LOUIS XIV.
127
Pheasants, previous to his marriage, 1660 (1 ig. til), give a goodidea of these extravagant appendages. These
“ Canons a trois stagesA leurs jam be a faisoieut d oinbrages;
and, what was worse, they would cost 7000 livres a pair.
“At the court of France,” writes feaviniere, “people thinknothing of buying rabats, manehettes, or canons, to the value of13,000 crowns.” 6 7
These canons with their accompanying rheingraves, 8 whichafter the prohibition of Venice point were adorned with the newproductions of France, suddenly disappeared. In 1682, the“ Mercure ” announces, “ Les canons and les rheingraves devien-nent tout a fait hors de mode.”
At the marriage of the young king with the infanta, 1660,black lace, 9 probably in compliment to the Spanish court, 10 cameinto favour, the nobles of the king’s suite w earing doublets of goldand silver brocade, “ ornes,” says the “ Chronique,” 11 “ de dentellesnoires d’un point recherche.” 12 The same writer, describing thenoviciate of La Yalliere at the Carmelites, writes, “ Les damesportoient des robes de brocard d’or, d’argent on d’azur, par dessus
6 “ Dictionnaire des Prccieuses,” 1060.Moliero likewise ridicules them:
“ lit de ces grands cations, on, comrnedes entraves,
On met tous les matins les deux jambesesclaves.”
L'Scale des Maris.
And again, in L'Ecole des Femmes:
“ Ils ontde grands canons, force rubanset plumes.”
7 “Les Delices de la France, parM. Saviniere d’Alquie,” 1670.
8 The petticoat-sliaped garment, fast-ened round the knee with a drawingstring, as worn in the time of Charles II.
8 The fashion of wearing black lacewas introduced into England in thereign of Charles II. “ Anon the housegrew full, and the candles lit, and it wasa glorious sight to see our Mistress
tewart in black and white lace, and herhead and shoulders dressed with dia-
,n0 i m r 1 f -’—Pepys Diary.
I he Freuch have increased among us
many considerable trades, such as blackand white lace.”— England’s Great Hap-piness, de. Dialogue between Contentand Complaint. 1677.
“ Item, un autre habit de grosse moire
gamy de dantello d’Angleterre noire.”_
Inv. de Madame de Simiane, 1691.Arch. Nat. M. M. 802.
Of this custom a relic may still befound at the court of Turin, where ladieswear lappets of black lace. Not manyyears since, the wife of a Bussianminister, persisting to appear in a suitof Brussels point, was courteously re-quested by the grand chamberlain toretire.
11 “ Chroniques de l’CEil-de-Bceuf.”
11 Madame dc Mottcville is not com-plimentary to the ladies of the Spanishcourt: “ Elies avoient peu de linge,” shewrites, “ et leurs dentelles nous parurentlaidcs.”— Memoires pour servir a Vhistoired’Anne d'Autriche.