Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Gold and Silver

3

Ьу "six of the шоrе discreet goldsmiths," who went about and superintendecl the amount of alloy to Ье employed; "gold of the standard of the touch of Paris" was the French terш for metal of the required pшity. Any goldsmith using imitation stoпes or other­ '\\'ise falsifyiпg iп his profession ,vas puпished "Ьу imprisoпшeпt апd Ьу raпsom at tl1e King's pleasure. " There were sоше complaiпts that frauduleпt workers " cover tin with silve1· so sнЬtilely . . . that the same cannot Ье discovercd 01· separated, апd so sell tiп for fiпe silver, to the great damage апd deceipt of us. " Tliis state of thiнgs fiпally Ied to the adoption of the Hall Mark, which is still to Ье sееп on every piece of silver, sigпifyiпg that it has been pronounced pure Ьу the appointed authorities. The goldsшitЬs of France absorbed several other auxiliary arts, and ,vere po,verful and influential. In state processions the goldsmitl1s Ьаd the first place of iшportance, апd bore the I"oyal canopy v.'heв the Kiпg hiшself took part iп tЬе сегешоnу, carrying the shrine of St. Genevieve also, wl1en it was taken forth in great pageants. In the quaint wordiпg of the period, goldsmiths were i f orbldden to gild or silver-plate any articlc шаdе of copper 01· latten, unless tЬеу left some part of the Ш'iginal exposed, "at the foot or some other part, . . . to the inteпt that а mап may see ,vl1ereof thc thiпg is made for to eschew the deceipt at'oгesaid." Tbl.s law was enacted in 1404.