IN 863BC, King Bladud, the Trojan king of ancient Albion (or Britain) and
the father of King Lear, founded the first university in the world at
Stamford.   The event was first recorded by the venerable sixth-century
wizard, Merlin of Caledonia, the "British Apollo", and was elaborated by
later writers.
<p no=1>
After attending the famous schools in Athens, Bladud, who was a descendant
of Aeneas of the Trojan Wars - returned to Albion with many wise and
learned teachers to establish a place of learning.   On the banks of the
Welland they found the sylvan setting appropriate for such an illustrious
academic institution.   The ghost of Bladud tells us:
<p no=2>
Bladud is usually associated with the building of Bath and its spa baths
dedicated to Minerva, but more importantly
<p no=3>
Athenian style temples and halls were built by the Welland, probably with
long colonnades of beautiful fluted Doric columns carved by Greek masons
in the local limestone.   These halls
<p no=4 segment_break>
Following the dissolution of a breakaway university at Northampton by
Edward I in 1264, two hundred Cambridge and Oxford students, converted to
Pelagianism, moved to Stamford, where there was already an established
tradition of learning and heretical practice.   Henry Hanna, the
provincial of the Carmelites, had resurrected the ancient university when
he founded a school in St. George's Square in the 1250s.   
<p no=5>
Peck says: " Henry Hanna was the beginner of Academical education and of
the University itself at Stamford" and that the Carmelites (Whitefriars)
were the "chief professors and tutors to the youth of this University".
Stukeley in his diary for 1745, however, claimed that the medieval
university evolved from All Saints' College, established in 1109 at
Wothorpe, by Joffied, Abbot of Crowland Abbey.
<p no=6>
After Henry Hanna's hall, the first colleges to be established, as Peck
tells us, were general schools open to all, such as Brazenose College by
St. Paul's Gate.   These colleges, though, soon proved inadequate for the
"all comers who promiscuously flocked from all parts to this University"
(Peck) and other friaries, disliking the mixture of lay and secular
education, established their own schools.   
<p no=7>
Black Hall was founded by "some order of Black monks" (Peck) in All
Saints' Place, and the Blackfriars and Greyfriars also had schools in the
town.   As these colleges became overcrowded, the large monasteries set up
their own academic halls, including Sempringham Hall and Durham Hall in
St. Peter's Street, Peterborough Hall in All Saints' Street and Vaudey
Hall (owned by Vallis Dei Abbey near Grimsthorpe) in St. Mary's Street.  
<p no=8>
Each monastic order established a religious foundation in the   town
resulting in a proliferation of churches until as Samuel Sharp says:
"Stamford... must have been a kind of monastic metropolis." Butcher
comments that "The Monks, Friars, and Nuns of those superstitious Times
like so many Rats or Mice, which make choice to feed of the daintiest
cheese) made choice of this Place to build here several Receptacles..."
<p no=9 segment_break>
The story of King Bladud was first chronicled by Geoffrey of Monmouth (c.
1100-1154) in his  Historia Regum Britanniae , a collection of mythology
and history relating to the early history of Britain, which he claimed he
had translated from a lost book of Breton legends.   Geoffrey, however,
makes no reference to Bladud establishing a university in Britain.   John
Hardyng, a mid fifteenth-century poet and chronicler, is the first to
mention the story and quotes as his source the sixth-century Merlin of
Caledonia, more commonly known as Merlin the Wizard.   
<p no=10>
There is no evidence, though, for the existence of "Merlin" and writings
attributed to him are spurious.
<p no=11>
This implies that the myth of Bladud's University was invented by Hardyng,
and was inspired by the 1333 secession.   Blore in 1813 suggested:  The
tale was then copied by later historians and poets such as John Ross, the
late fifteenth-century Warwick antiquary, John Higgins (working c.
1570-1602), Michael Drayton (1563-1631), and local historians such as
Richard Butcher and Francis Peck.   
<p no=12>
John Leland writing in the mid-sixteenth century calls the whole episode a
"dream".   The tale of Simon the Athenian appears in Samuel Sharp's
History of Stamford  of 1847, where he says he found it in a"quaint old
black-letter record".   It is probably a conflation of the Bladud legend
with that of Simon Magus who appears in the canonical  Acts of the
Apostles  and the apocryphal  Acts of Peter  and who is credited with
being the first teacher of the Gnostic heresy.   
