view of the recent researches into the composition of paper, it is difficult to say how this idea arose, unless we accept the explanation offered by Professor Karabacek. In standard encyclopædias the following statements are made as to existing early documents printed on paper made in Europe:—

One of the most interesting books on this subject is the “Historical Account of the Substances used to describe Events from the Earliest Date,” by Matthias Koops, published in 1800. This writer appears to have obtained most of his information from German authorities.

The industry of paper-making passed through Spain into Italy, France, and the Netherlands. In 1189 paper was being manufactured at Hainault, in France, and the industry rapidly spread all over the Continent. In 1390 Ulman Stromer established a mill at Nuremberg, in Germany, employing a great number of men, who were obliged to take an oath that they would not teach anyone the art of paper-making or make paper on their own account. In the sixteenth century the Dutch endeavoured to protect their industry by making the exportation of moulds for paper-making an offence punishable by death.

The bulk of the paper used in England was imported from France and Holland, and it was many years before the industry was established in England. This is not surprising in view of the protective and conservative policy of the Continental paper-makers.

Fig. 3.—The Paper Mill of Ulman Stromer, A.D. 1390 (supposed to be the oldest known drawing of a Paper Mill).

Paper-making in England.—The actual period at which the manufacture of paper was first started in England is somewhat uncertain. The first mention of any paper-maker is found in Wynkyn de Worde's “De Proprietatibus Rerum,” printed by Caxton in 1495, the reference being as follows:—

And John Tate the younger, joye mote he brok,
Which late hathe in England, doo
Make thys paper thynne,
That now in our Englyssh
Thys booke is prynted inne.

John Tate was the owner of a mill at Stevenage, Hertfordshire. In the household book of Henry VII. an entry for the year 1499 reads, “Geven in rewarde to Tate of the mylne, 6s. 8d.”

In 1588 a paper mill was erected by Sir John Spielman, a German, who obtained a licence from Queen Elizabeth “for the sole gathering for ten years of all rags, etc., necessary for the making of paper.” This paper mill was eulogised by Thomas Churchyard in a long poem of forty-four stanzas, of which we quote two:—

I prayse the man that first did paper make,
    The only thing that sets all virtues forth;
It shoes new bookes, and keeps old workes awake,
    Much more of price than all the world is worth:
It witnesse bears of friendship, time, and troth,
And is the tromp of vice and virtue both;
Without whose help no hap nor wealth is won,
And by whose ayde great works and deedes are done.

Six hundred men are set to worke by him
    That else might starve, or seeke abroad their bread,
Who now live well, and goe full brave and trim,
    And who may boast they are with paper fed.
Strange is that foode, yet stranger made the same,
For greater help, I gesse, he cannot give
Than by his help to make poore folk to live.

The industry made but little progress for some time after Spielman's death, and up till 1670 the supplies of paper were obtained almost entirely from France. The first British patent for paper-making was granted to Charles Hildeyard in 1665 for “the way and art of making blue paper used by sugar bakers and others.” The trade received a great impetus on account of the presence of Huguenots who had fled to England from France in consequence of the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685.

In 1695 a company was formed in Scotland for the “manufacture of white and printing paper.”

Improvements in the art were slow until 1760, when Whatman, whose name has since become famous in connection with paper, commenced operations at Maidstone. Meantime the methods by which the rags were converted into paper were exceedingly slow and clumsy, so that the output of finished paper was very small.

Some interesting details as to the early manufacture of paper in England are given by Mr. Rhys Jenkins, and from his account of “Early Attempts at Paper-making in England, 1495-1788,” the following extracts have been made:—