4

HISTORY OF LACE.

afterwards employed them in the labours of the distaff and theneedle.”

Edgitha, Queen of Edward the Confessor, was, says the samehistorian, “ perfect mistress of her needle.” 17

Though needlework was greatly cultivated in France, and“ Berthe aux grands pieds,” mother of Charlemagne, was a cele-brated worker—

“a ouvrcr ei com je vous diraiN’avoit mcillor ouvriere de Tours juequ’k Cambrai ” ;

and of Charlemagne 18 it is chronicled that he

“ Ses fillcs fist bien doctriner,

Et aprendre keudre et filer ”—

still the palm may be accorded to our Anglo-Saxon ancestresses,for William the Conqueror, on his first appearance in public, afterthe battle of Hastings, clad himself in a richly wrought cloak ofAnglo-Saxon embroidery , 19 an improvement, no doubt, upon thereputed handiwork of his queen, the far-famed tapestry ofBayeux.

Perhaps the finest specimens of “opus anglicanum” extantare the cope and maniple of St. Cuthbert, removed from his coffinsome years since in the cathedral of Durham, and now preservedin the chapter library of that city. The embroidery, in beauty,baffles all description. One side of the maniple is of gold lacestitched on, worked, apparently, on a parchment pattern.

It was the custom in feudal times for knightly families to sendtheir daughters to the castles of their suzerain lords, there to betrained to spin, weave, and embroider, under the eye of the ladychatelaine ; 20 a custom which, in the more primitive countries,continued even to the French llevolution . 21 In French romances

17 The Anglo-Saxon Godric, sheriff ofBuckingham, granted to Alcuid half ahide of land, as long as he should besheriff, on condition she taught hisdaughter the art of embroidery.

18 The skill of his wife, Fastrade, andthat of Constance, queen of Robert, Kingof France, is also recorded.

18 His secretary, William of Poictiers,states that “ the English women areeminently skilful with the needle, and inweaving of gold.”

50 We read, for instance, that Gabricllode Bourbon, wife of Louis do la Tre".mouille. “jamais n’estoit oyseusc, mais

s’employoit, unc partie de la joumee enbroderies et autres menus ouvrages ap-purtenant ii telles dames, et y occupoitses damoysclles dont avoit bonne quantile,et de grosses, riches et illustres maisons.”—Panegyric de Loytt de la Tremoille, parJean Boucliet.

Again, Vecellio dedicates his “ Corona ”to Signora Nani, not only on account ofthe pleasure she takes in works of theneedle, but for “ il diletto die prende infame essercitar le donne di casa sun,ricetto delle piu virtuose giovani chchoggidi vivono in questa cittii.”

21 “It is usual here,” writes a ladv