<p no=13>
When in Rome  Simon is said to have encountered St. Peter and in an
attempt to gain converts he flew through the air supported by invisible
demons.   St. Peter, seeing this threat, banished the demons and Simon
fell to his death.  Both Simon and Bladud have fatal attempts at flight,
black magic and heresy in common, and it is easy to see that the two
stories could have become confused.
<p no=14 segment_break>
 Nylon made a great impact on the textile industry when it was first
discovered.  Fabrics produced from this fibre are fine, strong and
hard-wearing, can be washed frequently without the shape and size altering,
and can be drip dried.  They require very little ironing and an iron that is
too hot will melt the fabric.  Nylon is crease-resistant and is often mixed
with other fibres to give them this quality plus extra strength.  One
disadvantage, however, is that it acquires static electricity, causing it to
pick up dirt easily.  Nylon is damaged by sunlight so is not the best fabric
to use for curtains.
<p no=15>
 Polyester has become one of the most successful of the man-made fibres.  It
is hard-wearing,crease-resistant, easy to wash and quick drying.  It is
frequently mixed with other fibres, particularly cotton, to impart improved
life and easy-care qualities.  It is suitable for curtaining as it is not
harmed by sunlight.
<p no=16>
 Acrylic fibres are made into fabric which is soft and warm, and consequently
has similar characteristics to wool.  It is most commonly woven into textured
or pile fabrics and it has an advantage over wool in that when washed
correctly (without too much heat) it will retain its shape, drip dry and need
little ironing.  It drapes beautifully and is consequently most suitable for
curtains, with the added advantage that it is not affected by sunlight.  It
can be blended with other fibres too.  Loosely-woven textured varieties are
often made up into a heavier type of unlined sheer curtain.
<p no=17>
Modyacrylic fibres have many of the same qualities as acrylic.  In addition,
they are flame-resistant, making them most suitable for furnishing fabrics.
<p no=18 segment_break>
The earlier secession of Cambridge and Oxford students in 1264 is
mentioned only by the historian Richard White (1539-1611) and was copied
by Anthony Wood, a late seventeenth-century Oxford writer.   It is
probably just an elaboration of the historical secession of Cambridge
students to Northampton in 1261.   The Pelagian connection appears to be
just a confusion with the earlier myth.
<p no=19>
The arrival of the Oxford students, though, implies that there was a
earlier tradition of learning in the town, but this was by no means as
significant as some writers have suggested.   There is only one adequately
documentary monastic school, which was founded by the Lincolnshire priory
of Sempringham in  c.  1301.   Robert Luterell, younger brother of Sir
Geoffrey Luterell, who commissioned the famous  Luterell Psalter , gave
his house called " the Gannoc" on St. Peter's Street for use as a school,
and it had its own chapel of St. Mary.   
<p no=20>
About half a dozen Gilbertine novices lived there, studying theology and
philosophy, and the school was possibly attended by other town students
(Durham Hall at Oxford, established in 1286, was a similar, though larger,
institution, housing sixteen students).   The existence of this school
suggests that there could have been other halls in the town, but there is
no definite evidence.   
<p no=21>
It is known that St. Leonard's Priory had some academic function, for in
the fourteenth century it was partly used as a study centre for young
monks, possibly preparing them for their degree courses at Oxford.   Alan
Piper suggests that St. Leonard's was quite a prestigious academic
institution, run by masters of " high calibre in terms of administrative
experience and intellectual training".  This teaching function, though,
declined sharply after 1380 with the establishment of Durham College at
Oxford.
<p no=22 segment_break>
Last month, the IMF declared Honduras ineligible for further funds after it
failed to repay debts of $16 million, bringing its overdue obligations to
$26.5 million.  The World Bank has taken similar action because of $57 million
arrears.
<p no=23>
Through the Caribbean Basin Initiative, the US is attempting to encourage
export industries in countries such as Honduras, in addition to direct
financial aid.  But this, in turn, reopens the issue of national dependence on
Uncle Sam.  And in any case, the particulars of such a seeming unequal
struggle are of little immediate help, or interest, to the Kids from La Fama.
<p no=24>
Since dancing can not earn them a living, Chela and Urna are into self-help,
and it is as humiliating in personal terms as any perceived national, cultural
subservience to the US.
