from the ,google ,print project47 ,transcriber's ,note ,words in curly brackets were abbreviated in the original text1 and have been expanded for this etext4 ,greek is indicated with plus symbols1 like this4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,needle-,,work1 ,,from ,,the ,,earliest ,,ages2 ,,including ,,some ,,notices ,,of ,,the ,,ancient ,,historical ,,tapestries ,,edited ,,by ,,the ,,right ,,honourable ,,the ,,countess ,,of ,,wilton4 ,i ,,write ,,the ,,needle',s ,,prayse4 ,,third ,,edition4 ,,london3 ,,henry ,,colburn1 ,,publisher1 ,,great ,,marlborough ,,street4 #ahda4 ,,to ,,her ,,most ,,gracious ,,majesty ,,the ,,queen ,,dowager ,,this ,,little ,,work1 ,,intended ,,to ,,illustrate ,,the ,,history ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,an ,,art ,,ennobled ,,by ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,practice1 ,,and ,,by ,,her ,,example ,,recommended ,,to ,,the ,,women ,,of ,,england1 ,,is1 ,,by ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,most ,,gracious ,,permission1 ,,inscribed1 ,,with ,,the ,,utmost ,,respect1 ,,by ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,most ,,grateful ,,and ,,most ,,obedient ,,servant1 ,,the ,,authoress4 ,,preface4 ,if there be one mechanical art of more universal application than all others1 and therefore of more universal interest1 it is that which is practised with the ,,needle4 ,from the stateliest denizen of the proudest palace1 to the humblest dweller in the poorest cottage1 all more or less ply the busy needle2 from the crying infant of a span long and an hour's life1 to the silent tenant of the narrow house1 all need its practical services4 ,yet have the ,,needle and its beautiful and useful creations hitherto remained without their due meed of praise and record1 either in sober prose or sounding rhyme1--while their glittering antithesis1 the scathing and destroying sword1 has been the theme of admiring and exulting record1 without limit and without end6 ,the progress of real civilization is rapidly putting an end to this false prestige in favour of the ,destructive weapon1 and as rapidly raising the ,conservative one in public estimation2 and the time seems at length arrived when that triumph of female ingenuity and industry1 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,needlework may be treated as a fitting subject of historical and social record--fitting at least for a female hand4 ,the chief aim of this volume is that of affording a comprehensive record of the most noticeable facts1 and an entertaining and instructive gathering together of the most curious and pleasing associations1 connected with ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,needlework1 from the earliest ages to the present day2 avoiding entirely the dry technicalities of the art1 yet furnishing an acceptable accessory to every work-table--a fitting tenant of every boudoir4 ,the ,authoress thinks thus much necessary in explanation of the objects of a work on what may be called a maiden topic1 and she trusts that that leniency in criticism which is usually accorded to the adventurer on an unexplored track will not be withheld from her4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,page ,introductory #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,early ,needlework #aa ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,needlework of the ,tabernacle #bc ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,needlework of the ,egyptians #cb ,,chapter ,v4 ,needlework of the ,greeks and ,romans #da ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,dark ,ages4--,shee-,schools #ef ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,needlework of the ,dark ,ages #fd ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,bayeux ,tapestry4--,part ,i4 #hd ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,the ,bayeux ,tapestry4--,part ,,ii4 #ajc ,,chapter ,x4 ,needlework of the ,times of ,romance and ,chivalry #aag ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,tapestry #adh ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,romances worked in ,tapestry #afe ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,needlework in ,costume4--,part ,i4 #ahf ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,needlework in ,costume4--,part ,,ii4 #bji ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold #bca ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,the ,needle #beb ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,tapestry from the ,cartoons #bgc ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,the ,days of ,good ,queen ,bess #bhb ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,the ,tapestry of the ,spanish ,armada2 better known as the ,tapestry of the ,house of ,lords #cja ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,on ,stitchery #cab ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,les ,anciennes ,tapisseries4 ,tapestry of ,st4 ,mary ,hall1 ,coventry4 ,tapestry of ,hampton ,court #cbi ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,embroidery #cdb ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,needlework on ,books #cee ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,needlework of ,royal ,ladies #cgd ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,modern ,needlework #cie ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,needlework4 ,,introduction4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,le donne son venute in eccellenza ,di ciascun'arte1 ove hanno posto cura2 ,e qualunque all'istorie abbia avvertenza1 ,ne sente ancor la fama non oscura4 99 99 99 99 99 ,e forse ascosi han lor debiti onori ,l'invidia1 o il non saper degli scrittori4 ,ariosto4 ,in all ages woman may lament the ungallant silence of the historian4 ,his pen is the record of sterner actions than are usually the vocation of the gentler sex1 and it is only when fair individuals have been by extraneous circumstances thrown out1 as it were1 on the canvas of human affairs--when they have been forced into a publicity little consistent with their natural sphere--that they have become his theme4 ,consequently those domestic virtues which are woman's greatest pride1 those retiring characteristics which are her most becoming ornament1 those gentle occupations which are her best employment1 find no record on pages whose chief aim and end is the blazoning of manly heroism1 of royal disputations1 or of trumpet-stirring records4 ,and if this is the case even with historians of enlightened times1 who have the gallantry to allow woman to be a component part of creation1 we can hardly wonder that in darker days she should be utterly and entirely overlooked4 ,mohammed asserted that women had no souls2 and moreover1 that1 setting aside the diviner part1 there had only existed four of whom the mundane qualifications entitled them to any degree of approbation4 ,before him1 ,aristotle had asserted that ,nature only formed women when and because she found that the imperfection of matter did not permit her to carry on the world without them4 ,this complimentary doctrine has not wanted supporters4 ,des hommes trs sages ont crit que la ,nature1 dont l'intention et le dessein est toujours de tendre la perfection1 ne produirait s'il tait possible1 jamais que des hommes1 et que quand il nat une femme c'est un monstre dans l'ordre de ses productions1 n expressment contre sa volont3 ils ajoutent1 que1 comme on voit natre un homme aveugle1 boiteux1 ou avec quelqu'autre dfaut nature2 et comme on voit certains arbres des fruits qui ne mrissent jamais2 ainsi l'on peut dire que la femme est un animal produit par accident et par le hasard4#a ,without touching upon this extreme assertion that woman is but un monstre1 an animal produced by chance1 we may observe briefly1 that women have ever1 with some few exceptions1#b been considered as a degraded and humiliated race1 until the promulgation of the ,christian religion elevated them in society3 and that this distinction still exists is evident from the difference at this moment exhibited between the countries professing ,mohammedanism and those professing ,christianity4 ,still1 though in our happy country it is now pretty generally allowed that women are des cratures humaines1 it is no new remark that they are comparatively lightly thought of by the nobler gender4 ,this is absolutely the case even in those countries where civilization and refinement have elevated the sex to a higher grade in society than they ever before reached4 ,women are courted1 flattered1 caressed1 extolled2 but still the difference is there1 and the lords of the creation take care that it shall be understood4 ,their own pursuits--public1 are the theme of the historian--private1 of the biographer2 nay1 the every-day circumstances of life--their dinners--their speeches--their toasts--and their post coenam eloquence1 are noted down for immortality3 whilst a woman with as much sense1 with more eloquence1 with lofty principles1 enthusiastic feelings1 and pure conduct--with sterling virtue to command respect1 and the self-denying conduct of a martyr--steals noiselessly through her appointed path in life2 and if she excite a passing comment during her pilgrimage1 is quickly lost in oblivion when that pilgrimage hath reached its appointed goal4 ,and this is but as it should be4 ,woe to that nation whose women1 as a habit1 as a custom1 as a matter of course1 seek to intrude on the attributes of the other sex1 and in a vain1 a foolish1 and surely a most unsuccessful pursuit of publicity1 or power1 or fame1 forget the distinguishing1 the high1 the noble1 the lofty1 the pure and unearthly vocation of their sex4 ,every earthly charity1 every unearthly virtue1 are the legitimate object of woman's pursuit4 ,it is hers to soothe pain1 to alleviate suffering1 to soften discord1 to solace the time-worn spirit on earth1 to train the youthful one for heaven4 ,such is woman's magnificent vocation2 and in the peaceful discharge of such duties as these she may be content to steal noiselessly on to her appointed bourne1 the world forgetting1 by the world forgot4 ,but these splendid results are not the effect of great exertions--of sudden1 and uncertain1 and enthusiastic efforts4 ,they are the effect of a course1 of a system of minor actions and of occupations1 individually insignificant in their appearance1 and noiseless in their approach4 ,they are like the gentle dew from heaven in their silent unnoted progress1 and1 like that1 are known only by their blessed results4 ,they involve a routine of minor duties which often appear1 at first view1 little if at all connected with such mighty ends4 ,but such an inference would lead to a false conclusion4 ,it is entirely of insignificant details that the sum of human life is made up2 and any one of those details1 how insignificant soever apparently in itself1 as a link in the chain of human life is of definite relative value4 ,the preparing of a spoonful of gruel may seem a very insignificant matter2 yet who that stands by the sick-bed of one near and dear to him1 and sees the fevered palate relieved1 the exhausted frame refreshed by it1 but will bless the hand that made it8 ,it is not the independent intrinsic worth of each isolated action of woman which stamps its value--it is their bearing and effect on the mass4 ,it is the daily and hourly accumulation of minute particles which form the vast amount4 ,and if we look for that feminine employment which adds most absolutely to the comforts and the elegancies of life1 to what other shall we refer than to ,,needlework8 ,the hemming of a pocket-handkerchief is a trivial thing in itself1 yet it is a branch of an art which furnishes a useful1 a graceful1 and an agreeable occupation to one-half of the human race1 and adds very materially to the comforts of the other half4 ,how sings our own especial ,bard8-- ,so long as garments shall be made or worne2 ,so long as hemp1 or flax1 or sheep shall bear ,their linnen wollen fleeces yeare by yeare2 ,so long as silkwormes1 with exhausted spoile ,of their own entrailes1 for mans gaine shall toyle3 ,yea1 till the world be quite dissolv'd and past1 ,so long1 at least1 the ,,needle',s use shall last4 ',tis true1 indeed1 that as far as necessity1 rigidly speaking1 is concerned1 a very small portion of needlework would suffice2 but it is also true that the very signification of the word necessity is lost1 buried amidst the accumulations of ages4 ,we talk habitually of mere necessaries1 but the fact is1 that we have hardly an idea of what merely necessities are4 ,st4 ,paul1 the hermit1 when abiding in the wilderness1 might be reduced to necessities2 and in that noble and exalted instance of high principle referred to by ,mr4 ,wesley1#c where a person unknown to others1 seeking no praise1 and looking to no reward but the applaudings of his own conscience1 bought a pennyworth of parsnips weekly1 and on them1 and them alone1 with the water in which they were boiled1 lived1 that he might save money to pay his debts4--,surely a man of such incorruptible integrity as this would spend nothing intentionally in superfluities of dress--and yet1 mark how many he would have4 ,his shirt would be curiously wrought1 his neckcloth neatly hemmed2 his coat and waistcoat and trousers would have undergone the usual mysteries of shaping and seaming2 his hat would be neatly bound round the edge2 his stockings woven or knitted2 his shoes soled and stitched and tied2 neither must we debar him a pocket-handkerchief and a pair of gloves4 ,and see what this man--as great1 nay1 a greater anchoret in his way than ,st4 ,paul1 for he had the world and its temptations all around1 while the saint had fled from both--yet see what he thought absolutely requisite in lieu of the sheepskin which was ,st4 ,paul's wardrobe4 ,see what was required to cover and keep warm in the eighteenth century1--nay1 not even to keep warm1 for we did not allow either great-coat or comforter4 ,see then what was required merely to cover1 and then say whether the art of needlework is a trivial one4 ,could we1 as in days of yore1 when sylphs and fairies deigned to mingle with mortals1 and shed their gracious influence on the scenes and actions of every-day life--could we1 by some potent spell or by some fitting oblation1 propitiate the ,genius of ,needlework1 induce her to descend from her hidden shrine1 and indulge her votaries with a glimpse of her radiant ,,self--what a host of varied reminiscences would that glimpse conjure up in our minds1 as-- ----guided by historic truth1 ,we trod the long extent of backward time6 ,,she was twin born with necessity1 the first necessity the world had ever known1 but she quickly left this stern and unattractive companion1 and followed many leaders in her wide and varied range4 ,she became the handmaiden of ,fancy2 she adorned the train of ,magnificence2 she waited upon ,pomp2 she decorated ,religion2 she obeyed ,charity2 she served ,utility2 she aided ,pleasure2 she pranked out ,fun2 and she mingled with all and every circumstance of life4 ,many changes and chances has it been her lot to behold4 ,at one time honoured and courted1 she was the acknowledged and cherished guest of the royal and noble4 ,then in gorgeous drapery1 begemmed with brilliants1 bedropped with gold1 she reigned supreme in hall and palace2 or in silken tissue girt she adorned the high-born maiden's bower what time the deeds of knighthood were in solemn canto told4 ,in still more rich array1 in kingly purple1 in regal tissue1 in royal magnificence1 she stood within the altar's sacred pale2 and her robes1 rich in ,tyrian dye1 and glittering with ,ophir's gold1 swept the hallowed pavement4 ,when battle aroused the land she inspirited the host4 ,when the banner was unfurled she pointed to the device which sent its message home to every heart2 she displayed the cipher on the hero's pennon which nerved him sooner to relinquish life than it2 she entwined those initials in the scarf1 the sight of which struck fresh ardour into his breast4 ,but she fell into disrepute1 and was rejected from the halls of the noble4 ,still was she ever busy1 ever occupied1 and not only were her services freely given to all who required them1 but given with such winning grace that she required but to be once known to be ever loved--so exquisitely did she adapt herself to the peculiarities of all4 ,with flowing ringlets and silken robe1 carolling gaily as she worked1 you would see her pinking the ruffles of the ,cavalier1 and ever and anon adding to their piquancy by some new and dainty device3 then you would behold her with smoothly plaited hair1 and sad-coloured garment of serge1 and looks like a ,november day1 hemming the bands of a ,roundhead1 and withal adding numerous layers of starch4 ,with grave and sedate aspect she would shape and sew the uncomely raiment of a ,genevan divine2 with neat-handed alacrity she would prepare the grave and becoming garments of the ,anglican ,church1 though perhaps a gentle sigh would escape1 a sigh of regret for the stately and glowing vestments of old3 for they did honour to the house of ,god1 not because they were stately and glowing1 but because they were offerings of our best4 ,in all the sweet charities of domestic life she has ever been a participant4 ,often and again has she fled the splendid court1 the glittering ball-room1 and taken her station at the quiet hearth of the gentle and home-loving matron4 ,she has lightened the weariness of many a solitary vigil1 and she has heightened the enjoyment of many a social gossip4 ,nor even while courted and caressed in courts and palaces did ,needlework absent herself from the habitations of the poor4 ,oh no1 she was their familiar friend1 the daily and hourly companion of their firesides4 ,and when she experienced1 as all do experience1 the fickleness of court favour1 she was cherished and sheltered there4 ,and there she remained1 happy in her utility1 till again summoned by royal mandate to resume her station near the throne4 ,the illustrious and excellent lady who lately filled the ,british throne1 and who reigned still more surely in the hearts of ,englishwomen1 and who has most graciously permitted us to place her honoured name on these pages1 allured ,needlework from her long seclusion1 and reinstated her in her once familiar place among the great and noble4 99 99 99 99 99 ,fair reader6 you see that this gentle dame ,,needlework is of ancient lineage1 of high descent1 of courtly habits3 will you not permit me to make you somewhat better acquainted8 ,pray travel onward with me to her shrine4 ,the way is not toilsome1 nor is the track rugged2 but1 ,where the silver fountains wander1 ,where the golden streams meander1 amid the sunny meads and flower-bestrewn paths of fancy and taste--there will she beguile us4 ,do not then1 pray do not1 forsake me4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,on aurait de la peine se persuader qu'une pareille opinion et t mise gravement en question dans un concile1 et qu'on n'et dcid en faveur des femmes qu'aprs un assez long examen4 ,cependant le fait est trs vritable1 et ce fut dans le ,concile de ,macon4 ,problme sur les ,femmes1 o l'on essaye de prouver que les femmes ne sont point des cratures humaines4--,amsterdam1 #agdd4 #b ,as1 for instance1 the ancient ,germans1 and their offshoots1 the ,saxons1 c4 #c ,southey's ,life2 vol4 ii4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,early ,,needlework4 ,the use of sewing is exceeding old1 ,as in the sacred text it is enrold3 ,our parents first in ,paradise began4 ,john ,taylor4 ,the rose was in rich bloom on ,sharon's plain1 ,when a young mother1 with her first-born1 thence ,went up to ,sion2 for the boy was vow'd ,unto the ,temple service4 ,by the hand ,she led him2 and her silent soul the while1 ,oft as the dewy laughter of his eye ,met her sweet serious glance1 rejoic'd to think ,that aught so pure1 so beautiful1 was hers1 ,to bring before her ,god4 ,hemans4 ,in speaking of the origin of needlework it will be necessary to define accurately what we mean by the term needlework2 or else1 when we assert that ,eve was the first sempstress1 we may be taken to task by some critical antiquarian1 because we may not be able precisely to prove that the frail and beautiful mother of mankind made use of a little weapon of polished steel1 finely pointed at one end and bored at the other1 and warranted not to cut in the eye4 ,assuredly we do not mean to assert that she did use such an instrument2 most probably--we would almost venture to say most certainly--she did not4 ,but then again the cynical critic would attack us3--,you say that ,eve was the first professor of needlework1 and yet you disclaim the use of a needle for her4 ,no1 good sir1 we do not4 ,like other profound investigators and original commentators1 we do not annihilate one hypothesis ere we are prepared with another1 ready cut and dried1 to rise1 like any fabled phoenix1 on the ashes of its predecessor4 ,it is not long since we were edified by a conversation which we heard1 or rather overheard1 between two sexagenarians--both well versed in antiquarian lore1 and neither of them deficient in antiquarian tenacity of opinion--respecting some theory which one of them wanted to establish about some aborigines4 ,the concluding remark of the conversation--and we opined that it might as well have formed the commencement--was-- ,if you want to lay down facts1 you must follow history2 if you want to establish a system1 it is quite easy to place the people where you like4 ,so1 if ,i wished to establish a system1 ,i could easily make ,eve work with a superfine drill-eyed needle3 but this is not my object4 ,it seems most probable that ,eve's first needle was a thorn3 ,before man's fall the rose was born1 ,st4 ,ambrose sayes1 without the thorn2 ,but1 for man's fault1 then was the thorn1 ,without the fragrant rosebud1 born4 ,why thorns should spring up at the precise moment of the fall is difficult to account for in a world where everything has its use1 except we suppose that they were meant for needles3 and general analogy leads us to this conclusion2 for in almost all existing records of people in what we are pleased to call a savage state1 we find that women make use of this primitive instrument1 or a fish-bone4 ,avant l'invention des aiguilles d'acier1 on a d se servir1 leur dfaut1 d'pines1 ou d'artes de poissons1 ou d'os d'animaux4 ,and as ,eve's first specimen of needlework was certainly completed before the sacrifice of any living thing1 we may safely infer that the latter implements were not familiar to her4 ,the ,cimbrian inhabitants of ,britain passed their time in weaving baskets1 or in sewing together for garments the skins of animals taken in the chase1 while they used as needles for uniting these simple habiliments small bones of fish or animals rudely sharpened at one end2 and needles just of the same sort were used by the inhabitants of the ,sandwich ,islands1 when the celebrated ,captain ,cook first visited them4 ,proceed we to the material of the first needlework4 ,they sewed themselves fig-leaves together1 and made themselves aprons4 ,thus the earliest historical record2 and thus the most esteemed poetical commentator4 ,those leaves ,they gather'd1 broad as ,amazonian targe1 ,and1 with what skill they had1 together sew'd1 ,to gird their waist4 ,it is supposed that the leaves alluded to here were those of the banian-tree1 of which the leaves1 says ,sir ,james ,forbes1 are large1 soft1 and of a lively green2 the fruit a small bright scarlet fig4 ,the ,hindoos are peculiarly fond of this tree2 they consider its long duration1 its outstretching arms1 and overshadowing beneficence1 as emblems of the ,deity1 and almost pay it divine honours4 ,the ,brahmins1 who thus find a fane in every sacred grove1 spend much of their time in religious solitude1 under the shade of the banian-tree2 they plant it near the dewals1 or ,hindoo temples2 and in those villages where there is no structure for public worship1 they place an image under one of these trees1 and there perform morning and evening sacrifice4 ,the size of some of these trees is stupendous4 ,sir ,james ,forbes mentions one which has three hundred and fifty large trunks1 the smaller ones exceeding three thousand2 and another1 whereunder the chief of the neighbourhood used to encamp in magnificent style2 having a saloon1 dining room1 drawing-room1 bedchambers1 bath1 kitchen1 and every other accommodation1 all in separate tents2 yet did this noble tree cover the whole1 together with his carriages1 horses1 camels1 guards1 and attendants2 while its spreading branches afforded shady spots for the tents of his friends1 with their servants and cattle4 ,and in the march of an army it has been known to shelter seven thousand men4 ,such is the banian-tree1 the pride of ,hindstan3 which ,milton refers to as the one which served our general mother for her first essay in the art of needlework4 ,both together went ,into the thickest wood2 there soon they chose ,the fig-tree2 not that tree for fruit renown'd1 ,but such as at this day1 to ,indians known1 ,in ,malabar or ,deccan spreads her arms1 ,branching so broad and long1 that in the ground ,the bended twigs take root1 and daughters grow ,about the mother tree1 a pillar'd shade ,high overarch'd1 and echoing walks between3 ,there oft the ,indian herdsman1 shunning heat1 ,shelters in cool1 and tends his pasturing herds ,at loopholes cut through thickest shade3 ,those leaves ,they gather'd1 broad as ,amazonian targe2 ,and1 with what skill they had1 together sew'd1 ,to gird their waist4 ,some of the most interesting incidents in ,holy ,writ turn on the occupation of needlework2 slight sketches1 nay1 hardly so much1 but mere touches which engage all the gentler1 and purer1 and holier emotions of our nature4 ,for instance3 the beloved child of the beautiful mother of ,israel1 for whom ,jacob toiled fourteen years1 which were but as one day for the love he bare her--this child1 so eagerly coveted by his mother1 so devotedly loved by his father1 and who was destined hereafter to wield the destinies of such a mighty empire--had a token1 a peculiar token1 bestowed on him of his father's overwhelming love and affection4 ,and what was it8 ,a coat of many colours2 probably including some not in general use1 and obtained by an elaborate process4 ,entering himself into the minuti of a concern1 which1 however insignificant in itself1 was valuable in his eyes as giving pleasure to his boy1 the fond father selects pieces of various-coloured cloth1 and sets female hands1 the most expert of his household1 to join them together in the form of a coat4 ,but1 alas6 to whom should he intrust the task8 ,she whose fingers would have revelled in it1 ,rachel the mother1 was no more2 her warm heart was cold1 her busy fingers rested in the tomb4 ,would his sister1 would ,dinah execute the work8 ,no2 it was but too probable that she shared in the jealousy of her brothers4 ,no matter4 ,the father apportions the task to his handmaidens1 and himself superintends the performance4 ,with pleased eye he watches its progress1 and with benignant smile he invests the happy and gratified child with the glowing raiment4 ,this elaborate piece of work1 the offering of paternal affection to please a darling child1 was probably the simple and somewhat clumsy original of those which were afterwards embroidered and subsequently woven in various colours1 and which came to be regarded as garments of dignity and appropriated to royalty2 as it is said of ,tamar that she had a garment of divers colours upon her3 for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled4 ,it is even now customary in ,india to dress a favourite or beautiful child in a coat of various colours tastefully sewed together2 and it may not perhaps be very absurd to refer even to so ancient an origin as ,joseph's coat of many colours the superstition now prevalent in some countries1 which teaches that a child clothed in a garment of many colours is safe from the blasting of malicious tongues or the machinations of evil spirits4 ,in the ,book of ,samuel we read1 ,and ,hannah his mother1 made him a little coat4 ,this seems a trivial incident enough1 yet how interesting is the scene which this simple mention conjures up6 ,with all the earnest fervour of that separated race who hoped each one to be the honoured instrument of bringing a ,saviour into the world1 ,hannah1 then childless1 prayed that this reproach might be taken from her4 ,her prayer was heard1 her son was born2 and in holy gratitude she reared him1 not for wealth1 for fame1 for worldly honour1 or even for her own domestic comfort1--but1 from his birth1 and before his birth she devoted him as the servant of the ,most ,high4 ,she indulged herself with his presence only till her maternal cares had fitted him for duty2 and then1 with a tearful eye it might be1 and a faltering footstep1 but an unflinching resolution1 she devoted him to the altar of her ,god4 ,but never did his image leave her mind3 never amid the fair scions which sprang up and bloomed around her hearth did her thoughts forsake her first-born2 and yearly1 when she went up to the ,tabernacle with ,elkanah her husband1 did she take him a little coat which she had made4 ,we may fancy her quiet happy thoughts when at this employment2 we may fancy the eager earnest questionings of the little group by whom she was surrounded2 the wondering about their absent brother2 the anxious catechisings respecting his whereabouts2 and1 above all1 the admiration of the new garment itself1 and the earnest criticisms on it2 especially if in form and fashion it should somewhat differ from their own4 ,and then arrives the moment when the garment is committed to its envelope2 and the mother1 weeping to part from her little ones1 yet longing to see her absent boy1 receives their adieux and their thousand reminiscences1 and sets forth on her journey4 ,again she treads the hallowed courts1 again she meekly renews her vows1 and again a mother's longings1 a mother's hopes are quenched in the full enjoyment of a mother's love4 ,beautiful and good1 the blessing of ,heaven attending him1 and throwing a beam of light on his fair brow1 the pure and holy child appears like a seraph administering at that altar to which he had been consecrated a babe1 and at which his ministry was sanctioned even by the voice of the ,most ,high himself1 when in the solemn stillness of midnight he breathed his wishes into the heart of the child1 and made him1 infant as he was1 the medium of his communications to one grown hoary in the service of the altar4 ,the solemn duties ended1 ,hannah invests her hopeful boy with the little coat1 whilst her willing fingers lingeringly perform their office1 as if loth to quit a task in which they so much delight4 ,and then with meek step and grateful heart she wends her homeward way1 and meditates tranquilly on the past interview1 till the return of another year finds her again on her pilgrimage of love--the joyful bearer of another little coat4 ,and a high tribute is paid to needlework in the history of ,dorcas1 who was restored to life by the apostle ,st4 ,peter1 by whom all the widows stood weeping1 and showing the coats and garments which ,dorcas made while she was with them4 ,in these were read ,the monuments of ,dorcas dead3 ,these were thy acts1 and thou shalt have ,these hung as honours o'er thy grave3 ,and after us1 distressed1 ,should fame be dumb1 ,thy very tomb ,would cry out1 ,thou art blessed6 ,but it is not merely as an object of private and domestic utility that needlework is referred to in the ,bible4 ,it was applied early to the service of the ,tabernacle1 and the directions concerning it are very clear and specific2 but before this time1 and most probably as early as the time of ,abraham1 rich and valuable raiment of needlework was accounted of as part of the bon fide property of a wealthy man4 ,when the patriarch's steward sought ,rebekah for the wife of ,isaac1 he brought forth jewels of silver1 and jewels of gold1 and raiment4 ,this raiment consisted1 in all likelihood1 of garments embroidered with gold1 the handiwork1 it may be1 of the female slaves of the patriarch2 such garments being in very great esteem from the earliest ages1 and being then1 as now1 a component portion of those presents or offerings without which one personage hardly thought of approaching another4 ,fashion in those days was not quite the chameleon-hued creature that she is at present2 nor were the fabrics on which her fancy was displayed quite so light and airy3 their gold was gold--not silk covered with gilded silver2 and consequently the raiment of those days1 inwrought with slips of gold beaten thin and cut into spangles or strips1 and sewed on in various patterns1 sometimes intermingled with precious stones1 would carry its own intrinsic value with it4 ,this raiment descended from father to son1 as a chased goblet and a massy wrought urn does now2 and was naturally and necessarily inventoried as a portion of the property4 ,the practice of making presents of garments is still quite usual amongst the eastern nations2 and to such an excess was it carried with regard to those who1 from their calling or any other circumstance1 were in public favour1 that1 so late as the ninth century1 ,bokteri1 an illustrious poet of ,cufah1 had so many presents made him1 that at his death he was found possessed of a hundred complete suits of clothes1 two hundred shirts1 and five hundred turbans4 ,horace1 speaking of ,lucullus 7who had pillaged ,asia1 and first introduced ,asiatic#d refinements among the ,romans71 says that1 some persons having waited on him to request the loan of a hundred suits out of his wardrobe for the ,roman stage1 he exclaimed--,a hundred suits6 how is it possible for me to furnish such a number8 ,however1 ,i will look over them and send you what ,i have4--,after some time he writes a note and tells them he had five thousand1 to the whole or part of which they were welcome4 ,in all the eastern world formerly1 and to a great extent now1 the arraying a person in a rich dress is considered a very high compliment1 and it was one of the ancient modes of investing with the highest degree of subordinate power4 ,thus was ,joseph arrayed by ,pharaoh1 and ,mordecai by ,ahasueras4 ,we all remember what important effects are produced by splendid robes in ,the ,tale of the ,wonderful ,lamp1 and in many other of those fascinating tales 7which are allowed to be rigidly correct in the delineations of eastern life74 ,they were doubtless esteemed the richest part of the spoil after a battle1 as we find the mother of ,sisera apportioning them as his share1 and reiterating her delighted anticipations of the raiment of needlework which should be his3 a prey of divers colours1 of divers colours of needlework1 of divers colours of needlework on both sides1 meet for the necks of them that take the spoil4 ,job has many allusions to raiment as an essential part of treasures in the ,east2 and our ,saviour refers to the same when he desires his hearers not to lay up for themselves treasures on earth1 where moth and rust corrupt4 ,st4 ,james even more explicitly3 ,go to now1 ye rich men2 weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you4 ,your gold and silver is cankered1 and your ,,garments are moth-eaten4 ,the first notice we have of gold-wire or thread being used in embroidery is in ,exodus1 in the directions given for the embroidery of the priests' garments3 from this it appears that the metal was still used alone1 being beaten fine and then rounded4 ,this art the ,hebrews probably learnt from the ,egyptians1 by whom it was carried to such an astonishing degree of nicety1 that they could either weave it in or work it on their finest linen4 ,and doubtless the productions of the ,hebrews now must have equalled the most costly and intricate of those of ,egypt4 ,this the adornments of the ,tabernacle testify4 ,,footnote3 #d ,persia had great wardrobes1 where there were always many hundred habits1 sorted1 ready for presents1 and the intendant of the wardrobe sent them to those persons for whom they were designed by the sovereign2 more than forty tailors were always employed in this service4 ,in ,turkey they do not attend so much to the richness as to the number of the dresses1 giving more or fewer according to the dignity of the persons to whom they are presented1 or the marks of favour the prince would confer on his guests4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,tabernacle4 ,the cedars wave on ,lebanon1 ,but ,judah's statelier maids are gone4 ,byron4 ,gorgeous and magnificent must have been the spectacle presented by that ancient multitude of ,israel1 as they tabernacled in the wilderness of ,sinai4 ,these steril solitudes are now seldom trodden by the foot of man1 and the adventurous traveller who toils up their rugged steeps can scarce picture to himself a host sojourning there1 so wild1 so barren is the place1 so fearful are the precipices1 so dismal the ravines4 ,on the spot where ,moses talked with ,god the grey and mouldering remnants of a convent attest the religious veneration and zeal of some of whom these ruins are the only memorial2 and near them is a small chapel dedicated to the ,virgin1 while religious hands have crowned even the summit of the steep ascent by a house of prayer2 and at the foot of the sister peak1 ,horeb1 is an ancient ,greek convent1 founded by the ,emperor ,justinian #adjj years ago1 which is occupied still by some harmless recluses1 the monotony of whose lives is only broken by the few and far between visits of the adventurous traveller1 or the more frequent and startling interruptions of the wild ,arabs on their predatory expeditions4 ,but neither church nor temple of any sort1 nor inquiring traveller1 nor prowling ,arab1 varied the tremendous grandeur of the scene1 when the ,israelitish host encamped there4 ,weary and toilsome had been the pilgrimage from the base of the mountain where the desolation was unrelieved by a trace of vegetation1 to the upper country or wilderness1 called more particularly1 the ,desert of ,sinai1 where narrow intersecting valleys1 not destitute of verdure1 cherished perhaps the lofty and refreshing palm4 ,here in the ravines1 in the valleys1 and amid the clefts of the rocks1 clustered the hosts of ,israel1 while around them on every side arose lofty summits and towering precipices1 where the eye that sought to scan their fearful heights was lost in the far-off dimness4 ,far1 far around1 spread this savage wilderness1 so frowning1 and dreary1 and desolate1 that any curious explorer beyond the precincts of the camp would quickly return to the home which its vicinity afforded even there4 ,clustered closely as bees in a hive were the tents of the wandering race1 yet with an order and a uniformity which even the unpropitious nature of the locality was not permitted to break2 for1 separated into tribes1 each one1 though sufficiently connected for any object of kindness or brotherhood1 for public worship1 or social intercourse1 was inalienably distinct4 ,and in the midst1 extending from east to west1 a length of fifty-five feet1 was reared the splendid ,tabernacle4 ,for ,god had said1 ,let them make me a ,sanctuary1 that ,i may dwell among them2 and behold1 they came1 both men and women1 as many as were willing-hearted1 and brought bracelets1 and earrings1 and rings1 and tablets1 all jewels of gold2 and every man that offered1 offered an offering of gold unto the ,lord4 ,and every man with whom was found blue1 and purple1 and scarlet1 and fine linen1 and goats' hair1 and red skins of rams1 and badgers' skins1 brought them4 ,every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the ,lord's offering3 and every man with whom was found shittim-wood for any work of the service brought it4 ,and all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands1 and brought that which they had spun1 both of blue1 and of purple1 and of scarlet1 and of fine linen4 ,and all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair4 ,and the rulers brought onyx-stones1 and stones to be set1 for the ephod1 and for the breastplate2 and spice1 and oil for the light1 and for the anointing oil1 and for the sweet incense4 ,and all these materials1 which the willing-hearted offered in such abundance that proclamation was obliged to be made through the camp to stop their influx1 had been wrought under the superintendence of ,bezaleel and ,aholiab1 who were divinely inspired for the task2 and the ,tabernacle was now completed1 with the exception of some of the finest needlework1 which had not yet received the finishing touches4 ,but what was already done bore ample testimony to the skill1 the taste1 and the industry of the wise-hearted daughters of ,israel4 ,the outer covering of the ,tabernacle1 or that which lay directly over the framework of boards of which it was constructed1 and hung from the roof down the sides and west end1 was formed of tabash skins2 over this was another covering of ram-skins dyed red2 a hanging made of goats' hair1 such as is still used in the tents of the ,bedouin ,arabs1 had been spun and woven by the matrons of the congregation1 to hang over the skins2 and these substantial draperies were beautifully concealed by a first or inner covering of fine linen4 ,on this the more youthful women had embroidered figures of cherubim in scarlet1 purple1 and light blue1 entwined with gold4 ,they had made also sacerdotal vestments1 the coats of fine linen worn by all the priests1 which1 when old1 were unravelled1 and made into wicks burnt in the feast of tabernacles4 ,they had made the girdles of needlework1 which were long1 very long pieces of fine twined linen 7carried several times round the body71 and were embroidered with flowers in blue1 and purple1 and scarlet3 the robe of the ephod also for the high priest1 of light blue1 and elaborately wrought round the bottom in pomegranates2 and the plain ephods for the priests4 ,but now the sun was declining in the western sky1 and the busy artificers of all sorts were relaxing from the toil of the day4 ,in a retired spot1 apart from the noise of the camp1 paced one in solitary meditation4 ,stalwart he was in frame1 majestic in bearing2 he trod the earth like one of her princes2 but the loftiness of his demeanour was forgotten when you looked on the surpassing benignity of his countenance4 ,each accidental passer hushed his footstep and lowered his voice as he approached2 more1 as it should seem1 from involuntary awe and reverence than from any understood prohibition4 ,but with some of these loiterers a child of some four or five summers1 in earnest chase after a brilliant fly1 whose golden wings glittered in the sunlight1 heedlessly pursued it even to the very path of the ,solitary1 and to the interruption of his walk4 ,hastily1 and somewhat peremptorily1 the father calls him away4 ,the stranger looks up1 and casting a glance around1 from an eye to whose brilliance that of the eagle would look dim1 he for the first time sees the little intruder4 ,gently placing a hand on the child's head1 ,bless thee1 he said1 in a voice whose every tone was melody3 ,bless thee1 little one2 the blessing of the ,god of ,israel be upon thee1 and calmly resumed his walk4 ,the child1 as if awed1 mutely returned to his friends1 who1 after casting a glance of reverence and admiration1 returned to the camp4 ,here1 scattered all around1 are groups occupied in those varied kinds of busy idleness which will naturally engage the moments of an intelligent multitude at the close of an active day4 ,here a knot of men in the pride of manhood1 whose flashing eyes have lost none of their fire1 whose raven locks are yet not varied by a single silver line1 are talking politics--such politics as the warlike men of ,israel would talk1 when discoursing of the promised land and the hostile hosts through whose serried ranks they must cut their intrepid way thither1 and whom1 impatient of all delay1 they burn to engage4 ,here were elder ones1 whose natural force was in some degree abated1 and who were lamenting the decree1 however justly incurred1 which forbade them to lay their bones in the land of their lifelong hope2 and here was a patriarch1 bowed down with the weight of years1 whose silver hairs lay on his shoulders1 whose snow-white beard flowed upon his breast1 who as he leaned upon his staff was recounting to his rapt auditors the dealing of ,jehovah with his people in ancient days2 how the ,most ,high visited his father ,abraham1 and had sworn unto ,jacob that his seed should be brought out of captivity1 and revisit the promised land4 ,and behold1 said the old man1 it will now come to pass4 ,but what is passing in that detached portion of the camp8 who sojourn in yonder tents which attract more general attention than all the others1 and in which all ages and degrees seem interested8 ,now a group of females are there1 eagerly conversing2 anon a ,hebrew mother leads her youthful and beautiful daughter1 and seems to incite her to remain there2 now a hoary priest enters1 and in a few moments returns pondering2 and anon a trio of more youthful ,levites with pleased and animated countenances return from the same spot4 ,on a sudden is every eye turned thitherward2 for he who just now paced the solitary glade--none other than the chosen leader of ,god's host1 the majestic lawgiver1 the meekest and the mightiest of all created beings--he likewise wends his way to these attractive tents4 ,with him enters ,aaron1 a venerable man1 with hoary beard and flowing white robes2 and follow him a majestic-looking female who was wont to lead the solemn dance--,miriam the sister of ,aaron2 and a youth of heroic bearing1 in the springtime of that life whose maturity was spent in leading the chosen race to conquest in the promised land4 ,with proud and pleased humility did the fair inmates of those tents1 the most accomplished of ,israel's daughters1 display to their illustrious visitors the fine needlework to which their time and talents had been for a long season devoted1 and which was now on the eve of completion4 ,the holy garments which ,god had commanded to be made for glory and for beauty2 the pomegranates on the hem of the high priest's robe1 wrought in blue and purple and scarlet2 the flowers on his girdle of needlework1 glowing as in life2 the border on the ephod1 in which every varied colour was shaded off into a rich and delicate tracery of gold2 and above all1 that exquisite work1 the most beautiful of all their productions--the veil which separated the ,holy of ,holies1 the place where the ,most ,high vouchsafed his especial presence1 where none but the high priest might presume to enter1 and he but once a year1 from the remaining portions of the ,tabernacle4 ,this beautiful hanging was of fine white linen1 but the original fabric was hardly discernible amid the gorgeous tracery with which it was inwrought4 ,the whole surface was covered with a profusion of flowers1 intermixed with fanciful devices of every sort1 except such as might represent the forms of animals--these were rigidly excluded4 ,cherubims seemed to be hovering around and grasping its gorgeous folds2 and if tradition and history be to be credited1 this drapery merited1 if ever the production of the needle did merit1 the epithet which ,english talent has since rendered classical1 ,needlework ,sublime4 ,long1 despite the advancing shades of evening1 would the visitors have lingered untired to comment upon this beautiful production1 but one said1 ,behold6 and immediately all1 following the direction of his outstretched arm1 looked towards the ,tabernacle4 ,there a thin spiral flame is seen to gleam palely through the pillar of smoke2 but perceptibly it increases1 and even while the eye is fixed it waxes stronger and brighter1 and quickly though gradually the smoke has melted away1 and a tall vivid flame of fire is in its place4 ,higher and taller it aspires3 its spiral flame waxes broader and broader1 ascends higher and higher1 gleams brighter and brighter1 till it mingles in the very vault of heaven1 with the beams of the setting sun which bathe in crimson fire the summits of ,sinai4 ,in the eastern sky the stars gleam brightly in the pure transparent atmosphere2 and ere long the moon casts pale radiant beams adown the dark ravines1 and utters her wondrous lore to the silent hills and the gloomy waste4 ,the sounds of toil are hushed2 the weary labourer seeks repose2 the toil-worn wanderer is at rest3 the murmuring sounds of domestic life sink lower and lower2 the breath of prayer becomes fainter and fainter2 the voice of praise1 the evensong of ,israel1 comes stealing through the calm of evening1 and now dies softly away4 ,nought is heard but the password of the sentinels2 the far-off shriek of the bat as it flaps its wings beneath the shadow of some fearful precipice2 or the scream of the eagle1 which1 wheeling round the lofty summits of the mountain1 closes in less and lesser circles1 till1 as the last faint gleam of evening is lost in the dark horizon1 it drops into its eyrie4 ,the moon and the stars keep their eternal watch2 the beacon-light of ,god's immediate presence flames unchanged by time or chance4 ,it may be that the appointed earthly shepherd of that chosen flock passes the still hours of night and solitude in communion with his ,god2 but silence is over the wilderness1 and the children of ,israel are at rest4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,egyptians4 ,how is thy glory1 ,egypt1 pass'd away6 ,weep1 child of ruin1 o'er thy humbled name6 ,the wreck alone that marks thy deep decay ,now tells the story of thy former fame6 ,there can be little doubt that the ,jewish maidens were beholden to their residence in ,egypt for that perfectness of finish in embroidery which was displayed so worthily in the service of the ,tabernacle4 ,egypt was at this time the seat of science1 of art1 and learning2 for it was thought the highest summary which could be given of ,moses' acquirements to say that he was skilled in all the learning of the ,egyptians4 ,by the researches of the curious1 new proofs are still being brought to light of the perfection of their skill in various arts1 and we are not without testimony that the practice of the lighter and more ornamental bore progress with that of the stupendous and magnificent4 ,of these lighter pursuits we at present refer only to the art of needlework4 ,the ,egyptian women were treated with courtesy1 with honour1 and even with deference3 indeed1 some historians have gone so far as to say that the women transacted public business1 to the exclusion of the men1 who were engaged in domestic occupations4 ,this misapprehension may have arisen from the fact of men being at times engaged at the loom1 which in all other countries was then considered as exclusively a feminine occupation2 spinning1 however1 was principally1 if not entirely1 confined to women1 who had attained to such perfection in the pretty and valuable art1 that1 though the ,egyptian yarn was all spun by the hand1 some of the linen made from it was so exquisitely fine as to be called woven air4 ,and there are some instances recorded by historians which seem fully to bear out the appellation4 ,for example3 so delicate were the threads used for nets1 that some of these nets would pass through a man's ring1 and one person could carry a sufficient number of them to surround a whole wood4 ,amasis king of ,egypt presented a linen corslet to the ,rhodians of which the threads were each composed of #cfe fibres2 and he presented another to the ,lacedemonians1 richly wrought with gold2 and each thread of this corslet1 though itself very fine1 was composed of #cfj other threads all distinct4 ,nor did these beautiful manufactures lack the addition of equally beautiful needlework4 ,though the gold thread used at this time was1 as we have intimated1 solid metal1 still the ,egyptians had attained to such perfection in the art of moulding it1 that it was fine enough not merely to embroider1 but even to interweave with the linen4 ,the linen corslet of ,amasis1 presented1 as we have remarked1 to the ,lacedemonians1 surpassingly fine as was the material1 was worked with a needle in figures of animals in gold thread1 and from the description given of the texture of the linen we may form some idea of the exquisite tenuity of the gold wire which was used to ornament it4 ,corslets of linen of a somewhat stronger texture than this one1 which was doubtless meant for merely ornamental wear1 were not uncommon amongst the ancients4 ,the ,greeks made thoraces of hide1 hemp1 linen1 or twisted cord4 ,of the latter there are some curious specimens in the interesting museum of the ,united ,service ,club4 ,alexander had a double thorax of linen2 and ,iphicrates ordered his soldiers to lay aside their heavy metal cuirass1 and go to battle in hempen armour4 ,and among the arms painted in the tomb of ,rameses ,,iii4 at ,thebes is a piece of defensive armour1 a sort of coat or covering for the body1 made of rich stuff1 and richly embroidered with the figures of lions and other animals4 ,the dress of the ,egyptian ladies of rank was rich and somewhat gay3 in its general appearance not very dissimilar from the gay chintzes of the present day1 but of more value as the material was usually linen2 and though sometimes stamped in patterns1 and sometimes interwoven with gold threads1 was much more usually worked with the needle4 ,the richest and most elegant of these were of course selected to adorn the person of the queen2 and when in the holy book the royal ,psalmist is describing the dress of a bride1 supposed to have been ,pharaoh's daughter1 and that she shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework1 he says1 as proof of the gorgeousness of her attire1 her clothing is of wrought gold4 ,this is supposed to mean a garment richly embroidered with the needle in figures in gold thread1 after the manner of ,egyptian stitchery4 ,perhaps no royal lady was ever more magnificently dowered than the queen of ,egypt2 her apparel might well be gorgeous4 ,diodorus says that when ,moeris1 from whom the lake derived its name1 and who was supposed to have made the canal1 had arranged the sluices for the introduction of the water1 and established everything connected with it1 he assigned the sum annually derived from this source as a dowry to the queen for the purchase of jewels1 ointments1 and other objects connected with the toilette4 ,the provision was certainly very liberal1 being a talent every day1 or upwards of #gj1gjj a year2 and when this formed only a portion of the pin-money of the ,egyptian queens1 to whom the revenues of the city of ,anthylla1 famous for its wines1 were given for their dress1 it is certain they had no reason to complain of the allowance they enjoyed4 ,the ,egyptian needlewomen were not solely occupied in the decoration of their persons4 ,the deities were robed in rich vestments1 in the preparation of which the proudest in the land felt that they were worthily occupied4 ,this was a source of great gain to the priests1 both in this and other countries1 as1 after decorating the idol gods for a time1 these rich offerings were their perquisites1 who of course encouraged this notable sort of devotion4 ,we are told that it was carried so far that some idols had both winter and summer garments4 ,tokens of friendship consisting of richly embroidered veils1 handkerchiefs1 c41 were then1 as now1 passing from one fair hand to another1 as pledges of affection2 and as the last holy office of love1 the bereaved mother1 the desolate widow1 or the maiden whose budding hopes were blighted by her lover's untimely death1 might find a fanciful relief to her sorrows by decorating the garment which was to enshroud the spiritless but undecaying form4 ,the chief proportion of the mummy-cloths which have been so ruthlessly torn from these outraged relics of humanity are coarse2 but some few have been found delicately and beautifully embroidered2 and it is not unnatural to suppose that this difference was the result of feminine solicitude and undying affection4 ,the embroidering of the sails of vessels too was pursued as an article of commerce1 as well as for the decoration of native pleasure-boats4 ,the ordinary sails were white2 but the king and his grandees on all gala occasions made use of sails richly embroidered with the phoenix1 with flowers1 and various other emblems and fanciful devices4 ,many also were painted1 and some interwoven in checks and stripes4 ,the boats used in sacred festivals upon the ,nile were decorated with appropriate symbols1 according to the nature of the ceremony or the deity in whose service they were engaged2 and the edges of the sails were finished with a coloured hem or border1 which would occasionally be variegated with slight embroidery4 ,shakspeare's description of the barge of ,cleopatra when she embarked on the river ,cydnus to meet ,antony1 poetical as it is1 seems to be rigidly correct in detail4 ,enobarbus4--,i will tell you4 ,the barge she sat in1 like a burnish'd throne1 ,burn'd on the water3 the poop was beaten gold2 ,purple the sails1 and so perfumed1 that ,the winds were love-sick with them3 the oars were silver2 ,which to the tune of flutes kept stroke1 and made ,the water1 which they beat1 to follow faster1 ,as amorous of their strokes4 ,for her own person1 ,it beggar'd all description3 she did lie ,in her pavilion 7cloth of gold1 of tissue71 ,o'erpicturing that ,venus1 where we see ,the fancy outwork nature2 on each side her ,stood pretty dimpled boys1 like smiling ,cupids1 ,with diverse-colour'd fans1 whose wind did seem ,to glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool1 ,and what they undid1 did4 ,agrippa4-- ,o1 rare for ,antony6 ,enobarbus4--,her gentlewomen1 like the ,nereides1 ,so many mermaids1 tended her i' the eyes1 ,and made their bends adornings2 at the helm ,a seeming mermaid steers2 the silken tackle ,swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands1 ,that yarely frame the office4 ,from the barge ,a strange invisible perfume hits the sense ,of the adjacent wharfs4 ,the city cast ,her people out upon her2 and ,antony1 ,bethroned in the market-place1 did sit alone1 ,whistling to the air2 which1 but for vacancy1 ,had gone to gaze on ,cleopatra too1 ,and made a gap in nature4 ,it is said that the silver oars1 which to the tune of flutes kept stroke1 were pierced with holes of different sizes1 so mechanically contrived1 that the water1 as it flowed through them at every stroke1 produced a harmony in concord with that of the flutes and lyres on board4 ,such a description as the foregoing gives a more vivid idea than any grave declaration1 of the elegant luxury of the ,egyptians4 ,it were easy to collect instances from the ,bible in which mention is made of ,egyptian embroidery1 but one verse 7,ezek4 xxvii4 #g71 when the prophet is addressing the ,tyrians1 specifically points to the subject on which we are speaking3 ,fine linen1 with broidered work from ,egypt1 was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail1 c4 ,a common but beautiful style of embroidery was to draw out entirely the threads of linen which formed the weft1 and to re-form the body of the material1 and vary its appearance1 by working in various stitches and with different colours on the warp alone4 ,chairs and fauteuils of the most elegant form1 made of ebony and other rare woods1 inlaid with ivory1 were in common use amongst the ancient ,egyptians4 ,these were covered1 as is the fashion in the present day1 with every variety of rich stuff1 stamped leather1 c43 but many were likewise embroidered with different coloured wools1 with silk and gold thread4 ,the couches too1 which in the daytime had a rich covering substituted for the night bedding1 gave ample scope for the display of the inventive genius and persevering industry of the busy-fingered ,egyptian ladies4 ,we have given sufficient proof that the ,egyptian females were accomplished in the art of needlework1 and we may naturally infer that they were fond of it4 ,it is a gentle and a social occupation1 and usefully employs the time1 whilst it does not interfere with the current of the thoughts or the flow of conversation4 ,the ,egyptians were an intelligent and an animated race2 and the sprightly jest or the lively sally would be interspersed with the graver details of thoughtful and reflective conversation1 or would give some point to the dull routine of mere womanish chatter4 ,it seems almost impossible to have lived amidst the stupendous magnificence of ,egypt in days of yore1 without the mind assimilating itself in some degree to the greatness with which it was surrounded4 ,the vast deserts1 the stupendous mountains1 the river ,nile--the single and solitary river which in itself sufficed the needs of a mighty empire--these majestic monuments of nature seemed as emblems to which the people should fashion1 as they did fashion1 their pyramids1 their tombs1 their sphynxes1 their mighty reservoirs1 and their colossal statues4 ,and we can hardly suppose that such ever-visible objects should not1 during the time of their creation1 have some elevating influence on the weakest mind2 and that therefore frivolity of conversation amongst the ,egyptian ladies was rather the exception than the rule4 ,but a modern author has amused himself1 and exercised some ingenuity in attempting to prove the contrary3-- ,many similar instances of a talent for caricature are observable in the compositions of ,egyptian artists who executed the paintings on the tombs2 and the ladies are not spared4 ,we are led to infer that they were not deficient in the talent of conversation2 and the numerous subjects they proposed are shown to have been examined with great animation4 ,among these the question of dress was not forgotten1 and the patterns or the value of trinkets were discussed with proportionate interest4 ,the maker of an earring1 or the shop where it was purchased1 were anxiously inquired2 each compared the workmanship1 the style1 and the materials of those she wore1 coveted her neighbour's1 or preferred her own2 and women of every class vied with each other in the display of 'jewels of silver and jewels of gold1' in the texture of their 'raiment1' the neatness of their sandals1 and the arrangement or beauty of their plaited hair4 ,we are too much indebted to this author's interesting volumes to quarrel with him for his ungallant exposition of a very simple painting2 but we beg to place in juxta-position with the above 7though otherwise somewhat out of its place7 an extract from a work by no means characterised by unnecessary complacency to the fair sex4 ',cet homme passe sa vie forger des nouvelles1' me dit alors un gros ,athnien qui tait assis auprs de moi4 ',il ne s'occupe que de choses qui ne le touchent point4 ,pour moi1 mon intrieur me suffit4 ,j'ai une femme que j'aime beaucoup2' et il me fit l'loge de sa femme4 ',hier je ne pus pas souper avec elle1 j'tais pri chez un de mes amis2' et il me fit la description du repas4 ',je me retirai chez moi assez content4 ,mais j'ai fait cette nuit un rve qui m'inquite2' et il me raconta son rve4 ,ensuite il me dit pesamment que la ville fourmillait d'trangers2 que les hommes d'aujourd'hui ne valaient pas ceux d'autrefois2 que les denres taient bas prix2 qu'on pourrait esprer une bonne rcolte1 s'il venait pleuvoir4 ,aprs m'avoir demand le quantime du mois1 il se leva pour aller souper avec sa femme4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,greeks ,,and ,,romans4 ------,supreme ,sits the virtuous housewife1 ,the tender mother-- ,o'er the circle presiding1 ,and prudently guiding2 ,the girls gravely schooling1 ,the boys wisely ruling2 ,her hands never ceasing ,from labours increasing2 ,and doubling his gains ,with her orderly pains4 ,with piles of rich treasure the storehouse she spreads1 ,and winds round the loud-whirring spindle her threads3 ,she winds--till the bright-polish'd presses are full ,of the snow-white linen and glittering wool3 ,blends the brilliant and solid in constant endeavour1 ,and resteth never4 ,j4 ,h4 ,merivale4 ,it was an admitted opinion amongst the classical nations of antiquity1 that no less a personage than ,minerva herself1 a maiden affecting old fashions and formality1 visited earth to teach her favourite nation the mysteries of those implements which are called the arms of every virtuous woman2 viz4 the distaff and spindle4 ,in the use of these the ,grecian dames were particularly skilled2 in fact1 spinning1 weaving1 needlework1 and embroidery1 formed the chief occupation of those whose rank exonerated them1 even in more primitive days1 from the menial drudgery of a household4 ,the ,greek females led exceedingly retired lives1 being far more charily admitted to a share of the recreations of the nobler sex than we of these privileged days4 ,the ancient ,greeks were very magnificent--very3 magnificent senators1 magnificent warriors1 magnificent men2 but they were a people trained from the cradle for exhibition and publicity2 domestic life was quite cast into the shade4 ,consequently and necessarily their women were thrown to greater distance1 till it happened1 naturally enough1 that they seemed to form a distinct community2 and apartments the most distant and secluded that the mansion afforded were usually assigned to them4 ,of these1 in large establishments1 certain ones were always appropriated to the labours of the needle4 ,je ne dirai 7says the sarcastic author of ,anacharsis7 qu'un mot sur l'ducation des filles4 ,suivant la diffrence des tats1 elles apprennent lire1 crire1 coudre1 filer1 prparer la laine dont on fait les vtemens1 et veiller aux soins du mnage4 ,en gnral1 les mres exhortent leurs filles se conduire avec sagesse2 mais elles insistent beaucoup plus sur la ncessit de se tenir droites1 d'effacer leurs paules1 de serrer leur sein avec un large ruban1 d'tre extrmement sobres1 et de prvenir1 par toutes sortes de moyens1 un embonpoint qui nuirait l'lgance de la taille et la grce des mouvemens4 ,homer1 the great fountain of ancient lore1 scarcely throughout his whole work names a female1 ,greek or ,trojan1 but as connected naturally and indissolubly with this feminine occupation--needlework4 ,thus1 when ,chryses implores permission to ransome his daughter1 ,agamemnon wrathfully replies-- ,i will not loose thy daughter1 till old age ,find her far distant from her native soil1 ,beneath my roof in ,argos1 at her task ,of tissue-work4 ,and ,iris1 the ambassadress of ,heaven1 finds ,helen in her own recess-- ----weaving there a gorgeous web1 ,inwrought with fiery conflicts1 for her sake ,wag'd by contending nations4 ,hector foreseeing the miseries consequent upon the destruction of ,troy1 says to ,andromache-- ,but no grief ,so moves me as my grief for thee alone1 ,doom'd then to follow some imperious ,greek1 ,a weeping captive1 to the distant shores ,of ,argos2 there to labour at the loom ,for a taskmistress4 ,and again he says to her-- ,hence1 then1 to our abode2 there weave or spin1 ,and task thy maidens4 ,and afterwards-- ,andromache1 the while1 ,knew nought1 nor even by report had learn'd ,her ,hector's absence in the field alone4 ,she in her chamber at the palace-top ,a splendid texture wrought1 on either side ,all dazzling bright with flow'rs of various hues4 ,though ,penelope's web is become a proverb1 it would be unpardonable here to omit specific mention of it4 ,antinos thus complains of her3-- ,elusive of the bridal day1 she gives ,fond hope to all1 and all with hope deceives4 ,did not the ,sun1 through heaven's wide azure roll'd1 ,for three long years the royal fraud behold8 ,while she1 laborious in delusion1 spread ,the spacious loom1 and mix'd the various thread2 ,where1 as to life the wondrous figures rise1 ,thus spoke th' inventive queen with artful sighs3-- ',though cold in death ,ulysses breathes no more1 ,cease yet a while to urge the bridal hour2 ,cease1 till to great ,laertes ,i bequeath ,a task of grief1 his ornaments of death4 ,lest1 when the ,fates his royal ashes claim1 ,the ,grecian matrons taint my spotless fame3 ,when he1 whom living mighty realms obey'd1 ,shall want in death a shroud to grace his shade4' ,thus she3 ,at once the generous train complies1 ,nor fraud mistrusts in virtue's fair disguise4 ,the work she plied2 but1 studious of delay1 ,by night revers'd the labours of the day4 ,while thrice the ,sun his annual journey made1 ,the conscious lamp the midnight fraud survey'd2 ,unheard1 unseen1 three years her arts prevail2 ,the fourth1 her maid unfolds th' amazing tale4 ,we saw1 as unperceiv'd we took our stand1 ,the backward labours of her faithless hand4 ,then urg'd1 she perfects her illustrious toils2 ,a wondrous monument of female wiles4 ,the ,greek costume was rich and elegant2 and though1 from our familiarity with colourless statues1 we are apt to suppose it gravely uniform in its hue1 such was not the fact2 for the tunic was often adorned with ornamental embroidery of all sorts4 ,the toga was the characteristic of ,roman costume3 this gradually assumed variations from its primitive simplicity of hue1 until at length the triumphant general considered even the royal purple too unpretending1 unless set off by a rich embroidery of gold4 ,the first embroideries of the ,romans were but bands of stuff1 cut or twisted1 which they put on the dresses3 the more modest used only one band2 others two1 three1 four1 up to seven2 and from the number of these the dresses took their names1 always drawn from the ,greek3 molores1 dilores1 trilores1 tetralores1 c4 ,pliny seems to be the authority whence most writers derive their accounts of ancient garments and needlework4 ,the coarse rough wool with the round great haire hath been of ancient time highly commended and accounted of in tapestrie worke3 for even ,homer himself witnesseth that they of the old world used the same much1 and tooke great delight therein4 ,but this tapestrie is set out with colours in ,france after one sort1 and among the ,parthians after another4 ,m4 ,varro writeth that within the temple of ,sangus there continued unto the time that he wrote his booke the wooll that lady ,tanaquil1 otherwise named ,caia ,cecilia1 spun2 together with her distaff and spindle3 as also within the chapel of ,fortune1 the very roiall robe or mantle of estate1 made in her own hands after the manner of water chamlot in wave worke1 which ,servius ,tullius used to weare4 ,and from hence came the fashion and custome at ,rome1 that when maidens were to be wedded1 there attended upon them a distaffe1 dressed and trimmed with kombed wooll1 as also a spindle and yearne upon it4 ,the said ,tanaquil was the first that made the coat or cassocke woven right out all through2 such as new beginners 7namely young souldiers1 barristers1 and fresh brides7 put on under their white plaine gowns1 without any guard of purple4 ,the waved water chamelot was from the beginning esteemed the richest and bravest wearing4 ,and from thence came the branched damaske in broad workes4 ,fenestella writeth that in the latter time of ,augustus ,csar they began at ,rome to use their gownes of cloth shorne1 as also with a curled nap4--,as for those robes which are called crebr and papaverat1 wrought thicke with floure worke1 resembling poppies1 or pressed even and smooth1 they be of greater antiquitie3 for even in the time of ,lucilius the poet ,torquatus was noted and reproved for wearing them4 ,the long robes embrodered before1 called prtext1 were devised first by the ,tuscanes4 ,the ,trabe were roiall robes1 and ,i find that kings and princes only ware them4 ,in ,homer's time also they used garments embrodered with imagerie and floure1 work1 and from thence came the triumphant robes4 ,as for embroderie itselfe and needle-worke1 it was the ,phrygians invention3 and hereupon embroderers in ,latine bee called phrygiones4 ,and in the same ,asia king ,attalus was the first that devised cloth of gold3 and thence come such colours to be called ,attalica4 ,in ,babylon they used much to weave their cloth of divers colours1 and this was a great wearing amongst them1 and cloths so wrought were called ,babylonica4 ,to weave cloth of tissue with twisted threeds both in woofe and warpe1 and the same of sundrie colours1 was the invention of ,alexandria2 and such clothes and garments were called ,polymita1 ,but ,fraunce devised the scutchion1 square1 or lozenge damaske worke4 ,metellus ,scipio1 among other challenges and imputations laid against ,capito1 reproached and accused him for this3--',that his hangings and furniture of his dining chamber1 being ,babylonian work or cloth of ,arras1 were sold for #hjj1jjj sesterces2 and such like of late days stood ,prince ,nero in #djj1jjj sesterces1 i4e4 forty millions4' ,the embrodered long robes of ,servius ,tullius1 wherewith he covered and arraied all over the image of ,fortune1 by him dedicated1 remained whole and sound until the end of ,sejanus4 ,and a wonder it was that they neither fell from the image nor were motheaten in #efj yeares4#e ,it was long before silk was in general use1 even for patrician garments4 ,it has been supposed that the famous ,median vest1 invented by ,semiramis1 was silken1 which might account for its great fame in the west4 ,be this as it may1 it was so very graceful1 that the ,medes adopted it after they had conquered ,asia2 and the ,persians followed their example4 ,in the time of the ,romans the price of silk was weight for weight with gold1 and the first persons who brought silk into ,europe were the ,greeks of ,alexander's army4 ,under ,tiberius it was forbidden to be worn by men2 and it is said that the ,emperor ,aurelian even refused the earnest request of his empress for a silken dress1 on the plea of its extravagant cost4 ,heliogabalus was the first man that ever wore a robe entirely of silk4 ,he had also a tunic woven of gold threads2 such gold thread as we referred to in a prior chapter1 as consisting of the metal alone beaten out and rounded1 without any intermixture of silk or woollen4 ,tarquinius ,priscus had also a vest of this gorgeous description1 as had likewise ,agrippina4 ,gold thread and wire continued to be made entirely of metal probably until the time of ,aurelian1 nor have there been any instances found in ,herculaneum and ,pompeii of the silken thread with a gold coating4 ,these examples will suffice to show that it was not usually the material of the ancient garments which gave them so high a value1 but the ornamental embellishments with which they were afterwards invested by the needle4 ,the ,medes and ,babylonians seem to have been most highly celebrated for their stuffs and tapestries of various sorts which were figured by the needle2 the ,egyptians certainly rivalled1 though they did not surpass them2 and the ,greeks seem also to have attained a high degree of excellence in this pretty art4 ,the epoch of embroidery amongst the ,romans went as far back as ,tarquin1 to whom the ,etruscans presented a tunic of purple enriched with gold1 and a mantle of purple and other colours1 tels qu'en portoient les rois de ,perse et de ,lydie4 ,but soon luxury banished the wonted austerity of ,rome2 and when ,csar first showed himself in a habit embroidered and fringed1 this innovation appeared scandalous to those who had not been alarmed at any of his real and important innovations4 ,we have referred in a former chapter to the practice of sending garments as presents1 as marks of respect and friendship1 or as propitiatory or deprecatory offerings4 ,and the illustrious ladies of the classical times had such a prophetical talent of preparation1 that they were ever found possessed1 when occasion required1 of store of garments richly embroidered by their own fair fingers1 or under their auspices4 ,of this there are numerous examples in ,homer4 ,when ,priam wishes to redeem the body of ,hector1 after preparing other propitiatory gifts1 ----he open'd wide the sculptur'd lids ,of various chests1 whence mantles twelve he took ,of texture beautiful2 twelve single cloaks2 ,as many carpets1 with as many robes2 ,to which he added vests an equal store4 ,when ,telemachus is about to leave ,menelaus-- ,the beauteous queen revolv'd with careful eyes ,her various textures of unnumber'd dyes1 ,and chose the largest2 with no vulgar art ,her own fair hands embroider'd every part2 ,beneath the rest it lay divinely bright1 ,like radiant ,hesper o'er the gems of night4 ,that much of this work was highly beautiful may be inferred from the description of the robe of ,ulysses3-- ,in the rich woof a hound1 ,mosaic drawn1 ,bore on full stretch1 and seiz'd a dappled fawn2 ,deep in the neck his fangs indent their hold2 ,they pant and struggle in the moving gold4 ,and this robe1 ,penelope says1 ,in happier hours