Cotton Research

In doing research for something else, it occurred to me to go look at the British History Online site for instances of cotton in the import records listed in The port and trade of early Elizabethan London: documents .

There are several types of cotton goods listed:
- Cotton wool
- Spun cotton
- Cyprus cotton
- Narrow Cyprus cotton
- Cotton lace
- Cotton petticoats

"Cyprus Cotton", is measured in yards and is itemized differently from cotton wool. Since it is listed in dozens of yards it leads me to suspect that it is pre-spun thread, as fabric is listed in ells,yards,bales or pieces.


The below is not an exhaustive list of entries for Cyprus cotton, cotton wool by any stretch of the imagination. There were simply too many entries for them to list, however I have given all the listings that I found for cotton petticoats.

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Nos. 100-199 (Nov - Dec, 1567)
155. Edward of Milton (60) William Harris; Antwerp
Nicholas Spering: 35 doz. crystal glasses, 3 doz. cotton petticoats, 15 grs copper bands, 10 doz. thou. pins, 6 doz. crewel girdlings, 6 doz. small writing tables, 3 grs halfpennyware glasses, 10 doz. lbs pack thread, 2 grs coarse knives, 6 doz. furred stomachers, 5 doz. drinking glasses £53 3s 4d.


334. Spledegle of Gouda (30) Lucas Williamson; Rouen
William Handford: 18 grs playing cards, 100 lbs spun cotton, 20 lbs wrought crewel lace £24 6s 8d.

360. Christopher of London William Langley; Rouen
William Handford: 50 grs pennyware combs, 20 lbs cotton-lace £26.



From the record of the London Port Book: Nos. 400-499 (Mar - May, 1568)

The ship: 433. Mary fortune of Lee (70) John Morce; Antwerp
excerpt:
Example of how fabric is recorded
Baldwin Durham: 120 half-pcs Genoa fustian,
Thomas Aldersey: 65 pcs Genoa fustian, 70 ells sarcenet, 40 ells taffeta sarcenet £61 13s 4d.
John Woodward: 70 yds velvet, 25 yds black satin £63 15s. John Isham: 72 yds frizado £18.

William Sherington: 30 doz. yds Cyprus cotton £6.

William Luddington: 225 lbs cotton wool

Thomas Longston: 350 lbs cotton wool £36 13s 4d.

462. Mary Grace of Lee (50) John Pett; Antwerp
excerpt:
Thomas Hale: 600 lbs cotton wool £20.

John Borne: 8 doz. lbs Bruges thread, 2 grs thread points, 6 doz. lbs crewel, 3 doz. lbs counters, 3 grs coarse bells, 16 grs coarse copper hat bands, 2 thou. thimbles, 3 grs halfpennyware looking glasses, 20 doz. thou. pins, 4 thou. awl blades, 3 doz. thou. needles, 20 doz. yds Cyprus cotton £28 3s 4d.

Nos. 700–799 (Aug - Sept, 1568)

750. Cock Adrianson [sic](Richard Haddock; Antwerp)

[f. 233b] William Hobson: 2 grs 'chaps', 3 doz. lbs curtain rings, 3 grs looking glasses, 4 doz. lbs thread, 40 butts Lyons thread, 2 grs knives, 20 grs harp strings, 2 doz. lbs wrought inkle, 3 doz. yds narrow Cyprus cotton, 10 doz. lbs flax, 4 grs rubbing brushes, 100 lbs matches £29 11s 8d (19 Aug).

787. John Baptist of London (60) William Hall; Antwerp
Nicholas Spering: 4½ doz. lbs pack thread, 5 doz. crewel girdles, 120 razors, 12 comb cases, 8 doz. cotton petticoats, 6 doz. writing tables, 1 doz. gold balances, 6 doz. wooden standishes, 28 doz. leathers for cushions, 1½ grs looking glasses, 3 doz. furred stomachers, 1£ doz. pinpillows, 12 lbs wire £32.

795. Swallow of London (60) Richard Poulter; Antwerp
Nicholas Spering: 3 doz. cotton petticoats, 4 doz. furred stomachers, 1 grs coarse knives £7.

Peyre of bedes

More research from British history Online, this time on paternoters

London Consistory Court Wills 1492-1547 - London Record Society 3
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=573


http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=64535
116. [bdle. I. 21] Wyllam Symons. 28 Dec. 1538.
[snipped]

Also I geve unto the doggter
of my syster, callyd Cysely, a peyre of bedes of corall dobull gawdyd with
sylver, unto Margaret, my brothers dogghter, a peyre of black bedes of
gett gawdyd with sylver,

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=64537
174. [bdle. II. 4] Johanne Awdy. 9 Oct. 1542.
A payre of blacke gett beddes with 4 rynges, a Saynt Jamys shell and a litle cheyne to yt, and a broche with a rede ston in yt 4s.
A payre of currall beades with 15 gawdyes of sylver 3s.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=64538
200. [bdle. II. 30] Annys Borde. 20 May 1544.
A payr of gett beddes gawded with sylver 6 gawdeys and
a lettell sylver crosse


223. [bdle. II. 53] Elizabeth Wescott. 22 May 1544.
a payre of bedes of corall
doubbell gauded with silver and gilte,

232. [bdle. II. 62] Elyzabeth Foxe. 15 . . . 1545.
A payer of bedes with 8 gawdes 2s. 8d.