<p no=25>
Urna is the most forward.  She sits at the table and smiles, asking firmly for
a solo-brandy and coke in separate glasses.  She is young but not so young as
Chela, who says she is 18 but looks 16 at the most.  Chela, too, has a solo.
<p no=26>
When they suggest a dance to my companion, Wesley, there seems no harm - but
it turns into a smooch.  Solos become doubles, and doubles trebles.  And the
Kids from La Fama grow ever more possessive.  "Now we have to go," say Chela
and Urna suddenly.  "But there is a problem."  The problem turns out to be the
boss of the club, who says we must pay $8 if the girls are to leave.
<p no=27>
Outside, I wait for Wesley, who is negotiating Chela and Urna's release.
Finally, here they come, the Kids from Fame, Honduras-style, giggling yet
purposeful.  "Where do you want to go, we'll drop you in a taxi," I say.  All
three now look at me incredulously.  And the penny drops.  "Back to the hotel,
man, come on!" says Wesley.
<p no=28>
It took 30 minutes of argument, a great deal of soothing of apparently hurt
professional pride, and not a little money to persuade Chela that it was time
to call it a night, alone.  It was normal, argued Wesley.  It was expected,
warned Urna.  It was very, very sad, thought I, as the army conscript across
the road laughed at the prostitution of his country's future.
<p no=29 segment_break>
In the early fifth century, England was under attack from invading tribes
of Picts and Scots.   They had laid waste the entire north of the country
and in 449 they arrived at the university town of Stamford.   In a last
attempt to crush the invasion, Vortigern, the British king, enlisted the
help of the Saxon army under the renowned general, Hengist.   But by
inviting the Saxons into the country he planted the seed for a new
invasion upon his soil.
<p no=30>
Hengist's army met the Scots at Stamford, which was now in a ruinous
state;
<p no=31>
The Saxon forces scored a significant victory and in return Vortigern gave
Hengist land in Stamford to build the first Saxon town in Britain.
Camden adds:
<p no=32>
Hengist chose a site just to the west of the existing settlement on an
elevated position and constructed a Roman-style town based on knowledge
gained whilst serving in the Roman army.   The structured grid layout of
this town can still be traced today in the St. Peter's area of Stamford.
St. Peter's Street was formerly the axial  Via Praetoria  with the  forum
, or market place, on the site of St. Peter's Church.   The castle stood
to the south-east by the river and the whole town was heavily fortified,
surviving until the Danish attacks in the ninth century.
<p no=33 segment_break>
Henry Cecil was born in 1754 in Brussels.   He was the son of a black
sheep of the family, Thomas Chambers Cecil by his French wife, Charlotte
Gormier.   After nine months, Henry was adopted by Thomas' older brother,
the ninth Earl, whose own marriage was childless.   Henry became successor
to the Burghley estate and in return the ninth Earl settled his younger
brother's debts.   
<p no=34>
In 1776, Henry married Emma Vernon, who had inherited a wealthy estate at
Hanbury in Worcestershire.   In the style of his father he squandered the
Vernon fortune and he alienated his wife.   After thirteen years of
childless marriage, Emma Cecil ran away with the Rev.  William Sneyd, the
curate of Hanbury.   They eloped to Exeter and after the divorce, they
married and lived in Portugal where Sneyd died in 1793.
<p no=35>
In the court case of June 1790, Henry Cecil was awarded GBP1000 damages
and a divorce, but what makes the whole story so remarkable is that by
this time he was already secretly remarried.   After his wife's departure
in 1789, Henry retired to the village of Bolas Magna in Shropshire to
escape both the scandal and his heavy gambling debts.   
<p no=36>
He changed his name to John Jones and fell in love with a
seventeen-year-old village girl called Sarah Hoggins.   He married her
under his false name in Bolas Magna church in April 1790 and he built a
large house there for them both.  After the divorce he married her again
under his real name at St.  Mildred's, Bread Street, London and their
first child, Sophia, was born in July 1792.  Little is known of the
"cottage countess" but there is no evidence of her surprise at seeing
Burghley House, or her supposed decline under the aristocratic social
pressures which Tennyson alludes to.   She died in 1797, aged 23, after
giving birth to their fourth child.
