CODILLA (Cedilla) (Paklya) ПAKЛЯ is Scutching Tow. Broken fibres from Scutching or the Heckled Tow is used for Tow yarn, twine or stuffing.  (The broken flax, the coarse part of the flax  which falls off from the good flax after the first heckling process and which is made up in bundles of one pood each which are then shipped in large bundles of thirty.) Codilla is the Russian name for hemp which has the top and bottom of the stem removed, leaving stems that were shorter but more  uniform and of better quality. The discarded parts were called Toppings and was specified for some sorts of Cordage.

  DANSK CLOTH was almost certainly an alternative name for Germany Linen. The context of the only entry suggests that it was a Linen cloth, probably exported through Dantzig for which the variant Dansk was sometimes used. Houghton, giving the quantities imported in the late seventeenth century, shows that most Germany linen by far came through Dantzig port.

  DANTZIG FLAX (Dansk, Gdańsk)  During the sixteenth century  flax was imported to this country from Dantzig, often as a back cargo for the merchants exporting British Lead through Hull into the Baltic.

  DIGHT FLAX [dight flaxe] The noun 'Dight' is defined as the action of the verb dight, in various senses: putting in order, dressing, preparing, wiping. Thus dight flax is that which has been through a process of preparation for use; hence probably synonymous with Dressed flax found in units of LB.

  DRESSED FLAX (drest) is flax that had been beaten with a brake to make the fibres more flexible. The term was probably synonymous with Bracken flax, which was less common, although braking was by no means the final stage in preparing flax for spinning.

  DRESSED HEMP [drest hemp; dressed hempe; dress'd flax and hemp] is hemp that is fully prepared and ready for the spinners. In [Rates (1657)] imported hemp is divided into three categories; the most dearly rated at £7 Cwt was 'Hemp short dressed', next at £5 Cwt came 'Hemp called Cullen and Steel Hemp and other sorts of dressed hemp, and finally at only £1 Cwt 'Rough Hemp'. The differential remained in [Rates (1784)], although by this time there were only two categories: 'dressed' and 'rough or undressed'. Found described as Black, for grinders, and for shoemakers and country shopkeepers, Green, White and for sale measured by Dozen.
  DUTCH FLAX was probably a term applied to any flax exported through the Dutch ports like Antwerp and Amsterdam. Most of it would have come from the Low Countries. Its characteristics may have differed from that exported through the Baltic ports such as Peterborough Hemp and Dantzig hemp, but if so the distinctions are no longer known. It was probably identical with or similar to Flanders flax and Holland flax. Found in units of LB

  EGYPT FLAX was imported from Egypt. Although most hot countries produce inferior flax, which prefers a cooler climate in which the growing period is longer, Egypt flax is an exception, and was of a desirable quality [Tomlinson (1854)]. Richard Rolt wrote that Egypt exported 'flax of several sorts', but does not go into further detail [Rolt (1761)].
  EGYPT HEMP [egipt hemp] is imported from Egypt. Valuations varied from 8d, 11½d the LB and £4 4s the Cwt, which suggests it was sometimes cheaper and sometimes dearer than Baltic Steel hemp, which was consistently valued at 9d-10d the LB. In 1694 Egypt hemp and Green hemp both valued at 11½d LB. Found for sale by Cwt, LB.
   EGYPT TOW [egipt towe] In the single entry noted, Egypt tow was positioned among the Flax, though it could have been the poorest grade of Egypt hemp, which has also been noted. Whether it merely came from that country or had characteristics that made it distinctive is not now known. Found in units of Hundred, LB

   ELBING was a German linen from the area of the River Elbe in Germany. The two entries in the Books of Rates, respectively for 1643 and 1657, are ambiguous, but they suggest Elbing may have been a synonym for, or very like, Dansk cloth or Queensborough canvas. Found described as Double - Ploy, Spruce in units of the Bolt of 28 Ell, Ell.

   ELINDA CLOTH was a textile in the form of a Linen cloth. It was included among Linen in a list given by John Houghton of goods 'Exported by Certificate' in 1682-3 [Houghton]. All but one of the other linens in the list were from northern Europe and were measured by the Ell. Why Elinda cloth was measured differently is not clear. The term has not been found in the dictionaries or in any of the authorities on textiles. Found exported by the Parcel.