her artful hand employ'd4 ,to invest a visitor with an embroidered robe was considered the very highest mark of honour and regard4 ,when ,telemachus is at the magnificent court of ,menelaus-- ----a bright damsel train attend the guests ,with liquid odours and embroider'd vests4 99 99 99 99 99 ,give to the stranger guest a stranger's dues3 ,bring gold1 a pledge of love2 a talent bring1 ,a vest1 a robe4 99 99 99 99 99 --------in order roll'd ,the robes1 the vests are rang'd1 and heaps of gold3 ,and adding a rich dress inwrought with art1 ,a gift expressive of her bounteous heart1 ,thus spoke 7the queen7 to ,ithacus4 ,when ,cambyses wished to attain some point from an ,ethiopian prince1 he forwarded1 amongst other presents1 a rich vest4 ,the ,ethiopian1 taking the garment1 inquired what it was1 and how it was made2 but its glittering tracery did not decoy the unsophisticated prince4 ,when ,xerxes arrived at ,acanthos1 he interchanged the rites of hospitality with the people1 and presented several with ,median vests4 ,probably our readers will remember the circumstance of ,alexander making the mother of ,darius a present of some rich vestures1 probably of woollen fabrics1 and telling her that she might make her grandchildren learn the art of weaving them2 at which the royal lady felt insulted and deeply hurt1 as it was considered ignominious by the ,persian women to work in wool4 ,hearing of her misapprehension1 ,alexander himself waited on her1 and in the gentlest and most respectful terms told the illustrious captive that1 far from meaning any offence1 the custom of his own country had misled him2 and that the vestments he had offered were not only a present from his royal sisters1 but wrought by their own hands4 ,outr as appear some of the flaring patterns of the present day1 the boldest of them must be quiet and unattractive compared with those we read of formerly1 when not only human figures1 but birds and animals1 were wrought not merely on hangings and carpets but on wearing apparel4 ,ciampini gives various instances4#f ,what changes1 says he1 do not a long course of years produce6 ,who now1 except in the theatre1 or at a carnival or masquerade 7spectaculis ac rebus ludiciis71 would endure garments inscribed with verses and titles1 and painted with various figures8 ,nevertheless1 it is plain that such garments were constantly used in ancient times4 ,to say nothing of ,homer1 who assigns to ,ulysses a tunic variegated with figures of animals2 to say nothing of the ,massaget1 whom ,herodotus relates painted animals on their garments with the juice of herbs2 we also read of these garments 7though then considered very antiquated7 being used under the ,csars of ,rome4 ,they say that ,alcisthenes the ,sybarite had a garment of such magnificence that when he exhibited it in the ,temple of ,juno at ,lacinium1 where all ,italy was congregated1 it attracted universal attention4 ,it was purchased from the ,carthaginians1 by ,dionysius the elder1 for #abj talents4 ,it was twenty-two feet in breadth1 of a purple ground1 with animals wrought all over1 except in the middle1 where were ,jupiter1 ,juno1 ,themis1 ,minerva1 ,apollo1 ,venus3 on one sleeve it had a figure of ,alcisthenes1 on the other of his city ,sybaris4 ,that this description is not exaggerated may be inferred from the following passage from a homily on ,dives and ,lazarus by a ,bishop of ,amuasan in ,pontus1 given by ,ciampini4 ,they have here no bounds to this foolish art1 for no sooner was invented the useless art of weaving in figures in a kind of picture1 such as animals of all sorts1 than 7rich persons7 procure flowered garments1 and also those variegated with an infinite number of images1 both for themselves1 their wives1 and children4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,whensoever thus clothed they go abroad1 they go1 as it were1 painted all over1 and pointing out to one another with the finger the pictures on their garments4 ,for there are lions and panthers1 and bears and bulls1 and dogs and woods1 and rocks and huntsmen2 and1 in a word1 everything that can be thought of1 all drawn to the life3 for it was necessary1 forsooth1 that not only the walls of their houses should be painted1 but their coats 7tunica7 also1 and likewise the cloak 7pallium7 which covers it4 ,the more pious of these gentry take their subjects from the ,gospel history3 e4g4 ,christ himself with his disciples1 or one of the miracles1 is depicted4 ,in this manner you shall see the marriage of ,cana and the waterpots2 the paralytic carrying his bed on his shoulders2 the blind man cured by clay2 the woman with the issue of blood taking hold of the border 7of ,christ's garment72 the harlot falling at the feet of ,jesus2 ,lazarus coming from the tomb3 and they fancy there is great piety in all this1 and that putting on such garments must be pleasing to ,god4 ,the palmated garment was figured with palm-leaves1 and was a triumphal or festive garment4 ,it is referred to in an epistle of ,gratian to ,augustus3 ,i have sent thee a palmated garment1 in which the name of our divine parent ,constantine is interwoven4 ,in allusion to these lettered garments ,ausonius celebrates ,sabina 7textrice simul ac poetria71 whose name thus lives when those of more important personages are forgotten3-- ,they who both webs and verses weave1 ,the first to thee1 ,o chaste ,minerva1 leave2 ,the latter to the ,muses they devote3 ,to me1 ,sabina1 it appears a sin ,to separate two things so near akin1 ,so ,i have wrote thy verses on my coat4#g ,and again3 ,whether the ,tyrian robe your praise demand1 ,or the neat verse upon the edge descried1 ,know both proceed from the same skilful hand3 ,in both these arts ,sabina takes a pride4#h ,it is imagined that the embroidered vestments worn in ,homer's time bore a strong resemblance to those now worn by the ,moguls2 and the custom of making presents1 so discernible through his work1 still prevails throughout ,asia4 ,it is not 7says ,sir ,james ,forbes7 so much the custom in ,india to present dresses ready made to the visitors as to offer the materials1 especially to ,europeans4 ,in ,turkey1 ,persia1 and ,arabia1 it is generally the reverse4 ,we find in ,chardin that the kings of ,persia had great wardrobes1 where there were always many hundred habits1 sorted1 ready for presents1 and that more than forty tailors were always employed in this service4 ,it is not improbable that this ancient custom of presenting a visitor with a new dress as a token of welcome1 a symbol of rejoicing at his presence1 may have led to many of the general customs which have prevailed1 and do still1 of having new clothes at any season of joy or festivity4 ,new clothes are thought by the people of the ,east requisite for the due solemnization of a time of rejoicing4 ,the ,turks1 even the poorest of them1 would submit to any privation rather than be without new clothes at the ,bairam or ,great ,festival4 ,there is an anecdote recorded of the ,caliph ,montanser ,billah1 that going one day to the upper roof of his palace he saw a number of clothes spread out on the flat roofs of the houses of ,bagdat4 ,he asked the reason1 and was told that the inhabitants of ,bagdat were drying their clothes1 which they had newly washed1 on account of the approach of the ,bairam4 ,the caliph was so concerned that any should be so poor as to be obliged to wash their old clothes for want of new ones with which to celebrate this festival1 that he ordered a great quantity of gold to be instantly made into bullets1 proper to be shot out of crossbows1 which he and his courtiers threw1 by this means1 upon every terrace of the city where he saw garments spread to dry4 ,,footnotes3 #e ,book viii4 chap4 #dh4 #f ,ciampini1 ,vetera ,monimenta1 cap4 xiii4 #g ,licia qui texunt1 et ,carmina2 ,carmina ,musis1 ,licia contribuunt1 casta ,minerva1 tibi4 ,ast ego rem sociam non dissociabo1 ,sabina1 ,versibus inscripsi1 qu mea texta meis4 #h ,sive probas ,tyrio textam sub tegmine vestem1 ,seu placet inscripti commoditas tituli4 ,ipsius hc ,domin concennat utrumque venustas3 ,has geminas artes una ,sabina colet4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,dark ,,ages4--,,shee-,,schools4 ,there was an auncient house not far away1 ,renown'd throughout the world for sacred lore ,and pure unspotted life3 so well they say ,it govern'd was1 and guided evermore ,through wisedome of a matrone grave and hore1 ,whose onely joy was to relieve the needes ,of wretched soules1 and helpe the helplesse pore3 ,all night she spent in bidding of her bedes1 ,and all the day in doing good and godly dedes4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,meantime1 whilst monks' pens were thus employed1 nuns with their needles wrote histories also3 that of ,christ his passion for their altar-clothes2 and other ,scripture- 7and more legend-7 stories in hangings to adorn their houses4--,fuller1 ,ch4 ,hist41 ,b4 #f4 ,needlework is an art so indissolubly connected with the convenience and comfort of mankind at large1 that it is impossible to suppose any state of society in which it has not existed4 ,its modes varied1 of course1 according to the lesser or greater degrees of refinement in other matters with which it was connected2 and when we find from ,muratori that nulla s' detto fin qui dell',arte del ,tessere dopo la declinazione del ,romano ,imperio2 e solo in fuggire s' parlato di alcune vesti degli antichi1 we may fairly infer that the ornamental needlework of the time was not extensively encouraged1 although never entirely laid aside4 ,the desolation that overran the world was found alike in its greatest or most insignificant concerns2 and the same torrent that swept monarchs from their thrones and peers from their halls did away with the necessity for professors of the decorative arts4 ,there needed not the embroiderer of gold and purple to blazon the triumph of a conqueror who disdained other habiliment than the skin of some slaughtered beast4#i ,the matron who yet retained the principle of ,roman virtue1 or the fair and refined maiden of the eastern capital1 far from seeking personal adornment1 rather shunned any decoration which might attract the eyes and inflame the passions of untamed and ruthless conquerors4 ,all usual habits were subverted1 and for long years the history of the ,european world is but a bloody record of war and tumult1 of bloodshed and strife4 ,few are the cases of peace and tranquillity in this desert of tumult and blood-guiltiness2 but those few isles of the blessed in this ocean of discord1 those few sunny spots in the gloomy landscape1 are intimately connected with our theme4 ,the use of the needle for the daily necessities of life could never1 as we have remarked1 be superseded2 but the practice of ornamental needlework1 in common with every ennobling science and improving art1 was kept alive during this period of desolation by the church1 and by the individual labours and collective zeal of the despised and contemned monks4 ,sharing that hallowed influence which hovered over and protected the church at this fearful season--for1 from the carelessness or superstition of the barbarians1 the ministers of religion were spared--nunneries1 with some few exceptions1 were now like refuges pointed out by ,heaven itself4 ,they were originally founded by the sister of ,st4 ,anthony1 the hermit of the ,egyptian desert1 and in their primitive institution were meant solely for those who1 abjuring the world for religious motives1 were desirous to spend their whole time in devotional exercises4 ,but their sphere of utility became afterwards widely extended4 ,they became safe and peaceable asylums for all those to whom life's pilgrimage had been too thorny4 ,the frail but repentant maiden was here sheltered from the scorn of an uncharitable world2 the virtuous but suffering female1 whose earthly hopes had1 from whatever cause1 been crushed1 could here weep and pray in peace3 while she to whom the more tangible trouble of poverty had descended might here1 without the galling yoke of charity and dependence1 look to a refuge for those evil days when the breaking of the golden bowl1 the loosing of the silver cord1 should disable her from the exertions necessary for her maintenance4 ,have we any--ay1 with all their faults and imperfections on their heads--have we1 in these days of enlightenment1 any sort of substitute for the blessings they held out to dependent and suffering woman of whatever rank8 ,convents became also schools for the education of young women of rank1 who here imbibed in early youth principles of religion which might enable them to endure with patience and fortitude those after-trials of life from which no station or wealth could exempt them2 and they acquired here those accomplishments1 and were taught here those lighter occupations1 amongst which fine needlework and embroidery occupied a conspicuous position1 which would qualify them to beguile in a becoming manner the many hours of leisure which their elevated rank would confer on them4 ,nunneries1 says ,fuller1 also were good shee-schools1 wherein the girles and maids of the neighbourhood were taught to read and work2 and sometimes a little ,latine was taught them therein4 ,yea1 give me leave to say1 if such feminine foundations had still continued1 provided no vow were obtruded upon them 7virginity is least kept where it is most constrained71 haply the weaker sex 7besides the avoiding modern inconveniences7 might be heightened to an higher perfection than hitherto hath been attained4 ,that sharpnesse of their wits and suddenness of their conceits 7which their enemies must allow unto them7 might by education be improved into a judicious solidity1 and that adorned with arts which now they want1 not because they cannot learn1 but are not taught them4 ,i say1 if such feminine foundations were extant now of dayes1 haply some virgins of highest birth would be glad of such places1 and ,i am sure their fathers and elder brothers would not be sorry for the same4 ,miss ,lawrance gives a more detailed account of the duties taught in them4 ,in consequence of convents being considered as establishments exclusively belonging to the ,latin church1 ,protestant writers1 as by common consent1 have joined in censuring them1 forgetful of the many benefits which1 without any reference to their peculiar creed1 they were calculated to confer4 ,although providing instruction for the young1 the convent was a large establishment for various orders of women4 ,there were the nuns1 the lay sisters1 always a numerous class1 and a large body of domestics2 while in those higher convents1 where the abbess exercised manorial jurisdiction1 there were seneschal1 esquires1 gentlemen1 yeomen1 grooms1 indeed the whole establishment of a baronial castle1 except the men-at-arms and the archer-band4 ,thus within the convent walls the pupil saw nearly the same domestic arrangement to which she had been accustomed in her father's castle2 while1 instead of being constantly surrounded with children1 well born and intelligent women might be her occasional companions4 ,and then the most important functions were exercised by women4 ,the abbess presided in her manorial court1 the cellaress performed the extensive offices of steward1 the prcentrix led the singing and superintended the library1 and the infirmaress watched over the sick1 affording them alike spiritual and medical aid4 ,thus1 from her first admission1 the pupil was taught to respect and to emulate the talents of women4 ,but a yet more important peculiarity did the convent school present4 ,it was a noble1 a well-endowed1 and an independent institution2 and it proffered education as a boon4 ,here was no eager canvassing for scholars1 no promises of unattainable advantages2 for the convent school was not a mercantile establishment1 nor was education a trade4 ,the female teachers of the middle ages were looked up to alike by parent and child1 and the instruction so willingly offered was willingly and gratefully received2 the character of the teacher was elevated1 and as a necessary consequence so was the character of the pupil4 ,but in addition to those inmates who had dedicated their lives to religion1 and those who were placed there specifically for education1 convents afforded shelter to numbers who sought only temporary retirement from the world under the influence of sorrow1 or temporary protection under the apprehension of danger4 ,and this was the case not merely through the very dark era with which our chapter commences1 but for centuries afterwards1 and when the world was comparatively civilized4 ,our own good ,queen ,maude assumed the veil in the convent of ,romsey1 without however taking the vows1 as the only means of escaping from a forced marriage2 and in the subsequent reign1 that of ,stephen1 so little regard was paid to law or decorum1 that a convent was the only place where a maiden1 even of gentle birth1 if she had riches1 could have a chance of shelter and safety from the machinations of those who resorted to any sort of brutality or violence to compel her to a marriage which would secure her possessions to her ravisher4 ,it was then in the convents1 and in them alone1 that1 during the barbarism and confusion consequent upon the overthrow of the ancient empire1 and the irruption of the untamed hordes who overran southern ,europe from the north and west1--it was in the convents that some remnants of the ancient art of embroidery were still preserved4 ,the nuns considered it an acceptable service to employ their time and talents in the construction of vestments which1 being intended for the service of the church1 were rich and sumptuous even at the time when richness and elegance of apparel were unknown elsewhere4#aj ,it was no proof of either the ignorance or the bad taste or the irreligion of the dark ages1 that the religious edifices were fitted up with a rich and gorgeous solemnity which are unheard of in these days of light and knowledge and economy4 ,and besides the construction of rich and elaborately ornamented vestments for the priests1 and hangings for the altars1 shrines1 c41 besides these being peculiarly the occupation of the professed sisters of religious houses1 it was likewise the pride and the delight of ladies of rank to devote both their money to the purchase and their time to the embroidering of sacerdotal garments as offerings to the church4 ,and whether temporarily sheltering within the walls of a convent1 or happily presiding in her own lofty halls1 it was oftentime the pride and pleasure of the high-born dame to embroider a splendid cope1 a rich vest1 or a gorgeous hanging1 as a votive and grateful offering to that holy altar where perhaps she had prayed in sorrow1 and found consolation and peace4 ,,footnotes3 #i ,in the most inclement winter the hardy ,german was satisfied with a scanty garment made of the skin of some animal4--,gibbon4 #aj ,muratori 7,diss4 #be71 speaking of the mean habiliments usual in ,italy even so late as the #acth century1 adds1 ,ma non per questo s'hanno a credere cos rozzi e nemici del ,lusso que' ,secoli4 ,a buon conto anche in ,italia qui non era cieco1 sovente potea mirare i pi delicati lavori di ,seta1 che servivano di ornamenti alle ,chiese e alle sacre funzioni4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,dark ,,ages4 ,last night ,i dreamt a dream2 behold6 ,i saw a church was fret with gold1 ,with arras richly dight3 ,there saw ,i altar1 pall1 and pix1 ,chalice1 and font1 and crucifix1 ,and tapers burning bright4 ,w4 ,s4 ,rose4 ,over those memorials of the past which chance and mischance have left us1 time hath drawn a thick curtain1 obliterating all soft and gentle touches1 which connected harmoniously the bolder features of the landscape1 and leaving these but as landmarks to intimate what had been there4 ,we would fain linger on those times1 and call up the gentle spirits of the long departed to describe scenes of quiet but useful retirement at which we now only dimly guess4 ,we would witness the hour of recreation in the convent1 when the severer duties of the cloister gave place to the cheerful one of companionship2 and the pale votary quitted the lonely cell and the solitary vigil1 to instruct the blooming novice in the art of embroidery1 or to ply her own accustomed and accomplished fingers in its fairy creations4 ,the younger ones would be ecstatic in their commendations1 and eager in their exertions to rival the fair sempstress2 whilst a gratified though sad smile would brighten her own pale cheek as the lady abbess laid aside the richly illuminated volume by which her own attention had been engrossed1 and from which she had from time to time read short and instructive passages aloud1 commenting on and enforcing the principles they inculcated2 and holding the work towards the casement1 so that the bright slanting rays of the setting sun which fell through the richly carved lattice might illumine the varied tints of the stitchery1 she would utter some kind and encouraging words of admiration and praise4 ,perhaps the work was a broidered scarf for some spiritual father1 a testimony of gratitude and esteem from the convent at large2 perhaps it was a tunic or a girdle which some high and wealthy lady had bespoken for an offering1 and which the meek and pious sisterhood were happy to do for hire1 bestowing the proceeds on the necessities of the convent2 or1 if those were provided1 on charity4 ,perhaps it was a pair of sandals1 so magnificently wrought as to be destined as a present by some lofty abbot to the pope himself1 like those which ,robert1 ,abbot of ,st4 ,alban's1 sent to the ,pope ,adrian the ,fourth2 and which alone1 out of a multitude of the richest offerings1 the pope retained2#aa or if it were in ,england 7for our domestic scene will apply to all the ,christian world7 it might be a magnificent covering for the high altar1 with a scripture history embroidered in the centre1 and the border1 of regal purple1 inwrought with gold and precious stones4 ,we say1 if in ,england1 because so celebrated was the ,english work1 the ,opus ,anglicum1#ab that other nations eagerly desired to possess it4 ,the embroidered vestments of some ,english clergymen were so much admired at the ,papal ,court1 that the ,pope1 asking where they had been made1 and being told in ,england1 despatched bulls to several ,english abbots1 commanding them to procure similar ones for him4 ,some of the vestments of these days were almost covered with gold and precious stones4 ,or it might be a magnificent pall1 in the days in which this garment had lost its primitive character1 that taxed the skill and the patience of the fair needlewoman4 ,it was about the year ,a4,d4 #fja that ,pope ,gregory sent two archbishop's palls into ,england2 the one for ,london1 which see was afterwards removed to ,canterbury1 and the other to ,york4 ,fuller gives the following account of this garment primitively3-- ,the pall is a pontificall vestment1 considerable for the matter1 making1 and mysteries thereof4 ,for the matter1 it is made of lamb's-wooll and superstition4 ,i say1 of lamb's-wooll1 as it comes from the sheep's back1 without any other artificiall colour1 spun 7say some7 by a peculiar order of nunnes1 first cast into the tombe of ,st4 ,peter1 taken from his body 7say others72 surely most sacred if from both2 and 7superstitiously7 adorned with little black crosses4 ,for the form thereof1 the breadth exceeded not three fingers 7one of our bachelor's lamb-skin hoods in ,cambridge would make three of them71 having two labells hanging down before and behind1 which the archbishops onely1 when going to the altar1 put about their necks1 above their other pontificall ornaments4 ,three mysteries were couched therein4 ,first1 humility1 which beautifies the clergy above all their costly copes2 secondly1 innocency1 to imitate lamb-like simplicitie2 and thirdly1 industry1 to follow him who fetched his wandering sheep home on his shoulders4 ,but to speak plainly1 the mystery of mysteries in this pall was1 that the archbishops receiving it showed therein their dependence on ,rome2 and a mote in this manner ceremoniously taken was a sufficient acknowledgment of their subjection4 ,and1 as it owned ,rome's power1 so in after ages it increased their profit4 ,for1 though now such palls were freely given to archbishops1 whose places in ,britain for the present were rather cumbersome than commodious1 having little more than their paines for their labour2 yet in after ages the archbishop of ,canterburie's pall was sold for five thousand florenes3#ac so that the ,pope might well have the ,golden ,fleece1 if he could sell all his lamb's-wooll at that rate4#ad ,the accounts of the rich embroidered ecclesiastical vestments--robes1 sandals1 girdles1 tunics1 vests1 palls1 cloaks1 altar-cloths1 and veils or hangings of various descriptions1 common in churches in the dark ages--would almost surpass belief1 if the minuteness with which they are enumerated in some few ancient authors did not attest the fact4 ,still these in the most diffuse writers are a mere catalogue of church properties1 and1 as such1 would1 in the dry detail1 be but little interesting to our readers4 ,there is enough said of them1 however1 to attest their variety1 their beauty1 their magnificence2 and to impress one with a very favourable idea of the female ingenuity and perseverance of those days4 ,the cost of many of these garments was enormous1 for pearls and precious jewels were literally interwrought1 and the time and labour bestowed on them was almost incredible4 ,it was no uncommon circumstance for three years to be spent even by these assiduous and indefatigable votaries of the needle on one garment4 ,but it is only casually1 in the pages of the antiquarian1 that there is any record of them3-- ,with their names ,no bard embalms and sanctifies his song3 ,and history1 so warm on meaner themes1 ,is cold on this4 ,noi 7says ,muratori7 che ammiriamo1 e con ragione1 la belt e variet di tante drapperie dei nostri tempi1 abbiam nondimeno da confessare un obbligo non lieve agli antichi1 che ci hanno prima spianata la via1 e senza i lumi loro non potremmo oggid vantare un s gran progresso nell',arti4 ,and that this was the case a few instances may suffice to show2 and it may not be quite out of place here to refer to one out of a thousand articles of value and beauty which were lost in the great conflagration 7which so cruelly laid waste the habitations of the servants of ,god7 of the doomed and often suffering1 but always magnificent1 ,croyland ,abbey4 ,it was that beautiful and costly sphere1 most curiously constructed of different metals1 according to the different planets4 ,saturn was of copper1 ,jupiter of gold1 ,mars of iron1 the ,sun of brass1 ,mercury of amber1 ,venus of tin1 and the ,moon of silver3 the colours of all the signs of the ,zodiac had their several figures and colours variously finished1 and adorned with such a mixture of precious stones and metals as amused the eye1 while it informed the mind of every beholder4 ,such another sphere was not known or heard of in ,england2 and it was a present from the ,king of ,france4 ,no insignificant proof this of the mechanical skill of the eleventh century4 ,we are told that ,pope ,eutychianus1 who lived in the reign of the ,emperor ,aurelian1 buried in different places #cdb martyrs with his own hands2 and he ordained that a faithful martyr should on no account be interred without a dalmatic robe or a purple colobio4 ,this is perhaps one of the earliest notices of ecclesiastical pomp or pride in vestments4 ,but some forty years afterwards ,pope ,silvester was invested by the hands of his attendants with a ,phrygian robe of snowy white1 on which was traced in sparkling threads by busy female hands the resurrection of our ,lord2 and so magnificent was this garment considered that it was ordained to be worn by his successors on state occasions3 and to pass at once to the seventh century1 there are records of various church hangings which had become injured by old age being carefully repaired at considerable expense2 which expense and trouble would not1 we may fairly infer1 have been incurred if the articles in question1 even at this more advanced period1 had not been considered of value and of beauty4 ,leo the ,third1 in the eighth century1 was a magnificent benefactor to the church4 ,with the vessels of rich plate and jewels of various descriptions which were in all ages offering to the church we have nothing to do3 amongst various other vestments1 ,leo gave to the high altar of the blessed ,peter1 the ,prince of the ,apostles1 a covering spangled with gold 7chrysoclabam7 and adorned with precious stones2 having the histories both of our ,saviour giving to the blessed ,apostle ,peter the power of binding and loosing1 and also representing the suffering of ,peter1 the ,prince of the ,apostles1 and ,paul4 ,it was of great size1 and exhibited on ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul's days4#ae ,pope ,paschal1 early in the ninth century1 had some magnificent garments wrought1 which he presented to different churches4 ,one of these was an altar-cloth of ,tyrian purple1 having in the middle a picture of golden emblems1 with the countenance of our ,lord1 and of the blessed martyrs ,cosman and ,damian1 with three other brothers4 ,the cross was wrought in gold1 and had round it a border of olive-leaves most beautifully worked4 ,another had golden emblems1 with our ,saviour1 surrounded with archangels and apostles1 of wonderful beauty and richness1 being ornamented with pearls4 ,in these ages robes and hangings with crimson or purple borders1 called blatta1 from the name of the insect from which the dye was obtained1 were much in use4 ,an insect1 supposed to be the one so often referred to by this name in the writings of the ancients1 is found now on the coasts of ,guayaquil and ,guatima4 ,the dye is very beautiful1 and is easily transferred4 ,the royal purple so much esteemed of old was of very different shades1 for the terms purple1 red1 crimson1 scarlet1 are often used indiscriminately2 and a pretty correct conception may be acquired of the value of this imperial tint formerly from the circumstance that1 when ,alexander took possession of the city of ,susa and of its enormous treasures1 among other things there were found five thousand quintals of ,hermione purple1 the finest in the world1 which had been treasured up there during the space of #aij years2 notwithstanding which1 its beauty and lustre were no way diminished4 ,some idea may be formed of the prodigious value of this store from the fact that this purple was sold at the rate of #ajj crowns a pound1 and the quintal is a hundredweight of ,paris4 ,pope ,paschal had a robe worked with gold and gems1 having the history of the ,virgins with lighted torches beautifully related3 he had another of ,byzantine scarlet with a worked border of olive-leaves4 ,this was a very usual decoration of ecclesiastical robes1 and a very suitable one2 for1 from the time when in the beak of ,noah's dove it was first an emblem of comfort1 it has ever1 in all ages1 in all nations1 at all times1 been symbolical of plenty and peace4 ,this pope had also a robe of woven gold1 worn over a cassock of scarlet silk2 a dress certainly worth the naming1 though not so much as others indebted to our useful little implement which ,cowper calls the threaded steel4 ,but he had another rich and peculiar garment1 which was entirely indebted to the needlewoman for its varied and radiant hues4 ,this was a robe of an amber colour1#af having peacocks4 ,pope ,leo the ,fourth had a hanging worked with the needle1 having the portrait of a man seated upon a peacock4 ,pope ,stefano the ,fifth had four magnificent hangings for the great altar1 one of which was wrought in peacocks4 ,we find in romance that there was a high emblematical value attached to peacocks2 not so high1 however1 as to prevent our ancestors from eating them2 but it is difficult to account for their being so frequently introduced in designs professedly religious4 ,in romance and chivalry they were supereminent4 ,to mention the peacock 7says ,m4 ,le ,grand7 is to write its panegyrick4 ,many noble families bore the peacock as their crest2 and in the ,provenal ,courts of ,love the successful poet was crowned with a wreath formed of them4 ,the coronation present given to the ,queen of our ,henry the ,third1 by her sister1 the ,queen of ,france1 was a large silver peacock1 whose train was set with sapphires and pearls1 and other precious jewels1 wrought with silver4 ,this elegant piece of jewellery was used as a reservoir for sweet waters1 which were forced out of its beak into a basin of white silver chased4 ,as the knights associated these birds with all their ideas of fame1 and made their most solemn vows over them1 the highest honours were conferred on them4 ,their flesh is celebrated as the nutriment of lovers1 and the viand of worthies2 and a peacock was always the most distinguished dish at the solemn banquets of princes or nobles4 ,on these occasions it was served up on a golden dish1 and carried to table by a lady of rank1 attended by a train of high-born dames and damsels1 and accompanied by music4 ,if it was on the occasion of a tournament1 the successful knight always carved it1 so regulating his portions that each individual1 be the company ever so numerous1 might taste4 ,for the oath1 the knight rising from his seat and extending his hand over the bird1 vowed some daring enterprise of arms or love3--,i vow to ,god1 to the blessed ,virgin1 to the dames1 and to the peacock1 c4 c4 ,in later and less imaginative times1 the peacock1 though still a favourite dish at a banquet1 seems to have been regarded more from its affording good eating than from any more refined attribute4 ,massinger speaks of the carcases ,of three fat wethers bruised for gravy1 to ,make sauce for a single peacock4 ,in ,shakspeare's time the bird was usually put into a pie1 the head1 richly gilt1 being placed at one end of the dish1 and the tail1 spread out in its full circumference1 at the other4 ,and alas6 for the degeneracy of those days4 ,the solemn and knightly adjuration of former times had even then dwindled into the absurd oath which ,shakspeare puts into the mouth of ,justice ,shallow3-- ,by cock and pye1 ,sir1 you shall not away to night4 ,in some of the ,french tapestries birds of all shapes1 natural and unnatural1 of all sizes and in all positions1 form very important parts of the subjects themselves2 though this remark is hardly in place here1 as the tapestries are of later date1 and not solely needlework4 ,to return1 however3 mention is made in an old chronicle of antiquitas ,congregatio ,ancilarum1 qu opere plumario ornamenta ecclesiam laborabant4 ,it has been a subject of much discussion whether this ,opus ,plumarium signified some arrangement of real feathers1 or merely fanciful embroidery in imitation of them4 ,lytlyngton1 ,abbot of ,croyland1 in ,edward the ,fourth's time1 gave to his church nine copes of cloth of gold1 exquisitely feathered4#ag ,this was perhaps embroidered imitation4 ,a vestment which ,cnute the ,great presented to this abbey was made of silk embroidered with eagles of gold4 ,richard ,upton1 elected abbot in #adag1 gave silk embroidered with falcons for copes2 and about the same time ,john ,freston gave a rich robe of ,venetian blue embroidered with golden eagles4 ,these were positively imitations merely2 yet they evince the prevailing taste for feathered work1 and1 as we have shown1 feathers themselves were much used4 ,it is recorded that ,pope ,paul the ,third sent ,king ,pepin a present of a mantle interwoven with peacocks' feathers4 ,and from whatever circumstance the reverence for peacocks' feathers originated1#ah it is not1 even yet1 quite exploded4 ,there are some lingering remnants of a superstitious regard for them which may have had their origin in these very times and circumstances4 ,for how surely1 where they are rigidly traced1 are our country customs1 our vulgar ceremonies1 our apparently absurd and senseless usages1 found to emanate from some principle or superstition of general and prevailing adoption4 ,in some counties we cannot enter a farm-house where the mantel-piece in the parlour is not decorated with a diadem of peacock feathers1 which are carefully dusted and preserved4 ,and in houses of more assuming pretensions the same custom frequently prevails2 and we knew a lady who carefully preserved some peacock feathers in a drawer long after her association with people in a higher station than that to which she originally belonged had made her ashamed to display them in her parlour4 ,this could not be for mere ornament3 there is some idea of luck attached to them1 which seems not improbably to have arisen from circumstances connected originally with the ,vow of the ,peacock4 ,at any rate1 the religious care with which peacocks' feathers are preserved by many who care not for them as ornaments1 is not a whit more ridiculous than to see people gravely turn over the money in their pockets when they first hear the cuckoo1 or joyfully fasten a dropped horse-shoe on their threshold1 or shudderingly turn aside if two straws lie across in their path1 or thankfully seize an old shoe accidentally met with1 heedless of the probable state of the beggared foot that may unconsciously have left it there1 or any other of the million unaccountable customs which diversify and enliven country life1 and which still prevail and flourish1 notwithstanding the extensive travels and sweeping devastations of the modern schoolmaster4 ,do not our readers recollect ,cowper's thanksgiving on finding the heel of a shoe8-- ,fortune6 ,i thank thee1 gentle goddess6 thanks6 ,not that my muse1 though bashful1 shall deny ,she would have thanked thee rather1 hadst thou cast ,a treasure in her way2 for neither meed ,of early breakfast1 to dispel the fumes ,and bowel-raking pains of emptiness1 ,nor noontide feast1 nor ev'ning's cool repast1 ,hopes she from this--presumptuous1 though perhaps ,the cobbler1 leather-carving artist1 might4 ,nathless she thanks thee1 and accepts thy boon1 ,whatever2 not as erst the fabled cock1 ,vain-glorious fool6 unknowing what he found1 ,spurned the rich gem thou gavest him4 ,wherefore1 ah6 ,why not on me that favour1 7worthier sure67 ,conferr'dst1 goddess6 thou art blind1 thou sayest3 ,enough6 thy blindness shall excuse the deed4 ,return we to our needlework4 ,we have clear proof that1 before the end of the seventh century1 our fair countrywomen were skilled not merely in the use of the needle as applied to necessary purposes1 but also in its application to the varied and elegant embroidered garments to which we have so frequently alluded1 as forming properties of value and consideration4 ,they were chiefly executed by ladies of the highest rank and greatest piety--very frequently1 indeed1 by those of royal blood--and were usually 7as we have before observed7 devoted to the embellishment of the church1 or the decoration of its ministers4 ,it was not unusual to bequeath such properties4 ,i give1 said the wife of the ,conqueror1 in her will1 to the ,abbey of the ,holy ,trinity1 my tunic worked at ,winchester by ,alderet's wife1 and the mantle embroidered with gold1 which is in my chamber1 to make a cope4 ,of my two golden girdles1 ,i give that which is ornamented with emblems for the purpose of suspending the lamp before the great altar4#ai ,amongst some costly presents sent by ,isabella1 ,queen of ,edward the ,second1 to the ,pope1 was a magnificent cope1 embroidered and studded with large white pearls1 and purchased of the executors of ,catherine ,lincoln1 for a sum equivalent to between two and three thousand pounds of present money4 ,another cope1 thought worthy to accompany it1 was also the work of an ,englishwoman1 ,rose de ,bureford1 wife of ,john de ,bureford1 citizen and merchant of ,london4 ,anciently1 banners1 either from being made of some relic1 or from the representation on them of holy things1 were held sacred1 and much superstitious faith placed in them2 consequently the pious and industrious finger was much occupied in working them4 ,king ,arthur1 when he fought the eighth battle against the ,saxons1 carried the image of ,christ and of the blessed ,mary 7always a virgin7 upon his shoulders4 ,over the tomb of ,oswald1 the great ,christian hero1 was laid a banner of purple wrought with gold4 ,when ,st4 ,augustine first came to preach to the ,saxons1 he had a cross borne before him1 with a banner1 on which was the image of our ,saviour ,christ4 ,the celebrated standard of the ,danes had the sacred raven worked on it2 and the ill-fated ,harold bore to the field of ,hastings a banner with the figure of an armed man worked in gold thread3 to the same field ,william bore a standard1 a gift from the ,pope1 and blessed by his ,holiness4 ,it is recorded of ,st4 ,dunstan1 who1 as our readers well know1 excelled in many pursuits1 and especially in painting1 for which he frequently forsook his peculiar occupation of goldsmith1 that on one occasion1 at the earnest request of a lady1 he tinted a sacerdotal vestment for her1 which she afterwards embroidered in gold thread in an exquisitely beautiful style4 ,most of these embroidered works were first tinted1 very probably in the way in which they now are1 or until the freer influx of the more beautiful ,german patterns1 they lately were2 and it is from this previous tinting that they are so frequently described in the old books as painted garments1 pictured vestments1 c41 this term by no means seeming usually to imply that the use of the needle had been neglected or superseded in them4 ,the garments of ,edward the ,confessor1 which he wore upon occasions of great solemnity1 were sumptuously embroidered with gold by the hands of ,edgitha1 his ,queen4 ,the four princesses1 daughters of ,king ,edward the ,elder1 were most carefully educated3 their early years were chiefly devoted to literary pursuits1 but they were nevertheless most assiduously instructed in the use of the needle1 and are highly celebrated by historians for their assiduity and skill in spinning1 weaving1 and needlework4 ,this was so far1 says the historian1 from spoiling the fortunes of those royal spinsters1 that it procured them the addresses of the greatest princes then in ,europe1 and one1 in whom the whole essence of beauty had centered1 was demanded from her brother by ,hugh1 ,king of the ,franks4 ,our fair readers may take some interest in knowing what were the propitiatory offerings of a noble suitor of those days4 ,perfumes1 such as never had been seen in ,england before2 jewels1 but more especially emeralds1 the greenness of which1 reflected by the sun1 illumined the countenances of the bystanders with agreeable light2 many fleet horses1 with their trappings1 and1 as ,virgil says1 'champing their golden bits2' an alabaster vase1 so exquisitely chased1 that the corn-fields really seemed to wave1 the vines to bud1 the figures of men actually to move1 and so clear and polished1 that it reflected the features like a mirror2 the sword of ,constantine the ,great1 on which the name of its original possessor was read in golden letters2 on the pommel1 upon thick plates of gold1 might be seen fixed an iron spike1 one of the four which the ,jewish faction prepared for the crucifixion of our ,lord2 the spear of ,charles the ,great1 which1 whenever that invincible ,emperor hurled in his expeditions against the ,saracens1 he always came off conqueror2 it was reported to be the same which1 driven into the side of our ,saviour by the hand of the centurion1 opened1 by that precious wound1 the joys of paradise to wretched mortals2 the banner of the most blessed martyr ,maurice1 chief of the ,theban legion1 with which the same ,king1 in the ,spanish war1 used to break through the battalions of the enemy1 however fierce and wedged together1 and put them to flight2 a diadem1 precious from its quantity of gold1 but more so for its jewels1 the splendour of which threw the sparks of light so strongly on the beholders1 that the more steadfastly any person endeavoured to gaze1 so much the more dazzled he was--compelled to avert his eyes2 part of the holy and adorable cross enclosed in crystal1 where the eye1 piercing through the substance of the stone1 might discern the colour and size of the wood2 a small portion of the crown of thorns enclosed in a similar manner1 which1 in derision of his government1 the madness of the soldiers placed on ,christ's sacred head4 ,the ,king 7,athelstan71 delighted with such great and exquisite presents1 made an equal return of good offices1 and gratified the soul of the longing suitor by a union with his sister4 ,with some of these presents he enriched succeeding kings2 but to ,malmesbury he gave part of the cross and crown2 by the support of which1 ,i believe1 that place even now flourishes1 though it has suffered so many shipwrecks of its liberty1 so many attacks of its enemies4#bj ,it is not to be supposed that at a time when the whole island was said to blaze with devotion1 and when1 moreover1 her own fair daughters surpassed the whole world in needlework1 that the ,english churches were deficient in its beautiful adornments4 ,far otherwise1 indeed4 ,we forbear to enumerate many1 because our chapter has already exceeded its prescribed limits2 but we may particularize a golden veil or hanging 7vellum71 embroidered with the destruction of ,troy1 which ,witlaf1 ,king of ,mercia1 gave to the abbey of ,croyland2 and the coronation mantle of ,harold ,harefoot1 son of ,cnute1 which he gave to the same abbey1 made of silk1 and embroidered with ,hesperian apples4 ,richard1 who was abbot of ,st4 ,alban's from #ajhh to #aaai1 made a present to his monastery of a suit of hangings which contained the whole history of the primitive martyr of ,england1 ,alban4 ,croyland ,abbey possessed many hangings for the altars1 embroidered with golden birds2 and a garment1 which seems to have been a peculiar1 and considered a valuable one1 being a black gown wrought with gold letters1 to officiate in at funerals4 ,the enigmatical letters which were worked on ecclesiastical vestments in those days1 were various and peculiar1 and have given abundant scope for antiquarian research4 ,we have heard it surmised that they took their rise in times of persecution1 being indications 7then1 doubtless1 slight and unostentatious ones7 by which the ,christians might know each other4 ,but they came into more general use1 not merely as symbolical characters1 but individual names were wrought1 and that not on personal garments alone1 for ,pope ,leo the ,fourth placed a cloth on the altar woven with gold1 and spangled all over with pearls4 ,it had on each side 7right and left7 a circle bounded with gold1 within which the name of his ,holiness was written in precious stones4 ,in many old paintings a letter or letters have been noticed on the garment of the principal figure1 and they have been taken for private marks of the painter1 but it is more probable1 says ,ciampini1#ba that they are either copied from old garments1 or are intended to denote the dignity of the character to which they are attached4 ,we will conclude the present chapter by remarking that one of the most magnificent specimens of ancient needlework in existence1 and which is in excellent preservation1 is the ,state ,pall belonging to the ,fishmongers ,company4 ,the end pieces are similar1 and consist of a picture1 wrought in gold and silk1 of the patron1 ,st4 ,peter1 in pontificial robes1 seated on a superb throne1 and crowned with the papal tiara4 ,holding in one hand the keys1 the other is in the posture of giving the benediction1 and on each side is an angel1 bearing a golden vase1 from which he scatters incense over the ,saint4 ,the angel's wings1 according to old custom1 are composed of peacocks' feathers in all their natural vivid colours2 their outer robes are gold raised with crimson2 their under vests white1 shaded with sky blue2 the faces are finely worked in satin1 after nature1 and they have long yellow hair4 ,there are various designs on the side pieces2 the most important and conspicuous is ,christ delivering the keys to ,peter4 ,among other decorations are1 of course1 the arms of the company1 richly emblazoned1 the supporters of which1 the merman and mermaid1 are beautifully worked1 the merman in gold armour1 the mermaid in white silk1 with long tresses in golden thread4 ,this magnificent piece of needlework has probably no parallel in this country4 ,,footnotes3 #aa ,when ,robert1 ,abbot of ,st4 ,alban's1 visited his countryman ,pope ,adrian the ,fourth1 he made him several valuable presents1 and amongst other things three mitres and a pair of sandals of most admirable workmanship4 ,his holiness refused his other presents1 but thankfully accepted of the mitres and sandals1 being charmed with their exquisite beauty4 ,these admired pieces of embroidery were the work of ,christina1 ,abbess of ,markgate4 #ab ,anglic nationis femin multum acu et auri textura1 egregie viri in omni valeant artificio4 ,per fu renomato ,opus ,anglicum4--,from ,muratori4 #ac ,a florene is #ds4 #f;d4 #ad ,the pall was a bishop's vestment1 going over the shoulders1 made of sheep-skin1 in memory of him who sought the lost sheep1 and when he had found it laid it on his shoulders2 and it was embroidered with crosses1 and taken off the body or coffin of ,st4 ,peter4--,camden4 #ae ,anastasius ,bibliothecarius4 ,de ,vitis ,romanorum ,pontificum4 ,as this work is the fountain whence subsequent writers have chiefly obtained their information with regard to church vestments1 that is to say1 decorative ones1 it may not be amiss to transcribe a passage1 taken literally at random from scores of similar ones4 ,it will give the reader some idea of the profusion with which the expensive garnitures were supplied3-- ,sed et super altare majus fecit tetra vela holoserica alithina quatuor1 cum astillis1 et rosis chrysoclabis4 ,et in eodem altare fecit cum historiis crucifixi ,domini vestem tyriam4 ,et in ,ecclesia ,doctoris ,mundi beati ,pauli ,apostoli tetra vela holoserica alithyna quatuor1 et vestem super altare albam chrysoclabam1 habentem historiam ,sanct ,resurrectionis1 et aliam vestem chrysoclabam1 habentem historiam nativitatis ,domini1 et ,sanctorum ,innocentium4 ,immo et aliam vestem tyriam1 habentem historiam cci illuminati1 et ,resurrectionem4 ,idem autem sanctissimus ,prsul fecit in basilica beat ,mari ad ,prsepe vestem albam chrysoclabam1 habentem historiam sanct ,resurrectionis4 ,sed et aliam vestem in orbiculis chrysoclabis1 habentem historias ,annunciationis1 et sanctorum ,joachim1 et ,ann4 ,fecit in ,ecclesia beati ,laurentii foris muros eidem ,prsul vestem albam rosatam cum chrysoclabo4 ,sed et aliam vestem super sanctum corpus ejus albam de stauraci chrysoclabam1 cum margaritis4 ,et in titulo ,calixti vestem chrysoclabam ex blattin ,byzanteo1 habentem historiam nativitatis ,domini1 et sancti ,simeonis4 ,item in ,ecclesia sancti ,pancratii vestem tyriam1 habentem historiam ,ascencionis ,domini1 seu et in sancta ,maria ad ,martyres fecit vestem tyriam ut supra4 ,et in basilica sanctorum ,cosm et ,damiani fecit vestem de blatti ,byzanteo1 cum periclysin de chrysoclabo1 et margaritis4--i4 #bhe4 #af ,de staurace4 #ag ,opere plumario exquitissime prparatas4 #ah ,in the classical ages1 they were in high repute4 ,juno's chariot is drawn by peacocks2 and ,olympian ,jove himself invests his royal limbs with a mantle formed of their feathers4 #ai ,the name of ,dame ,leviet has descended to posterity as an embroiderer to the ,conqueror and his ,queen4 #bj ,will4 of ,malmesbury1 #aef4 #ba ,vet4 ,mon4 cap4 #ac4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,bayeux ,,tapestry4--,,part ,i4 ,needlework sublime4 ,cowper4 ,great discussion has taken place amongst the learned with regard to the exact time at which the ,bayeux tapestry was wrought4 ,the question1 except as a matter of curiosity1 is1 perhaps1 of little account--fifty years earlier or later1 nearly eight hundred years ago4 ,it had always been considered as the work of ,matilda1 the wife of the conquering ,duke of ,normandy until a few years ago1 when the ,abb de la ,rue started and endeavoured to maintain the hypothesis that it was worked by or under the direction of the ,empress ,matilda1 the daughter of ,henry the ,first4#bb ,but his positions1 as ,dibdin observes1#bc are all of a negative character1 and1 according to the strict rules of logic1 it must not be admitted1 that because such and such writers have not noticed a circumstance1 therefore that circumstance or event cannot have taken place4 ,hudson ,gurney1 ,charles ,a4 ,stothard1 and ,thos4 ,amyot1 ,esqrs4 have all published essays on the subject1#bd which establish almost to certainty the fact of the production of this tapestry at the earlier of the two periods contended for1 viz4 from #ajff to #ajfh4 ,in this we rejoice1 because this ,herculean labour has a halo of deep interest thrown round it1 from the circumstance of its being the proud tribute of a fond and affectionate wife1 glorying in her husband's glory1 and proud of emblazoning his deeds4 ,as the work of the ,empress ,matilda it would still be a magnificent production of industry and of skill2 as the work of ,duke ,william's wife these qualities merge in others of a more interesting character4#be ,this excellent and amiable princess was a most highly accomplished woman1 and remarkable for her learning2 she was the affectionate mother of a large family1 the faithful wife of an enterprising monarch1 with whom she lived for thirty-three years so harmoniously that her death had such an effect on her husband as to cause him to relinquish1 never again to resume1 his usual amusements4#bf ,little did the affectionate wife think1 whilst employed over this task1 that her domestic tribute of regard should become an historical memento of her country1 and blazon forth her illustrious husband's deeds1 and her own unwearying affection1 to ages upon ages hereafter to be born4 ,for independently of the interest which may be attached to this tapestry as a pledge of feminine affection1 a token of housewifely industry1 and a specimen of ancient stitchery1 it derives more historic value as the work of the ,conqueror's wife1 than if it were the production of a later time4 ,for it holds good with these historical tapestries as with the written histories and romances of the middle ages2--authors wrote and ladies wrought 7we mean no pun7 their characters1 not in the costume of the times in which the action or event celebrated took place1 but in that in which they were at the time engaged2 and thus1 had ,matilda the ,empress worked this tapestry1 it is more than probable that she would have introduced the armorial bearings which were in her time becoming common1 and especially the ,norman leopards1 of which in the tapestry there is not the slightest trace4 ,in her time too the hair was worn so long as to excite the censures of the church1 whilst at the time of the ,conquest the ,normans almost shaved their heads2 and this circumstance1 more than the want of beards1 is supposed by ,mr4 ,stothard#bg to have led to the surmise of the ,anglo-,saxon spies that the ,normans were all priests4 ,this circumstance is faithfully depicted in the tapestry1 where also the chief weapon seen is a lance1 which was little used after the ,conquest4 ,these peculiarities1 with several others which have been commented on by antiquarian writers1 seem to establish the date of this production as coeval with the action which it represents1 and therefore invaluable as an historical document4 ,it is1 perhaps1 says one of the learned writers on the ,bayeux tapestry1 a characteristic of the literature of the present age to deduce history from sources of second-rate authority2 from ballads and pictures rather than from graver and severer records4 ,unquestionably this is the preferable course1 if amusement1 not truth1 be the object sought for4 ,nothing can be more delightful than to read the reigns of the ,plantagenets in the dramas of ,shakspeare1 or the tales of later times in the ingenious fictions of the author of ,waverley4 ,but those who would draw historical facts from their hiding-places must be content to plod through many a ponderous worm-eaten folio1 and many a half-legible and still less intelligible manuscript4 ,yet1 continues he1 if the ,bayeux tapestry be not history of the first class1 it is1 perhaps1 something better4 ,it exhibits genuine traits1 elsewhere sought in vain1 of the costume and manners of that age which1 of all others1 if we except the period of the ,reformation1 ought to be the most interesting to us2 that age which gave us a new race of monarchs1 bringing with them new landholders1 new laws1 and almost a new language4 ,as in the magic pages of ,froissart1 we here behold our ancestors of each race in most of the occupations of life1 in courts and camps1 in pastime and in battle1 at feasts and on the bed of sickness4 ,these are characteristics which of themselves would call forth a lively interest2 but their value is greatly enhanced by their connection with one of the most important events in history1 the main subject of the whole design4 ,this magnificent piece of work is #bbg feet in length by #bj inches in width1 is now usually kept at the ,town-hall in ,rouen1 and is treasured as the most precious relic4 ,it was formerly the theme of some long and learned dissertations of antiquarian historians1 amongst whom ,montfaucon1 perhaps1 ranks most conspicuous4 ,still so little local interest does it excite1 that ,mr4 ,gurney1 in #ahad1 was nearly leaving ,bayeux without seeing it because he did not happen to ask for it by the title of ,toile de ,st4 ,jean1 and so his request was not understood2 and ,ducarel1 in his ,tour1 says1 ,the priests of this cathedral to whom we addressed ourselves for a sight of this remarkable piece of antiquity1 knew nothing of it2 the circumstance only of its being annually hung up in their church led them to understand what we wanted2 no person there knowing that the object of our inquiry any ways related to ,william the ,conqueror1 whom to this day they call ,duke ,william4 ,during the ,french ,revolution its surrender was demanded for the purpose of covering the guns2 fortunately1 however1 a priest succeeded in concealing it until that storm was overpast4 ,bonaparte better knew its value4 ,it was displayed for some time in ,paris1 and afterwards at some seaport towns4 ,m4 ,denon had the charge of it committed to him by ,bonaparte1 but it was afterwards restored to ,bayeux4 ,it was at the time of the usurper's threatened invasion of our country that so much value was attached to1 and so much pains taken to exhibit this roll4 ,whether1 says ,dibdin1 at such a sight the soldiers shouted1 and1 drawing their glittering swords1 ,clashed on their sounding shields the din of war1-- confident of a second representation of the same subject by a second subjugation of our country--is a point which has not been exactly detailed to me6 ,but the supposition may not be considered very violent when ,i inform you that ,i was told by a casual ,french visitor of the tapestry1 that 'pour cela1 si ,bonaparte avait eu le courage1 le rsultat auroit t comme autrefois4' ,matters1 however1 have taken rather a different turn4 ,the tapestry is coiled round a machine like that which lets down the buckets to a well1 and a female unrols and explains it4 ,it is worked in different coloured worsteds on white cloth1 to which time has given the tinge of brown holland2 the parts intended to represent flesh are left untouched by the needle4 ,the colours are somewhat faded1 and not very multitudinous4 ,perhaps it is the little variety of colours which ,matilda and her ladies had at their disposal which has caused them to depict the horses of any colour--blue1 green1 red1 or yellow4 ,the outline1 too1 is of course stiff and rude4#bh ,at the top and bottom of the main work is a narrow allegorical border2 and each division or different action or event is marked by a branch or tree extending the whole depth of the tapestry2 and most frequently each tableau is so arranged that the figures at the end of one and the beginning of the next are turned from each other1 whilst above each the subject of the scene and the names of the principal actors are wrought in large letters4 ,the subjects of the border vary2 some of sop's fables are depicted on it1 sometimes instruments of agriculture1 sometimes fanciful and grotesque figures and borders2 and during the heat of the battle of ,hastings1 when1 as ,montfaucon says1 le carnage est grand1 the appropriate device of the border is a layer of dead men4 ,from the fury of the ,normans1 good ,lord deliver us1 was1 we are told1 in the ninth1 tenth1 and eleventh centuries a petition in the ,litanies of all nations4#bi ,for long did ,england sorrow under their fury1 though in time the ,conquest produced advantageous results to the kingdom at large4 ,whether this ,norman subjugation was in accordance with the will of the monarch ,edward1 or whether it was entirely the result of ,duke ,william's ambition1 must now ever remain in doubt4 ,harold asserted that ,edward the ,confessor appointed him his successor 7of which1 however1 he could not produce proof72 to this must be opposed the improbability of ,edward thus ennobling a family of whom he felt1 and with such abundant cause1 so jealous4 ,probably the old chronicler 7,fabyan7 has hit the mark when he says1 ,this ,edgarre 7the rightful heir7 was yonge1 and specyally for ,harolde was stronge of knyghtes and rychesse1 he wanne the reygne4 ,be this as it may1 however1 ,harold on the very day of ,edward's interment1 and that was only the day subsequent to his death1 was crowned king in ,st4 ,paul's2 apparently with the concurrence of all concerned1 for he was powerful and popular4 ,and his government during the chief part of his short kingly career was such as to increase his popularity3 he was wise1 and just1 and gracious4 ,anone as he was crowned1 he began to fordoo euyll lawes and customes before vsed1 and stablysshed the good lawes1 and specyally whiche 7suche7 as were for the defence of holy churche1 and punysshed the euyll doers1 to the fere and example of other4#cj ,but uncontrolled authority early began to produce its wonted results4 ,he waxyd so prowd1 and for couetouse wold not deuyde the prayes that he took to hys knyghtys1 that had well deseruyd it1 but kepte it to hymself1 that he therby lost the fauour of many of his knyghtys and people4#ca ,this defection from his party doubtless made itself felt in the mortal struggle with the ,norman duke which issued in ,harold's discomfiture and death4 ,proceed we to the tapestry4 ,the first scene which the needlewoman has depicted is a conference between a person who1 from his white flowing beard and regal costume1 is easily recognized as the sainted ,edward1 and another1 who1 from his subsequent embarkation1 is supposed to be ,harold4 ,the subject of the conference is1 of course1 only conjectured4 ,harold's visit to ,normandy is well known2 but whether1 as some suppose1 he was driven thither by a tempest when on a cruise of pleasure2 whether he went as ambassador from ,edward to communicate the intentions of the ,confessor in ,william's behoof2 or whether1 as the tapestry is supposed more strongly to indicate1 he obtained ,edward's reluctant consent to his visit to reclaim his brother who1 a hostage for his own good conduct1 had been sent to ,william by ,edward2 these are points which now defy investigation1 even if they were of sufficient importance to claim it4 ,harold is then seen on his journey attended by cavaliers on horseback1 surrounded by dogs1 and1 an emblem of his own high dignity1 a hawk on his fist4 ,one great value of this tapestry is the scrupulous regard paid to points and circumstances which at first view might appear insignificant1 but which1 as correlative confirmations of usages and facts1 are of considerable importance4 ,thus1 it is known to antiquarians that great personages formerly had two only modes of equipment when proceeding on a journey1 that of war or the chase4 ,harold is here fully equipped for the chase1 and consequently the first glimpse obtained of his person would show that his errand was one of peace4 ,the hawk on the fist was a mark of high nobility3 no inferior person is represented with one3 ,harold and ,guy ,earl of ,ponthieu alone bear them4 ,in former times this bird was esteemed so sacred that it was prohibited in the ancient laws for any one to give his hawk even as a part of his ransom4 ,in the reign of ,edward the ,third it was made felony to steal a hawk2 and to take its eggs1 even in a person's own ground1 was punishable with imprisonment for a year and a day1 besides a fine at the king's pleasure4 ,nay1 more than this1 by the laws of one part of the island1 and probably of the whole1#cb the price of a hawk1 or of a greyhound1 was once the very same with the price of a man2 and there was a time when the robbing of a hawk's nest was as great a crime in the eye of the law1 and as severely punished1 as the murder of a ,christian4 ,and of this high value they were long considered4 ,it is difficult1 says ,mr4 ,mills1#cc to fancy the extravagant degree of estimation in which hawks were held during the chivalric ages4 ,as symbols of high estate they were constantly carried about by the nobility of both sexes4 ,there was even a usage of bringing them into places appropriated to public worship2 a practice which1 in the case of some individuals1 appears to have been recognised as a right4 ,the treasurer of the church of ,auxerre enjoyed the distinction of assisting at divine service on solemn days with a falcon on his fist2 and the ,lord of ,sassai held the privilege of perching his upon the altar4 ,nothing was thought more dishonourable to a man of rank than to give up his hawks2 and if he were taken prisoner he would not resign them even for liberty4 ,the different positions in which the hawk is placed in our needlework are worthy of remark4 ,here its head is raised1 its wings fluttering1 as if eager and ready for flight2 afterwards1 when ,harold follows the ,earl of ,ponthieu as his captive1 he is not1 of course1 deprived of his bird1 but by a beautiful fiction the bird is represented depressed1 and with its head turned towards its master's breast as if trying to nestle and shelter itself there4 ,could sympathy be more poetically expressed8 ,afterwards1 on ,harold's release1 the bird is again depicted as fluttering to soar elate4 ,the practice very prevalent in these barbarous times1 as we somewhat too sweepingly term them1 of entering on no expedition of war or pastime without imploring the protection of heaven1 is intimated by a church which ,harold is entering previously to his embarkation4 ,that this observance might degenerate in many instances into mere form may be very true2 and the hunting masses celebrated in song might1 some of them1 be more honoured in the breach than the observance3 nevertheless in clearing away the dross of old times1 we have1 it is to be feared1 removed some of the gold also2 and the abolition of the custom of having the churches open at all times1 so that at any moment the heart-prompted prayer might be offered up under the holy shelter of a consecrated roof1 has tended very much1 it is to be feared1 to abolish the habit of frequent prayer4 ,a habit in itself1 and regarded even merely as a habit1 fraught with inestimable good4 ,we next see ,harold and his companions refreshing themselves prior to their departure1 pledging each other1 and doubtless drinking to the success of their enterprise whatever it might be4 ,the horns from which they are drinking have been the subject of critical remark4 ,we find that horns were used for various purposes1 and were of four sorts1 drinking horns1 hunting horns1 horns for summoning the people1 and of a mixed kind4 ,they were used as modes of investiture1 and this manner of endowing was usual amongst the ,danes in ,england4 ,king ,cnute himself gave lands at ,pusey in ,berkshire to the family of that name1 with a horn solemnly at that time delivered1 as a confirmation of the grant4 ,edward the ,confessor made a like donation to the family of ,nigel4 ,the celebrated horn of ,alphus1 kept in the sacristy in ,york ,minster1 was probably a drinking cup belonging to this prince1 and was by him given together with all his lands and revenues to that church4 ,when he gave the horn that was to convey it 7his estate7 he filled it with wine1 and on his knees before the altar1 ',deo et ,s4 ,petro omnes terras et redditus propinavit4' ,so that he drank it off1 in testimony that thereby he gave them his lands4#cd ,many instances might be adduced to show that this mode of investiture was common in ,england in the time of the ,danes1 the ,anglo-,saxons1 and at the close of the reign of the ,norman conqueror4 ,the drinking horns had frequently a screw at the end1 which being taken off at once converted them into hunting horns1 which circumstance will account for persons of distinction frequently carrying their own4 ,such doubtless were those used of old by the ,breton hunters about ,brecheliant1 which is poetically described as a forest long and broad1 much famed throughout ,brittany4 ,the fountain of ,berenton rises from beneath a stone there4 ,thither the hunters are used to repair in sultry weather1 and drawing up water with their horns 7those horns which had just been used to sound the animated warnings of the chase71 they sprinkle the stone for the purpose of having rain1 which is then wont to fall throughout the whole forest around4 ,there too fairies are to be seen1 and many wonders happen4 ,the ground is broken and precipitous1 and deer in plenty roam there1 but the husbandmen have forsaken it4 ,our author#ce goes on to say that he personally visited this enchanted region1 but that1 though he saw the forest and the land1 no marvels presented themselves4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,he had1 before the time1 contracted some of the scepticism of these matter-of-fact schoolmaster abroad days4 ,he wanted faith1 and therefore he did not deserve to see them4 ,the use of drinking horns is very ancient4 ,they were usually embellished or garnished with silver2 they were in very common use among our ,saxon ancestors1 who frequently had them gilded and magnificently ornamented4 ,one of those in use amongst ,harold's party seems to be very richly decorated4 ,the revellers are1 however1 obliged to dispatch1 as their leader1 ,harold1 is already wading through the water to his vessel4 ,the character of ,harold as displayed throughout this tapestry is a magnificent one1 and does infinite credit to the generous and noble disposition of ,matilda the queen1 who disdained to depreciate the character of a fallen foe4 ,he commences his expedition by an act of piety2 here1 on his embarkation at ,bosham1 he is kindly carrying his dog through the water4 ,in crossing the sands of the river ,cosno1 which are dangerous1 so very dangerous as most frequently to cause the destruction of those who attempt their transit1 his whole concern seems to be to assist the passage of others1 whose inferior natural powers do not enable them to compete with danger so successfully as himself2 his character for undaunted bravery is such1 that ,william condescends to supplicate his assistance in a feud then at issue between himself and another nobleman1 and so nobly does he bear himself that the proud ,norman with his own hands invests him with the emblems of honour 7as seen in the tapestry72 and1 last scene of all1 he disdained all submission1 he repelled all the entreaties with which his brothers assailed him not personally to lead his troops to the encounter1 and the corpses of #ae1jjj ,normans on this field1 and of even a greater number on the ,english monarch's side1 told in bloody characters that ,harold had not quailed in the last great encounter4 ,unpropitious winds drive him and his attendants from their intended course4 ,many historians accuse the people of ,ponthieu of making prisoners all whose ill fortune threw them upon their coast1 and of treating them with great barbarity1 in order to extort the larger ransom4 ,be this as it may1 ,harold has scarcely set his foot on shore ere he is forcibly captured by the vassals of ,guy of ,ponthieu1 who is there on horseback to witness the proceeding4 ,the tapestry goes on to picture the progress of the captured troop and their captors to ,belrem or ,beurain1 and a conference when there between the earl and his prisoner1 where the fair embroideresses have given a delicate and expressive feature by depicting the conquering noble with his sword elevated1 and the princely captive1 wearing indeed his sword1 but with the point depressed4 ,it is said that a fisherman of ,ponthieu1 who had been often in ,england and knew ,harold's person1 was the cause of his capture4 ,he went privily to ,guy1 the ,count of ,pontif1 and would speak to no other2 and he told the ,count how he could put a great prize in his way1 if he would go with him2 and that if he would give him only twenty livres he should gain a hundred by it1 for he would deliver him such a prisoner as would pay a hundred livres or more for his ransome4 ,the ,count agreed to his terms1 and then the fisherman showed him ,harold4 ,hearing of ,harold's captivity1 ,william the ,norman is anxious on all and every account to obtain possession of his person4 ,he consequently sends ambassadors to ,guy1 who is represented on the tapestry as giving them audience4 ,the person holding the horses is somewhat remarkable2 he is a bearded dwarf4 ,dwarfs were formerly much sought after in the houses of great folks1 and they were frequently sent as presents from one potentate to another4 ,they were petted and indulged somewhat in the way of the more modern fool or jester4 ,the custom is very old4 ,the ,romans were so fond of them1 that they often used artificial methods to prevent the growth of children designed for dwarfs1 by enclosing them in boxes1 or by the use of tight bandages4 ,the sister of one of the ,roman emperors had a dwarf who was only two feet and a hand breadth in height4 ,many relations concerning dwarfs we may look upon as not less fabulous than those of giants4 ,they are1 like the latter1 indispensable in romances1 where their feats1 far from being dwarfish1 are absolutely gigantic1 though these diminutive heroes seldom occupy any more ostensible post than that of humble attendant4 ,fill'd with these views th' attendant dwarf she sends3 ,before the knight the dwarf respectful bends2 ,kind greetings bears as to his lady's guest1 ,and prays his presence to adorn her feast4 ,the knight delays not4 ,a hugye giaunt stiffe and starke1 ,all foule of limbe and lere2 ,two goggling eyen like fire farden1 ,a mouthe from eare to eare4 ,before him came a dwarffe full lowe1 ,that waited on his knee4 ,sir ,cauline4 ,behind her farre away a dwarfe did lag ,that lasie seem'd1 in being ever last1 ,or wearied with bearing of her bag ,of needments at his backe4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,the dwarf worked in the tapestry has the name ,,tvrold placed above him1 and seems to have been a dependant of ,odo1 ,bishop of ,bayeux1 ,william the ,conqueror's brother4#cf ,the first negotiations are unsuccessful2 more urgent messages are forwarded1 and in the end ,duke ,william himself proceeds at the head of some troops to compel the surrender of the prisoner4 ,count ,guy is intimidated1 and the object is attained2 every stage of these proceedings is depicted on the canvas1 as well as ,william's courteous reception of ,harold at his palace4 ,the portraiture of a female in a sort of porch1 with a clergyman in the act of pronouncing a benediction on her1 is supposed to have reference to the engagement between ,william and his guest1 that the latter should marry the daughter of the former4 ,many other circumstances and conditions were tacked to this agreement1 one of which was that ,harold should guard the ,english throne for ,william2 agreements which one and all--under the reasonable plea that they were enforced ones--the ,anglo-,saxon nobleman broke through4 ,it is said that his desertion so affected the mind of the pious young princess1#cg that her heart broke on her passage to ,spain1 whither they were conveying her to a forced union with a ,spanish prince4 ,as this young lady was a mere child at the time of ,harold's visit to ,normandy1 the story1 though exceedingly pretty1 is probably very apocryphal4 ,ducarel gives an entirely different explanation of the scene1 and says that it is probably meant to represent a secretary or officer coming to ,william's duchess1 