<p no=37 segment_break>
Man-made fibres can be split into two groups, those that are derived from
natural sources but have been transformed by chemical treatment, and those
that are made totally from chemical sources and are therefore synthetic.
<p no=38>
The first group consists of rayon and acetate.
<p no=39>
 Rayon is frequently blended with other fibres and used extensively in
furnishing fabrics.  It is soft, and handles and drapes well.
<p no=40>
 Acetate fibres are blended with other fibres to produce silk-like fabrics
that are soft, drape well, and have a rich, lustrous appearance.  Many
dupions, brocades and moires have a high acetate content, and all are suitable
for curtains.  Too much heat during ironing will damage fibres and they should
never be damped down during ironing otherwise the fabric will be permanently
spoilt with a watermark.
<p no=41>
Among the synthetic fibres used in furnishing fabrics are nylon, polyester and
acrylic.
<p no=42 segment_break>
AT the store on the corner, three drunken men are trying to eat the same hot
dog.  Across the road, an army conscript in battle fatigues watches.
<p no=43>
Somewhere along the dark street, somebody is crying.  It is past midnight in
down town Tegucigalpa, and it's time to go home.  And here, at last, come the
Kids from Fame.
<p no=44>
Chela and Urna are dancers at La Fama night club, a grotty little joint
comprising one bar, 15 or so rickety wooden tables, and an illuminated picture
of a woman's bottom which flashes on and off.  But La Fama has a stage.  And
that is what really interests Chela and Urna.
<p no=45>
Like the thousands of young people who crowd the narrow streets of
Tegucigalpa, the Kids from La Fama are obsessed with the trappings of North
American culture.
<p no=46>
A fancy New York dance school it is n't, but for Chela and Urna the spotlit
stage at La Fama is an alluring link with the much-emulated, much vilified
empire to the north.  Such schizophrenia, when it comes to the"yanquis" is
common throughout Central America.  And in another way, the Kids from Honduras
symbolise one of the region's most pressing problems - the population
explosion.  Like its neighbour Nicaragua Honduras is growing beyond its means.
<p no=47 segment_break>
Many ancient towns in England were originally built with a network of
underground tunnels connecting the sites of the churches, guildhalls,
monasteries and nunneries.   These were used as retreats in times of
attack and for clandestine communication between the religious houses.
Anne Pennick in an essay on the tunnels of Glastonbury claims that larger
tunnels follow ley lines (originally straight alignments of assorted
ancient historic sites, now credited to be on lines of mystic energy), and
that they reflect the "mystery and sanctity attaching to places of
paramount geomantic importance in the topographical interrelation of
religious sites".
<p no=48>
Stamford is reputed to have several ancient tunnels, although after the
Dissolution in 1539 many of them were either destroyed or blocked off.
One runs from Wothorpe Priory (now the site of Wothorpe ruins) to St.
Michael's Nunnery and under the river to St. Leonard's Priory and the
Greyfriars site ( now the Hospital).  Others run from the crypt at 13 St.
Mary's Hill to St. Mary's Church and the Town Hall, and there are numerous
tunnels under most of the central medieval streets.
<p no=49>
The secret underground passage has a special place in the imagination of
the English people.  The romantic fantasy is nurtured in our youth with
Enid Blyton books and ghost stories and manifests itself in the invention
of tunnel myths.   Unfortunately there is no historical or archaeological
evidence for any tunnels under Stamford, nor under any medieval town.
Monasteries and nunneries were  relatively safe from attack until the
Dissolution and would have no need for elaborate and impractical tunnels.
Also, the marshy ground near rivers, where most towns are sited, is
ill-suited for tunnel construction.
<p no=50>
The myth is perpetuated by many factors.   The popular, but false, belief
that a pointed or Gothic arch means that a building was originally
ecclesiastical is enough to kindle a story.   
<p no=51>
The pointed arch was merely the most efficient form of building technology
at the time (in Stamford a pointed arch is sometimes used in medieval
cellars to span the sites of earlier quarry pits) and the undercroft at
no. 13 St. Mary's Hill was not a crypt for St. Mary's Church, but a shop
with steps giving access to the street.  
