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EARLIER ONESAPPEARANCE OF TANNO…GALLATE OF
IRON INK IN THE TWELFTH CENTURYITS INTRODUCTION
LOCATES THE EPOCH WHEN THE MODERN INK OF
TO…DAY FIRST CAME INTO VOGUEITS APPROVAL AND
ADOPTION BY THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCHTHE
INVENTION NOT ITALIAN BUT ASIATICITS ARRIVAL
FROM ASIA FROM THE WEST AND NOT THE EASTAPPEARANCE
ABOUT THE SAME TIME OF LINEN OR MODERN
PAPERSETTLEMENT OF OLD CONTROVERSIES ABOUT
ANCIENT SO…CALLED COTTON PAPER…DE VINNE'S COMMENT
ABOUT PAPER AND PAPER…MAKINGCURIOUS
CONTRACT OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY。
THE 〃Secretas〃 of the twelfth century； in so far as
they relate to methods of making ink； indicate many
departures from those contained in the more ancient
ones。 Frequent mention is made of sour galls； aleppo
galls； green and blue vitriol； the lees of wine； black
amber； sugar； fish…glue and a host of unimportant materials
as being employed in the admixture of black
inks。 Combinations of some of these materials are
expressed in formulas； the most important one of
which details with great particularity the commingling
together of an infusion of nut…galls； green vitriol （sulphate
of iron） and fish…glue （isinglass）； the two first
（tanno…gallate of iron） when used alone； forms the sole
base of all unadulterated 〃gall〃 inks。
Dates are appended to some of these ink and other
formulas。 The 〃tanno…gallate of iron〃 one has； however；
no date。 But as it appears closely following
a date of A。 D。 1126； it must have been written about
that time。
Documents； public and private； bearing dates nearly
contemporary with that era； written in ink of like
type； are still extant； confirming in a remarkable
degree the 〃Secreta〃 formula； and establishing the
fact that the first half of the twelfth century marks
the epoch in which the 〃gall〃 or modern ink of today
came into vogue。
Its adoption by the priests stamped it with the
seal of the Church and the arrival from the West
about the same period of flax or linen paper with the
added fact that these assimilated so well together；
later placed them both on the popular basis which
has continued to the present time。
While the Secreta which contains the 〃gall〃 ink
formula is of Italian origin； the invention of this ink
belongs solely to an Asiatic country； from whence in
gradual stages by way of Arabia； Spain and France；
it finally reached Rome。 Thence； through the Church；
information about it was conveyed to wherever civilization
existed。
We are not confined in our investigations of ancient
MSS。 to any particular locality or date； as the twelfth；
thirteenth； fourteenth and fifteenth centuries are prolific
of 〃gall〃 ink monuments covering an immense
territory。 Such inks when used unadulterated； remain
in an almost pristine color condition； while the
other inks to which some pigment or color had been
added； probably to make them more agreeable in appearance
and more free…flowing； with a mistaken idea
of improving them； are much discolored and in every
instance present but slight indications of their original
condition。
The question of the character of the paper employed
during these eras； composed of different kinds
of fibrous vegetable substances； possesses some importance
when discussing its relationship to inks。 Many
authors certify to the manufacture and use of 〃cotton〃
in the eleventh； twelfth and later centuries。
Madan； however； in treating this subject； makes the
following comments which are in line with my own
observations：
〃Paper has for long been the common substance
for miscellaneous purposes of ordinary writing； and
has at all times been formed exclusively from rags
（chiefly of linen） reduced to pull）； poured out on a
frame in a thin watery sheet； and gradually dried
and given consistence by the action of heat。 It
has been a popular belief； found in every book till
1886 （now entirely disproved； but probably destined
to die hard）； that the common yellowish thick
paper； with rough fibrous edge； found especially in
Greek MSS。 till the fifteenth century； was paper of
quite another sort； and made of cotton （charta
bombycna； bombyx being usually silk； but also
used of any fine fibre such as cotton）。 The microscope
has at last conclusively shown that these two
papers are simply two different kinds of ordinary
linen…rag paper。〃
De Vinne speaking； of paper and paper…making says：
〃The gradual development of paper…making in
Europe is but imperfectly presented through these
fragmentary facts。 Paper may have been made for
many years before it found chroniclers who thought
the manufacture worthy of notice。 The Spanish
paper…mills of Toledo which were at work in the
year 1085； and an ancient family of paper…makers
which was honored with marked favor by the king
of Sicily in the year 1102； are carelessly mentioned
by contemporary writers as if paper…making was an
old and established business。 It does not appear
that paper was a novelty at a much earlier period。
The bulls of the popes of the eighth and ninth centuries
were written on cotton card or cotton paper；
but no writer called attention to this card； or described
it as a new material。 It has been supposed
that this paper was made in Asia； but it could
have been made in Europe。 A paper…like fabric；
made from the barks of trees； was used for writing
by the Longobards in the seventh century； and a
coarse imitation of the Egyptian papyrus； in the
form of a strong brown paper； had been made by
the Romans as early as the third century。 The
art of compacting in a web the macerated fibres of
plants seems to have been known and practised to
some extent in Southern Europe long before the
establishment of Moorish paper…mills。
〃The Moors brought to Spain and Sicily not an
entirely new invention； but an improved method of
making paper； and what was more important； a culture
and civilization that kept this method in constant
exercise。 It was chiefly for the lack of ability
and lack of disposition to put paper to proper use
that the earlier European knowledge of paper…
making was so barren of results。 The art of book…
making as it was then practised was made subservient
to the spirit of luxury more than to the desire
for knowledge。 Vellum was regarded by the copyist
as the only substance fit for writing on； even
when it was so scarce that it could be used only for
the most expensive books。 The card…like cotton
paper once made by the Saracens was certainly
known in Europe for many years before its utility
was recognized。 Hallam says that the use of this
cotton paper was by no means general or frequent；
except in Spain or Italy； and perhaps in the south
of France； until the end of the fourteenth century。
Nor was it much used in Italy for books。
〃Paper came before its time and had to wait for
recognition。 It was sorely needed。 The Egyptian
manufacture of papyrus； which was in a state of
decay in the seventh