The earliest depiction of a Windsor Chair? Peniarth MS 28 © Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales

Peniarth MS 28 © Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales

 

I recently came across this fabulous illustration from the Laws of Hywel Dda in the collection of the National Library of Wales, about which they say: 

"A Latin text of the Laws of Hywel Dda, being one of the earliest, by a single scribe and dating from the mid 13th century. The notes on a piece of paper pasted onto the inside the end cover which is now partly perished have been transcribed by Gwenogvryn Evans.

The 'Laws of Hywel Dda' is the term applied to a system of native Welsh law named after Hywel Dda (died 950) who is credited with its codification. None of the surviving Welsh law manuscripts, however, is earlier than the second quarter of the 13th century. Although they contain law that is of 12th- and 13th-century origin, scholars are agreed that these manuscripts contain a core of matter that is much earlier in date. Most of these books are small in size and were probably designed as 'pocket-books' to be carried about by lawyers rather than to be kept on library shelves. Peniarth MS 28 belongs to this first generation of law-books, being written probably in the middle of the 13th century, a date arrived at by Daniel Huws on palaeographical and physical grounds; this challenges J. Gwenogvryn Evans's dating of the last quarter of the 12th century. However, the manuscript differs from its contemporaries in a number of respects. It is much larger than the other law-books of the period, probably intended for a library rather than the pocket of a lawyer, and it is written in Latin rather than in Welsh. But what singles it out most is the series of illustrations it contains portraying the king and the officials of his household. The conclusion to be drawn is that the scribe of Peniarth MS 28 had been commissioned to write a special copy of the Welsh laws, probably a presentation copy for some dignitary. The fact that it is written in Latin suggests an ecclesiastic rather than a lawyer, maybe a non-Welshman. Textual evidence suggests that it was probably written in south-west Wales."

Note the tapered legs, arm rests and high back. Who knows what woods were used but my money would be on ash and elm?

Bumble - a regional word for rush

Two of the late 17th century inventories from the Lincolnshire Archives, for John Brooke (1665) and William Botamley (1691) include entries for 'Bumbles' and the entry from ‘The English Dialect Dictionary’  Joseph Wright, OUP 1898 is set out:

“BUMBLE, sb.⁶ Yks. Lin. [bu-ml.]   1. The bulrush, Scirpus lacustris, with which chairs are  bottomed. Also used attrib.   Lin. The chair's got a bumble bottom (R.E.C.). n.Lin. N. & Q.  (1852) 1st S v. 375 ; n.Lin.¹ I can't abide them bumble-seated  chairs ; it's makkin' onessen like a Paapist to set doon 'e one  on 'em. sw-Lin.¹   2. Comp. Bumble-barfan, a horse-collar made of reeds  or rushes as distinguished from the leather bargham (q.v.).   n.Yks. 12 ne. Yks.¹ The bumble-barfam was specially used for  young colts and fillies when first yoked (s.v. Barfhame). m.Yks. ¹  VOL. I.     [Bull-rushes ... in some countries . . . are called  bumbles, WESTMACOTT Script. Herbal (1694) 32.]” 

It seems to have been a relatively rare usage; a search of the British Newspaper Archive reveals only one advertisement that uses the term. In the Lincolnshire Chronicle, 3 March 1854 appears the following insertion: 

• NAVENBY, near LINCOLN. Important SALE of AGRICULTURAL STOCK, IMPLEMENTS, HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, &c., &c. To be SOLD AUCTION, By Mr. Rd. Talbot, On Tuesday, the 7th day of March, 1854, on the premises of the late Mr. Thomas Pearson, at Navenby aforesaid, (by order of the Trustees,) THE following very valuable LIVE & DEAD STOCK, Brewing Utensils, Ale Casks, HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, &c, &c. The LIVE and DEAD STOCK comprise 1 grey mare rising four-years-old, 1 black horse seven-years-old, excellent milch cow, 3 calves, 3 gilts in-pig, 1 sow in-pig, 1 narrow-wheeled waggon, nearly new, 2 ditto Scotch carts, 1 horse cart, 1 light spring cart, 2 thrashing machines, six-horse power, 1 hermaphrodite, jack riddle, 3 ladders, turnip and seed drill, 12 colters, corn and seed drill, 12 colters, ridge drill, 2 pair of harrows, drags, 2 ploughs, elm, ash, and oak planking, sheep troughs, pig ditto, well ditto, quantity of old iron and metal, lot of turnip trays, 2 picks, dressing machine complete, machine cloths, four ropes, weighing machine, sheep netting and stakes, forks, rakes, scythes and shafts, strike, roller, quantity of sacks, 3 pair of gears, 3 cart saddles, 4 bluffs, hip straps and cruppers, saddle and bridle, tackling for horses, chaff box, harness for light cart, tumbrels, Prince Regent potatoes, stack pegs, wheelbarrow, scuttles, stone riddle, stone hammer, iron bar, &c, &c. The HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, &c, consists of feather beds and bedding, 3 camp bedsteads, four-post bedstead, three stump bedsteads, six joiners' chairs, three bumble-bottom chairs, two ditto, and stools, two dressing tables, twenty-four hour clock, corner cupboard, sets of drawers, oak chest, ditto, mangle, wainscot dining table, wainscot desk, superior eight day clock, sofa, two wainscot tea tables, magogany stand, 6 excellent Windsor arm chairs; also a large brewing copper, barrels, and all necessary brewing utensils, and a variety of other articles, too numerous to mention. The sale of Live and Dead Stock will commence at Eleven o'clock precisely, and the Furniture immediately after. Auction and Valuation Offices, Bank-street, Lincoln.

Note that Mr Pearson also had the good taste to have half a dozen each joiners' chairs and "excellent Windsor arm chairs".