   ELL [elne; ellne; elle; ele; el] was a linear unit of measure varying in length in different countries and regions. The English Ell equalled 45 inch, but 54 inch in Shropshire, the Scottish Ell was 37 inch and the Flemish 27 inch. It was commonly used for measuring Linen, particularly that which was imported, throughout the period. For other fabrics it virtually died out during the seventeenth century. The term was usually singular when preceded by numerals, in other words '9 ell'.

   ENGLISH FLAX [english flex; english fflax] has been noted in more than one case immediately adjacent to an entry concerning flax from a different place, as '20 heads Holland's flax & stone 02 14 00', followed by '2 stone 7 li English flax at 6/p stone 00 15 00' [Inventories (1701)]. This suggests that the descriptor English was only added when it was necessary to contrast with that which had been imported. Whereas imported flax has been noted measured usually in large units, flax designated as English was sometimes also present but in units more often found in shops. A typical couple of entries are 'Eight stone of english fflax 01 08 00' followed by 'A Hundred of Rigisco fflax 02 04 00' [Inventories (1717)]. Growing flax in this country came with the risk of the stalks being discoloured by the not infrequent heavy rainfall in late summer and early autumn. This was hard to remove by subsequent processing [Tomlinson (1854)]. Apart from this, the spring rains and moist summers typical of this country produced ideal growing conditions, though English farmers were slow to adopt flax as a field crop during this period. Found described as Dressed, Fine in units of LB, Stone.

    ESSINGS FLAX was a term found only once among the goods of a substantial London tradesman [Inventories (1670)]. It is likely that his Essings flax was imported from the Baltic, but apart from that there is no clue to its quality or its place of origin. The inland town of Essen is unlikely as European flax were almost always identified by the port from which they were exported. Found in units of Hundred, LB
   FADGE FLAX presumably refers to flax that has been packed securely in a Fadge for easy handling. Such flax was imported. It has been noted in the inventory of a rope maker in Newcastle upon Tyne. It appears to have been common in trade terminology to combine the unit of packing and/or the unit of  measure with the name of the commodity, to specify a particular type or quality, as for instance in Bundle flax,  Kirtle flax etc. Found in units of C, LB, Quarter.

   FIMBLE HEMP [phemble] was the male plant of HEMP, Cannabis sativus, or the fibres extracted from it. Due to a misunderstanding of the nature of the plant, which did not match early-modern ideas of gender, the faster growing and less robust male was given female names. As well as being called Fimble, it was labelled barren hemp (because it did not bear seeds) and summer hemp (because it was harvested during August). The results of very small experiment of growing hemp legally in the 1970s suggested that Fimble would have represented only a small fraction of the crop [Trinder and Cox (1980)]. Fimble hemp fibres were finer and shorter than those from Steel hemp (the product of the true female plant) and were used primarily for domestic purposes; it being made up into Sheets. Found for sale measured by Stone.

   GREEN HEMP [green housewife's hemp; green drest hemp] according to Tomlinson, the external marks of a good hemp brought up from the south to St Petersburg were that it was 'green and free from spills' [Tomlinson (1854)]. This gives a new meaning to 'green', which normally means growing, new or young. Here the desirable characteristic of green hemp is the greenish tinge as found in well made hay. In one example [Inventories (1694)], Egypt hemp and green hemp were coupled together, both valued at 11½d LB, although whether they had any characteristics in common other than valuation it is impossible to say. Found described as Dressed, Housewife in units of LB, Stone.

   HEAD (H) A unit of measure for flax consisting of '12 'stricks' (strikes) each of 'about ten handfuls' tied up into a bunch. According to Randle Holme, twelve of these bunches would make a Kirtle, hence Kirtle flax however, there is a suggestion that the number of stricks in a head was not fixed, with Narva flax and Peterborough flax each being defined as either 9 headed or 12 headed., as in '5 Tons of 9 headed Narva Flax, 5 Tons of 12 headed Narva Flax, 4 Tons of 9 headed Petersburgh Flax' and 'about Ten Tons of Twelve-Head Peterborough Flax'.  It was also not used exclusively with flax. Hemp was also measured by the head, but possibly in smaller units, since '3 head' and '2 head' hemp have been noted. It seems that 'Head' may also have been used occasionally as a unit of measure for Silk.