to acquaint her with the agreement just made relative to her daughter4 ,the ,earl of ,bretagne is at this moment at war with ,duke ,william1 and the latter attaching ,harold to his party1 from whom indeed he receives effectual service1 arrives at ,mount ,st4 ,michel1 passes the river ,cosno 7to which we have before alluded71 and arrives at ,dol in ,brittany4 ,parties are seen flying towards ,rennes4 ,william and his followers attack ,dinant1 of which the keys are delivered up1 and the ,normans come peaceably to ,bayeux2 ,william having previously1 with his own hands1 invested ,harold with a suit of armour4 ,harold shortly returns to ,england1 but not before a very important circumstance had taken place4 ,william and ,harold had mutually entered into an agreement by which the latter had pledged himself to be true to ,william1 to acknowledge him as ,edward's successor on the ,english throne1 and to do all in his power to obtain for him the peaceable possession of that throne2 and as ,harold was1 the reigning monarch excepted1 the first man in ,england1 this promised support was of no trifling moment4 ,william resolved therefore to have the oath repeated with all possible solemnity4 ,his brother ,odo1 the ,bishop of ,bayeux1 assisted him in this matter4 ,accordingly we see ,harold standing between two altars covered with cloth of gold1 a hand on each1 uttering the solemn adjuration1 of which ,william1 seated on his throne1 is a delighted auditor2 for he well knew that the oath was more fearful than ,harold was at all aware of4 ,for ,william sent for all the holy bodies thither1 and put so many of them together as to fill a whole chest1 and then covered them with a pall2 but ,harold neither saw them1 nor knew of their being there1 for nought was shown or told to him about it2 and over all was a phylactery1 the best that he could select4 ,when ,harold placed his hand upon it1 the hand trembled and the flesh quivered2 but he swore1 and promised upon his oath1 to take ,ele to wife1 and to deliver up ,england to the duke2 and thereunto to do all in his power1 according to his might and wit1 after the death of ,edward1 if he should live1 so help him ,god and the holy relics there6 7meaning the ,gospels1 for he had none idea of any other74 ,many cried ',god grant it6' and when ,harold had kissed the saints1 and had risen upon his feet1 the duke led him up to the chest1 and made him stand near it2 and took off the chest the pall that had covered it1 and showed ,harold upon what holy relics he had sworn1 and he was sorely alarmed at the sight4 ,,footnotes3 #bb ,archologia1 vol4 xvii4 #bc ,biblio4 ,tour1 vol4 i41 #ach4 #bd ,archol4 vols4 xviii41 xix4 #be ,one writer1 ,bolton ,corney1 ,esq41 maintains that this work was provided at the expense of the ,chapter of ,bayeux1 under their superintendence1 and from their designs4 ,if it had not 7says he7 been devised within the precincts of a church it could not have escaped female influence3 it could not have contained such indications of celibatic superintendence4 ,it is not without its domestic and festive scenes2 and comprises1 exclusive of the borders1 about #ecj figures2 but in this number there are only three females4 #bf ,henry ,,iii41 #be4 #bg ,archol4 vol4 xix4 #bh ,the attempts to imitate the human figure were1 at this period1 stiff and rude3 but arabesque patterns were now chiefly worked2 and they were rich and varied4 #bi ,henry ,,iii41 #eed4 #cj ,fabyan's ,chron4 #ca ,rastell's ,chron4 #cb ,henry ,,ii41 #eae4 #cc ,hist4 ,chiv4 #cd ,archol4 #a and #c4 #ce ,master ,wace4 ,roman de ,rou1 c41 by ,taylor4 #cf ,archologia1 vol4 xix4 #cg ,her knees were like horn with constant kneeling4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,bayeux ,,tapestry4--,,part ,,ii4 ,but bloody1 bloody was the field1 ,ere that lang day was done4 ,hardyknute4 ,king ,william bithought him alsoe of that ,folke that was forlorne1 ,and slayn also thoruz him ,in the bataile biforne4 ,and ther as the bataile was1 ,an abbey he lite rere ,of ,seint ,martin1 for the soules ,that there slayn were4 ,and the monkes well ynoug ,feffed without fayle1 ,that is called in ,englonde ,abbey of ,bataile4 ,immediately after the solemn ceremony described in the foregoing chapter1 ,harold is depicted as returning to ,england and presenting himself before the king1 ,edward the ,confessor4 ,but the day came that no man can escape1 and ,king ,edward drew near to die4 ,his deathbed and his funeral procession are both wrought in the tapestry1 but by some accident have been transposed4 ,his remains are borne in splendid procession to the magnificent house which he had builded 7i4e4 rebuilded71 ,westminster ,abbey2 over which1 in the sky1 a hand is seen to point as if in benediction4 ,it is well known that the ,abbey was barely finished at the time of the pious monarch's death1 and this circumstance is intimated in an intelligible though homely manner in the tapestry by a person occupied in placing a weathercock on the summit of the building4 ,the first pageant seen within its walls was the funeral array of the monarch who so beautifully rebuilt and so amply endowed it4 ,before the high altar1 in a splendid shrine1 where gems and jewelry flashed back the gleams of innumerable torches1 and amid the solemn chant of the monks1 whose ,miserere echoed through the vaulted aisles1 interrupted but by the subdued wail of the mourners1 or the emphatic benediction of the poor whose friend he had been1 were laid the remains of him who was called the ,sainted ,edward2 whose tomb was considered so hallowed a spot that the very stones around it were worn down by the knees of the pilgrims who resorted thither for prayer2 and the very dust of whose shrine was carefully swept and collected1 exported to the continent1 and bought by devotees at a high price4 ,we next see in the tapestry the crown offered to ,harold 7a circumstance to be peculiarly remarked1 since thus depicted by his opponent's wife71 and then ,harold shows right royally receiving the homage and gratulations of those around4 ,but the next scene forbodes a change of fortune3 ,,isti ,,mirant ,,stella1 is the explanation wrought over it4 ,for there appeared a blasing starre1 which was seene not onelie here in ,england1 but also in other parts of the world1 and continued the space of seven daies4 ,this blasing starre might be a prediction of mischeefe imminent and hanging over ,harold's head2 for they never appeare but as prognosticats of afterclaps4 ,popular belief has generally invested these ill-omened bodies with peculiar terrors4 ,these blasing starres--dreadful to be seene1 with bloudie haires1 and all over rough and shagged at the top4 ,they vary1 however1 in their appearance4 ,sometimes they are pale1 and glitter like a sword1 without any rays or beams4 ,such was the one which is said to have hung over ,jerusalem for near a year before its destruction1 filling the minds of all who beheld it with awe and superstitious dread4 ,a comet resembling a horn appeared when the whole manhood of ,greece fought the battaile of ,salamis4 ,comets foretold the war between ,csar and ,pompey1 the murder of ,claudius1 and the tyranny of ,nero4 ,though usually1 they were not invariably1 considered as portents of evil omen3 for the birth and accession of ,alexander1 of ,mithridates1 the birth of ,charles ,martel1 and the accession of ,charlemagne1 and the commencement of the ,ttr empire1 were all notified by blazing stars4 ,a very brilliant one which appeared for seven consecutive nights soon after the death of ,julius ,csar was supposed to be conveying the soul of the murdered dictator to ,olympus4 ,an author who wrote on one which appeared in the reign of ,elizabeth was most anxious1 as in duty bound1 to apply the phenomenon to the queen4 ,but here was the puzzle4 ,to have foretold calamities might have been misprision of treason2 and the only precedent for saying anything good of a comet was to be drawn from that which occurred after the death of ,julius ,csar2 but it so happened that at this time ,elizabeth was by no means either ripe or willing for her apotheosis4#ch ,comets1 one author writes1 were made to the end the etherial regions might not be more void of monsters than the ocean is of whales and other great thieving fishes1 and that a gross fatness being gathered together as excrements into an imposthume1 the celestial air might thereby be purged1 lest the sun should be obscured4 ,another says1 they signifie corruption of the ayre4 ,they are signes of earthquake1 of warres1 chaunging of kyngdomes1 great dearth of corne1 yea1 a common death of man and beast4 ,so a poet of the same age3-- ,there with long bloody hair a blazing star ,threatens the world with famine1 plague1 and war2 ,to princes death1 to kingdoms many crosses1 ,to all estates inevitable losses2 ,to herdsmen rot1 to plowmen hapless seasons1 ,to sailors storms1 to cities civil treasons4 ,but a writer on comets in #affe crowned all previous conjecture4 ,as if ,god and ,nature intended by comets to ring the knells of princes2 esteeming the bells of churches upon earth not sacred enough for such illustrious and eminent performances4 ,no wonder that the comet in ,harold's days was regarded with fearful misgivings4 ,it did not1 however1 dismay him4 ,duke ,william1 as may be supposed1 did not tamely submit to a usurpation of what he considered1 or affected to consider1 his own dominions--a circumstance which we see an envoy1 probably from his party in ,england1 makes him acquainted with4 ,he holds a council1 seemingly an earnest and animated one1 which evidently results in the immediate preparation of a fleet2 of which the tapestry delineates the various stages and circumstances1 from the felling of the timber in its native woods to the launching of the vessels1 stored and fully equipped in arms1 provisions1 and heroes for invasion and conquest4 ,william in this expedition received unusual assistance from his own tributary chiefs1 and from various other allies1 who joined his standard1 and without whom1 indeed1 he could not1 with any chance of success1 have made his daring attempt4 ,a summer and autumn were spent in fitting-up the fleet and collecting the forces1 and there was no knight in the land1 no good serjeant1 archer1 nor peasant of stout heart1 and of age for battle1 that the duke did not summon to go with him to ,england2 promising rents to the vavassors1 and honours to the barons4 ,thus was an armament prepared of seven hundred ships1 but the one which bore ,william1 the hero of the expedition1 shone proudly pre-eminent over the rest4 ,it was the gift of his affectionate queen4 ,it is represented in the canvas of larger size than the others3 the mast1 surmounted by a cross1 bears the banner which was sent to ,william by the ,pope as a testimony of his blessing and approbation4 ,on this mast also a beacon-light nightly blazed as a point d'approche of the remainder of the fleet4 ,on the poop was the figure of a boy 7supposed to be meant for the conqueror's youngest son71 gilded1 and looking earnestly towards ,england1 holding in one hand a banner1 in the other an ivory horn1 on which he is sounding a joyful reveillee4 ,but long the fleet waited at ,st4 ,valeri for a fair wind1 until the barons became weary and dispirited4 ,then they prayed the convent to bring out the shrine of ,st4 ,valeri and set it on a carpet in the plain2 and all came praying the holy relics that they might be allowed to pass over sea4 ,they offered so much money1 that the relics were buried beneath it2 and from that day forth they had good weather and a fair wind4 ,than ,willyam thanked ,god and ,saynt ,valary1 and toke shortly after shyppynge1 and helde his course towarde ,englande4 ,on the arrival of the fleet in ,england a banquet is prepared4 ,the shape of the table at which ,william sits has been the theme of some curious remarks by ,father ,montfaucon1 which have been copied by ,ducarel and others4 ,it is in form of a half-moon1 and was called by the ,romans sigma1 from the ,greek s4 ,it was calculated only for seven persons2 and a facetious emperor once invited eight1 on purpose to raise a laugh against the person for whom there would be no place4 ,a knight in that country 7,britain7 heard the noise and cry made by the peasants and villains when they saw the great fleet arrive4 ,he well knew that the ,normans were come1 and that their object was to seize the land4 ,he posted himself behind a hill1 so that they should not see him1 and tarried there watching the arrival of the great fleet4 ,he saw the archers come forward from the ships1 and the knights follow4 ,he saw the carpenters with their axes1 and the host of people and troops4 ,he saw the men throw the materials for the fort out of the ships4 ,he saw them build up and enclose the fort1 and dig the fosse around it4 ,he saw them land the shields and armour4 ,and as he beheld all this his spirit was troubled2 and he girt his sword and took his lance1 saying he would go straightway to ,king ,harold and tell the news4 ,forthwith he set out on his way1 resting late and rising early2 and thus he journeyed on by night and by day to seek ,harold his lord4 ,and we see him in the tapestry speeding to his beloved master4 ,meanwhile ,harold is not idle4 ,but the fleet which1 in expectation of his adversary's earlier arrival1 he had stationed on the southern coast1 had lately dispersed from want of provisions1 and the ,king1 occupied by the ,norwegian invasion1 had not been able to reinstate it2 and ,william came against him 7says the ,saxon chronicle7 unawares ere his army was collected4 ,thus the enemy found nor opposition nor hinderance in obtaining a footing in the island4 ,taken at such disadvantage1 ,harold did all that a brave man could do to repel his formidable adversary4 ,the tapestry depicts1 as well as may be expected1 the battle4 ,the priests had watched all night1 and besought and called upon ,god1 and prayed to him in their chapels1 which were fitted up throughout the host4 ,they offered and vowed fasts1 penances1 and orisons2 they said psalms and misereres1 litanies and kyriels2 they cried on ,god1 and for his mercy1 and said paternosters and masses2 some the ,,spiritus ,,domini1 others ,,salus ,,populi1 and many ,,salve ,,sancte ,,parens1 being suited to the season1 as belonging to that day1 which was ,saturday4 ,,and ,,now1 ,,behold6 ,,that ,,battle ,,was ,,gathered ,,whereof ,,the ,,fame ,,is ,,yet ,,mighty4 ,then ,taillefer1 who sang right well1 rode1 mounted on a swift horse1 before the duke4 ,loud and far resounded the bray of the horns1 and the shocks of the lances1 the mighty strokes of clubs1 and the quick clashing of swords4 ,one while the ,englishmen rushed on1 another while they fell back2 one while the men from over sea charged onwards1 and again at other times retreated4 ,when the ,english fall1 the ,normans shout4 ,each side taunts and defies the other1 yet neither knoweth what the other saith2 and the ,normans say the ,english bark1 because they understand not their speech4 ,some wax strong1 others weak2 the brave exult1 but the cowards tremble1 as men who are sore dismayed4 ,the ,normans press on the assault1 and the ,english defend their post well2 they pierce the hauberks and cleave the shields2 receive and return mighty blows4 ,again some press forwards1 others yield1 and thus in various ways the struggle proceeds4 ,the death of ,harold's two brothers is depicted1 and1 finally1 his own4 ,it is said that his mother offered the weight of the body in gold to have the melancholy satisfaction of interring it1 and that the ,conqueror refused the boon4 ,but other writers affirm1 and apparently with truth1 that ,william immediately transmitted the body1 unransomed1 to the bereaved parent1 who had it interred in the monastery of ,waltham4 ,with the death of ,harold the tapestry now ends1 though some writers think it probable that it once extended as far as the coronation of ,william4 ,there can be little doubt of its having been intended to extend so far1 though it is impossible now to ascertain whether the ,queen was ever enabled quite to complete her ,herculean task4 ,enough there is1 however1 to stamp it as one of the most noble and interesting relics of antiquity2 and1 as ,dibdin calls it1 an exceedingly curious document of the conjugal attachment1 and even enthusiastic veneration of ,matilda1 and a political record of more weight than may at first sight appear to belong to it4 ,taking it altogether1 he adds1 none but itself could be its parallel4 ,almost all historians describe the ,normans as advancing to the onset singing the song of ,roland1 that is1 a detail of the achievements of the slaughtered hero of ,roncesvalles1 which is well known to have been1 for ages after the event to which it refers1 a note of magical inspiration to deeds of derring do4 ,on this occasion it is recorded that the spirit note was sung by the minstrel ,taillefer1 who was1 however1 little contented to lead his countrymen by voice alone4 ,it is not possible that our readers can be otherwise than pleased with the following animated account of his deeds3#ci-- ,,the ,,onset ,,of ,,taillefer ,foremost in the bands of ,france1 ,arm'd with hauberk and with lance1 ,and helmet glittering in the air1 ,as if a warrior-knight he were1 ,rushed forth the minstrel ,taillefer-- ,borne on his courser swift and strong1 ,he gaily bounded o'er the plain1 ,and raised the heart-inspiring song 7,loud echoed by the warlike throng7 ,of ,roland and of ,charlemagne1 ,of ,oliver1 brave peer of old1 ,untaught to fly1 unknown to yield1 ,and many a knight and vassal bold1 ,whose hallowed blood1 in crimson flood1 ,dyed ,roncesvalles' field4 ,harold's host he soon descried1 ,clustering on the hill's steep side3 ,then turned him back brave ,taillefer1 ,and thus to ,william urged his prayer3 ',great ,sire1 it fits me not to tell ,how long ,i've served you1 or how well2 ,yet if reward my lays may claim1 ,grant now the boon ,i dare to name2 ,minstrel no more1 be mine the blow ,that first shall strike yon perjured foe4' ',thy suit is gained1' the ,duke replied1 ',our gallant minstrel be our guide4' ',enough1' he cried1 'with joy ,i speed1 ,foremost to vanquish or to bleed4' ,and still of ,roland's deeds he sung1 ,while ,norman shouts responsive rung1 ,as high in air his lance he flung1 ,with well directed might2 ,back came the lance into his hand1 ,like urchin's ball1 or juggler's wand1 ,and twice again1 at his command1 ,whirled its unerring flight4-- ,while doubting whether skill or charm ,had thus inspired the minstrel's arm1 ,the ,saxons saw the wondrous dart ,fixed in their standard bearer's heart4 ,now thrice aloft his sword he threw1 ',midst sparkling sunbeams dancing1 ,and downward thrice the weapon flew1 ,like meteor o'er the evening dew1 ,from summer sky swift glancing3 ,and while amazement gasped for breath1 ,another ,saxon groaned in death4 ,more wonders yet6--on signal made1 ,with mane erect1 and eye-balls flashing1 ,the well taught courser rears his head1 ,his teeth in ravenous fury gnashing2 ,he snorts--he foams--and upward springs-- ,plunging he fastens on the foe1 ,and down his writhing victim flings1 ,crushed by the wily minstrel's blow4 ,thus seems it to the hostile band ,enchantment all1 and fairy land4 ,fain would ,i leave the rest unsung3-- ,the ,saxon ranks1 to madness stung1 ,headlong rushed with frenzied start1 ,hurling javelin1 mace1 and dart2 ,no shelter from the iron shower ,sought ,taillefer in that sad hour2 ,yet still he beckoned to the field1 ',frenchman1 come on--the ,saxons yield-- ,strike quick--strike home--in ,roland's name-- ,for ,william's glory--,harold's shame4' ,then pierced with wounds1 stretched side by side1 ,the minstrel and his courser died4 ,we have dwelt on the details of the tapestry with a prolixity which some may deem tedious4 ,yet surely the subject is worthy of it2 for1 in the first place1 it is the oldest piece of needlework in the world--the only piece of that era now existing2 and this circumstance in itself suggests many interesting ideas1 on which1 did our space permit1 we could readily dilate4 ,ages have rolled away2 and the fair hands that wrought this work have mouldered away into dust2 and the gentle and affectionate spirit that suggested this elaborate memorial has long since passed from the scene which it adorned and dignified4 ,in no long period after the battle thus commemorated1 an abbey1 consecrated to praise and prayer1 raised its stately walls on the very field that was ploughed with the strife and watered with the blood of fierce and evil men4 ,the air that erst rang with the sounds of wrath1 of strife1 of warfare1 the clangour of armour1 the din of war1 was now made musical with the chorus of praise1 or was gently stirred by the breath of prayer or the sigh of penitence2 and where contending hosts were marshalled in proud array1 or the phalanx rushed impetuous to the battle1 were seen the stoled monks in solemn procession1 or the holy brother peacefully wending on his errand of charity4 ,but the grey and time-honoured walls waxed aged as they beheld generation after generation consigned to dust beneath their shelter4 ,time and change have done their worst4 ,a few scattered ruins1 seen dimly through the mist of years1 are all that remain to point to the inquiring wanderer the site of the stupendous struggle of which the results are felt even after the expiration of eight hundred years4 ,these may be deemed trite reflections3 still it is worthy of remark1 that many of the turbulent spirits who then made earth echo with their fame would have been literally and altogether as though they never had been--for historians make little or no mention of them--were it not for the lasting monument raised to them in this tapestry by woman's industry and skill4 ,matilda the ,queen's character is pictured in high terms by both ,english and ,norman historians4 ,so very stern was her husband1 and hot1 that no man durst do anything against his will4 ,he had earls in his custody who acted against his will4 ,bishops he hurled from their bishoprics1 and abbots from their abbacies1 and thanes into prison2 yet it is recorded that even his iron temper was not proof against the good sense1 the gentleness1 the piety1 and the affection of a wife who never offended him but once2 and on this occasion there was so much to palliate and excuse her fault1 proceeding as it did from a mother's yearnings towards her eldest son when he was in disgrace and sorrow1 that the usually unyielding ,king forgave her immediately4 ,she lived beloved1 and she died lamented2 and1 from the time of her death1 the ,king1 says ,william of ,malmsbury1 refrained from every gratification4 ,independently of the value of this tapestry as an historical authority1 and its interest as being projected1 and in part executed1 by a lady as excellent in character as she was noble in rank1 and its high estimation as the oldest piece of needlework extant--independently of all these circumstances1 it is impossible to study this memorial closely1 rude and skilless as it at first appears1 without becoming deeply interested in the task4 ,the outline engravings of it in the ,tapisseries ,anciennes ,histories are beautifully executed1 but are inferior in interest to ,mr4 ,stothart's 7published by the ,society of ,antiquarians71 because these have the advantage of being coloured accurately from the original4 ,in the study of these plates alone1 days and weeks glided away1 nor left us weary of our task4 ,,footnotes3 #ch ,the ,comet of #afah carried dismay and horror in its course4 ,not only mighty monarchs1 but the humblest private individuals seem to have considered the sign as sent to them1 and to have set a double guard on all their actions4 ,thus ,sir ,symonds ,d',ewes1 the learned antiquary1 having been in danger of an untimely end by entangling himself among some bell-ropes1 makes a memorandum in his private diary never more to exercise himself in bell-ringing when there is a comet in the sky4--,aikin4 #ci ,by ,thomas ,amyot1 ,esq41 ,f4,s4,a4--,archol41 vol4 xix ,,chapter ,x4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,times ,,of ,,romance ,,and ,,chivalry4 ,as ladies wont ,to finger the fine needle and nyse thread4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,though1 during bygone ages1 the fingers of the fair and noble were often sedulously employed in the decoration and embellishment of the church1 and of its ministers1 they were by no means universally so4 ,marvellous indeed in quantity1 as well as quality1 must have been the stitchery done in those industrious days1 for the fine needle and nyse thread were not merely visible but conspicuous in every department of life4 ,if1 happily1 there were not proof to the contrary1 we might be apt to imagine that the women of those days came into the world only to ply the distaff1 broider1 card1 and sew4 ,that this was not the case we1 however1 well know2 but before we turn to those embroideries which are more especially the subject of this chapter1 we will transcribe1 from a recent work1#dj an interesting detail of the household responsibilities of the mistress of a family in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries4 ,while to play on the harp and citole 7a species of lute71 to execute various kinds of the most costly and delicate needle-work1 and in some instances to 'pourtraye1' were1 in addition to more literary pursuits1 the accomplishments of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 the functions which the mistress of an extensive household was expected to fulfil were never lost sight of4 ,few readers are aware of the various qualifications requisite to form the 'good housewife' during the middle ages4 ,in the present day1 when household articles of every kind are obtainable in any country town1 and1 with few exceptions1 throughout the year1 we can know little of the judgment1 the forethought1 and the nice calculation which were required in the mistress of a household consisting probably of three-score1 or even more persons1 and who1 in the autumn1 had to provide almost a twelvemonth's stores4 ,there was the fire-wood1 the rushes to strew the rooms1 the malt1 the oatmeal1 the honey 7at this period the substitute for sugar71 the salt 7only sold in large quantities71 and1 if in the country1 the wheat and the barley for the bread--all to be provided and stored away4 ,the greater part of the meat used for the winter's provision was killed and salted down at ,martinmas2 and the mistress had to provide the necessary stock for the winter and spring consumption1 together with the stockfish and 'baconed herrings' for ,lent4 ,then at the annual fair1 the only opportunity was afforded for purchasing those more especial articles of housewifery which the careful housewife never omitted buying--the ginger1 nutmegs1 and cinnamon1 for the ,christmas posset1 and ,sheer-,monday furmety2 the currants and almonds for the ,twelfth-,night cake 7an observance which dates almost as far back as the ,conquest72 the figs1 with which our forefathers always celebrated ,palm-,sunday2 and the pepper1 the saffron1 and the cummin1 so highly prized in ancient cookery4 ,all these articles bore high prices1 and therefore it was with great consideration and care that they were bought4 ,but the task of providing raiment for the family also devolved upon the mistress1 and there were no dealers save for the richer articles of wearing apparel to be found4 ,the wool that formed the chief clothing was the produce of the flock1 or purchased in a raw state2 and was carded1 spun1 and in some instances woven at home4 ,flax1 also1 was often spun for the coarser kinds of linen1 and occasionally woven4 ,thus1 the mistress of a household had most important duties to fulfil1 for on her wise and prudent management depended not merely the comfort1 but the actual well-being of her extensive household4 ,if the winter's stores were insufficient1 there were no markets from whence an additional supply could be obtained2 and the lord of wide estates and numerous manors might be reduced to the most annoying privations through the mismanagement of the mistress of the family4 ,the costly and delicate needle-work is here1 as elsewhere1 passed over with merely a mention4 ,it is1 naturally1 too insignificant a subject to task the attention of those whose energies are devoted to describing the warfare and welfare of kingdoms and thrones4 ,thus did we look only to professed historians1 though enough exists in their pages to evidence the existence of such productions as those which form the subject of our chapter1 our evidence would be meagre indeed as to the minuter details3 but as the novel now describes those minuti of every day life which we should think it ridiculous to look for in the writings of the politician or historian1 so the romances of the days of chivalry present us with descriptions which1 if they be somewhat redundant in ornament1 are still correct in groundwork2 and the details gathered from romances have in1 it may be1 unimportant circumstances1 that accidental corroboration from history which fairly stamps their faithfulness in more important particulars3 and it has been shown1 says the author of ',godefridus1' by learned men1 in the memoirs of the ,french ,academy of ,inscriptions1 that they may be used in common with history1 and as of equal authority whenever an inquiry takes place respecting the spirit and manners of the ages in which they were composed4 ,but we are writing a dissertation on romance instead of describing the clodes ryche1 to which we must now proceed4 ,so highly was a facility in the use of the needle prized in these ould ancient times1 that a wandering damsel is not merely tolerated but cherished in a family in which she is a perfect stranger1 solely from her skill in this much-loved art4 ,after being exposed in an open boat1 ,emare was rescued by ,syr ,kadore1 remained in his castle1 and there-- ,she tawghte hem to sewe and marke ,all maner of sylkyn werke1 ,of her they wer ful fayne4#da ,syr ,kadore says of her-- ,she ys the konnyngest wommon1 ,i trowe1 that be yn ,crystendom1 ,of werk that y have sene4 ,and again describing her-- ,she sewed sylke werk yn bour4 ,this same accomplished and luckless lady had1 princess though she was1 every advantage of early tuition in this notable art1 having been sent in her childhood to a lady called ,abro1 who not only taught her curtesye and thewe 7virtue and good manners71 but also ,golde and sylke for to sewe1 ,amonge maydenes moo3 evidently an old dame's school2 where1 however1 we may infer from the arrangement of the accomplishments taught1 and the special mention of needlework1 that the extra expense would be for the sewing2 whereas1 in our time and country 7or county71 the routine has been1 ,,reding ,,and ,,soing1 ,,three-,,pence ,a ,,week3 ,a ,,peny ,,extra ,,for ,,manners4 ,this expensive and troublesome acquirement--the art of sewing in golde and silke--was of general adoption3 gorgeous must have been the appearance of the damsels and knights of those days1 when their ----,clothys wyth bestes byrdes wer bete1#db ,all abowte for pryde4 ,by that light ,amadis saw his lady1 and she appeared more beautiful than man could fancy woman could be4 ,she had on a robe of ,indian silk1 thickly wrought with flowers of gold2 her hair was so beautiful that it was a wonder1 and she had covered it only with a garland4#dc ,now when the fair ,grasinda heard of the coming of the fleet1 and of all that had befallen1 she made ready to receive ,oriana1 whom of all persons in the world she most desired to see1 because of her great renown that was everywhere spread abroad4 ,she therefore wished to appear before her like a lady of such rank and such wealth as indeed she was3 the robe which she put on was adorned with roses of gold1 wrought with marvellous skill1 and bordered with pearls and precious stones of exceeding value4#dd ,his fine1 soft garments1 wove with cunning skill1 ,all over1 ease and wantonness declare2 ,these with her hand1 such subtle toil well taught1 ,for him1 in silk and gold1 ,alcina wrought4#de ,mayde ,elene1 al so tyte4 ,in a robe of samyte1#df ,anoon sche gan her tyre1 ,to do ,lybeau's profyte ,in kevechers whyt1 ,arayde wyth golde wyre4 ,a velvwet mantyll gay1 ,pelored#dg wyth grys and gray ,sche caste abowte her swyre2 ,a sercle upon her molde1 ,of stones and of golde1 ,the best yn that empyre4#dh ,we read perpetually of kercheves well schyre1#di ,arayde wyth ryche gold wyre4 ,but the labours of those days were not confined to merely good-appearing garments3 the skill of the needlewoman--for doubtless it was solely attributable to that--could imbue them with a value far beyond that of mere outward garnish4 ,she seyde1 ,syr ,knight1 gentyl and hende1#ej ,i wot thy stat1 ord1 and ende1 ,be naught aschamed of me2 ,if thou wylt truly to me take1 ,and alle wemen for me forsake ,ryche i wyll make the4 ,i wyll the geve an alner1#ea ,imad of sylk and of gold cler1 ,wyth fayr ymages thre2 ,as oft thou puttest the hond therinne ,a mark of gold thou schalt wynne1 ,in wat place that thou be4#eb ,but infinitely more marvellous is the following3--,king ,lisuarte was so content with the tidings of ,amadis and ,galaor1 which the dwarf had brought him1 that he determined to hold the most honourable court that ever had been held in ,great ,britain4 ,presently three knights came through the gate1 two of them armed at all points1 the third unarmed1 of good stature and well proportioned1 his hair grey1 but of a green and comely old age4 ,he held in his hand a coffer2 and1 having inquired which was the king1 dismounted from his palfrey and kneeled before him1 saying1 ',god preserve you1 ,sir6 for you have made the noblest promise that ever king did1 if you hold it4' ',what promise was that8' quoth ,lisuarte4 ',to maintain chivalry in its highest honour and degree3 few princes now-a-days labour to that end2 therefore are you to be commended above all other4' ',certes1 knight1 that promise shall hold while ,i live4' ',god grant you life to complete it6' quoth the old man3 'and because you have summoned a great court to ,london1 ,i have brought something here which becomes such a person1 for such an occasion4' ,then he opened the coffer and took out a ,crown of ,gold1 so curiously wrought and set with pearls and gems1 that all were amazed at its beauty2 and it well appeared that it was only fit for the brow of some mighty lord4 ',is it not a work which the most cunning artists would wonder at8' said the old knight4 ,lisuarte answered1 ',in truth it is4' ',yet1' said the knight1 'it hath a virtue more to be esteemed than its rare work and richness3 whatever king hath it on his head shall always increase his honour2 this it did for him for whom it was made till the day of his death3 since then no king hath worn it4 ,i will give it you1 sir1 for one boon4'----',you also1 ,lady1' said the knight1 'should purchase a rich mantle that ,i bring3' and he took from the coffer the richest and most beautiful mantle that ever was seen2 for besides the pearls and precious stones with which it was beautified1 there were figured on it all the birds and beasts in nature2 so that it looked like a miracle4 ',on my faith1' exclaimed the ,queen1 'this cloth can only have been made by that ,lord who can do everything4' ',it is the work of man1' said the old knight2 'but rarely will one be found to make its fellow3 it should belong to wife rather than maiden1 for she that weareth it shall never have dispute with her husband4' ,britna answered1 ',if that be true1 it is above all price2 ,i will give you for it whatsoever you ask4' ,and ,lisuarte bade him demand what he would for the mantle and crown4#ec ,but the robe which occupied the busy fingers of the ,saracen king's daughter for seven long years1 and of which the jewelled ornaments inwrought in it--as was then very usual--were sought far and wide1 has often been referred to 7albeit wanting in fairy gifts7 as a crowning proof of female industry and talent4 ,we give the full description from the ,romance of ',,emare1' in ,ritson's collection3-- ,sone aftur yu a whyle1 ,the ryche ,kynge of ,cesyle ,to the ,emperour gaun wende1 ,a ryche present wyth hym he browght1 ,a cloth that was wordylye wroght1 ,he wellcomed hym at the hende4#ed ,syr ,tergaunte1 that nobyll knyghte hyghte1 ,he presented the ,emperour ryght1 ,and sette hym on hys kne1 ,wyth that cloth rychyly dyght4 ,full of stones ther hit was pyght1 ,at thykke as hit myght be1 ,off topaze and rubyes1 ,and other stones of myche prys1 ,that semely wer to se1 ,of crapowtes and nakette1 ,as thykke ar they sette ,for sothe as y say the4 ,the cloth was displayed sone1 ,the ,emperoer lokede therupone1 ,and myght hyt not se1 ,for glysteryng of the ryche ston ,redy syght had he non1 ,and sayde1 ,how may thys be8 ,the ,emperour sayde on hygh1 ,sertes thys ys a fayry1 ,or ellys a vanyte4 ,the ,kyng of ,cysyle answered than1 ,so ryche a jewell ys ther non ,in all ,crystyante4 ,the amerayle#ee dowghter of hethennes ,made this cloth withouten lees1 ,and wrowghte hit all with pride1 ,and purtreyed hyt with gret honour1 ,wyth ryche golde and asowr1#ef ,and stones on ylke a side2 ,and1 as the story telles in honde1 ,the stones that yn this cloth stonde ,sowghte they wer full wyde4 ,seven wynter hit was yn makynge1 ,or hit was browght to endynge1 ,in herte ys not to hyde4 ,in that on korner made was ,idoyne and ,amadas1 ,with love that was so trewe1 ,for they loveden hem wit honour1 ,portrayed they wer with trewe-love flour1 ,of stones bryght of hewe1 ,wyth carbankull and safere1 ,kasydonys and onyx so clere1 ,sette in golde newe1 ,deamondes and rubyes1 ,and other stones of mychyll pryse1 ,and menstrellys with her gle4 ,in that other korner was dyght1 ,trystram and ,isowde so bryght1 ,that semely wer to se1 ,and for they loved hem ryght1 ,as full of stones ar they dyght1 ,as thykke as they may be1 ,of topase and of rubyes1 ,and other stones of myche pryse1 ,that semely wer to se1 ,with crapawtes and nakette1 ,thykke of stones ar they sette1 ,for sothe as y say the4 ,in the thyrdde korner1 with gret honour1 ,was ,florys and dame ,blawncheflour1 ,as love was hem betwene1 ,for they loved wyth honour1 ,purtrayed they wer with trewe-love-flower1 ,with stones bryght and shene4 ,ther wer knyghtes and senatowres1 ,emerawdes of gret vertues1 ,to wyte withouten wene1 ,deamondes and koralle1 ,perydotes and crystall1 ,and gode garnettes bytwene4 ,in the fowrthe korner was oon ,of ,babylone the sowdan sonne1 ,the amerayle's dowghter hym by1 ,for hys sake the cloth was wrowght1 ,she loved hym in hert and thowght1 ,as testy-moyeth thys storye4 ,the fayr mayden her byforn ,was purtrayed an unykorn1 ,with hys horn so hye1 ,flowres and bryddes on ylke a syde1 ,wyth stones that wer sowght wyde1 ,stuffed wyth ymagerye4 ,when the cloth to ende was wrought1 ,to the sowdan sone hit was browght1 ,that semely was of syghte3 ',my fadyr was a nobyll man1 ,of the sowdan he hit wan1 ,wyth maystrye and myghth2 ,for gret love he yaf hyt me1 ,i brynge hit the in specyalte1 ,thys cloth ys rychely dyght4' ,he yaf hit the ,emperour1 ,he receyved hit wyth gret honour1 ,and thonkede hym fayr and ryght4 ,we must not dismiss this subject without recording a species of mantle much celebrated in romance1 and which must have tried the skill and patience of the fair votaries of the needle to the uttermost4 ,we all have seen1 perhaps we have some of us been foolish enough to manufacture1 initials with hair1 as tokens or souvenirs1 or some other such fooleries4 ,in our mothers' and grandmothers' days1 when fine marking was the sine qu non of a good education1 whole sets of linen were thus elaborately marked2 and often have we marvelled when these tokens of grandmotherly skill and industry were displayed to our wondering and aching eyes4 ,what then should we have thought of ,king ,ryence's mantle1 of rich scarlet1 bordered round with the beards of kings1 sewed thereon full craftily by accomplished female hands4 ,thus runs the anecdote in the ',morte ,arthur3'-- ,came a messenger hastely from ,king ,ryence1 of ,north ,wales1 saying1 that ,king ,ryence had discomfited and overcomen eleaven kings1 and everiche of them did him homage1 and that was thus3 they gave him their beards cleane flayne off1--wherefore the messenger came for ,king ,arthur's beard1 for ,king ,ryence had purfeled a mantell with king's beards1 and there lacked for one a place of the mantell1 wherefore he sent for his beard1 or else he would enter into his lands1 and brenn and slay1 and never leave till he have thy head and thy beard4 ',well1' said ,king ,arther1 'thou hast said thy message1 which is the most villainous and lewdest message that ever man heard sent to a king4 ,also thou mayest see my beard is full young yet for to make a purfell of2 but tell thou the king that--or it be long--he shall do to me homage on both his knees1 or else he shall leese his head4' ,in ,queen ,elizabeth's day1 when they were beginning to skim the cream of the ponderous tomes of former times into those elaborate ditties from which the more modern ballad takes its rise1 this incident was put into rhyme1 and was sung before her majesty at the grand entertainment at ,kenilworth ,castle1 #aege1 thus3-- ,as it fell out on a ,pentecost day1 ,king ,arthur at ,camelot kept his ,court royall1 ,with his faire queene dame ,guenever the gay1 ,and many bold barons sitting in hall2 ,with ladies attired in purple and pall2 ,and heraults in hewkes1#eg hooting on high1 ,cryed1 ,largesse1 largesse1 ,chevaliers tres hardie4 ,a doughty dwarfe to the uppermost deas ,right pertlye gan pricke1 kneeling on knee2 ,with steven#eh fulle stoute amids all the preas1 ,sayd1 ,nowe sir ,king ,arthur1 ,god save thee1 and see6 ,sir ,ryence of ,northgales greeteth well thee1 ,and bids thee thy beard anon to him send1 ,or else from thy jaws he will it off rend4 ,for his robe of state is a rich scarlet mantle1 ,with eleven kings beards bordered about1 ,and there is room lefte yet in a kantle1#ei ,for thine to stande1 to make the twelfth out3 ,this must be done1 be thou never so stout2 ,this must be done1 ,i tell thee no fable1 ,maugre the teethe of all thy rounde table4 ,when this mortal message from his mouthe past1 ,great was the noyse bothe in hall and in bower1 ,the king fum'd2 the queen screecht2 ladies were aghast2 ,princes puff'd2 barons blustered2 lords began lower2 ,knights stormed2 squires startled1 like steeds in a stower2 ,pages and yeomen yell'd out in the hall2 ,then in came ,sir ,kay1 the king's seneschal4 ,silence1 my soveraignes1 quoth this courteous knight1 ,and in that stound the stowre began still3 ,then the dwarfe's dinner full deerely was dight2 ,of wine and wassel he had his wille3 ,and when he had eaten and drunken his fill1 ,an hundred pieces of fine coyned gold ,were given this dwarfe for his message bold4 ,but say to ,sir ,ryence1 thou dwarfe1 quoth the king1 ,that for his bold message ,i do him defye2 ,and shortly with basins and pans will him ring ,out of ,north ,gales2 where he and ,i ,with swords1 and not razors1 quickly shall trye ,whether he or ,king ,arthur will prove the best barbor3 ,and therewith he shook his good sword ,excalbor4 ,drayton thus alludes to the same circumstance3-- ,then told they1 how himselfe great ,arthur did advance1 ,to meet 7with his ,allies7 that puissant force in ,france1 ,by ,lucius thither led2 those ,armies that while ere ,affrighted all the world1 by him strooke dead with feare3 ,th' report of his great ,acts that over ,europe ran1 ,in that most famous field he with the ,emperor wan3 ,as how great ,rython's selfe hee slew in his repaire1 ,who ravisht ,howell's ,neece1 young ,helena the faire2 ,and for a trophy brought the ,giant's coat away1 ,made of the beards of kings4#fj---- ,and ,spenser is too uncourteous in his adoption of the incident2 for he not only levels tolls on the gentlemen's beards1 but even on the flowing and golden locks of the gentle sex3-- ,not farre from hence1 upon yond rocky hill1 ,hard by a streight there stands a castle strong1 ,which doth observe a custom lewd and ill1 ,and it hath long mayntaind with mighty wrong3 ,for may no knight nor lady passe along ,that way1 7and yet they needs must passe that way1 ,by reason of the streight1 and rocks among17 ,but they that ,ladies locks doe shave away1 ,and that knight's berd for toll1 which they for passage pay4 ,a shamefull use1 as ever ,i did heare1 ,said ,calidore1 and to be overthrowne4 ,but by what means did they at first it reare1 ,and for what cause1 tell1 if thou have it knowne4 ,sayd then that ,squire3 ,the ,lady which doth owne ,this ,castle is by name ,briana hight2 ,then which a prouder ,lady liveth none2 ,she long time hath deare lov'd a doughty knight1 ,and sought to win his love by all the meanes she might4 ,his name is ,crudor1 who through high disdaine ,and proud despight of his selfe-pleasing mynd1 ,refused hath to yeeld her love againe1 ,untill a ,mantle she for him doe fynd1 ,with beards of knights and locks of ,ladies lynd1 ,which to provide1 she hath this ,castle dight1 ,and therein hath a ,seneschall assynd1 ,cald ,maleffort1 a man of mickle might1 ,who executes her wicked will1 with worse despight4#fa ,to pluck the beard of another has ever been held the highest possible sign of scorn and contumely2 but it was certainly a refinement on the matter1 for which we are indebted to the ,morte ,arthur1 or rather probably1 according to ,bishop ,percy1 to ,geoffrey of ,monmouth's history originally1 for the unique and ornamental purpose to which these despoiled locks were applied4 ,so particularly anxious was ,charlemagne to shew this despite to an enemy that1 as we read in ,huon de ,bordeaux1 he despatched no less than fifteen successive messengers from ,france to ,babylon to pull the beard of ,admiral ,gaudisse4 ,and this1 by no means pleasant operation1 was to be accompanied by one even still less inviting4 ,alors le duc ,naymes1 tres tous les ,barons1 s'en retournrent au palais avec le ,roy1 lequel s'assist sur un banc dor de fin or1 les ,barons tous autour de luy4 ,si commanda qu'on luy amenast ,huon1 lequel il vint1 et se mist genoux devant le roy1 ou luy priant moult humblement que piti mercy voulsist avoir de luy4 ,alors le roy le voyant en sa presence luy dist3 ,huon puisque vers moy veux estre accord1 si convient que faciez ce que je vous or donneray4 ,sire1 ce dist ,huon1 pour obeir vous1 il n'est aujourd'huy chose en ce monde mortel1 que corps humain puisse porter1 que hardiment n'osasse entreprendre1 ne ia pour peur de mort ne le laisseray faire1 fust aller jusques l'arbre sec1 voire jusques aux portaux d'enfer combattre aux infernaux1 comme fist le fort ,hercule3 avant qu' vous ne fusse accord4 ,huon1 ce dist ,charles1 je cuide qu'en pire lieu vous envoyeray1 car1 de quinze messages qui de par moy y ont este envoyez1 n'en est par revenu un seul homme4 ,si te diray ou tu iras1 puis que tu veux qui de toy aye mercy1 m'a volont est1 qu'il te convient aller en la cit de ,babylonne1 par devers diray1 gardes que sur ta vie ne face faute1 quand l seras venu tu monteras en son palais1 l ou tu attendras l'heure de son disner que tu le verras assis table4 ,si convient que tu sois arm de toutes armes1 l'espee nu au poing1 par tel si que le premier le plus grand baron que tu verras manger sa table tu luy trencheras le chef quel qu'il soit1 soit ,roy1 ou ,admiral4 ,et apres ce te convient tant faire que la belle ,esclarmonde fille l',amiral ,gaudisse tu fiances1 la baises trois fois en la presence de son pere1 de tous sous qui la seront presens1 car je veux que tu saches que c'est la plus belle pucelle qu'aujourd'huy soit en vie1 puis apres diras de par moy l',admiral qu'il m'envoye mille espreuiers1 mille ours1 mille viautres1 tous enchainez1 mille jeune valets1 mille des plus belles pucelles de son royaume1 avecques ce1 convient que tu me rapportes une poignee de sa barbe1 et quatre de ses dents machoires4 ,ha6 ,sire1 dirent les ,barons1 bien desirez sa mort1 quant de tel message faire luy enchargez1 vous dites la verit ce dit le ,roy1 car si tant ne fait que j'aye la barbe les dents machoires sans aucune tromperie ne mensonge1 jamais ne retourne en ,france1 ne devant moi ne se monstre4 ,car je le ferois pendre trainer4 ,sire1 ce dit ,huon1 m'avez vous dit racompt tout ce que voulez que je face4 ,oui dist le ,roy ,charles ma volont est telle1 si vers moy veux avoir paix4 ,sire ce dit ,huon1 au plaisir de nostre ,seigneur1 je feray fourniray vostre message4 ,in what precise way the beards were sewed on the mantles we are not exactly informed4 ,whether this royal exuberance was left to shine in its own unborrowed lustre1 its own naked magnificence1 as too valuable to be intermixed with the grosser things of earth3 whether it was thinly scattered over the surface of the rich scarlet2 or whether it was gathered into locks1 perhaps gemmed round with orient pearl1 or clustered together with brilliant emeralds1 sparkling diamonds1 or rich rubies--,sweets to the sweet3 whether it was exposed to the vulgar gaze on the mantle1 or whether it was so arranged that only at the pleasure of the mighty wearer its radiant beauties were visible3--on all these deeply interesting particulars we should rejoice in having any information2 but1 alas6 excepting what we have recorded1 not one circumstance respecting them has floated down the tide of years4 ,but we may perhaps form a correct idea of them from viewing a shield of human hair in the museum of the ,united ,service ,club1 which may be supposed to have been compiled 7so to speak7 with the same benevolent feelings as that of the heroes to whom we have been alluding4 ,it is from ,borneo ,island1 and is formed of locks of hair placed at regular intervals on a ground of thin tough wood3 a refined and elegant mode of displaying the scalps of slaughtered foes4 ,these coincidences are curious1 and may serve at any rate to show that ,king ,ryence's mantle was not the invention of the penman2 but1 in all probability1 actually existed4 ,the ladies of these days did not confine their handiwork merely to the adornment of the person4 ,we have seen that among the ,egyptians the couches that at night were beds were in the daytime adorned with richly wrought coverlets4 ,so amongst the classical nations ------the menial fair that round her wait1 ,at ,helen's beck prepare the room of state2 ,beneath an ample portico they spread ,the downy fleece to form the slumberous bed2 ,and o'er soft palls of purple grain1 unfold ,rich tapestry1 stiff with inwoven gold4 ,and during the middle ages the beds1 not excluded from the day apartments1 often gave gorgeous testimony of the skill of the needlewoman1 and were among the richest ornaments of the sitting room1 so much fancy and expense were lavished on them4 ,the curtains were often made of very rich material1 and usually adorned with embroidery4 ,they were often also trimmed with expensive furs3 ,philippa of ,hainault had a bed on which sea-syrens were embroidered4 ,the coverlid was often very rich3 ,the ladi lay in hire bed1 ,with riche clothes bespred1 ,of gold and purpre palle4#fb ,here beds are seen adorned with silk and gold4#fc ------on a bed design'd ,with gay magnificence the fair reclin'd2 ,high o'er her head1 on silver columns rais'd1 ,with broidering gems her proud pavilion blaz'd4 ,thence pass'd into a bow'r1 where stood a bed1 ,with milkwhite furs of ,alexandria spread3 ,beneath1 a richly broider'd vallance hung2 ,the pillows were of silk2 o'er all was flung ,a rare wrought coverlet of phoenix plumes1 ,which breathed1 as warm with life1 its rich perfumes4#fd ,the array of the knights of these days was gorgeous and beautiful2 and though the materials might be in themselves1 and frequently were costly1 still were they entirely indebted to the female hand for the rich elegance of the tout ensemble4 ,and the custom of disarming and robing knights anew after the conflict1 whether of real or mimic war1 to which we have alluded as a practice of classical antiquity1 was as much or even more practised now1 and afforded to the ladies an admirable opportunity of exhibiting alike their preference1 their taste1 and their liberality4 ,amadis and ,agrayes proceeded till they came to the castle of ,torin1 the dwelling of that fair young damsel1 where they were disarmed and mantles given them1 and they were conducted into the hall4#fe ,thus they arrived at the palace1 and there was he 7the ,green ,sword ,knight7 lodged in a rich chamber1 and was disarmed1 and his hands and face washed from the dust1 and they gave him a rose-coloured mantle4#ff ,the romance of ,ywaine and ,gawin abounds in instances3 ,a damisel come unto me1 ,the semeliest that ever ,i se1 ,lufsumer lifed never in land1 ,hendly scho toke me by the hand1 ,and sone that gentyl creature ,al unlaced myne armure2 ,into a chamber scho me led1 ,and with a mantil scho me cled2 ,it was of purpur1 fair and fine2 ,and the pane of ermyne4 ,again-- ,the maiden redies hyr fal rath1#fg ,bilive sho gert syr ,ywaine bath1 ,and cled him sethin#fh in gude scarlet1 ,forord wele with gold fret1 ,a girdel ful riche for the nanes1 ,of perry#fi and of precious stanes4 ,and-- ,the mayden was bowsom and bayne#gj ,forto unarme syr ,ywayne1 ,serk and breke both sho hym broght1 ,that ful craftily war wroght1 ,of riche cloth soft als the sylk1 ,and tharto white als any mylk4 ,sho broght hym ful riche wedes to wer4 ,on the widely acknowledged principle of ,love me1 love my dog1 the steed of a favoured knight was often adorned by the willing fingers of the fair4 ,each damsel and each dame who her obeyed1 ,she task'd1 together with herself1 to sew1 ,with subtle toil2 and with fine gold o'erlaid ,a piece of silk of white and sable hue3 ,with this she trapt the horse4#ga ,the tabards or surcoats which knights wore over their armour was the article of dress in which they most delighted to display their magnificence4 ,they varied in form1 but were mostly made of rich silk1 or of cloth of gold or silver1 lined or trimmed with choice and expensive furs1 and usually1 also1 having the armorial bearings of the family richly embroidered4 ,thus were women even the heralds of those times4 ,besides the acknowledged armorial bearings1 devices were often wrought symbolical of some circumstance in the life of the wearer4 ,thus we are told in ,amadis that the ,emperor of ,rome1 on his black surcoat1 had a golden chain-work woven1 which device he swore never to lay aside till he had ,amadis in chains4 ,the same romance gives the following incident regarding a surcoat4 ,then ,amadis cried to ,florestan and ,agrayes1 weeping as he spake1 good kinsman1 ,i fear we have lost ,don ,galaor1 let us seek for him4 ,they went to the spot where ,amadis had smitten down ,king ,cildadan1 and seen his brother last on foot2 but so many were the dead who lay there that they saw him not1 till as they moved away the bodies1 ,florestan knew him by the sleeve of his surcoat1 which was of azure1 worked with silver flowers1 and then they made great moan over him4 ,the shape of them1 as we have remarked1 varied considerably2 besides minor alterations they were at one time worn very short1 at another so long as to trail on the ground4 ,but this luxurious style was occasionally attended with direful effects4 ,froissart names a surcoat in which ,sir ,john ,chandos was attired1 which was embroidered with his arms in white sarsnet1 argent a field gules1 one on his back and another on his breast4 ,it was a long robe which swept the ground1 and this circumstance1 most probably1 caused the untimely death of one of the most esteemed knights of chivalry4 ,sir ,john ,chandos was one of the brightest of that chivalrous circle which sparkled in the reign of ,edward the ,third4 ,he was gentle as well as valiant2 he was in the van with the ,black ,prince at the battle of ,cressy2 and at the battle of ,poictiers he never left his side4 ,his death was unlooked for and sudden4 ,some disappointments had depressed his spirits1 and his attendants in vain endeavoured to cheer them4 ,and so he stode in a kechyn1 warmyng him by the fyre1 and his servantes jangled with hym1 to thentent to bring him out of his melancholy2 his servantes had prepared for hym a place to rest hym3 than he demanded if it were nere day1 and therewith there came a man into the house1 and came before hym1 and sayd1 ',sir1 ,i have brought you tidynges4' ',what be they1 tell me8' ',sir1 surely the frenchmen be rydinge abrode4' ',how knowest thou that8' ',sir1' sayd he1 ',i departed fro saynt ,saluyn with them4' ',what way be they ryden8' ',sir1 ,i can nat tell you the certentie1 but surely they take the highway to ,poiters4' ',what ,frenchmen be they2 canst thou tell me8' ',sir1 it is ,sir ,loys of ,saynt ,julyan1 and ,carlovet the ,breton4' ',well1 quoth ,sir ,johan ,chandos1 ,i care nat1 ,i have no lyst this night to ryde forthe3 they may happe to be encountred though ,i be nat ther4' ,and so he taryed there styll a certayne space in a gret study1 and at last1 when he had well aduysed hymselfe1 he sayde1 ',whatsoever ,i have sayd here before1 ,i trowe it be good that ,i ryde forthe2 ,i must retourne to ,poictiers1 and anone it will be day4' ',that is true sir1' quoth the knightes about hym4 ',then1' he sayd1 'make redy1 for ,i wyll ryde forthe4' ,and so they dyd4 ,the skirmish commenced2 there had fallen a great dew in the morning1 in consequence of which the ground was very slippery2 the knight's foot slipped1 and in trying to recover himself1 it became entangled in the folds of his magnificent surcoat2 thus the fall was rendered irretrievable1 and whilst he was down he received his death blow4 ,the barons and knights were sorely grieved4 ,they lamentably complayned1 and sayd1 ',a1 ,sir ,johan ,chandos1 the floure of all chivalry1 vnhappely was that glayue forged that thus hath wounded you1 and brought you in parell of dethe3' they wept piteously that were about hym1 and he herde and vnderstode them well1 but he could speke no worde4--,for his dethe1 his frendes1 and also some of his enemyes1 were right soroufull2 the ,englysshmen loued hym1 bycause all noblenesse was founde in hym2 the frenchmen hated him1 because they doubted hym2 yet ,i herde his dethe greatly complayned among right noble and valyant knightes of ,france#gb4 ,across this surcoat was worn the scarf1 the indispensable appendage of a knight when fully equipped3 it was usually the gift of his ladye-love1 and embroidered by her own fair hand4 ,and a knight would encounter fifty deaths sooner than part with this cherished emblem4 ,it is recorded of ,garcia ,perez de ,vargas1 a noble-minded ,spanish knight of the thirteenth century1 that he and a companion were once suddenly met by a party of seven ,moors4 ,his friend fled3 but not so ,perez2 he at once prepared himself for the combat1 and while keeping the ,moors at bay1 who hardly seemed inclined to fight1 he found that his scarf had fallen from his shoulder4 ,he look'd around1 and saw the ,scarf1 for still the ,moors were near1 ,and they had pick'd it from the sward1 and loop'd it on a spear4 ',these ,moors1' quoth ,garci ,perez1 'uncourteous ,moors they be-- ,now1 by my soul1 the scarf they stole1 yet durst not question me6 ',now1 reach once more my helmet4' ,the ,esquire said him1 nay1 ',for a silken string why should you fling1 perchance1 your life away8' ',i had it from my lady1' quoth ,garci1 'long ago1 ,and never ,moor that scarf1 be sure1 in proud ,seville shall show4' ,but when the ,moslems saw him1 they stood in firm array3 ,he rode among their armed throng1 he rode right furiously4 ',stand1 stand1 ye thieves and robbers1 lay down my lady's pledge1' ,he cried1 and ever as he cried1 they felt his faulchion's edge4 ,that day when the lord of ,vargas came to the camp alone1 ,the scarf1 his lady's largess1 around his breast was thrown3 ,bare was his head1 his sword was red1 and from his pommel strung ,seven turbans green1 sore hack'd ,i ween1 before ,garci ,perez hung4 ,it casts a redeeming trait on this butchering sort or bravery to find that when the hero returned to the camp he steadily refused to reveal the name of the person who had so cravenly deserted him4 ,but the favours which ladies presented to a knight were various2 consisting of jewels1 ensigns of noblesse1 scarfs1 hoods1 sleeves1 mantles1 bracelets1 knots of ribbon2 in a word1 some detached part of their dress4 ,these he always placed conspicuously on his person1 and defended1 as he would have done his life4 ,sometimes a lock of his fair one's hair inspired the hero3 ,than did he her heere unfolde1 ,and on his helme it set on hye1 ,with rede thredes of ryche golde1 ,whiche he had of his lady4 ,full richely his shelde was wrought1 ,with asure stones and beten golde1 ,but on his lady was his thought1 ,the yelowe heere what he dyd beholde4#gc ,it is recorded in ,perceforest1 that at the end of one tournament the ladies were so stripped of their head attire1 that the greatest part of them were quite bareheaded1 and appeared with their hair spread over their shoulders yellower than the finest gold2 their robes also were without sleeves2 for all had been given to adorn the knights2 hoods1 cloaks1 kerchiefs1 stomachers1 and mantuas4 ,but when they beheld themselves in this woful plight1 they were greatly abashed1 till1 perceiving every one was in the same condition1 they joined in laughing at this adventure1 and that they should have engaged with such vehemence in stripping themselves of their clothes from off their backs1 as never to have perceived the loss of them4 ,a sleeve 7more easily detached than we should fancy those of the present day7 was a very usual token4 ,elayne1 the faire mayden of ,astolat gave ,syr ,launcelot a reed sleeve of scarlet wel embroudred with grete perlys1 which he wore for a token on his helmet2 and in real life it is recorded that in a serious1 but not desperate battle1 at the court of ,burgundy1 in #adde1 one of the knights received from his lady a sleeve of delicate dove colour1 elegantly embroidered2 and he fastened this favour on his left arm4 ,chevalier ,bayard being declared victor at the tournament of ,carignan1 in ,piedmont1 he refused1 from extreme delicacy1 to receive the reward assigned him1 saying1 ,the honour he had gained was solely owing to the sleeve1 which a lady had given him1 adorned with a ruby worth a hundred ducats4 ,the sleeve was brought back to the lady in the presence of her husband2 who knowing the admirable character of the chevalier1 conceived no jealousy on the occasion3 ,the ruby1 said the lady1 shall be given to the knight who was the next in feats of arms to the chevalier2 but since he does me so much honour as to ascribe his victory to my sleeve1 for the love of him ,i will keep it all my life4 ,another important adjunct to the equipment of a knight was the pennon2 an ensign or streamer formed of silk1 linen1 or stuff1 and fixed to the top of the lance4 ,if the expedition of the soldier had for its object the ,holy ,land1 the sacred emblem of the cross was embroidered on the pennon1 otherwise it usually bore the owner's crest1 or1 like the surcoat1 an emblematic allusion to some circumstance in the owner's life4 ,thus1 ,chaucer1 in the ,knighte's ,tale1 describes that of ,duke ,theseus3 ,and by his banner borne is his penon ,of gold ful riche1 in which ther was ybete ,the ,minotaure which that he slew in ,crete4 ,the account of the taking of ,hotspur's pennon1 and his attempt at its recapture1 is abridged by ,mr4 ,mills#gd from ,froissart4 ,it is interesting1 as displaying the temper of the times about these comparatively trifling matters1 and being the record of history1 may tend to justify our quotations of a similar nature from romance4 ,in the reign of ,richard the ,second1 the ,scots commanded by ,james1 ,earl of ,douglas1 taking advantage of the troubles between the ,king and his ,parliament1 poured upon the south4 ,when they were sated with plunder and destruction they rested at ,newcastle1 near the ,english force which the ,earl of ,northumberland and other border chieftains had hastily levied4 ,the ,earl's two sons were young and lusty knights1 and ever foremost at the barriers to skirmish4 ,many proper feats of arms were done and achieved4 ,the fighting was hand to hand4 ,the noblest encounter was that which occurred between the ,earl ,douglas and ,sir ,henry ,percy1 surnamed ,hotspur4 ,the ,scot won the pennon of his foeman2 and in the triumph of his victory he proclaimed that he would carry it to ,scotland1 and set it on high on his castle of ,dalkeith1 that it might be seen afar off4 ,percy indignantly replied1 that ,douglas should not pass the border without being met in a manner which would give him no cause for boasting4 ,with equal spirit the ,earl ,douglas invited him that night to his lodging to seek for his pennon4 ,the ,scots then retired and kept careful watch1 lest the taunts of their leader should urge the ,englishmen to make an attack4 ,percy's spirit burnt to efface his reproach1 but he was counselled into calmness4 ,the ,scots then dislodged1 seemingly resolved to return with all haste to their own country4 ,but ,otterbourn arrested their steps4 ,the castle resisted the assault2 and the capture of it would have been of such little value to them that most of the ,scotch knights wished that the enterprise should be abandoned4 ,douglas commanded1 however1 that the assault should be persevered in1 and he was entirely influenced by his chivalric feelings4 ,he contended that the very difficulty of the enterprise was the reason of undertaking it2 and he wished not to be too far from ,sir ,henry ,percy1 lest that gallant knight should not be able to do his devoir in redeeming his pledge of winning the pennon of his arms again4 ,hotspur longed to follow ,douglas and redeem his badge of honour2 but the sage knights of the country1 and such as were well expert in arms1 spoke against his opinion1 and said to him1 ',sir1 there fortuneth in war oftentimes many losses4 ,if the ,earl ,douglas has won your pennon1 he bought it dear1 for he came to the gate to seek it1 and was well beaten3 another day you shall win as much of him and more4 ,sir1 we say this because we know well that all the power of ,scotland is abroad in the fields2 and if we issue forth and are not strong enough to fight with them 7and perchance they have made this skirmish with us to draw us out of the town71 they may soon enclose us1 and do with us what they will4 ,it is better to loose a pennon than two or three hundred knights and squires1 and put all the country to adventure4' ,by such words as these1 ,hotspur and his brother were refrained1 but the coveted moment came4 ,the hostile banners waved in the night breeze1 and the bright moon1 which had been more wont to look upon the loves than the wars of chivalry1 lighted up the ,scottish camp4 ,a battle ensued of as valiant a character as any recorded in the pages of history2 for there was neither knight nor squire but what did his devoir and fought hand to hand4 ,the ,scots remained masters of the field3 but the ,douglas was slain1 and this loss could not be recompensed even by the capture of the ,percy4 ,little did the gentle ,kate anticipate this catastrophe when her fairy fingers with proud and loving alacrity embroidered on the flowing pennon the inspiring watchword of her chivalric husband and his noble family--,,esperance4 ,,footnotes3 #dj ,historical ,memoirs of ,queens of ,england4--,h4 ,lawrance4 #da ,emare4 #db ,bete--inlayed1 embroidered4 #dc ,amadis of ,gaul1 bk4 i4 ch4 xv4 #dd ,ibid4 bk4 iv4 ch4 iii4 #de ,orl4 ,fur43 transl4 by ,rose4 #df ,samyte--rich silk4 #dg ,pelored--furred4 #dh ,lybeaus ,disconus4 #di ,schyre--clear4 #ej ,hende--kind1 obliging4 #ea ,alner--pouch1 bag or purse4 #eb ,launfal4 #ec ,amadis of ,gaul1 bk4 i4 ch4 xxx4 #ed ,hende--kind1 civil1 obliging4 #ee ,saracen king4 #ef ,asowr--azure4 #eg ,hewke--herald's coat4 #eh ,steven--voice1 sound #ei ,kantle--a corner4 #fj ,drayton's ,polyolbion1 ,song #d4 #fa ,faerie ,queene4 ,book vi4 #fb ,the ,kyng of ,tars4 #fc ,orl4 ,fur4 #fd ,partenopex of ,blois4 #fe ,amadis of ,gaul4 #ff ,ibid4 #fg ,rath--speedily4 #fh ,sethin--afterward4 #fi ,perry--jewels4 #gj ,bayne--ready4 #ga ,orl4 ,fur41 canto #bc4 #gb ,froissart1 by ,lord ,berners1 vol4 i4 p4 #bgj4 #gc ,the ,fair ,lady of ,faguell4 #gd ,hist4 ,chivalry4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,tapestry4 ,the term tapestry or tapistry 7from tapisser1 to line1 from the ,latin word tapes1 a cover of a wall or bed71 is now appropriated solely to woven hangings of wool and silk2 but it has been applied to all sorts of hangings1 whether wrought entirely with the needle 7as originally indeed all were7 or in the loom1 whether composed of canvass and wool1 or of painted cloth1 leather1 or even paper4 ,this wide application of the term seems to be justified by the derivation quoted above1 but its present use is much more limited4 ,in the thirteenth century the decorative arts had attained a high perfection in ,england4 ,the palace of ,westminster received1 under the fostering patronage of ,henry ,,iii41 a series of decorations1 the remains of which1 though long hidden1 have recently excited the wonder and admiration of the curious4#ge ,near this monastery 7says an ancient ,itinerary7 stands the most famous royal palace of ,england2 in which is that celebrated chamber1 on whose walls all the warlike histories of the whole ,bible are painted with inexpressible skill1 and explained by a regular and complete series of texts1 beautifully written in ,french over each battle1 to the no small admiration of the beholder1 and the increase of royal magnificence4 ,round the walls of ,st4 ,stephen's chapel effigies of the ,apostles were painted in oil2 7which was thus used with perfectness and skill two centuries before its presumed discovery by ,john ab ,eyck in #adaj17 on the western side was a grand composition of the day of ,judgment3 ,st4 ,edward's or the ,painted ,chamber1 derived the latter name from the quality and profuseness of its embellishments1 and the walls of the whole palace were decorated with portraits or ideal representations1 and historical subjects4 ,nor was this the earliest period in which connected passages of history were painted on the wainscot of apartments1 for the following order1 still extant1 refers to the renovation of what must previously--and at some considerable interval of time probably1 have been done4 ,anno1 #abcc1 #ag ,hen4 #c4 ,mandatum est ,vicecomiti ,south'ton quod ,cameram regis lambruscatam de castro ,winton depingi faciat eisdem historiis quibus fuerat pri'us depicta4 ,about #acab1 ,langton1 ,bishop of ,litchfield1 commanded the coronation1 marriages1 wars1 and funeral of his patron ,king ,edward ,i41 to be painted in the great hall of his episcopal palace1 which he had newly built4 ,chaucer frequently refers to this custom of painting the walls with historical or fanciful designs4 ,and soth to faine my chambre was ,ful wel depainted---- ,and all the wals with colours fine ,were painted bothe texte and glose1 ,and all the ,romaunt of the ,rose4 ,and again3-- ,but when ,i woke all was ypast1 ,for ther nas lady ne creture1 ,save on the wals old portraiture ,of horsemen1 hawkis1 and houndis1 ,and hurt dere all ful of woundis4 ,often emblematical devices were painted1 which gave the artist opportunity to display his fancy and exercise his wit4 ,dr4 ,cullum1 in his ,history of ,hawsted1 gives an account of an old mansion1 having a closet1 the panels of which were painted with various sentences1 emblems1 and mottos4 ,one of these1 intended doubtless as a hint to female vanity1 is a painter1 who having begun to sketch out a female portrait1 writes ,dic mihi qualis eris4 ,but comfort1 or at least a degree of comfort1 had progressed hand in hand with decoration4 ,tapestry1 that is to say needlework tapestry1 which1 like the ,bayeux tapestry of ,matilda1 had been used solely for the decoration of altars1 or the embellishment of other parts of sacred edifices on occasions of festival1 or the performance of solemn rites1 had been of much more general application amongst the luxurious inhabitants of the ,south1 and was introduced into ,england as furniture hanging by ,eleanor of ,castile4 ,in ,chaucer's time it was common4 ,among his pilgrims to ,canterbury is a tapestry worker who is mentioned in the ,prologue1 in common with other professors4 ,an haberdasher and a carpenter1 ,a webbe1 a dyer1 and a tapiser4 ,and1 again3-- ,i wol give him all that falles ,to his chambre and to his halles1 ,i will do painte him with pure golde1 ,and tapite hem ful many a folde4 ,these modes of decorating the walls and chambers with paintings1 and with tapestry1 were indeed contemporaneous2 though the greater difficulty of obtaining the latter--for as it was not made at ,arras until the fourteenth century1 all that we here refer to is the painful product of the needle alone--many have made it less usual and common than the former4 ,pithy sentences1 and metrical stanzas were often wrought in tapestry3 in ,wresil ,castle and other mansions1 some of the apartments were adorned in the ,oriental manner with metrical descriptions called ,proverbs4 ,and ,warton mentions an ancient suit of tapestry1 containing ,ariosto's ,orlando1 and ,angelica1 where1 at every group1 the story was all along illustrated with short lines in ,provenal or old ,french4 ,it could only be from its superior comfort that an article so tedious in manufacture as needlework tapestry could be preferred to the more quickly-produced decorations of the pencil2 it was also rude in design2 and the following description of some tapestry in an old ,manor ,house in ,king ,john's time1 though taken from a work of fiction1 probably presents a correct picture of the style of most of the pieces exhibited in the mansions of the middle ranks at that period4 ,in a corner of the apartment stood a bed1 the tapestry of which was enwrought with gaudy colours representing ,adam and ,eve in the garden of ,eden4 ,adam was presenting our first mother with a large yellow apple1 gathered from a tree that scarcely reached his knee4 ,beneath the tree was an angel milking1 and although the winged milkman sat on a stool1 yet his head overtopped both cow and tree1 and nearly covered a horse1 which seemed standing on the highest branches4 ,to the left of ,eve appeared a church2 and a dark robed gentleman holding something in his hand which looked like a pincushion1 but doubtless was intended for a book3 he seemed pointing to the holy edifice1 as if reminding them that they were not yet married4 ,on the ground lay the rib1 out of which ,eve 7who stood the head higher than ,adam7 had been formed2 both of them were very respectably clothed in the ancient ,saxon costume2 even the angel wore breeches1 which1 being blue1 contrasted well with his flaming red wings4 ,no one who has read the real blunders of artists and existing anachronisms in pictures detailed in ,percy ,anecdotes1 will think the above sketch at all too highly coloured2 though doubtless the tapestry hangings introduced by ,queen ,eleanor which would be imitated and caricatured in ten thousand different forms1 were in much superior style4 ,the ,moors had attained to the highest perfection in the decorative arts1 and from them did the ,spaniards borrow this fashion of hangings1#gf and the coldness of our climate 7says her accomplished biographer1 ,miss ,agnes ,strickland1 speaking of ,eleanor17 must have made it indispensable to the fair daughter of the ,south1 chilled with the damp stone walls of ,english ,gothic halls and chambers4 ,of the chillness of these walls we may form some idea1 from a feeling description of a residence which was thought sufficient for a queen some centuries later4 ,in the year #aehf1 ,mary1 the unhappy ,queen of ,scots1 writes thus3-- ,in regard to my lodging1 my residence is a place inclosed with walls1 situated on an eminence1 and consequently exposed to all the winds and storms of heaven4 ,within this inclosure there is1 like as at ,vincennes1 a very old hunting seat1 built of wood and plaister1 with chinks on all sides1 with the uprights2 the intervals between which are not properly filled up1 and the plaister dilapidated in the various places4 ,the house is about six yards distant from the walls1 and so low that the terrace on the other side is as high as the house itself1 so that neither the sun nor the fresh air can penetrate it at that side4 ,the damp1 however1 is so great there1 that every article of furniture is covered with mouldiness in the space of four days4--,in a word1 the rooms for the most part are fit rather for a dungeon for the lowest and most abject criminals1 than for a residence of a person of my rank1 or even of a much inferior condition4 ,i have for my