ENGLAND TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.

acts of that monarch’s reign—by which all foreign lace is prohibited,and “ those who have it in their possession may keep it andwear it till Pentecost ” 17 —was issued rather for the protection ofthe silk-women of the country than for the advantage of theever-complaining “ workers of the mysteries of thread-work.”

On the 3rd of October 1502, his queen, Elizabeth of York,pays to one “ Master Bonner, at Langley, for laces, rybands,” &c.,40s.; and again, in the same year, 38s. Id. to “ Dame MargretteCotton, for hosyn, laces, sope, and other necessaries for the LordsHenry Courtenay, Edward, and the Lady Margrette, their sister.”A considerable sum is also paid to “Fryer Hercules for gold ofVenys, gold of Damnarke, and making a lace for the King’smantell of the Garter.” 18

It is towards the early part of Henry VIII.’s reign that the“ Actes of Apparell ” 19 first mention the novel luxury of shirts andpartlets, “ garded and pynched,” 20 in addition to clothes decoratedin a similar manner, all of which are forbidden to be worn by anyone under the degree of a knight. 21 In the year 1517 there hadbeen a serious insurrection of the London apprentices against thenumerous foreign tradesmen who already infested the land, which,followed up by the never-ending complaints of the w orkers of themysteries of needlework, induced the king to ordain the wearingof such “ myxte joyned, garded or browdered 22 articles of lynnencloth be only allowed when the same be wrought within thisrealm of England, Wales, Berwick, Calais, or the Marches.” 23

The earliest record we find of laced linen is in the inventoryof Sir Thomas L’Estrange, of Hunstanton, co. of Norfolk, 1519,where it is entered, “ 3 elles of Holland cloth, for a sliirte for hym,G shillings,” with “ a yard of lace for hym, Sd.”

n 19 Hell. VII. = 1,104. “An Act agaynst wearing of costly

18 Sir H. Nicolas. Apparell,” anil again, (1 Hen. VIII.=

18 Statute 1 Henry VIII. = 1509-10, 1514-15.

20 “Gard, to trim with lace.”— Cotgrave.

“ No lcese than crimson velvet did him grace,

All garded and regarded with gold lac.-.”

Samuel Rowland*, A Fair of Spy-Knave*.

“I do forsake these ’broidtred gaides.

And all the fashions new.”

The Queen, in King Cambist*, cir. 1501.

21 Under forfeiture of the same shirt 23 24 lien. VIII. = 1532-30, “An

and a fine of 40«. Act for lieformnlion of Excess in Ap-

22 7 Hen. VIII. = 1515-10, “Thuctc parol.”of Apparell.”