a

HISTORY OF LACE.

since, in the remote provinces of France, a lady who quitted herhouse daily was remarked on. “ Elio sort beaucoup,” folks wouldsay, as though she were guilty of dissipation.

So queens and great ladies sewed on. We hear much of worksof adornment, more still of piety, when Katharine of Aragonappears on the scene. She had learned much in her youth fromher mother, Queen Isabella, and had assisted at those “trials ofneedlework established by that virtuous monarch among theSpanish ladies : 25

“ Her days did passIn working witli tlie needle curiously.” 28

It is recorded how, when Wolsey, with the papal legate, Cam-peggio, going to Bridewell, begged an audience of QueenKatharine, on the subject of her divorce, they found her at workwith her maids, like Penelope of old, and she came to them witha skein of red silk about her neck . 27

Queen Mary Tudor is recorded to have followed the exampleof her illustrious mother, though all we find among the entriesis a charge “ to working materials for Jane the Foie, one shilling.”

25 These are alludi d to in the dialoguebetween Industria and Ignavia, as givenin Sibmacher’s “ Modelbuch,” 1601(French translation) : ” La vieille damoraconte l’histoire des concours de travaila l’aiguille chez les anciens Espagnols ;comrae Isabelle, femme de Ferdinand,a hautomeut estimc' les travaux del’aiguille.”

Queen Isabella. Eays Fresoott, “ wascareful to instruct her daughters in thesemore humble departments of domesticduty, for she thought nothing too humbleto learn which is useful. If we are tobelieve Florez, the king woro no shirtbut of the queen's making.”

The ” Spanish stitch,” so often men-tioned, was brought in by Katharine, onher marriage with Prince Arthur, in1501. We have constantly in her ward-robe accounts, sheets, and pillow-beres,“ wrought with Spanish work of hlacksilk at the edge.”

In the Inventory of Lord Monteagle,1526 (Public Record Office), are “ eightpartlets, threo garnished with gold, therest with Spanish work.”

In 1556. among the Now Yiar’s giftspresented to Queen Mary Tudor, most of

the smocks are ‘‘ wrought with black silk,Spanish fashion.”

In the Great Wardrobe Aocounts ofQueen Elizabeth, 3 and 4, Publio RecordOffice, we have “ Sixteen yards of Spanishwork for ruffs.”

“ Twelve tooth-oloths, with the Spanishstitch, edged with gold and silver bonelace.”— Ibid. Eliz. 5 & 6,

The Spanish stitch appears in Franoowith Henry II., 1557. ‘’Pour la faqond’ung gnban aveo ung grant collet oha-nmrrez k l’Espaignolle de passementblanc,” &o.~Comj>tea de VArgentier duHoy, Archives Nat. K. K. 106.

26 Taylor, the Water Poet, “ Katharineof Aragon."

87 The industry of Henry’s last queenwas as great as that of his first. Speci-mens still exist at Sizergh Castle, West-moreland, of Katharine Parr’s needle-work. a countorpanc and a toilet cover.An astrologer, who oast her nativity,foretold she would be a queen; so whena ohild, on her mother requiring her towork, she would exclaim, “ My hands areordainc d to touch crowns and sceptres,not needles and spindles.”