Chapter VII: Preface (4)

The _Father_ of the _Chappel_ drinks first of _Chappel Drink_, except some other Journey-man have a _Token_; viz. Some agreed piece of Coin or Mettle markt by consent of the _Chappel_: for then producing that _Token_, he Drinks first. This _Token_ is always given to him who in the Round should have Drank, had the last _Chappel-drink_ held out. Therefore when _Chappel-drink comes in_, they generally say, _Who has the Token?_

Though these Customs are no _Solaces_; yet the _Chappel_ Excommunicates the delinquent; and he shall have no benefit of _Chappel-money_ till he have paid.

It is also Customary in some Printing-houses that if the _Compositer_ or _Press-man_ make either the other stand still through the neglect of their contracted Task, that then he who neglected, shall pay him that stands still as much as if he had Wrought.

The _Compositers_ are Jocosely call’d _Galley Slaves_: Because allusively they are as it were bound to their _Gallies_.

And the _Press-men_ are Jocosely call’d _Horses_: Because of the hard Labour they go through all day long.

An Apprentice when he is Bound pays half a Crown to the _Chappel_, and when he is made Free, another half Crown to the _Chappel_; but is yet no Member of the _Chappel_; And if he continue to Work Journey-work in the same House, he pays another half Crown, and is then a Member of the _Chappel_.

A _Founding-House_ is also call’d a _Chappel_: But I suppose the Title was originally assum’d by _Founders_, to make a Competition with _Printers_.

The Customes used in a _Founding-House_ are made as near as may be to those of a _Printing-house_: but because the Matter they Work on, and the manner of their Working is different, therefore such different Customes are in Use, as are suitable to their Trade, As

_First_, To call _Mettle_ Lead, a Forfeiture.

_Secondly_, A Workman to let fall his _Mold_, a Forfeiture.

_Thirdly_, A Workman to leave his Ladle in the _Mettle_ Noon or Night, a Forfeiture.

The Printers of _London_, Masters and Journey-men have every Year a general Feast, which since the re-building of _Stationers Hall_ is commonly kept there. This Feast is made by four Stewards, _viz._ two Masters and two Journey-men; which Stewards, with the Collection of half a Crown apiece of every Guest, defray the Charges of the whole Feast; And as they Collect the Half-Crowns, they deliver every Guest a Ticket, wherein is specified the Time and Place they are to meet at, and the Church they are to go to: To which Ticket is affixed the Names and Seals of each Steward.

It is commonly kept on or about _May-day_: When, about ten a Clock in the Morning they meet at _Stationers Hall_, and from thence go to some Church thereabouts; Four Whifflers (as Servitures) by two and two walking before with White Staves in their Hands, and Red and Blew Ribbons hung Belt-wise upon their left Shoulders. These go before to make way for the Company. Then walks the Beadle of the Company of _Stationers_, with the Companys Staff in his Hand, and Ribbons as the Whifflers, and after him the Divine (whom the Stewards before ingag’d to Preach them a Sermon) and his Reader. Then the Stewards walk by two and two, with long White Wands in their Hands, and all the rest of the Company follows, till they enter the Church.

Then Divine Service begins, Anthems are Sung, and a Sermon Preached to suit the Solemnity: Which ended, they in the same order walk back again to _Stationers Hall_; where they are immediately entertain’d with the City Weights and other Musick: And as every Guest enters, he delivers his Ticket (which gives him Admittance) to a Person appointed by the Stewards to receive it.

The Master, Wardens and other Grandees of the Company (although perhaps no Printers) are yet commonly invited, and take their Seats at the upper Table, and the rest of the Company where it pleases them best. The Tables being furnsh’d with variety of Dishes of the best Cheer: And to make the entertainment more splendid is Usher’d in with Loud Musick. And after Grace is said (commonly by the Minister that Preach’d the Sermon) every one Feasts himself with what he likes Best; whiles the Whifflers and other Officers Wait with Napkins, Plates, Beer, Ale, and Wine, of all sorts, to accommodate each Guest according to his desire. And to make their Cheer go cheerfuller down, are entertained with Musick and Songs all Dinner time.

Dinner being near ended, the Kings and the Dukes Healths is begun, by the several Stewards at the several Tables, and goes orderly round to all the Guests.