   HECKLING was to dress flax by separating it into its finest fibres. The flax hecklers of Dundee established a reputation as the most radical and stroppy element in what was a famously radical town and by 1800 were already operating as a powerful trade union, to the extent that in 1809 a local employer noted that they were to some extent in control of the trade, dictating wages, conditions and bonuses (mostly alcoholic). The Heckling Shop, said another observer, was frequently the arena of violent harangue and ferocious debate. One heckler would be given the task of reading out the day's news while the others worked. When they moved from factory floor to public meeting, they then fired off interjections designed to tease or comb out truths that politicians might prefer to conceal or avoid. Thus heckling entered the world of political debate, combining an incisive comment or question with spontaneous wit - quick-fire challenges enjoyed by those speakers who could deal with them and amuse their audience with a ready riposte.

  LETTOW FLAX [lettis flax] Also 'lettis flax', this was an imported flax. The first part of the term was a location descriptor and may refer to Litauen (Lithuania), which borders onto the Baltic. Found in units of Hundred, Quarter, LB

  LEWKES HEMP is presumably hemp from the Flemish town of Liège (in Flemish Luik) more noted for the production of Iron and Velvet. Seems to be just another sixteenth century hemp.

  LINN MILL. The name derives from a waterfall (linn) on a stream near the buildings and not from processing lint.

  LONG FLAX was the best quality with long fibres.

  LONG HEMP was hemp of the best quality particularly for making rope for which purpose the top grade was required. Found described as Clean and for sale measured by the ton. Most probably grown in the south where conditions are better suited to producing a robust plant with strong, long fibres. It was used particularly for making Cordage for which purpose the grade called 'Riga Rhine hemp' was regarded as the best and Codilla the worst, with Outshot and Pass hemp in between.

  LOOSE FLAX was possibly flax from the Flemish town of Liège (in Flemish Luik), but more likely flax that had not been bundled up, unlike Fadge flax, Kirtle flax, etc. and found in units of 100, LB.

  MANINGBURG FLAX (likely Marienburg flax) possibly flax from a place called or rendered Marienburg. However, Maningburg flax has been noted as having been associated with Rigisco flax, which suggests that it may have been another of the varieties of flax in which the descriptor indicated as much a distinctive  way of packing up the flax as a place of origin.

   MUSCOVY FLAX [muscovie flax; muscovia fflax; muscove flax; musco flax] is flax from Russia from the region round Moscow probably imported largely from Dantzig or Peterborough, and hence Dantzig flax and Peterborough flax or Riga. This area enjoys a relatively short, but hot growing season, so that the flax tended to grow too rapidly and hence rather coarsely. Although much was imported from these parts, the flax was not of the highest grade [Tomlinson (1854)]. Linen cloth was also woven in the region, hence Muscovy linen. Found in units of Bundle, C, LB, Quarter, Stone and rated in Hundredweight of 112 LB.
   MUSCOVY LINEN [muscovia linnen] was linen from Muscovy and other areas often loosely designated as Russia. According to John Houghton's list of imports in 1694, some 'Muscovia linen' came from Dantzig, but over five times as much came from Sweden [Houghton]. There was a large number of named linens from this area, and Muscovy linen was probably a generic term that could have included any of them. Most were Coarse linens that sold at a low price. Found described as Narrow and imported from Dantzig, Sweden at rated by the 100 Ell containing 6 Score of Ell.
   MUSCOVY YARN [muscovia-yarn; muscovia or spruce yarne; muscovia or spruce raw linen yarn; muscoua yarn] was Linen yarn imported from Muscovy and probably from other areas bordering the Baltic, often being associated with Spruce yarn [Rates (1582)]. It was distinguished in the Books of Rates from other linen yarns, but is not found in the shops under this name. Found in units of LB and rated by Cwt of 112 LB.

   NAVAL STORES were all those articles or materials made use of in shipping or in the navy, such as Bowsprits, Masts, Sails, Pitch, Ropes, Spars, Tar, Turpentine, Yards, etc. and the Hemp, Flax and Tow required to make sails and ropes [Acts (1769)]. Essential for national security, there was continued anxiety about English dependence on supplies from the Baltic. The American colonies were seen as a suitable alternative and their production therefore encouraged.
   NARVA FLAX. Narva is a large city and port in Livonia bordering the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. Like other flax exported from Baltic ports it was almost certainly grown well inland and carried by river to the coast.  Found described as 9 headed, 12 headed in units of  a ton.