<p no=52>
Later eighteenth and nineteenth-century cellars are prime candidates for
tunnel status; they are usually stone built in the form of barrel vaults
which give the end walls the appearance of plugs which seal off long
tunnels - a common feature of such myths.   River conduits and drains are
also mistaken for tunnels.   During the St. Leonard's excavation, the
reredorter (toilet) drain was uncovered which entered into a fissure for
drainage to the river.   This sparked off talk of a tunnel leading to
Burghley House where a mythical monastery founded in 1158 by William
Waterville was supposed to have stood ( this monastery is still cited in
the Burghley House guide book).
<p no=53>
These "tunnels" are made to connect with sites of current or popular
importance.   The medieval undercroft under no. 13 St. Mary's Hill is just
one of five in the town, but is singled out because of its notoriety.
Wothorpe House, because of its ruinous state, its unusual design and its
proximity to the site of Wothorpe nunnery, is also a victim of such
mythology, but it was merely a dower house for widows of the earls and
marquesses at Burghley.   Burghley itself is given importance because of
its size and its "monastery".
<p no=54 segment_break>
IN 1363 the manor of Stamford became the property of the Dukes of York.
The town remained prosperous and pledged its loyalty to its new owner in a
rebellion against the Lancastrian government in 1452.   The price for such
loyalty, though, was high and Stamford was later ruined during the Wars of
the Roses.   It never again recovered its former glory.
<p no=55>
The Lancastrian army arrived at Stamford in February 1461, on their march
to St. Albans, and were led by Henry VI's French consort, Queen Margaret.
The townspeople were prepared.   They manned the towers and bastions and
the great gates were shut fast.   But the   Lancastrian army proved too
powerful, and after a brave fight the defences were breached.   The town
was plundered and destroyed, together with "many writings of their
antiquities and privileges" ( Leland).
<p no=56>
Camden writing in the late sixteenth century states they "destroyed
everything with fire and sword: Nor could it ever after recover its
ancient dignity".
<p no=57>
After the sack only the six principal churches were rebuilt.   E. W.
Lovegrove in an essay on the churches of Stamford in 1908 says that St.
John's and St. Martin's were in so ruinous a state that completely new
Perpendicular style buildings had to be erected on their site.   The
others, particularly All Saints' and St. Mary's, were extensively rebuilt
using the materials of the poorer churches.   Thus one of England's
greatest medieval towns was destroyed, its churches shattered, and its
houses razed.   Bentley Wood says: "never, although four centuries have
elapsed since this fateful day, has Stamford recovered from the effects of
February 1461".
<p no=58>
Despite this bitter tragedy the town again rallied itself to the Yorkist
cause when in 1470 they assisted King Edward IV in dispelling a
Lancastrian uprising at the battle of Loosecoat Field.   In return for
this support the king granted Stamford the permission to use the royal
coat of arms on the borough shield.
<p no=59 segment_break>
It is impossible to list all the fabrics that would be suitable for window
treatments, as the range is constantly growing.  Fabrics are not always given
a particular name but are often referred to just by the fibre content, e.g.,
cotton or polyester print.  The table describes the standard types of fabric.
<p no=60>
Bolton twill.  A firm, hard-wearing fabric.  Should be lined to reduce light
penetration.
<p no=61>
Brocade.  A heavy fabric with patterns woven in a jacquard weave.  Produced in
a variety of yarns.  Drapes well.
<p no=62>
Buckram.  A loosely-woven plain weave, impregnated with glue to stiffen.  Used
for pelmets and in a finer quality for curtain headings.  It is not washable.
<p no=63>
Bump.  A  fluffy, blanket type   fabric, made of plain  weave  and used  as  a
curtain interlining and to soften pelmets.
<p no=64>
Casement.  A closely-woven plain weave fabric.  Drapes well.  Usually produced
in plain colours.
<p no=65>
Chintz.  A finely-woven stiffish cloth  with a glazed finish.  Usually printed
with highly coloured patterns.  If the glaze is produced chemically it will be
permanent, otherwise it is liable to wash out.
<p no=66 segment_break>
ISLANDERS in the tiny Pacific state of Palau vote in a referendum on February
6 for the seventh time on a deal with the United States which would give the
US strategic military rights in the Western Pacific only 500 miles from the
troubled Philippines.
