A Foolscap Errand

Above, an actual piece of foolscap from 1985, which my mother found amongst her memorabilia. A thousand curses upon Blogger for hiding/discarding the caption option.

I thought it would be a simple mission. I needed a few sheets of old school foolscap for an art piece. Not only was I unsuccessful, it became clear that simply asking for such a thing rendered me a fossil. The foolscap we used in elementary school, circa the last century, was a particular size - 8 inches by 13 inches - based on archaic British standards. Dear Arlee Barr found the following description of why it is that size: 

"In the middle ages, contracts were drawn up on a large sheet of paper, and both parties signed. Then the paper was cut or torn in two, in a ragged fashion, and one half given to each party. The ragged cut/tear was unique to that particular contract, and if there was any dispute the two parties would each bring their half before a judge who would first make sure the two halves lined up perfectly. If they did, then he knew he was looking at the real contract. If not, then he knew one party at least had altered their half. 

The paper was referred to as “folio capa” which over the years was shortened in speech to folioscapa and eventually transliterated to foolscap. Of course, the watermark came late in this process, and was a symbol of a fool’s cap."

These are some responses from my call for foolscap on a local community page:

Try an office supply store.

8 X 13 is quite a bizarre measurement. I suspect you are going to have a very tough time finding that size. Good luck.

Is this different than 8.5x14 legal?

I bought a pad of yellow stuff like that at the drug store recently.

Can you just print some?

Wow, I forgot this stuff was a thing!

There are templates for ruled paper online. That is what I use.