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Auction: 13050 - Postal History and Historical documents
Lot: 2055

(x) Historical Documents
1680 (1 Apr.) buried in wool affidavit, a rather gruesome form used in the parish of Gamlingay in county of Cambridge, confirming that "Mary, daughter of Francis and Mary Harvey" was, "... not buried in any Shirt, Shift, Sheet, or Shroud, made or mingled with Flax, Hemp, Silk, Hair, Gold, or Silver, or any other then what is made of Sheeps wool only ..." and signed by the Justice of the Peace. Two horizontal folds and some wrinkling. A delightful example of one of these affadavits. From the Gerald E. Wellburn collection. Photo

For centuries the woollen trade had been important to the wealth and prosperity of England, but with the introduction of new materials and foreign imports, some people thought that the industry was under threat. The first Act was passed in 1666, and the second, and rather more famous, in 1678 repealing the first . Its aims were "for the lessening the importation of linen from beyond the seas, and the encouragement of the woollen and paper manufacturer of the kingdom."

The Act required that when a corpse was buried it should only be dressed in a shroud or garments made of wool. Failure to comply resulted in a £5 forfeiture. One-half of this went to the informer, the other half to poor of the parish where the body was buried. Within 8 days of the burial, an affidavit had to be provided attesting that the burial complied with the Act. The affidavit had to be sworn in front of a Justice of the Peace or Mayor by two creditable persons. If the parish did not have a JP or Mayor, the parson, vicar or curate could administer the oath.

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