own accommodation only wretched little rooms1 and so cold1 that were it not for the protection of the curtains and tapestries which ,i have had put up1 ,i could not endure it by day1 and still less by night4#gg ,the tapestries1 whether wrought or woven1 did not remain on the walls as do the hangings of modern days3 it was the primitive office of the grooms of the chamber to hang up the tapestry which in a royal progress was sent forward with the purveyor and grooms of the chamber4 ,and if these functionaries had not1 to use a proverbial expression1 heads on their shoulders1 ridiculous or perplexing blunders were not unlikely to arise4 ,of the latter we have an instance recorded by the ,duc de ,sully4 ,the ,king 7,henry ,,iv47 had not yet quitted ,monceaux1 when the ,cardinal of ,florence1 who had so great a hand in the treaty of the ,vervins1 passed through ,paris1 as he came back from ,picardy1 and to return from thence to ,rome1 after he had taken leave of his ,majesty4 ,the king sent me to ,paris to receive him1 commanding me to pay him all imaginable honours4 ,he had need of a person near the ,pope1 so powerful as this ,cardinal1 who afterwards obtained the ,pontificate himself3 ,i therefore omitted nothing that could answer ,his ,majesty's intentions2 and the legate1 having an inclination to see ,st4 ,germain-en-,laye1 ,i sent orders to ,momier1 the keeper of the castle1 to hang the halls and chambers with the finest tapestry of the ,crown4 ,momier executed my orders with great punctuality1 but with so little judgment1 that for the legate's chamber he chose a suit of hangings made by the ,queen of ,navarre2 very rich1 indeed1 but which represented nothing but emblems and mottos against the ,pope and the ,roman ,court1 as satirical as they were ingenious4 ,the prelate endeavoured to prevail upon me to accept a place in the coach that was to carry him to ,st4 ,germain1 which ,i refused1 being desirous of getting there before him1 that ,i might see whether everything was in order2 with which ,i was very well pleased4 ,i saw the blunder of the keeper1 and reformed it immediately4 ,the legate would not have failed to look upon such a mistake as a formed design to insult him1 and to have represented it as such to the ,pope4 ,reflecting afterwards1 that no difference in religion could authorise such sarcasms1 ,i caused all those mottos to be effaced4#gh ,in the sixteenth century#gi a sort of hanging was introduced1 which1 partaking of the nature both of tapestry and painting on the walls1 was a formidable rival to the former4 ,shakspeare frequently alludes to these painted cloths4 ,for instance1 when ,falstaff persuades ,hostess ,quickly1 not only to withdraw her arrest1 but also to make him a further loan3 she says-- ,by this heavenly ground ,i tread on1 ,i must be fain to pawn both my plate and the tapestry of my dining chambers6 ,falstaff answers-- ,glasses1 glasses is the only drinking1 and for thy walls a pretty slight drollery1 or the story of the ,prodigal1 or a ,german ,hunting in water-work1 is worth a thousand of these fly-bitten tapestries4 ,let it be ten pounds if thou canst4 ,if it were not for thy humours1 there is not a better wench in ,england6 ,go wash thy face and draw thy action4 ,in another passage of the play he says that his troops are as ragged as ,lazarus in the painted cloth4 ,there are now at ,hampton ,court eight large pieces or hangings of this description2 being ,the ,triumphs of ,julius ,csar1 in water-colours1 on cloth1 and in good preservation4 ,they are by ,andrea ,mantegna1 and were valued at #ajjjl4 at the time1 when1 by some strange circumstance1 the ,cartoons of ,raphael were estimated only at #cjjl4 ,tapestry was common in the ,east at a very remote era1 when the most grotesque compositions and fantastic combinations were usually displayed on it4 ,some authors suppose that the ,greeks took their ideas of griffins1 centaurs1 c41 from these ,tapestries1 which1 together with the art of making them1 they derived from the ,east1 and at first they closely imitated both the beauties and deformities of their patterns4 ,at length their refined taste improved upon these originals2 and the old grotesque combinations were confined to the borders of the hanging1 the centre of which displayed a more regular and systematic representation4 ,it has been supposed by some writers that the invention of ,tapestry1 passed from the ,east into ,europe2 but ,guicciardini ascribes it to the ,netherlanders2 and assuredly the ,bayeux ,tapestry1 the work of the ,conqueror's ,queen1 shows that this art must have acquired much perfection in ,europe before the time of the ,crusades1 which is the time assigned by many for its introduction there4 ,probably ,guicciardini refers to woven ,tapestry1 which was not practised until the article itself had become1 from custom1 a thing of necessity4 ,unintermitting and arduous had been the stitchery practised in the creation of these coveted luxuries long1 very long before the loom was taught to give relief to the busy finger4 ,the first manufactories of ,tapestry of any note were those of ,flanders1 established there long before they were attempted in ,france or ,england4 ,the chief of these were at ,brussels1 ,antwerp1 ,oudenarde1 ,lisle1 ,tournay1 ,bruges1 and ,valenciennes4 ,at ,brussels and ,antwerp they succeeded well both in the design and the execution of human figures and animals1 and also in landscapes4 ,at ,oudenarde the landscape was more imitated1 and they did not succeed so well in the figure4 ,the other manufactories1 always excepting those of ,arras1 were inferior to these4 ,the grand era of general manufactories in ,france must be fixed in the reign of ,henry the ,,iv4 ,amongst others he especially devoted his attention to the manufacture of ,tapestry1 and that of the ,gobelins1 since so celebrated1 was begun1 though futilely1 in his reign4 ,his celebrated minister1 ,sully1 was entangled in these matters somewhat more than he himself approved4 #afje4 ,i laid1 by his order1 the foundations of the new edifices for his ,tapestry weavers1 in the horse-market4 ,his ,majesty sent for ,comans and ,la ,planche1 from other countries1 and gave them the care and superintendence of these manufactures3 the new directors were not long before they made complaints1 and disliked their situation1 either because they did not find profits equal to their hopes and expectations1 or1 that having advanced considerable sums themselves1 they saw no great probability of getting them in again4 ,the king got rid of their importunity by referring them to me4#hj #afjg4 ,it was a difficult matter to agree upon a price with these celebrated ,flemish tapestry workers1 which we had brought into ,france at so great an expense4 ,at length it was resolved in the presence of ,sillery and me1 that a #ajj1jjjl4 should be given them for their establishment4 ,henry was very solicitous about the payment of this sum2 ',having1' said he1 'a great desire to keep them1 and not to lose the advances we have made4' ,he would have been better pleased if these people could have been paid out of some other funds than those which he had reserved for himself3 however1 there was a necessity for satisfying them at any price whatever4 ,his ,majesty made use of his authority to oblige ,de ,vienne to sign an acquittal to the undertakers for linen cloth in imitation of ,dutch ,holland4 ,this prince ordered a complete set of furniture to be made for him1 which he sent for me to examine separately1 to know if they had not imposed upon him4 ,these things were not at all in my taste1 and ,i was but a very indifferent judge of them3 the price seemed to me to be excessive1 as well as the quantity4 ,henry was of another opinion3 after examining the work1 and reading my paper1 he wrote to me that there was not too much1 and that they had not exceeded his orders2 and that he had never seen so beautiful a piece of work before1 and that the workman must be paid his demands immediately4#ha ,the manufactory languished however1 even if it did not become entirely extinct4 ,but it was revived in the reign of ,louis ,,xiv41 and has since dispersed productions of unequalled delicacy over the civilised world4 ,it was called ,gobelins1 because the house in the suburbs of ,paris1 where the manufacture is carried on1 was built by brothers whose names were ,giles and ,john ,gobelins1 both excellent dyers1 and who brought to ,paris in the reign of ,francis ,i4 the secret of dying a beautiful scarlet colour1 still known by their name4 ,in the year #affg this place1 till then called ,gobelines' ,folly1 changed its name into that of ,hotel ,royal des ,gobelins1 in consequence of an edict of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,m4 ,colbert having re-established1 and with new magnificence enriched and completed the king's palaces1 particularly the ,louvre and the ,tuilleries1 began to think of making furniture suitable to the grandeur of those buildings2 with this view he called together all the ablest workmen in the divers arts and manufactures throughout the kingdom2 particularly painters1 tapestry makers from ,flanders1 sculptors1 goldsmiths1 ebonists1 c41 and by liberal encouragement and splendid pensions called others from foreign nations4 ,the king purchased the ,gobelins for them to work in1 and laws and articles were drawn up1 amongst which is one that no other tapestry work shall be imported from any other country4 ,nor did there need2 for the ,gobelins has ever since remained the first manufactory of this kind in the world4 ,the quantity of the finest and noblest works that have been produced by it1 and the number of the best workmen bred up therein are incredible2 and the present flourishing condition of the arts and manufactures of ,france is1 in great measure1 owing thereto4 ,tapestry work in particular is their glory4 ,during the superintendence of ,m4 ,colbert1 and his successor ,m4 de ,louvois1 the making of tapestry is said to have been practised to the highest degree of perfection4 ,the celebrated painter1 ,le ,brun1 was appointed chief director1 and from his designs were woven magnificent hangings of ,alexander's ,battles--,the ,four ,seasons--the ,four ,elements--and a series of the principal actions of the life of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,m4 de ,louvois1 during his administration1 caused tapestries to be made after the most beautiful originals in the king's cabinet1 after ,raphael and ,julio ,romano1 and other celebrated ,italian painters4 ,not the least interesting part of the process was that performed by the rentrayeurs1 or fine-drawers1 who so unite the breadths of the tapestry into one picture that no seam is discernible1 but the whole appears like one design4 ,the ,french have had other considerable manufactories at ,auvergne1 ,felletin and ,beauvais1 but all sank beneath the superiority of the ,gobelins1 which indeed at one time outvied the renown of that far-famed town1 whose productions gave a title to the whole species1 viz41 that of ,arras4 ,walpole gives an intimation of the introduction of tapestry weaving into ,england1 so early as the reign of ,edward ,,iii41 ,de inquirendo de myster ,tapiciorum1 ,london2 but usually ,william ,sheldon1 ,esq41 is considered the introducer of it1 and he allowed an artist1 named ,robert ,hicks1 the use of his manor-house at ,burcheston1 in ,warwickshire2 and in his will1 dated #aegj1 he calls ,hicks the only auter and beginner of tapistry and arras within this realm4 ,at his house were four maps of ,oxford1 ,worcester1 ,warwick1 and ,gloucestershires1 executed in tapestry on a large scale1 fragments of which are or were among the curiosities of ,strawberry-hill4 ,we meet with little further notice of this establishment4 ,this beautiful art was1 however1 revived in the reign of ,james ,i41 and carried to great perfection under the patronage of himself and his martyr son4 ,it received its death blow in common with other equally beautiful and more important pursuits during the triumph of the ,commonwealth4 ,james gave #bjjj to assist ,sir ,francis ,crane in the establishment of the manufactory at ,mortlake1 in ,surry1 which was commenced in the year #afai4 ,towards the end of this reign1 ,francis ,cleyn1 or ,klein1 a native of ,rostock1 in the duchy of ,mecklenburg1 was employed in forming designs for this institution1 which had already attained great perfection4 ,charles allowed him #ajj a year1 as appears from ,rymer's ,foedera3 ,know ye that we do give and grant unto ,francis ,cleyne a certain annuitie of one hundred pounds1 by the year1 during his natural life4 ,he enjoyed this salary till the civil war1 and was in such favour with the king1 and in such reputation1 that on a small painting of him he is described as ,il famosissimo pittore ,francesco ,cleyn1 miracolo del secolo1 e molto stimato del re ,carlo della gran ,britania1 #afdf4 ,the ,tapestry ,manufacture at ,mortlake was indeed a hobby1 both of ,king ,james and ,prince ,charles1 and of consequence was patronised by the ,court4 ,during ,charles the ,first's romantic expedition to ,spain1 when ,prince of ,wales1 with the ,duke of ,buckingham1 ,james writes--,i have settled with ,sir ,francis ,crane for my ,steenie's business1 and ,i am this day to speak with ,fotherby1 and by my next1 ,steenie shall have an account both of his business1 and of ,kit's preferment and supply in means2 but ,sir ,francis ,crane desires to know if my ,baby will have him to hasten the making of that suit of ,tapestry that he commanded him4#hb ,the most superb hangings were wrought here after the designs of distinguished painters2 and ,windsor ,castle1 ,hampton ,court1 ,whitehall1 ,st4 ,james's1 ,nonsuch1 ,greenwich1 and other royal seats1 and many noble mansions were enriched and adorned by its productions4 ,in the first year of his reign1 ,charles was indebted #fjjj to the establishment for three suits of gold tapestry2 ,five of the ,cartoons were wrought here1 and sent to ,hampton ,court1 where they still remain4 ,a suit of hangings1 representing the ,five ,senses1 executed here1 was in the palace at ,oatlands1 and was sold in #afdi for #bgj4 ,rubens sketched eight pieces in ,charles the ,first's reign for tapestry1 to be woven here1 of the history of ,achilles1 intended for one of the royal palaces4 ,at ,lord ,ilchester's1 at ,redlinch1 in ,somersetshire1 was a suit of hangings representing the twelve months in compartments2 and there are several other sets of the same design4 ,williams1 ,archbishop of ,york1 and ,lord ,keeper1 paid ,sir ,francis ,crane #bejj for the ,four ,seasons4 ,at ,knowl1 in ,kent1 was a piece of the same tapestry wrought in silk1 containing the portraits of ,vandyck1 and ,st4 ,francis himself4 ,at ,lord ,shrewsbury's 7,hoythorp1 ,oxfordshire7 are1 or were1 four pieces of tapestry from designs by ,vanderborght1 representing the four quarters of the world1 expressed by assemblages of the nations in various habits and employments1 excepting ,europe1 which is in masquerade1 wrought in chiaroscuro4 ,and at ,houghton 7,lord ,oxford's seat7 were beautiful hangings containing whole lengths of ,king ,james1 ,king ,charles1 their ,queens1 and the ,king of ,denmark1 with heads of the ,royal ,children in the borders4 ,these are all mentioned incidentally as the production of the ,mortlake establishment4 ,after the death of ,sir ,francis ,crane1 his brother ,sir ,richard sold the premises to ,charles ,i4 ,during the civil wars1 this work was seized as the property of the ,crown2 and though1 after the ,restoration1 ,charles ,,ii4 endeavoured to revive the manufacture1 and sent ,verrio to sketch the designs1 his intention was not carried into effect4 ,the work1 though languishing1 was not altogether extinct2 for in ,mr4 ,evelyn's very scarce tract intituled ,mundus ,muliebris1 printed in #afij1 some of this manufacture is amongst the articles to be furnished by a gallant to his mistress4 ,one of the first acts of the ,protectorate after the death of the king1 was to dispose of the pictures1 statues1 tapestry hangings1 and other splendid ornaments of the royal palaces4 ,cardinal ,mazarine enriched himself with much of this royal plunder2 and some of the splendid tapestry was purchased by the ,archduke ,leopold4 ,this however found its way again to ,england1 being repurchased at ,brussels for #cjjj by ,frederick1 ,prince of ,wales1 father of ,george ,,iii4 ,in #affc two well-intended statutes were made3 one for the encouragement of the linen and tapestry manufactures of ,england1 and discouragement of the importation of foreign tapestry3--and the other--start not1 fair reader--the other for regulating the packing of herrings4#hc ,,footnotes3 #ge ,see ,smith's ,history of the ,ancient ,palace of ,westminster4 #gf ,but not from them would be derived the art of painting with the needle the representation of the human figure4 ,hence1 perhaps1 the awkward and ungainly aspect of these1 in comparison with the arabesque patterns4 ,from a fear of its exciting a tendency to idolatry ,mohammed prohibited his followers from delineating the form of men or animals in their pictorial embellishments of whatever sort4 #gg ,von ,raumer's ,contributions1 #big4 #gh ,sully's ,memoirs4 ,we have1 in a subsequent chapter1 a more full account of this ,tapestry4 #gi ,gent's ,mag41 #ahcj4 #hj ,sully's ,memoirs1 vol4 ii4 #ha ,sully's ,memoirs1 vol4 iii4 #hb ,miscellaneous ,state ,papers1 vol4 i4 ,no4 #bf4 #hc ,the rich tapestry and arras hangings which belonged to ,st4 ,james's ,palace1 ,hampton ,court1 ,whitehall1 and other ,royal ,seats1 were purchased for ,cromwell3 these were inventoried at a sum not exceeding #cj1jjj4 ,one piece of eight parts at ,hampton ,court was appraised at #h1bfj3 this related to the ,history of ,abraham4 ,another of ten parts1 representing the ,history of ,julius ,csar1 was appraised at #ejai4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,romances ,,worked ,,in ,,tapestry4 ,and storied loves of knights and courtly dames1 ,pageants and triumphs1 tournaments and games4 ,rose's ,partenopex4 ,it has been a favourite practice of all antiquity to work with the needle representations of those subjects in which the imagination and the feelings were most interested4 ,the labours of ,penelope1 of ,helen1 and ,andromache1 are proverbial1 and this mode of giving permanency to the actions of illustrious individuals was not confined to the classical nations4 ,the ancient islanders used to work--until the progress of art enabled them to weave the histories of their giants and champions in ,tapestry2 and the same thing is recorded of the old ,persians2 and this furniture is still in high request among many ,oriental nations1 especially in ,japan and ,china4 ,the royal palace of ,jeddo has profusion of the finest ,tapestry2 this indeed is gorgeous1 being wrought with silk1 and adorned with pearls1 gold1 and silver4 ,it was considered a right regal offering from one prince to another4 ,henry ,,iii41 ,king of ,castile1 sent a present to ,timour at ,samarcand1 of ,tapestry which was considered to surpass even the works of ,asiatic artists in beauty3 and when the religious and military orders of some of the princes of ,france and ,burgundy had plunged them into a kind of crusade against the ,turkish ,sultan ,bajazet1 and they became his prisoners in the battle of ,nicopolis1 the ,king of ,france sent presents to the ,sultan1 to induce him to ransom them2 amongst which ,tapestry representing the battles of ,alexander the ,great was the most conspicuous4 ,tapestry was not used in the halls of princes alone1 but cut a very conspicuous figure on all occasions of festivity and rejoicing4 ,it was customary at these times to hang ornamental needlework of all sorts from the windows or balconies of the houses of those streets through which a pageant or festal procession was to pass2 and as the houses were then built with the upper stories far overhanging the lower ones1 these draperies frequently hung in rich folds to the ground1 and must have had1 when a street was thus in its whole length appareled and partly roofed by the floating streamers and banners above--somewhat the appearance of a suite of magnificent saloons4 ,then the high street gay signs of triumph wore1 ,covered with shewy cloths of different dye1 ,which deck the walls1 while ,sylvan leaves in store1 ,and scented herbs upon the pavement lie4 ,adorned in every window1 every door1 ,with carpeting and finest drapery2 ,but more with ladies fair1 and richly drest ,in costly jewels and in gorgeous vest4 ,when the ,black ,prince entered ,london with ,king ,john of ,france1 as his prisoner1 the outsides of the houses were covered with hangings1 consisting of battles in tapestry-work4 ,and in tournaments the lists were always decorated with the splendid richness of feudal power4 ,besides the gorgeous array of heraldic insignia near the ,champions' tents1 the galleries1 which were made to contain the proud and joyous spectators1 were covered with tapestry1 representing chivalry both in its warlike and its amorous guise3 on one side the knight with his bright faulchion smiting away hosts of foes1 and on the other side kneeling at the feet of beauty4 ,but the subjects of the tapestry in which our ancestors so much delighted were not confined to bon fide battles1 and the matter-of-fact occurrences of every-day life4 ,oh no6 ,the ,lives of the ,saints were frequently pourtrayed with all the legendary accompaniments which credulity and blind faith could invest them with4 ,the holy and solitary ,st4 ,cuthbert would be seen taming the sea-monsters by his word of power3 ,st4 ,dunstan would be in the very act of seizing the handle of his ,infernal ,majesty's face with the red-hot pincers2 and ,st4 ,anthony in the howling wilderness1 would be reigning omnipotent over a whole legion of sprites4 ,here was food for the imagination and taste of our notable great-grandmother6 ,yet let us do them justice4 ,if some of their religious pieces were imbued even to a ridiculous result1 with the superstitions of the time1 there were others1 numberless others1 scripture pieces1 as chaste and beautiful in design1 as elaborate in execution4 ,the loom and needle united indeed brought these pieces to the highest perfection1 but many a meek and saintly ,madonna1 many a lofty and energetic ,st4 ,paul1 many a subdued and touching ,magdalene were produced by the unaided industry of the pious needlewoman4 ,nay1 the whole ,bible was copied in needlework2 and in a poem of the fifteenth century1 by ,henry ,bradshaw1 containing the ,life of ,st4 ,werburgh1 a daughter of the ,king of the ,mercians1 there is an account rather historical than legendary1#hd of many circumstances of the domestic life of the time4 ,amongst other descriptions is that of the tapestry displayed in the ,abbey of ,ely1 on the occasion of ,st4 ,werburgh taking the veil there4 ,this ,tapestry belonged to king ,wulfer1 and was brought to ,ely ,monastery for the occasion4 ,we subjoin some of the stanzas3-- ,it were full tedyous1 to make descrypcyon ,of the great tryumphes1 and solempne royalte1 ,belongynge to the feest1 the honour and provysyon1 ,by playne declaracyon1 upon every partye2 ,but the sothe to say1 withouten ambyguyte1 ,all herbes and flowres1 fragraunt1 fayre1 and swete1 ,were strawed in halles1 and layd under theyr fete4 ,clothes of golde and arras#he were hanged in the hall ,depaynted with pyctures1 and hystoryes manyfolde1 ,well wroughte and craftely1 with precious stones all ,glysteryng as ,phebus1 and the beten golde1 ,lyke an erthly paradyse1 pleasaunt to beholde3 ,as for the said moynes1#hf was not them amonge1 ,but prayenge in her cell1 as done all novice yonge4 ,the story of ,adam1 there was goodly wrought1 ,and of his wyfe ,eve1 bytwene them the serpent1 ,how they were deceyved1 and to theyr peynes brought2 ,there was ,cayn and ,abell1 offerynge theyr present1 ,the sacryfyce of ,abell1 accepte full evydent3 ,tuball and ,tubalcain were purtrayed in that place1 ,the inventours of musyke and crafte by great grace4 ,noe and his shyppe was made there curyously ,sendynge forthe a raven1 whiche never came again2 ,and how the dove returned1 with a braunche hastely1 ,a token of comforte and peace1 to man certayne3 ,abraham there was1 standing upon the mount playne ,to offer in sacrifice ,isaac his dere sone1 ,and how the shepe for hym was offered in oblacyon4 ,the twelve sones of ,jacob there were in purtrayture1 ,and how into ,egypt yonge ,josephe was solde1 ,there was imprisoned1 by a false conjectour1 ,after in all ,egypte1 was ruler 7as is tolde74 ,there was in pycture ,moyses wyse and bolde1 ,our ,lorde apperynge in bushe flammynge as fyre1 ,and nothing thereof brent1 lefe1 tree1 nor spyre4#hg ,the ten plages of ,egypt were well embost1 ,the chyldren of ,israel passyng the reed see1 ,kynge ,pharoo drowned1 with all his proude hoost1 ,and how the two table1 at the ,mounte ,synaye ,were gyven to ,moyses1 and how soon to idolatry ,the people were prone1 and punysshed were therefore1 ,how ,datan and ,abyron1 for pryde were full youre4#hh ,then ,duke ,joshua leading the ,israelites3 the division of the promised land2 ,kyng ,saull and ,david1 and prudent ,solomon2 ,roboas succeeding2 ,the good ,kynge ,esechyas and his generacyon1 ,and so to the ,machabus1 and dyvers other nacyon4 ,all these ,theyr noble actes1 and tryumphes marcyall1 ,freshly were browdred in these clothes royall4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but over the hye desse1 in the pryncypall place1 ,where the sayd thre kynges sate crowned all1 ,the best hallynge#hi hanged1 as reason was1 ,whereon were wrought the nine orders angelicall ,dyvyded in thre ierarchyses1 not cessynge to call ,sanctus1 sanctus1 sanctus1 blessed be the ,trynite1 ,dominius ,deus ,sabaoth1 three persons in one deyte4 ,then followed in order our ,blessed ,lady1 the twelve ,apostles1 eche one in his figure1 the four ,evangelists wrought most curyously1 all the disciples ,prechynge and techynge1 unto every nacyon1 ,the faythtes#ij of holy chyrche1 for their salvacyon4 ,martyrs then followed1 right manifolde2 ,confessors fressely embrodred in ryche tyshewe and fyne4 ,saintly virgins were brothered#ia the clothes of gold within1 and the long array was closed on the other side of the hall by ,noble auncyent storyes1 and how the stronge ,sampson ,subdued his enemyes by his myghty power2 ,of ,hector of ,troye1 slayne by fals treason2 ,of noble ,arthur1 kynge of this regyon2 ,with many other mo1 which it is to longe ,playnly to expresse this tyme you amonge4 ,but the powers of the chief proportion of needlewomen1 and of many of the subsequent tapestry looms were devoted to giving permanence to those fables which1 as exhibited in the ,romances of ,chivalry1 formed the very life and delight of our ancestors in ------that happy season ,ere bright ,fancy bent to reason2 ,when the spirit of our stories1 ,filled the mind with unseen glories2 ,told of creatures of the air1 ,spirits1 fairies1 goblins rare1 ,guarding man with tenderest care4 ,these fables1 says ,warton1 were not only perpetually repeated at the festivals of our ancestors1 but were the constant objects of their eyes4 ,the very walls of their apartments were clothed with romantic history4 ,we have mentioned the history of ,alexander in ,tapestry as forming an important part of the peace offering of the king of ,france to ,bajazet1 and probably there were few princes who did not possess a suit of tapestry on this subject2 a most important one in romance1 and consequently a desired one for the loom4 ,there seems an innate propensity in the writers of the ,romance of ,chivalry to exaggerate1 almost to distortion1 the achievements of those whose heroic bearing needed no pomp of diction1 or wild flow of imagination to illustrate it4 ,thus ,charlemagne1 one of the best and greatest of men1 appears in romance like one whose thirst for slaughter it requires myriads of ,paynims to quench4 ,arthur1 on the contrary1 a very 7if history tell truth7 a very so-so sort of a man1 having not one tithe of the intellect or the magnanimity of him to whom we have just referred--,arthur is invested in romance with a halo of interest and of beauty which is perfectly fascinating2 and it seems almost impossible to divest oneself of these impressions and to look upon him only in the unattractive light in which history represents him4 ,a person not initiated in romance would suppose that the real actions of ,alexander--the subjugator of ,greece1 the conqueror of ,persia1 the captor of the great ,darius1 but the generous protector of his family--might sufficiently immortalize him4 ,by no means4 ,he cuts a considerable figure in many romances2 but in one1 appropriated more exclusively to his exploits1 he surpasses himself4 ,the world was conquered3--from north to south1 and from east to west his sovereignty was acknowledged2 so he forthwith flew up into the air to bring the aerial potentates to his feet4 ,but this experiment not answering1 he descended to the depths of the waters with much better success2 for immediately all their inhabitants1 from the whale to the herring1 the cannibal shark1 the voracious pike1 the majestic sturgeon1 the lordly salmon1 the rich turbot1 and the delicate trout1 with all their kith1 kin1 relations1 and allies1 the lobster1 the crab1 and the muscle1 ,the sounds and seas with all their finny drove crowd round him to do him homage3 the oyster lays her pearl at his feet1 and the coral boughs meekly wave in token of subjection4 ,doubtless in addition to the legitimate battles these exploits1 if not fully displayed1 were intimated by symbols in the ,tapestry4 ,the ,tale of ,troy was a very favourite subject for ,tapestry1 and was found in many noble mansions1 especially in ,france4 ,it has indeed been conjectured1 and on sufficient grounds1 that the whole ,iliad had been wrought in a consecutive series of hangings4 ,though during the early part of the middle ages ,homer himself was lost1 still the ,tale of ,troy divine was kept alive in two ,latin works1 which in #abfj formed the basis of a prose romance by a ,sicilian4 ,the great original himself however1 had become the companion not only of the studious and learned1 but also of the fair and fashionable1 while yet the ,flemish looms were in the zenith of their popularity4 ,this subject formed part of the decoration of ,holyrood ,house1 on the occasion of the marriage of ,henry the ,seventh's daughter to ,james1 ,king of ,scotland in #aejc4 ,we are told in an ancient record1 that the hanginge of the queene's gret chammer represented the ystory of ,troye toune1 that the king's grett chammer had one table1 wer was satt1 hys chamerlayne1 the grett sqyer1 and many others1 well served2 the which chammer was haunged about with the story of ,hercules1 together with other ystorys4 ,and at the same solemnity1 in the hall wher the qwene's company wer satt in lyke as in the other1 an wich was haunged of the history of ,hercules4 ,the tragic and fearful story of ,coucy's heart gave rise to an old metrical ,english ,romance1 called the ',knight of ,courtesy and the ,lady of ,faguel4' ,it was entirely represented in tapestry4 ,the incident1 a true one1 on which it was founded1 occurred about #aahj2 and was thus3-- ,some hundred and odd years since1 there was in ,france one ,captain ,coucy1 a gallant gentleman of an ancient extraction1 and keeper of ,coucy ,castle1 which is yet standing1 and in good repair4 ,he fell in love with a young gentlewoman1 and courted her for his wife4 ,there was a reciprocal love between them2 but her parents understanding of it1 by way of prevention1 they shuffled up a forced match 'twixt her and one ,monsieur ,faiell who was a great heir3 ,captain ,coucy hereupon quitted ,france in discontent1 and went to the wars in ,hungary against the ,turk2 where he received a mortal wound1 not far from ,bada4 ,being carried to his lodging1 he languished for some days2 but a little before his death he spoke to an ancient servant of his1 that he had many proofs of his fidelity and truth2 but now he had a great business to intrust him with1 which he conjured him by all means to do1 which was1 ,that after his death1 he should get his body to be opened and then to take his heart out of his breast1 and put in an earthen pot1 to be baked to powder2 and then to put the powder in a handsome box1 with that bracelet of hair he had worn long about on his left wrist1 which was a lock of ,mademoiselle ,faiell's hair1 and put it among the powder1 together with a little note he had written with his own blood to her2 and after he had given him the rites of burial1 to make all the speed he could to ,france1 and deliver the box to ,mademoiselle ,faiell4 ,the old servant did as his master had commanded him1 and so went to ,france2 and coming one day to ,monsieur ,faiell's house1 he suddenly met with him1 who examined him because he knew he was ,captain ,coucy's servant1 and finding him timorous and faltering in his speech1 he searched him1 and found the said box in his pocket with the note1 which expressed what was therein4 ,he dismissed the bearer with menaces1 that he should come no more near his house3 ,monsieur ,faiell going in1 sent for his cook1 and delivered him the powder1 charging him to make a little well-relished dish of it1 without losing a jot of it1 for it was a very costly thing2 and commanded him to bring it in himself1 after the last course at supper4 ,the cook bringing in the dish accordingly1 ,monsieur ,faiell commanded all to void the room1 and began a serious discourse with his wife3 ,however since he had married her1 he observed she was always melancholy1 and he feared she was inclining to a consumption2 therefore he had provided for her a very precious cordial1 which he was well assured would cure her4 ,thereupon he made her eat up the whole dish2 and afterwards much importuning him to know what it was1 he told her at last1 she had eaten ,coucy's heart1 and so drew the box out of his pocket1 and showed her the note and bracelet4 ,in a sudden exultation of joy1 she with a far-fetched sigh said1 ',this is precious indeed1' and so licked the dish1 saying1 ',it is so precious1 that 'tis pity to put ever any meat upon 't4' ,so she went to bed1 and in the morning she was found stone dead4#ib ,but a more national1 a more inspiriting1 and a more agreeable theme for the alert finger or the busy loom is found in the life and adventures of that prince of combatants1 that hero of all heroes1 ,guy ,earl of ,warwick4 ,help me1 shades of renowned slaughterers1 whilst ,i record his achievements6 ,bear witness to his deed1 ye grisly phantoms1 ye bloody ghosts of infidel ,paynims1 whom his ,christian sword mowed down1 even as corn falls beneath the the reaper's sickle1 till the redoubtable champion strode breast deep in bodies over fifteen acres covered with slaughtered foes6#ic ,and all this from ,christian zeal6 ,in faith of ,christ a ,christian true ,the wicked laws of infidels1 ,he sought by power to subdue4 ,so passed he the seas of ,greece1 ,to help the ,emperour to his right1 ,against the mighty ,soldan's host ,of puissant ,persians for to fight3 ,where he did slay of ,sarazens ,and heathen ,pagans many a man1 ,and slew the ,soldan's cousin dear1 ,who had to name1 ,doughty ,colbron4 ,ezkeldered that famous knight1 ,to death likewise he did pursue1 ,and ,almain1 king of ,tyre also1 ,most terrible too in fight to view3 ,he went into the ,soldan's host1 ,being thither on ambassage sent1 ,and brought away his head with him1 ,he having slain him in his tent4 ,or passing by his ,feats of arms ,in strange and sundry heathen lands1 note his beneficent progress at home-- ,in ,windsor forest he did slay ,a boar of passing might and strength2 ,the like in ,england never was1 ,for hugeness both in breadth and length4 ,some of his bones in ,warwick yet1 ,within the castle there do lye2 ,one of his shield bones to this day ,hangs in the city of ,coventry4 ,on ,dunsmore heath he also slew ,a monstrous wild and cruel beast1 ,call'd the dun cow of ,dunsmore heath1 ,which many people had opprest2 ,some of her bones in ,warwick yet ,still for a monument doth lie1 ,which unto every looker's view1 ,as wondrous strange they may espy4 ,and the dragon in the land1 ,he also did in flight destroy1 ,which did both men and beasts oppress1 ,and all the country sore annoy3 ,or look we at him all doughty as he was1 as the pilgrim of love1 as subdued by the influence of the tender passion1 a suppliant to the gentle ,phillis1 and ready to compass the earth to fulfil her wishes1 and to prove his devotion3 ,was ever knight for lady's sake ,so tost in love1 as ,i1 ,sir ,guy2 ,for ,phillis fair1 that ,lady bright1 ,as ever man beheld with eye2 ,she gave me leave myself to try ,the valiant knight with shield and spear1 ,ere that her love she would grant me1 ,who made me venture far and near4 ,or1 afterwards view him as-- ,all clad in grey in ,pilgrim sort1 ,his voyage from her he did take1 ,unto that blessed1 holy land1 ,for ,jesus ,christ1 his ,saviour's sake4 ,lastly1 recal we the time when the fierce and ruthless ,danes were ravaging our land1 and there was scarce a town or castle as far as ,winchester1 which they had not plundered or burnt1 and a proposal was made1 and per force acceded to by the ,english king to decide the struggle by single combat4 ,but the odds were great3 ,colbrand the ,danish champion1 was a giant1 and ere he came to a combat he provided himself with a cart-load of ,danish axes1 great clubs with knobs of iron1 squared barrs of steel lances and iron hooks wherewith to pull his adversary to him4 ,on the other hand the ,english--and sleepless and unhappy1 the king ,athelstan pondered the circumstance as he lay on his couch1 on ,st4 ,john ,baptist's night--had no champion forthcoming1 even though the county of ,hants had been promised as a reward to the victor4 ,roland1 the most valiant knight of a thousand1 was dead2 ,heraud1 the pride of the nation1 was abroad2 and the great and valiant ,guy1 ,earl of ,warwick1 was gone on a pilgrimage4 ,the monarch was perplexed and sorrowful2 but an angel appeared to him and comforted him4 ,in conformity with the injunctions of this gracious messenger1 the king1 attended by the ,archbishop of ,canterbury and the ,bishop of ,chichester1 placed himself at the north gate of the city 7,winchester7 at the hour of prime4 ,divers poor people and pilgrims entered thereat1 and among the rest appeared a man of noble visage and stalwart frame1 but wan withal1 pale with abstinence1 and macerated by reason of journeying barefoot4 ,his beard was venerably long and he rested on a staff2 he wore a pilgrim's garb1 and on his bare and venerable head was strung a chaplet of white roses4 ,bending low1 he passed the gate1 but the king warned by the vision1 hastened to him1 and entreated him by his love for ,jesus ,christ1 by the devotion of his pilgrimage1 and for the preservation of all ,england1 to do battle with the giant4 ,the ,palmer thus conjured1 underwent the combat1 and was victorious4 ,after a solemn procession to the ,cathedral1 and thanksgiving therein1 when he offered his weapon to ,god and the patron of the ,church1 before the ,high ,altar1 the pilgrim withdrew1 having revealed himself to none but the king1 and that under a solemn pledge of secrecy4 ,he bent his course towards ,warwick1 and unknown in his disguise1 took alms at the hands of his own lady--for1 reader1 this meek and holy pilgrim1 was none other than the wholesale slayer1 whose deeds we have been contemplating--and then retired to a solitary place hard by-- ,where with his hand he hew'd a house1 ,out of a craggy rock of stone2 ,and lived like a palmer poor1 ,within that cave himself alone4 ,nor was this at all an unusual conclusion to a life of butchery2 all the heroes of romance turned hermits2 and as they all1 at least all of ,arthur's ,round ,table1 were gifted with a very striking development of the organ of combativeness1 their profound piety at the end of their career might not improbably give rise to a very common adage of these days regarding sinners and saints4 ,but here was a theme for ,tapestry-workers6 a real original1 genuine ,english romance2 for though the only pieces now extant be1 or may be1 translated from the ,french1 still there are many concurring circumstances to prove that the original1 often quoted by ,chaucer1 was an ancient metrical ,english one4 ,that it is difficult to find who ,sir ,guy was1 or in fact1 to prove that there ever was a ,sir ,guy at all1 is nothing to the purpose2 leave we that to antiquarians1 and their musty folios4 ,guy of ,warwick was well known from west to east1 even as far as ,jerusalem1 where1 in ,henry the ,fourth's time1 ,lord ,beauchamp was kindly received by those in high stations1 because he was descended from ,a shadowy ancestor1 so renowned as ,guy4 ,one tapestry on this attractive subject which was in ,warwick ,castle1 before the year #acih1 was so distinguished and valued a piece of furniture1 that a special grant was made of it by ,king ,richard ,,ii4 conveying that suit of arras hangings in ,warwick ,castle1 which contained the story of ,guy ,earl of ,warwick1 together with the ,castle of ,warwick and other possessions1 to ,thomas ,holland1 ,earl of ,kent4 ,and in the restoration of forfeited property to this lord after his imprisonment1 these hangings are particularly specified in the patent of ,king ,henry ,,iv41 dated #acii4 ,and the ,castle wherein the tapestry was hung was worthy of the heroes it had sheltered4 ,the first building on the site was supposed to be coeval with our ,saviour1 and was called ,caer-leon2 almost overthrown by the ,picts and ,scots1 it lay in ruins till ,caractacus built himself a manor-house1 and founded a church to the honour of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,here was afterwards a ,roman fort1 and here again was a ,pictish devastation4 ,a cousin of ,king ,arthur rebuilt it1 and then lived in it--,arthgal1 first ,earl of ,warwick1 a ,knight of the ,round ,table2 this ,british title was equivalent to ,ursus in ,latin1 whence ,arthgal took the ,bear for his ensign3 and a successor of his1 a worthy progenitor of our valiant ,sir ,guy1 slew a mighty giant in a duel2 and because this giant's delicate weapon was a tree pulled up by the roots1 the boughs being snagged from it1 the ,earls of ,warwick1 successors of the victor1 bore a ragged staff of silver in a sable shield for their cognisance4 ,we are told that1-- ,when ,arthur first in court began1 ,and was approved king1 ,by force of arms great victoryes wanne1 ,and conquest home did bring4 ,then into ,england straight he came ,with fifty good and able ,knights1 that resorted unto him1 ,and were of his round table4 ,of these the most renowned were ,syr ,perceval1 ,syr ,tristan1 ,syr ,launcelot du ,lac1 ,syr ,ywain1 ,syr ,gawain1 ,syr ,galaas1 ,syr ,meliadus of ,leonnoys1 ,sir ,ysaie1 ,syr ,gyron1 c4 c41 and their various and wondrous achievements were woven into a series of tales which are known as the ,romances of the ,round ,table4 ,of course the main subject of each tale is interrupted by ten thousand varied episodes1 in which very often the original object seems entirely lost sight of4 ,then the construction of many of these ,romances1 or rather their want of construction1 is marvellous2 their genealogies are interminable1 and their geography miraculous4 ,one of the most marvellous and scarce of these ,romances1 and one1 the principal passages of which were frequently wrought into ,tapestry1 was the ,roman du ,saint ,greal1 which is founded upon an incident1 to say the least very peculiar1 but which was perhaps once considered true as ,holy ,writ4 ,st4 ,joseph of ,arimathoea1 a very important personage in many romances1 having obtained the hanap1 or cup from which our ,saviour administered the wine to his disciples1 caught in the same cup the blood which flowed from his wounds when on the ,cross4 ,after he had first achieved various adventures1 and undergone an imprisonment of forty-two years1 ,st4 ,joseph arrives in ,england with the sacred cup1 by means of which numerous miracles are performed2 he prepares the ,round ,table1 and ,arthur and his ,knights all go in quest of the hanap1 which by some1 to us unaccountable1 circumstance1 had fallen into the hands of a sinner4 ,all make the most solemn vow to devote their lives to its recovery2 and this they must indeed have done1 and not short lives either1 if all recorded of them be true4 ,none1 however1 but two1 ever see the sacred symbol2 though oftentimes a soft ray of light would stream across the lonesome wild1 or the dark pathless forest1 or unearthly strains would float on the air1 or odours as of ,paradise would entrance the senses1 while the wandering and woeworn knight would feel all fatigue1 all sense of personal inconvenience1 of pain1 of sickness1 or of sorrow1 vanish on the instant2 and then would he renew his vows1 and betake himself to prayer2 for though all unworthy to see the ,holy ,grayle1 he would feel that it had been borne on viewless pinions through the air for his individual consolation and hope4 ,and ,syr ,galahad and ,syr ,perceval1 the two chaste and favoured knights who1 after the dedely flesshe had beheld the spiritual things1 the holy ,st4 ,grael--never returned to converse with the world4 ,the first departed to ,god1 and flights of angels sang him to his rest2 the other took religious clothing and retired to a hermitage1 where1 after living a full holy life for a yere and two moneths1 he passed out of this world4 ,but wide as is the range of the ,romances of the ,round ,table1 they form but a portion of those which solaced our ancestors4 ,charlemagne and his ,paladins were1 so to speak1 the solar system round which another circle revolved2 ,alexander furnished the radiating star for another1 derived chiefly perhaps from the ,east1 where numbers of fictitious tales were prevalent about him2 and many ,romances were likewise woven around the mangled remains of classic heroes4 ,the mightiest chiefs of ,british song ,scorn'd not such legends to prolong2 ,they gleam through ,spenser's elfic dream1 ,and mix in ,milton's heavenly theme2 ,and ,dryden in immortal strain1 ,had raised the ',table ,round' again4 ,the ,stories of the ,tapestry in the ,royal ,palaces of ,henry ,,viii4 are preserved in the ,british ,museum4#id ,these are some of them re-copied from ,warton3-- ,in the tapestry of the ,tower of ,london1 the original and most ancient seat of our monarchs1 there are recited1 ,godfrey of ,bulloign2 the ,three ,kings of ,cologne2 the ,emperor ,constantine2 ,st4 ,george2 ,king of ,erkenwald2 the ,history of ,hercules2 ,fame and ,honour2 the ,triumph of ,divinity2 ,esther and ,ahasueras2 ,jupiter and ,juno2 ,st4 ,george2 the ,eight ,kings2 the ,ten ,kings of ,france2 the ,birth of our ,lord2 ,duke ,joshua2 the ,riche ,history of ,king ,david2 the ,seven ,deadly ,sins2 the ,riche ,history of the ,passion2 the ,stem of ,jesse2 ,our ,lady and ,son2 ,king ,solomon2 the ,woman of ,canony2 ,meleager2 and the ,dance of ,maccabee4 ,at ,durham ,place were the ,citie of ,ladies 7a ,french allegorical ,romance72 the ,tapestrie of ,thebes and of ,troy2 the ,city of ,peace2 the ,prodigal ,son2 ,esther1 and other pieces of ,scripture4 ,at ,windsor ,castle the ,siege of ,jerusalem2 ,ahasueras2 ,charlemagne2 the ,siege of ,troy2 and ,hawking and ,hunting4 ,at ,nottingham ,castle1 ,amys and ,amelion4 ,at ,woodstock ,manor1 the tapestrie of ,charlemagne4 ,at the ,more1 a palace in ,hertfordshire1 ,king ,arthur1 ,hercules1 ,astyages1 and ,cyrus4 ,at ,richmond1 the arras of ,sir ,bevis1 and ,virtue and ,vice fighting4 ,among the rest we have also ,hannibal1 ,holofernes1 ,romulus and ,remus1 neas1 and ,susannah4 ,many of these subjects were repeated at ,westminster1 ,greenwich1 ,oatlands1 ,bedington in ,surrey1 and other royal seats1 some of which are now unknown as such4 ,,footnotes3 #hd ,warton4 #he ,arras1 a very common anachronism4 ,after the production of the arras tapestries1 arras became the common name for all tapestries3 even for those which were wrought before the looms of ,arras were in existence4 #hf ,moynes--nun4 ,lady ,werburg #hg ,spyre--twig1 branch4 #hh ,youre--burnt4 #hi ,hallynge--,tapestry4 #ij ,faythtes--feats1 facts4 #ia ,brothered--embroidered4 #ib ,epistol ,ho-,elian4 #ic ,fifteen acres were covered with the bodies of slaughtered ,saracens2 and so furious were the strokes of ,sir ,guy1 that the pile of dead men1 wherever his sword had reached1 rose as high as his breast4--,ellis1 vol4 ii4 #id ,harl4 ,,mss4 #adai4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,needlework ,,in ,,costume4--,,part ,i4 ,what neede these velvets1 silkes1 or lawne1 ,embrodery1 feathers1 fringe and lace4 ,bp4 ,hall4 ,time was1 when clothing sumptuous or for use1 ,save their own painted skins1 our ,sires had none4 ,as yet black breeches were not4 ,cowper4 ,manifold indeed were the varieties in mode and material before that beau ideal of all that is graceful and becoming--the black breeches--were invented4 ,for though in many parts of the globe costume is uniform1 and the vest and the turban of a thousand years ago are of much the same make as now1 this is not the case in the more polished parts of ,europe1 where that turncoat whirligig maniac1 yclept ,fashion1 is the pole-star and beacon of the multitude of men1 from him who has the last new cut from ,stultz1 to him who is magnificent and happy in the reg'lar bang-up-go from the eastern parts of the metropolis4 ,it would seem that ,england is peculiarly celebrated for her devotion at ,fashion's shrine2 for we are told that an ,englishman1 endevoring sometime to write of our attire1 made sundrie platformes for his purpose1 supposing by some of them to find out one stedfast ground whereon to build the summe of his discourse4 ,but in the end 7like an orator long without exercise7 when he saw what a difficult peece of worke he had taken in hand1 he gave over his travell1 and onely drue the picture of a naked man1 unto whome he gave a paire of sheares in the one hand1 and a piece of cloth in the other1 to the end he should shape his apparell after such fashion as himselfe liked1 sith he could find no kind of garment that could please him anie while together1 and this he called an ,englishman4 ,certes this writer shewed himself herein not to be altogether void of iudgement1 sith the phantasticall follie of our nation1 even from the courtier to the carter1 is such1 that no forme of apparell liketh vs longer than the first garment is in the wearing1 if it continue so long and be not laid aside1 to receive some other trinket newlie devised4 ,and as these fashions are diverse1 so likewise it is a world to see the costlinesse and the curiositie2 the excesse and the vanitie2 the pompe and the brauerie2 the change and the varietie2 and1 finallie1 the ficklenesse and the follie that is in all degrees2 insomuch that nothing is more constant in ,england than inconstancie of attire4 ,in women1 also1 it in most to be lamented1 that they doo now far exceed the lightnesse of our men 7who nevertheless are transformed from the cap even to the verie shoo7 and such staring attire as in time past was supposed meet for none but light housewives onlie1 is now become a habit for chast and sober matrons4 ,thus it is now come to passe1 that women are become men1 and men transformed into monsters4 ,this ever-revolving wheel is still turning2 and so all-important now is ,,the ,,mode that one half of the world is fully occupied in providing for the personal embellishment of the other half and themselves2 and could we contemplate the possibility of a return to the primitive simplicity of our ancient sires1 we must look in the same picture on one half of the world as useless--as a drug on the face of creation4 ,why1 what a desert would it be were all dyers1 fullers1 cleaners1 spinners1 weavers1 printers1 mercers and milliners1 haberdashers and modistes1 silk-men and manufacturers1 cotton-lords and fustian-men1 tailors and habit makers1 mantuamakers and corset professors1 exploded8 ,we pass over pin and needle makers1 comb and brush manufacturers1 jewellers1 c4 ,the ladies would have nothing to live for2 7for on grave authority it has been said1 that woman is an animal that delights in the toilette27 the gentlemen nothing to solace them4 ,the toilette is the very zest of life with both2 and if ladies are more successful in the results of their devoirs to it1 it is because nous sommes faites pour embellir le monde1 and not because gentlemen practice its duties with less zeal1 devotion1 or assiduity--as many a valet can testify when contemplating his modish patron's daily heap of failures4 ,indeed to put out of view the more obvious1 weighty1 and important cares attached to the due selection and arrangement of coats1 waistcoats1 and indispensables1 the science of ,cravatiana alone is one which makes heavy claims on the time1 talents1 and energies of the thorough-going gentleman of fashion4 ,he should be thoroughly versed in all its varieties--,the ,royal ,george3 ,the ,plain ,bow3 ,the ,military3 ,the ,ball ,room3 ,the ,corsican3 ,the ,hibernian ,tie3 ,the ,eastern ,tie3 ,the ,hunting ,tie3 ,the ,yankee ,tie3 7the alone original one7--,the ,osbaldiston ,tie3 ,the ,mail ,coach ,tie3 ,the ,indian ,tie1 c4 c4 c4 ,though of these and their numberless offshoots1 the ,yankee ,tie lays most claim to originality1 the ,ball ,room one is considered the most exquisite1 and requires the greatest practice4 ,it is thus described by a talented professor3-- ,the cloth1 of virgin white1 well starched and folded to the proper depth1 should be made to sit easy and graceful on the neck1 neither too tight nor loose2 but with a gentle pressure1 curving inwards from the further extension of the chin1 down the throat to the centre dent in the middle of the neck4 ,this should be the point for a slight dent1 extending from under each ear1 between which1 more immediately under the chin1 there should be another slight horizontal dent just above the former one4 ,it has no tie2 the ends1 crossing each other in broad folds in front1 are secured to the braces1 or behind the back1 by means of a piece of white tape4 ,a brilliant broach or pin is generally made use of to secure more effectually the crossing1 as well as to give an additional effect to the neckcloth4 ,what a world of wit and invention--what a fund of fancy and taste--what a mine of zeal and ability would be lost to the world1 if those troublesome disguises which we wear were reduced to their old simplicity of form and material6 ,industry and talent would be at discount1 for want of materials whereon to display themselves2 and money would be such a drug1 that politicians would declaim on the miseries of being without a national debt4 ,commerce1 in many of its most important branches1 would be exploded2 the manufacturing districts would be annihilated2 the agricultural interest would1 consequently and necessarily1 be at a very low ebb2 and the ,new ,world1 the magnificent and imperial empress 7that is to be7 of the whole earth1 might sink again to the embraces of those minute and wonderful artificers from whom1 ,i suppose1 she at first proceeded--the coral insects2 for who would want cotton6 ,no1 no4 ,selfish preferences1 individual wishes1 must merge in the general good of the human race2 and however their own painted skins might suffice our sires1 clothing1 sumptuous1 as well as for use1 must decorate ourselves4 ,to whom1 then1 are the fullers1 the dyers1 the cleaners--to whom are the spinners and weavers1 and printers and mercers1 and milliners and haberdashers1 and modistes1 and silk-men and manufacturers1 cotton lords and fustian men1 mantuamakers and corset professors1 indebted for that nameless grace1 that exquisite finish and appropriateness1 which gives to all their productions their charm and their utility8--,to the ,,needlewoman1 assuredly4 ,for though the raw materials have been grown at ,sea ,island and shipped at ,new ,york1--have been consigned to the ,liverpool broker and sold to the ,manchester merchant1 and turned over to the manufacturer1 and spun and woven1 and bleached and printed1 and placed in the custody of the warehouseman1 or on the shelf of the shopkeeper--of what good would it be that we had a fifty-yard length of calico to shade our oppressed limbs on a dog-day1 if we had not the means also to render that material agreeably available8 ,yet not content with merely rendering it available1 this beneficent fairy1 the needlewoman1 casts1 as if by the spell of enchantment1 that ineffable grace over beauty which the choice and arrangement of dress is calculated to bestow4 ,for the love of becoming ornament--we quote no less an authority than the historian of the ',state of ,europe in the ,middle ,ages1'--is not1 perhaps1 to be regarded in the light of vanity2 it is rather an instinct which woman has received from ,nature to give effect to those charms which are her defence4 ,and if it be necessary to woman with her charms1 is it not tenfold necessary to those who--,heaven help them6--have few charms whereof to boast8 ,for1 as ,harrison says1 it is now come to passe that men are transformed into monsters4 ,better be out of the world than out of the fashion1 is a proverb which1 from the universal assent which has in all ages been given to it1 has now the force of an axiom4 ,it was this self evident proposition which emboldened the beau of the fourteenth century1 in spite of the prohibitions of popes and senators1--in spite of the more touching personal inconvenience1 and even risk and danger1 attendant thereupon--to persist in wearing shoes of so preposterous a length1 that the toes were obliged to be fastened with chains to the girdle ere the happy votary of fashion could walk across his own parlour6 ,happy was the favourite of ,croesus1 who could display chain upon chain of massy gold wreathed and intertwined from the waistband to the shoe1 until he seemed almost weighed down by the burthen of his own wealth4 ,wrought silver did excellently well for those who could not produce gold2 and for those who possessed not either precious metal1 and who yet felt they might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion1 latteen chains1 silken cords1 aye1 and cords of even less costly description1 were pressed into service to tie up the crackowes1 or piked shoes4 ,for in that day1 as in this1 the squire endeavours to outshine the knight1 the knight the baron1 the baron the earl1 the earl the king1 in dress4 ,to complete the outrageous absurdity of these shoes1 the upper parts of them were cut in imitation of a church-window1 to which fashion ,chaucer refers when describing the dress of ,absalom1 the ,parish ,clerk4 ,he-- ,had ,paul 'is windowes corven on his shose4 ,despite the decrees of councils1 the bulls of the ,pope1 and the declamations of the ,clergy1 this ridiculous fashion was in vogue near three centuries4 ,and the party-coloured hose1 which were worn about the same time1 were a fitting accompaniment for the crackowes4 ,we feel some difficulty in realising the idea that gentlemen1 only some half century ago1 really dressed in the gay and showy habiliments which are now indicative only of a footman2 but it is more difficult to believe1 what was nevertheless the fact1 that the most absurd costume in which the fool by profession can now be decked on the stage1 can hardly compete in absurdity with the outr costume of a beau or a belle of the fourteenth century4 ,the shoes we have referred to3 the garments1 male or female1 were divided in the middle down the whole length of the person1 and one half of the body was clothed in one colour1 the other half in the most opposite one that could be selected4 ,the men's garments fitted close to the shape2 and while one leg and thigh rejoiced in flaming yellow or sky-blue1 the other blushed in deep crimson4 ,john of ,gaunt is portrayed in a habit1 one half white1 the other a dark blue2 and ,mr4 ,strutt has an engraving of a group assembled on a memorable occasion1 where one of the figures has a boot on one leg and a shoe on the other4 ,the ,dauphiness of ,auvergne1 wife to ,louis the ,good1 ,duke of ,bourbon1 born #acfj1 is painted in a garb of which one half all the way down is blue1 powdered with gold fleurs-de-lys1 and the other half to the waist is gold1 with a blue fish or dolphin 7a cognizance1 doubtless7 on it1 and from the waist to the feet is crimson1 with white fishy ornaments2 one sleeve is blue and gold1 the other crimson and gold4 ,in addition to these absurd garments1 the women dressed their heads so high that they were obliged to wear a sort of curved horn on each side1 in order to support the enormous superstructure of feathers and furbelows4 ,and these are what are meant by the horned head-dresses so often referred to in old authors4 ,it is said that1 when ,isabel of ,bavaria kept her court at ,vincennes1 ,a4,d4 #adaf1 it was necessary to make all the doors of the palace both higher and wider1 to admit the head-dresses of the queen and her ladies1 which were all of this horned kind4 ,this high bonnet had been worn1 under various modifications1 ever since the fashion was brought from the ,east in the time of the ,crusades4 ,some were of a sugar-loaf form1 three feet in height2 and some cylindrical1 but still very high4 ,the ,french modistes of that day called this formidable head-gear bonnet la ,syrienne4 ,but our author says1 if female vanity be violently restrained in one point1 it is sure to break out in another2 and ,romish anathemas having abolished curls from shading fair brows1 so much the more attention was paid to head-gear1 that the bonnets and caps increased every year most awfully in height and size1 and were made in the form of crescents1 pyramids1 and horns of such tremendous dimensions1 that the old chronicler ,juvenal des ,ursins makes this pathetic lamentation in his ,history of ,charles ,,vi43-- ,et avoient les dames et damoyselles de chacun cost1 deux grandes oreilles si larges1 que quand elles vouloient passer par l'huis d'une chambre il fallait qu'elles se tournassent de cost et baisassent1 ou elles n'eussent pu passer3 that is1 on every side old ladies and young ladies were seen with such high and monstrous ears 7or horns71 that when they wanted to enter a room they were obliged perforce to stoop and crouch sideways1 or they could not pass4 ,at last a regular attack was made on the high head-gear of the fifteenth century by a popular monk1 in his sermons at ,ntre ,dame1 in which he so pathetically lamented the sinfulness and enormities of such a fashion1 that the ladies1 to show their contrition1 made auto da fs of their ,syrian bonnets in the public squares and market-places2 and as the ,church fulminated against them all over ,europe1 the example of ,paris was universally followed4 ,many attempts had previously been made by zealous preachers to effect this alteration4 ,in the previous century a ,carmelite in the province of ,bretagne preached against this fashion1 without the power to annihilate it3 all that the ladies did was to change the particular shape of the huge coiffures after every sermon4 ,no sooner1 says the chronicler1 had he departed from one district1 than the dames and damoyselles1 who1 like frightened snails1 had drawn in their horns1 shot them out again longer than ever2 for nowhere were the hennins 7so called1 abbreviated from gehinnin1 incommodious17 larger1 more pompous or proud1 than in the cities through which the ,carmelite had passed4 ,all the world was totally reversed and disordered by these fashions1 and above all things by the strange accoutrements on the heads of the ladies4 ,it was a portentous time1 for some carried huge towers on their foreheads an ell high2 others still higher caps1 with sharp points1 like staples1 from the top of which streamed long crapes1 fringed with gold1 like banners4 ,alas1 alas6 ladies1 dames1 and demoiselles were of importance in those days6 ,when do we hear1 in the present times1 of ,church and ,state interfering to regulate the patterns of their bonnets8#ie ,it is no wonder that fashions so very extreme and absurd should call forth animadversion from various quarters4 ,thus wrote ,petrarch in #acff3-- ,who can see with patience the monstrous1 fantastical inventions which the people of our times have invented to deform1 rather than adorn1 their persons8 ,who can behold without indignation their long pointed shoes2 their caps with feathers2 their hair twisted and hanging down like tails2 the foreheads of young men1 as well as women1 formed into a kind of furrows with ivory-headed pins2 their bellies so cruelly squeezed with cords1 that they suffer as much pain from vanity as the martyrs suffered for religion8 ,our ancestors would not have believed1 and ,i know not if posterity will believe1 that it was possible for the wit of this vain generation of ours to invent so many base1 barbarous1 horrid1 ridiculous fashions 7besides those already mentioned7 to disfigure and disgrace itself1 as we have the mortification to see every day4 ,and thus ,chaucer1 a few years later3-- ,alass6 may not a man see as in our daies the sinnefull costlew array of clothing1 and namely in too much superfluite1 or else in too disordinate scantinese3 as to the first1 not only the cost of embraudering1 the disguysed indenting1 or barring1 ounding1 playting1 wynding1 or bending1 and semblable waste of clothe in vanitie4 ,the common people also were besotted in excesse of apparell1 in wide surcoats reaching to their loines1 some in a garment reaching to their heels1 close before and strowting out on the sides1 so that on the back they make men seem women1 and this they called by a ridiculous name1 gowne1 c4 c4 ,before this time the legislature had interfered1 though with little success3 they passed laws at ,westminster1 which were said to be made to prevent that destruction and poverty with which the whole kingdom was threatened1 by the outrageous1 excessive expenses of many persons in their apparel1 above their ranks and fortunes4 ,sumptuary edicts1 however1 are of little avail1 if not supported in influential quarters4 ,king ,richard ,,ii4 affected the utmost splendour of attire1 and he had one coat alone which was valued at #cj1jjj marks3 it was richly embroidered and inwrought with gold and precious stones4 ,it is not in human nature1 at least in human nature of the more honourable gender1 to be outdone1 even by a king4 ,gorgeous and glittering was the raiment adopted by the satellites of the court1 and1 heedless of that destruction and poverty with which the whole kingdom was threatened1 they revelled in magnificence4 ,of one alone1 ,sir ,john ,arundel1 it is recorded1 that he had at one time fifty-two suits of cloth of gold tissue4 ,at this time1 says the old ,chronicle1 ,cut werke was great bothe in court and tounes1 ,bothe in mens hoddes1 and also in their gounes1 ,brouder and furres1 and gold smith werke ay newe1 ,in many a wyse1 eche day they did renewe4 ,unaccountable as it may seem1 this rage of expense and show in apparel reached even the 7then7 poverty-stricken sister country ,scotland2 and in #adeg laws were enacted to suppress it4 ,it is told of ,william ,rufus1 that one morning while putting on his new boots he asked his chamberlain what they cost2 and when he replied three shillings1 indignantly and in a rage he cried out1 you--how long has the king worn boots of so paltry a price8 ,go1 and bring me a pair worth a mark of silver4 ,he went1 and bringing him a much cheaper pair1 told him falsely that they cost as much as he had ordered3 ,ay1 said the king1 these are suitable to royal majesty4 ,this is merely a specimen of the monarch's shallow-headed extravagance2 but the costume of his time and that immediately preceding it was infinitely superior in grace and dignity to that of the fantastical period we have been describing4 ,the ,english at this period were admired by all other nations1 and especially by the ,french1 from whom in subsequent periods we have copied so servilely1 for the richness and elegance of their attire4 ,with a tunic simply confined at the waist1 over this1 when occasion required1 a full and flowing mantle1 with a veil confined to the back of the head with a golden circlet1 her dark hair simply braided over her beautiful and intelligent brow and waving on her fair throat1 the wife of the ,conqueror looked every inch a queen1 and what was more1 she looked a modest1 a dignified1 and a beautiful woman4 ,the male attire was of the same flowing and majestic description3 and the brutal ,anglo-,saxons and the barbarous ,normans had more delicacy than to display every division of limb or muscle which nature formed1 and more taste than to invent divisions where1 ,heaven knows1 nature never meant them to be4 ,the simple coiffure required little care and attendance1 but if a fastening did happen to give way1 the ,anglo-,norman lady could raise her hand to fasten it if she chose4 ,the arm was not pinioned by the fiat of a modiste4 ,and the material of a dress of those days was as rich as the mode was elegant4 ,silk indeed was not common2 the first that was seen in the country was in #ghj1 when ,charlemagne sent ,offa1 ,king of ,mercia1 a belt and two vests of that beautiful material2 but from the particular record made of silk mantles worn by two ladies at a ball at ,kenilworth in #abhf1 we may fairly infer that till this period silk was not often used but as ------a robe pontifical1 ,ne'er seen but wonder'd at4 ,occasionally indeed it was used1 but only by persons of the highest rank and wealth4 ,but the woollens were of beautiful texture1 and ,britain was early famous in the art of producing the richest dyes4 ,the ,welsh are still remarkable for extracting beautiful tints from the commonest plants1 such most probably as were used by the ,britons anciently2 and it is worthy of note that the ,south ,sea cloths1 manufactured from the inner bark of trees1 have the same stripes and chequers1 and indeed the identical patterns of the ,welsh1 and1 as supposed1 of the ancient ,britons4 ,linen was fine and beautiful2 and if it had not been so1 the rich and varied embroidery with which it was decorated would have set off a coarser material4 ,furs of all sorts were in great request1 and a mantle of regal hue1 lined throughout with vair or sable1 and decorated with bands of gold lace and flowers of the richest embroidery1 interspersed with pearls1 clasped on the shoulder with the most precious gems1 and looped1 if requisite1 with golden tassels1 was a garment at which a nobleman1 even of these days1 need not look askance4 ,robert ,bloet1 second bishop of ,lincoln1 made a present to ,henry ,i4 of a cloak of exquisitely fine cloth1 lined with black sables with white spots1 which cost a sum equivalent to #aejj of our money4 ,the robes of females of rank were always bordered with a belt of rich needlework2 their embroidered girdles were inlaid1 or rather inwrought1 with gold1 pearls1 and precious stones1 and from them was usually suspended a large purse or pouch1 on which the skill of the most accomplished needlewomen was usually expended4 ,this rich and becoming mode of dress was gradually innovated upon until caprice reigned paramount over the national wardrobe4 ,for fashion is essentially caprice2 and fashion in dress the caprice of milliners and tailors1 with whom recherche and exaggeration supply the place of education and principle4 ,that this modern definition applied as accurately to former times as these1 an instance may suffice to show4 ,richard ,i4 had a cloak made1 at enormous cost1 with precious and shining metals inlaid in imitation of the heavenly bodies2 and ,henry ,v4 wore1 on a very memorable occasion1 when ,prince of ,wales1 a mantle or gown of rich blue satin1 full of small eyelet-holes1 as thickly as they could be put1 and a needle hanging by a silk thread from every hole4 ,the following incident1 quoted from ,miss ,strickland's ,life of ,berengaria1 will show the esteem in which a rich1 and especially a furred garment was held4 ,richard ,i4 quarrelled with the virtuous ,st4 ,hugh1 bishop of ,lincoln1 on the old ground of exacting a simoniacal tribute on the installation of the prelate into his see4 ,willing to evade the direct charge of selling the see1 ,king ,richard intimated that a present of a fur mantle worth a thousand marks might be a composition4 ,st4 ,hugh said he was no judge of such gauds1 and therefore sent the king a thousand marks1 declaring1 if he would devour the revenue devoted to the poor1 he must have his wilful way4 ,but as soon as ,richard had pocketed the money he sent for the fur mantle4 ,st4 ,hugh set out for ,normandy to remonstrate with the king on this double extortion4 ,his friends anticipated that he would be killed2 but ,st4 ,hugh said1 ,i fear him not1 and boldly entered the chapel where ,richard was at mass1 when the following scene took place3-- ,give me the embrace of peace1 my son1 said ,st4 ,hugh4 ,that you have not deserved1 replied the king4 ,indeed ,i have1 said ,st4 ,hugh1 for ,i have made a long journey on purpose to see my son4 ,so saying1 he took hold of the king's sleeve and drew him on one side4 ,richard smiled and embraced the old man4 ,they withdrew to the recess behind the altar and sate down4 ,in what state is your conscience8 asked the bishop4 ,very easy1 said the king4 ,how can that be1 my son1 said the bishop1 when you live apart from your virtuous queen1 and are faithless to her2 when you devour the provision of the poor1 and load your people with heavy exactions8 ,are those light transgressions1 my son8 ,the king owned his faults1 and promised amendment2 and when he related this conversation to his courtiers he added1 ,were all our prelates like ,hugh of ,lincoln1 both king and barons must submit to their righteous rebukes4 ,furs were much used now as coverings for beds2 and they were considered a necessary part of dress for a very considerable period4 ,in ,sir ,john ,cullum's ,hawsted1 mention is made that in #abha ,cecilia1 widow of ,william ,talmache1 died1 and1 amongst other bequests1 left to ,thomas ,battesford1 for black coats for poor people1 xxxs4 in part4 ,to ,john ,camp1 of ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds1 furrier1 for furs for the black coats1 viijs4 xjd4 ,on which the reverend and learned author remarks1 ,we should now indeed think that a black coat bestowed on a poor person wanted not the addition of fur3 such1 however1 was the fashion of the time2 and a sumptuary law of ,edward ,,iii4 allows handicraft and yeomen to wear no manner of furre1 nor of bugg1#if but only lambe1 coney1 catte1 and foxe4 ,the distinction in rank was expressly shown by the kind of fur displayed on the dress1 and these distinctions were regulated by law and rigidly enforced4 ,by a statute passed in #adee1 for regulating the dress of the ,scottish lords of parliament1 the gowns of the earls are appointed to be furred with ermine1 while those of the other lords are to be lined with criestay1 gray1 griece1 or purray4 ,the more precious furs1 as ermine and sable1 were reserved exclusively for the principal nobility of both sexes4 ,persons of an inferior rank wore the vair or gris 7probably the ,hungarian squirrel72 the citizens and burgesses1 the common squirrel and lamb skins2 and the peasants1 cat and badger skins4 ,the mantles of our kings and peers1 and the furred robes of the several classes of our municipal officers1 are the remains of this once universal fashion4 ,furs often formed an important part of the ransom of a prisoner of rank3-- ,sir1 quoth ,count ,bongars1 war's disastrous hour ,hath cast my lot within my foeman's power4 ,name ransome as you list2 gold1 silver bright1 ,palfreys1 or dogs1 or falcons train'd to flight2 ,or choose you sumptuous furs1 of vair or gray2 ,i plight my faith the destin'd price to pay4#ig ,certain ,german nobles who had slain a bishop were enjoined1 amongst other acts of penance1 ut varium1 griseum1 ermelinum1 et pannos coloratos1 non portent4 ,the skin of the wild cat was much used by the clergy4 ,bishop ,wolfstan preferred lambskin2 saying in excuse1 ,crede mihi1 nunquam audivi1 in ecclesia1 cantari catus ,dei1 sed agnus ,dei2 ideo calefieri agno volo4 ,the monk of ,chaucer had ------his sleeves purfiled1 at the hond1 ,with gris1 and that the finest of the lond4 ,it is not till about the year #abjd that there is any specific enumeration of the royal apparel for festival occasions4 ,the proper officers are appointed to bring for the king on this occasion a golden crown1 a red satin mantle adorned with sapphires and pearls1 a robe of the same1 a tunic of white damask2 and slippers of red satin edged with goldsmith's work2 a balbrick set with gems2 two girdles enamelled and set with garnets and sapphires2 white