[Some historical particulars connected with this scholastic
establishment or college will be found in Hatcher’s
History of Salisbury, pp. 50, 92, 232, &c. The
author gives a different etymology of its name to
the above. Quoting Mosheim, cent. 13, p. ii. he
states that the Professors of Divinity in the University
of Paris, in the year 1234, assembled their pupils
and fixed their residence in a valley of Champagne,
whence they acquired the name of Valli-scholares,
or Scholars of the Valley. Mr. Hatcher adds, that
the College at Salisbury, which was founded about
1260, derived its name, and probably its system of
instruction, from this community in France. - J. B.]
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The consistorie of this church (Salisbury) was as eminent for learning as any in England, and the choire had the best method; hence came the saying “secundum usum Sarum”. Over every stall there was writt “hoc age”. These old stalles were taken down about 1671, and now they sitt in the quire undistinguisht, without stalles.
But it was at the Abbey of Malmesbury where learning
did most flourish
in our parts, and where most writers were bred, as
appeares by
Pitseus, Baleus, &c.
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MECHANICALL arts.- Cloathing. [See also subsequent chapters on this subject] At Salisbury the best whites of England are made. The city was ever also famous for the manufactures of parchment, razors, cizers, knives, and gloves. Salisbury mault is accounted the best mault, and they drive there a very considerable trade in maulting. Also it is not to be forgotten that the bottle ale of Salisbury (as likewise Wilton, upon the same reason, sc. the nitrous water) is the best bottle ale of this nation.
Malmesbury hath been an ancient cloathing town; where
also is a
considerable manufacture of gloves and strong waters.
Also Troubridge,
Calne, and Chippenham are great cloathing townes.
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The Devises is famous for making excellent Metheglyn. Mr. Tho. Piers of the Swan did drive a great trade in it. [See ante, p. 68.]
Amesbury is famous for the best tobacco pipes in England; made by .... Gauntlet, who markes the heele of them with a gauntlet, whence they are called gauntlet pipes. The clay of which they are made is brought from Chiltern in this county. [See ante, p. 35.]
In King James the First’s time coarse paper, commonly called whitebrowne paper, was first made in England, especially in Surrey and about Windsor.
At Bemarton near Salisbury is a paper mill, which is now, 1684, about 130 yeares standing, and the first that was erected in this county; and the workmen there told me, 1669, that it was the second paper mill in England. I remember the paper mill at Longdeane, in the parish of Yatton Keynell, was built by Mr. Wyld, a Bristow merchant, 1635. It serves Bristow with brown paper. There is no white paper made in Wiltshire.