Consumption and Material Culture in Sixteenth-Century Ireland Susan
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Consumption and Material Culture in Sixteenth-Century Ireland Susan Flavin . A thesis submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Historical Studies. Words 84,729 Abstract This thesis argues that Irish consumption underwent major changes over the course of the sixteenth century, based primarily on evidence from eleven annual Bristol ‘particular’ accounts and Port Books. The study uses the customs data as a statistical framework on which to establish how, why and to what extent patterns of consumption changed in Ireland. The available qualitative evidence, including wills, archaeological evidence, pictorial evidence, contemporary literature and legislation are considered alongside the quantitative data to examine who was consuming the increasing range and volume of commodities that were imported into Ireland from Bristol and what changing consumption patterns reveal about the nature of Ireland’s economy, society and culture during this period. The thesis also shows how the Exchequer customs accounts can be used to shed light on the changing consumption patterns / material culture of a pre-consumer society, with the intent of revealing the potential value of this source for consumption historians. This work contributes to the current historiography in a number of important ways. It shifts the chronological focus of consumption studies from the conventional eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the sixteenth century, thus illustrating that marked changes in consumption can occur even in the most unlikely of pre-industrial societies. Also, by focusing on Ireland during this critical period, the lead up to the Elizabethan re-conquest, the thesis shows the extent to which changes in consumption habits map onto major political and social changes, thereby shedding light on the impact of colonisation and conquest on the acquisition, and interpretation of everyday goods. The study also makes a distinctive methodological contribution to consumption historiography, which currently suffers from a distinct lack of quantitative based studies. I declare that the work in this dissertation was carried out in accordance with the Regulations of the University of Bristol. The work is original, except where indicated by special reference in the text, and no part of the dissertation has been submitted for any other academic award. Any views expressed in the dissertation are those of the author: SIGNED: ............................................................. DATE: .......................... For My Parents and my Husband Peter − With Love and Thanks Acknowledgments I am immensely grateful to Dr. Evan Jones for his support and encouragement over the past several years. My thanks are due also to Dr. Brendan Smith who has provided feedback on drafts of the principal chapters and who has been a consistent source of encouragement and support. Dr. McLellan and Dr. Cervantes also provided valuable feedback on particular chapters and on the general direction of my research. I am indebted to those who provided positive and encouraging responses to conference papers based on my developing research. I particularly wish to acknowledge the support of the ESRC, who funded the Ireland-Bristol project which generated the raw data for this thesis and the AHRC, without whose support, this research would not have been possible. ...for the trade and enterdeale of seacoste nacons one with another worketh more civility and good fashions, all sea men being naturally desirous of new fashions, than the Inland dwellers which are seldome seene of forreyners; yet some of them as I have noted, I will recounte unto you. Edmund Spenser View of the Present State of Ireland (1596) Contents List of Tables..................................................................................................................................................i List of Figures ..............................................................................................................................................iii Abbreviations used in the Text……………………………………………………………………………..v Chapter 1: Introduction. ................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: The Irish Import Trade, 1503-1601……………………………………………………………16 Chapter 3: The Consumption of Dress…………………………………………………………………….64 Chapter 4: Eating and Drinking………………………………………………………………………….137 Chapter 5: Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………212 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………..220 Appendix A: ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Range of Commodities Imported from Bristol: 1503/4, 1545/6, 1594/5…………………………...234 Appendix B: ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Monthly breakdown import commodities by gross value, 1503 and 1550…………………………241 List of Tables Gross value of Ireland- Bristol trade (deflated)…………………………………………………………...22 Gross value Irish imports (deflated)………………………………………………………………………23 Gross value Irish exports (deflated)……………………………………………………………………….24 Percentage of manufactured goods exported to Bristol……………………………………………….......26 Volume of re-exported continental foods-lbs…………………………………………………………......30 Percentage of gross value of imports comprised by cloth of assize, silk and saffron, 1503-1601……......32 Comparative cloth imports, 1503/4; 1594/5………………………………………………………………32 Percentage of gross value of imports by Irish merchant domicile…………………………………….......42 Percentage of gross value of trade imported by merchant domicile………………………………………42 Distribution of import commodities in 1575/6 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant domicile………………………………………………………………………………………………........47 Distribution of import commodities in 1576/7 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant domicile……………………………………………………………………………………………………48 Distribution of import commodities in 1591/2 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant domicile……………………………………………………………………………………………………49 Distribution of import commodities in 1594/5 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant domicile……………………………………………………………………………………………………50 Distribution of import commodities in 1598/9 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant domicile……………………………………………………………………………………………………51 Distribution of import commodities in 1600/1 by value, based on port of arrival and merchant Domicile……………………………………………………………………………………………….......51 Monthly breakdown of gross value of imports (deflated)…………………………………………………56 Monthly breakdown of gross value of exports (deflated)…………………………………………………57 1503-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports, ship movements and merchants………………….......58 1516-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......58 1525-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......58 1541-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......59 1542-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......59 1545-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......60 1550-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants……………………...60 1563-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......61 1575-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......61 1594-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......61 1600-Monthly breakdown of gross value imports; ship movements and merchants………………….......62 i Volume of head-wear imports, 1503-1601 (piece)………………………………………………………..82 Head-wear as a per cent of total import value…………………………………………………………….82 Volume of hats imported, 1503-1601 (piece) …………………………………………………………….85 Distribution of adult’s hats in 1594/5, based on merchant domicile……………………………………...85 Distribution of children’s hats in 1594/5, based on merchant domicile………………………………......86 Volume of starch imported (lb)……………………………………………………………………………90 Volume of neck-wear imported, 1503-1601 (piece) ………………………………………………….......93 Volume of leg-wear imported, 1503-1601 (piece) ………………………………………………………..97 Volume of clothing accessories imported, 1503-1601 (piece) ………………………………………….100 Volume of spectacles imported, 1503-1601 (piece)…………………………………………………......101 Volume of dress/cloth-making haberdashery and passementerie imported, 1503-1601 (piece) ………..115 Volume of saffron imported, 1503-1601 (lbs)……………………………………………………….......122 Saffron as a percentage of the gross value of Irish imports from Bristol……………………………......122 Volume of orchil imported, 1503-1601 (lbs)…………………………………………………………….125 Volume of dyestuff imported, 1503-1601 (lbs)………………………………………………………….125 Volume of hops imported, 1503-1601(lbs)………………………………………………………………144 Distribution of hops by merchant domicile, 1594/5…………………………………………………......145 Volume of wine imported from Bristol, 1503-1601 (gallons)……………………………………….......151 Volume of wine re-exported from Ireland to Chester, 1576-1666 (gallons)…………………………….151 Volume of wine re-exported from Ireland to Bristol, 1503-1601 (gallons)………………………….......152 Volume of drinking vessels imported, 1503-1601(piece)………………………………………………..162 Volume of spices, medicines and preservatives imported, 1503-1601(lbs)…………………………......178 Volume of sugar imported to Bristol 1503-1601 (lbs)……………………………………………….......187 Volume of sugar re-exported to Ireland from Bristol, 1503-1601 (lbs)………………………………….188 Volume of salt imported