Transcript

of

The Attempted Introduction of the Culture of Silk into Devonshire in The Reign of James The First

Trans. Devon. Assoc., 1877, Vol IX, pp.234-235.

by

A.H.A Hamilton.

Prepared by Michael Steer

James I wanted to introduce new sources of employment for his subjects. In 1608, many thousands of mulberry trees were sent to Devon from France and were divided among a number of land-owners who bought them at three farthings a piece. The climate was found to be unsuitable and the scheme failed. The names of those who subscribed to this scheme are presented here. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

In the year 1608 James I. made a laudable attempt to introduce the culture of silk into England, and especially, as it would appear, into Devonshire, where the mild climate offered the best chance of success. At the Epiphany Sessions of that year, many thousand mulberry trees were sent down to be distributed in this county. It may be well to place upon record the order made by the justices, which I have extracted from one of the books preserved in the Castle of Exeter. It contains the names of those justices who received allotments of trees, and may therefore indicate the estates on which it is possible that some remains of mulberry plantations may still exist.

"At the Chapter House, the xiith of January, 1608. Touching the Mulberies Trees, (sic) This Court doth intreate the Right Hon. the Earl of Bath, and those knights and gentlemen whose names hereafter follow, to receive of Christopher Manwaring, Esq., the several sums following  of Mulberry Trees (which are sent from London, by his Magesty's directions, for the relief of silkworms in this county), to be divided there by the said persons in their several divisions; videlicet , The said Earl to take 1,000; Sir Richard Champemowne, 500; Sir William Strode, 500; Sir Ames Bampfeild. Sir Thomas Reynell, Sir George Smyth, knights, Mr. Waltham, and Mr. Norcott, Esquires, 600 trees; Sir William Poole, John Drake, Edmund Prideaux, Robert Haydon, and Mr. Frie, 100; Sir John Acland, Sir Thomas Drewe, knights, and Mr. Walrond, Esquire, 500; Sir Henry Rolle, Sir Thomas Browne, knights, Mr. Mouncke, Wm. Carie, Arthur Harris, Wm. Abbott, and Tristram Arscott, Esquires, 500; Sir Thomas Wise, Sir Christopher Harris, knights, Wm. Crymes, Mr. Glanville, and Arthur Tremayne, Esquires, 600; Sir George Carie, Sir William Courtney, Sir George Southcott, and Sir John Speccott, knights, and Edmund Parker, esquire, 600; Sir Edward Gyles, knight, and Mr. Seymour, esquire, 500 ; and to pay unto the said Mr. Manwaring for each of them three farthings."

The white mulberry was found to be too delicate for the English climate; but some trees may perhaps have survived in sheltered places. Many gardens in South Devon contain one or two large trees of the black species. As they are remarkably slow in growing, it is not unlikely that they may be as old as the reign of James the First.