gloves1 one with a sapphire and one with an amethist2 various clasps adorned with emeralds1 turquois1 pearls1 and topaz2 and sceptres set with twenty-eight diamonds4#ih ,so much for the king3--,and for the queen--oh6 ye enlightened legislators of the earth1 ye omnipotent and magisterial lords of creation1 look on that picture--and on this4 ,for our lady the queen's use1 sixty ells of fine linen cloth1 forty ells of dark green cloth1 a skin of minever1 a small brass pan1 and eight towels4 ,but ,john1 who in addition to his other amiable propensities was the greatest and most extravagant fop in ,europe1 was as parsimonious towards others as selfish and extravagant people usually are4 ,whilst even at the ceremony of her coronation he only afforded his ,queen three cloaks of fine linen1 one of scarlet cloth1 and one grey pelisse1 costing together #abl4 #es4 #d;d42 he himself launched into all sorts of expenditure4 ,he ordered the minutest articles for himself and the queen2 but the wardrobe accounts of the sovereigns of the middle ages prove that they kept a royal warehouse of mercery1 haberdashery1 and linen1 from whence their officers measured out velvets1 brocades1 sarcenets1 tissue1 gauzes1 and trimmings1 of all sorts4 ,a queen1 says ,miss ,strickland1 had not the satisfaction of ordering her own gown when she obtained leave to have a new one2 the warlike hand of her royal lord signed the order for the delivery of the materials from his stores1 noting down with minute precision the exact quantity to a quarter of a yard of the cloth1 velvet1 or brocade1 of which the garment was composed4 ,blessed be the memory of ,king ,edward ,,iii4 and ,philippa of ,hainault his queen1 who first invented clothes1 was1 we are told1 the grateful adjuration of a monkish historian1 who referred probably not to the first assumption of apparel1 but to the charter which was granted first by that monarch to the cutters and linen armourers1 subsequently known as the merchant-tailors1 who at that period were usually the makers of all garments1 silk1 linen1 or woollen4 ,female fingers had sufficient occupation in the finer parts of the work2 in the silke broiderie with which every garment of fashion was embellished2 in the tapestry2 in the spinning of wool and flax1 every thread of which was drawn by female hands1 and in the weaving of which a great portion was also executed by them4 ,in the forty-fourth year of this king1 as the book of ,worcester reporteth1 they began to use cappes of divers coloures1 especially red1 with costly lynings2 and in the year #acgb1 the forty-seventh of the above prince1 they first began to wanton it in a new round curtall weede1 which they call a cloake1 and in ,latin armilausa1 as only covering the shoulders1 and this notwithstanding the king had endeavoured to restrain all these inordinances and expenses in clothing2 as appears by the law by ,parliament established in the thirty-sixth year of his reign4 ,all ornaments of gold or silver1 either on the daggers1 girdles1 necklaces1 rings1 or other ornaments for the body1 were forbid to all that could not spend ten pounds a-year2 and farther1 that no furre or pretious and costly apparel1 should be worne by any but men possessed of #ajjl4 a year4 ,besides the rigid enactments of the law1 and the anathemas of divines1 other and gentler means were from time to time resorted to as warnings from that sin of dress which seems inherent in our nature1 or as inducements to a more becoming one4 ,we quote a specimen of both3-- ,there was a lady whiche had her lodgynge by the chirche4 ,and she was alweye accustomed for to be longe to araye her1 and to make her freshe and gay1 insomuch that it annoyed and greued moche the parson of the chirche1 and the parysshens4 ,and it happed on a ,sonday that she was so longe1 that she sent to the preeste that he shod tarye for her1 lyke as she had been accustomed4 ,and it was thenne ferforthe on the day4 ,and it annoyed the peple4 ,and there were somme that said1 ,how is hit8 shall not this lady this day be pynned ne wel besene in a ,myrroure8 ,and somme said softely1 ,god sende to her an evyll syght in her myrroure that causeth us this day and so oftymes to muse and to abyde for her4 ,and thene as it plesyd ,god for an ensample1 as she loked in the myrroure she sawe therein the ,fende1 whiche shewed hymselfe to her so fowle and horryble1 that the lady wente oute of her wytte1 and was al demonyak a long tyme4 ,and after ,god sente to her helthe4 ,and after she was not so longe in arayeng but thanked ,god that had so suffered her to be chastysed4#ii ,the ',garment of ,gude ,ladyis' is a lecture of a most beguiling kind1 and an exquisite picture4 ,wald my gud lady lufe me best1 ,and wirk after my will1 ,i suld ane garment gudliest ,gar mak hir body till4 ,of he honour suld be her hud1 ,upoun hir heid to weir1 ,garneist with governance so gud1 ,na demyng#ajj suld hir deir4#aja ,hir kirtill suld be of clene constance1 ,lasit with lesum lufe1 ,the mailyeis#ajb of continwance ,for nevir to remufe4 ,her gown suld be of gudliness1 ,weill ribband with renowne1 ,purfillit#ajc with plesour in ilk place1 ,furrit with fyne fassoun4#ajd ,her belt suld be of benignitie1 ,about hir middill meit2 ,hir mantill of humilitie1 ,to tholl#aje bayth wind and weit4 ,hir hat suld be of fair having#ajf1 ,and her tepat of trewth1 ,hir patelet#ajg of gude pansing1 ,hir hals-ribbane of rewth4 ,hir slevis suld be of esperance1 ,to keip hir fra dispair2 ,hir gluvis of the gud govirnance1 ,to hyd hir fingearis fair4 ,hir schone suld be of sickernes#ajh ,in syne that scho nocht slyd2 ,hir hois of honestie1 ,i ges1 ,i suld for hir provyd4 ,wald scho put on this garmond gay1 ,i duret sweir by my seill1 ,that scho woir nevir grene nor gray ,that set hir half so weill4 ,,footnotes3 #ie ,lady's ,magazine4 #if ,bugg--buge1 lamb's furr4--,dr4 ,jamieson4 #ig ,ancassin and ,nicolette4 #ih ,the first instance in which the name of this stone is found4--,miss ,lawrence4 #ii ,the ,knyght of the ,toure4 #ajj ,demyng--censure4 #aja ,deir--dismay4 #ajb ,mailyeis--network4 #ajc ,purfillit--furbelowed4 #ajd ,fassoun--address1 politeness4 #aje ,tholl--endure4 #ajf ,having--behaviour4 #ajg ,patelet--run4 #ajh ,sickernes--steadfastness4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,needlework ,,in ,,costume4--,,part ,,ii4 ,and the short ,french breeches make such a comelie vesture that1 except it were a dog in a doublet1 you shall not see anie so disguised as are my countriemen of ,england4 ,holinshed4 ,out from the ,gadis to the eastern morne1 ,not one but holds his native state forlorne4 ,when comelie striplings wish it were their chance ,for ,cenis' distaffe to exchange their lance2 ,and weare curl'd periwigs1 and chalk their face1 ,and still are poring on their pocket glasse2 ,tyr'd with pinn'd ruffs1 and fans1 and partlet strips1 ,and buskes and verdingales about their hips3 ,and tread on corked stilts a prisoner's pace4 ,bp4 ,joseph ,hall4 ,they brought in fashions strange and new1 ,with golden garments bright2 ,the farthingale and mighty ruff1 ,with gowns of rich delight4 ,a ,warning-,piece to ,england4 ,the queen 7,anne ,neville7 of ,richard ,,iii4 seems to have been somewhat more regally accoutred than those of her royal predecessors to whom we referred in the last chapter4 ,among the stuff delivered to the queen at her coronation are twenty-seven yards of white cloth of gold for a kirtle and train1 and a mantle of the same1 richly furred with ermine4 ,this was the dress in which she rode in her litter from the ,tower to the palace of ,westminster4 ,this was an age of long trains1 and the length was regulated by the rank of the wearer2 ,anne1 for her whole purple velvet suit1 had fifty-six yards4 ,from the entries of scarlet cloth given to the nobility for mantles on this occasion1 we find that duchesses had thirteen yards1 countesses ten1 and baronesses eight4 ,the costume of ,henry ,,vii4's day differed little from that of ,edward ,,iv41 except in the use of shirts bordered with lace and richly trimmed with ornamental needlework1 which continued a long time in vogue amongst the nobility and gentry4 ,a slight inspection of the inventories of ,henry ,,viii4's apparel will convince us of a truth which we should otherwise1 readily have guessed1 viz41 that no expense and no splendour were spared in the swashing costume of his day4 ,its general aspect is too familiar to us to require much comment4 ,we may remark1 however1 that four several acts were passed in his reign for the reformation of apparel1 and that all but the royal family were prohibited from wearing any cloth of gold of purpure colour1 or silk of the same colour1 upon pain of forfeiture of the same and #bj for every offence4 ,shirt bands and ruffles of gold were worn by the privileged1 but none under the degree of knight were permitted to decorate their shirts with silk1 gold1 or silver4 ,henry ,,viii4's knitte gloves of silk are particularly referred to1 and also his handkerchers edged with gold1 silver1 or fine needlework4 ,these handkerchiefs1 wrought with gold and silver1 were not uncommon in the after-times4 ,in the ballad of ,george ,barnwell1 it is said of ,milwood-- ,a handkerchief she had1 ,all wrought with silk and gold1 ,which she1 to stay her trickling tears1 ,before her eyes did hold4 ,in the east these handkerchiefs are common1 and it is still a favourite occupation of the ,egyptian ladies to embroider them4 ,we are surprised now to find to what minute particulars legal enactments descended4 ,no husbandman1 shepherd1 or common labourer to any artificer1 out of cities or boroughs 7having no goods of their own above the value of #aj71 shall use or wear any cloth the broad yard whereof passeth #bs4 #d;d41 or any hose above the price of #ab;d4 the yard1 upon pain of imprisonment in the stocks for three days4 ,it was in a subsequent reign1 that of ,mary1 that a proclamation was issued that no man should weare his shoes above sixe inches square at the toes4 ,we have before seen that the attention of the grave and learned members of the ,senate1 the ,conscript ,fathers of ,england1 was devoted to the due regulation of this interesting part of apparel1 when the shoe-toes were worn so long that they were obliged to be tied up to the waist ere the happy and privileged wearer could set his foot on the ground4 ,now1 however1 a change came o'er the spirit of the day1 and it became the duty of those who exercised a paternal surveillance over the welfare of the community at large to legislate regarding the breadth of the shoe-toes1 that they should not be above sixe inches square4 ,great1 was anciently the cry--,great is ,diana of the ,ephesians2 but how immeasurably greater and mightier has been1 through that and all succeeding ages1 the supreme potentate who with a mesh of flimsy gauze or fragile silk has constrained nations as by a shackle of iron1 that shadowy1 unsubstantial1 ever-fleeting1 yet ever-exacting deity--,,fashion6 ,at her shrine worship all the nations of the earth4 ,the savage who bores his nose or tattooes his tawny skin is impelled by the same power which robes the courtly ,eastern in flowing garments2 and the dark-hued beauty who smears herself with blubber is influenced by the selfsame motive which causes the fair-haired daughter of ,england to tint her delicate cheek with the mimic rose4 ,and it is not merely in the shape and form of garments that this deity exercises her tyrannic sway1 transforming men into monsters1 and women likewise--if it were possible3 her vagaries are infinite and unaccountable2 yet1 how unaccountable soever1 have ever numberless and willing votaries4 ,it was once the fashion for people who either were or fancied themselves to be in love to prove the sincerity of their passion by the fortitude with which they could bear those extremes of heat and cold from which unsophisticated nature would shrink4 ,these penitents of love1 for so the fraternity--and a pretty numerous one it was--was called1 would clothe themselves in the dog-days in the thickest mantles lined throughout with the warmest fur3 when the winds howled1 the hail beat1 and snow invested the earth with a freezing mantle1 they wore the thinnest and most fragile garments4 ,it was forbidden to wear fur on a day of the most piercing cold1 or to appear with a hood1 cloak1 gloves1 or muff4 ,they supposed or pretended that the deity whom they thus propitiated was ,,love3 we aver that the autocrat under whose irreversible decrees they thus succumbed--was ,,fashion4 ,and1 after all1 who is this all-powerful genius8 ,what is her appearance8 ,whence does she arise8 ,did she alight from the skies1 while rejoicing stars sang ,pans at her birth8 ,was she born of the ,sunbeams while a glittering ,rainbow cast a halo of glory around her8 or did she spring from ,ocean while ,nereids revelled around1 and ,mermaids strung their ,harps with their own golden locks1 soft melodies the while floating along the glistering waves1 and echoing from the ,tritons' booming shells beneath8 ,no4 ,alas1 no6 ,she is subtle as the air2 she is evanescent as a sunbeam1 and unsubstantial as the ocean's froth2--but she is none of these4 ,she is--but we will lay aside our own definition in order that the reader may have the advantage of that of one of the greatest and wisest of statesmen4 ,quelqu'un qui voudrait un peu tudier d'o part en premire source ce qu'on appelle ,,les ,,modes verrait1 notre honte1 qu'un petit nombre de gens1 de la plus mprisable espce qui soit dans une ville1 laquelle renferme tout indiffremment dans son sein2 pour qui1 si nous les connaissions1 nous n'aurions que le mpris qu'on a pour les gens sans moeurs1 ou la piti qu'on a pour les fous1 disposent pourtant de nos bourses1 et nous tiennent assujettis tous leurs caprices4 ,can this indeed be that supereminent deity for whom so many do shipwrack their credits1 and make themselves ridiculous apes1 or at best but like the cynnamon-tree1 whose bark is more worth than its body4 ,clothes writes a venerable historian1 are for necessity2 warm clothes for health2 cleanly for decency2 lasting for thrift2 and rich for magnificence4 ,now1 there may be a fault in their number1 if too various2 making1 if too vain2 matter1 if too costly2 and mind of the wearer1 if he takes pride therein4 ,he that is proud of the russling of his silks1 like a madman laughs at the rattling of his fetters4 ,for1 indeed1 clothes ought to be our remembrancers of our lost innocency4 ,besides1 why should any brag of what's but borrowed8 ,should the ,estrige snatch off the ,gallant's feather1 the ,beaver his hat1 the ,goat his gloves1 the ,sheep his sute1 the ,silkworm his stockings1 and ,neat his shoes 7to strip him no farther than modesty will give leave71 he would be left in a cold condition4 ,and yet 'tis more pardonable to be proud1 even of cleanly rags1 than 7as many are7 of affected slovennesse4 ,the one is proud of a molehill1 the other of a dunghill4 ,but the worthy ,fuller's ideal picture of suitable dress was the very antipodes of the reality of ,elizabeth's day1 when that rage for foreign fashions existed which has since frequently almost inundated the island1 and our ancestors masked themselves ------in garish gaudery ,to suit a fool's far-fetched livery4 ,a ,french hood join'd to neck ,italian1 ,the thighs from ,germany and breast from ,spain4 ,an ,englishman in none1 a fool in all1 ,many in one1 and one in several4 ,and ,shakspeare1 who has perhaps suffered no peculiarity of his time to escape observation1 makes ,portia satirize this affectation in her ,english admirer3--,how oddly he is suited6 ,i think he bought his doublet in ,italy1 his round hose in ,france1 his bonnet in ,germany1 and his behaviour everywhere4 ,a reverend critic thus remarks on the luxurious modes of his time3 ,these tender ,parnels must have one gown for the day1 another for the night2 one long1 another short2 one for winter1 another for summer4 ,one furred through1 another but faced2 one for the workday1 another for the holiday4 ,one of this colour1 another of that4 ,one of cloth1 another of silk or damask4 ,change of apparel2 one afore dinner1 another at after3 one of ,spanish fashion1 another of ,turkey4 ,and to be brief1 never content with enough1 but always devising new fashions and strange4 ,yea1 a ruffian will have more in his ruff and his hose than he should spend in a year4 ,he which ought to go in a russet coat spends as much on apparel for him and his wife as his father would have kept a good house with4 ,the following is of later date1 and seems1 somewhat unjustly we think1 to satirize the fair sex alone4 ,why do women array themselves in such fantastical dresses and quaint devices2 with gold1 with silver1 with coronets1 with pendants1 bracelets1 earrings1 chains1 rings1 pins1 spangles1 embroideries1 shadows1 rebatoes1 versicoloured ribbons1 feathers1 fans1 masks1 furs1 laces1 tiffanies1 ruffs1 falls1 calls1 cuffs1 damasks1 velvets1 tassels1 golden cloth1 silver tissue1 precious stones1 stars1 flowers1 birds1 beasts1 fishes1 crisped locks1 wigs1 painted faces1 bodkins1 setting sticks1 cork1 whalebone1 sweet odours1 and whatever else ,africa1 ,asia1 and ,america can produce2 flaying their faces to produce the fresher complexion of a new skin1 and using more time in dressing than ,csar took in marshalling his army1--but that1 like cunning falconers1 they wish to spread false lures to catch unwary larks1 and lead by their gaudy baits and dazzling charms the minds of inexperienced youth into the traps of love8 ,though the costume of ,elizabeth's day1 especially at the period of her coronation was1 splendid1 it had not attained to the ridiculous extravagance which at a later period elicited the above-quoted strictures2 and we are told that her own taste at an early period of life was simple and unostentatious4 ,her dress and appearance are thus described by ,aylmer1 ,lady ,jane ,grey's tutor1 and afterwards ,bishop of ,london4 ,the king 7,henry ,,viii47 left her rich clothes and jewels2 and ,i know it to be true1 that1 in seven years after her father's death1 she never in all that time looked upon that rich attire and precious jewels but once1 and that against her will4 ,and that there never came gold or stone upon her head1 till her sister forced her to lay off her former soberness1 and bear her company in her glittering gayness4 ,and then she so wore it as every man might see that her body carried that which her heart misliked4 ,i am sure that her maidenly apparel1 which she used in ,king ,edward's time1 made noblemen's daughters and wives to be ashamed to be dressed and painted like peacocks2 being more moved with her most virtuous example than with all that ever ,paul or ,peter wrote touching that matter4 ,yea1 this ,i know1 that a great man's daughter 7,lady ,jane ,grey7 receiving from ,lady ,mary1 before she was queen1 good apparel of tinsel1 cloth of gold and velvet1 laid on with parchment-lace of gold1 when she saw it1 said1 ',what shall ,i do with it8' ',marry6' said a gentlewoman1 'wear it4' ',nay1' quoth she1 'that were a shame1 to follow my ,lady ,mary against ,god's ,word1 and leave my ,lady ,elizabeth1 which followeth ,god's ,word4' ,and when all the ladies1 at the coming of the ,scots' ,queen ,dowager1 ,mary of ,guise1 7she who visited ,england in ,edward's time71 went with their hair frownsed1 curled1 and double-curled1 she altered nothing1 but kept her old maidenly shame-facedness4 ,and there is a print from a portrait of her when young1 in which the hair is without a single ornament1 and the whole dress remarkably simple4 ,yet this is the lady whose passion for dress in after life could not be sated2 to whom1 or at least before whom 7and the ,queen was not slow in appropriating and resenting the hint#aji71 ,latimer1 ,bishop of ,london1 thought it necessary to preach on the vanity of decking the body too finely2 and who finally left behind her a wardrobe containing three thousand dresses4 ,a modern fair one may wonder how such a profusion of dresses could be accommodated at all1 even in a royal wardrobe1 with fitting respect to the integrity of puffs and furbelows4 ,but clothes were not formerly kept in drawers1 where but few can be laid with due regard to the safety of each1 but were hung up on wooden pegs1 in a room appropriated to the sole purpose of receiving them2 and though such cast-off things as were composed of rich substances were occasionally ripped for domestic uses 7viz41 mantles for infants1 vests for children1 and counterpanes for beds71 articles of inferior quality were suffered to hang by the walls till age and moths had destroyed what pride would not permit to be worn by servants or poor relations4 ,to this practice1 also1 does ,shakspeare allude3 ,imogen exclaims1 in ',cymbeline1'-- ,poor ,i am stale1 a garment out of fashion2 ,and1 for ,i am richer than to hang by the walls1 ,i must be ripp'd-- ,the following regulations may be interesting2 and the knowledge of them will doubtless excite feelings of joy and gratitude in our fair readers that they are born in an age where will is free1 and the dustman's wife may1 if it so please her1 outshine the duchess1 without the terrors of ,parliament before her eyes3-- ,by the ,queene4 ,whereas the ,queene's ,maiestie1 for avoyding of the great inconvenience that hath growen and dayly doeth increase within this her ,realme1 by the inordinate excesse in ,apparel1 hath in her ,princely wisdome and care for reformation thereof1 by sundry former ,proclamations1 straightly charged and commanded those in ,authoritie under her to see her ,lawes provided in that behalfe duely executed2 ,whereof notwithstanding1 partly through their negligence1 and partly by the manifest contempt and disobedience of the parties offending1 no reformation at all hath followed2 ,her ,maiestie1 finding by experience that by ,clemencie1 whereunto she is most inclinable1 so long as there is any hope of redresse1 this increasing evill hath not beene cured1 hath thought fit to seeke to remedie the same by correction and severitie1 to be used against both these kindes of offenders1 in regard of the present difficulties of this time2 wherein the decay and lacke of hospitalitie appeares in the better sort in all countreys1 principally occasioned by the immeasurable charges and expenses which they are put to in superfluous apparelling their wives1 children1 and families1 the confusion also of degrees in all places being great2 where the meanest are as richly apparelled as their betters1 and the pride that such inferior persons take in their garments1 driving many for their maintenance to robbing and stealing by the hieway1 c4 c4 ,her ,maiestie doth straightly charge and command-- ,that none under the degree of a ,countess wear3 ,cloth of gold or silver tissued2 ,silke of coulor purple4 ,under the degree of a ,baronesse3-- ,cloth of golde2 ,cloth of silver2 ,tinselled satten2 ,sattens branched with silver or golde2 ,sattens striped with silver or golde2 ,taffaties brancht with silver or golde2 ,cipresses flourisht with silver or golde2 ,networks wrought in silver or golde2 ,tabines brancht with silver or golde2 ,or any other silke or cloth mixt or embroidered with pearle1 golde1 or silver4 ,under the degree of a ,baron's eldest sonne's wife3 ,any embroideries of golde or silver2 ,passemaine lace1 or any other lace1 mixed with golde1 silver1 or silke2 ,caules1 attires1 or other garnishings for the head trimmed with pearle4 ,under the degree of a ,knighte's wife3-- ,velvet in gownes1 cloakes1 savegards1 or other uppermost garments2 ,embroidery with silke4 ,under the degree of a ,knighte's eldest sonne's wife3-- ,velvet in kirtles and petticoates2 ,sattens in gownes1 cloakes1 savegards1 or other uppermost garments4 ,under the degree of a ,gentleman's wife1 bearing armes3-- ,satten in kirtles1 ,damaske1 ,tuft taffetie1 in gownes4 ,plaine taffetie1 ,grograine ,venice and ,paris seem to have been the chief sources of fashion2 from these depts of taste were derived the flaunting head-dresses1 the shiptire1 the tire valiant1 c41 which were commonly worn in these days of gorgeous finery1 and which were rendered still more outr and unnatural by the dyed locks which they surmounted4 ,the custom of dyeing the hair is of great antiquity1 and was very prevalent in the ,east4 ,mohammed dyed his hair red2 ,abu ,bekr his successor did the same1 and it is a custom among the ,scenite ,arabs even to this day4 ,the ancients often mixed gold dust in their hair1 and the ,gauls used to wash the hair with a liquid which had a tendency to redden it4 ,it was doubtless in personal compliment to ,queen ,elizabeth1 that all the fashionables of her day dyed their locks of a hue which is generally considered the reverse of attraction4 ,periwigs1 which were introduced into ,england about #aegb1 were to be had of all colours4 ,it is in allusion to this absurd fashion that ,benedick says of the lady whom he might chuse to marry3--,her hair shall be of what colour it please ,god4 ,men first wore wigs in ,charles the ,second's time2 and these were gradually increased in size1 until they reached the acme of their magnificence in the reign of ,william and ,mary1 when not only men1 but even young lads and children were disguised in enormous wigs4 ,and though in the reign of ,queen ,anne this latter custom was not so common1 yet the young men had the want of wigs supplied by artificial curlings1 and dressing of the hair1 which was then only performed by the women4 ,one ,bill preserved amongst the ,harl4 ,,mss4 runs thus3-- ,next door to the ,golden ,ball1 in ,st4 ,bride's ,lane1 ,fleet ,street1 ,lyveth ,lidia ,beercraft4 ,who cutteth and curleth ladies1 gentlemen1 and children's hair4 ,she sells a fine pomatum1 which is mixed with ingredients of her own making1 that if the hair be never so thin1 it makes it grow thick2 and if short1 it makes it grow long4 ,if any gentleman's or children's hair be never so lank1 she makes it curle in a little time1 and to look like a periwig4 ,and this1 indeed1 the looking like a periwig1 seems to have been then the very beau ideal of all beauty and perfection1 for another fair tonsoress advertises to cut and curl hair after the ,french fashion1 after so fine a manner1 that you shall not know it to be their own hair4 ,how applicable to these absurdities are the lines of an amiable censor of a later day6-- ,we have run ,through ev'ry change1 that ,fancy1 at the loom ,exhausted1 has had genius to supply2 ,and1 studious of mutation still1 discard ,a real elegance1 a little us'd1 ,for monstrous novelty and strange disguise4 ,to return to ,elizabeth3-- ,the best known1 and most distinguishing characteristic of the costume of her day was the ruff2 which was worn of such enormous size that a lady in full dress was obliged to feed herself with a spoon two feet long4 ,in the year #aehj1 sumptuary laws were published by proclamation1 and enforced with great exactness1 by which the ruffs were reduced to legal dimensions4 ,extravagant prices were paid for them1 and they were made at first of fine holland1 but early in ,elizabeth's reign they began to wear lawn and cambric1 which were brought to ,england in very small quantities1 and sold charily by the yard or half yard2 for there was then hardly one shopkeeper in fifty who dared to speculate in a whole piece of either4 ,so strange and wonderful was this stuff1 says ,stowe1 speaking of lawn1 that thereupon rose a general scoff or byeword1 that shortly they would wear ruffs of a spider's web4 ,and another difficulty arose2 for when the ,queen had ruffs made of this new and beautiful fabric1 there was nobody in ,england who could starch or stiffen them2 but happily ,her ,grace found a ,dutchwoman possessed of that knowledge which ,england could not supply1 and ,guillan's wife was the first starcher the ,queen had1 as ,guillan himself was the first coachman4 ,afterward1 in #aefd1 7#afth of ,elizabeth71 one ,mistress ,dinghen ,vauden ,plasse1 born at ,teenen in ,flanders1 daughter of a worshipful knight of that province1 with her husband1 came to ,london1 and there professed herself a starcher1 wherein she excelled2 unto whom her own nation presently repaired and employed her1 rewarding her very liberally for her work4 ,some of the curious ladies of that time1 observing the neatness of the ,dutch1 and the nicety of their linen1 made them cambric ruffs1 and sent them to ,mistress ,dinghen to starch2 soon after they began to send their daughters and kinswomen to ,mistress ,dinghen1 to learn how to starch2 her usual price was1 at that time1 #dl4 or #el4 to teach them to starch1 and #bjs4 to learn them to see the starch4 ,this ,mrs4 ,dinghen was the first that ever taught starching in ,england4 ,the ,,ruffs were adjusted by poking sticks of iron1 steel1 or silver1 heated in the fire--7probably something answering to our ,italian iron71 and in ,may #aehb a lady of ,antwerp1 being invited to a wedding1 could not1 although she employed two celebrated laundresses1 get her ruff plaited according to her taste1 upon which she fell to sweare and teare1 to curse and ban1 casting the ruffes under feete1 and wishing that the devill might take her when shee did wear any neckerchers againe4 ,this gentleman1 whom it is said an invocation will always summon1 now appeared in the likeness of a favoured suitor1 and inquiring the cause of her agitation1 he took in hande the setting of her ruffes1 which he performed to her great contentation and liking2 insomuch1 as she1 looking herself in a glasse 7as the devill bade her7 became greatly enamoured with him4 ,this done1 the young man kissed her1 in the doing whereof1 he writhed her neck in sunder1 so she died miserably4 ,but here comes the marvel3 four men tried in vain to lift her fearful body when coffined for interment2 six were equally unsuccessful2 whereat the standers-by marvelling1 caused the coffin to be opened to see the cause thereof3 where they found the body to be taken away1 and a blacke catte1 very leane and deformed1 sitting in the coffin1 setting of great ruffes and frizling of haire1 to the great feare and woonder of all the beholders4 ,the large hoop farthingales were worn now1 but they were said to be adopted by the ladies from a laudable spirit of emulation1 a praiseworthy desire on their parts to be of equal standing with the nobler sex1 who now wore breeches1 stuffed with rags or other materials to such an enormous size1 that a bench of extraordinary dimension was placed round the parliament house1 7of which the traces were visible at a very late period7 solely for their accommodation4 ,strutt quotes an instance of a man whom the judges accused of wearing breeches contrary to the law 7for a law was made against them73 he1 for his excuse1 drew out of his slops the contents2 at first a pair of sheets1 two table-cloths1 ten napkins1 four shirts1 a brush1 a glass1 and a comb2 with nightcaps and other things of use1 saying1 ,your worship may understand1 that because ,i have no safer a storehouse1 these pockets do serve me for a room to lay up my goods in1--and1 though it be a strait prison1 yet it is big enough for them1 for ,i have many things of value yet within it4 ,his excuse was heartily laughed at and accepted4 ,this ridiculous fashion was for a short time disused1 but revived again in #afad4 ,the breeches were then chiefly stuffed with hair4 ,many satirical rhymes were written upon them2 amongst others1 ,a lamentable complaint of the poore ,countrye ,men agaynst great hose1 for the loss of their cattelles tales4 ,in which occur these3-- ,what hurt1 what damage doth ensue1 ,and fall upon the poore1 ,for want of wool and flaxe1 of late1 ,whych monstrous hose devoure4 ,but haire hath so possess'd1 of late1 ,the bryche of every knave1 ,that no one beast1 nor horse can tell1 ,whiche way his taile to save4 ,henry ,,viii4 had received a few pairs of silk stockings from ,spain1 but knitted silk ones were not known until the second year of ,elizabeth1 when her silk-woman1 ,mrs4 ,montague1 presented to ,her ,majesty a pair of black knit silk stockings1 for a new-year's gift1 with which she was so much pleased that she desired to know if the donor could not help her to any more1 to which ,mrs4 ,montague answered1 ,i made them carefully on purpose for your ,majestie2 and seeing they please you so well1 ,i will presently set more in hand4 ,do so 7said the ,queen71 for ,i like silk stockings so well1 that ,i will not henceforth wear any more cloth hose4 ,these shortly became common2 though even over so simple an article as a stocking1 ,fashion asserted her supremacy1 and at a subsequent period they were two yards wide at the top1 and made fast to the petticoat breeches1 by means of strings through eyelet holes4 ,but ,elizabeth's predilection for rich attire is well known1 and if the costume of her day was fantastic1 it was still magnificent4 ,a suit trimmed with sables was considered the richest dress worn by men2 and so expensive was this fur1 that1 it is said a thousand ducats were sometimes given for a face of sables4 ,it was towards the close of her reign that the celebrated ,gabrielle d',estres wore on a festive occasion a dress of black satin1 so ornamented with pearls and precious stones1 that she could scarcely move under its weight4 ,she had a handkerchief1 for the embroidering of which she engaged to pay #aijj crowns4 ,and such it was said was the influence of her example in ,paris1 that the ladies ornamented even their shoes with jewels4 ,yet even this costly magnificence was afterwards surpassed by that of ,villiers1 ,duke of ,buckingham1 with whom it was common1 even at an ordinary dancing1 to have his clothes trimmed with great diamond buttons1 and to have diamond hatbands1 cockades1 and earrings1 to be yoked with great and manifold ropes and knots of pearl2 in short1 to be manacled1 fettered1 and imprisoned in jewels3 insomuch that at his going to ,paris in #afbe1 he had twenty-seven suits of clothes made1 the richest that embroidery1 lace1 silk1 velvet1 gold1 and gems could contribute2 one of which was a white uncut velvet set all over1 both suit and cloak1 with diamonds valued at fourscore thousand pounds1 besides a great feather1 stuck all over with diamonds1 as were also his sword1 girdle1 hatband1 and spurs4#aaj ,it would but weary our readers were we to dwell on the well-known peculiarities of the ,cavalier and ,roundhead days2 and tell how the steeple-crowned hat was replaced at the ,restoration by the plumed and jewelled velvet2 the forlorn1 smooth1 methodistical pate1 by the curled ringlets and flowing lovelock2 the sober1 sombre1 sad coloured garment1 with its starched folds1 by the gay1 varied1 flowing drapery of all hues4 ,then1 how the plume of feathers gave way to the simpler band and buckle1 and the thick large curling wig and full ruffle1 to the bagwig1 the tie1 and stock4 ,the dashing cloak and slashed sleeves were succeeded by the coat of ample dimensions1 and the waistcoat with interminable pockets resting on the knees2 the breeches were in universal use1 though they were not of the universal black which ,cowper immortalises2 but black breeches and powder have had their reign1 and are succeeded by the inexpressible costume of the present day4 ,we will conclude a chapter1 which we fear to have spun out tediously1 by ,lady ,morgan's animated account of the introduction1 in ,france1 of that universally-coveted article of dress--a ,cashmir shawl3-- ,while partaking of a sumptuous collation 7at ,rouen71 the conversation naturally turned on the splendid views which the windows commanded1 and on the subjects connected with their existence4 ,the flocks1 which were grazing before us had furnished the beautiful shawls which hung on the backs of the chairs occupied by our fair companions1 and which might compete with the turbans of the ,grand ,signor4 ,it would be difficult now to persuade a ,parisian petite maitresse that there was a time when ,french women of fashion could exist without a cashmir1 or that such an indispensable article of the toilet and sultan was unknown even to the most elegant4 ',the first cashemir that appeared in ,france1' said ,madame ,d',aubespine1 7for an educated ,french woman has always something worth hearing to say on all subjects17 'was sent over by ,baron de ,tott1 then in the service of the ,porte1 to ,madame de ,tess4 ,when they were produced in her society1 every body thought them very fine1 but nobody knew what use to make of them4 ,it was determined that they would make pretty couvre-pieds and veils for the cradle2 but the fashion wore out with the shawls1 and ladies returned to their eider-down quilts4' ,monsieur ,ternaux observed that 'though the produce of the ,cashmerian looms had long been known in ,europe1 they did not become a vogue until after ,napoleon's expedition to ,egypt2 and that even then they took1 in the first instance1 but slowly4' ,the shawl was still a novelty in ,france1 when ,josephine1 as yet but the wife of the ,first ,consul1 knew not how to drape its elegant folds1 and stood indebted to the brusque ,rapp for the grace with which she afterwards wore it4 ',permettez que je vous fasse l'observation1' said ,rapp1 as they were setting off for the opera2 'que votre schall n'est pas mis avec cette grce qui vous est habituelle4' ,josephine laughingly let him arrange it in the manner of the ,egyptian women4 ,this impromptu toilette caused a little delay1 and the infernal machine exploded in vain6 ,what destinies waited upon the arrangement of this cashemir6 ,a moment sooner or later1 and the shawl might have given another course to events1 which would have changed the whole face of ,europe4#aaa ,the ,empress ,josephine 7says her biographer7 had quite a passion for shawls1 and ,i question whether any collection of them was ever as valuable as hers4 ,at ,navarre she had one hundred and fifty1 all extremely beautiful and high-priced4 ,she sent designs to ,constantinople1 and the shawls made after these patterns were as beautiful as they were valuable4 ,every week ,m4 ,lenormant came to ,navarre1 and sold her whatever he could obtain that was curious in this way4 ,i have seen white shawls covered with roses1 bluebells1 perroquets1 peacocks1 c41 which ,i believe were not to be met with any where else in ,europe2 they were valued at #ae1jjj and #bj1jjj francs each4 ,the shawls were at length sold by auction at ,malmaison1 at a rate much below their value4 ,all ,paris went to the sale4 ,,footnotes3 #aji ,her ,majesty told the ladies1 that if the ,bishop held more discourse on such matters1 she would fit him for heaven2 but he should walk thither without a staff1 and leave his mantle behind him4 #aaj ,life of ,raleigh1 by ,oldys4 #aaa ,lady ,morgan's ,france in #ahbi-cj4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,field ,,of ,,the ,,cloth ,,of ,,gold4 ,where are the proud and lofty dames1 ,their jewell'd crowns1 their gay attire1 ,their odours sweet8 ,where are the love-enkindled flames1 ,the bursts of passionate desire ,laid at their feet8 ,where are the songs1 the troubadours1 ,the music which delighted then8-- ,it speaks no more4 ,where is the dance that shook the floors1 ,and all the gay and laughing train1 ,and all they wore8 ,the royal gifts profusely shed1 ,the palaces so proudly built1 ,with riches stor'd2 ,the roof with shining gold o'erspread1 ,the services of silver gilt1 ,the secret hoard1 ,the ,arabian pards1 the harness bright1 ,the bending plumes1 the crowded mews1 ,the lacquey train1 ,where are they8--where6--all lost in night1 ,and scatter'd as the early dews ,across the plain4 ,bowring's ,anc4 ,span4 ,romances4 ,romance and song have united to celebrate the splendours of the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold4 ,the most scrupulously minute and faithful of recorders has detailed day by day1 and point by point1 its varied and showy routine1 and every subsequent historian has borrowed from the pages of the old chronicler2 and these dry details have been so expanded by the breath of ,fancy1 and his skeleton frame has been so fleshed by the magical drapery of talent1 that there seems little left on which the imagination can dilate1 or the pen expatiate4 ,the astonishing impulse which has in various ways within the last few years been given to the searching of ancient records1 and the development of hitherto obscure and comparatively uninteresting details1 and vesting them in an alluring garb1 has made us as familiar with the domestic records of the eighth ,henry1 as in our school-days we were with the orthodox abstract of necessary historical information1--that ,henry the ,eighth ascended the throne in the #ahth year of his age2 that he became extremely corpulent2 that he married six wives1 and beheaded two4 ,not even affording gratuitously the codicil which the talent of some writer hath educed--that if ,henry the ,eighth had not beheaded his wives1 there would have been no impeachment on his gallantry to the fair sex4 ,but in describing this1 according to some1 the most magnificent spectacle that ,europe ever beheld1 and to others1 a heavy mass of allegory and frippery1 historians have been contented to pourtray the outward features of the gorgeous scene1 and have slightly1 if at all1 touched on the contending feelings which were veiled beneath a broad though thin surface of concord and joy4 ,truly1 it were a task of deep interest1 even slightly to picture them1 or to attempt to enter into the feelings of the chief actors on that field4 ,first and foremost1 as the guiding spirit of the whole1 as the mighty artificer of that pageant on which1 however gaudy in its particulars the fates of ,europe were supposed to depend1 and the earnest eyes of ,europe were certainly fixed--comes ,,wolsey4--,gorgeously habited himself1 and the burnished gold of his saddle cloth only partially relieved by the more sombre crimson velvet2 nay1 his very shoes gleaming with brilliants1 and himself withal so lofty in bearing1 of so noble a presence1 that this very magnificence seemed but a natural appendage1 ,wolsey took his lofty way from monarch to monarch2 and so well did he become his dignity1 that none but kings1 and such kings as ,henry and ,francis1 would have drawn the eyes of the myriad spectators from himself4 ,and surely he was now happy2 surely his ambition was now gratified to the uttermost2 now1 in the eyes of all ,europe did the two proudest of her princes not merely associate with him almost as an equal1 but openly yield to his suggestions--almost bow to his decisions4 ,no--loftily as he bore himself1 courtly as was his demeanour1 rapid and commanding as was his eloquence1 and influential as seemed his opinions on all and every one around--the cardinal had a mind ill at ease1 as1 despite his self-control1 was occasionally testified by his contracted brow and thoughtful aspect4 ,after exerting all the might of his mighty influence1 and for his own aggrandisement1 to procure this meeting between the two potentates1 he had at the last moment seen fit to alter his policy4 ,he had sold himself to a higher bidder2 he had pledged himself to ,charles in the very teeth of his solemn engagement to ,francis4 ,even whilst celebrating this league of amity1 he was turning in his own mind the means by which to rupture it2 and was yet withal1 nervously fearful of any accident which should prematurely break it1 or lead to a discovery of his own faithlessness4--,so much for his enjoyment6 ,our ,,king ,,henry was all delight1 and eager impetuous enjoyment4 ,he had not outlived the good promise of his youth2 nor had his foibles become1 by indulgence1 vices4 ,he loved to see all around him happy2 he loved1 more especially1 to make them so4 ,he delighted in all the exercises of the field2 he was unrivalled in the tilt and the tournament2 and when engaged in them forgot kings and kingdoms4 ,his vanity1 outrageous as it was1 hardly sat ungracefully on him1 so much was it elevated then by buoyant good humour--so much was it softened at that time by his noble presence1 his manly grace1 his kingly accomplishments1 and his regal munificence4 ,the stern and selfish tyrant whom one shudders to think upon1 was then only bluff ,king ,hal1 loving and beloved1 courted and caressed by an empire4 ,he gave himself up to the gaieties of the time without a care for the present1 a thought for the future4 ,could he have glanced dimly into that future6 ,but he could not1 and he was happy4 ,,francis was admirably qualified to grace this scene1 and to enjoy it1 as probably he did enjoy it1 vividly4 ,yet was this gratification by no means unalloyed4 ,his gentle manly nature was irritated at certain stipulations of ,henry's advisers1 by which their most trivial intercourse was subjected to specific regulations4 ,there were recorded instances enough of treacherous advantages taken to justify fully this conduct on the part of ,henry's ministers2 but ,francis felt its injustice1 as applied to himself1 and at that time1 made use of a generous and well-known stratagem to convince others4 ,but in the midst of his enjoyments he had misgivings on his mind of a more serious nature1 caused by the ,emperor's recent visit to ,dover4 ,these misgivings were increased by the meeting between ,henry and ,charles at ,gravelines2 and too surely confirmed by quickly-following circumstances4 ,the gentle and good ,,katharine of ,england1 and the equally amiable ,queen ,,claude1 the carefully-trained stepdaughter of the noble and admirable ,anne of ,bretagne1 probably derived their chief gratification here from the pleasure of seeing their husbands amicable and happy4 ,for queens though they were1 their happiness was in domestic life1 and their chief empire was over the hearts of those domesticated with them4 ,not so the ,,dowager ,,queen of ,france--the lively1 and graceful1 and beautiful ,duchess of ,suffolk2 for though very fond of her royal brother1 and devoted to her gallant husband1 she had yet an eye and an ear for all the revelries around1 and had a radiant glance and a beaming smile for all who crowded to do homage to her charms4 ,and yet her heart must have been somewhat hard--and that we know it was not--if she could have inhaled the air of ,france1 or trod its sunny soil1 without recollections which must have dimmed her eye at the thoughts of the past1 even whilst breathing a thanksgiving for the present4 ,somewhat less than five years ago1 she had been taken thither a weeping bride2 youth1 nature1 inclination1 nay1 hope itself1 sacrificed to that expediency by which the actions of monarchs are regulated4 ,we are accustomed to read these things so much as mere historical memoranda1 to look upon them in their cold unvarnished simplicity of detail1 like the rigid outlines of stiff old portraits which we can scarcely suppose were ever meant to represent living flesh and blood--that it requires a strong effort to picture these circumstances to our eyes as actually occurring4 ,in considering the state policy of the thing--and the apparent national advantage of the ,king of ,england's sister being married to the ,king of ,france--we forget that this ,king of ,england's sister was a fair young creature1 with warm heart1 gushing affections1 and passions and feelings just opening in all the vividness of early womanhood2 and that she was condemned to marry a sickly1 querulous1 elderly man1 who began his loving rule by dismissing at once1 even while she was a stranger in a foreign land1 every endeared friend and attendant who had accompanied her thither2 and that1 worse than all1 her young affections had been sought and gained by a noble ,english gentleman1 the favourite of the ,english king1 and the pride of his ,court4 ,surely her lot was hard2 and well might she weepingly exclaim1 ,where is now my hope8 ,little could she suppose 7for ,louis1 though infirm1 was not aged7 that three or four short months would see her not only at liberty from her enforced vows1 but united to the man of her heart4 ,must there not1 while watching the tilting of her graceful and gallant husband1 must there not have been melancholy in her mirth8--must there not1 in the keen encounter of wits during the banquet or the ball--must there not have mingled method with her madness8 ,who shall record1 or even refer to the hopes1 and feelings1 and wishes1 and thoughts1 and reflections of the thousands congregated thither2 each one with feelings as intense1 with hopes as individually important as those which influenced the royal ,king of ,france1 or the majestic monarch of ,england6 ,the loftiest of ,christendom's knights1 the loveliest of ,christendom's daughters were assembled here2 and the courteous ,bayard1 the noble ,tremouille1 the lofty ,bourbon1 felt inspired more gallantly1 if possible1 than was even their wont1 when contending in all love and amity with the proudest of ,england's champions1 in presence of the fairest of her blue-eyed maidens1--the noblest of her courtly dames4 ,nor were the lofty and noble alone there congregated4 ,after the magnificent structure for the king and court1 after every thing in the shape of a tenement in1 out1 or about the little town of ,guisnes1 and the neighbouring hamlets1 were occupied1 two thousand eight hundred tents were set up on the side of the ,english alone4 ,no noble or baron would be absent2 but likewise knights1 and squires1 and yeomen flocked to the scene3 citizens and city wives disported their richest silks and their heaviest chains2 jews went for gain1 pedlars for knavery1 tradespeople for their craft1 rogues for mischief4 ,then there were vagaboundes1 plowmen1 laborers1 wagoners1 and beggers1 that for drunkennes lay in routes and heapes1 so great resorte thether came1 that bothe knightes and ladies that wer come to see the noblenes1 were faine to lye in haye and strawe1 and hold theim thereof highly pleased4 ,the accommodations provided for the king and privileged members of his court on this occasion were more than magnificent2 a vast and splendid edifice that seemed to be endued with the magnificence1 and to rise almost with the celerity of that prepared by the slaves of the lamp1 where the richest tapestry and silk embroidery--the costliest produce of the most accomplished artisans1 were almost unnoticed amid the gold and jewellery by which they were surrounded--where all that art could produce1 or riches devise had been lavished--all this has been often described4 ,and the tent itself1 the nucleus of the show1 the point where the brother kings were to confer1 was hung round with cloth of gold3 the posts1 the cones1 the cords1 the tents1 were all of the same precious metal1 which glittered here in such excessive profusion as to give that title to the meeting which has superseded all others--,the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold4 ,this gaudy pageant was the prelude to an era of great interest1 for while dwelling on the galanty shew we cannot forget that now reigned ,solyman the magnificent1 and that this was the age of ,leo the ,tenth2 that ,charles the ,fifth was now beginning his influential course2 that a ,sir ,thomas ,more graced ,england2 and that in ,germany there was one ,martin ,luther1 who belonged to an order of strolling friars4 ,under ,leo's munificent encouragement1 ,rafaello produced those magnificent creations which have been the inspiration of subsequent ages2 and at home1 under ,wolsey's enlightened patronage1 colleges were founded1 learning was encouraged1 and the ,college of ,physicians first instituted in #aeah1 found in him one of its warmest advocates and firmest supporters4 ,a modern writer gives the following amusing picture of part of the bustle attendant on the event we are considering4 ,the palace 7of ,westminster7 and all its precincts became the elysium of tailors1 embroiderers1 and sempstresses4 ,there might you see many a shady form gliding about from apartment to apartment1 with smiling looks and extended shears1 or armed with ell-wands more potent than ,mercury's rod1 driving many a poor soul to perdition1 and transforming his goodly acres into velvet suits1 with tags of cloth of gold4 ,so continual were the demands upon every kind of artisan1 that the impossibility of executing them threw several into despair4 ,one tailor who is reported to have undertaken to furnish fifty embroidered suits in three days1 on beholding the mountain of gold and velvet that cumbered his shop-board1 saw1 like ,brutus1 the impossibility of victory1 and1 with ,roman fortitude1 fell on his own shears4 ,three armourers are said to have been completely melted with the heat of their furnaces2 and an unfortunate goldsmith swallowed molten silver to escape the persecutions of the day4 ,the road from ,london to ,canterbury was covered during one whole week with carts and waggons1 mules1 horses1 and soldiers2 and so great was the confusion1 that marshals were at length stationed to keep the whole in order1 which of course increased the said confusion a hundred fold4 ,so many were the ships passing between ,dover and ,calais1 that the historians affirm they jostled each other on the road like a herd of great black porkers4 ,the ,king went from station to station like a shepherd1 driving all the better classes of the country before him1 and leaving not a single straggler behind4 ,though we do not implicitly credit every point of this humorous statement1 we think a small portion of description from the old chronicler ,hall 7we will really inflict only a small portion on our readers7 will justify a good deal of it2 but more especially it will enlighten us as to some of the elaborate conceits of the day1 in which1 it seems1 the needle was as fully occupied as the pen4 ,indeed1 what would the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold have been without the skill of the needlewoman8 ,would it have been at all8 ,the ,frenche kyng sette hymself on a courser barded1 covered with purple sattin1 broched with golde1 and embraudered with corbyns fethers round and buckeled2 the fether was blacke and hached with gold4 ,corbyn is a rauen1 and the firste silable of corbyn is ,cor1 whiche is a harte1 a penne in ,english1 is a fether in ,frenche1 and signifieth pain1 and so it stode2 this fether round was endles1 the buckels wherwith the fethers wer fastened1 betokeneth sothfastnes1 thus was the devise1 harte fastened in pain endles1 or pain in harte fastened endles4 ,wednesdaie the #ac daie of ,june1 the twoo hardie kynges armed at all peces1 entered into the feld right nobly appareled1 the ,frenche kyng and all his parteners of chalenge were arraied in purple sattin1 broched with golde and purple velvet1 embrodered with litle rolles of white sattin wherein was written quando1 all bardes and garmentes wer set full of the same1 and all the residue where was no rolles1 were poudered and set with the letter ell as thus1 ,l1 whiche in ,frenche is she1 which was interpreted to be quando elle1 when she1 and ensuyng the devise of the first daie it signifieth together1 harte fastened in pain endles1 when she4 ,the ,frenche kyng likewise armed at al pointes mounted on a courser royal1 all his apparel as wel bardes as garmentes were purple velvet1 entred the one with the other1 embrodred ful of litle bookes of white satten1 and in the bokes were written a me2 aboute the borders of the bardes and the borders of the garmentes1 a chaine of blewe like iron1 resemblyng the chayne of a well or prison chaine1 whiche was enterpreted to be liber1 a booke2 within this boke was written as is sayed1 a me1 put these two together1 and it maketh libera me2 the chayne betokeneth prison or bondes1 and so maketh together in ,englishe1 deliver me of bondes2 put to the reason1 the fyrst day1 second day1 and third day of chaunge1 for he chaunged but the second day1 and it is hart fastened in paine endles1 when she deliuereth me not of bondes2 thus was thinterpretation made1 but whether it were so in all thinges or not ,i may not say4 ,the following animated picture from an author already quoted1 has been drawn of this spirit-stirring scene3-- ,upon a large open green1 that extended on the outside of the walls1 was to be seen a multitude of tents of all kinds and colours1 with a multitude of busy human beings1 employed in raising fresh pavilions on every open space1 or in decorating those already spread with streamers1 pennons1 and banners of all the bright hues under the sun4 ,long lines of horses and mules1 loaded with armour or baggage1 and ornamented with gay ribbons to put them in harmony with the scene1 were winding about all over the plain1 some proceeding towards the town1 some seeking the tents of their several lords1 while mingled amongst them1 appeared various bands of soldiers1 on horseback and on foot1 with the rays of the declining sun catching upon the heads of their bills and lances2 and together with the white cassock and broad red cross1 marking them out from all the other objects4 ,here and there1 too1 might be seen a party of knights and gentlemen cantering over the plain1 and enjoying the bustle of the scene1 or standing in separate groups1 issuing their orders for the erection and garnishing of their tents2 while couriers1 and poursuivants1 and heralds1 in all their gay dresses1 mingled with mule drivers1 lacqueys1 and peasants1 armourers1 pages1 and tent stretchers1 made up the living part of the landscape4 ,the sounding of the trumpets to horse1 the shouts of the various leaders1 the loud cries of the marshals and heralds1 and the roaring of artillery from the castle1 as the king put his foot in the stirrup1 all combined to make one general outcry rarely equalled4 ,gradually the tumult subsided1 gradually also the confused assemblage assumed a regular form4 ,flags1 and pennons1 and banderols1 embroidered banners1 and scutcheons2 silver pillars1 and crosses1 and crooks1 ranged themselves in long line2 and the bright procession1 an interminable stream of living gold1 began to wind across the plain4 ,first came about five hundred of the gayest and wealthiest gentlemen of ,england1 below the rank of baron2 squires1 knights1 and bannerets1 rivalling each other in the richness of their apparel and the beauty of their horses2 while the pennons of the knights fluttered above their heads1 marking the place of the ,english chivalry4 ,next appeared the proud barons of the realm1 each with his banner borne before him1 and followed by a custrel with the shield of his arms4 ,to these again succeeded the bishops1 not in the simple robes of the ,protestant clergy1 but in the more gorgeous habits of the ,church of ,rome2 while close upon their steps rode the higher nobility1 surrounding the immediate person of the king1 and offering the most splendid mass of gold and jewels that the summer sun ever shone upon4 ,slowly the procession moved forward to allow the line of those on foot to keep an equal pace4 ,nor did this band offer a less gay and pleasing sight than the cavalcade1 for here might be seen the athletic forms of the sturdy ,english yeomanry1 clothed in the various splendid liveries of their several lords1 with the family cognisance embroidered on the bosom and arm1 and the banners and banderols of their particular houses carried in the front of each company4 ,here also was to be seen the picked guard of the ,king of ,england1 magnificently dressed for the occasion1 with the royal banner carried in their centre by the deputy standard bearer1 and the banner of their company by their own ancient4 ,in the rear of all1 marshalled by officers appointed for the purpose1 came the band of those whose rank did not entitle them to take place in the cavalcade1 but who had sufficient interest at court to be admitted to the meeting4 ,though of an inferior class1 this company was not the least splendid in the field2 for here were all the wealthy tradesmen of the court1 habited in many a rich garment1 furnished by the extravagance of those that rode before2 and many a gold chain hung round their necks1 that not long ago had lain in the purse of some prodigal customer4 ,but we cease1 being fully of opinion with the old chronicler that to tell the apparel of the ladies1 their riche attyres1 their sumptuous juelles1 their diversities of beauties1 and their goodly behaviour from day to day sithe the fyrst metyng1 ,i assure you ten mennes wittes can scarce declare it4 ,and in a few days1 a few short days1 all was at an end2 and the pomp and the pageantry1 the mirth and the revelry1 was but as a dream--a most bitter1 indeed1 and painful dream to hundreds who had bartered away their substance for the sake of a transient glitter3 ,we seken fast after felicite ,but we go wrong ful often trewely1 ,thus may we sayen alle4 ,homely indeed1 after the paraphernalia of the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold1 would appear the homes of ,england on the return of their masters4 ,for though the nobles had begun to remove the martial fronts of their castles1 and endeavoured to render them more commodious1 yet in architecture the nation participated neither the spirit nor the taste of its sovereign4 ,the mansions of the gentlemen were1 we are told1 still sordid2 the huts of the peasantry poor and wretched4 ,the former were generally thatched buildings composed of timber1 or1 where wood was scarce1 of large posts inserted in the earth1 filled up in the interstices with rubbish1 plastered within1 and covered on the outside with coarse clay4 ,the latter were light frames1 prepared in the forest at small expense1 and when erected1 probably covered with mud4 ,in cities the houses were constructed mostly of the same materials1 for bricks were still too costly for general use2 and the stories seem to have projected forward as they rose in height1 intercepting sunshine and air from the streets beneath4 ,the apartments were stifling1 lighted by lattices1 so contrived as to prohibit the occasional and salutary admission of external air4 ,the floors were of clay1 strewed with rushes1 which often remained for years a receptacle of every pollution4#aab ,in an inventory of the goods and chattels of ,sir ,andrew ,foskewe1 ,knight1 dated in the #cjth year of ,king ,henry the ,eighth1 are the following furnitures4 ,we select the hall and the best parlour1 in which he entertained company1 first premising that he possessed a large and noble service of rich plate worth an amazing sum1 and so much land as proved him to be a wealthy man3-- ,the hall4--,a hangin of greine say1 bordered with darneng 7or needlework72 item a grete side table1 with standinge tressels2 item a small joyned cuberde1 of waynscott1 and a short piece of counterfett carpett upon it2 item a square cuberde1 and a large piece of counterfett wyndowe1 and five formes1 c4 ,perler4--,imprim41 a hangynge of greene say and red1 panede2 item a table with two tressels1 and a greyne verders carpet upon it2 three greyne verders cushyns2 a joyned cupberd1 and a carpett upon it2 a piece of verders carpet in one window1 and a piece of counterfeit carpett in the other2 one ,flemishe chaire2 four joyned stooles2 a joyned forme2 a wyker skryne2 two large awndyerns1 a fyer forke1 a fyer pan1 a payer of tonges2 item a lowe joyned stole2 two joyned foote-stoles2 a rounde table of cipress2 and a piece of counterfeitt carpett upon it2 item a paynted table 7or picture7 of the ,epiphany of our ,lord4#aac ,but notwithstanding this apparent meagreness of accommodation1 luxury in architecture was making rapid strides in the land4 ,wolsey was as magnificent in this taste as in others1 as ,hampton ,court1 a residence1 says ,grotius1 befitting rather a god than a king1 yet remains to attest4 ,the walls of his chambers at ,york ,place1 7,whitehall17 were hung with cloth of gold1 and tapestry still more precious1 representing the most remarkable events in sacred history--for the easel was then subordinate to the loom4 ,the subjects of the tapestry in ,york ,place consisted1 we are told1 of triumphs1 probably ,roman2 the story of ,absalom1 bordered with the cardinal's arms2 the ,petition of ,esther1 and the ,honouring of ,mordecai2 the ,history of ,sampson1 bordered with the cardinal's arms2 the ,history of ,solomon2 the ,history of ,susannah and the ,elders1 bordered with the cardinal's arms2 the ,history of ,jacob1 also bordered2 ,holofernes and ,judith1 bordered2 the ,story of ,joseph1 of ,david1 of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist2 the ,history of the ,virgin2 the ,passion of ,christ2 the ,worthies2 the ,story of ,nebuchadnezzar2 a ,pilgrimage2 all bordered4 ,this place--,whitehall--,henry decorated magnificently2 erected splendid gateways1 and threw a gallery across to the ,park1 where he erected a tilt-yard1 with all royal and courtly appurtenances1 and converted the whole into a royal manor4 ,this was not until after fire had ravaged the ancient1 time-honoured1 and kingly palace of ,westminster1 a place which perhaps was the most truly regal of any which ,england ever beheld4 ,recorded as a royal residence as early--almost--as there is record of the existence of our venerable abbey2 inhabited by ,knute the ,dane2 rebuilt by ,edward the ,confessor2 remodelled by ,henry the ,third2 receiving lustre from the residence1 and ever-added splendour from the liberality of a long line of illustrious monarchs1 it had obtained a hold on the mind which is even yet not passed away1 although the ravages of time1 and of fire1 and the desecrations of subsequent ages1 have scarcely left stone or token of the original structure4 ,after the fire1 however1 ,henry forsook it4 ,he it was who first built ,st4 ,james's ,palace on the site of an hospital which had formerly stood there4 ,he also possessed1 amongst other royal retreats1 ,havering ,bower1 so called from the legend of ,st4 ,edward receiving a ring from ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist on this spot by the hands of a pilgrim from the ,holy ,land2 which legend is represented at length in ,westminster ,abbey2 ,eltham1 in ,kent1 where the king frequently passed his ,christmas2 ,greenwich1 where ,elizabeth was born2 and ,woodstock1 celebrated for the unhappy fate ,of ,rosamond1 who long ago ,prov'd most unfortunate4 ,the ancient palace of the ,savoy had changed its destination as a royal residence only in his father's time4 ,with the single exception of ,westminster--if indeed that--the most magnificent palace which the hand of liberality ever raised1 which the finger of taste ever embellished4 ,various indeed have been the changes to which it has been doomed1 and now not one stone remains on another to say that such things have been4 ,now--of the thousands who traverse the spot1 scarce one1 at long and far distant intervals1 may glance at the dim memories of the past1 to think of the plumed knights and high-born dames who revelled in its halls2 the crowned and anointed kings who1 monarch or captive1 trod its lofty chambers2 the gleaming warriors who paced its embattled courts2 the gracious queen who caused its walls to echo the sounds of joy2 the subtle heads which plodded beneath its gloomy shades2 the unhappy exiles who found a refuge within its dim recesses2 or#aad the lame1 the sick1 the impotent1 who in the midst of suffering blessed the home that sheltered them1 the hands that ministered to their woes4 ,no4 ,the majestic walls of the ,savoy are in the dust1 and not merely all trace1 but all idea of its radiant gardens and sunny bowers1 its sparkling fountains and verdant lawns1 is lost even to the imagination in the matter-of-fact1 business-like demeanour of the myriads of plodders who are ever traversing the dusty and bustling environs of ,waterloo-bridge4 ,in our closets we may perchance compel the unromantic realities of the present to yield beneath the brilliant imaginations of the past2 but on the spot itself it is impossible4 ,who can stand in ,wellington-street1 on the verge of ,waterloo-bridge1 and fancy it a princely mansion from the lofty battlements of which a royal banner is flying1 while numerous retainers keep watch below8 ,probably the sounds of harp and song may be heard as lofty nobles and courtly dames are seen to tread the verdant alleys and flower-bestrewn paths which lead to the bright and glancing river1 where a costly barge 7from which the sounds proceed7 is waiting its distinguished freight4 ,ever and anon are these seen gliding along in the sunbeams1 or resting at the avenue leading to one or other of the noble mansions with which the bright strand is sprinkled4 ,of these1 perhaps1 the most gorgeous is ,york-place1 while farthest in the distance rise the fortified walls of the old palace of ,westminster1 inferior only to those of the ancient abbey1 which are seen to rise1 dimmed1 yet distinct1 in the soft but glowing haze cast around by the setting sun4 ,and that building seen on the opposite side of the river8 ,strangely situated it seems1 and in a swamp1 and with none of the felicity of aspect appertaining to its loftier neighbour1 the ,savoy4 ,yet its lofty tower1 its embattled gateway1 seem to infer some important destination4 ,and such it had4 ,the unassuming and unattractively placed edifice has outlived its more aspiring neighbours2 and while the stately palace of the ,savoy is extinct1 and the slight remains of ,westminster are desecrated1 the time-honoured walls of ,lambeth yet shelter the head of learning and dignify the location in which they were reared4 ,eastward of our position the city looks dim and crowded2 but1 with the exception of the sprinkled mansions to which we have alluded1 there is little to break the natural characteristics of the scene between ,temple-bar and the ,west ,minster4 ,the hermitage and hospital on the site of ,northumberland ,house harmonise well with the scene2 the little cluster of cottages at ,charing has a rural aspect2 and that beautiful and touching memento of unfailing love and undiminished affection--that tribute to all that was good and excellent in woman--the ,cross1 which1 formed of the purest and1 as yet1 unsoiled white marble1 raised its emblem of faith and hope1 gleaming like silver in the brilliant sky--that--would that we had it still6 ,somewhat nearer1 the ,may-pole stands out in gay relief from the woods which envelop the hills northward1 where yet the timid fawn could shelter1 and the fearful hare forget its watch2 where yet perchance the fairies held their revels when the moon shone bright2 where they filled to the brim the fairy-cups and pledged each other in dew2 where they played at hide and seek in the harebells1 ran races in the branches of the trees1 and nestled on the leaves1 on which they glittered like diamonds2 where they launched their tiny barks on the sparkling rivulets1 breathing ere morning's dawn on the flowers to awaken them1 tinting the gossamer's web with silver1 and scattering pearls over the drops of dew4 ,closer around1 among meadows and pastures1 are all sounds and emblems of rural life2 which as yet are but agreeably varied1 not ruthlessly annihilated1 by the encroachments of population and the increase of trade4 ,truly this is a difficult picture to realise on ,waterloo-bridge1 yet is it nevertheless a tolerably correct one of this portion of our metropolis at the time of ,the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold4 ,,footnotes3 #aab ,henry4 #aac ,strutt's ,manners and ,customs4 #aad ,it was at length converted into an hospital4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,needle4 ,a grave ,reformer of old ,rents decay'd4 ,j4 ,taylor4 ,his garment-- ,with thornes together pind and patched was4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,hodge4 ,tush1 tush1 her neele1 her neele1 her neele1 man2 neither flesh nor fish1 ,a lytle thing with an hole in the ende1 as bright as any syller1 ,small1 long1 sharp at the point1 and straight as any piller4 ,diccon4 ,i know not what it is thou menest1 thou bringst me more in doubt4 ,hodge4 ,knowest not what ,tom tailor's man sits broching thro' a clout8 ,a neele1 a neele1 a neele1 my gammer's neele is gone4 ,gammer ,gurton's ,needle4 ,it is said in the old chronicles that previous to the arrival of ,anne of ,bohemia1 ,queen of ,richard the ,second1 the ,english ladies fastened their robes with skewers2 but as it is known that pins were in use among the early ,british1 since in the barrows that have been opened numbers of neat and efficient ivory pins were found to have been used in arranging the grave-clothes1 it is probable that this remark is unfounded4 ,the pins of a later date than the above were made of boxwood1 bone1 ivory1 and some few of silver4 ,they were larger than those of the present day1 which seem to have been unknown in ,england till about the middle of the fifteenth century4 ,in #aedc1 however1 the manufacture of brass pins had become sufficiently important to claim the attention of the legislature1 an ,act having been passed that year by which it was enacted1 ,that no person shall put to sale any pins1 but only such as shall be double headed and have the head soldered fast to the shank1 the pins well smoothed1 and the shank well sharpened4 ,gloucestershire is noted for the number of its pin manufactories4 ,they were first introduced in that county1 in #afbf1 by ,john ,tilsby2 and it is said that at this time they employ #a1ejj hands1 and send up to the metropolis upwards of #bj1jjj of pins annually4 ,our motto says1 however1 that his garment ,with thornes together pind and patched was2 and a ,french writer says1 that before the invention of steel needles people were obliged to make use of thorns1 fish bones1 c41 but that since l'tablissement des socits1 ce petit outil est devenu d'un usage indispensable dans une infinit d'arts et d'occasions4 ,he proceeds3--,de toutes les manires d'attacher l'un l'autre deux corps flexibles1 celle qui se pratique avec l'aiguille est une des plus universellement rpandues3 aussi distingue-t-on un grand nombre d'aiguilles diffrentes4 ,on a les aiguilles coudre1 ou de tailleur2 les aiguilles de chirurgie1 d'artillerie1 de bonnetier1 ou faiseur de bas au mtier1 d'horloger1 de cirier1 de drapier1 de gainier1 de perruquier1 de coiffeuse1 de faiseur de coiffe perruques1 de piqueur d'tuis1 tabatires1 et autres semblables ouvrages2 de sellier1 d'ouvrier en soie1 de brodeur1 de tapissier1 de chandelier1 d'emballeur2 matelas1 empointer1 tricoter1 enfiler1 presser1 brocher1 relier1 natter1 boussole ou aimante1 c4 c4 ,needles are said to have been first made in ,england by a native of ,india1 in #aede1 but the art was lost at his death2 it was1 however1 recovered by ,christopher ,greening1 in #aefj1 who was settled with his three children1 ,elizabeth1 ,john1 and ,thomas1 by ,mr4 ,damar1 ancestor of the present ,lord ,milton1 at ,long ,crendon1 in ,bucks1 where the manufactory has been carried on from that time to the present period4#aae ,thus our readers will remark1 that until far on in the sixteenth century1 there was not a needle to be had but of foreign manufacture2 and bearing this circumstance in mind1 they will be able to enter more fully into the feelings of those who set such inestimable value on a needle4 ,and1 indeed1 if all we are told of them be true1 needles could not be too highly esteemed4 ,for instance1 we were told of an old woman who had used one needle so long and so constantly for mending stockings1 that at last the needle was able to do them of itself4 ,at length1 and while the needle was in the full perfection of its powers1 the old woman died4 ,a neighbour1 whose numerous olive branches caused her to have a full share of matronly employment1 hastened to possess herself of this domestic treasure1 and gathered round her the weekly accumulation of sewing1 not doubting but that with her new ally1 the wonder-working needle1 the unwieldy work-basket would be cleared1 in no time1 of its overflowing contents4 ,but even the all-powerful needle was of no avail without thread1 and she forthwith proceeded to invest it with a long one4 ,but thread it she could not2 it resisted her most strenuous endeavours4 ,in vain she turned and re-turned the needle1 the eye was plain enough to be seen2 in vain she cut and screwed the thread1 she burnt it in the candle1 she nipped it with the scissars1 she rolled it with her lips1 she twizled it between her finger and thumb3 the pointed end was fine as fine could be1 but enter the eye of the needle it would not4 ,at length1 determined not to relinquish her project whilst any hope remained of its accomplishment1 she borrowed a magnifying glass to examine the little weapon more accurately4 ,and there1 large as life and twice as natural1 a pearly gem1 a translucent drop1 a crystal tear stood right in the gap1 and filled to overflowing the eye of the needle4 ,it was weeping for the death of its old mistress2 it refused consolation2 it was never threaded again4 ,we give this incident on the testimony of a gallant naval officer2 an unquestionable authority1 