THE ANTIQUITY AND HONOURS Of the Skinner and Furrier Crafts.
ARMS.
• SKINNERS. Ermine on a Chief Gu. 3 Imperial Crowns, Or. , and • FURRIERS. Parted per Fess. Gu. and Ar. a Pale countercharged of the same on the 1st, 3 Goats of the 2d.
SKinners, your Craft, and Furriers (of all)
The first can claim, and best Originall,
To do you
[...] Justice, surely as your Due,
Boasted Precedency belongs to you.
For as you'r first, in the Records of Time,
So your Originall is most sublime.
Most of our Arts, on Humane Authors Land;
Yours came at first from the Almighty's Hand.
Heaven's Lord, when our first Parents naked were,
In Coats of Skins, aray'd the Royal Pair.
And that they were (it may be justly thought)
Adapted well, and exquisitly wrought.
Adam the New made Monarch of the Globe,
Appear'd majestick, in th' Impirial Robe,
And
Eve the Empress Sharer of his Crown,
O! Heav'ns, how Charming, in her Ermine Gown.
[Page 2] And sure, the Habit Heaven hath pointed out,
Most comely, and Commodious is no doubt.
Thus were, the antient Patriarchs aray'd,
Till Pride incress'd, and Piety decay'd:
In Woods they hunted for the Prey, and then,
You cloathed them, in Trophies of the Slain.
By Help of you,
Rebekah's Wile took Place,
Transfer'd the Blessing, unto
Jacob's Race:
This noble Instance, evidently proves,
To all, the antient Use of Furrs and Gloves.
The Tabernacle, in
Arabia's Wild,
Erected, and with Divine Presence fill'd,
At the Divine Command, you cover'd o'er
With Ramskins dy'd, and those the Badger bore;
The Saints, of whom the World unworthy was,
Cloathed by you, wand'ring about did pass.
And to advance, your Dignity the more,
A Leather'n Girdle,
John the Baptist wore.
Th' Apostle
Paul, preserv'd with special Care,
His Writs on Parchment, which you did prepare.
Thus Men by Manufacture of your Hands,
The Rights maintain, and Titles of their Lands.
In humane Histr'y too, you take a Place,
You dress'd the Lyon's Skin, for
Hercules,
To Romans you the leather'n Garter gave,
To signalize, their Champions great and brve,
Whence Brittons too, that noble Order have.
Kings Crowns you furr, with these their Robes adorn
Thence Ermine's in Armorial Ensigns born.
You join to fit the Soldier for the Field,
The Furrier Lines the Head-peice and the Shield:
The Skinner gives Vest, Breeches, Belt and Bend,
Of sturdy Buff, and Gloves to fence the Hand.
Much from your artful Hands assisted come,
The chearing Bag-pipe, and the rousing Drum.
[Page 3] You both agree, to Grace the fairer Sex,
The Furrier adorns their Ivory Necks.
The Skinner gives the well form'd Glove & thin,
Soft like themselves, white as their Native Skin,
And Gloves by Simpathy they understand,
Improve the pleasant Softness of the Hand,
While full some Silk, an Excrement of Worms,
Destroy's it's Beauties, and devours it's Charms.
Strange any should, buy dear a forraign Curse,
Pernicious to the Person and the Purse.
The plesant Product of our Isle, despise,
Bestow'd by the Creator, good and wise.
You sheath the aged chilly Hand in Buff,
Or kindly cover, with the warmer Muff,
Of northern Climes, you cloath th' Inhabitants,
Where a Perpetuall pinching Winter haunts,
The friendly Garbe, eluds the Snow and Haill,
And blasts from Ursa's elevated Tail.
Thus they, when once your Storm-proof armor's on
The Frost defy, forget a frigid Zone,
Fenc'd by your Art fancy the Climate Hose,
Nor know the coldrife Thing, a Threed-bair Coat.
The Skinner Craft, our
Caledon can boast,
Comes not, improven from a forraign Coast,
All bounteous Heaven, here bestous on you,
The best Materials, and genius too.
Thus of your Art, it's hard to tell the Powers,
All other Craftsmen, Badges bear of yours.
And in their Airt, it's Evident how far
To most Mechanicks, you assisting are.
Printers assisted by the Pellet, make
Their Ink expressive, and the Type to speak.
You to the Joyner, give cementing Glue,
Y' assist the Painter, and Book-Binder too,
The Cordiner, and Saidler deal with you.
[Page 4] So from your Art, vast Quantities arise,
Of Skins for transport, Wool for Factories,
And thus it's evidently understood,
How greatly you advance the Common Good,
And what, a mighty Branch of Revenew,
Doth to the Prince from Skinners Craft Acrew.
Sure all Incroachments on you to prevent,
Were greatest Wisdom in a Government.
For num'rous Uses, thus you both concur,
To dress white Leather, and the dounny Furr,
And by an almost supernat'ral Art,
You softness to the parched Hide impart.
Both Leather dress, and yet the Diff'rence fair,
The Skinner white, the Furrier with the Hair.
What Shame it is, to see some City Fops,
Immur'd in Muslin to the Finger Tops.
Nor have the Boldness, to pull on a Glove,
Nor once their useless Hands to Action move,
Nor dare their Ruffle fetter'd Fists extend,
Least they the Well set Camrick should offend,
As if their Hands, only for Ornament,
And not for Exercise, to them were lent.
Sometimes 'tis true, they'l venture on a wring,
T' expell the Cold, or show a Diamond Ring.
But ev'ry brighter Soul that Action loves,
And knows the Use of Hands, knows that of Gloves.
FINIS.