{"product_id":"rare-antique-18th-century-handwritten-sworn-statement-concerning-the-body-of-a-martin-mackinson-the-burying-in-woollen-act","title":"Rare Antique 18th Century Handwritten Sworn Statement Concerning The Body Of A Martin Mackinson \u0026 The Burying In Woollen Act","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBurying in Woollen Acts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e were a series of English laws passed in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1666, 1678, and 1680\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e under King Charles II that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elegally mandated all corpses be buried exclusively in shrouds made of pure English wool. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe laws were uncompromising and heavily enforced through the local parish churches and any breaches were met with harsh punishments.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnly \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eplague victims\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (due to a false belief that wool retained infections longer than linen) and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edestitute\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (who were buried completely naked because they could not afford wool) were exempt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a rare handwritten sworn statement dated 1747 concerning the body of a Martin Mackinson, proving his body was not wrapped, bound, or gowned in anything but sheep's wool before being sealed for eternity in Sailby churchyard.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA very interesting piece of social history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition is good, commensurate with age. Some discolouration but good overall condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeasures 17.8cm x 8.5cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Folk \u0026 Fable Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58348941541759,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0259\/1729\/2580\/files\/5D742753-9AB8-4654-8BE6-8806425864F9.jpg?v=1788428336","url":"https:\/\/folkandfableantiques.com\/products\/rare-antique-18th-century-handwritten-sworn-statement-concerning-the-body-of-a-martin-mackinson-the-burying-in-woollen-act","provider":"Folk \u0026 Fable Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}