Fotmal

The fotmal (Old English: fotmael, lit. "foot-measure"; Latin: fotmal), also known as the foot (pes), formel, fontinel, and fotmell, was an English unit of variable weight particularly used in measuring production, sales, and duties of lead.¹

Under the c. 1300 Assize of Weights and Measures, it was equal to 70 Merchants' pounds and made up 1⁄30 of a load of lead.² Elsewhere, it was made of 70 avoirdupois pounds and made up 1⁄24 load.¹ In 16th-century Derbyshire the fotmal was evidently divided into "boles" and made up 1⁄30 of a fother, meaning it was considered to be 84 avoirdupois pounds.¹

It continued to be used until the 16th century.¹

References

Citations

Gill (1998), p. 132.
Ruffhead, Owen, ed. (1763a), The Statutes at Large, vol. I: From Magna Charta to the End of the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time, London: Mark Basket for the Crown, pp. 148–149. (in English) & (in Latin) & (in Norman)

Bibliography

Gill, M.C.; et al. (1998), "Weights and Measures Used in the Lead Industry" (PDF), British Mining, vol. 61, Sheffield: Northern Mine Research Society, pp. 129–140

[FOOTNOTEGill1998132-1] Gill (1998), p. 132.

[tract-2] Ruffhead, Owen, ed. (1763a), The Statutes at Large, vol. I: From Magna Charta to the End of the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time, London: Mark Basket for the Crown, pp. 148–149. (in English) & (in Latin) & (in Norman)

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