78

HISTORY OF LACE.

coloured embroidered laces, and its gold and silver points, havealways enjoyed a certain reputation. Of the latter, during theseventeenth century, we have constant mention in the wardrobeaccounts and books of fashion of the French court. The descrip-tion of the celebrated gold bed at Versailles, the interior lacingsof the carriages, the velvet and brocade coats and dresses, “ eha-nmrres de Point d’Espagne,” the laces of gold and coloured silk,would alone fill a volume of themselves. 15 Narciso Felin, awriter of the seventeenth century, says there were at that timemany women occupied in the making of lace of gold, silver, 15and thread (Fig. 42), with a perfection equal to that of SpanishFlanders. Campany, another old author, carries the number oflace-makers to 12,OHO. The Spaniards, nevertheless, are said, in

P. R. O., we have a charge for bobbinlace of .Spanish silk, ■“ cum un tag,” forthe mantle, 10s. 8<Z.

In a letter from Prestwicb Eaton toGeo. Willingham, 1031, the writer sends1000 reals (251.), and in return desireshim to send, together with a mastiff dog,some black satin lace for a Spanishsuit .—State Papers, Domestic, Car. I.P. R. O.

15 1097. Marriage of Mademoiselleand the King of Spain. The queen, saysthe “ Mercure,” wore “uuo monte de Pointd’Espagne d'or, neuf nunes do long.”

1098. Fete at Versailles on the mar-riage of the Due de Bourgogne. “ LaDuchesse de Bourgogne portoit un petittablier de Point d’Espagno de millepistoles .”—Galerie de Vancienne Cour, ouMe'm. des Regnes de Louis XIV. etLcuis A V. 1788.

1722. Ball at the Tuihries. “Tousles seigneurs etaient en habits de dropd’or ou d’argent garnis do Points d’Es-pagne, avec des noouds dYpaule, et toutl’ajustement ii proportion. T-cb moindresetaient de velours, avec des Points d’Es-pngne d’or et d’argent .”—Journal deBarbier, 1718-02.

1722. ‘‘J’ai vu en nieme temps locarosse quo le roi fait faire pour entrerdans Reims, il sera aussi d'unc grandemagnificence. Le dedans cst tout garnid’un velours ii ramugo de Points d’Es-pague d’or.”— Ibid.

1731. Speaking of her wedding-dre ss,Wilhelmina of Bayreuth, the witiy sisterof Frederick the Great, writes, “ Ma robee'toit d’une etoffe d’or fort riche, aveeun Point d’Espagne d’or, et ma queuee’toit de douze aunes do long ”— Mi-moires.

1751. Fete nt Versailles on the birthof the Duke of Bourgogne. The coats ofthe “gens de cour, en e : toffes d’or dogrnnd prix ou en velours de toule cou-leurs, brodes or, ou garnis de Poiutd’Espage d’or ."—Journal de Barbier.

18 In the reign of William and Mary,we find, in a laceman’s bill of the queen,a charge for forty-seven yards of rich,broad, scalloped, embossed point deSpain ; and her shoes are trimmed witligold and silver laee. B. M. Add. MSS.No. 5751.

At the entry of Lord Stair into Paris,1718, his servants’ hats are described aslaced with Spanish point, their sleeveslaced with picked silver lace, and dentedat the edge with lace. “ Edinburgh Cou-rant.”

In 1710, the Countess of Pomfret,speaking of the Princess Mary’s weddingclothes, writes, “That for the weddingnight is silver tissue, faced at the bottombefore with pink-coloured satin, trimmedwith silver Point d Espagne .”—Letters ofthe Countess of Hartford to the Countessof romfret, 1740.