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HISTORY OF LACE.

assuring him that the establishment will not be wanting in assist-ance from the town and from himself. Again, on the 1st July ofthe same year, he writes that the Sieur Pierre Chardin, a French-man, who has lived a long time in Venice, has arrived with hiswife, three sons, and two daughters, and has been made directorof the establishment. He has now in the house 5 Venetianwomen, 22 Flemish and 30 girls of this town, without counting theservants. There have also lately arrived 7 girls, sent from Paris.So the director is sanguine of success ; and, besides, the work hasthe additional merit of being whiter than elsewhere. In threemonths and a half the establishment had 120 workers.

In a previous letter to Colbert, from a nun who undertookto watch the workgirls, she writes there has been a calamityfallen upon the manufactory. Several girls had been attacked byillness, which the grand vicaire attributes to witchcraft; but whenthe house had been properly blessed, no more cases had occurred.They now amount to 140 good workwomen, and they have sentan “ envoi ” this week which the entrepreneurs will be satisfiedwith.

Of the Chateau-Thierry manufacture, we hear nothing; andSens is incidentally mentioned by Colbert, 1670, in a letter toAuxerre, in which he expresses his surprise to hear the lace-workers diminish, while at Sens, a town in w'hich he had notthe same interest, they are satisfied with the advantages it pro-cures them.

Most of its lace-makers being Protestants, they emigrated afterthe Edict of Pevocation. Chateau-Renaud and Mezieres werechiefly employed in the manufacture of footings (engrelures). 36 Thelaces of Donchery were similar to those of Charleville, but madeof the Holland thread. They were less esteemed than those ofSedan. A large quantity were exported to Italy and Portugal;some few found their way to England and Poland. Up to theRevolution, Champagne employed from 5000 to 6000 lace-workers,and their annual products were estimated at 200,000 fr. Duringthe twelve years of revolutionary anarchy, all the lace manu-factories of this province disappeared.

38 Sivvary.