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who have at all periods shown a predilection for Brussels lace,and in every way promoted its manufacture. In usage, it istermed “ point d’Angleterre,” an error explained to us by history.In 1G62, the English parliament, alarmed at the sums of moneyexpended on foreign point, and desirous to protect the Englishbone lace manufacture, passed an act prohibiting the importationof all foreign lace. The English lace merchants, at a loss howto supply the Brussels point required at the court of Charles II.,invited Flemish lace-makers to settle in England, and thereestablish the manufacture. The scheme, however, was unsuccess-ful. England did not produce the necessary flax, and the lacemade was of an inferior quality. The merchants thereforeadopted a more simple expedient. Possessed of large capital,they bought up the choicest laces of the Brussels market, andthen, smuggling them over to England, sold them under the nameof point d’Angleterre, 13 or “English point.” 14

The account of the seizure made by the Marquis de Nesmond,of a vessel laden with Flanders lace, bound for England, in 1678, 15w ill afford some idea of the extent to which this smuggling wascarried on. The cargo comprised 744,953 ells of lace, withoutenumerating handkerchiefs, collars, fichus, aprons, petticoats, fans,gloves, &c., all of the same material. From this period, “ pointde Bruxelles ” became more and more unknown, and was at lasteffaced by “point d’Angleterre,” 16 a name it still retains."

On consulting, however, the English royal inventories of thetime, we find no mention of “ English point.” In France, on theother hand, the fashion books of the day 18 commend to the noticeof the reader, “ Corsets chamarres de point d’Angleterre,” withvests, gloves, and cravats trimmed with the same material. Among

” This fact is curiously enough cor- this period from the Low Countiies.roborated in a second memorandum given Among the articles advertised as lost, inby the Venetian ambassador to the English the “Newsman” of the 2Gth of May

court in 1G95, already mentioned (p. 45), 16G4, is : “A black lute-string gown

by an informant in London, who states with a black Flanders lace.”that Venetian point is n@ longer in 15 “ Mercure Galant,” 1G78.

fashion, but “ that called English point, 18 “ I.e corsage et les munches etaient

which you know is not made here, but hordes d’une blanche et le'gero dentelle,in Flanders, and only bears this name of sortie ii coup stir des meilleures manufne-English to distinguish it from the others.” tures d’Angleterre.”

“Questo chiamato punto d’lnghilterra, 17 We have, however, one entry, in thesi s.ippia die non si fa qui, ma in Fiandra, wardrobe accounts of the Due doet porta solamente questo nomo d’Ingliil- Penthievro : “ 1738. Onze aunes d’An-terra per distintiono dagli nllri.” gleterre de Flondre.”

14 Black lace was also imported at 18 “ Mercure Galant,” 1G78.