And whiles these Healths are Drinking, each Steward sets a Plate on each Table, beginning at the upper end, and conveying it downwards, to Collect the Benevolence of Charitable minds towards the relief of _Prinners_ Poor Widows. And at the same time each Steward destributes a Catalogue of such Printers as have held Stewards ever since the Feast was first kept, _viz._ from the Year of Christ 1621.

After Dinner, and Grace said, the Ceremony of Electing new Stewards for the next Year begins: Therefore the present Stewards withdraw into another Room: And put Garlands of Green Lawrel, or of Box on their Heads, and White-wands in their Hands, and are again Usher’d out of the withdrawing Room by the Beadle of the Company, with the Companys Staff in his Hand, and with Musick sounding before them: Then follows one of the Whifflers with a great Bowl of White-wine and Sugar in his Right Hand, and his Whifflers Staff in his Left: Then follows the Eldest Steward, and then another Whiffler, as the first, with a Bowl of White-wine and Sugar before the second Steward, and in like manner another Whiffler before the Third, and another before the Fourth. And thus they walk with Musick sounding before them three times round the Hall: And in a fourth round the first Steward takes the Bowl of his Whiffler and Drinks to one (whom before he resolved on) by the Title of Mr. Steward Elect: And taking the Garland off his own Head puts it upon the Steward Elects Head. At which Ceremony the Spectators clap their Hands, and such as stand on the Tables or Benches, so Drum with their Feet that the whole Hall is filled with Noise, as applauding the Choice. Then the present Steward takes out the Steward Elect, giving him the Right Hand, and walks with him Hand in Hand, behind the three present Stewards another Round about the Hall: And in the next Round, as aforesaid, the second Steward Drinks to another with the same Ceremony as the first did; and so the Third Steward, and so the Fourth, and then all walk one Round more Hand in Hand about the Hall, that the Company may take notice of the Stewards Elect. And so ends the Ceremony of the Day.

This Ceremony being over, such as will go their ways; but others that stay, are Diverted with Musick, Songs, Dancing, Farcing, _&c._ till at last they all find it time to depart.

A

DICTIONARY,

Alphabetically explaining the abstruse VVords and Phrases that
are used in Typography. VVhich also may serve as an Index to
direct to the most material Concerns contained in this Volumn.

Though I give you a Dictionary of so many Words and Phrases as are mentioned in these _Exercises_, yet I do not exhibit this as a _Dictionary_ so perfect, that all the obstruce Words and Phrases used among _Printers_, _Letter-cutters_ and _Founders_ are here exposed; for Words and Phrases many times offer themselves either as Discourse or Contemplation occurs: Therefore such Words and Phrases as have escaped my Consideration, will, I hope, be discovered by some Printer, or others, that may have a kindness for Posterity; not only in this Trade, but in all Trades and Faculties whatsoever: That so a _Dictionary_ may in time be compleated, that may render so great a number of Words used in _England_ by _English-men_ intelligible; which now for want of a proper Repository to store them in, seem not only Aliens to our Nation, but barbarous to our Understandings.

A

_Abreviations_ are Characters, or else marks on _Letters_, to signifie either a Word or Syllable. & is the Character for And, ^e is The abreviated, ^t is That abreviated; and several other such. Straight stroaks over any of the Vowels abreviates m or n. They have been much used by Printers in Old Times, to _Shorten_ or _Get in Matter_; but now are wholly left off as obsolete.

_Accented Letters_ are much used in _Latin_ Authors, and more in _Greek_. The Vowels are only accented, and are called _Grave_, thus accented à; _Acute_, thus accented á; _Circumflex_, thus accented â; and _Deerecis_, thus accented ä.

_Accents_ are Dashes or Marks over the Vowels.

_Air-hole._ See § 18. ¶ 1.

_Ascending Gage._ See § 12. ¶ 5.

_Ashes._ _Letter-Founders_ call the _Skimmings_ of their _Mettle_, and the Sweepings of their House _Ashes_; and save both, to send to the Refiners; who with their fierce Fire draw all the _Mettle_ out of the _Ashes_. See _Fat Ashes_. See _Lean Ashes_.

_Ash-hole._ See § 18. ¶ 1.

