94

HISTORY OF LACE.

the effects of Madame de Simiane, dated 1681, were many articlesof English point; 19 and Monseigneur the Archbishop of Bourges,who died some few years later, had two cambric toilettes trimmedwith the same. 20

The finest Brussels lace can only be made in the city itself.Antwerp, Ghent, and other localities, have in vain tried to competewith the capital. The little town of Binche, long of lace-makingcelebrity, has been the most successful. Binche, however, nowonly makes pillow flowers (point plat), and those of an inferiorquality.

When, in 1756, Mrs. Calderwood visited the Beguinage, atBrussels, she writes to a friend, describing the lace-making: “ Apart of their work is grounding lace; the manufacture is verycurious. One person works the flowers. They are all sold separate,and you will see a very pretty sprig, for which the worker onlygets twelve sous. The masters who have all these people employedgive them the thread to make them; this they do according to apattern, and give them out to be grounded; after this they givethem to a third hand, who ‘ hearts ’ all the flowers with the openwork. That is what makes this lace so much dearer than theMechlin, which is wrought all at once.” 21

The thread used in Brussels lace is of extraordinary fineness.It is made of flax grown in Brabant, at Hal and Rebecq-Rognon. 22The finest quality is spun in dark underground rooms, for contactwith the dry air causes the thread to break; so fine is it as almostto escape the sight. The feel of the thread as it passes throughthe fingers is the surest guide. The thread-spinner closelyexamines every inch draw'n from her distaff, and when anyinequality occurs, stops her wheel to repair the mischief. Everyartificial help is given to the eye. A background of dark paper

18 “ Deux paires tie manchettes et unecravatte de point d’Angleterre.” — Inven-taire d'Anne iVEscoubleau, Baronne deSourdis, veuve de Francois de Simiane.Arch. Nat. M. M. 802.

20 “ j nv upri's le deccs do Mgr. Mich.Philippine do la Vrilliere, I’atriarche,Archevfique de Bourges,” 1694. Bib. Nat.MSS. F. Fr. 11,426.

“ Une toilette et sa touaille avec unpeignoir de point d’Angleterre.”— Inv. dedeces de Mademoiselle de Charollais,] 7.18. Arch, Nat.

21 “ Mrs. Calderwood’s Journey throughHolland and Belgium, 1756.” Printed bythe Maitland Club.

22 Flax is also cultivated solely for laceand cambric thread at St. Nicholas,Tournay, and Courtrai. The process ofsteeping (rouissoge) principally takespla'e at Courtrai, the clearness of thewaters of the Lys rendering them peculi-arly fitted for the purpose. Savary statesthat fine thread was first spun atMechlin.