<p no=67>
Washington is optimistic that voters will at last consent to a treaty called
the Compact of Free Association.  The US has been trying for a decade to
clinch the deal, not least because it would give its nuclear forces control of
what is seen as the strategically vital Pacific zone and a new set of options
if its Philippine naval and air bases are threatened.
<p no=68>
But the 11,000 island voters have rejected the treaty in six referendums since
1983.  Opposition to the deal is being led by Palau's small but powerful group
of traditional women elders, who say the agreement would have a devastating
social economic and political impact on Palau's society and culture.
<p no=69>
The compact would grant the US options on exclusive military rights in and
around the Palau archipelago for 50 years.  In exchange, Washington would
provide Palau with $460 million in aid over 15 years.
<p no=70>
Palau's constitution bans nuclear activity unless agreed by at least 75 per
cent of voters.  All referendums so far have failed to reach the required
majority, although more than half the electorate voted in favour.
<p no=71 segment_break>
Stamford and Tutbury in Staffordshire are unique in England for their
former indulgence in the peculiar "sport" of bull-running.   Bull-baiting,
where a bull was tethered to a ring and goaded by dogs and sticks, was
relatively common, but letting the bull roam through the streets was
nearer to Spanish than English custom.   (Pamplona in northern Spain still
has bull-running.) Peck in his satirical pamphlet on bull-running says, "
I am sometimes inclined to believe the Stamfordians and Spaniards are more
closely related than most people imagine" and Frederick Hackwood in an
account of the Tutbury bull-running says it might have originated "in an
imitation of Spanish bull-fighting,  introduced by John of Gaunt to please
his wife Constance, a daughter of Pedro the Cruel of Castile".   But what
of the Stamford custom?
<p no=72>
The tradition, as related by Butcher, is that in 1209 (the date popularly
associated with the introduction of bull-baiting into England), William de
Warrenne, Lord of Stamford, on looking out from his castle walls, saw two
bulls fighting for a cow in the castle meadows.   Upon the intervention of
a butcher and his mastiff dog, one of the bulls escaped into the town
where it tossed men, women and children.   The earl mounted his horse and
chased after it, but enjoyed the sport so much that he ordered the town
butchers to supply a mad bull every year on 13 November in return for
grazing rights on the meadows.   
<p no=73>
Whilst the tale itself is probably fictional, the butchers ( known as
"triers") were often responsible for selecting the bull and the idea of a
custom being supported by a charitable donation was common.   The Tutbury
bull was provided by the Duke of Devonshire and the famous Haxey Hood game
in Lincolnshire probably arose from an earlier bull-running custom which
involved the donation of a bull.
<p no=74>
The actual origin of the Stamford custom is probably much older and the
subject of much speculation.   Mr. M. Holbeache Bloxam, a
nineteenth-century archaeologist, believed the castle site was previously
an ancient British earthwork- a memorial to the dead - around which a
religious or social custom took place which evolved into bull-running.
This is obviously fantasy rather than fact.   A Roman origin has been
suggested, as bull-related sports were introduced into the empire by
Julius Caesar, but there was no settlement at Stamford at that time.   
<p no=75>
A Saxon origin is more plausible, for November was known as "blood month",
a month of sacrifice, and 13 November was St. Brice's Day - the
anniversary of the massacre of the Danes by Ethelred II in 1002 ( Stamford
was the scene of Saxon and Danish conflict during the tenth century).   Or
possibly it was of Norman origin, for it is known from a twelfth-century
description of London that bull-baiting was practised by them.   They
introduced the festival of Martinmas ( 11th November) and G.H. Burton
alludes to the Irish custom of slaughtering an animal on St. Martin's Day,
suggesting it was an earlier pagan practice brought into the Christian
calendar.   
<p no=76>
St. Brice and St. Martin were closely associated and St. Brice succeeded
St. Martin as bishop of Tours in  444.   St. Martin's church and its
medieval guild were responsible at some stage for providing the bull.
Peck says the St. Martin's guild was singled out in 1388 by Richard II as
an example of the corruption within the guild system, because " On the
feast of St. Martin... the brethren have a certain bull." He goes on to
suggest that the " mixture of bull-running, tipling and popery" was later
used as a pretence by Edward VI to suppress the entire medieval guild
system.   