_Assidue_ is Thin Brass Plate, such as adorns _Bartholomew_-Fair Hobby Horses: _Founders_ use it to _Underlay_ the _Body_, or the _Mouth-piece, &c._ of their _Mold_, if it be too Thin. See § 16.

B

_Back of a Composing-stick._ See § 9. ¶ 4.

_Backside of the Form_ is the underside that touches upon the _Correcting-stone_ or _Press-stone_.

_Bad Copy._ See § 24. ¶ 4.

_Bad work._ Any Fault at the _Case_, or _Press_, or at the _Furnace_, or at the _Dressing-block_, &c. is in Workmens Language called _Bad Work_.

_Bake._ See § 22. ¶ 10.

_Balls._ See § 24. ¶ 10.

_Ball-knife._ An old blunt-edg’d Knife, that _Press-men_ lay by, to scrape their _Balls_ with.

_Ball-leathers._ See § 24. ¶ 10.

_Ball-Nails._ The _Nails_ that _Ball-leathers_ are Tackt to the _Ball-stocks_ with.

_Ball-stocks._ See § 11. ¶ 21.

_Balls Take._ See § 11. ¶ 21.

_Beak._ See § 12. ¶ 2.

_Beam._ See § 12. ¶ 4.

_Beard of a Letter_, is the outer angle of the Square Shoulder of the _Shank_, which reaches almost up to the _Face_ of the _Letter_; and is commonly scraped off by the _Founder_: As in § 2. ¶ 2.

_Beard-Gage._ See § 13. ¶ 4.

_Bearer._ See § 4. & § 24. ¶ 7.

_Beat._ See § 24. ¶ 13.

_Beat Fat._ If a _Press-man Takes_ too much _Inck_ with his _Balls_, he _Beats Fat_. The _Black English Faced Letter_ is generally _Beaten Fat_.

_Beat Lean_, is to _Take_ but little _Inck_, and often: All _Small Letter_ must be _Beaten Lean_.

_Bed._ See § 24. ¶ 2.

_Benvenue._ See Ancient Customs.

_Bite._ See § 24. ¶ 7.

_Blankets._ Woollen Cloath, or White Bays, to lay between the _Tympans_.

_Blocks._ See § 20. ¶ 3.

_Block-Groove._ ibid.

_Body._ See § 1. ¶ 2. & § 15. ¶ 1.

_Botching Matrices._ See § 17. ¶ 3.

_Bottom line._ See § 14. ¶ 2.

_Bottom of the Matrice._ See §. 17. ¶ 1.

_Bottom Plate._ See §. 15. ¶ 1.

_Bow._ See § 15. ¶ 1.

_Brace_, is a Character _Cast_ in _Mettle_ thus marked The _Compositer_ is to have these _Cast_ of several Breadths, viz. to several numbers of _Lines_ of a designed _Body_ (most commonly of _Pica Body_) that they may hook in or Brace so many _Lines_ as his _Copy_ may shew him; as at _Charge_ is a Brace of four _Lines_. See also § 24. ¶ 1.

_Brass-Rules._ See § 2. ¶ 2.

_Brayer_ is a round _Wooden Rubber_, almost of the fashion of a _Ball-stock_, but flat at the bottom, and not above three Inches Diameter: It is used in the _Inck-Block_ to _Bray_ or _Rub Inck_.

_Break_, a piece of a _Line_. Also the _Mettle_ that is contiguous to the _Shank_ of a _New Cast Letter_: This _Break_ is formed in the _Mouth-piece_ of the _Letter-mould_, and is called a _Break_, because it is always broke from the _Shank_ of a _Letter_.

_Breaking off_ is breaking the _Break_ from the _Shank_ of the _Letter_. See § 19. ¶ 3.

_Brevier._ See § 2. ¶ 2.

_Broad-side_, a Form of one full _Page_, Printed on one side of a whole Sheet of Paper.

_Broken Letter._ By broken _Letter_ is not meant the breaking of the _Shanks_ of any of the _Letters_, but the breaking the orderly Succession the _Letters_ stood in in a _Line_, _Page_, or _Form_, &c. and mingling the _Letters_ together, which mingled _Letters_ is called _Py_.

_Bur._ See _Rag_.