, having nothing but a sharp point, and an eye at the contrary end to fix an Handle in.


Barrow
 LXXXVI. He beareth a Barrow. This is also termed a Bearing Barrow, because Burthens are carried on it between two persons: Also an Hand-Barrow, being supported by hands, to distinguish it from the Barrow that runneth upon a Wheel.


Paver's mall
 LXXXVII. He beareth a Pavers Malve, or Maule. This I found among a parcel of Dutch Coats. And I could give it no fitter a term, seeing it hath the near resemblance of the Pavers Mauls used in our Country; by means whereof the Paved Stones are beaten and driven close together into the ground.


Paver's mall
 LXXXVIII. He beareth a Pavers Maul, or Mall, or Mallet, of some termed a Driver. Here I have set two forms of making them, the one a solid piece of Timber with a handle set on the side, for the more easie lifting of it, having a place on the top for the other hand, to hold it also by. The other being a Chub or Log of Wood, with a Staile or Stake fixed therein, and a Handle on the side, to lift it up thereby, but the former is more used.


Plasterer's whitening brush
 LXXXIX. He beareth a Plasterers Whitening Brush. These kind of Artificers have generally two sorts of Brushes, the one set crooked or bending on the end of a Staff, which is put into it, according to that length the Work-Man is to reach. The other is an Hand-Brush, having an Handle about half a yard or longer (for shorter they are not to use) by which they lay Whiting and Russet, within their own compass or reaching, which kind of Brush is here set in the second place of this quarter. See chap.9. numb.160.


Previous section   Next section

 

 
icon  Back to Main Text and Picture index  

[Table of Contents] [Picture Index] [Image List]
[Table of Subjects] [Text Index]   [Ms Pages]
[Introduction: Randle Holme and The Academy of Armory] [Introduction: Editing the CD-ROM]
[Copyright details] [Site map] [Guided Tour]



icon  © 2000 The British Library Board