though we are fully aware that some of our readers may be ungenerously sceptical1 and perhaps even rude enough to attempt some vile pun about the brave sailor's drawing a long yarn4 ,if1 however1 ,gammer ,gurton's needle resembled the one we have just referred to1 and that1 too1 at a time when a needle1 even not supernaturally endowed1 was not to be had of ,english manufacture1 and therefore could only be purchased probably at a high price1 we cannot wonder at the aggrieved feelings of her domestic circle when the catastrophe occurred which is depicted as follows3--,the parties interested were the ,dame ,gammer ,gurton herself2 ,hodge1 her farming man2 ,tib1 her maid2 ,cocke1 her boy2 and ,gib1 her cat4 ,the play from which our quotation is taken is not without some pretensions to wit1 though of the coarsest kind3 it is supposed to have been first performed at ,christ's ,college1 ,cambridge1 in #aeff2 and ,warton observes on it1 that while ,latimer's sermons were in vogue at court1 ,gammer ,gurton's needle might well be tolerated at the university4 ,act ,i4 ,scene #c4 ,hodge and ,tib4 ,hodge4 ,i am agast1 by the masse1 ,i wot not what to do2 ,i had need blesse me well before ,i go them to3 ,perchance1 some felon spirit may haunt our house indeed1 ,and then ,i were but a noddy to venter where's no need4 ,tib4 ,i'm worse than mad1 by the masse1 to be at this stay4 ,i'm chid1 ,i'm blam'd1 and beaten all th' hours on the day4 ,lamed and hunger starved1 pricked up all in jagges1 ,having no patch to hide my backe1 save a few rotten ragges4 ,hodge4 ,i say1 ,tib1 if thou be ,tib1 as ,i trow sure thou be1 ,what devil make ado is this between our dame and thee8 ,tib4 ,truly1 ,hodge1 thou had a good turn thou wart not here this while2 ,it had been better for some of us to have been hence a mile3 ,my ,gammer is so out of course1 and frantike all at once1 ,that ,cocke1 our boy1 and ,i poor wench1 have felt it on our bones4 ,hodge4 ,what is the matter1 say on1 ,tib1 whereat she taketh so on8 ,tib4 ,she is undone1 she saith 7alas7 her life and joy is gone3 ,if she hear not of some comfort1 she is she saith but dead1 ,shall never come within her lips1 on inch of meat ne bread4 ,and heavy1 heavy is her grief1 as1 ,hodge1 we all shall feel4 ,hodge4 ,my conscience1 ,tib1 my ,gammer has never lost her neele8 ,tib4 ,her neele4 ,hodge4 ,her neele8 ,tib4 ,her neele1 by him that made me6 ,hodge4 ,how a murrain came this chaunce 7say ,tib7 unto her dame8 ,tib4 ,my ,gammer sat her down on the pes1 and bade me reach thy breches1 ,and by and by1 a vengeance on it1 or she had take two stitches ,to clout upon the knee1 by chaunce aside she lears1 ,and ,gib our cat1 in the milk pan1 she spied over head and ears4 ,ah6 out1 out1 theefe1 she cried aloud1 and swapt the breeches down1 ,up went her staffe1 and out leapt ,gib at doors into the town3 ,and since that time was never wight cold set their eyes upon it4 ,god's malison she have ,cocke and ,i bid twentie times light on it4 ,hodge4 ,and is not then my breches sewed up1 to-morrow that ,i shuld wear8 ,tib4 ,no1 in faith1 ,hodge1 thy breches lie1 for all this never the near4 ,hodge4 ,now a vengeance light on al the sort1 that better shold have kept it2 ,the cat1 the house1 and ,tib our maid1 that better should have swept it4 ,se1 where she cometh crawling6 ,come on1 come on thy lagging way2 ,ye have made a fair daies worke1 have you not8 pray you1 say4 99 99 99 99 99 ,act ,i4 ,scene #d4 ,gammer1 ,hodge1 ,tib1 ,cocke4 ,gammer4 ,alas1 alas1 ,i may well curse and ban ,this day1 that ever ,i saw it1 with ,gib and the milke pan4 ,for these1 and ill lucke together1 as knoweth ,cocke my boy1 ,have stacke away my dear neele1 and rob'd me of my joy1 ,my fair long straight neele1 that was mine only treasure1 ,the first day of my sorrow is1 and last of my pleasure4 ,hodge4 ,might ha kept it when ye had it2 but fools will be fools still3 ,lose that is fast in your hands8 ye need not1 but ye will4 ,gammer4 ,go hie the1 ,tib1 and run along1 to th' end here of the town4 ,didst carry out dust in thy lap8 seek where thou porest it down2 ,and as thou sawest me roking in the ashes where ,i morned1 ,so see in all the heap of dust thou leave no straw unturned4 ,hodge4 ,your neele lost8 it is pitie you shold lacke care and endles sorrow4 ,tell me1 how shall my breches be sewid8 shall ,i go thus to-morrow8 ,gammer4 ,ah1 ,hodge1 ,hodge1 if that ,i could find my neele1 by the reed1 ,i'd sew thy breches1 ,i promise the1 with full good double threed1 ,and set a patch on either knee1 shall last this months twain1 ,now ,god1 and ,saint ,sithe1 ,i pray1 to send it back again4 ,hodge4 ,whereto served your hands and eyes1 but your neele keep8 ,what devil had you els to do8 ye keep1 ,i wot1 no sheep4 ,i'm fain abrode to dig and delve1 in water1 mire and clay1 ,sossing and possing in the dirt1 still from day to day ,a hundred things that be abroad1 ,i'm set to see them weel2 ,and four of you sit idle at home1 and cannot keep a neele4 ,gammer4 ,my neele1 alas1 ,i lost1 ,hodge1 what time ,i me up hasted1 ,to save milk set up for thee1 which ,gib our cat hath wasted4 ,hodge4 ,the devil he take both ,gib and ,tib1 with all the rest2 ,i'm always sure of the worst end1 whoever have the best4 ,where ha you ben fidging abroad1 since you your neele lost8 ,gammer4 ,within the house1 and at the door1 sitting by this same post2 ,where ,i was looking a long hour1 before these folke came here2 ,but1 wel away6 all was in vain1 my neele is never the near6 ,gammer ,gurton's ,needle1 says ,hazlitt1 is a regular comedy1 in five acts1 built on the circumstance of an old woman having lost her needle which throws the whole village into confusion1 till it is at last providentially found sticking in an unlucky part of ,hodge's dress4 ,this must evidently have happened at a time when the manufactures of ,sheffield and ,birmingham had not reached the height of perfection which they have at present done4 ,suppose that there is only one sewing needle in a village1 that the owner1 a diligent notable old dame1 loses it1 that a mischief-making wag sets it about that another old woman has stolen this valuable instrument of household industry1 that strict search is made every where in-doors for it in vain1 and that then the incensed parties sally forth to scold it out in the open air1 till words end in blows1 and the affair is referred over to the higher authorities1 and we shall have an exact idea 7though1 perhaps1 not so lively a one7 of what passes in this authentic document between ,gammer ,gurton and her gossip ,dame ,chat2 ,dickon the ,bedlam 7the causer of these harms72 ,hodge1 ,gammer ,gurton's servant2 ,tyb1 her maid2 ,cocke1 her 'prentice boy2 ,doll ,scapethrift2 ,master ,baillie1 his master2 ,dr4 ,rat1 the curate2 and ,gib1 the cat1 who may fairly be reckoned one of the dramatis person1 and performs no mean part4 ,from the needle itself the transition is easy to the needlework which was in vogue at the time when this little implement was so valuable and rare a commodity4 ,we are told that the various kinds of needlework practised at this time would1 if enumerated1 astonish even the most industrious of our modern ladies4 ,the lover of ,shakspeare will remember that the term point device is often used by him1 and that1 indeed1 it is a term frequently met with in the writers of that age with various applications2 and it is originally derived1 according to ,mr4 ,douce1 from the fine stitchery of the ladies4 ,it has been properly stated1 that point device signifies exact1 nicely1 finical2 but nothing has been offered concerning the etymology1 except that we got the expression from the ,french4 ,it has1 in fact1 been supplied from the labours of the needle4 ,poinct1 in the ,french language1 denotes a stitch2 devise any thing invented1 disposed1 or arranged4 ,point devise was1 therefore1 a particular sort of patterned lace worked with the needle2 and the term point lace is still familiar to every female4 ,they had likewise their point-coup1 point-compt1 dentelle au point devant l'aiguille1 c4 c4 ,but it is apparent1 he adds1 that the expression point devise became applicable1 in a secondary sense1 to whatever was uncommonly exact1 or constructed with the nicety and precision of stitches made or devised with the needle4 ,various books of patterns of needlework for the assistance and encouragement of the fair stitchers were published in those days4 ,mr4 ,douce#aaf enumerates some of them1 and the omission of any part of his notation would be unpardonable in the present work4 ,the earliest on the list is an ,italian book1 under the title of ,esemplario di lavori3 dove le tenere fanciulle et altre donne nobile potranno facilmente imparare il modo et ordine di lavorare1 cusire1 raccamare1 et finalmente far tutte quelle gentillezze et lodevili opere1 le quali p fare una donna virtuosa con laco in mano1 con li suoi compasse et misure4 ,vinegia1 per ,nicolo ,d',aristotile detto ,zoppino1 ,,mdxxix4 #hvo4 ,the next that occurs was likewise set forth by an ,italian1 and entitled1 ,les singuliers et nouveaux pourtraicts du ,seigneur ,federic de ,vinciolo ,venitien1 pour toutes sortes d'ouvrages de lingerie4 ,paris1 #aehh4 #dto4 ,it is dedicated to the ,queen of ,france1 and had been already twice published4 ,in #aeii a second part came out1 which is much more difficult to be met with than the former1 and sometimes contains a neat portrait1 by ,gaultier1 of ,catherine de ,bourbon1 the sister of ,henry the ,fourth4 ,the next is ,nouveaux pourtraicts de point coup et dantelles en petite moyenne et grande forme1 nouvellement inventez et mis en lumire4 ,imprim ,montbeliard1 #aeih4 #dto4 ,it has an address to the ladies1 and a poem exhorting young damsels to be industrious2 but the author's name does not appear4 ,vincentio's work was published in ,england1 and printed by ,john ,wolfe1 under the title of ,new and ,singular ,patternes and ,workes of ,linnen1 serving for paternes to make all sortes of lace1 edginges1 and cutworkes4 ,newly invented for the profite and contentment of ladies1 gentilwomen1 and others that are desireous of this ,art4 #aeia4 #dto4 ,he seems also to have printed it with a ,french title4 ,we have then another ,english book1 of which this is the title3 ,here foloweth certaine ,patternes of ,cutworkes2 newly invented and never published before4 ,also1 sundry sortes of spots1 as flowers1 birdes1 and fishes1 c41 and will fitly serve to be wrought1 some with gould1 some with silke1 and some with crewell in coullers2 or otherwise at your pleasure4 ,and never but once published before4 ,printed by ,rich4 ,shorleyker4 ,no date4 ,in oblong quarto4 ,and lastly1 another oblong quarto1 entitled1 ,the ,needle's ,excellency1 a new booke1 wherein are divers admirable workes wrought with the needle4 ,newly invented and cut in copper for the pleasure and profit of the industrious4 ,printed for ,james ,boler1 c41 #afdj4 ,beneath this title is a neat engraving of three ladies in a flower garden1 under the names of ,wisdom1 ,industrie1 and ,follie4 ,prefixed to the patterns are sundry poems in commendation of the needle1 and describing the characters of ladies who have been eminent for their skill in needlework1 among whom are ,queen ,elizabeth and the ,countess of ,pembroke4 ,the poems were composed by ,john ,taylor the water poet4 ,it appears that the work had gone through twelve impressions1 and yet a copy is now scarcely to be met with4 ,this may be accounted for by supposing that such books were generally cut to pieces1 and used by women to work upon or transfer to their samplers4 ,from the dress of a lady and gentleman on one of the patterns in the last mentioned book1 it appears to have been originally published in the reign of ,james the ,first4 ,all the others are embellished with a multitude of patterns elegantly cut in wood1 several of which are eminently conspicuous for their taste and beauty4 ,we are happy to add a little further information on some of these works1 and on others preserved in the ,british ,museum4 ,les singuliers et nouveaux ,pourtraicts du ,seigneur ,federic de ,vinciolo ,venitien1 pour toutes sortes d'ouvrages de ,lingerie4 ,ddi la ,reyne4 ,a ,paris1 #aegh4aag ,the book opens with a sonnet to the fair1 which announces to them an admirable motive for the work itself3-- ,pour tromper vos ennuis1 et l'esprit employer4 ,aux ,dames et ,damoyselles4 ,,sonnet4 ,l'un s'efforce gaigner le coeur des grands ,seigneurs ,pour posseder en fin une exquise richesse2 ,l'autre aspire aux estats1 pour monter en altesse1 ,et l'autre1 par la guerre allche les honneurs4 ,quand moy1 seulement pour chasser mes langueurs1 ,je me sen satisfaict de vivre en petitesse1 ,et de faire si bien1 qu'aux ,dames ie delaisse ,un grand contentement en mes graves labeurs4 ,prenez doncques en gr 7mes ,dames7 ie vous prie1 ,ces pourtrais ouvragez lesquels ie vous dedie1 ,pour tromper vos ennuis1 et l'esprit employer4 ,en ceste nouveaut1 pourrez beaucoup apprendre1 ,et maistresses en fin en cest oeuvre vous rendre1 ,le travail est plaisant3 ,si grand est le loyer4 ,which1 barring elegant diction and poetic rule1 may be read thus3-- ,whilst one man worships lordly state ,as yielding all that he desires-- ,this1 fertile acres begs from fate2 ,another1 bloody laurels fires4 ,to dissipate my devils blue1 ,trifles1 ,i'm satisfied to do2 ,for surely if the fair ,i please1 ,my very labours smack of ease4 ,take then1 fair ladies1 ,i you pray1 ,the book which at your feet ,i lay1 ,to make you happy1 brisk and gay4 ,there's much you here may learn anew1 ,which comme il faut will render you1 ,and bring you joy and honour too4 ,proceed we to the-- ,ouvrages de point ,coup1 of which there are thirty-six4 ,some birds1 animals1 and figures are introduced2 but the patterns are chiefly arabesque1 set off in white1 on a thick black ground4 ,then1 with a repetition of the ornamented title-page1 come about fifty patterns1 which are represented much like the ,german patterns of the present day1 in squares for stitches1 but not so finely wrought as some which we shall presently notice4 ,these patterns consist of arabesques1 figures1 birds1 beasts1 flowers1 in every variety4 ,to many the stitches are ready counted 7as well as pourtrayed71 thus3-- ,ce ,plican contient en longueur #gj mailles1 et en hauteur #fe4 ,this pattern of maternity is represented as pecking her breast1 towards which three young ones are flying2 their course being indicated by the three lines of white stitches1 all converging to the living nest4 ,ce ,griffon contient en hauteur #eh mailles1 et en longueur #fg4 ,small must be the skill of the needlewoman who does not make this a very rampant animal indeed4 ,ce ,paon contient en longueur #fe mailles1 et en hauteur #fa4 ,la ,licorne en hauteur contient #dd mailles1 et en longueur #fb1 c4 c4 ,la bordure contient #be mailles4 ,la bordure de haut contient #ce mailles4 ,this is a very handsome one1 resembling pine apples4 ,ce quarr contient #fe mailles4 ,there are several of these squares1 and borders appended1 of very rich patterns4 ,but the book contains far more ambitious designs4 ,there are ,sol1 ,luna1 ,mars1 ,mercury1 ,jupiter1 ,venus1 ,saturn1 ,neptune1 and others1 whose dignities and vocation must be inferred from the emblematical accompaniments4 ,there is ,la ,desse des fleurs reprsentant le printemps4 ,la ,desse des ,bleds representant l'est4 ,ce ,bacchus representant l',autonne4 ,ceste figure representant l'hiver1 c4 c4 ,appended is this ,extraict du ,privilege4 ,per grace et privelege du ,roy1 est permis a ,jean le ,clerc le jeune1 tailleur d'histoires ,paris1 d'imprimer ou faire imprimer vendre et distribuer un livre intitul livre de patrons de ,lingerie1 ,,dedie ,a ,,la ,,royne1 nouvellement invent par le ,seigneur ,federic de ,vinciolo ,venitien1 avec deffences tous ,libraires1 ,imprimeurs1 ou autres1 de quelque condition et qualit quilz soyent1 de faire ny contrefaire1 aptisser ny agrandir1 ou pocher lesdits figures1 ny exposer en vente ledict ,livre sans le cong ou permission dudict le ,clerc1 et ce jusques au temps et terme de neuf ans finis et accomplis1 sur peine de confiscation de tous les livres qui se trouveront imprimez1 et damande arbitraire3 comme plus a plein est declar en lettres patentes1 donnes ,paris ce douziesme jour de ,novembre1 #aehg4 ,another work1 preserved in the ,british ,museum1 was published at ,strasbourg1 #aeif1 seemingly from designs of the same ,vinciolo4 ,these consist of about six-and-thirty plates1 with patterns in white on a black ground1 consisting of a few birds and figures1 but chiefly of stars and wreaths pricked out in every possible variety2 and at the end of the book a dozen richly wrought patterns1 without any edging1 were seemingly designed for what we should now call insertion work or lace4 ,there is another1 by the same author1 printed at ,basil in #aeii1 which varies but slightly from the foregoing4 ,this ,frederick de ,vinciolo is doubtless the same person who was summoned to ,france1 by ,catherine de ,medicis1 to instruct the ladies of the court in the art of netting the lace of which the then fashionable ruffs were made4 ,in another volume we have-- ,corona delle ,nobili et virtuose ,donne1 nel quale si dimostra in varij ,dissegni tutte le sorti di ,mostre di punti tagliati1 punti in ,aria1 punti ,fiamenghi1 punti ,reticelle1 e d'ogni altre sorte1 cosi per ,freggi1 per ,merli1 e ,rosette1 che con l',aco si usano hoggid per tutta l',europa4 ,e molte delle quali ,mostre possono servire ancora per opere a ,mazzette4 ,con le dichiarationi a le ,mostre a ,lavori fatti da ,lugretia ,romana4 ,in ,venetia appresso ,alessandro di ,vecchi1 #afbj4 ,the plates here are very similar to those in the above-mentioned works4 ,some are accompanied by short explanations1 saying where they are most used and to whom they are best suited1 as-- ,hopera ,bellissima1 che per il pi le ,signore ,duchese1 et altre ,signore si servono per li suoi lavori4 ,queste bellissime ,rosette usano anco le gentildonne ,venetiane da far traverse4 ,but certainly the best work of the kind is1 ,the ,needle's ,excellency1 referred to in ,mr4 ,douce's list4 ,it contains a variety of plates1 of which the patterns are all1 or nearly all1 arabesque4 ,they are beautifully executed1 many of them being very similar to1 and equally fine with1 the ,german patterns before the colouring is put on1 which1 though it guides the eye1 defaces the work4 ,these are seldom seen uncoloured1 the ,germans having a jealousy of sending them2 but we have seen1 through the polite attention of ,mr4 ,wilks1 of ,regent ,street1 one or two in this state1 and we could not but admire the extreme delicacy and beauty of the work4 ,some few of the patterns in the book we are now referring to are so extremely similar1 that we doubt not the modern artists have borrowed the idea of their beautifully traced patterns from this or some similar work2 thereby adding one more proof of the truth of the oft quoted proverb1 ,there is nothing new under the sun4 ,as a fitting close to this chapter1 we give the ,needle's praises in full1 as sung by the water poet1 ,john ,taylor1 and prefixed to the last-mentioned work4 ,,the ,,praise ,,of ,,the ,,needle4 ,to all dispersed sorts of arts and trades1 ,i write the needles prayse 7that never fades7 ,so long as children shall be got or borne1 ,so long as garments shall be made or worne1 ,so long as hemp or flax1 or sheep shall bear ,their linnen wollen fleeces yeare by yeare3 ,so long as silkwormes1 with exhausted spoile1 ,of their own entrailes for man's gaine shall toyle3 ,yea till the world be quite dissolv'd and past1 ,so long at least1 the needles use shall last3 ,and though from earth his being did begin1 ,yet through the fire he did his honour win3 ,and unto those that doe his service lacke1 ,he's true as steele and mettle to the backe ,he hath indeed1 ,i see1 small single sight1 ,yet like a pigmy1 ,polipheme in fight3 ,as a stout captaine1 bravely he leades on1 7,not fearing colours7 till the worke be done1 ,through thicke and thinne he is most sharpely set1 ,with speed through stitch1 he will the conquest get4 ,and as a souldier 7,frenchefyde with heat7 ,maim'd from the warres is forc'd to make retreat2 ,so when a needles point is broke1 and gone1 ,no point ,mounsieur1 he's maim'd1 his worke is done1 ,and more the needles honour to advance1 ,it is a tailor's javelin1 or his lance2 ,and for my countries quiet1 ,i should like1 ,that women kinde should use no other pike4 ,it will increase their peace1 enlarge their store1 ,to use their tongues lesse1 and their needles more4 ,the needles sharpnesse1 profit yields1 and pleasure1 ,but sharpnesse of the tongue1 bites out of measure4 ,a needle 7though it be but small and slender7 ,yet it is both a maker and a mender3 ,a grave ,reformer of old rents decay'd1 ,stops holes and seames and desperate cuts display'd1 ,and thus without the needle we may see ,we should without our bibs and biggins bee2 ,no shirts or smockes1 our nakednesse to hide1 ,no garments gay1 to make us magnifide3 ,no shadowes1 shapparoones1 caules1 bands1 ruffs1 kuffs1 ,no kerchiefes1 quoyfes1 chinclouts1 or marry-muffes1 ,no croscloaths1 aprons1 handkerchiefes1 or falls1 ,no table-cloathes1 for parlours or for halls1 ,no sheetes1 no towels1 napkins1 pillow beares1 ,nor any garment man or woman weares4 ,thus is a needle prov'd an instrument ,of profit1 pleasure1 and of ornament4 ,which mighty queenes have grac'd in hand to take1 ,and high borne ladies such esteeme did make1 ,that as their daughters daughters up did grow1 ,the needles art1 they to the children show4 ,and as 'twas then an exercise of praise1 ,so what deserves more honour in these dayes1 ,than this8 which daily doth itselfe expresse ,a mortall enemy to idlenesse4 ,the use of sewing is exceeding old1 ,as in the sacred text it is enrold3 ,our parents first in ,paradise began1 ,who hath descended since from man to man3 ,the mothers taught their daughters1 sires their sons ,thus in a line successively it runs ,for generall profit1 and for recreation1 ,from generation unto generation4 ,with work like cherubims embroidered rare1 ,the covers of the tabernacle were4 ,and by the ,almighti's great command1 we see1 ,that ,aaron's garments broidered worke should be2 ,and further1 ,god did bid his vestments should ,be made most gay1 and glorious to behold4 ,thus plainly and most truly is declar'd ,the needles worke hath still bin in regard1 ,for it doth art1 so like to nature frame1 ,as if it were her sister1 or the same4 ,flowers1 plants and fishes1 beasts1 birds1 flyes1 and bees1 ,hills1 dales1 plaines1 pastures1 skies1 seas1 rivers1 trees2 ,there's nothing neere at hand1 or farthest sought1 ,but with the needle may be shap'd and wrought4 ,in clothes of arras ,i have often seene1 ,men's figur'd counterfeits so like have beene1 ,that if the parties selfe had been in place1 ,yet art would vie with nature for the grace2 ,moreover1 posies rare1 and anagrams1 ,signifique searching sentences from names1 ,true history1 or various pleasant fiction1 ,in sundry colours mixt1 with arts commixion1 ,all in dimension1 ovals1 squares1 and rounds1 ,arts life included within natures bounds3 ,so that art seemeth merely naturall1 ,in forming shapes so geometricall2 ,and though our country everywhere is fild ,with ladies1 and with gentlewomen1 skild ,in this rare art1 yet here they may discerne ,some things to teach them if they list to learne4 ,and as this booke some cunning workes doth teach1 7,too hard for meane capacities to reach7 ,so for weake learners1 other workes here be1 ,as plaine and easie as are ,a ,b ,c4 ,thus skilful1 or unskilful1 each may take ,this booke1 and of it each good use may make1 ,all sortes of workes1 almost that can be nam'd1 ,here are directions how they may be fram'd3 ,and for this kingdomes good are hither come1 ,from the remotest parts of ,christendome1 ,collected with much paines and industrie1 ,from scorching ,spaine and freezing ,muscovie1 ,from fertill ,france1 and pleasant ,italy1 ,from ,poland1 ,sweden1 ,denmark1 ,germany1 ,and some of these rare patternes have beene fet ,beyond the bounds of faithlesse ,mahomet3 ,from spacious ,china1 and those kingdomes ,east1 ,and from great ,mexico1 the ,indies ,west4 ,thus are these workes1 farrefetcht and dearely bought1 ,and consequently good for ladies thought4 ,nor doe ,i derogate 7in any case7 ,or doe esteeme of other teachings base1 ,for tent worke1 rais'd worke1 laid worke1 frost works1 net worke1 ,most curious purles1 or rare ,italian cut worke1 ,fine1 ferne stitch1 finny stitch1 new stitch1 and chain stitch1 ,brave bred stitch1 ,fisher stitch1 ,irish stitch1 and ,queen stitch1 ,the ,spanish stitch1 ,rosemary stitch1 and ,mowse stitch ,the smarting whip stitch1 back stitch1 and the crosse stitch ,all these are good1 and these we must allow1 ,and these are everywhere in practise now3 ,and in this booke there are of these some store1 ,with many others1 never seene before4 ,here practise and invention may be free4 ,and as a squirrel skips from tree to tree1 ,so maids may 7from their mistresse or their mother7 ,learne to leave one worke1 and to learne another1 ,for here they may make choice of which is which1 ,and skip from worke to worke1 from stitch to stitch1 ,until1 in time1 delightful practise shall 7,with profit7 make them perfect in them all4 ,thus hoping that these workes may have this guide1 ,to serve for ornament1 and not for pride3 ,to cherish vertue1 banish idlenesse1 ,for these ends1 may this booke have good successe4 ,,footnotes3 #aae ,it is worth while to remark the circumstance1 that by a machine of the simplest construction1 being nothing in fact but a tray1 #bj1jjj needles thrown promiscuously together1 mixed and entangled in every way1 are laid parallel1 heads to heads1 and points to points1 in the course of three or four minutes4 #aaf ,illustrations1 vol4 ii4 p4 #ib4 #aag ,this seems to be a somewhat earlier edition of the second book in ,mr4 ,douce's list4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,tapestry ,,from ,,the ,,cartoons4 ,for1 round about1 the walls yclothed were ,with goodly ,arras of great majesty1 ,woven with gold and silk so close and nere1 ,that the rich metal lurked privily1 ,as faining to be hidd from envious eye2 ,yet here1 and there1 and every where unwares ,it shew'd itselfe and shone unwillingly2 ,like to a discolour'd ,snake1 whose hidden snares ,through the greene gras his long bright burnisht back declares4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,raphael1 whose name is familiar to all as a household word1 seems to have been equally celebrated for a handsome person1 an engaging address1 an amiable disposition1 and high talents4 ,language exhausts itself in his eulogy4#aah ,but the extravagant encomiums of ,lanzi and others must be taken in a very modified sense1 ere we arrive at the rigid truth4 ,the tone of morals in ,italy did not correspond with evangelical purity2 and ,raphael's follies were not merely permitted1 but encouraged and fostered by those who sought eagerly for the creations of his pencil4 ,his thousand engaging qualities were disfigured by a licentiousness which probably shortened his career1 for he died at the early age of thirty-seven4 ,great and sincere was the grief expressed at ,rome for his untimely death1 and no testimony of sorrow could be more affecting1 more simple1 or more highly honourable to its object than the placing his picture of the ,transfiguration over his mortal remains in the chamber wherein he died4 ,it was probably within two years of the close of his short life when he was engaged by ,pope ,leo the ,tenth to paint those cartoons which have more than all his works immortalised his name1 and which render the brief hints we have given respecting him peculiarly appropriate to this work4 ,the cartoons were designs1 from ,scripture chiefly1 from which were to be woven hangings to ornament the apartments of the ,vatican2 and their dimensions being of course proportioned to the spaces they were designed to fill1 the tapestries1 though equal in height1 differed extremely in breadth4 ,the designs were1 #a4 ,the ,nativity4 #b4 ,the ,adoration of the ,magi4 #c4 #d4 ,the ,slaughter of the ,innocents4 #e4 #f4 ,the ,presentation in the ,temple4 #g4 ,the ,miraculous ,draught of ,fishes4 #h4 ,st4 ,peter receiving the ,keys4 #i4 ,the ,descent of ,christ into ,limbus4 #aj4 ,the ,resurrection4 #aa4 ,noli me tangere4 #ab4 ,christ at ,emmaus4 #ac4 ,the ,ascension4 #ad4 ,the ,descent of the ,holy ,ghost4 #ae4 ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,stephen4 #af4 ,the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul4 #ag4 ,paul and ,barnabas at ,lystra4 #ah4 ,paul ,preaching4 #ai4 ,death of ,ananias4 #bj4 ,elymas the ,sorcerer4 #ba4 ,an earthquake2 showing the delivery of ,paul and ,silas from prison3 named from the earthquake which shook the foundations of the building4 ,the artist endeavours to render it ideally visible to the spectator by placing a gigantic figure1 which appears to be raising the superincumbent weight on his shoulders2 but the result is not altogether successful4 #bb4 ,st4 ,peter healing the cripple4 #bc-bd4 ,contain emblems alluding to ,leo the ,tenth4 ,these are preserved in one of the private apartments of the ,vatican palace4 #be4 ,justice4 ,in this subject the figures of ,religion1 ,charity1 and ,justice are seen above the papal armorial bearings4 ,the last figure gives name to the whole4 ,when the cartoons were finished they were sent into ,flanders to be woven 7at the famous manufactory at ,arras7 under the superintendence of ,barnard ,van ,orlay of ,brussels1 and ,michael ,coxis1 artists who had been for some years pupils of ,raphael at ,rome4 ,two sets were executed with the utmost care and cost1 but the death of ,raphael1 the murder of the ,pope1 and subsequent intestine troubles seem to have delayed their appropriation4 ,they cost seventy thousand crowns1 a sum which is said to have been defrayed by ,francis the ,first of ,france1 in consideration of ,leo's having canonised ,st4 ,francis of ,paola1 the founder of the ,minims4 ,adrian the ,second was a man alienissimo da ogni bell'arte2 an indifference which may account for the cartoons not being sent with the tapestries to ,rome1 though some accounts say that the debt for their manufacture remained unliquidated1 and that the paintings were kept in ,flanders as security for it4 ,they were carried away by the ,spanish army in #aebf-g during the sack of ,rome1 but were restored by the zeal and spirit of ,montmorenci the ,french general1 as set forth in the woven borders of the tapestries ,nos4 #f and #i4 ,pope ,paul the ,fourth 7#aeee7 first introduced them to the gaze of the public by exhibiting them before the ,basilica of ,st4 ,peter on the festival of ,corpus ,domini1 and also at the solemn function of ,beatification4 ,this use of them was continued through part of the last century1 and is now resumed4 ,in #agih they were taken by the ,french from ,rome and sold to a ,jew at ,leghorn1 and one of them was burnt by him in order to extract the gold with which they were richly interwoven2 but happily they did not furnish so much spoil as the speculator hoped1 and this devastation was arrested4 ,the one that was destroyed represented ,christ's ,descent into ,limbus2 the rest were repurchased for one thousand three hundred crowns1 and restored to the ,vatican in #ahad4 ,we have alluded to two sets of these tapestries1 and it is believed that there were two2 whether exactly counterparts has not been ascertained4 ,we have traced the migrations of one set4 ,the other was1 according to some authorities1 presented by ,pope ,leo the ,tenth to our ,henry the ,eighth2 whilst others say that our king purchased it from the state of ,venice4 ,it was hung in the ,banqueting ,house of ,whitehall1 and after the unhappy execution of ,charles the ,first1 was put up1 amongst other royal properties1 to sale4 ,being purchased by the ,spanish ambassador1 it became the property of the house of ,alva1 and within a few years back was sold by the head of that illustrious house to ,mr4 ,tupper1 our consul in ,spain1 and by him sent back to this country4 ,these tapestries were then exhibited for some time in the ,egyptian ,hall1 ,piccadilly1 and were afterwards repurchased by a foreigner4 ,probably they have been making a progress throughout the kingdom1 as within this twelvemonth we had the satisfaction of viewing them at the principal town in a northern county4 ,the motto of our chapter might have been written expressly for these tapestries1 so exquisitely accurate is the description as applied to them of the gold thread3-- ,as here and there1 and every where unwares ,it shew'd itselfe and shone unwillingly2 ,like to a discolour'd snake1 whose hidden snares ,through the greene gras his long bright burnisht back declares4 ,the cartoons themselves1 the beautiful originals of these magnificent works1 remained in the ,netherlands1 and were all1 save seven1 lost and destroyed through the ravages of time1 and chance1 and revolution4 ,these seven1 much injured by neglect1 and almost pounced into holes by the weaver tracing his outlines1 were purchased by ,king ,charles the ,first1 and are now justly considered a most valuable possession4 ,it is supposed that the chief object of ,charles in the purchase was to supply the then existing tapestry manufactory at ,mortlake with superior designs for imitation4 ,five of them were certainly woven there1 and it is far from improbable that the remaining ones were also4#aai ,there was also a project for weaving them by a person of the name of ,james ,christopher ,le ,blon1 and houses were built and looms erected at ,chelsea expressly for that purpose1 but the design failed4 ,the ,british ,critic1 for ,january1 this year1 has the following spirited remarks with regard to the present situation of the cartoons4 ,the cartoons of ,raffaelle are very unfairly seen in their present locale2 a long gallery built for the purpose by ,william the ,third1 but in which the light enters through common chamber windows1 and therefore is so much below the cartoons as to leave the greater part of them in shade4 ,we venture to say there is no country in ,europe in which such works as these--unique1 and in their class invaluable--would be treated with so little honour4 ,it has been decided by competent opinions1 that their removal to ,london would be attended with great risk to their preservation1 from the soot1 damp1 accumulation of dust1 and other inconveniences1 natural or incident to a crowded city4 ,this1 however1 is no fair reason for their being shut up in their present ill-assorted apartment4 ,there is not a petty state in ,germany that would not erect a gallery on purpose for them2 and a few thousand pounds would be well bestowed in providing a fitting receptacle for some of the finest productions of human genius in art2 and of the full value of which we alone1 their possessors1 seem to be comparatively insensible4 ,various portions of cartoons by ,raffaelle1 part of the same series or set1 exist in ,england2 and it is far from unlikely that1 were there a proper place to preserve and exhibit the whole in1 these would in time1 by presentation or purchase1 become the property of the country1 and we should then possess a monument of the greatest master of his art1 only inferior to that which he has left on the walls of the ,vatican4 ,of all these varied and beautiful paintings1 that of the ,adoration of the ,magi1 from the variety of character and expression1 the splendor and oriental pomp of the whole1 the multitude of persons1 between forty and fifty1 the various accessaries1 elephants1 horses1 c41 with the variety of splendid and ornamental illustrations1 and the exquisite grouping1 is considered as the most attractive and brilliant in tapestry4 ,as a piece of general and varied interest it may be so2 but we well remember being1 not so suddenly struck1 as attracted and fascinated by the figure of the ,christ when1 after his resurrection1 he is recommending the care of his flock to ,st4 ,peter4 ,the colours have faded gradually and equably--7an advantage not possessed by the others1 where some tints which have stood the ravages of time better than those around them1 are in places strikingly and painfully discordant7--but in this figure the colours1 though greatly faded1 have yet faded so harmoniously as to add very much to the illusion1 giving to the figure really the appearance of one risen from the dead4 ,the outline is majestic2 turn which way we would1 we involuntarily returned to look again4 ,at length we mentioned our admiration to the superintendent1 and the reply of the enthusiastic foreigner precluded all further remark--for nothing further could be said3-- ,madam1 ,i should have been astonished if you had not admired that figure3 it is itself2 it is precisely the finest thing in the world4 ,,footnotes3 #aah ,for example3--,egli avea tenuto sempre un contegno da guadagnarsi il cuore di tutto4 ,rispettoso verso il maestro1 ottenne dal ,papa che le sue pitture in una volta delle camere ,vaticane rimanessero intatte2 giusto verso i suoi emuli ringraziava ,dio d'averlo fatto nascere a' tempi del ,bonarruoti2 grazioso verso i discepoli gl'istru e gli am come figli2 cortese anche verso gl'ignoti1 a chiunque ricorse a lui per consiglio prest liberalmente l'opera sua1 e per far disegni ad altrui o dar gl'indirizzo lasci indietro talvolta i lavori propri1 non sapendo non pure di negar grazia1 ma differirla4--,lanzi1 vol4 ii4 ,consequently when his body before interment lay in the room in which he was accustomed to paint1 ,non v'ebbe s duro artefice che a quello spettacolo non lagrimasse4--,ne pianse il ,papa4 ,of his works3--,le sue figure veramente amano1 languiscono1 temono1 sperano1 ardiscono2 mostrano ira1 placabilit1 umilt1 orgoglio1 come mette bene alla storia3 spesso chi mira que' volti1 que' guardi1 quelle mosse1 non si ricorda che ha innanzi una immagine2 si sente accendere1 prende partito1 crede di trovarsi in sul fatto4--,tutto parla nel silenzio2 ogni attore1 ,il cor negli occhi e nella fronte ha scritto2 i piccioli movimenti degli occhi1 degli narici1 della bocca1 delle dita corrispondono a' primi moti d'ogni passione2 i gesti pi animati e pi vivi ne descrivono la violenza2 e ci ch' pi1 essi variano in cento modi senza uscir mai del naturale1 e si attemperano a cento caratteri senza uscir mai dalla propriet4 ,l'eroe ha movimenti da eroe1 il volgar da volgare2 e quel che non descriverebbe lingua n penna1 descrive in pochissimi tratti l'ingegno e l'arte di ,raffaello4--p4 #fe4 ,il paese1 gli elementi1 gli animali1 le fabbriche1 le manifatture1 ogni et dell'uomo1 ogni condizione1 ogni affetto1 tutte comprese con la divinit del suo ingegno1 tutto ridusse pi bello4--p4 #ga4 ,i have thought this long extract pardonable as applied to one whose finest designs are now1 through so many channels1 rendered familiar to us4 #aai ,in a priced catalogue of ,his ,majesty's collection of ,limnings1 edited by ,vertue1 is the following entry4 ,item1 in a slit box-wooden case1 some ,,two ,,cartoons of ,raphael ,urbinus for hangings to be made by1 and the other ,,five are by the ,king's appointment delivered to ,mr4 ,francis ,cleen at ,mortlake1 to make hangings by4--,cartonensia4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,days ,,of ,,good ,,queen ,,bess4 ,a worthie woman judge1 a woman sent for staie4 ,when ,fame resounds with thundring trump1 which rends the ratling skies1 ,and pierceth to the hautie ,heavens1 and thence descending flies ,through flickering ayre3 and so conjoines the sea and shore togither1 ,in admiration of thy grace1 good ,queene1 thou'rt welcome hither4 ,the ,receyving of the ,queene's ,maiestie into hir ,citie of ,norwich4 ,we may justly wonder what has become of the industry of the ,english ladies2 we hear no more of their rich embroiderings1 and curious needlework4 ,is all the domestic simplicity of the former ages entirely vanished8--,aikin4 ,the age of ,elizabeth presents a never-failing field of variety through which people of all tastes may delightedly rove1 gathering flowers at will4 ,the learned statesman1 the acute politician1 the subtle lawyer1 will find in the measures of her ,burleigh1 her ,walsingham1 her ,cecil1 abundant food for approbation or for censure2 the heroic sailor will glory over the achievements of her time2 the adventurous traveller will explore the ,eldoradic regions with ,raleigh1 or plough the waves with ,drake and ,frobisher2 the soldier will recal glorious visions of ,essex and ,sidney1 while poesy wreathes a bay round the memory of the last1 which shines freshly and bright even in the age which produced a ,ben ,jonson1 and him who was born with a star on his forehead to last through all time--,shakspeare4 ,the age of ,elizabeth was especially a learned age4 ,the study of the dead languages had hitherto been confined almost exclusively to ecclesiastics and scholars by profession1 but from the time of ,henry the ,seventh it had been gradually spreading amongst the higher classes4 ,the great and good ,sir ,thomas ,more gave his daughters a learned education1 and they did honour to it2 ,henry the ,eighth followed his example2 ,lady ,jane ,grey made learning lovely2 and ,elizabeth's pedantry brought the habit into full fashion4 ,if a queen were to talk ,sanscrit1 her court would endeavour to do so likewise4 ,the example of learned studies was given by the queen herself1 who translated from the ,greek a play of ,euripides1 and parts of ,isocrates1 ,xenophon1 and ,plutarch2 from the ,latin considerable portions of ,cicero1 ,seneca1 ,sallust1 ,horace1 c4 ,she wrote many ,latin letters1 and is said to have spoken five languages with facility4 ,as a natural consequence the nobility and gentry1 their wives and daughters1 became enthusiasts in the cause of letters4 ,the novelty which attended these studies1 the eager desire to possess what had been so long studiously and jealously concealed1 and the curiosity to explore and rifle the treasures of the ,greek and ,roman world1 which mystery and imagination had swelled into the marvellous1 contributed to excite an absolute passion for study and for books4 ,the court1 the ducal castle1 and the baronial hall were suddenly converted into academies1 and could boast of splendid tapestries4 ,in the first of these1 according to ,ascham1 might be seen the queen reading more ,greeke every day than some prebendarie of this church doth read ,latin in a whole week2 and while she was translating ,isocrates or ,seneca1 it may be easily conceived that her maids of honour found it convenient to praise and to adopt the disposition of her time4 ,in the second1 observes ,warton1 the daughter of a duchess was taught not only to distil strong waters1 but to construe ,greek2 and in the third1 every young lady who aspired to be fashionable was compelled1 in imitation of the greater world1 to exhibit similar marks of erudition4 ,a contemporary writer says1 that some of the ladies of the court employ themselves in continuall reading either of the holie ,scriptures1 or histories of our owne or forren nations about us1 and diverse in writing volumes of their owne1 or translating of other mens into our ,english and ,latine toongs4 ,i might here 7he adds7 make a large discourse of such honorable and grave councellors1 and noble personages1 as give their dailie attendance upon the queene's majestie4 ,i could in like sort set foorth a singular commendation of the vertuous beautie1 or beautiful vertues of such ladies and gentlewomen as wait upon his person1 betweene whose amiable countenances and costlinesse of attire there seemeth to be such a dailie conflict and contention1 as that it is verie difficult for me to gesse whether of the twaine shall beare awaie the preheminence4 ,this further is not to be omitted1 to the singular commendation of both sorts and sexes of our courtiers here in ,england1 that there are verie few of them which have not the use and skill of sundrie speaches1 beside an excellent veine of writing before-time not regarded4 ,would to ,god the rest of their lives and conversations were correspondent to these gifts6 for as our common courtiers 7for the most part7 are the best lerned and endued with excellent gifts1 so are manie of them the worst men when they come abroad1 that anie man shall either heare or read of4 ,trulie it is a rare thing with us now to heare of a courtier which hath but his owne language4 ,and to saie how many gentlewomen and ladies there are1 that beside sound knowledge of the ,greeke and ,latine toongs1 are thereto no lesse skilful in the ,spanish1 ,italian1 and ,french1 or in some one of them1 it resteth not in me4 ,sith ,i am persuaded1 that as the noblemen and gentlemen doo surmount in this behalfe1 so these come verie little or nothing at all behind them for their parts1 which industrie ,god continue1 and accomplish that which otherwise is wanting6#abj ,at this time the practice 7derived from the chivalrous ages1 when every baronial castle was the resort of young persons of gentle birth1 of both sexes7 was by no means discontinued of placing young women1 of gentle birth1 in the establishment of ladies of rank1 where1 without performing any menial offices1 they might be supposed to have their own understood duties in the household1 and had in return the advantage of a liberal education1 and constant association with the best company4 ,persons of rank and fortune often retained in their service many young people of both sexes of good birth1 and bestowed on them the fashionable education of the time4 ,indeed their houses were the best1 if not then the only schools of elegant learning4 ,the following letter1 written in #aeie1 is from a young lady thus situated3 ,to my good mother ,mrs4 ,pake1 at ,broumfield1 deliver this4 ,deare ,mother1 ,my humble dutye remembred unto my father and you1 c4 ,i received upon ,weddensday last a letter from my father and you1 whereby1 ,i understand1 it is your pleasures that ,i should certifie you what times ,i do take for my lute1 and the rest of my exercises4 ,i doe for the most part playe of my lute after supper1 for then commonlie my lady heareth me2 and in the morninges1 after ,i am reddie1 ,i play an hower2 and my wrightinge and siferinge1 after ,i have done my lute4 ,for my drawinge ,i take an hower in the afternowne1 and my ,french at night before supper4 ,my lady hath not bene well these tooe or three dayes3 she telleth me1 when she is well1 that she will see if ,hilliard will come and teche me2 if she can by any means she will1 c4 c4--,as touchinge my newe corse in service1 ,i hope ,i shall performe my dutye to my lady with all care and regard to please her1 and to behave myselfe to everye one else as it shall become me4 ,mr4 ,harrisone was with me upone ,fridaye2 he heard me playe1 and brought me a dusson of trebles2 ,i had some of him when ,i came to ,london4 ,thus desiring pardone for my rude writinge1 ,i leave you to the ,almightie1 desiringe him to increase in you all health and happines4 ,your obedient daughter1 ,rebecca ,pake4 ,could any thing afford a stronger contrast to the grave and certainly severe study to which ,elizabeth had habituated herself1 than the vain and fantastic puerility of many of her recreations and habits1--the unintellectual brutality of the bearbaits which she admired1 or the gaudy and glittering pageants in which she delighted8 ,she built a gallery at ,whitehall at immense expense1 and so superficially1 that it was in ruins in her successor's time2 but it was raised1 in order to afford a magnificent reception to the ambassadors who1 in #aeha1 came to treat of an alliance with the ,duke of ,anjou4 ,it was framed of timber1 covered with painted canvas1 and decorated with the utmost gaudiness4 ,pendants of fruit of various kinds 7amongst which cucumbers and even carrots are enumerated7 were hung from festoons of flowers intermixed with evergreens1 and the whole was powdered with gold spangles2 the ceiling was painted like a sky with stars1 sunbeams1 and clouds1 intermixed with scutcheons of the royal arms2 and glass lustres and ornaments were scattered all around4 ,here were enacted masques and pageants chiefly remarkable for their pedantic prolixity of composition1 and the fulsome and gross flattery towards the queen with which they were throughout invested4 ,everything1 in accordance with the rage of the day1 assumed an erudite1 or1 more truly speaking1 a pedantic cast4 ,when the queen 7says ,warton7 paraded through a country town1 almost every pageant was a pantheon4 ,when she paid a visit at the house of any of her nobility1 at entering the hall she was saluted by the ,penates1 and conducted to her privy chamber by ,mercury4 ,even the pastry cooks were expert mythologists4 ,at dinner1 select transformations of ,ovid's metamorphoses were exhibited in confectionary2 and the splendid iceing of an immense historic plum-cake was embossed with a delicious basso-relievo of the destruction of ,troy4 ,in the afternoon1 when she condescended to walk in the garden1 the lake was covered with ,tritons and ,nereids2 the pages of the family were converted into wood-nymphs1 who peeped from every bower2 and the footmen gambolled over the lawns in the figure of satyrs4 ,scarcely we think could even the effusions of ,euphues--a fashion also of this period--be more wearisome to the spirit than a repetition of these dull delights4 ,this predilection for learning1 and the time perforce given to its acquisition1 must necessarily have subtracted from those hours which might otherwise have been bestowed on the lighter labours and beguiling occupations of the needle4 ,nor does it appear that after her accession ,elizabeth did much patronise this gentle art4 ,she was cast in a more stirring mould4 ,in her father's court1 under her sister's jealous eye1 within her prison's solitary walls1 her needle might be a prudent disguise1 a solacing occupation1 woman's pretty excuse for thought4 ,but after her own accession to the throne action was her characteristic4 ,nevertheless we are not to suppose that1 because needlework was not a rage1 it was frowned upon and despised4 ,by no means4 ,it is perhaps fortunate that ,elizabeth did not especially patronise it2 for so dictatorial and absolute was she1 that by virtue of the right divine she would have made her statesmen embroider their own robes1 and her warriors lay aside the sword for the distaff4 ,but as1 happily1 it now only held a secondary place in her esteem1 we have ,raleigh's poems instead of his sampler1 and ,bacon's learning instead of his stitchery4 ,but it was not in her nature to suffer any thing in which she excelled to lie quite dormant4 ,she was an accomplished needlewoman2 some exquisite proofs of her skill were then glowing in all their freshness1 and her excellence in this art was sufficiently obvious to prevent the ladies of her court from entirely forsaking it4 ,many books1 with patterns for needlework1 were published about this time1 and in a later one ,queen ,elizabeth is especially celebrated in a laudatory poem for her skill in it4 ,that proficiency in ornamental needlework was an absolute requisite in the accomplishments of a country belle1 may be inferred from the prominent place it holds in ,drayton's description of the well-educated daughter of a country knight in ,elizabeth's days3 ,the silk well couth she twist and twine1 ,and make the fine march pine1 ,and with the needlework3 ,and she couth help the priest to say ,his mattins on a holy day1 ,and sing a psalm in kirk4 ,she wore a frock of frolic green1 ,might well become a maiden queen1 ,which seemly was to see2 ,a hood to that so neat and fine1 ,in colour like the columbine1 ,ywrought full featously4 ,the march pine or counterpanes here alluded to1 taxed in these days to the fullest extent both the purse of the rich and the fingers of the fair4 ,elizabeth had several most expensively trimmed with ermine as well as needlework2 the finest and richest embroidery was lavished on them2 and it was no unusual circumstance for the counterpane for the standing or master's bed to be so lavishly adorned as to be worth a thousand marks4 ,at no time was ornamental needlework more admired1 or in greater request in the every-day concerns of life1 than now4 ,almost every article of dress1 male and female1 was adorned with it4 ,even the boots1 which at this time had immense tops turned down and fringed1 and which were commonly made of russet cloth or leather1 were worn by some exquisites of the day of very fine cloth 7of which enough was used to make a shirt71 and were embroidered in gold or silver1 or in various-coloured silks1 in the figures of birds1 animals1 or antiques2 and the ornamental needlework alone of a pair of these boots would cost from four to ten pounds4 ,the making of a single shirt would frequently cost #ajl41 so richly were they ornamented with needleworke of silke1 and so curiously stitched with other knackes4 ,woman's triflings1 too1 their handkerchiefs1 reticules1 workbags1 c41 were decorated richly4 ,we have seen within these few days a workbag which would startle a modern fair one1 for1 as far as regards size1 it has a most industrious look1 but which1 despite the ravages of near three centuries1 yet gives token of much original magnificence4 ,it is made of net1 lined with silk2 the material1 the net itself1 7a sort of honeycomb pattern1 like what we called a few years ago the ,grecian lace17 was made by the fair workwoman in those days1 and was a fashionable occupation both in ,france and ,england4 ,this bag is wrought in broad stripes with gold thread1 and between the stripes various flowers are embroidered in different coloured silks4 ,the bag stands in a sort of card-board basket1 covered in the same style2 it is drawn with long cords and tassels1 and is large enough perhaps1 on emergency1 to hold a good sized baby4 ,it is more than probable that female skill was in request in various matters of household decoration4 ,the ,arras looms1 indeed1 had long superseded the painful fingers of notable dames in the construction of hangings for walls1 which were universally used1 intermingled and varied in the palaces and nobler mansions by painted cloth1 and cloth of gold and silver4 ,thus ,shakspeare describes ,imogen's chamber in ,cymbeline3 ,her bed-chamber was hanged ,with tapestry of silk and silver4 ,we have remarked that ,henry the ,eighth's palaces were very splendid2 ,elizabeth's were equally so1 and more consistently finished in minor conveniences1 as it is particularly remarked that easye quilted and lyned formes and stools for the lords and ladyes to sit on had superseded the great plank forms1 that two yeomen can scant remove out of their places1 and waynscot stooles so hard1 that since great breeches were layd asyde men can skant indewr to sitt on4 ,her two presence chambers at ,hampton ,court shone with tapestry of gold and silver1 and silk of various colours2 her bed was covered with costly coverlids of silk1 wrought in various patterns1 by the needle2 and she had many chusions1 moveable articles of furniture of various shapes1 answering to our large family of tabourets and ottomans1 embroidered with gold and silver thread4 ,but it was not merely in courts and palaces that arras was used2 it was now1 of a coarser fabric1 universally adopted in the houses of the country gentry4 ,the wals of our houses on the inner sides be either hanged with tapisterie1 arras-work1#aba or painted cloths1 wherein either diverse histories1 or hearbes1 beasts1 knots1 and such like are stained1 or else they are seeled with oke of our owne1 or wainescot brought hither out of the east countries4 ,the tapestry was now suspended on frames1 which1 we may infer1 were often at a considerable distance from the walls1 since the portly ,sir ,john ,falstaff ensconced himself behind the arras on a memorable occasion2 ,polonius too met his death there2 and indeed ,shakspeare presses it into the service on numerous occasions4 ,the following quotation will give an accurate idea of properties thought most valuable at this time2 and it will be seen that ornamental needlework cuts a very distinguished figure therein4 ,it is a catalogue of his wealth given by ,gremio when suing for ,bianca to her father1 who declares that the wealthiest lover will win her1 in the ,taming of the ,shrew4 ,gremio4 ,first1 as you know1 my house within the city ,is richly furnished with plate and gold2 ,basons and ewers1 to lave her dainty hands2 ,my hangings all of ,tyrian tapestry2 ,in ivory coffers ,i have stuff'd my crowns2 ,in cypres chests my arras1 counterpoints1 ,costly apparel1 tents1 and canopies1 ,fine linen1 ,turkey cushions boss'd with pearl1 ,valence of ,venice gold1 in needlework1 ,pewter and brass1 and all things that belong ,to house or house-keeping4 ,the age of ,elizabeth was one which powerfully appeals to the imagination in various ways4 ,the ra of warlike chivalry was past2 but many of its lighter observances remained1 and added to the variety of life1 and perhaps tended to polish it4 ,we are told1 for instance1 that as the ,earl of ,cumberland stood before ,elizabeth she dropped her glove2 and on his picking it up graciously desired him to keep it4 ,he caused the trophy to be encircled with diamonds2 and ever after1 at all tilts and tourneys1 bore it conspicuously placed in front of his high crowned hat4 ,jousting and tilting in honour of the ladies 7by whom prizes were awarded7 continued still to be a favourite diversion4 ,there were annual contentions in the lists in honour of the sovereign1 and twenty-five persons of the first rank established a society of arms for this purpose1 of which the chivalric ,sir ,henry ,lee was for some time president4 ,the romance of chivalry was sinking to be succeeded by the heavier tomes of ,gomberville1 ,scudery1 c41 but the extension of classical knowledge1 the vast strides in acquirement of various kinds1 the utter change1 so to speak1 in the system of literature1 all contributed to the downfall of the chivalric romance4 ,sir ,philip ,sidney's ,arcadia introduced a rage for high-flown pastoral effusions2 and now too was re-born that taste for metaphorical effusion and spiritual romance1 which was first exhibited in the fourth century in the ,bishop of ,tricca's romance of ,barlaam and ,josaphat1 and which now pervaded the fast-rising puritan party1 and was afterwards fully developed in that unaccountably fascinating work1 ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress4 ,nevertheless1 as yet ,courted and caress'd1 ,high placed in hall1 a welcome guest1 the harper poured to lord and lady gay not indeed his unpremeditated lay1 but a poetical abridgment 7the precursor of a fast succeeding race of romantic ballads7 of the doughty deeds of renowned knights1 so amply expatiated upon in the time-honoured folios of the olden time4 ,the wandering harper1 if fallen somewhat from his high estate1 was still a recognised and welcome guest2 his matter being for the most part stories of old time1 as the tale of ,sir ,topas1 the reportes of ,bevis of ,southampton1 ,guy of ,warwicke1 ,adam ,bell1 and ,clymme of the ,clough1 and such other old romances or historical rhimes4 ,though the character of the minstrel gradually lost respectability1 yet for a considerable part of ,elizabeth's reign it was one so fully acknowledged1 that a peculiar garb was still attached to the office4 ,mongst these1 some bards there were that in their sacred rage ,recorded the descents and acts of everie age4 ,some with their nimbler joynts that strooke the warbling string2 ,in fingering some unskild1 but onelie vsed to sing ,vnto the other's harpe3 of which you both might find ,great plentie1 and of both excelling in their kind4 ,the superstitions of various kinds1 the omens1 the warnings1 the charms1 the potent spells of the wizard seer1 which ,could hold in dreadful thrall the labouring moon1 ,or draw the fix'd stars from their eminence1 ,and still the midnight tempest1-- the supernatural agents1 the goblins1 the witches1 the fairies1 the satyrs1 the elves1 the fauns1 the shapes that walk1 the ,uncharnel'd spectres1 seen to glide ,along the lone wood's unfrequented path-- the being and active existence of all these was considered true as holy writ by our ancestors of the ,elizabethan age4 ,on this subject we will transcribe a beautifully illustrative passage from ,warton3-- ,every goblin of ignorance 7says he7 did not vanish at the first glimmerings of the morning of science4 ,reason suffered a few demons still to linger1 which she chose to retain in her service under the guidance of poetry4 ,men believed1 or were willing to believe1 that spirits were yet hovering around1 who brought with them airs from heaven1 or blasts from hell2 that the ghost was duly relieved from his prison of torment at the sound of the curfew1 and that fairies imprinted mysterious circles on the turf by moonlight4 ,much of this credulity was even consecrated by the name of science and profound speculation4 ,prospero had not yet broken and buried his staff1 nor drowned his book deeper than did ever plummet sound4 ,it was now that the alchemist and the judicial astrologer conducted his occult operations by the potent intercourse of some preternatural being1 who came obsequious to his call1 and was bound to accomplish his severest services1 under certain conditions1 and for a limited duration of time4 ,it was actually one of the pretended feats of these fantastic philosophers to evoke the queen of the fairies in the solitude of a gloomy grove1 who1 preceded by a sudden rustling of the leaves1 appeared in robes of transcendant lustre4 ,the ,shakspeare of a more instructed and polished age would not have given us a magician darkening the sun at noon1 the sabbath of the witches1 and the cauldron of incantation4 ,it were endless1 and indeed out of place here1 to attempt to specify the numberless minor superstitions to which this credulous tendency of the public mind gave birth or continuation2 or the marvels of travellers1--as the ,anthropophagi1 the ,ethiops with four eyes1 the ,hippopodes with their nether parts like horses1 the ,arimaspi with one eye in the forehead1 and the ,monopoli who have no head at all1 but a face in their breast--which were all devoutly credited4 ,one potent charm1 however1 we are constrained to particularise1 since its infallibility was mainly dependent on the needlewoman's skill4 ,it was a waistcoat which rendered its owner invulnerable3 we believe that if duly prepared it would be found proof not only against silver bullets1 but also against even the charmed bullet of ,german notoriety4 ,thus runs the charm3-- ,on ,christmas daie at night1 a thread must be sponne of flax1 by a little virgine girle1 in the name of the divell2 and it must be by hir woven1 and also wrought with the needle4 ,in the brest or forepart thereof must be made with needleworke two heads2 on the head at the right side must be a hat and a long beard1 and the left head must have on a crowne1 and it must be so horrible that it maie resemble ,belzebub2 and on each side of the wastcote must be wrought a crosse4 ,the newspaper1 that now mighty political engine1 that thewe and sinew of the fourth estate of the realm1 took its rise in ,elizabeth's day4 ,how would her legislators have been overwhelmed with amazement could they have beheld1 in dim perspective1 this child of the press1 scarcely less now the offspring of the imagination than those chimeras of their own time to which we have been alluding2 and would not the wrinkled brow of the modern politician be unconsciously smoothened1 would not the careworn and profound diplomatist gather up his face into a smile before he was aware1 if the ,,first ,,newspaper were suddenly placed before him8 ,it is not indeed in existence1 but was published under the title of ,the ,english ,mercurie1 in ,april1 #aehh1 on the first appearance near the shores of ,england of the ,spanish ,armada1 a crisis which caused this innovation on the usual public news-letter circulated in manuscript4 ,no4 #ej1 dated ,july #bc1 #aehh1 is the first now in existence2 and as the publication only began in ,april1 it shows they must have been issued frequently4 ,we have seen this ,no4 #ej1 which is preserved in the ,british ,museum4#abb ,in it are no advertisements--no fashions--no law reports--no court circular--no fashionable arrivals--no fashionable intelligence--no murders--no robberies--no reviews--no crim4 cons4--no elopements--no price of stocks--no mercantile intelligence--no police reports--no leaders1--no literary memoranda--no poets' corner--no spring meetings--no radical demonstrations--no conservative dinners--but ,the ,english ,mercurie1 ,published by ,,authoritie1 ,for the ,prevention of ,false ,reportes1 ,whitehall1 ,july #bc1 #aehh4 ,contains three pages and a half1 small quarto1 of matter of fact information4 ,two pages respecting the ,armada then seen neare the ,lizard1 making for the entrance of the ,channell1 and appearing on the surface of the water like floating castles4 ,a page of news from ,ostend1 where nothing was talked of but the intended invasion of ,england4 ,his ,highnesse the ,prince of ,parma having compleated his preparationes1 of which the subjoined ,accounte might be depended upon as exacte and authentique4 ,something to say--for a newspaper4 ,and a few lines dated ,london1 ,july #ac1 of the lord mayor1 aldermen1 common councilmen1 and lieutenancie of this great citie waiting on ,her ,majesty with assurances of support1 and receiving a gracious reception from her4 ,such was the newspaper of #aehh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the great events of ,elizabeth's reign1 in war1 in politics1 in legislation1 belong to the historian2 the great march of mind1 the connecting link which that age formed between the darkness of the preceding ones 7for during the period of the wars of the ,roses all sorts of art and science retrograded71 and the high cultivation of later days1 it is the province of the metaphysician and philosopher to analyse2 and even the lighter characteristics of the time have become so familiar through the medium of many modern and valuable works1 that we have ventured only to touch very superficially on some few of the more prominent of them4 ,,footnotes3 #abj ,harrison4 #aba ,from this separate mention of tapisterie and arras-work by so accurate a describer as ,harrison1 it would seem that tapestry of the needle alone was not1 even yet1 quite exploded4 #abb ,sloane ,,mss4 ,no4 #dajf4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,tapestry ,,of ,,the ,,spanish ,,armada1 ,,better ,,known ,,as ,,tapestry ,,of ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,lords4 ,he did blow with his wind1 and they were scattered4 ',inscription on the ,medal4' ,the year #aehh had been foretold by astrologers to be a wonderful year1 the climacterical year of the world2 and the public mind of ,england was at that period sufficiently credulous and superstitious to be affected with vague presentiments1 even if the preparation of an hostile armada so powerful as to be termed invincible1 had not seemed to engraft on these vague surmises too real and fearful a groundwork of truth4 ,the preparations of ,philip ,,ii4 in ,spain1 combined with those of the ,duke of ,parma in the ,low ,countries1 and furthered by the valued and effective benediction of the shaken and tottering1 but still influential and powerful head of the ,roman church1 had produced a hostile array which1 with but too much probability of success1 threatened the conquest of ,england1 and its subjugation to the papal yoke4 ,not since the ,norman ,conquest had any event occurred which1 if successful1 would be fraught with results so harassing and distressing to the established inhabitants of the island4 ,though the ,norman ,conquest had1 undoubtedly1 in the course of time1 produced a beneficial and civilising and ennobling influence on the island1 it was long and bitter years ere the groans of the subjugated and oppressed ,anglo-,saxons had merged in the contented peacefulness of a united people4 ,yet ,william was certainly of a severe temper1 and was incited by the unquenchable opposition of the ,english to a cruel and exterminating policy4 ,philip of ,spain seemed not to promise milder measures4 ,he was a bigot1 and moreover hated the ,english with an utter hatred4 ,during his union with ,mary he had utterly failed to gain their good will1 and his hatred to them increased in an exact ratio to the failure of his desired influence with them4 ,neither time1 nor trouble1 nor care1 nor expense1 was spared in this his decided invasion2 and it is said that from ,italy1 ,sicily1 and even ,america1 were drafted the most experienced captains and soldiers to aid his cause4 ,well1 then1 might ,england look with anxiety1 and even with terror1 to this threatened and fast approaching event4 ,but her energies were fully equal to the emergency4 ,elizabeth1 now in the full plenitude of her power1 was at the acme of her influence over the wills1 and in a great degree over the affections of her subjects1 at least over by far the greater portion of them2 one factious and discontented party there was1 but too insufficient to be any effectual barrier to her designs4 ,and the cause was a popular one3 ,protestants and ,romanists joined in deprecating a foreign yoke4 ,her powerful and commanding energies did not forsake her4 ,her appeal to her subjects was replied to with heart-thrilling readiness1 the city of ,london setting a noble example2 for when ministers desired from it five thousand men and fifteen ships1 the lord mayor1 in behalf of the city1 craved their sovereign to accept of ten thousand soldiers and thirty ships4 ,this spirited precedent was followed all through the empire1 all classes vied with each other in contributing their utmost quota of aid1 by means and by personal service1 and amongst many similar instances it is recorded of that noble1 vertuous1 honourable man1 the ,viscount ,montague1 that he now came1 though he was very sickly1 and in age1 with a full resolution to live and dye in defence of the queene1 and of his countrie1 against all invaders1 whether it were pope1 king1 and potentate whatsoever1 and in that quarrell he would hazard his life1 his children1 his landes and goods4 ,and to shew his mynde agreeably thereto1 he came personally himselfe before the queene1 with his band of horsemen1 being almost two hundred2 the same being led by his owne sonnes1 and with them a yong child1 very comely1 seated on horseback1 being the heire of his house1 that is1 ye eldest sonne to his sonne and heire2 a matter much noted of many1 to see a grandfather1 father1 and sonne1 at one time on horsebacks afore a queene for her service4 ,for three years had ,philip been preparing1 in all parts of his dominions1 for this overwhelming expedition1 and his equipments were fully equal to his extensive preparations2 and so popular was the project in ,spain1 and so ardent were its votaries1 that there was not a family of any note which had not contributed some of its dearest and nearest members2 there were also one hundred and eighty ,capuchins1 ,dominicans1 ,jesuits1 and ,mendicant friars2 and so great was the enthusiastic anticipation1 that even females hired vessels to follow the fleet which contained those they loved2 two or three of these were driven by the storm on the coast of ,france4 ,this ,armada consisted of about one hundred and fifty ships1 most of which were of an uncommon size1 strength1 and thickness1 more like floating castles than anything else2 and to this unwieldy size may1 probably1 be attributed much of their discomfiture4 ,for the greater holiness of their action1 twelve were called the ,twelve ,apostles2 and a pinnace of the ,andalusian squadron1 commanded by ,don ,pedro de ,valdez1 was called the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the fleet is said to have contained thirty-two thousand persons1 and to have cost every day thirty thousand ducats4 ,the ,duke of ,parma's contemporary preparations were also prodigious1 and of a nature which plainly declared the full certainty and confidence in which the invaders indulged of making good their object4 ,but the preparations were doomed not to be even tried4 ,the finesse and manoeuvres of the shrewd ,sir ,francis ,walsingham#abc had caused the invasion to be retarded for a whole year1 and by this time ,england was fully prepared for her foes4 ,the result is known4 ,the hollow treaty of peace into which ,parma had entered in order1 when all preparations were completed1 to take her by surprise1 was entered into with an equal share of hypocritical policy by ,elizabeth4 ,so 7says an old historian7 as they seemed on both sides to sew the foxe's skin to the lion's4 ,so powerful was the effect on the public mind1 not only of this projected enterprise1 but of its almost unhoped for discomfiture1 that all possible means were taken to commemorate the event4 ,one method resorted to was the manufacture of tapestry representing a series of subjects connected with it4 ,at that time ,flanders excelled all others in the manufacture of tapestry1 it was scarcely indeed introduced into ,england2 and our ancestors had a series of ten charts1 designed by ,henry ,cornelius ,vroom1 a celebrated painter of ,haarlem1 from which their ,flemish neighbours worked beautiful draperies1 which ornamented the walls of the ,house of ,lords4 ,at the time of the ,union with ,ireland1 when considerable repairs and alterations were made here1 these magnificent tapestries were taken down1 cleaned1 and replaced1 with the addition of large frames of dark stained wood1 which set off the work and colouring to advantage4 ,they formed a series of ten pictures1 round which portraits of the distinguished officers who commanded the fleet were wrought into a border4 ,with a prescience1 which might now almost seem prophetic1 ,mr4 ,john ,pine1 engraver1 published in #agci a series of plates taken from these tapestries2 and because1 says he1 time1 or accident1 or moths may deface these valuable shadows1 we have endeavoured to preserve their likeness in the preceding prints1 which1 by being multiplied and dispersed in various hands1 may meet with that security from the closets of the curious1 which the originals must scarce always hope for1 even from the sanctity of the place they are kept in4 ,on the #agth day of ,july1 #aehh1 the ,english discovered the ,spanish fleet with lofty turrets like castles1 in front like a half moon1 the wing thereof spreading out about the length of seven miles1 sailing very slowly1 though with full sails1 the winds being as it were tired with carrying them1 and the ocean groaning under the weight of them4 ,this forms the subject of the first tableau4 ,the ,english commanders suffered the ,spaniards to pass them unmolested1 in order that they might hang upon their rear1 and harass them when they should be involved in the ,channel2 for the ,english navy were unable to confront such a power in direct and close action4 ,the second piece represents them thus1 near ,fowey1 the ,english coast displayed in the back-ground1 diversified perhaps somewhat too elaborately into hill and dale1 and the foliage scattered somewhat too regularly in lines over each hill1 but very pretty nevertheless4 ,a small village with its church and spire appears just at the water edge1 ,eddystone lighthouse lifts its head above the waters1 and1 fit emblem of the patriotism which now burned throughout the land1 and even glowed on the waters1 a huge sea monster uprears itself in threatening attitude against the invading host1 and shows a countenance hideous enough to scare any but ,spaniards from its native shores4 ,no4 #c represents the first engagement between the hostile fleets1 and also the subsequent sailing of the ,spanish ,armada up the channel1 closely followed by the ,english1 whose ships were so much lighter1 that in a running warfare of this kind they had greatly the advantage4 ,the sea is alive too with dolphins and other strange fish1 with right ,british hearts1 as it has been said that they seemed to oppose themselves with fierce and grim looks to the progress of the ,spanish fleet4 ,the view of the coast here is very good2 and1 where it retires from ,start ,point so as to form a bay or harbour1 the perspective is really admirably indicated by two vessels dimly defined in the horizon4 ,the views of the coast are varied and interesting2 and the distances and perspective views are much more accurately delineated than was usual at the time2 but1 as we have remarked1 they were designed by an eminent painter1 and one whose particular forte was the delineation of shipping and naval scenes4 ,the pictures are certainly as a series devoid of variety4 ,in