Billet (wood)

A billet was a specific and standardised form of wood fuel of significant importance in the traditional pre–fossil fuel economy. The term could also be applied to a cudgel.^[1]

Nature and use

Billets were especially designed for burning on open hearth fires, often in conjunction with spits.^[2]

Measurements and cost

The 16th C standardised a billet as three foot four inches in length, and ten inches around.^[3]

A century later, Anthony A Wood recorded a load of billet wood as costing 12s 6d; while extravagance consisted of "burning in one yeare threescore pounds worth of the choicest billet".^[4]

Literary references

The William Shakespeare play Measure for Measure contains the phrase "beat out my brains with billets".^[5]

References

^ Billet
^ R Fortey, The Wood for the Trees (2016) p. 154
^ R Fortey, The Wood for the Trees (2016) p. 154 and p. 207
^ Anthony à Wood, The Life and Times Of Anthony Wood (1891) p. 501 and p. 396
^ P Alexander ed., William Shakespeare: The Complete Works (London 1962) p. 105 (IV.ii.50-1)

External links

Definition of billet

[1] Billet

[2] R Fortey, The Wood for the Trees (2016) p. 154

[3] R Fortey, The Wood for the Trees (2016) p. 154 and p. 207

[4] Anthony à Wood, The Life and Times Of Anthony Wood (1891) p. 501 and p. 396

[5] P Alexander ed., William Shakespeare: The Complete Works (London 1962) p. 105 (IV.ii.50-1)

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Nature and use

Measurements and cost

Literary references

See also

References

External links