Hall marks on gold & silver plate

ENGLISH GOLDSMITHS. 3
profett of the house. Also that the gret standyng cuppe with Seynt
Dunston on the topp, sholde be lykewyse by them bee broken and
turned into other plate."
To Dunstan has been attributed the placing of pegs in tankards.
Finding that quarrels very frequently arose in taverns from disputes
about the proper share of the liquor when they drank out of the same
cup, he advised Edgar to order gold or silver pegs to be fastened
at regulated distances in the pots, that every man should know his
just allowance. The space between each peg contained half a pint.
We must not leave unnoticed the splendid tapestry used for
the decoration of Goldsmiths' <strong>Hall</strong>, made at a great expense in
Flanders, illustrating events in the history of St. Dunstan; the entire
expense of which work was ;^550. The Wardens' accounts contain
"
some interesting items : Paid Mr. Gerard Hughes for the rich arras
for the hanging of the <strong>Hall</strong>; for devising the story; for making the
stories in black and white; to four masters, every one of them sixteen
days at a shilling a day; for a boy to sharpen their colours
(chalks); for the translation of the story out of English into Dutch,
that the foreign workmen might understand it : to Mr. Hughes for
costs and charges, lying in Flanders, and for canvas, &c."
A.D. 600. 5/. Eloi, Bishop of Noyon, was born in 588 at Catalac
in Limoges, and received the name Eligius (chosen by God), as a
prognostic of his great destiny. He was chosen Patron of French
Goldsmiths, having succeeded St. Martial, or Marcel. He was apprenticed
to a goldsmith named Abbo, and when he was perfected
in his art he went to Neustria, and made acquaintance with the treasurer
of King Clothaire, named Bobbo, who introduced him, and he
was entrusted by the King with a mass of gold to make a fauteuil,
to be incrusted with precious stones. With the quantity of gold he
had received he made two fauteuils, instead of one, as ordered. The
"
King was astonished to see two instead of one, and exclaimed : One
can judge from this act of the confidence which may be placed in
the conduct of more important things." He advanced speedily in his
art, and made a great number of gold vases set with precious stones
and other jewels, assisted by his apprentice, Thillon. King Dagobert
placed the same confidence in Eloi; he was the founder of the
monastery of Solignac, which, like others of the same time, were
schools of the liberal arts, especially that of goldsmith. Thillon
was made abbot. Numerous vessels of gold and silver were made
by him for the churches, especially for St. Denis. The chair above
alluded to is preserved in the Cabinet des Antiques at Paris traditionally
attributed to Eloi as well as an altar-cross, set with
precious stones, made by order of King Dagobert, at St. Denis.
Saint Eloi, Bishop of Noyons, died in 659. His name is here introduced,
being chosen as Patron of the Guild of "Hammermen" of
Scotland, or smiths, among which goldsmiths were anciently included,
until those of Edinburgh obtained a separate charter in 1586,
confirmed in 1687.
600. Thillcn, pupil of St. Eloi, before-mentioned, was of
Saxon or English origin.