two of them the ,calais shore is introduced2 and the intermixture of fortifications1 churches1 houses1 and animated spectators1 eagerly crowding to behold the fleets sailing by1 produces an enlivening and busy scene1 which1 set off by the varied1 lively1 and appropriate colouring of the tapestry1 would have a most striking effect4 ,but the man who1 unmoved by the excitement about him1 is calmly fishing under the walls1 without even turning his head toward the scene of tumult1 must be blessed with an apathy of disposition which the poor enraged dolphins and porpoises might have envied4 ,with these exceptions the tapestries are all sea pieces with only a distant view of the coast1 and portray the two fleets in different stages of their progress1 sometimes with engagements between single ships1 but generally in an apparent state of truce1 the ,english always the pursuers1 and the ,spaniards generally drawn up in form of a crescent4 ,the last however shows the invading fleet hurriedly and in disorder sailing away1 when bad weather1 the ,duke of ,parma's delay1 and a close engagement of fourteen hours1 in which they suffered grievously1 having had to endure all the heavy cannonading of their triumphant opponents1 while they were struggling to get clear of the shallows1 convinced them of the impossibility of a successful close to their enterprise1 and made them resolve to take advantage of a southern breeze to make their passage up the ,north sea1 and round ,scotland home4 ,he that fights and runs away1 ,may live to fight another day4 ,so1 however1 did not the ,spaniards4 ,about these north islands their mariners and soldiers died daily by multitudes1 as by their bodies cast on land did appear4 ,the ,almighty ordered the winds to be so contrary to this proud navy1 that it was1 by force1 dissevered on the high seas west upon ,ireland2 and so great a number of them driven into sundry dangerous bays1 and upon rocks1 and there cast away2 some sunk1 some broken1 some on the sands1 and some burnt by the ,spaniards themselves4 ,misfortune clung to them2 storm and tempest on the sea1 and inhospitable and cruel treatment when they were forced on shore so reduced them1 that of this magnificent ,armada only sixty shattered vessels found their home2 and their humbled commander1 the ,duke de ,medina ,sidonia1 was led to understand that his presence was not desired at court1 and that a private country residence would be the most suitable4 ,it was on this occasion1 when the instant danger was past but by no means entirely done away1 as for some time it was supposed that the ,armada1 after recruiting in some northern station1 would return1 that ,elizabeth with a general's truncheon in her hand rode through the ranks of her army at ,tilbury1 and addressed them in a style which caused them to break out into deafening and tumultuous shouts and cries of love1 and honour1 and obedience to death4 ,thus magnificently the ,english heroine spoke3 ,my loving ,people1--,we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed ,multitudes2 but ,i assure you ,i do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving ,people4 ,let ,tyrants fear2 ,i have always so behaved myself that1 under ,,god1 ,i have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal ,hearts and ,goodwill of my ,subjects2 and therefore ,i am come amongst you1 as you see at this time1 not for my ,recreation and ,disport1 but being resolved1 in the midst and heat of the ,battle1 to live and die amongst you all2 to lay down for my ,,god1 and for my kingdom1 and for my ,people1 my ,honour1 and my ,blood1 even in the dust4 ,i know ,i have the body but of a weak and feeble ,woman1 but ,i have the ,heart and ,stomach of a ,king1 and of a ,king of ,england too2 and think foul scorn that ,parma or ,spain1 or any ,prince of ,europe should dare to invade the ,borders of my ,realm2 to which1 rather than any ,dishonour shall grow by me1 ,i myself will take up ,arms1 ,i myself will be your ,general1 ,judge1 and ,rewarder of every one of your ,virtues in the ,field2 ,i know already1 for your forwardness1 you have deserved ,rewards and ,crowns2 and we do assure you1 in the word of a ,prince1 they shall be duly paid you4 ,in the mean time my ,lieutenant-general shall be in my stead1 than whom never ,prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject2 not doubting but1 by your obedience to my ,general1 by your ,concord in the camp1 and your ,valour in the ,field1 we shall shortly have a famous victory over those ,enemies of my ,,god1 of my ,kingdoms1 and of my ,people4 ,the tapestry1 the magnificent memorial of this great event1 was lost irreparably in the devastating fire of #ahcd4 ,some fragments1 it is said1 were preserved1 but we have not been able to ascertain this fact4 ,one portion still exists at ,plymouth1 though shorn of its pristine brilliancy1 as some of the silver threads were drawn out by the economists of the time of the ,commonwealth4 ,this piece was cut out to make way for a gallery at the time of the trial of ,queen ,caroline1 was secreted by a ,german servant of the ,lord ,chamberlain1 and sold by him to a broker who offered it to ,government for #ejjl4 ,some inquiry was made into the circumstances1 which1 however1 do not seem to have excited very great interest1 since the relic was ultimately bought by the ,bishop of ,landaff 7,van ,mildert7 for #bjl4 ,by him it was presented to the corporation of ,plymouth1 who still possess it4 ,,footnote3 #abc ,he contrived1 by means of a ,venetian priest1 his spy1 to obtain a copy of a letter from ,philip to the ,pope2 a gentleman of the bedchamber taking the keys of the cabinet from the pockets of his holiness as he slept4 ,upon intelligence thus obtained1 ,walsingham got those ,spanish bills protested at ,genoa which should have supplied money for the preparations4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,on ,,stitchery4 ,here have ,i cause in men just blame to find1 ,that in their proper praise too partial bee1 ,and not indifferent to womankind1 99 99 99 99 99 ,scarse do they spare to one1 or two1 or three1 ,rowme in their writtes2 yet the same writing small ,does all their deedes deface1 and dims their glories all4 ,faerie ,queene4 ,christine1 whiche understode these thynges of ,dame ,reason1 replyed upon that in this manere4 ,madame ,ise wel that ye myght fynde ynowe of grete nombre of women praysed in scyences and in crafte2 but knowe ye ony that by the vertue of their felynge of subtylte of wytte haue founde of themselfe ony newe craftes and scyences necessary1 good1 couenable that were neuer founde before nor knowne8 for it is not so grete maystry to folowe and to lerne after ony other scyence founde and comune before1 as it is to fynde of theymselfe some newe thynge not accustomed before4 ,answere4--,ne doubte ye not the contrary my dere frende but many craftes and scyences ryght notable hathe ben founde by the wytte and subtylte of women1 as moche by speculacyon of understandynge1 the whiche sheweth them by wrytynge1 as in craftes1 that sheweth theym in werkynge of handes of laboure4 ,the ,boke of the ,cyte of ,ladyes4 ,again we must lament that the paucity of historical record lays us under the necessity of concluding1 by inference1 what we would fain have displayed by direct testimony4 ,the respectable authority quoted above affirms that many craftes and scyences ryght notable hathe ben founde by the wytte and subtylte of women1 and it specifies particularly werkynge of handes1 by which we suppose the talented author means needlework4 ,that the necessity for this pretty art was first created by woman1 no one1 we think1 will disallow2 and that it was first practised1 as it has been subsequently perfected1 by her1 is a fact of which we feel the most perfect conviction4 ,this conviction has been forced upon us by a train of reasoning which will so readily suggest itself to the mind of all our readers1 that we content ourselves with naming the result1 assured that it is unnecessary to trouble them with the intervening steps4 ,one only link in the chain of circumstantial evidence will we adduce1 and that is afforded by the ancient engraving to which we have before alluded in our remarks upon ,eve's needle and thread4 ,there whilst our general mother is stitching away at the fig-leaves in the most edifying manner possible1 our first father1 far from trying to put in a stitch for himself1 is gazing upon her in the most utter amazement4 ,and while she plies her busy task as if she had been born to stitchery1 his eyes1 not his fingers1 ,follow the nimble fingers of the fair1 with every indication of superlative wonder and admiration4 ,in fact1 it is no slight argument in favour of the original invention of sewing by women1 that men very rarely have wit enough to learn it1 even when invented4 ,there has been no lack of endeavour1 even amongst the world's greatest and mightiest1 but poor work have they made of it4 ,hercules lost all the credit of his mighty labours from his insignificance at the spinning wheel1 and the sceptre of ,sardanapalus passed from his grasp as he was endeavouring to finger the fine needle and nyse thread4 ,these love-stricken heroes might have said with ,gower--had he then said it-- ,what things she bid me do1 ,i do1 ,and where she bid me go1 ,i go4 ,and where she likes to call1 ,i come1 ,i serve1 ,i bow1 ,i look1 ,i lowte1 ,my eye followeth her about4 ,what so she will1 so will ,i1 ,when she would set1 ,i kneel by4 ,and when she stands1 then will ,i stand1 ,and when she taketh her work in hand1 ,of wevyng or of embroidrie4 ,then can ,i only muse and prie1 ,upon her fingers long and small4 ,our modern ,hercules1 the ,leviathan of literature1 was not more successful4 ,dr4 ,johnson4--,women have a great advantage that they may take up with little things1 without disgracing themselves2 a man cannot1 except with fiddling4 ,had ,i learnt to fiddle ,i should have done nothing else4 ,boswell4--,pray1 ,sir1 did you ever play on any musical instrument8 ,dr4 ,johnson4--,no1 ,sir2 ,i once bought a flageolet1 but ,i never made out a tune4 ,boswell4--,a flageolet1 ,sir6 ,so small an instrument8 ,i should have liked to hear you play on the violoncello4 ,that should have been your instrument4 ,dr4 ,johnson4--,sir1 ,i might as well have played on the violoncello as another2 but ,i should have done nothing else4 ,no1 ,sir2 a man would never undertake great things could he be amused with small4 ,i once tried knotting2 ,dempster's sister undertook to teach me1 but ,i could not learn it4 ,boswell4--,so1 ,sir2 it will be related in pompous narrative1 'once for his amusement he tried knotting1 nor did this ,hercules disdain the distaff4' ,dr4 ,johnson4--,knitting of stockings is a good amusement4 ,as a freeman of ,aberdeen1 ,i should be a knitter of stockings4 ,nor was ,dr4 ,johnson singular in his high appreciation of the value of some sort of stitchery to his own half of the human race1 if their intellects unfortunately had not been too obtuse for its acquisition4 ,the great censor of the public morals and manners a century ago1 the ,spectator1 recommends the same thing1 though with his usual policy he feigns merely to be the medium of another's advice4 ,mr4 ,spectator1--,you are always ready to receive any useful hint or proposal1 and such1 ,i believe1 you will think one that may put you in a way to employ the most idle part of the kingdom2 ,i mean that part of mankind who are known by the name of the women's men1 beaux1 c4 ,mr4 ,spectator1 you are sensible these pretty gentlemen are not made for any manly employments1 and for want of business are often as much in the vapours as the ladies4 ,now what ,i propose is this1 that since knotting is again in fashion1 which has been found a very pretty amusement1 that you will recommend it to these gentlemen as something that may make them useful to the ladies they admire4 ,and since it is not inconsistent with any game or other diversion1 for it may be done in the playhouse1 in their coaches1 at the tea-table1 and1 in short1 in all places where they come for the sake of the ladies 7except at church1 be pleased to forbid it there to prevent mistakes71 it will be easily complied with4 ,it is besides an employment that allows1 as we see by the fair sex1 of many graces1 which will make the beaux more readily come into it2 and it shows a white hand and a diamond ring to great advantage2 it leaves the eyes at full liberty to be employed as before1 as also the thoughts and the tongue4 ,in short1 it seems in every respect so proper that it is needless to urge it further1 by speaking of the satisfaction these male knotters will find when they see their work mixed up in a fringe1 and worn by the fair lady for whom1 and with whom1 it was done4 ,truly1 ,mr4 ,spectator1 ,i cannot but be pleased ,i have hit upon something that these gentlemen are capable of2 for it is sad so considerable a part of the kingdom 7,i mean for numbers7 should be of no manner of use4 ,i shall not trouble you further at this time1 but only to say1 that ,i am always your reader and generally your admirer4 ,c4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,the sooner these fine gentlemen are set to work the better2 there being at this time several fringes that stay only for more hands4 ,but1 alas6 the sanguine writer was mistaken in supposing that at last gentlemen had found a something of which they were capable4 ,the days of knotting passed away before they had made any proficiency in it2 nor have we ever heard that they have adopted any other branch or stitch of this extensive art4 ,there is variety enough to satisfy anybody1 and there are gradations enough in the stitches to descend to any capacity but a man's4 ,there are tambour stitch--satin--chain--finny--new--bred-- ferne--and queen-stitches2 there is slabbing--veining--and button stitch2 seeding--roping--and open stitch3 there is sockseam--herring-bone--long stitch--and cross stitch3 there is rosemary stitch--,spanish stitch--and ,irish stitch3 there is back stitch--overcast--and seam stitch3 hemming--felling--and basting3 darning--grafting--and patching3 there is whip stitch--and fisher stitch3 there is fine drawing--gathering-- marking--trimming--and tucking4 ,truly all this does require some nous1 and the lords of the creation are more to be pitied than blamed for that paucity of intellect which deprives them of woman's pretty excuse for thought4 ,raillery apart1 sewing is in itself an agreeable occupation1 it is essentially a useful one2 in many of its branches it is quite ornamental1 and it is a gentle1 a graceful1 an elegant1 and a truly feminine occupation4 ,it causes the solitary hours of domestic life to glide more smoothly away1 and in those social unpretending reunions which in country life and in secluded districts are yet not abolished1 it takes away from the formality of sitting for conversation1 abridges the necessity for scandal1 or1 to say the least of it1 as we have heard even ungallant lordly man allow1 it keeps us out of mischief4 ,and there are frequent and oft occurring circumstances which invest it with characteristics of a still higher order4 ,how many of the sweet solicitudes that life beguile are connected with this interesting occupation6 either in preparing habiliments for those dependent on our care1 and for love of whom many an unnecessary stitch which may tend to extra adornment is put in2 or in those numberless pretty and not unuseful tokens of remembrance1 which1 passing from friend to friend1 soften our hearts by the intimation they convey1 that we have been cared for in our absence1 and that while the world looked dark and desolate about us1 unforgetting hearts far1 far away were holding us in remembrance1 busy fingers were occupied in our behoof4 ,oh6 a reticule1 a purse1 a slipper1 how valueless soever in itself1 is1 when fraught with these home memories1 worth that which the mines of ,golconda could not purchase4 ,and of such a nature would be the feelings which suggested these well-known but exquisite lines3-- ,the twentieth year is well nigh past1 ,since first our sky was overcast1 ,ah1 would that this might be the last6 ,my ,mary6 ,thy spirits have a fainter flow1 ,i see thee daily weaker grow1 ',twas my distress that brought thee low1 ,my ,mary6 ,thy needles1 once a shining store1 ,for my sake restless heretofore1 ,now rust disused and shine no more1 ,my ,mary6 ,for though thou gladly would'st fulfil ,the same kind office for me still1 ,thy sight now seconds not thy will1 ,my ,mary6 ,but well thou play'dst the housewife's part1 ,and all thy threads with magic art1 ,have wound themselves about this heart1 ,my ,mary6 ,an interesting circumstance connected with needlework is mentioned in the delightful memoir written by lady ,murray1 of her mother1 the excellent and admirable ,lady ,grisell ,baillie4 ,the allusion itself is very slight1 merely to the making of a frill or a collar2 but the circumstances connected with it are deeply interesting1 and place before us a vivid picture of the deprivations of a family of rank and consequence in troublous times1 and moreover offer us a portrait from real life of true feminine excellence1 of a young creature of rank and family1 of cultivated and refined tastes and of high connexions1 utterly forgetting all these in the cheerful and conscientious discharge1 for years1 of the most arduous and humble duties1 and even of menial and revolting offices4 ,it may be that my readers all are not so well acquainted with this little book as ourselves1 and1 if so1 they will not consider the following extract too long4 ,they lived three years and a half in ,holland1 and in that time she made a second voyage to ,scotland about business4 ,her father went by the borrowed name of ,dr4 ,wallace1 and did not stir out for fear of being discovered1 though who he was1 was no secret to the wellwishers of the revolution4 ,their great desire was to have a good house1 as their greatest comfort was at home2 and all the people of the same way of thinking1 of which there were great numbers1 were continually with them4 ,they paid for their house what was very extravagant for their income1 nearly a fourth part2 they could not afford keeping any servant1 but a little girl to wash the dishes4 ,all the time they were there1 there was not a week that my mother did not sit up two nights1 to do the business that was necessary4 ,she went to market1 went to the mill to have the corn ground1 which it seems is the way with good managers there1 dressed the linen1 cleaned the house1 made ready the dinner1 mended the children's stockings and other clothes1 made what she could for them1 and1 in short1 did everything4 ,her sister1 ,christian1 who was a year or two younger1 diverted her father and mother and the rest who were fond of music4 ,out of their small income they bought a harpsichord for little money1 but is a ,rucar now in my custody1 and most valuable4 ,my aunt played and sang well1 and had a great deal of life and humour1 but no turn to business4 ,though my mother had the same qualifications1 and liked it as well as she did1 she was forced to drudge2 and many jokes used to pass betwixt the sisters about their different occupations4 ,every morning before six my mother lighted her father's fire in his study1 then waked him 7she was ever a good sleeper1 which blessing1 among many others1 she inherited from him72 then got him1 what he usually took as soon as he got up1 warm small beer with a spoonful of bitters in it1 which he continued his whole life1 and of which ,i have the receipt4 ,then she took up the children and brought them all to his room1 where he taught them everything that was fit for their age2 some ,latin1 others ,french1 ,dutch1 geography1 writing1 reading1 ,english1 c42 and my grandmother taught them what was necessary on her part4 ,thus he employed and diverted himself all the time he was there1 not being able to afford putting them to school2 and my mother1 when she had a moment's time1 took a lesson with the rest in ,french and ,dutch1 and also diverted herself with music4 ,i have now a book of songs of her writing when there2 many of them interrupted1 half-writ1 some broke off in the middle of a sentence4 ,she had no less a turn for mirth and society than any of the family1 when she could come at it without neglecting what she thought more necessary4 ,her eldest brother1 ,patrick1 who was nearest her age1 and bred up together1 was her most dearly beloved4 ,my father was there1 forfeited and exiled1 in the same situation with themselves4 ,she had seen him for the first time in the prison with his father1 not long before he suffered2#abd and from that time their hearts were engaged4 ,her brother and my father were soon got in to ride in the ,prince of ,orange's ,guards1 till they were better provided for in the army1 which they were before the ,revolution4 ,they took their turn in standing sentry at the ,prince's gate1 but always contrived to do it together1 and the strict friendship and intimacy that then began1 continued to the last4 ,though their station was then low1 they kept up their spirits2 the prince often dined in public1 then all were admitted to see him3 when any pretty girl wanted to go in they set their halberts across the door and would not let her pass till she gave each of them a kiss1 which made them think and call them very pert soldiers4 ,i could relate many stories on this subject2 my mother could talk for hours and never tire of it1 always saying it was the happiest part of her life4 ,her constant attention was to have her brother appear right in his linen and dress2 they wore little point cravats and cuffs1 which many a night she sat up to have in as good order for him as any in the place2 and one of their greatest expenses was in dressing him as he ought to be4 ,as their house was always full of the unfortunate people banished like themselves1 they seldom went to dinner without three1 four1 or five of them to share it with them2 and many a hundred times ,i have heard her say she could never look back upon their manner of living there without thinking it a miracle4 ,they had no want1 but plenty of everything they desired1 and much contentment1 and always declared it the most pleasing part of her life1 though they were not without their little distresses2 but to them they were rather jokes than grievances4 ,the professors and men of learning in the place came often to see my grandfather2 the best entertainment he could give them was a glass of alabast beer1 which was a better kind of ale than common4 ,he sent his son ,andrew1 the late ,lord ,kimmerghame1 a boy1 to draw some for them in the cellar1 and he brought it up with great diligence1 but in the other hand the spigot of the barrel4 ,my grandfather said1 ',andrew6 what is that in your hand8' ,when he saw it he ran down with speed1 but the beer was all run out before he got there4 ,this occasioned much mirth1 though perhaps they did not well know where to get more4 ,it is the custom there to gather money for the poor from house to house1 with a bell to warn people to give it4 ,one night the bell came1 and no money was there in the house but a orkey1 which is a doit1 the smallest of all coin2 everybody was so ashamed no one would go to give it1 it was so little1 and put it from one to the other3 at last my grandfather said1 ',well1 then1 ,i'll go with it2 we can do no more than give all we have4' ,they were often reduced to this by the delay of the ships coming from ,scotland with their small remittances2 then they put the little plate they had 7all of which they carried with them7 in the lumber1 which is pawning it1 till the ships came3 and that very plate they brought with them again to ,scotland1 and left no debt behind them4 ,this is a long but not an uninteresting digression1 and we were led to it from the recollection that ,lady ,grisell ,baillie1 when encompassed with heavy cares1 not only sat up a night or two every week1 but felt a satisfaction1 a pleasure1 in doing so1 to execute the needlework required by her family4 ,and when sewing with a view to the comfort and satisfaction of others1 the needlewoman--insignificant as the details of her employment may appear--has much internal satisfaction2 she has a definite vocation1 an important function4 ,nor few nor insignificant are her handmaidens1 one or other of whom is ever at her side1 inspiriting her to her task4 ,her most constant attendant is a matron of stayed and sober appearance1 called ,,utility4 ,the needlewoman's productions are found to vary greatly1 and this variation is ascribed with truth to the influencing suggestions of the attendant for the time being4 ,thus1 for instance1 when ,utility is her companion all her labours are found to result in articles of which the material is unpretending1 and the form simple2 for however she may be led wandering by the vagaries of her other co-mates1 it is always found that in moments of steady reflection she listens with the most implicit deference to the intimations of this her experienced and most respectable friend4 ,but occasionally1 indeed frequently1 ,utility brings with her a fair and interesting relative1 called ,,taste2 a gentle being1 of modest and retiring mien1 of most unassuming deportment1 but of exquisite grace2 and it is even observed that the needlewoman is more happy in her labours1 and more universally approved when accompanied by these two friends1 than by any other of the more eccentric ones who occasionally take upon themselves to direct her steps4 ,of these latter1 ,,fashion is one of her most frequent visitors1 and it is very often found that as she approaches ,utility and ,taste retire4 ,this is not1 however1 invariably the case4 ,sometimes the three agree cordially together1 and their united suffrages and support enhance the fame of the needlewoman to the very highest pitch2 but this happy cordiality is of infrequent occurrence1 and usually of short duration4 ,fashion is fickle1 varying1 inconstant2 given to sudden partialities and to disruptions unlooked for1 and as sudden4 ,she laughs to scorn ,utility's grave maxims1 and exaggerates the graceful suggestions of ,taste until they appear complete caricatures4 ,consequently they1 offended1 retire2 and ,fashion1 heedless1 holds on her own course1 keeping the needlewoman in complete subjection to her arbitrary rule1 which is often enforced in her transient absence by her own peculiar friend and intimate--,,caprice4 ,this fantastic being has the greatest influence over ,fashion1 who having no staple character of her own1 is easily led every way at the beck of this whimsical and absurd dictator4 ,the productions which emanate from the hands of the needlewoman under their guidance are much sought for1 much looked at1 but soon fall into utter contempt4 ,but there is another handmaiden created for the delight and solace of mankind in general1 and who from the earliest days1 even until now1 has been the loving friend of the needlewoman2 ever whispering suggestions in her ear1 or tracing patterns on her work1 or gently guiding her finger through the fantastic maze4 ,she is of the most exquisite beauty3 fragile in form as the gossamer that floats on a summer's breath--brilliant in appearance as the colours that illumine the rainbow4 ,so light1 that she floats on an atom2 so powerful that she raises empires1 nay1 the whole earth by her might4 ,her habits are the most vagrant imaginable2 she is indeed the veriest little gossip in creation1 but her disposition to roam is not more boundless than her power to gratify it4 ,one instant she is in the depths of the ocean1 loitering upon coral beds2 the next above the stars1 revelling in the immensity of space2 one moment she tracks a comet in his course1 the next hobnobs with the sea-king1 or foots a measure with mermaids4 ,a most skilful architect1 she will build palaces on the clouds radiant with splendour and beautiful as herself2 then1 demolishing them with a breath1 she flies to some moss-grown ruin of the earth1 where a glimpse of her countenance drives away the bat and the owl2 the wallflower1 the moss1 and the ivy1 are displaced by the rose1 the lily1 and the myrtle2 the damp building is clothed in freshness and splendour1 the lofty halls resound with the melody of the lute and the harp1 and the whole scene is vivid with light and life1 with brilliancy and beauty4 ,again1 in an instant1 all is mute1 and dim1 and desolate1 and the versatile sorceress is hunting the otter with an ,esquimaux2 or1 pillowed on roses whose fragrance is wafted by softest zephyrs around1 she listens to the strain which the ,bulbul pours2 or1 wrapped in deepest maze of philosophic thought1 she treads the long extent of backward time1 by the gigantic sepulchres of ,egyptian kings2 or else she flies from the tempest-rocked ,hebrides or the icebound ,northern ,ocean--from the red man's wilderness of the west--from the steppes of ,central ,asia--from the teeming swamps of the ,amazon--from the sirocco deserts of ,africa--from the tufted islands of the ,pacific--from the heaving flanks of tna--or from the marbled shores of ,greece2--and draws the whole circle of her enchantments round the needlewoman's fingers1 within the walls of an humble ,english cottage4 ,but it were equally unnecessary and useless to dilate on her fairy wanderings4 ,suffice it to say that so great is the beneficent liberality of this fascinating being1 that every corner of her rich domain is open to the highest or lowest of mortals without reserve2 and so lovely is she herself1 and so bewitching is her company1 that few1 few indeed1 are they who do not cherish her as a bosom friend and as the dearest of companions4 ,bearing1 however1 her vagrant characteristics in mind1 we shall not be surprised at the peculiar ideas some people entertain of her haunts1 nor at the strange places in which they search for her person4 ,one would hardly believe that hundreds of thousands have sought her through the smoke1 din1 and turmoil of those lines where all antipathies to comfort dwell1--the railroads2 while others1 more adventurous1 plough the ocean deep1 scale the mighty mountains1 or soar amid the clouds for her2 or1 strange to say1 have sought her in the battle field 'mid scenes of bloody death4 ,like ,hotspur1 such would pluck her-- ,from the pale-faced moon2 or would ,dive into the bottom of the deep1 ,where fathom-line could never touch the ground for her4 ,but she is a lady before whom strength and pride fall nerveless and abased2 her gracious smiles are to be wooed1 not commanded2 her bright presence may be won1 not forced2 ,for spotless1 and holy1 and gentle1 and bright1 ,she glides o'er the earth like an angel of light4 ,possessing all the gentleness of her mother--,taste1 she shrinks from everything rude or abrupt2 and when1 as has frequently been the case1 persons have attempted to lay violent hands upon her1 she has invariably eluded their vigilance1 by leaving in her place1 tricked out in her superabundant ornaments to blind them1 her half-brother--,whim1 who sprang from the same father--,wit1 but by another mother--,humour4 ,she herself1 wanderer as she is1 is not without her favourite haunts1 in which she lingers as if even loath to quit them at all4 ,finally1 wherever yet the accomplished needlewoman has been found1 in the ,jewish tabernacle of old--in the ,grecian dome where the ,tale of ,troy divine glowed on the canvass--or in the bower of the high-born beauty of the bright days of the sword and the lance--in the cell of the pale recluse--or in the turretted prison of the royal captive--there has ,,fancy been her devoted friend1 her inseparable companion4 ,,footnote3 #abd ,she was then a mere child1 not more1 if ,i remember rightly1 than twelve years old4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,les ,,anciennes ,,tapisseries2 ,,tapestry ,,of ,,st4 ,,mary',s ,,hall1 ,,coventry2 ,,tapestry ,,of ,,hampton ,,court4 ,there is a sanctity in the past4 ,bulwer4 ,all monuments of antiquity are so speedily passing away1 all traces of those bygone generations on which the mind loves to linger1 and which in their dim and indistinct memories exercise a spell1 a holy often1 and a purifying spell on the imagination are so fleeting1 and when irrevocably gone will be so lamented--that all testimonies which throw certain light on the habits and manners of the past1 how slight soever the testimonies they afford1 how trivial soever the characteristics they display1 are of the highest possible value to an enlightened people1 who apply the experience of the past to its legitimate and noblest use1 the guidance and improvement of the present4 ,in this point of view the work which forms the subject of this chapter#abe assumes a value which its intrinsic worth--beautiful as is its execution--would not impart to it2 and it is thus rendered not less valuable as an historical record1 than it is attractive as a work of taste4 ,l chez eux1 7we quote from the preface to the work itself17 c'est un sige ou un tournoi2 ici un festin1 plus loin une chasse2 et toujours1 chasse1 festin1 tournoi1 sige1 tout cela est pourtraict au vif1 comme aurait dit ,montaigne1 tout cela nous retrace au naturel la vie de nos pres1 nous montre leurs chteaux1 leurs glises1 leurs costumes1 leurs armes et mme1 grce aux lgendes explicatives1 leur langage diverses poques4 ,il y a mieux4 ,si nous nous en rapportons l'inventaire de ,charles ,v41 excut en #acgi1 toute la littrature franaise des sicles fconds qui prcdrent celui de ce sage monarque1 aurait t par ces ordres traduite en laine4 ,this book consists of representations of all the existing ancient tapestries which activity and research can draw from the hiding-places of ages1 copied in the finest outline engraving1 with letter-press descriptions of each plate4 ,they are published in numbers1 and in a style worthy of the object4 ,we do not despair of seeing this spirited example followed in our own country1 where many a beautiful specimen of ancient tapestry1 still capable of renovation by care--is mouldering unthought of in the lumber-rooms of our ancient mansions4 ,we have seen twenty-one numbers of this work1 with which we shall deal freely3 excepting1 however1 the eight parts which are entirely occupied by the ,bayeux ,tapestry4 ,our own chapters on the subject were written before we were fortunate enough to obtain a sight of these1 which include the whole of the correspondence on the tapestry to which we in our sketch alluded4 ,,la ,,tapisserie ,,de ,,nancy4--aurait une illustre origine1 et remonterait une assez haute antiquit4 ,prise dans la tente de ,charles le ,tmraire1 lors de la mort de ce prince1 en #adgg1 devant la capitale de la ,lorraine1 qu'il assigeait1 elle serait devenue un meuble de la couronne1 et aurait servi au palais des ducs de ce pays1 depuis ,ren #b jusqu' ,charles ,,iv4----,c'est une de ces anciennes tapisseries flamandes dont le tissu1 de laine tres fine1 est clair par l'or et la soie4 ,la soie et la laine subsistent encore1 mais l'or ne s'aperoit plus que dans quelques endroits et la faveur d'un beau soleil4 ,nous ferons remarquer que le costume des divers personnages que figurent dans notre monument est tout fait caractristique4 ,ce sont bien l les vtements et les ornements en usage vers la moiti du quinzime sicle1 et la disposition artistique1 le choix du sujet1 ainsi que l'excution elle-mme portent bien l'empreinte du style des oeuvres de #adej environ4----,la maison de ,bourgogne tait fort riche en joyaux1 en vaisselle d'or ou d'argent et en tapis4 ,the tapestry presents an allegorical history1 of which the object is to depict the inconveniences consequent on what is called good cheer4 ,later on this formed the subject of a morality4 ,originally this tapestry was only one vast page1 the requisite divisions being wrought in the form of ornamented columns4 ,it was afterwards cut in pieces1 and unfortunately the natural divisions of the subject were not attended to in the severment4 ,more unhappily still the pieces have since been rejoined in a wrong order2 and after every possible endeavour to read them aright1 the publishers are indebted to the ,morality before referred to1 which was taken from it1 and was entitled ,la ,nef de ,sant1 avec le gouvernail du corps humain1 et la condamnaion des bancquetz1 a la louenge de ,diepte et ,sobrite1 et la ,traictie des ,passions de l'ame4 ,banquet1 ,bonnecompagnie1 ,souper1 ,gourmandise1 ,friandise1 ,passetemps1 ,je pleige d'autant1 ,je boy vous1 and other rare personifications1 not forgetting that indispensable guest then in all courtly pastime1 ,le fol1 go it to their hearts' content1 until they are interrupted vi et armis by a ghastly phalanx in powerful array of ,apoplexie1 ,ydropsie1 ,epilencie1 ,pleurisie1 ,esquinancie1 ,paralasie1 ,gravelle1 ,colicque1 c4 ,,tapisserie ,,de ,,dijon4--,on conviendra qu'il serait difficile de trouver un monument de ce genre plus fidle sur le rapport historique1 plus intressant pour les arts1 et plus digne d'tre reproduit par la gravure4 ,je ferai en outre remarquer combien cet immense tableau de laine1 qui est unique1 renferme de dtails prcieux la fois pour la panoplie1 pour les costumes1 et l'architecture du commencement du #af sicle1 ainsi que pour l'histoire monumentale de ,dijon4 ,this tapestry1 judging by the engravings in the work we quote1 must be very beautiful4 ,the groups are spirited and well disposed2 and the countenances have so much nature and expression in them1 as to lead us readily to credit the opinion of the writer that they were portraits4 ,the buildings are well outlined2 and in the third piece an excellent effect is produced by exposing--by means of an open window1 or some simple contrivance of the sort--part of the interior of the church of ,ntre ,dame1 and so displaying the brave leader of the ,french army1 ,la ,tremouille1 as he offers thanks before the shrine of the ,virgin4 ,the tapestry was worked immediately after the siege of ,dijon1 7#aeac7 and represents in three scenes the most important circumstances relating to it2 the costumes1 the arms1 and the architecture of the time being displayed with fidelity and exactitude4 ,the first represents the invading army before the walls2 the second a solemn procession in honour of ,notre-,dame-de-,bonne-,espoir4 ,in the midst is elevated the image of the ,virgin1 which is surrounded by the clergy in their festal vestments1 by the religious communities1 by the nobility1 the bourgeois1 and the military1 all bearing torches4 ,to this solemn procession was attributed the truce which led to a more lasting peace1 though there are some heterodox dissentients who attribute this substantial advantage to the wisdom and policy of the able commander ,la ,tremouille1 who shared with ,bayard the honourable distinction of being sans peur et sans reproche4 ,,tapisseries ,,de ,,bayard4--,a chteau which belonged to this noted hero was despoiled at the ,revolution1 and it was doubtless only owing to an idea of its worthlessness that some of the ancient tapestry was left there4 ,these fragments1 in a deplorable state1 were purchased in #ahjg1 and there are yet sufficient of them to bear testimony to their former magnificence1 and to decide the date of their creation at the close of the fourteenth or beginning of the fifteenth century4 ,the subjects are taken from ,homer's ,iliad1 and il est probable 7says ,m4 ,jubinal7 que ce pome se trouvait originairement reproduit en laine presque tout entier1 malgr sa longueur1 car ce n'tait pas le travail qui effrayait nos aeux4 ,valenciennes was celebrated for the peculiar fineness and gloss of its tapestry4 ,by the indefatigable industry of certain antiquarians1 some pieces in good preservation representing a tournament1 have lately been taken from a garret1 dismantled of their triple panoply of dust1 cleaned and hung up2 after being traced from their original abode in the state apartments of a prince through various gradations1 to the damp walls of a registry office1 where1 from their apparent fragility alone1 they escaped being cut into floor mats4 ,those of the ,,chateau ,d',,haroue1 and of the ,,collection ,,dusommerard1 are also named here2 but there is little to say about them1 as the subjects are more imaginary than historical4 ,they are of the sixteenth century1 representing scenes of the chase1 and are enlivened with birds in every position1 some of them being1 in proportion to other figures1 certainly larger than life1 and twice as natural4 ,,tapisseries ,,de ,,la ,,chaise ,,dieu4--,l',abbaye de la ,chaise ,dieu fut fonde en #ajdf par ,robert qu',alexandre #b;de canonisa plus tard en #ajgj2 et dont l'origine se rattachait la famille des comtes de ,poitou4 ,robert fut destin de bonne heure aux fonctions du sacerdoce4 ,he went on pilgrimage to the tombs of some of the ,apostles1 and it was on his return thence that he was first struck with the idea of founding a coenobitical establishment4 ,runi un soldat nomm ,etienne1 un solitaire nomm ,delmas1 et un chanoine nomm ,arbert1 il se retira dans la solitude1 et s'emparant du dsert au profit de la religion1 il planta la croix du ,sauveur dans les lieux jusqu'-l couverts de forts et de bruyres incultes1 et rassembla quelques disciples pour vivre auprs de lui sous la rgle qu'un ange lui avait1 disait il1 apporte du ciel4 ,bientt la rputation des cnobites s'tendit2 ,robert fut reconnu comme leur chef4 ,de toutes parts on accourut les visiter4 ,des donations leur furent faites1 et sur les ruines d'une ancienne glise une nouvelle basilique s'leva4 ,telle est peu prs l'histoire primitive de l'abbaye de la ,chaise-,dieu4 ,the ,chaise-,dieu tapestries are fourteen in number1 three of them are ten feet square1 and the others are six feet high by eighteen long1 excepting one which measures nearly twenty-six feet4 ,twelve are hung on the carved wood-work of the choir of the great church1 and thus cover an immense space4 ,further off is the ancient choir of the monks1 of which the wood-work of sculptured oak is surprisingly rich4 ,not even the cathedral of ,rheims1 of which the wood-work has long been regarded as the most beautiful in the kingdom1 contains so great a number4 ,unhappily in times of intestine commotion this chef d'oeuvre has been horribly mutilated by the axes of modern iconoclasts1 more ferocious than the barbarians of old4 ,the two other tapestries are placed in the ,church of the ,penitents1 an ancient refectory of the monks which now forms a dependent chapel to the great temple4 ,these magnificent hangings are woven of wool and silk1 and one yet perceives almost throughout1 golden and silver threads which time has spared4 ,when the artist prepared to copy them for the work we are quoting1 no one dreamt of the richness buried beneath the accumulated dust and dirt of centuries4 ,they were carefully cleaned1 and then1 says the artist1 ,je suis bloui de cette magnificence que nous ne souponnions plus4 ,c'est admirable4 ,les ,gobelins ne produisent pas aujourd'hui de tissus plus riches et plus clatans4 ,imaginez-vous que les robes des femmes1 les ornemens1 les colonnettes sont maills1 ruisselants de milliers de pierres fines et de perles1 c4 ,it would be tedious to attempt to describe individually the subjects of these tapestries4 ,they interweave the histories of the ,old and ,new ,testaments2 the centre of the work generally representing some passage in the life of our ,saviour1 whilst on each side is some correspondent typical incident from the ,old ,testament4 ,above are rhymed quatrains1 either legendary or scriptural2 and below and around are sentences drawn from the prophets or the psalms4 ,these tapestries appear to have been the production of the close of the fifteenth and the beginning of the sixteenth centuries1 denoting in the architecture and costumes more the reigns of ,charles ,,viii4 and ,louis ,,xi41 than of ,louis ,,xii4 and ,francis ,i4 ,such pieces were probably long in the loom1 since the tapestry of ,dijon1 composed of a single lai of twenty-one feet1 required not less1 according to a competent judge1 than ten years' labour4 ,there are some most beautiful1 even amongst these all-beautiful engravings1 which we much regret to see there--engravings of the tapestry in the cathedral of ,aix1 which tapestry ought still to enrich our own country4 ,shame on those under whose barbarous rule these1 amongst other valuable and cherished monuments1 were1 as relics of papistry1 bartered for foreign gold4 ,l'histoire manuscrite de la ville d',aix dit que cette tapisserie avait servi l'glise de ,st4 ,paul de ,londres ou toute autre glise cathdrale d',angleterre2 qu' l'poque de la ,rformation1 les tableaux et les tapisseries ayant t exclus des temples1 les ,anglais cherchrent vendre dans les pays trangers quelques-unes des tapisseries qui ornaient leurs cathdrales1 et qu'ils en brlrent un plus grand nombre6 ,this tapestry represents the history of our ,saviour1 in twenty seven compartments1 being in the whole about #ahg feet long4 ,it is supposed to have been woven about #aeaa1 when ,william ,warham was ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 and ,chancellor4 ,warham had been previously ,bishop of ,london2 and as his arms are on this tapestry1 and also the arms of two prior bishops of ,london who are supposed to have left legacies to ornament the church which were applied towards defraying the expenses of this manufacture1 it seems quite probable that its destination was ,st4 ,paul's1 and not any other cathedral church4 ,the arms of the king are inwrought in two places2 for ,henry contributed to the embellishment of this church4 ,he loved the arts2 he decorated churches2 and though he seceded from the ,roman communion1 he maintained throughout his life magnificent decorations in his favourite churches as well as the worship of the ancient ,catholic ,church4 ,it was first under ,edward1 and more decidedly under ,elizabeth1 that the ceremonies of the church were completely changed1 and that those which had been considered only decent and becoming were stigmatised as popish4 ,nor did this fantasy reach its height until the time of ,cromwell4 ,lord ,douglas1 ,earl of ,buchan1 who founded the ,society of ,antiquaries in ,edinburgh1 endeavoured during the interval of the ,peace of ,amiens1 to treat with the ,archbishop of ,aix for the repurchase of this tapestry4 ,he would have placed it in a ,gothic church belonging to an ancient ,scotch ,abbey on his domains4 ,he had already ornamented this church with several beautiful monuments of antiquity1 and he wished to place this tapestry there as a national monument1 but the treaty was broken off4 ,the ,,tapestries ,,of ,,aulhac1 representing the siege of ,troy1 and those of ,,beauvais1 embracing a variety of subjects from history both sacred and profane2 of the ,,louvre1 representing the ,miracle of ,st4 ,quentin1 tapestry representing ,,alexander1 ,king of ,scotland2 and those of ,,st4 ,,remi1 at ,rheims1 are all engraven and described4 ,those of the magnificent cathedral church at ,rheims1 consisting of forty tapestries1 forming different collections1 but all on religious subjects1 will probably form the material for future numbers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,that there are ancient tapestries existing in ,england fully equal to those in ,france is1 we think1 almost certain2 but of course they are not to be summoned from the vasty deep of neglect and oblivion by the powerless voice of an obscure individual4 ,gladly would we1 had it been in our power1 have enriched our sketch by references to some of them4 ,the following notice of a tapestry at ,coventry is drawn from ,smith's ,selections of the ancient ,costume of ,britain2 and the names of the tapestries at ,hampton ,court ,palace from ,pyne's ,royal ,residences4 ,we have recently visited ,hampton ,court for the express purpose of viewing the tapestries4 ,there1 we believe1 they were1 entirely 7with the exception of a stray inch or two here and there7 hung over with paintings4 ,the splendid though neglected tapestry of ,st4 ,mary's ,hall at ,coventry offers a variety of materials no less interesting on account of the sanctity and misfortunes of the prince 7,henry ,,vi47 who is there represented1 than curious as specimens of the arts of drawing1 dyeing1 and embroidery of the time in which it was executed4 ,it is thirty feet in length and ten in height2 and is divided into six compartments1 three in the upper tier and three in the lower1 containing in all upwards of eighty figures or heads4 ,the centre compartment of the upper row1 in its perfect and original state1 represented the usual personification of the ,trinity--7the ,trinity ,guild held its meetings in the hall of ,st4 ,mary7 surrounded by angels bearing the various instruments of the ,passion4 ,but the zeal of our early reformers sacrificed this part of the work1 and substituted in its stead a tasteless figure of ,justice1 which now holds the scales amidst the original group of surrounding angels4 ,the right hand division of this tier is occupied with sundry figures of saints and martyrs1 and the opposite side is filled with a group of female saints4 ,in the centre compartment below is represented the ,virgin ,mary in the clouds1 standing on the crescent1 surrounded by the twelve ,apostles and many cherubs4 ,but the two remaining portions of this fine tapestry constitute its chief value and importance to the city of ,coventry1 as they represent the figures of ,henry ,,vi41 his ,queen1 the ambitious1 and crafty1 and cruel1 yet beautiful and eloquent and injured ,margaret of ,anjou1 and many of their attendants4 ,during all the misfortunes of ,henry1 the citizens of ,coventry zealously supported him2 and their city is styled by historians ,queen ,margaret's secret bower4 ,as the tapestry was purposely made for the hall1 and probably placed there during the lives of the sovereigns1 the figures may be considered as authentic portraits4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the first ,presence ,chamber in ,hampton ,court is 7or was7 hung with rich ancient tapestry1 representing a landscape1 with the figures of ,nymphs1 ,fawns1 ,satyrs1 ,nereides1 c4 ,there is some fine ancient tapestry in the ,king's ,audience ,chamber1 the subjects being1 on one side1 ,abraham and ,lot dividing their lands2 and on the other1 ,god appearing to ,abraham purchasing ground for a burying-place4 ,the tapestry on the walls of the ,king's ,drawing-,room represents ,abraham entertaining the three ,angels2 also ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,rebecca4 ,the tapestry which covers three sides of the ,king's ,state ,bedchamber represents the history of ,joshua4 ,the walls of the ,queen's ,audience ,chamber are covered with tapestry hangings1 which represent the story of ,abraham and ,melchisedec1 and ,abraham and ,rebecca4 ,the ,ball ,room is called also the ,tapestry ,gallery1 from the superb suite of hangings that ornament its walls1 which was brought from ,flanders by ,general ,cadogan1 and set up by order of ,george ,i4 ,the series of seven compartments describes the history of ,alexander the ,great1 from the paintings of the celebrated ,charles le ,brun4 ,the first represents the story of ,alexander and his horse ,bucephalus2 the second1 the visit of ,alexander to ,diogenes2 the third1 the passage of ,alexander over the ,granicus2 the fourth1 ,alexander's visit to the mother and wife of ,darius1 in their tent1 after the battle of ,arbela2 the fifth1 ,alexander's triumphal entrance into ,babylon2 the sixth1 ,alexander's battle with ,porus2 the seventh1 his second entrance into ,babylon4--,these magnificent hangings were wrought at the ,gobelins4 ,the tapestry hangings in the king's private bedchamber describe the naval battle of ,solebay between the combined fleets of ,england and ,france and the ,dutch fleet1 in #afgb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,of all the tapestries here recorded1 the last only1 representing the ,battle of ,solebay1 are now visible4 ,,footnote3 #abe ,les ,anciennes ,tapisseries ,histories1 ou ,collection des ,monumens les plus remarquables1 de ce genre1 qui nous soient rests du moyen age4 ,a ,paris4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,embroidery4 ,flowers1 ,plants and ,fishes1 ,beasts1 ,birds1 ,flyes1 and ,bees1 ,hils1 ,dales1 ,plaines1 ,pastures1 ,skies1 ,seas1 ,rivers1 ,trees1 ,there's nothing neere at hand1 or farthest sought1 ,but with the ,needle may be shap'd and wrought4 ,john ,taylor4 ,perhaps of all nations in very ancient times the ,medes and ,babylonians were most celebrated for the draperies of the apartments1 about which they were even more anxious than about their attire4 ,all their noted hangings with which their palaces were so gorgeously celebrated were wrought by the needle4 ,and though now everywhere the loom is in request1 still these and other eastern nations maintain great practice and unrivalled skill in needle embroidery4 ,sir ,john ,chardin says of the ,persians1 ,their tailors certainly excel ours in their sewing4 ,they make carpets1 cushions1 veils for doors1 and other pieces of furniture of felt1 in ,mosaic work1 which represents just what they please4 ,this is done so neatly1 that a man might suppose the figures were painted instead of being a kind of inlaid work4 ,look as close as you will1 the joining cannot be seen2 and the ,hall of ,audience at ,jeddo1 we are told1 is a sumptuous edifice2 the roof covered with gold and silver of exquisite workmanship1 the throne of massy gold enriched with pearls1 diamonds1 and other precious stones4 ,the tapestry is of the finest silk1 wrought by the most curious hands1 and adorned with pearls1 gold1 and silver1 and other costly embellishments4 ,about the close of the ninth or beginning of the tenth century1 the ,caliph ,moctadi's whole army1 both horse and foot1 7says ,abulfeda7 were under arms1 which together made a body of #afj1jjj men4 ,his state officers stood near him in the most splendid apparel1 their belts shining with gold and gems4 ,near them were #gjjj black and white eunuchs4 ,the porters or door-keepers were in number #gjj4 ,barges and boats1 with the most superb decorations1 were swimming on the ,tigris4 ,nor was the palace itself less splendid1 in which were hung #ch1jjj pieces of tapestry1 #ab1ejj of which were of silk embroidered with gold4 ,the carpets on the floor were #bb1jjj4 ,a hundred lions were brought out with a keeper to each lion4 ,among the other spectacles of rare and stupendous luxury1 was a tree of gold and silver1 which opened itself into eighteen larger branches1 upon which1 and the other less branches sate birds of every sort1 made also of gold and silver4 ,the tree glittered with leaves of the same metals1 and while its branches1 through machinery1 appeared to move of themselves1 the several birds upon them warbled their natural notes4 ,the skill of the eastern embroiderer has always had a wide field for display in the decoration of the tents1 which were in such request in hot countries1 among ,nomadic tribes1 or on military excursions4 ,the covering of tents among the ,arabs is usually black goats' hair1 so compactly woven as to be impervious to rain4 ,but there is1 besides this1 always an inner one1 on which the skill and industry of the fair artisan--for both outer and inner are woven and wrought by women--is displayed4 ,this is often white woollen stuff1 on which flowers are usually embroidered4 ,curious hangings too are frequently hung over the entrances1 when the means of the possessors do not admit of more general decoration4 ,magnificent perdahs1 or hangings of needlework1 are always suspended in the tents of persons of rank and fashion1 who assume a more ambitious decoration2 and there are accounts in various travellers of tents which must have been gorgeous in the extreme4 ,nadir ,shah1 out of the abundance of his spoils1 caused a tent or tabernacle to be made of such beauty and magnificence as were almost beyond description4 ,the outside was covered with fine scarlet broad cloth1 the lining was of violet coloured satin1 on which were representations of all the birds and beasts in the creation1 with trees and flowers2 the whole made of pearls1 diamonds1 rubies1 emeralds1 amethysts1 and other precious stones2 and the tent-poles were decorated in like manner4 ,on both sides of the peacock throne was a screen1 on which were the figures of two angels in precious stones4 ,the roof of the tent consisted of seven pieces2 and when it was transported to any place1 two of these pieces packed in cotton were put into a wooden chest1 two of which chests were a sufficient load for an elephant3 the screen filled another chest4 ,the walls of the tent--tent-poles and tent-pins1 which were of massy gold1 loaded five more elephants2 so that for the carriage of the whole were required seven elephants4 ,this magnificent tent was displayed on all festivals in the public hall at ,herat1 during the remainder of ,nadir ,shah's reign4 ,sir ,j4 ,chardin tells us that the late ,king of ,persia caused a tent to be made which cost #b1jjj1jjjl4 ,they called it the ,house of ,gold1 because gold glittered everywhere about it4 ,he adds1 that there was an inscription wrought upon the cornice of the antechamber1 which gave it the appellation of the ,throne of the second ,solomon1 and at the same time marked out the year of its construction4 ,the following description of ,antar's tent from the ,bedouin romance of that name has been often quoted3-- ,when spread out it occupied half the land of ,shurebah1 for it was the load of forty camels2 and there was an awning at the door of the pavilion under which #djjj of the ,absian horse could skirmish4 ,it was embroidered with burnished gold1 studded with precious stones and diamonds1 interspersed with rubies and emeralds1 set with rows of pearls2 and there was painted thereon a specimen of every created thing1 birds and trees1 and towns1 and cities1 and seas1 and continents1 and beasts1 and reptiles2 and whoever looked at it was confounded by the variety of the representations1 and by the brilliancy of the silver and gold3 and so magnificent was the whole1 that when the pavilion was pitched1 the land of ,shurebah and ,mount ,saadi were illuminated by its splendour4 ,extravagant as seems this description1 we are told that it is not so much exaggerated as we might imagine4 ,poetical license has indeed been indulged in to the fullest extent1 especially as to the size of the pavilion2 yet ,marco ,polo in sober earnest describes one under which #aj1jjj soldiers might be drawn up without incommoding the nobles at the audience4 ,it is well known that ,mohammed forbade his followers to imitate any animal or insect in their embroideries or ornamental work of any sort4 ,hence the origin of the term arabesque1 which we now use to express all odd combinations of patterns from which human and animal forms are excluded4 ,that portion of the race which merged in the ,moors of ,spain were especially remarked for their magnificent and beautiful decorative work2 and from them did we borrow1 as before alluded to1 the custom of using tapestry for curtains4 ,at the present day none are perhaps more patient and laborious embroiderers than the ,chinese2 their regularity and neatness are supposed to be unequalled1 and the extreme care with which they work preserves their shades bright and shining4 ,the ,indians excel in variety of embroidery4 ,they embroider with cotton on muslin1 but they employ on gauze1 rushes1 skins of insects1 nails and claws of animals1 of walnuts1 and dry fruits1 and above all1 the feathers of birds4 ,they mingle their colours without harmony as without taste2 it is only a species of wild mosaic1 which announces no plan1 and represents no object4 ,the women of the wandering tribes of ,persia weave those rich carpets which are called ,turkey carpets1 from the place of their immediate importation4 ,but this country was formerly celebrated for magnificent embroideries1 and also for tapestries composed of silk and wool embellished with gold4 ,this latter beautiful art1 though not entirely lost1 is nearly so for want of encouragement4 ,but of all eastern nations the ,moguls were the most celebrated for their splendid embroideries2 walls1 couches1 and even floors were covered with silk or cotton fabrics richly worked with gold1 and often1 as in ancient times1 with gems inwrought4 ,but this empire has ever been proverbial for its splendour2 at one time the throne of the ,mogul was estimated at #d1jjj1jjjl4 sterling1 made up by diamonds and other jewels1 received in gifts during a long succession of ages4 ,we have1 in a former chapter1 alluded to the custom of embroidery in imitation of feathers1 and also for using real feathers for ornamental work4 ,this is much the custom in many countries4 ,some of the inhabitants of ,new ,holland make artificial flowers with feathers1 with consummate skill2 and they are not uncommon1 though vastly inferior1 here4 ,various articles of dress are frequently seen made of them1 as feather muffs1 feather tippets1 c42 and we have seen within the last few months a bonnet covered with peacock's feathers4 ,this1 however1 is certainly the extreme of fancy4 ,the celebrated ,mrs4 ,montague had hangings ornamented with feathers3 the hangings doubtless are gone3 the name of the accomplished lady who displayed them in her fashionable halls is sinking into oblivion1 but the poet1 who perchance merely glanced at them1 lives for ever4 ,,on ,,mrs4 ,,montague',s ,,feather ,,hangings4 ,the birds put off their ev'ry hue1 ,to dress a room for ,montague4 ,the peacock sends his heavenly dyes1 ,his rainbows and his starry eyes2 ,the pheasant plumes1 which round infold ,his mantling neck with downy gold2 ,the cock his arch'd tail's azure shew2 ,and1 river blanch'd1 the swan his snow4 ,all tribes beside of ,indian name1 ,that glossy shine1 or vivid flame1 ,where rises1 and where sets the day1 ,whate'er they boast of rich and gay1 ,contribute to the gorgeous plan1 ,proud to advance it all they can4 ,this plumage1 neither dashing shower1 ,nor blasts that shape the dripping bow'r1 ,shall drench again or discompose-- ,but screen'd from ev'ry storm that blows ,it boasts a splendour ever new1 ,safe with protecting ,montague4 ,some ,canadian women embroider with their own hair and that of animals2 they copy beautifully the ramifications of moss-agates1 and of several plants4 ,they insinuate in their works skins of serpents and morsels of fur patiently smoothed4 ,if their embroidery is not so brilliant as that of the ,chinese1 it is not less industrious4 ,the negresses of ,senegal embroider the skin of different animals of flowers and figures of all colours4 ,the ,turks and ,georgians embroider marvellously the lightest gauze or most delicate crape4 ,they use gold thread with inconceivable delicacy2 they represent the most minute objects on morocco without varying the form1 or fraying the finest gold1 by a proceeding quite unknown to us4 ,they frequently ornament their embroidery with pieces of money of different nations1 and travellers who are aware of this circumstance often find in their old garments valuable and interesting coins4 ,the ,saxons imitate the designs of the most accomplished work-people2 their embroidery with untwisted thread on muslin is the most delicate and correct we are acquainted with of that kind4 ,the embroidery of ,venice and ,milan has long been celebrated1 but its excessive dearness prevents the use of it4 ,there is also much beautiful embroidery in ,france1 but the palm for precedence is ably disputed by the ,germans1 especially those of ,vienna4 ,this progress and variations of this luxury amongst various nations would be a subject of curious research1 but too intricate and lengthened for our pages4 ,we have intimations of it at the earliest period1 and there is no age in which it appears to have been totally laid aside1 no nation in which it was in utter disrepute4 ,some of its most beautiful patterns have been1 as in architecture1 the adaptation of the moment from natural objects1 for one of the first ornaments in ,roman embroidery1 when they departed from their primitive simplicity in dress1 was the imitation of the leaf of the acanthus--the same leaf which imparted grace and ornament to the ,corinthian capital4 ,but it would be endless to enter into the subject of patterns1 which doubtless were everywhere originally simple enough1 with here and there a tuft of crimson yarn1 ,or scarlet crewel4 ,and patient minds must often have planned1 and assiduous fingers must long have wrought1 ere such an achievement was perfected1 as even the covering of the joint stool described by ,cowper3-- ,at length a generation more refin'd ,improved the simple plan2 made three legs four1 ,gave them a twisted form vermicular1 ,and o'er the seat with plenteous wadding stuff'd1 ,induc'd a splendid cover1 green and blue1 ,yellow and red1 of tapestry richly wrought ,and woven close1 or needlework sublime4 ,there might ye see the piony spread wide1 ,the full-blown rose1 the shepherd and his lass1 ,lapdog and lambkin with black staring eyes1 ,and parrots with twin cherries in their beak4 ,but from the days of ,elizabeth the practice of ornamental needlework1 of embroidery1 had gradually declined in ,england3 the literary and scholastic pursuits which in her day had superseded the use of the needle1 did not indeed continue the fashion of later times2 still the needle was not resumed1 nor perhaps has embroidery and tapestry ever from the days of ,elizabeth been so much practised as it is now4 ,many individuals have indeed been celebrated1 as one thus3-- ,she wrought all needleworks that women exercise1 ,with pen1 frame1 or stoole2 all pictures artificial1 ,curious knots or trailes1 what fancy could devise2 ,beasts1 birds1 or flowers1 even as things natural4 ,but still embroidery had ceased to be looked upon as a necessary accomplishment1 or taught as an important part of education4 ,in the early part of the last century women had become so mischievous from the lack of this employment1 that the ,spectator seriously recommends it to the attention of the community at large4 ,mr4 ,spectator1 ,i have a couple of nieces under my direction who so often run gadding abroad1 that ,i do not know where to have them4 ,their dress1 their tea1 and their visits1 take up all their time1 and they go to bed as tired doing nothing1 as ,i am often after quilting a whole under-petticoat4 ,the only time they are not idle is while they read your ,spectator1 which being dedicated to the interests of virtue1 ,i desire you to recommend the long-neglected art of needlework4 ,those hours which in this age are thrown away in dress1 play1 visits1 and the like1 were employed in my time in writing out receipts1 or working beds1 chairs1 and hangings for the family4 ,for my part ,i have plied my needle these fifty years1 and by my good will would never have it out of my hand4 ,it grieves my heart to see a couple of idle flirts sipping their tea1 for a whole afternoon1 in a room hung round with the industry of their great-grandmother4 ,pray1 ,sir1 take the laudable mystery of embroidery into your serious consideration2 and as you have a great deal of the virtue of the last age in you1 continue your endeavours to reform the present4 ,i am1 c41 ------ ,in obedience to the commands of my venerable correspondent1 ,i have duly weighed this important subject1 and promise myself from the arguments here laid down1 that all the fine ladies of ,england will be ready1 as soon as the mourning is over 7for ,queen ,anne7 to appear covered with the work of their own hands4 ,what a delightful entertainment must it be to the fair sex whom their native modesty1 and the tenderness of men towards them exempt from public business1 to pass their hours in imitating fruits and flowers1 and transplanting all the beauties of nature into their own dress1 or raising a new creation in their closets and apartments6 ,how pleasing is the amusement of walking among the shades and groves planted by themselves1 in surveying heroes slain by the needle1 or little ,cupids which they have brought into the world without pain6 ,this is1 methinks1 the most proper way wherein a lady can show a fine genius2 and ,i cannot forbear wishing that several writers of that sex had chosen to apply themselves rather to tapestry than rhyme4 ,your pastoral poetesses may vent their fancy in great landscapes1 and place despairing shepherds under silken willows1 or drown them in a stream of mohair4 ,the heroic writers may work of battles as successfully1 and inflame them with gold1 or stain them with crimson4 ,even those who have only a turn to a song or an epigram1 may put many valuable stitches into a purse1 and crowd a thousand graces into a pair of garters4 ,if ,i may1 without breach of good manners1 imagine that any pretty creature is void of genius1 and would perform her part herein but very awkwardly1 ,i must nevertheless insist upon her working1 if it be only to keep her out of harm's way4 ,another argument for busying good women in works of fancy is1 because it takes them off from scandal1 the usual attendant of tea-tables and all other inactive scenes of life4 ,while they are forming their birds and beasts1 their neighbours will be allowed to be the fathers of their own children1 and ,whig and ,tory will be but seldom mentioned where the great dispute is1 whether blue or red is now the proper colour4 ,how much greater glory would ,sophronia do the general if she would choose rather to work the battle of ,blenheim in tapestry than signalise herself with so much vehemence against those who are ,frenchmen in their hearts6 ,a third reason ,i shall mention is1 the profit that is brought to the family when these pretty arts are encouraged4 ,it is manifest that this way of life not only keeps fair ladies from running out into expenses1 but is at the same time an actual improvement4 ,how memorable would that matron be1 who shall have it subscribed upon her monument1 ',she that wrought out the whole ,bible in tapestry1 and died in a good old age1 after having covered #cjj yards of wall in the ,mansion ,house6' ,the premises being considered1 ,i humbly submit the following proposals to all mothers in ,great ,britain3-- #a4 ,that no young virgin whatsoever be allowed to receive the addresses of her first lover1 but in a suit of her own embroidering4 #b4 ,that before every fresh humble servant she shall be obliged to appear with a new stomacher at the least4 #c4 ,that no one be actually married until she hath the child-bed pillows1 c41 ready stitched1 as likewise the mantle for the boy quite finished4 ,these laws1 if ,i mistake not1 would effectually restore the decayed art of needlework1 and make the virgins of ,great ,britain exceedingly nimble-fingered in their business4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,needlework ,,on ,,books4 ,and often did she look ,on that which in her hand she bore1 ,in velvet bound and broider'd o'er-- ,her breviary book4 ,marmion4 ,books are ours1 ,within whose silent chambers treasure lies ,preserved from age to age-- ,these hoards of truth we can unlock at will4 ,wordsworth4 ,deep indeed are our obligations for those treasures which we can unlock at will3 treasures of far more value than gold or gems1 for they oftentimes bestow that which gold cannot purchase--even forgetfulness of sorrow and pain4 ,happy are those who have a taste for reading and leisure to indulge it4 ,it is the most beguiling solace of life3 it is its most ennobling pursuit4 ,it is a magnificent thing to converse with the master spirits of past ages1 to behold them as they were2 to mingle thought with thought and mind with mind2 to let the imagination rove--based however on the authentic record of the past--through dim and distant ages2 to behold the fathers and prophets of the ancient earth2 to hold communion with martyrs and prophets1 and kings2 to kneel at the feet of the mighty lawgiver2 to bend at the shrine of the eternal poet2 to imbibe inspiration from the eloquent1 to gather instruction from the wise1 and pleasure from the gifted2 to behold1 as in a glass1 all the majesty and all the beauty of the mighty ,,past1 to revel in all the accumulated treasures of ,time--and this1 all this1 we have by reading the privilege to do4 ,imagination indeed1 the gift of heaven1 may soar elate1 unchecked1 though untutored through time and space1 through ,time to ,eternity1 and may people worlds at will2 but that truthful basis which can alone give permanence to her visions1 that knowledge which ennobles and purifies and elevates them is acquired from books1 whether ,song of the ,muses1 says historic tale1 ,science severe1 or word of ,holy ,writ1 ,announcing immortality and joy4 ,the word of ,holy ,writ1 the ,,bible--we pass over its hopes1 its promises1 its consolations--these themes are too sacred even for reference on our light page--but here1 we may remark1 we see the world in its freshness1 its prime1 its glory4 ,we converse truly with godlike men and angelic women4 ,we see the mighty and majestic fathers of the human race ere sin had corrupted all their godlike seeming2 ere sorrow--the bequeathed and inherited sorrows of ages--had quite seared the human face divine2 ere sloth1 and luxury1 and corruption1 and decay1 had altered features formed in the similitude of heaven to the gross semblance of earth2 and we walk step by step over the new fresh earth as yet untrodden by foot of man1 and behold the ancient solitudes gradually invaded by his advancing steps4 ,most gentle1 most soothing1 most faithful companions are books4 ,they afford amusement for the lonely hour2 solace perchance for the sorrowful one3 they offer recreation to the light-hearted2 instruction to the inquiring2 inspiration to the aspiring mind2 food for the thirsty one4 ,they are inexhaustible in extent as in variety3 and oh6 in the silent vigil by the suffering couch1 or during the languor of indisposition1 who can too highly praise those silent friends--silent indeed to the ear1 but speaking eloquently to the heart--which beguile1 even transiently1 the mind from present depressing care1 strengthen and elevate it by communion with the past1 or solace it by hopes of the future6 ,listen how sweetly one of the first of modern men apostrophises his books3-- ,my days among the dead are past2 ,around me ,i behold1 ,where'er these casual eyes are cast1 ,the mighty minds of old2 ,my never-failing friends are they1 ,with whom ,i converse day by day4 ,with them ,i take delight in weal1 ,and seek relief in woe2 ,and while ,i understand and feel ,how much to them ,i owe1 ,my cheeks have often been bedew'd1 ,with tears of thoughtful gratitude4 ,my thoughts are with the dead2 with them ,i live in long past years2 ,their virtues love1 their faults condemn1 ,partake their hopes and fears1 ,and from their lessons seek and find ,instruction with a humble mind4 ,my hopes are with the dead2 anon ,my place with them will be1 ,and ,i with them shall travel on ,through all futurity2 ,yet leaving here a name1 ,i trust1 ,that will not perish in the dust4#abf ,yet how little are we of the present day1 who have books poured into our laps1 able to estimate their real value6 ,nor is it possible that they can ever again be estimated as they once were4 ,the universal diffusion of them1 the incalculable multiplication of them1 seems to render it impossible that the world can ever be deprived of them4 ,no4 ,we must call up some of the spirits of the pious and painful amanuenses of those days when the fourth estate of the realm1 the public press--,,was ,,not--to tell us the real value of the literary treasures we now esteem so lightly4 ,he will tell us that in his day the donation of a single book to a religious house was thought to give the donor a claim to eternal salvation2 and that an offering so valued1 so cherished1 would be laid on the high altar amid pomp and pageantry4 ,he might perhaps personally remember the prior and convent of ,rochester pronouncing an irrevocable sentence of damnation on him who should purloin or conceal their treasured ,latin translation of ,aristotle's physics4 ,he would tell us that the holiest and wisest of men would forego ease and luxury and spend laborious years in transcribing books for the good of others2 he will tell us that amongst many others1 ,osmond1 ,bishop of ,salisbury1 did this1 and perchance he will name that ,guido de ,jars1 in his fortieth year1 began to copy the ,bible on vellum1 with rich and elegant decorations1 and that the suns of half a century had risen and set1 ere1 with unintermitting labour and unwearied zeal1 he finished it in his ninetieth4 ,he will also tell us1 that when a book was to be sold1 it was customary to assemble all persons of consequence and character in the neighbourhood1 and to make a formal record that they were