<p no=77>
The Tutbury bull-running was closely associated with the town's Court of
Minstrels, established in the late fourteenth century, and took place on
15 August, the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.  Mabel Peacock
suggests ( Folklore  15, 1944) that as Stamford lay at the junction of
Rutland, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, perhaps "the men of these
shires anciently met by the Welland to observe the traditional rites
intended to secure the prosperity of their territories".
<p no=78 segment_break>
 Linen is one of the oldest fibres known and is even stronger than cotton, but
it creases badly unless treated with the appropriate finish.  It has the
advantage of staying clean longer than most other fabrics.  Its main use in
furnishing fabrics is as linen union, a hard-wearing fabric.  Although
curtains are sometimes made up in this fabric it is not always satisfactory as
it can be rather stiff.
<p no=79>
 Wool is warm and soft.  It has good insulating qualities, and is used in
furnishing fabrics mixed with other fibres.
<p no=80>
 Silk , although it is considered a delicate fabric, is in fact very strong,
but it is adversely affected by sunlight.  Silk curtains should therefore be
lined to give some protection.  Some silk fabrics will drape beautifully while
others have a light, crisp appearance.
<p no=81>
Man-made fibres were first developed to imitate natural ones, and ultimately
to keep pace with the growing demand for fabrics, as it is not possible to
produce enough from natural sources alone.  Many new qualities were introduced
into these man-made fibres that could not be obtained from their natural
counterparts.  Many of the best fabrics are made by using a combination of
man-made and natural fibres.
<p no=82 segment_break>
Lining provides essential protection for the main curtain fabric against
exposure to sunlight, dust and dirt.
<p no=83>
Cotton sateen is the most widely used lining fabric as it is strong and drapes
well, and its shiny outer surface helps to resist dust.  It is manufactured in
various qualities and widths.  It can be bought undyed, bleached or dyed in a
variety of colours.  Black or dark-coloured linings help to reduce the light
penetration into a room but should only be used with an appropriately coloured
outer fabric in order not to spoil the appearance of the curtains.
<p no=84>
Plain-weave polyester and cotton fabrics are also used as linings.  Although
the latter may be slightly cheaper than sateen, it may not have the same
draping quality.
<p no=85>
Thermal linings with a soft, fluffy coating on the inside provide excellent
insulation although some do have a rather unattractive rubber-like appearance
on the outside.  One type of insulating lining has a coating of aluminium on
the reverse side which not only provides protection from heat loss in winter
but also prevents excessive heat build-up in a room during summer by
deflecting the sun's rays.  It is also more dense than a normal lining and is
thus able to cut out more light.
<p no=86 segment_break>
The waits performed the bull tune in the period surrounding the bull
festival and were closely associated with the bellman, who would walk
around the town between midnight and two in the morning on the days when
the waits were not playing.   Justin Simpson, in his article on the
Stamford waits in  The Reliquary  in July 1885, describes them crying out
in the night after the performance of a tune these words by Shakespeare;
<p no=87>
The waits were officially disbanded in 1832 but existed as an independent
body until the late nineteenth century, by which time their peculiar
custom was becoming more than a little irritating to certain residents of
the town.   In November 1894, Carew H. St. John Mildmay, the
Anglo-Catholic rector of St. Mary's church, wrote in a letter to the
Mercury :
<p no=88>
Fortunately for Mr. Mildmay, the tradition died out shortly afterwards.
Six waits' badges still survive at the Town Hall, four bear the date 1691
and the other two, 1823.
<p no=89>
Stamford bellman based on early drawing reproduced in Roger's  Book of
Stamford
<p no=90 segment_break>
Fabrics are expensive, but they will last for years and give great pleasure
provided they are looked after in the proper manner.  If large curtains are
vacuumed in situ with a hand attachment, this will keep the fabric fresh and
prevent a build-up of dust, reducing the need for frequent cleaning.  Ruched
and festoon blinds will benefit from this attention, as they tend to be dust
traps.
<p no=91>
Check the care label on the bale of fabric when you are buying it.  It is
important that the instructions are followed carefully in view of the many
different types of fibres and finishes used in modem fabrics.  Ask for advice
if no cleaning instructions are available.
<p no=92>
Curtains that have linings sewn in will require dry cleaning in order to
reduce the risk of lining and curtain fabric shrinking at different rates.
<p no=93>
Any curtains with stiffened buckram headings should be dry cleaned.
