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manufactory on his own account, applies, in 1745, to have 200workwomen at Argentan, and 200 at Carrouges, delivered over tohis factor, in order that he may execute works ordered for theking and the dauphin for the approaching fetes of Christmas.This time the magistrate resists. “ 1 have been forced to admit,”he writes to the intendant, “ that the workwomen cannot betransferred by force. We had an example when the layette ofthe dauphin was being made. You then gave me the order tofurnish a certain number of women who worked at these points tothe late Sieur de Montulay. A detachment of women and girlscame to my house, with a female captain (capitaine femelle) attheir head, and all with one accord declared that if forced to workthey would make nothing but cobbling (bousillage). Partly bythreats, and partly by entreaty, I succeeded in compelling about adozen to go, but the Sieur de Montulay was obliged to dischargethem the next day. 7 I am therefore of opinion that the only wayis for M. De La Leu to endeavour to get some of the workwomento suborn others to work for him under the promise of higherwages than they can earn elsewhere. M. De La Leu agrees withme there is no other course to pursue; and I have promised himthat, in case any appeal is made to me, I shall answer that thingsmust be so, as the work is doing for the king.” From this periodwe have scarcely any notices concerning the fabric of Argentan.

In 1763 the widow Louvain endeavoured to establish atMortagne (Orne) a manufacture of lace like that of Alencon andArgentan, and proposed to send workers from these two towns toteach the art gratuitously to the girls of Mortagne. We do notknow what became of her project; but at the same period theFpoux Malbiche de lloislaunay applied for permission to establishan office at Argentan, with the ordinary exemptions, under thetitle of Royal Manufacture. The title and exemptions wererefused. There were then (1763) at Argentan three manufactoriesof point de France, without counting the general hospital ofSt. Louis, in which it was made for the profit of the institution,and evidently with success; for in 1764, a widow Roger was intreaty with the hospital to teach her two daughters the fabricationof point d’Argentan. They were to be boarded, and to give sixyears of their time. The fine on non-performance was 80 livres. In1781, the Sieur (fravelle Desvallees made a fruitless application to

• 12 Nov 1745.

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