present on this occasion4 ,thus1 amongst the royal ,,mss4 is a book thus described3-- ,this book of the ,sentences belongs to ,master ,robert1 archdeacon of ,lincoln1 which he bought of ,geoffrey the chaplain1 brother of ,henry vicar of ,northelkingston1 in the presence of ,master ,robert de ,lee1 ,master ,john of ,lirling1 ,richard of ,luda1 clerk1 ,richard the ,almoner1 the said ,henry the vicar and his clerk1 and others3 and the said archdeacon gave the said book to ,god and saint ,oswald1 and to ,peter abbot of ,barton1 and the convent of ,barden4 ,these are a few1 a very few of such instances as a spirit of the fourteenth century might allude to--to testify the value of books4 ,indeed1 even so late as the reign of ,henry the ,,vi41 when the invention of paper greatly facilitated the multiplication of ,,mss4 the impediments to study1 from the scarcity of books1 must have been very great1 for in the statutes of ,st4 ,mary's ,college1 ,oxford1 is this order--,let no scholar occupy a book in the library above one hour1 or two hours at the most2 lest others shall be hindered from the use of the same4 ,the scarcity of parchment seems indeed at times to have been a greater hindrance to the promulgation of literature than even the laborious and tedious transcription of the books4 ,about #aabj1 one ,master ,hugh1 being appointed by the convent of ,st4 ,edmondsbury to write a copy of the ,bible1 for their library1 could procure no parchment in ,england4 ,the following particulars of the scarcity of books before the era of printing1 gathered chiefly by ,warton1 are interesting4 ,in #hee1 ,lupus1 abbot of ,ferrieres in ,france1 sent two of his monks to ,pope ,benedict the third1 to beg a copy of ,cicero de ,oratore1 and ,quintilian's ,institutes1 and some other books3 for1 says the abbot1 although we have part of these books1 yet there is no whole or complete copy of them in all ,france4 ,albert1 abbot of ,gemblours1 who with incredible labour and immense expense had collected a hundred volumes on theological1 and fifty on general subjects1 imagined he had formed a splendid library4 ,about #gij1 ,charlemagne granted an unlimited right to hunting to the abbot and monks of ,sithin1 for making their gloves and girdles of the skins of the deer they killed1 and covers for their books4 ,at the beginning of the tenth century1 books were so scarce in ,spain1 that one and the same copy of the ,bible1 ,st4 ,jerome's ,epistles1 and some volumes of ecclesiastical offices and martyrologies1 often served several different monasteries4 ,amongst the constitutions given to the monks of ,england by ,archbishop ,lanfranc1 in #ajgb1 the following injunction occurs3 ,at the beginning of ,lent1 the librarian is ordered to deliver a book to each of the religious2 a whole year was allowed for the perusal of this book6 and at the returning ,lent1 those monks who had neglected to read the books they had respectively received1 are commanded to prostrate themselves before the abbot to supplicate his indulgence4 ,this regulation was partly occasioned by the low state of literature in which ,lanfranc found the ,english monasteries to be2 but at the same time it was a matter of necessity1 and partly to be referred to the scarcity of copies of useful and suitable authors4 ,john de ,pontissara1 ,bishop of ,winchester1 borrowed of his cathedral convent of ,st4 ,swithin at ,winchester1 in #abii1 ,,bibliam ,,bene ,,glossatam1 or the ,bible1 with marginal annotations1 in two large folio volumes2 but he gives a bond for due return of the loan1 drawn up with great solemnity4 ,this ,bible had been bequeathed to the ,convent the same year by his predecessor1 ,bishop ,nicholas de ,ely3 and in consideration of so important a bequest1 and #ajj marks in money1 the monks founded a daily mass for the soul of the donor4 ,about #abbe ,roger de ,tusula1 dean of ,york1 gave several ,latin ,bibles to the ,university of ,oxford1 with a condition that the students who perused them should deposit a cautionary pledge4 ,the ,library of that ,university1 before the year #acjj1 consisted only of a few tracts1 chained or kept in chests in the choir of ,st4 ,mary's ,church4 ,books often brought excessive prices in the middle ages4 ,in #aagd1 ,walter1 ,prior of ,st4 ,swithin's at ,winchester1 and afterwards abbot of ,westminster1 purchased of the monks of ,dorchester in ,oxfordshire ,bede's ,homilies and ,st4 ,austin's ,psalter1 for twelve measures of barley1 and a pall on which was embroidered in silver the history of ,birinus converting a ,saxon king4 ,about #adjj1 a copy of ,john de ,meun's ,roman de la ,rose was sold before the palace-gate at ,paris for forty crowns1 or #ccl4 #fs4 #f;d4 ,in ,edward the ,third's reign1 one hundred marks 7equal to #ajjjl47 were paid to ,isabella de ,lancaster1 a nun of ,ambresbury1 for a book of romance1 purchased from her for the king's use4 ,warton mentions a book of the ,gospels1 in the ,cotton ,library1 as a fine specimen of ,saxon calligraphy and decorations4 ,it is written by ,eadfrid1 ,bishop of ,durham1 in the most exquisite manner4 ,ethelwold his successor did the illuminations1 the capital letters1 the picture of the cross1 and the ,evangelists1 with infinite labour and elegance2 and ,bilfred1 the anchorite1 covered the book1 thus written and adorned1 with silver plates and precious stones4 ,it was finished about #gbj4 ,the encouragement given in the ,english monasteries for transcribing books was very considerable4 ,in every great abbey there was an apartment called ,the ,scriptorium2 where many writers were constantly busied in transcribing not only the ,service ,books for the choir1 but books for the ,library4 ,the ,scriptorium of ,st4 ,alban's ,abbey was built by ,abbot ,paulin1 a ,norman1 who ordered many volumes to be written there1 about #ajhj4 ,archbishop ,lanfranc furnished the copies4 ,estates were often granted for the support of the ,scriptorium4 ,that at ,st4 ,edmundsbury was endowed with two mills4 ,the tithes of a rectory were appropriated to the ,cathedral convent of ,st4 ,swithin1 at ,winchester1 ad libros transcribendos1 in the year #aaga4 ,nigel in the year #aafj gave the monks of ,ely two churches1 ad libros faciendos4 ,when the library at ,croyland ,abbey was burnt in #ajia1 seven hundred volumes were consumed which must have been thus laboriously produced4 ,fifty-eight volumes were transcribed at ,glastonbury during the government of one ,abbot1 about the year #acjj4 ,and in the library of this monastery1 the richest in ,england1 there were upwards of four hundred volumes in the year #abdh4 ,but whilst there is sufficient cause to admire the penmen of former days1 in the mere transcription of books1 shall we not marvel at the beauty with which they were invested2 the rich and brilliant illuminations1 the finely tinted paintings1 the magnificent and laborious ornament with which not merely every page1 but in many manuscripts almost every line was decorated6 ,they1 such as have been preserved1 form a valuable proportion of the riches of the principal ,european libraries3 of the ,vatican of ,rome2 the ,imperial at ,vienna2 ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice2 the ,escurial in ,spain2 and the principal public libraries in ,england4 ,the art of thus illuminating ,,mss41 now entirely lost1 had attained the highest degree of perfection1 and is1 indeed1 of ancient origin4 ,in the remotest times the common colours of black and white have been varied by luxury and taste4 ,herodotus and ,diodorus ,siculus mention purple and yellow skins1 on which ,,mss4 were written in gold and silver2 and amongst the eastern nations rolls of this kind 7that is gold and silver on purple71 exquisitely executed1 are found in abundance1 but of a later date4 ,still they appear to have been familiar with the practice at a much more remote period2 and it is probable that the ,greeks acquired this art from ,egypt or ,india4 ,from the ,greeks it would naturally pass to the ,latins1 who appear to have been acquainted with it early in the second century4 ,the earliest specimen of purple or rose-coloured vellum is recorded in the life of the ,emperor ,maximinus the younger1 to whom1 in the commencement of the third century1 his mother made a present of the poems of ,homer1 written on purple vellum in gold letters4 ,such productions were1 however1 at this time very rare4 ,the celebrated ,codex ,argenteus of ,ulphilas1 written in silver and gold letters on a purple ground1 about #cfj1 is probably the most ancient existing specimen of this magnificent mode of calligraphy4 ,in the fourth century it had become more common3 many ecclesiastical writers allude to it1 and ,st4 ,jerome especially does so2 and the following spirited dialogue has reference to his somewhat condemnatory allusions4 ,purple vellum ,greek ,,mss41 says ,breitinger1 if ,i remember rightly1 are scarcer than white crows6 ,,belinda4 ,pray tell us 'all about them1' as the children say4 ,,philemon4 ,well1 then1 at your next court visit1 let your gown rival the emblazoned aspect of these old purple vellums1 and let stars of silver1 thickly 'powdered' thereupon1 emulate1 if they dare1 the silver capital ,greek letters upon the purple membranaceous fragments which have survived the desolations of time6 ,you see1 ,i do not speak coldly upon this picturesque subject6 ,,alimansa4 ,nor do ,i feel precisely as if ,i were in the frigid zone6 ,but proceed and expatiate4 ,,philemon4 ,the field for expatiating is unluckily very limited4 ,the fact of the more ancient ,,mss4 before noticed1 the ,pentateuch at ,vienna1 the fragment of the ,gospels in the ,british ,museum1 with a ,psalter or two in a few libraries abroad1 are all the ,,mss4 which just now occur to me as being distinguished by a purple tint1 for ,i apprehend little more than a tint remains4 ,whether the white or the purple vellum be the more ancient1 ,i cannot take upon me to determine2 but it is right you should be informed that ,st4 ,jerom denounces as coxcombs1 all those who1 in his own time1 were so violently attached to your favourite purple colour4 ,,lisardo4 ,i have a great respect for the literary attainments of ,st4 ,jerom2 and although in the absence of the old ,italic version of the ,greek ,bible1 ,i am willing to subscribe to the excellence of his own1 or what is now called the ,vulgate1 yet in matters of taste1 connected with the harmony of colour1 you must excuse me if ,i choose to enter my protest against that venerable father's decision4 ,,philemon4 ,you appear to mistake the matter ,st4 ,jerom imagined that this appetite for purple ,,mss4 was rather artificial and voluptuous2 requiring regulation and correction--and that1 in the end1 men would prefer the former colour to the intrinsic worth of their vellum treasures4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we must not omit the note appended to this colloquy4 ,the general idea seems to be that ,,purple ,,vellum ,,mss4 were intended only for 'choice blades1' let us rather say1 tasteful bibliomaniacs--in book collecting4 ,st4 ,jerom1 as ,philemon above observes1 is very biting in his sarcasm upon these 'purple leaves covered with letters of gold and silver4'--',for myself and my friends 7adds that father71 let us have lower priced books1 and distinguished not so much for beauty as for accuracy4' ,mabillon remarks that these purple treasures were for the 'princes' and 'noblemen' of the times4 ,and we learn from the twelfth volume of the ,specileginum of ,theonas1 that it is rather somewhat unseemly 'to write upon purple vellum in letters of gold and silver1 unless at the particular desire of a prince4' ,the subject also of ,,mss4 frequently regulated the mode of executing it4 ,thus we learn from the #bhth ,epistle of ,boniface 7,bishop and ,martyr7 to the abbess ,eadburga1 that this latter is entreated 'to write the ,epistles of ,st4 ,peter1 the master and ,apostle of ,boniface1 in letters of gold1 for the greater reverence to be paid towards the ,sacred ,scriptures1 when the ,abbess preaches before her carnally-minded auditors4' ,about the close of the seventh century the ,archbishop of ,york procured for his church a copy of the ,gospels thus adorned2 and that this magnificent calligraphy was then new in ,england may be inferred from a remark made on it that inauditam ante seculis nostris quoddam miraculam4 ,this art1 however1 shortly after declined everywhere2 and in ,england the art of writing in gold letters1 even without the rich addition of the purple-tinted material1 seems to have been but imperfectly understood4 ,the only remarkable instance of it is said to be the charter of ,king ,edgar1 in the new ,minster at ,winchester1 in #iff4 ,in the fourteenth century it seems to have been more customary than in those immediately preceding it4 ,but we have been beguiled too long from that which alone is connected with our subject1 viz41 the binding of books4 ,probably this was originally a plain and unadorned oaken cover2 though as books were found only in monastic establishments1 or in the mansions of the rich1 even the cover soon became emblematic of its valuable contents4 ,the early ornaments of the back were chiefly of a religious character--a representation of the ,virgin1 of the infant ,saviour1 of the ,crucifixion4 ,dibdin mentions a ,latin ,psalter of the ninth century in this primitive and substantial binding1 and on the oaken board was riveted a large brass crucifix1 originally1 probably1 washed with silver2 and also a ,,ms4 of the ,latin ,gospels of the twelfth or thirteenth century1 in oaken covers1 inlaid with pieces of carved ivory1 representing our ,saviour with an angel above him1 and the ,virgin and ,child4 ,the carved ivory may probably be a subsequent interpolation1 but it does not the less exemplify the practice4 ,but as the taste for luxury and ornament increased1 and the bindings1 even the clumsy wooden ones1 became more gorgeously decorated--the most costly gems and precious stones being frequently inlaid with the golden ornaments--the shape and form of them was altogether altered4 ,with a view to the preservation and the safety of the riches lavished on them1 the bindings were made double1 each side being perhaps two inches thick2 and on a spring being touched1 or a secret lock opened1 it divided1 almost like the opening of a cupboard-door1 and displayed the rich ornament and treasure within2 whilst1 when closed1 the outside had only the appearance of a plain1 somewhat clumsy binding4 ,at that time1 too1 books were ranged on shelves with the leaves in front2 therefore great pains were taken1 both in the decoration of the edges1 and also in the rich and ornamental clasps and strings which united the wooden sides4 ,these clasps were frequently of gold1 inlaid with jewels4 ,the wooden sides were afterwards covered with leather1 with vellum1 with velvet1--though probably there is no specimen of velvet binding before the fourteenth century2 and1 indeed1 as time advanced1 there is scarcely any substance which was not applied to this purpose4 ,queen ,elizabeth had a little volume of prayers bound in solid gold1 which at prayer-time she suspended by a gold chain at her side2 and we saw1 a few years ago1 a small devotional book which belonged to the ,martyr-,king1 ,charles1 and which was given by him to the ancestress of the friend who showed it to us1 beautifully bound in tortoise-shell and finely-carved silver4 ,but it was not to gold and precious stones alone that the bindings of former days were indebted for their beauty4 ,the richest and rarest devices of the needlewoman were often wrought on the velvet1 or brocade1 which became more exclusively the fashionable material for binding4 ,this seems to have been a favourite occupation of the high-born dames about ,elizabeth's day2 and1 indeed1 if we remember the new-born passion for books1 which was at its height about that time1 we shall not wonder at their industry being displayed on the covers as well as the insides#abg4 ,but very probably this had been a favourite object for the needle long before this time1 though unhappily the fragility of the work was equal to its beauty1 and these needleworked covers have doubtless1 in very many instances1 been replaced by more substantial binding4 ,the earliest specimen of this description of binding remaining in the ,british ,museum is ,fichetus 7,guil47 ,rhetoricum1 ,libri tres4 7,impr4 in ,membranis7 #dto4 ,paris ad ,sorbon1 #adga4 ,it has an illuminated title-page1 showing the author presenting1 on his knees1 his book to the ,pope2 and it is decorated throughout with illuminated letters and other ornaments2 for long after the invention of printing1 blank spaces were left1 for the capitals and headings to be filled up by the pencil4 ,hence it is that we find some books quite incomplete2 these spaces having been left1 and not filled up4 ,when the art of illuminating still more failed1 the red ink was used as a substitute1 and everybody is acquainted with books of this style4 ,the binding of ,fitchet's ',rhetoric' is covered with crimson satin1 on which is wrought with the needle a coat-of-arms3 a lion rampant in gold thread1 in a blue field1 with a transverse badge in scarlet silk2 the minor ornaments are all wrought in fine gold thread4 ,the next in date which ,i have seen there is a description of the ,holy ,land1 in ,french1 written in ,henry ,,vii4's time1 and illuminated4 ,it is bound in rich maroon velvet1 with the royal arms3 the garter and motto embroidered in blue2 the ground crimson2 and the fleurs-de-lys1 leopards1 and letters of the motto in gold thread4 ,a coronet1 or crown1 of gold thread1 is inwrought with pearls2 the roses at the corners are in red silk and gold2 and there is a narrow border round the whole in burnished gold thread4 ,there is an edition of ,petrarch's ,sonnets1 printed at ,venice in #aedd4 ,it is in beautiful preservation4 ,the back is of dark crimson velvet1 and on each side is wrought a large royal coat-of-arms1 in silk and gold1 highly raised4 ,the book belonged to ,edward ,,vi41 but the arms are not his4 ,queen ,mary's ,psalter1 containing also the history of the ,old ,testament in a series of small paintings1 and the work richly illuminated throughout1 had once an exterior worthy of it4 ,the crimson velvet1 of which only small particles remain to attest its pristine richness1 is literally thread-bare2 and the highly-raised embroidery of a massy fleur-de-lys is also worn to the canvas on which it was wrought4 ,on one side scarcely a gold thread remains1 which enables one1 however1 to perceive that the embroidery was done on fine canvas1 or1 perhaps1 rather coarse linen1 twofold3 that then it was laid on the velvet1 seamed to it1 and the edges cut away1 the stitches round the edge being covered with a kind of cordon1 or golden thread1 sewed over2--just1 indeed1 as we sew muslin on net4 ,there are three1 in the same depository1 of the date of ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,one a book of prayers1 copied out by herself before she ascended the throne4 ,the back is covered with canvas1 wrought all over in a kind of tentstitch of rich crimson silk1 and silver thread intermixed4 ,this groundwork may or may not be the work of the needle1 but there is little doubt that ,elizabeth's own needle wrought the ornaments thereon1 viz41 ,h4 ,k4 intertwined in the middle2 a smaller ,h4 above and below1 and roses in the corners2 all raised high1 and worked in blue silk and silver4 ,this is the dedication of the book3 ,illustrissimo ac potentissimo ,henrico octavo1 ,angli1 ,franci1 ,hiberniq4 regi1 fidei defensori1 et secundum ,christum ecclesi ,anglican et ,hibernic supremo capiti4 ,elizabeta ,majest4 ,s4 humillima filia omne felicitatem precatur1 et benedictionem suam suplex petit4 ,there is in the ,bodleian library among the ,,mss4 the epistles of ,st4 ,paul1 printed in old black letter1 the binding of which was also queen ,elizabeth's work2 and her handwriting appears at the beginning1 viz4 ,august4--,i walk many times into the pleasant fields of the ,holy ,scriptures1 where ,i plucke up the goodliesome herbes of sentences by pruning3 eate them by reading3 chawe them by musing3 and laie them up at length in the hie seate of memorie by gathering them together3 that so having tasted thy sweeteness ,i may the less perceive the bitterness of this miserable life4 ,the covering is done in needlework by the queen 7then princess7 herself3 on one side an embroidered star1 on the other a heart1 and round each1 as borders1 ,latin sentences are wrought1 such as ,beatus qui ,divitias scriptur legens verba vertit in opera4--,vicit omnia pertinax virtus4 c41 c4#abh ,there is a book in the ,british ,museum1 very petite1 a ,,ms containing a ,french ,pastoral--date #aehg--of which the satin or brocade back is loaded with needlework in gold and silver1 which now1 however1 looks heavy and tasteless4 ,but the most beautiful is ,archbishop ,parker's1 ,de ,antiquitate ,britannic ,ecclesi3 ,a4,d4 #aegb4 ,the material of the back is rich green velvet1 but it is thickly covered with embroidery3 there has not indeed1 originally1 been space to lay a fourpenny-piece4 ,it is entirely covered with animals and flowers1 in green1 crimson1 lilac1 and yellow silk1 and gold thread4 ,round the edge is a border about an inch broad1 of gold thread4 ,of the date of #afbd is a book of magnificent penmanship1 by the hand of a female1 of emblems and inscriptions4 ,it is bound in crimson silk1 having in the centre a ,prince's ,feather worked in gold-thread1 with the feathers bound together with large pearls1 and round it a wreath of leaves and flowers4 ,round the edge there is a broader wreath1 with corner sprigs all in gold thread1 thickly interspersed with spangles and gold leaves4 ,all these books1 with the exception of the one quoted from ,ballard's ,memoirs1 were most obligingly sought out and brought to me by the gentlemen at the ,british ,museum4 ,probably there are more2 but as1 unfortunately for my purpose1 the books there are catalogued according to their authors1 their contents1 or their intrinsic value1 instead of their outward seeming1 it is not easy1 amidst three or four hundred thousand volumes1 to pick out each insignificant book which may happen to be-- ,in velvet bound and broider'd o'er4 ,,footnotes3 #abf ,southey4 #abg ,we have seen cartouche-boxes embroidered precisely in the same style1 and probably therefore of the same period as some of the embroidered books here referred to4 #abh ,ballard's ,memoirs4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,needlework ,,of ,,royal ,,ladies4 ,thus is a ,needle prov'd an ,instrument ,of profit1 pleasure1 and of ornament1 ,which mighty ,queenes have grac'd in hand to take4 ,john ,taylor4 ,needlework is an art so attractive in itself2 it is capable of such infinite variety1 and is such a beguiler of lonely1 as of social hours1 and offers such scope to the indulgence of fancy1 and the display of taste2 it is withal--in its lighter branches--accompanied with so little bodily exertion1 not deranging the most recherch dress1 nor incommoding the most elaborate and exquisite costume1 that we cannot wonder that it has been practised with ardour even by those the farthest removed from any necessity for its exercise4 ,therefore has it been from the earliest ages a favourite employment of the high and nobly born4 ,the father of song hardly refers at all to the noble dames of ,greece and ,troy but as occupied in painting with the needle4 ,some1 the heroic achievements of their countrymen on curtains and draperies1 others various rich and rare devices on banners1 on robes and mantles1 destined for festival days1 for costly presents to ambassadors1 or for offerings to friends4 ,and there are scattered notices at all periods of the prevalence of this custom4 ,in all ages until this of inventions rare ,steam towns and towers4 the preparation of apparel has fallen to woman's share1 the spinning1 the weaving1 and the manufacture of the material itself from which garments were made4 ,but1 though we read frequently of high-born dames spinning in the midst of their maids1 it is probable that this drudgery was performed by inferiors and menials1 whilst enough1 and more than enough of arduous employment was left for the ladies themselves in the rich tapestries and embroideries which have ever been coveted and valued1 either as articles of furniture1 or more usually for the decoration of the person4 ,rich and rare garments used to be infinitely more the attribute of high rank than they now are2 and in more primitive times a princess was not ashamed to employ herself in the construction of her own apparel or that of her relatives4 ,of this we have an intimation in the old ballad of ',hardyknute'--beginning ,stately stept he east the wa'1 ,and stately stept he west4 ,farewell1 my dame1 sae peerless good1 7,and took her by the hand17 ,fairer to me in age you seem1 ,than maids for beauty fam'd4 ,my youngest son shall here remain ,to guard these lonely towers1 ,and shut the silver bolt that keeps ,sae fast your painted bowers4 ,and first she wet her comely cheeks1 ,and then her boddice green1 ,her silken cords of twisted twist1 ,well plett with silver sheen2 ,and apron set with mony a dice ,of needlewark sae rare1 ,wove by nae hand1 as ye may guess1 ,save that of ,fairly fair4 ,but it harmonises better with our ideas of high or royal life to hear of some trophy for the warrior1 some ornament for the knightly bower1 or some decorative offering for the church1 emanating from the taper fingers of the courtly fair1 than those kirtles and boddices which1 be they ever so magnificent1 seem to appertain more naturally to the milliner's practice4 ,therefore1 though we give the gentle ,fairly fair all possible praise for notability in the ,apron set with mony a dice ,of needlework sae rare1 we certainly look with more regard on such work as that of the ,danish princesses who wrought a standard with the national device1 the ,raven1#abi on it1 and which was long the emblem of terror to those opposed to it on the battle-field4 ,of a gentler character was the stupendous labour of ,queen ,matilda--the ,bayeux tapestry--on which we have dwelt too long elsewhere to linger here1 and which was wrought by her and under her superintendence4 ,queen ,adelicia1 the second wife of ,henry ,i41 was a lady of distinguished beauty and high talent3 she was remarkable for her love of needlework1 and the skill with which she executed it4 ,one peculiar production of her needle has recently been described by her accomplished biographer2 it was a standard which she embroidered in silk and gold for her father1 during the memorable contest in which he was engaged for the recovery of his patrimony1 and which was celebrated throughout ,europe for the exquisite taste and skill displayed by the royal ,adelicia in the design and execution of her patriotic achievement4 ,this standard was unfortunately captured at a battle near the castle of ,duras1 in #aabi1 by the ,bishop of ,liege and the ,earl of ,limbourg1 the old competitor of ,godfrey for ,lower ,lorraine1 and was by them placed as a memorial of their triumph in the great church of ,st4 ,lambert1 at ,liege1 and was for centuries carried in procession on ,rogation days through the streets of that city4 ,the church of ,st4 ,lambert was destroyed during the ,french ,revolution4 ,the plain where this memorable trophy was taken is still called the ,field of the ,standard4 ,perhaps1 second only to ,queen ,matilda's work1 or indeed superior to it1 as being entirely the production of her own hand1 were the needlework pieces of ,joan ,d',albert1 who ascended the throne of ,navarre in #aeee4 ,though her own career was varied and eventful1 she is best known to posterity as the mother of the great ,henry ,,iv4 ,she adopted the reformed religion1 of which she became1 not without some risk to her crown thereby1 the zealous protectress1 and on ,christmas-day1 #aefb1 she made a public profession of the ,protestant faith2 she prohibited the offices of the ,catholic religion to be performed in her domains1 and suffered in consequence many alarms from her ,catholic subjects4 ,but she possessed great courage and fortitude1 and baffled all open attacks4 ,against concealed treachery she could not contend4 ,she died suddenly at the court of ,france in #aegb1 as it was strongly suspected1 by poison4 ,this queen possessed a vigorous and cultivated understanding2 was acquainted with several languages1 and composed with facility both in prose and verse4 ,her needlework1 the amusement and solace of her leisure hours1 was designed by her as a commemoration of her love for1 and steadiness to1 the reformed faith4 ,it is thus described by ,boyle3 ,she very much loved devices1 and she wrought with her own hand fine and large pieces of tapestry1 among which was a suit of hangings of a dozen or fifteen pieces1 which were called ,,the ,,prisons ,,opened2 by which she gave us to understand that she had broken the pope's bonds1 and shook off his yoke of captivity4 ,in the middle of every piece is a story of the ,old ,testament which savours of liberty--as the deliverance of ,susannah2 the departure of the children of ,israel out of ,egypt2 the setting ,joseph at liberty1 c4 ,and at all the corners are broken chains1 shackles1 racks1 and gibbets2 and over them in great letters1 these words of the third chapter of the second ,epistle to the ,corinthians1 ,,ubi ,,spiritus ,,ibi ,,libertas4 ,to show yet more fully the aversion she had conceived against the ,catholic religion1 and particularly against the sacrifice of the mass1 having a fine and excellent piece of tapestry1 made by her mother1 ,margaret1 before she had suffered herself to be cajoled by the ministers1 in which was perfectly well wrought the sacrifice of the mass1 and a priest who held out the holy host to the people1 she took out the square in which was this history1 and1 instead of the priest1 with her own hand substituted a fox1 who turning to the people1 and making a horrible grimace with his paws and throat1 delivered these words1 ,,dominus ,,vobiscum4 ,we are told that ,anne of ,brittany1 the good ,queen of ,france1 assembled three hundred of the children of the nobility at her court1 where1 under her personal superintendence1 they were instructed in such accomplishments as became their rank and sex1 but the girls1 most especially1 made accomplished needlewomen4 ,embroidery was their occupation during some specified hours of every day1 and they wrought much tapestry1 which was presented by their royal protectress to different churches4 ,her daughter ,claude1 the queen of ,francis ,i41 formed her court on the same model and maintained the same practice2 ,queen ,anne ,boleyn was educated in her court1 and was doomed to consume a large portion of her time in the occupation of the needle4 ,it was an employment little suited to her lively disposition and coquettish habits1 and we do not hear1 during her short occupation of the throne1 that she resorted to it as an amusement4 ,ai lavori d',aracne1 all'ago1 ai fusi ,inchinar non degn la man superba4 ,the practice of devoting some hours to embroidery seems to have continued in the ,french court4 ,when the young ,queen of ,scots was there1 the ,french princesses assembled every afternoon in the queen's 7,catherine of ,medici's7 private apartment1 where she usually spent two or three hours in embroidery with her female attendants4 ,it is also said1 that ,katharine of ,arragon was in the habit of employing the ladies of her court in needlework1 in which she was herself extremely assiduous1 working with them and encouraging them by her example4 ,burnet records1 that when two legates requested once to speak with her1 she came out to them with a skein of silk about her neck1 and told them she had been within at work with her women4 ,an anecdote1 as far as regards the skein of silk1 somewhat more housewifely than queenly4 ,in this she differed much from her successor1 ,queen ,catherine ,parr1 for having had her nativity cast when a child1 and being told1 from the disposition of the stars and planets in her house1 that she was born to sit in the highest seat of imperial majesty2 child as she was1 she was so impressed by the prediction1 that when her mother required her to work she would say1 ,my hands are ordained to touch crowns and sceptres1 not needles and spindles4 ,when the orphaned daughter of this lady1 by the lord admiral1 was consigned to the care of the ,duchess of ,suffolk1 the furniture of her former nursery was to be sent with her4 ,the list is rather curious1 and we subjoin it4 ,two pots1 three goblets1 one salt parcel gilt1 a maser with a band of silver and parcel gilt1 and eleven spoons2 a quilt for the cradle1 three pillows1 three feather-beds1 three quilts1 a testor of scarlet embroidered with a counterpoint of silk say belonging to the same1 and curtains of crimson taffeta2 two counterpoints of imagery for the nurse's bed1 six pair of sheets1 six fair pieces of hangings within the inner chamber2 four carpets for windows1 ten pieces of hangings of the twelve months within the outer chamber1 two quishions of cloth of gold1 one chair of cloth of gold1 two wrought stools1 a bedstead gilt1 with a testor and counterpoint1 with curtains belonging to the same4 ,return we to ,katharine of ,arragon3 her needlework labours have been celebrated both in ,latin and ,english verse4 ,the following sonnet refers to specimens in the ,tower1 which now indeed are swept away1 having left not a wreck behind4 ,i read that in the seventh ,king ,henrie's reigne1 ,fair ,katharine1 daughter to the ,castile king1 ,came into ,england with a pompous traine ,of ,spanish ladies which shee thence did bring4 ,she to the eighth ,king ,henry married was1 ,and afterwards divorc'd1 where virtuously 7,although a ,queene71 yet she her days did pass ,in working with the needle curiously1 ,as in the ,tower1 and places more beside1 ,her excellent memorials may be seen2 ,whereby the needle's prayse is dignifide ,by her faire ladies1 and herselfe1 a ,queene4 ,thus far her paines1 here her reward is just1 ,her works proclaim her prayse1 though she be dust4 ,the same pen also celebrated her daughter's skill in this feminine occupation4 ,mary was skilled in all sorts of embroidery2 and when her mother's divorce consigned her to a private life1 she beguiled the intervals of those severer studies in which she peaceably and laudably occupied her time in various branches of needlework4 ,it is not unlikely the ,psalter we have alluded to elsewhere was embroidered by herself2 and a reference to the fashionable occupations of the day will bring to our minds various trifling articles1 the embroidery of which beguiled her time1 though they have long since passed away4 ,her daughter ,mary here the sceptre swaid1 ,and though she were a ,queene of mighty power1 ,her memory will never be decaid1 ,which by her works are likewise in the ,tower1 ,in ,windsor ,castle1 and in ,hampton ,court1 ,in that most pompous roome called ,paradise2 ,who ever pleaseth thither to resort1 ,may see some workes of hers1 of wondrous price4 ,her greatness held it no disreputation ,to take the needle in her royal hand2 ,which was a good example to our nation ,to banish idleness from out her land3 ,and thus this ,queene1 in wisdom thought it fit1 ,the needle's worke pleas'd her1 and she grac'd it4 ,we extract the following notice of the gentle and excellent ,lady ,jane ,grey1 from the ',court ,magazine4' ,ten days' royalty6 ,alas1 how deeply fraught with tragic interest is the historic page recording the events of that brief period6 and how immeasurable the results proceeding therefrom4 ,love1 beauty1 religious constancy1 genius1 and learning1 were seen in early womanhood intermingling their glorious halo with the dark shadowings of despotism1 imprisonment1 and violent death upon the scaffold6 ,in the most sequestered part of ,leicestershire1 backed by rude eminences1 and skirted by lowly and romantic valleys1 stands ,bradgate1 the birth-place and abode of ,lady ,jane ,grey4 ,the approach to ,bradgate from the village of ,cropston is striking4 ,on the left stands a group of venerable trees1 at the extremity of which rise the remains of the once magnificent mansion of the ,greys of ,groby4 ,on the right is a hill1 known by the name of ',the ,coppice1' covered with slate1 but so intermixed with fern and forest-flowers as to form a beautiful contrast to the deep shades of the surrounding woods4 ,to add to the loveliness of the scene1 a winding trout-stream finds its way from rock to rock1 washing the walls of ,bradgate until it reaches the fertile meadows of ,swithland4 ,in the distance1 situate upon a hill1 is a tower1 called by the country-people ,old ,john1 commanding a magnificent view of the adjoining country1 including the distant castles of ,nottingham and ,belvoir4 ,with the exception of the chapel and kitchen1 the princely mansion has now become a ruin2 but a tower still stands1 which tradition points out as her birth-place4 ,traces of the tilt-yard are visible1 with the garden-walls1 and a noble terrace whereon ,jane often walked and sported in her childhood2 and the rose and lily still spring in favourable nooks of that wilderness1 once the pleasance1 or pleasure-garden of ,bradgate4 ,near the brook is a beautiful group of old chestnut-trees4 ',this was thy home then1 gentle ,jane1 ,this thy green solitude2 and here ,at evening from the gleaming pane1 ,thine eye oft watched the dappled deer 7,while the soft sun was in its wane7 ,browsing beside the brooklet clear2 ,the brook runs still1 the sun sets now1 ,the deer yet browseth--where art thou8' ,instead of skill in drawing she cultivated the art of painting with the needle1 and at ,zurich is still to be seen1 together with the original ,,ms4 of her ,latin letters to the reformer ,bullinger1 a toilet beautifully ornamented by her own hands1 which had been presented by her to her learned correspondent4 ,in the court of ,catherine de ,medicis ,mary ,queen of ,scots was habituated to the daily practice of needlework1 and thus fostered her natural taste for the art which she had acquired in the convent--supposed to have been ,st4 ,germaine-en-,laye1 where she was placed during the early part of her residence in ,france4 ,she left this convent with the utmost regret1 revisited it whenever she was permitted1 and gladly employed her needle in embroidering an altarpiece for its church4 ,this predilection for needlework never forsook her1 but proved a beguilement and a solace during the weary years of her subsequent imprisonment1 especially after she was separated from the female friends who at first accompanied her4 ,during a part of her confinement1 while she was still on comparatively friendly terms with ,elizabeth1 she transmitted several elegant pieces of her own needlework to this princess4 ,she wrought a canopy1 which was placed in the presence-chamber at ,whitehall1 consisting of an empalement of the arms of ,france and ,scotland1 embroidered under an imperial crown4 ,it does not appear at what period of her life she worked it4 ,during the early part of her confinement she was asked how1 in unfavourable weather1 she passed the time within4 ,she said that all that day she wrought with her needle1 and that the diversity of the colours made the work seem less tedious2 and she continued so long at it till very pain made her to give over4 ,upon this occasion she entered into a pretty disputable comparison between carving1 painting1 and working with the needle2 affirming painting1 in her own opinion1 for the most commendable quality4 ,no doubt it was during her confinement in ,england that she worked the bed still preserved at ,chatsworth4 ,the following notices from her own letters1 though trifling1 are interesting memorials of this melancholy part of her life3-- ,july #i1 #aegd4--;,i pray you send me some pigeons1 red partridges1 and ,barbary fowls4 ,i mean to try to rear them in this country1 or keep them in cages3 it is an amusement for a prisoner1 and ,i do so with all the little birds ,i can obtain4 ,july #ah1 #aegd4--;,always bear in mind that my will in all things be strictly followed2 and send me1 if it be possible1 some one with my accounts4 ,he must bring me patterns of dresses and samples of cloths1 gold and silver1 stuffs and silks1 the most costly and new now worn at court4 ,order for me at ,poissy a couple of coifs1 with gold and silver crowns1 such as they have made for me before4 ,remind ,breton of his promise to send me from ,italy the newest kind of head-dress1 veils1 and ribands1 wrought with gold and silver1 and ,i will repay him4 ,september #bb4--;,deliver to my uncle the cardinal the two cushions of my work which ,i send herewith4 ,should he be gone to ,lyons1 he will doubtless send me a couple of beautiful little dogs2 and you likewise may procure a couple for me2 for1 except in reading and working1 ,i take pleasure solely in all the little animals ,i can obtain4 ,you must send them hither very comfortably put up in baskets4 ,february #ab1 #aegf4--;,i send the king of ,france some poodle-dogs 7barbets71 but can only answer for the beauty of the dogs1 as ,i am not allowed either to hunt or to ride4#acj ,it is said that one of the articles which in its preparation beguiled her1 perchance1 of some melancholy thoughts1 was a waistcoat which1 having richly and beautifully embroidered1 she sent to her son2 and that this selfish prince was heartless enough to reject the offering because his mother 7still surely ,queen of ,scotland in his eyes7 addressed it to him as prince4 ,the poet so often quoted wrote the subjoined sonnet in ,queen ,elizabeth's praise1 whose skill with her needle was remarkable4 ,she was especially an adept in the embroidering with gold and silver1 and practised it much in the early part of her life1 though perhaps few specimens of her notability now exist3-- ,when this great queene1 whose memory shall not ,by any terme of time be overcast2 ,for when the world and all therein shall rot1 ,yet shall her glorious fame for ever last4 ,when she a maid had many troubles past1 ,from jayle to jayle by ,maries angry spleene3 ,and ,woodstocke1 and the ,tower in prison fast1 ,and after all was ,england's peerelesse queene4 ,yet howsoever sorrow came or went1 ,she made the needle her companion still1 ,and in that exercise her time she spent1 ,as many living yet doe know her skill4 ,thus shee was still1 a captive1 or else crown'd1 ,a needlewoman royall and renown'd4 ,of ,mary ,,ii41 the wife of the ,prince of ,orange1 ,bishop ,fowler writes thus3--,what an enemy she was to idleness6 even in ladies1 those who had the honour to serve her are living instances4 ,it is well known how great a part of the day they were employed at their needles and several ingenuities2 the queen herself1 when more important business would give her leave1 working with them4 ,and1 that their minds might be well employed at the same time1 it was her custom to order one to read to them1 while they were at work1 either divinity or some profitable history4 ,and ,burnet thus3--,when her eyes were endangered by reading too much1 she found out the amusement of work2 and in all those hours that were not given to better employment she wrought with her own hands1 and that sometimes with so constant a diligence as if she had been to earn her bread by it4 ,it was a new thing1 and looked like a sight1 to see a queen working so many hours a day4 ,her taste and industry in embroidery are testified by chairs yet remaining at ,hampton ,court4 ,the beautiful and unfortunate ,marie ,antoinette1 lively as was her disposition1 and fond as she was of gaiety1 did not find either the duties or gaieties of a court inconsistent with the labours of the needle4 ,she was extremely fond of needlework1 and during her happiest and gayest years was daily to be found at her embroidery-frame4 ,her approach to this was a signal that other ladies might equally amuse themselves with their various occupations of embroidery1 of knitting1 or of untwisting--the profitable occupation of that day2 and which was so fashionable1 such a rage1 that the ladies of the court hardly stirred anywhere without two little workbags each--one filled with gold fringes1 laces1 tassels1 or any golden trumpery they could pick up1 the other to contain the gold they unravelled1 which they sold to ,jews4 ,it is said to be a fact that duchesses--nay1 princesses--have been known to go about from ,jew to ,jew in order to obtain the highest price for their gold4 ,dolls and all sorts of toys were made and covered with gold brocades2 and the gentlemen never failed rendering themselves agreeable to their fair acquaintance by presenting them with these toys6 ,every one knows that the court costume of the ,french noblemen at that period was most expensive2 this absurd custom rendered it doubly1 trebly so2 and was carried to such an excess1 that frequently the moment a gentleman appeared in a new coat the ladies crowded round him and soon divested it of all its gold ornaments4 ,the following is an instance3--,the ,duke de ,coigny one night appeared in a new and most expensive coat3 suddenly a lady in the company remarked that its gold bindings would be excellent for untwisting4 ,in an instant he was surrounded--all the scissors in the room were at work2 in short1 in a few moments the coat was stripped of its laces1 its galoons1 its tassels1 its fringes2 and the poor duke1 notwithstanding his vexation1 was forced by politeness to laugh and praise the dexterity of the fair hands that robbed him4 ,but what a solace did that passion for needlework1 which the queen indulged in herself and encouraged in others1 become to her during her fearful captivity4 ,this unhappy princess was born on the day of the ,lisbon earthquake1 which seemed to stamp a fatal mark on the era of her birth2 and many circumstances occurred during her life which have since been considered as portentous4 ',tis certain that the soul hath oft foretaste ,of matters which beyond its ken are placed4 ,one circumstance1 simple in itself and easily explained1 is recorded by ,madame ,campan as having impressed ,marie with shuddering anticipations of evil3-- ,one evening1 about the latter end of ,may1 she was sitting in the middle of her room1 relating several remarkable occurrences of the day4 ,four wax candles were placed upon her toilet2 the first went out of itself--,i relighted it2 shortly afterwards the second1 and then the third1 went out also3 upon which the queen1 squeezing my hand with an emotion of terror1 said to me1 ',misfortune has power to make us superstitious2 if the fourth taper go out like the first1 nothing can prevent my looking upon it as a fatal omen6'--,the fourth taper went out4 ,at an earlier period ,gothe seems1 with somewhat of a poet's inspiration1 to have read a melancholy fate for her4 ,when young he was completing his studies at ,strasburg4 ,in an isle in the middle of the ,rhine a pavilion had been erected1 intended to receive ,marie ,antoinette and her suite1 on her way to the ,french court4 ,i was admitted into it1 says ,gothe1 in his ,memoirs3 on my entrance ,i was struck with the subject depicted in the tapestry with which the principal pavilion was hung1 in which were seen ,jason1 ,creusa1 and ,medea2 that is to say1 a representation of the most fatal union commemorated in history4 ,on the left of the throne the bride1 surrounded by friends and distracted attendants1 was struggling with a dreadful death2 ,jason1 on the other side1 was starting back1 struck with horror at the sight of his murdered children2 and the ,fury was soaring into the air in her chariot drawn by dragons4 ,superstition apart1 this strange coincidence was really striking4 ,the husband1 the bride1 and the children1 were victims in both cases3 the fatal omen seemed accomplished in every point4 ,the following notices of her imprisonment would but be spoiled by any alteration of language4 ,we shall perceive that one of her greatest troubles in prison1 before her separation from the king and the dauphin1 was the being deprived of her sewing implements4 ,during the early part of ,louis ,,xvi4's imprisonment1 and while the treatment of him and his family was still human1 his majesty employed himself in educating his son2 while the queen1 on her part1 educated her daughter4 ,then they passed some time in needlework1 knitting1 or tapestry-work4 ,at this time the royal family were in great want of clothes1 insomuch that the princesses were employed in mending them every day2 and ,madame ,elizabeth was often obliged to wait till the king was gone to bed1 in order to have his to repair4 ,the linen they brought to the ,tower had been lent them by friends1 some by the ,countess of ,sutherland1 who found means to convey linen and other things for the use of the dauphin4 ,the queen wished to write a letter to the countess expressive of her thanks1 and to return some of these articles1 but her majesty was debarred from pen and ink2 and the clothes she returned were stolen by her jailors1 and never found their way to their right owner4 ,after many applications a little new linen was obtained2 but the sempstress having marked it with crowns1 the municipal officers insisted on the princesses picking the marks out1 and they were forced to obey4 ,dec4 #g4--;,an officer1 at the head of a deputation from the commune1 came to the king and read a decree1 ordering that the persons in confinement should be deprived of all scissors1 razors1 knives--instruments usually taken from criminals2 and that the strictest search should be made for the same1 as well on their persons as in their apartments4 ,the king took out of his pocket a knife and a small morocco pocket-book1 from which he gave the pen-knife and scissors4 ,the officer searched every corner of the apartments1 and carried off the razors1 the curling-irons1 the powder-scraper1 instruments for the teeth1 and many articles of gold and silver4 ,they took away from the princesses their knitting-needles and all the little articles they used for their embroidery4 ,the unhappy queen and princesses were the more sensible of the loss of the little instruments taken from them1 as they were in consequence forced to give up all the feminine handiworks which till then had served to beguile prison hours4 ,at this time the king's coat became ragged1 and as the ,princess ,elizabeth1 his sister1 was mending it1 as she had no scissors1 the king observed that she had to bite off the thread with her teeth--',what a reverse6' said the king1 looking tenderly upon her2 'you were in want of nothing at your pretty house at ,montreuil4' ',ah1 brother6' she replied1 'can ,i feel a regret of any kind while ,i share your misfortunes8' ,the ,empress ,josephine is said to have played and sung with exquisite feeling3 her dancing is said to have been perfect4 ,she exercised her pencil1 and--though such be not now antiquated for an lgante--her needle and embroidery-frame1 with beautiful address4 ,towards the close of her eventful career1 when1 after her divorce from ,bonaparte1 she kept a sort of domestic court at ,navarre or ,malmaison1 she and her ladies worked daily at tapestry or embroidery--one reading aloud whilst the others were thus occupied2 and the hangings of the saloon at ,malmaison were entirely her own work4 ,they must have been elegant2 the material was white silk1 the embroidery roses1 in which at intervals were entwined her own initials4 ,an interesting circumstance is related of a conversation between one of those ministering spirits a soeur de la charit and ,josephine1 in a time of peculiar excitement and trouble4 ,at the conclusion of it1 the soeur1 having discovered with whom she was conversing1 added1 ,since ,i am addressing the mother of the afflicted1 ,i no longer fear my being indiscreet in any demand ,i may make for suffering humanity4 ,we are in great want of lint2 if your majesty would condescend----,i promise you shall have some2 we will make it ourselves4 ,from that moment the evenings were employed at ,malmaison in making lint1 and the empress yielded to none in activity at this work4 ,few of my readers will have accompanied me to this point without anticipating the name with which these slight notices of royal needlewomen must conclude--a name which all know1 and which1 knowing1 all reverence as that of a dignified princess1 a noble and admirable matron--,adelaide1 our ,dowager ,queen4 ,it was hers to reform the morals of a court which1 to our shame1 had become licentious2 it was hers to render its charmed circle as pure and virtuous as the domestic hearth of the most scrupulous ,british matron2 it was hers to combine with the chilling etiquette of regal state the winning virtues of private life1 and to weave a wreath of domestic virtues1 social charities1 and beguiling though simple occupations1 round the stately majesty of ,england's throne4 ,the days are past when it would be either pleasurable or profitable for the ,queen of the ,british empire to spend her days1 like ,matilda or ,katharine1 in poring over the interminable mazes of tapestry2 but it is well known that ,queen ,adelaide1 and1 in consequence of her ,majesty's example1 those around her1 habitually occupied their leisure moments in ornamental needlework2 and there have been1 of late years1 few ,bazaars throughout the kingdom1 for really beneficent purposes1 which have not been enriched by the contributions of the ,queen ,dowager--contributions ever gladly purchased at a high price1 not for their intrinsic worth1 but because they had been wrought by a hand which every ,englishwoman had learnt to respect and love4 ,,footnotes3 #abi ,this sacred standard was taken by the ,saxons in ,devonshire1 in a fortunate onset1 in which they slew one of the ,sea-kings with eight hundred of his followers4 ,so superstitious a reverence was attached to this ensign that its loss is said to have broken the spirit of even these ruthless plunderers4 ,it was woven by the sisters of ,inguar and ,ubba1 who divined by it4 ,if the ,raven 7which was worked on it7 moved briskly in the wind1 it was a sign of victory1 but if it drooped and hung heavily1 it was supposed to prognosticate discomfiture4 #acj ,von ,raumer's ,contributions4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,on ,,modern ,,needlework4 ,our ,country everywhere is fild ,with ,ladies1 and with ,gentlewomen1 skild ,in this rare ,art4 ,taylor4 ,for here the needle plies its busy task1 ,the pattern grows1 the well-depicted flower ,wrought patiently into the snowy lawn1 ,unfolds its bosom2 buds1 and leaves1 and sprigs1 ,and curling tendrils gracefully dispos'd1 ,follow the nimble fingers of the fair2 ,a wreath that cannot fade4 ,cowper4 ,the great variety of needleworks which the ingenious women of other countries1 as well as of our own1 have invented1 will furnish us with constant and amusing employment2 and though our labours may not equal a ,mineron's or an ,aylesbury's1 yet1 if they unbend the mind1 by fixing its attention on the progress of any elegant or imitative art1 they answer the purpose of domestic amusement2 and1 when the higher duties of our station do not call forth our exertions1 we may feel the satisfaction of knowing that we are1 at least1 innocently employed4--,mrs4 ,griffiths4 ,the triumph of modern art in needlework is probably within our own shores1 achieved by our own countrywoman1--,miss ,linwood4 ,miss ,linwood's ,exhibition used to be one of the lions of ,london1 and fully deserves to be so now4 ,to women it must always be an interesting sight2 and the nobler gender cannot but consider it as a curious one1 and not unworthy even of their notice as an achievement of art4 ,many of these pictures are most beautiful2 and it is not without great difficulty that you can assure yourself that they are bon fide needlework4 ,full demonstration1 however1 is given you by the facility of close approach to some of the pieces4 ,perhaps the most beautiful of the whole collection--a collection consisting of nearly a hundred pieces of all sizes--is the picture of ,miss ,linwood herself1 copied from a painting by ,russell1 taken in about her nineteenth year4 ,she must have been a beautiful creature2 and as to this copy being done with a needle and worsted1--nobody would suppose such a thing4 ,it is a perfect painting4 ,in the catalogue which accompanies these works she refers to her own portrait with the somewhat touching expression1 7from ,shakspeare17 ,have ,i lived thus long---- ,this lady is now in her eighty-fifth year4 ,her life has been devoted to the pursuit of which she has given so many beautiful testimonies4 ,she had wrought two or three pieces before she reached her twentieth year2 and her last piece1 ,the ,judgment of ,cain1 which occupied her ten years1 was finished in her seventy-fifth year2 since when1 the failure of her eyesight has put an end to her labours4 ,the pieces are worked not on canvas1 nor1 we are told1 on linen1 but on some peculiar fabric made purposely for her4 ,her worsteds have all been dyed under her own superintendence1 and it is said the only relief she has ever had in the manual labour was in having an assistant to thread her needles4 ,some of the pieces after ,gainsborough are admirable2 but perhaps ,miss ,linwood will consider her greatest triumph to be in her copy of ,carlo ,dolci's ,salvator ,mundi1 for which she has been offered1 and has refused1 three thousand guineas4 ,the style of modern embroidery1 now so fashionable1 from the ,berlin patterns1 dates from the commencement of the present century4 ,about the year #ahjd-e1 a print-seller in ,berlin1 named ,philipson1 published the first coloured design1 on checked paper1 for needlework4 ,in #ahaj1 ,madame ,wittich1 who1 being a very accomplished embroideress1 perceived the great extension of which this branch of trade was capable1 induced her husband1 a book and print-seller of ,berlin1 to engage in it with spirit4 ,from that period the trade has gone on rapidly increasing1 though within the last six years the progression has been infinitely more rapid than it had previously been1 owing to the number of new publishers who have engaged in the trade4 ,by leading houses up to the commencement of the year #ahdj1 there have been no less than fourteen thousand copper-plate designs published4 ,in the scale of consumption1 and1 consequently1 by a fair inference in the quantity of needlework done1 ,germany stands first2 then ,russia1 ,england1 ,france1 ,america1 ,sweden1 ,denmark1 ,holland1 c41 the three first names on the list being by far the largest consumers4 ,it is difficult to state with precision the number of persons employed to colour these plates1 but a principal manufacturer estimates them as upwards of twelve hundred1 chiefly women4 ,at first these patterns were chiefly copied in silk1 then in beads1 and lastly in dyed wools2 the latter more especially1 since the ,germans have themselves succeeded in producing those beautiful ,zephyr yarns known in this country as the ,berlin wools4 ,these yarns1 however1 are only dyed in ,berlin1 being manufactured at ,gotha4 ,it is not many years since the ,germans drew all their fine woollen yarns from this country3 now they are the exporters1 and probably will so remain1 whatever be the quality of the wool produced in ,england1 until the art of dyeing be as well understood and as scientifically practised4 ,of the fourteen thousand ,berlin patterns which have been published1 scarcely one-half are moderately good2 and all the best which they have produced latterly are copied from ,english and ,french prints4 ,contemplating the improvement that will probably ere long take place in these patterns1 needlework may be said to be yet in its infancy4 ,the improvement1 however1 must not be confined to the ,berlin designers3 the taste of the consumer1 the public taste must also advance before needlework shall assume that approximation to art which is so desirable1 and not perhaps now1 with modern facilities1 difficult of attainment4 ,hitherto the chief anxiety seems to have been to produce a glare of colour rather than that subdued but beautiful effect which makes of every piece issuing from the ,gobelins a perfect picture1 wrought by different means1 it is true1 but with the very same materials4 ,the ,berlin publishers cannot be made to understand this2 for1 when they have a good design to copy from1 they mar all by the introduction of some adventitious frippery1 as in the ,bolton ,abbey1 where the repose and beautiful effect of the picture is destroyed by the introduction of a bright sky1 and straggling bushes of lively green1 just where the ,artist had thought it necessary to depict the stillness of the inner court of the ,monastery1 with its solemn grey walls1 as a relief to the figures in the foreground4 ,many ladies of rank in ,germany add to their pin-money by executing needlework for the warehouses4 ,france consumes comparatively but few ,berlin patterns4 ,the ,french ladies persevere in the practice of working on drawings previously traced on the canvas3 the consequence is that1 notwithstanding their general skill and assiduity1 good work is often wasted on that which cannot produce an artist-like effect4 ,they are1 however1 by far the best embroideresses in chenille1--silk and gold4 ,by embroidery we mean that which is done on a solid ground1 as silk or cloth4 ,the tapestry or canvas-work is now thoroughly understood in this country2 and by the help of the ,berlin patterns more good things are produced here as articles of furniture than in ,france4 ,the present mode of furnishing houses is favourable to needlework4 ,at a time when fashion enacted that all the sofas and chairs of an apartment should match1 the completely furnishing it with needlework 7as so many in ,france have been7 was the constant occupation of a whole family--mother1 daughters1 cousins1 and servants--for years1 and must indeed have been completely wearisome2 but a cushion1 a screen1 or an odd chair1 is soon accomplished1 and at once takes its place among the many odd-shaped articles of furniture which are now found in a fashionable saloon4 ,francfort-on-the-,maine is much busying itself just now with needlework4 ,the commenced works imported from this city are made up partly from ,berlin patterns1 and partly from fanciful combinations2 but although generally speaking well worked1 they are too complicated to be easy of execution1 and very few indeed of those brought to this country are ever finished by the purchaser4 ,the history of the progress of the modern tapestry-needlework in this country is brief4 ,until the year #ahca1 the ,berlin patterns were known to very few persons1 and used by fewer persons still4 ,they had for some time been imported by ,ackermann and some others1 but in very small numbers indeed4 ,in the year #ahca1 they1 for the first time1 fell under the notice of ,mr4 ,wilks1 ,regent-street1 7to whose kindness ,i am indebted for the valuable information on the ,berlin patterns given above17 and he immediately purchased all the good designs he could procure1 and also made large purchases both of patterns and working materials direct from ,berlin1 and thus laid the foundation of the trade in ,england4 ,he also imported from ,paris a large selection of their best examples in tapestry1 and also an assortment of silks of those exquisite tints which1 as yet1 ,france only can produce2 and by inducing ,french artists1 educated for this peculiar branch of design1 to accompany him to ,england1 he succeeded in establishing in ,england this elegant art4 ,this fashionable tapestry-work1 certainly the most useful kind of ornamental needlework1 seems quite to have usurped the place of the various other embroideries which have from time to time engrossed the leisure moments of the fair4 ,it may be called mechanical1 and so in a degree it certainly is2 but there is infinitely more scope for fancy1 taste1 and even genius here1 than in any other of the large family of satin sketches and embroideries4 ,yes1 there is certainly room in worsted work for genius to exert itself--the genius of a painter--in the selection1 arrangement1 and combination of colours1 of light and shade1 c42 we do not mean in glaring arabesques1 but in the landscape and the portrait4 ,there is an instance given by ,pennant1#aca where the skill and taste of the needlewoman imparted a grace to her picture which was wanting in the original4 ,in one of the apartments of the palace 7,lambeth7 is a performance that does great honour to the ingenious wife of a modern dignitary--a copy in needlework of a ,madonna and ,child1 after a most capital performance of the ,spanish ,murillo4 ,there is most admirable grace in the original1 which was sold last winter at the price of #hjj guineas4 ,it made me lament that this excellent master had wasted so much time on beggars and ragged boys4 ,beautiful as it is1 the copy came improved out of the hand of our skilful countrywoman3 a judicious change of colour of part of the drapery has had a most happy effect1 and given new excellence to the admired original4 ,whilst recording the triumphs of modern needlework1 we must not omit to mention a school for the education of the daughters of clergy and decayed tradesmen1 in which the art of silk-embroidery was particularly cultivated4 ,this school was under the especial patronage of ,queen ,charlotte2 and a bed of lilac satin1 which was there embroidered for her1 is now exhibited at ,hampton ,court1 and is really magnificent4 ,could we now take a more extended view of modern needlework1 how wide the range to which we might refer1--from the jewelled and golden-wrought slippers of the ,east to the grass-embroidered mocassins of the ,west2 from the gorgeous and glittering raiment of the courtly ,persian1 the voluptuous ,turk1 or the luxurious ,indian1 to the simple1 unattractive1 yet exquisitely wrought garment made by the ,californian from the entrails of the whale3 a range wide as the ,antipodes asunder in every point except one6 that is--the equal though very differently displayed skill1 ingenuity1 and industry of the needlewoman in almost every corner of the hearth from the burning equator to the freezing ,pole4 ,this we must now pass4 ,finally1--feeling as we do that though ornamental needlework may be a charming occupation for those ladies whose happy lot relieves them from the necessity of darning hose and mending nightcaps1 yet that a proficiency in plain sewing is the very life and being of the comfort and respectability of the poor man's wife1--we cannot close this book without one earnest remark on the systems of teaching needlework now in use in the ,central1 ,national1 and other schools for the instruction of the poor4 ,there1 now1 the art is reduced to regular rule1 taught by regular system2 and there are books of instruction in cutting1 in shaping1 in measuring1--one for the 7late7 ,model ,school in ,dublin1 and another1 somewhat similar1 for that in the ,sanctuary1 ,westminster1 which would be a most valuable acquisition to the work table of many a needle-loving and industrious lady of the most respectable middle classes of society4 ,any of our readers who have been accustomed1 as we have1 to see the domestic hearths and homes of those who1 brought up from infancy in factories1 have married young1 borne large families1 and perhaps descended to the grave without ever having learned how to make a petticoat for themselves1 or even a cap for their children1--any who know the reality of this picture1 and have seen the misery consequent on it1 will join us cordially in expressing the earnest and heartfelt hope that the extension of mental tuition amongst the lower classes may not supersede1 in the smallest iota1 that instruction and ,,practice in sewing which next1 the very next1 to the knowledge of their catechism1 is of vital importance to the future well-doing of girls in the lower stations of life4#acb 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now my task is finished2 and to you1 my kind readers1 who have had the courtesy to accompany me thus far1 ,i would fain offer a few words of thanks1 of farewell1 and1 if need be1 of apology4 ,this is1 ,i believe1 the first history of needlework ever published4 ,i have met with no other2 ,i have heard of no other2 and ,i have experienced no trifling difficulties in obtaining material for this4 ,i have spared no labour1 no exertions1 no research4 ,i have toiled through many hundreds of volumes for the chance of finding even a line adaptable to my purpose3 sometimes ,i have met with this trifling success1 oftener not4 ,i do not mention these circumstances with any view to exaggerate my own exertions1 but merely to convince those ladies1 who having read the book1 may feel dissatisfied with the amount of information contained therein1 that really no superabundance of material exists4 ,the subject has in all ages been deemed too trifling to obtain more than a passing notice from the historical pen4 ,to myself1 my exertions have brought their own exceeding rich reward2 for if perchance they were at times productive of fatigue1 they yet have winged the flight of many lonely hours which might otherwise have induced weariness or even despondency in their lagging transit4 ,to you1 my countrywomen1 ,i offer the book1 not as what it might be1 but as the best which1 under all circumstances1 ,i could now produce4 ,the triumphant general is oftentimes deeply indebted for success to the humble but industrious pioneer2 and those who may hereafter pursue this subject with loftier aims1 with more abundant leisure and greater facilities of research1 may not disdain to tread the path which ,i have indicated4 ,i offer to you my book in the hope that it will cause amusement to some1 gratification perhaps of a higher order to others1 and offence--as ,i trust and believe--to none4 ,,footnotes3 #aca ,some account of ,london4--#agic4 #acb ,it cannot be too generally known that within late years schools have been attached to the factories1 where1 for a fixed and certain proportion of their time1 girls are instructed in sewing and reading4 ,,the ,,end4 ,london3 ,printed by ,w4 ,clowes and ,sons1 ,stamford ,street4 ,transcriber's ,note ,archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed4 ,minor punctuation errors have been repaired4 ,hyphenation and use of accents have been made consistent in the main text where there was a prevalence of one form over another4 ,however1 inconsistencies are preserved as printed where material originates from different authors4 ,the title page contains the word 'needle-work4' ,the author's text1 and a repeat of the title1 uses 'needlework'4 ,this has been preserved as printed4 ,the following items were found3 ,page viii--the page number for the chapter titled ,the ,needle was omitted from the table of contents4 ,reference to the text shows it to be page #beb1 and this has been added in the appropriate place4 ,page #ic--there is some obscured text at the end of the page4 ,given the context and the amount of space1 it seems reasonable to assume that the missing words are 'he is' and these have been added in this etext4 ,page #abc1 third footnote--mentions the word ,alner1 but doesn't define it4 ,an ,illustrated ,dictionary of ,words ,used in ,art and ,archaeology by ,j4 ,w4 ,mollett defines it as3 ,aulmonire4 ,the ,norman name for the pouch1 bag1 or purse appended to the girdle of noble persons1 and derived from the same root as 'alms' and 'almoner'4 ,it was more or less ornamented and hung from long laces of silk or gold2 it was sometimes called ,alner4 ,the transcriber has added 'pouch1 bag or purse' as a definition4 ,page #abi--,there is an obscured word in the line1 ,with steven f-ll- stoute4 ,comparison with other sources of the same verse show the word to be fulle1 which has been used in this etext4 ,page #age--the footnote marker in the text was missing4 ,the transcriber has checked the referenced text1 and inserted a marker in what appears to be the correct place4 ,page #beg--the speaker of the line ,her neele was obscured4 ,it appears that the speaker should be ,tib1 and this has been inserted4 ,the following amendments have been made3 ,page #b--;certain amended to certains and meurissent amended to mrissent--444 et comme on voit certains arbres des fruits qui ne mrissent jamais2 444 ,page #bg--;footsep amended to footstep--,each accidental passer hushed his footstep 444 ,page #db--le amended to la--,suivant la diffrence des tats1 elles apprennent lire1 444 ,page #db--;elle amended to elles--444 mais elles insistent beaucoup plus sur la ncessit 444 ,page #hc--supurb amended to superb--444 seated on a superb throne1 and crowned with the papal tiara4 ,page #ii1 footnote--lvo4 amended to vol4--,archologia1 vol4 xix4 ,page #aai--manngement amended to management--444 for on her wise and prudent management depended not merely the comfort1 444 ,page #acd--macheloires amended to machoires--444 car si tant ne fait que j'aye la barbe les dents machoires sans aucune tromperie ne mensonge1 444 ,page #aee--sixteeenth amended to sixteenth--,in the sixteenth century#gi a sort of hanging was introduced1 444 ,page #age--repeated 'to' deleted--,so she went to bed1 and in the morning she was found stone dead4 ,page #age--renowed amended to renowned--,help me1 shades of renowned slaughterers1 whilst ,i record his achievements6 ,page #ahd--;,frence amended to ,french--,at ,durham ,place were the ,citie of ,ladies 7a ,french allegorical ,romance72 444 ,page #aii--;,britions amended to ,britons--444 and1 as supposed1 of the ancient ,britons4 ,page #bjj--;eylet-holes amended to eyelet-holes--444 full of small eyelet-holes1 as thickly as they could be put1 444 ,page #bjg--;,his amended to ,hir--,hir hat suld be of fair having 444 ,page #bac--meurs amended to moeurs--444 nous n'aurions que le mpris qu'on a pour les gens sans moeurs1 444 ,page #bad--magnificience amended to magnificence--444 lasting for thrift2 and rich for magnificence4 ,page #baf--marshelling amended to marshalling--444 using more time in dressing than ,csar took in marshalling his army1 444 ,page #bbi--,permittez amended to ,permettez--,permettez que je vous fasse l'observation1 444 ,page #bcd--;bouyant amended to buoyant--444 so much was it elevated then by buoyant good humour 444 ,page #bdb--wtth amended to with--444 mingled with mule drivers1 lacqueys1 and peasants1 444 ,page #bed--;chandellier amended to chandelier--444 de brodeur1 de tapissier1 de chandelier1 d'emballeur2 444 ,page #bfa--;finalment amended to finalmente--444 et finalmente far tutte quelle gentillezze et lodevili opere1 444 ,page #bfb--repeated 'of' deleted--,it is dedicated to the ,queen of ,france1 444 ,page #bfd--;,damoiselles amended to ,damoyselles--,aux ,dames et ,damoyselles4 ,page #bff--;,baccus amended to ,bacchus--,ce ,bacchus representant l',autonne4 ,page #bfg--;delli amended to delle--,corona delle ,nobili et virtuose ,donne1 444 ,page #bfg--,mayzette amended to ,mazzette--,e molto delle quali ,mostre possono servire ancora per opere a ,mazzette4 ,page #bfi--logg amended to long--,so long as hemp of flax1 or sheep shall bear 444 ,page #bgc1 footnote--al amended to ad--444 e per far disegni ad altrui o dar gl'indirizzo 444 ,page #bgc1 footnote--della dita amended to delle dita--444 degli narici1 della bocca1 delle dita corrispondono a' primi moti d'ogni passione2 444 ,page #bgc1 footnote--del amended to dal--444 e ci ch' pi1 essi variano in cento modi senza uscir mai dal naturale1 444 ,page #bgc1 footnote--ridusce amended to ridusse--444 tutte comprese con la divinit del suo ingegno1 tutto ridusse pi bello4 ,page #bgf--privat eapartments amended to private apartments--,these are preserved in one of the private apartments of the ,vatican palace4 ,page #cjg--;,closely amended to closely--444 the ,spanish ,armada up the channel1 closely followed by the ,english1 444 ,page #cca--morte amended to mort--,prise dans la tente de ,charles le ,tmraire1 lors de la mort de ce prince1 444 ,page #ccb--;intrressant amended to intressant--444 plus intressant pour les arts1 et plus digne d'tre reproduit par la gravure4 ,page #ccd--;destine amended to destin--,robert fut destin de bonne heure aux fonctions du sacerdoce4 ,page #cce--;jusque-l converts amended to jusqu'-l couverts--444 il planta la croix du ,sauveur dans les lieux jusqu'-l couverts de forts et de bruyres incultes1 444 ,page #ccf--mailles amended to maills1 and ruisselantes amended to ruisselants--444 les colonnettes sont maills1 ruisselants de milliers de pierres fines et de perles1 444 ,page #cfc--libaries amended to libraries--444 and the principal public libraries in ,england4 ,page #cfi--;illuminaitng amended to illuminating--,when the art of illuminating still more failed1 444 ,page #cih--scarely amended to scarcely--444 scarcely one-half are moderately good2 444