  OUTSHOT was the second grade of both Peterborough hemp and Riga hemp, below respectively Brack hemp or Clean and Rhine. The several grades of Peterborough hemp were called respectively: Clean hemp or first, the next was Outshot or 'seconds', then Half Clean or 'thirds', and finally Codilla.

  OUTSORE was a variety of hemp mentioned only once as one of several types advertised by a Liverpool merchant. It is probably a printer's error for Outshot Hemp, particularly since it has not been located elsewhere. If it was a genuine variety, like all the other varieties this merchant stocked, a hemp suitable for making Rope and/or Cordage.

   PASS HEMP was the third quality of Russian hemp and next inferior to Outshot hemp, but above Codilla. In (1744-50) described it as 'a very coarse, shaggy, cheap Sort, used altogether for roping'. Found in [Inventories (1671)] in which Riga hemp was given as an alternative label and it was valued at 22s Cwt compared with Rhine at 27s

  PATER NOSTER FLAX sometimes abbreviated to Pater Noster, this is another term like Bundle flax, Fadge flax, Kirtle flax, etc. in which the descriptor is a unit of measure for flax. The Pater Noster, according to Randle Holme consisted of ten handfuls in a strick (or Strike) and weighed two pounds. Confusingly, he elsewhere defined a strick as consisting of ten handfuls. It would seem that some particular types of flax were bundled up in this way and so became a label even when the flax was in different units of measure as in the Dictionary Archive where it has been noted in units of Cwt, LB, Quarter and tons.

  PETERBOROUGH FLAX refers to flax exported from Russia through the Baltic port of St Petersburg (later Leningrad), then often anglicised as Peterborough. Like so many other terms for flax, Peterborough flax came to be used as a label for a particular way of packaging, and indicated the number of heads tied up together. For Peterborough flax this was in bunches each containing either nine or twelve heads. Randle Holme describes the methods and labelling of flax in some detail, though his explanations are not overly lucid.  Calculating from the details he gave, nine head of Peterborough flax would probably have weighed between four and five pound. Found described as 9 headed, 12 headed in units of a ton.

   PETERBOROUGH HEMP was imported through the north Russian port of 'Peterborough', (St Petersburg) but probably grown in the south where conditions are better suited to producing a robust plant with strong, long fibres. According to Tomlinson, it was brought by water to Peterborough mainly in the spring and summer. There it was sorted by sworn agents called brackers who made it up into bundles, each of which was tagged with its place of origin, the date and the name of the sorter [Tomlinson (1854)]. The several grades of Peterborough hemp were called respectively: Clean hemp or first, the next was Outshot or 'seconds', then Half Clean or 'thirds', and finally Codilla. Brack hemp appears to have been an alternative name for the top grade [Tomlinson (1854)]. Whatever the name, Peterborough's top grade was regarded as second only in quality to Rhine, the top grade of Riga Hemp. Peterborough hemp of the best quality was used particularly for making rope for which purpose the top grade was required. Found described as Clean and for sale measured by the ton. Most probably grown in the south where conditions are better suited to producing a robust plant with strong, long fibres. It was used particularly for making Cordage for which purpose the grade called 'Riga Rhine hemp' was regarded as the best and Codilla the worst, with Outshot and Pass hemp in between.  Outshot was the second grade of both Peterborough hemp and Riga hemp, below respectively Brack hemp or Clean and Rhine.

    POUND FLAX was found in an inventory of a rope maker in Newcastle upon Tyne [Inventories (1670)]. Like many other terms relating to flax, the descriptor 'pound' seems to have indicated the unit of weight in which it was packaged. Found described as heckled in units of Dozen, LB

   QUARTER FLAX is found in an inventory of a rope maker in Newcastle upon Tyne [Inventories (1670)]. Like many other terms relating to flax, the descriptor 'quarter' seems to have indicated the unit of weight in which it was packaged. This was probably the quarter CWT (that is, 28 LB) rather than a quarter of a pound, but there can be no certainty about this unless further evidence comes to light. It was apparently valued slightly less highly than Pound flax. Found in units of LB