Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy.
- Thomas Duffus Hardy
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![that you will do your utmost to obtain this intent, we await the result of your diligence, wishing you all prosperity.* The Inquisitors of State encouraged the residence in Venice of English artificers, but would not allow their own subjects to teach us the art of dressing and winding: raw silk, or ' cocoons,' the reeling of which is a very delicate operation. In November 1772, the Venetian resident in London (Giovanni Berlendis), wrote to the Tribunal as follows: — A certain Tuscan, by name Philip Mazzer, who, during some years, has been a tradesman in London, induced by avidity of greater profit, has proposed to a company of merchants, to raise a troop [ raccolta] of Italians, expert in the twisting and spin- ning of silk, and also in making of stuffs, to send them over to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. For tliis purpose, he has set out for Italy to execute his project, after having agreed with the merchants for a premium of fifty guineas for each man enrolled by him. ': Heretofore, some Jews brought silk throwsters from Italy, who were sent to Bengal, but as the silks of that scorching climate are harsh and crude [aspre e dure], and not susceptible of minute and delicate manipulation [de fino e delicato lavore], it seems that the Italian trade will not suffer much from this proceeding. On the other hand, in the temperate climate of Pennsylvania, where large plantations of mulberry trees [alberi da seta] have been raised, I am told that the quality of the silk is not inferior to that of Lombardy, and very great detriment would result to Italy were the English to obtain from thence those artificers of whom they have need for spinning the silk, twisting it properly into ' organzine,' and making stuffs and every other sort of (silk) manufacture. I am informed, that one Mattocks, also an Englishman, has gone into Italy to hire Italian artificers at any cost, for the purpose of sending them to manufacture silk in Bengal; he has letters to the British consuls for assistance and protection, and will also act in concert with the above-mentioned Mazzer. In consequence of this hint, the Inquisitors, on the 22nd of December 1772, wrote to the Governors of Bergamo and Verona, giving them an account of Mazzer and Mattocks, and desiring that their projects might be thw arted in every way, and that no silk manufactures were to quit the Venetian territory. 46. I have now to express my hope that this Report will be the means of directing the attention of Her Majesty's Govern- ment to the extent, variety, and value of the Venetian Archives. It will, at the same time, show how much remains to be done at Venice, and how desirable it is to obtain copies of nume- rous documents with wdiich Mr. Brown is acquainted, but the knowledge of which is confined to himself; having been gained by * This letter is dated the 18th January, N.S., 1670. The repeal of the Edict of Nantes (which is supposed to have been the cause of ribbon manufactures in Eng- land) did not take place until October 24th, 1685.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21021284_0044.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
