210

HISTORY OF LACE.

inventories of the province; and in the museum are pieces ofrich lace said to have belonged to Francis I. and his successors,which, according to tradition, were the produce of Aurillac.They are not of a wire, but consist of strips of metal twistedround the silk.

In the inventory of the sacristy of the Benedictine monasteryat St.-Aligre, 1684, there is a great profusion of lace. “ Voile debrocard, fond d’or entoure d’un point d’Espagne d’or et argent;another, “ garni de dentelles d’or et argent, enrichi de perles fines“ 20 aubes a grandes dentelles, amicts, lavabos, surplis,” &c., all“ a grandes ou petites dentelles.” 18

In the account of a masked ball, as given in the “ MercureGalant ” of 1679, these points find honourable mention. ThePrince de Conty is described as wearing a “mante de pointd’Aurillac or et argent;” the Comte de Vermandois, a vesteedged with the same; while Mademoiselle de Blois has “sesvoiles de point d’Aurillac d’argent;” and of the Duchesse deMortemart it is said, “ On voyoit dessous ses plumes un voile depoint d’Aurillac or et argent qui tomboit sur ses epaules.” TheChevalier Colbert, who appeared in an African costume, had “ desmanches pendantes ” of the same material.

The same “Mercure,” of April 1681, speaking of the dress ofthe men, says: “La plupart portent des garnitures d’une richessequi empeschera que les particulars ne les imitent, puisqu’ellesreviennent. a 50 louis. Ces garnitures sont de point d’Espagne oud’Aurillac.” From the above notices, as well as from the fact thatthe greater part of these laces were sent into Spain, it appearsthat the “ passements,” as they were still called, were a rich goldand silver lace made at Aurillac, and similar to the pointd’Espagne. 19

lhe laces of Murat (Dep. Haute-Garonne) were “ fayon de

18 “Voile de toile d’argent, garni degrandes dentelles d’or et argent fin, donneen 1711 pour onvelopper le chef de 8-Gaudence.”— Inventaire du Monastere desBenedictines de St.-Aligre.

In the inventory of Massillon’s chnpt'lat Beauregard, 1742, are alba trimmedwith “ point d’Aurillac,” veils with “ pointd’Ksvagne or et aTgent.” In the conventsarc constantly noted down “ point

d’Espagne d’or et argent fin,” whilein the cathedral of Clermont the chaptercontented itself with “ dentelles d'or etargent faux.”

'* The finest “ points de France,”writes Savary, were made at Aurillacand Murat, the former alone at one timeproducing to the annual value of 700,000fruues (28,000/.), and giving occupationto from 200(1 to 4000 lace-workers.