THE ANTIQUITY AND HONOURS Of the Skinner and Furrier Crafts.  


ARMS.  
SKINNERS. Ermine on a Chief Gu. 3 Imperial Crowns, Or.  
FURRIERS. Parted per Fess. Gu. and Ar. a Pale countercharged of the same on the 1st, 3 Goats of the 2d.    By P. D. 

Skinner's, your Craft, and Furriers (of all)  
The first can claim, and best Original,  
To do you● Justice, surely as your Due,  
Boasted Precedency belongs to you.  
For as you're first, in the Records of Time,  
So your Original is most sublime.  
Most of our Arts, on Humane Author's Land;  
Yours came at first from the Almighty's Hand.  
Heaven's Lord, when our first Parents naked were,  
In Coats of Skins, arrayed the Royal Pair.  
And that they were (it may be justly thought)  
Adapted well, and exquisitely wrought.  
Adam the New made Monarch of the Globe,  
Appeared majestic, in th' Impirial Robe,  
And Eve the Empress Sharer of his Crown,  
O! heavens, how Charming, in her Ermine Gown.  
And sure, the Habit Heaven hath pointed out,  
Most comely, and Commodious is no doubt.  
Thus were, the ancient Patriarches arrayed,  
Till Pride incressed, and Piety decayed:  
In Woods they hunted for the Prey, and then,  
You clothed them, in Trophies of the Slain.   

By Help of you, Rebekah's Wile took Place,  
Transferred the Blessing, unto Jacob's Race:  
This noble Instance, evidently proves,  
To all, the ancient Use of Furs and Gloves.   

The Tabernacle, in Arabia's Wild,  
Erected, and with Divine Presence filled,  
At the Divine Command, you covered over  
With Ramskins died, and those the Badger bore;  
The Saints, of whom the World unworthy was,  
Clothed by you, wandering about did pass.  
And to advance, your Dignity the more,  
A Leathern Girdle, John the Baptist wore.  
Th' Apostle Paul, preserved with special Care,  
His Writs on Parchment, which you did prepare.  
Thus Men by Manufacture of your Hands,  
The Rights maintain, and Titles of their Lands.   

In humane Histr'y too, you take a Place,  
You dressed the Lion's Skin, for Hercules,  

To Romans you the leathern Garter gave,  
To signalise, their Champions great and brve,  
Whence Britons too, that noble Order have.   
King's Crowns you fur, with these their Robes adorn  
Thence Ermine's in Armorial Ensigns born.   

You join to fit the Soldier for the Field,  
The Furrier Lines the Headpiece and the Shield:  
The Skinner gives Vest, Breeches, Belt and bend,  
Of sturdy Buff, and Gloves to fence the Hand.  
Much from your artful Hands assisted come,  
The cheering Bagpipe, and the rousing Drum.  
You both agree, to Grace the fairer Sex,  
The Furrier adorns their Ivory Necks.  
The Skinner gives the well formed Glove & thin,  
Soft like themselves, white as their Native Skin,  
And Gloves by Sympathy they understand,  
Improve the pleasant Softness of the Hand,  
While full some Silk, an Excrement of Worms,  
Destroy's its Beauties, and devours its Charms.  
Strange any should, buy dear a foreign Curse,  
Pernicious to the Person and the Purse.  
The pleasant Product of our Isle, despise,  
Bestowed by the Creator, good and wise.   

You sheathe the aged chilly Hand in Buff,  
Or kindly cover, with the warmer Muff,  
Of northern Climes, you cloth th' Inhabitants,  
Where a Perpetual pinching Winter haunts,  
The friendly Garb, eluds the Snow and Hail,  
And blasts from Ursa's elevated Tail.  
Thus they, when once your Storm-proof armors on  
The Frost defy, forget a frigid Zone,  
Fenced by your Art fancy the Climate Hose,  
Nor know the coldrife Thing, a Threed-bair Coat.   

The Skinner Craft, our Caledon can boast,  
Comes not, improven from a foreign Coast,  
All bounteous Heaven, here bestous on you,  
The best Materials, and genius too.  
Thus of your Art, it's hard to tell the Powers,  
All other Craftsmen, Badges bear of yours.  
And in their Airt, it's Evident how far  
To most Mechanics, you assisting are.   

Printers assisted by the Pellet, make  
Their Ink expressive, and the Type to speak.  

You to the Joiner, give cementing Glue,  
YE assist the Painter, and Book-Binder too,  
The Cordiner, and Saidler deal with you.   
So from your Art, vast Quantities arise,  
Of Skins for transport, Wool for Factories,  
And thus it's evidently understood,  
How greatly you advance the Common Good,  
And what, a mighty Branch of Revenue,  
Doth to the Prince from Skinner's Craft Accrue.  
Sure all Encroachments on you to prevent,  
Were greatest Wisdom in a Government.   

For numerous Uses, thus you both concur,  
To dress white Leather, and the dounny Fur,  
And by an almost supernat'ral Art,  
You softness to the parched Hide impart.  
Both Leather dress, and yet the Difference fair,  
The Skinner white, the Furrier with the Hair.   

What Shame it is, to see some City Fops,  
Immured in Muslin to the Finger Tops.  
Nor have the Boldness, to pull on a Glove,  
Nor once their useless Hands to Action move,  
Nor dare their Ruffle fettered Fists extend,  
Lest they the Well set Cambric should offend,  
As if their Hands, only for Ornament,  
And not for Exercise, to them were lent.  
Sometimes 'tis true, they'll venture on a wring,  
T' expel the Cold, or show a Diamond Ring.  
But every brighter Soul that Action loves,  
And knows the Use of Hands, knows that of Gloves.   
FINIS.