12
1IIST0KY OF LACE.
The sums expended on the decoration of this most necessaryarticle of dress sadly excited the wrath of Mr. Stubbs, who thusvents his indignation: “ These shirtes (sometymes it happcneth)are wrought throughout with needlework of silke, and such like,and curiously stitched with open seame, and many other knackesbesides, more than I can describe; in so much, I have heard ofshirtes that have cost some ten shillynges, some twenty, someforty, some five pounds, some twenty nobles, and (which is horribleto lieare) some ten pound a pece .'’ 0
In the time of Henry VIII. the shirt was “pynclied” orplaited:—
“ C .me nere with your shirtes bordered and displayed,
In foarine of surplois.” 7
These , 8 with handkerchiefs , 9 sheet, and pillow-beres 10 (pillow-cases), were embroidered with silks of various colours, until thefashion gradually gave place to cutwork.
8 “ Anatomie of Abuses,” by PhilipStubbs, 1583.
7 “ The Shyp of Folysof tlic Worlde,”translated out of Latin by Alex. Barclay.1508.
8 The inventories of all nations aboundin mention of these costly articles. The“ smocks” of Katharine of Aragon, “ forto lay in,” were wrought about the collarwith gold and silk. Lord Monteagle,1523, had “ two fine smocks of cambricwrought with gold.” (Inv. P. R. O.)Among the New Year’s gifts offered toQueen Mary Tudor (155G), we find asmock wrought over with silk, and collarand ruffles of damask, gold purl, andsilver. Again, in the household expensesof Marguerite de France, 1545, we finda charge of “ 4 livrc s 12 sols, pour unegarniture de chemise ouvre' de soyecramoisie pour madicte dame” (Bib.Nat. MSS. Fonds Francois, 10,394).About the same date (G. W. A. Eliz. 1& 2,1558-59) appear charges for “ length-ening one smocke of drawne work, 20s.Six white smocks edged with whiteneedlework lace, 10s. To overcastingand edging 4 smockes of drawne workwith ruffs, wristbands, and collars, threeof them with black work, and three ofthem with red,” &c. At the funeral ofHenry II. of France, 1559, the effigy wasdescribed as attired in “ une chemise de
toile de Hullande, bordee au col et nuxinanches d’ouvraige fort excellent.”—Godefruy , Le Ce’r&monial de France,1010 .
9 See li France.”
19 The pillow-bere has always been anobject of luxury, a custom not yet extinctin France, where the “ taies d’oreiller,brode'es aux armes,” and trimmed with arich point, form an important feature in amodern trousseau. In the inventory ofMargnret of Austria, the gentle governessof the Low Countries, are noted—
“ Quatre toyes d’oraillers ouvr6es d’oret de hove cramoysie et de verde.
“ Autres quatres toyes d’oraillers faiteset ouvre'es d’or et de soye bleu a losangesqui ont este'es donueis a Madame pardom Diego de Cabrera.”— Carr, de VEm-pereur Maximilian 1" et de Marguerited’Autriche, par M. Leglay; Palis, 1839.
Edward VI. has (llarl. MSS. 1419)“ 18 pillow-beres of hollande witii brodeseums of silk of sundry coloured needle,work.” And again, “ One pillow-bereof line hollande wrought with a brodeseam of Venice gold and silver, andsilk nedlework.”
And, Lady Zouche presents QueenElizabeth, as a New Year’s gift, with“ One pair of pillow-biares of Hollandwork, wrought with black silk drnwnework. — Airhole* lloyal Progresses.