278

HISTORY OF LACE.

monstrosities, which, standing out a quarter of a yard or more,“ if TEolus with his blasts or Neptune with his stormes chaunce tohit upon the crazie bark or their bruised ruffes, then they goe flipflap in the winde like ragges that flew abroade, lying upon theirshoulders like the dishclout of a slut. But wot ye what ? thedevill, as he, in the fulnesse of his malice, first invented thesegreat ruffes,” &c.; with a great deal more, which, as it comesrather under the head of costume than lace, we omit, as foreignto our subject.

Lace has always been made of human hair, and of this wehave frequent mention in the expenses of Queen Elizabeth. Webelieve the invention to be far older than her reign, for there isfrequent allusion to it in the early romances. In the “ Chevalieraux ij Epees ” (MS. Bib. Nat.), a lady requires of King Bis thathe should present her with a mantle fringed with the beards ofnine conquered kings, and hemmed with that of King Arthur, whowas yet to conquer. The mantle is to have “de sa barbe letassel.” The entries of Elizabeth, however, are of a less heroicnature; and though we are well aware it was the custom of oldladies to weave into lace their silver-grey locks, and much as thefashion of hair bracelets and chains prevails, in Queen Elizabeth’scase, setting aside all sentiment, we cannot help fancying the“ laquei fact’ de crine brayded cum lez risinge puffs,” 80 as wellas the “ devices fact’ de crine similiter les scallop shells,” 81 to havebeen nothing more than “ stuffings,”—false additions, to swell themajesty of the royal “ pirrywygge.”

That “ point tresse,” as this hair lace is called, was known inher day, we have evidence in the Chartley inventory of MaryStuart, in which is mentioned, “Un petit quarre fait a pointtresse ouvre par la vieille Comtesse de Lennox elle estant ala Toura tribute of affection the old countess would scarcelyhave offered to her daughter-in-law had she regarded her as

10 “ Eidem pro 3 dozin laquei fact’ docrine braided cum lez rising puffs docrine, ad 36s. le dd„ 51. 8a.”—Eliz. 31& 32.

The entry occurs frequently.

In ibid. 37 & 38 is a charge “ pro 4pirrywigges de crine,” at lGs. 8 d. each.

*’ In the G. W. A. of the last year ofher reign, Elizabeth had a variety ofdevices in false hair. We have :—

“Eidem pro 200 invencionibns factisde crine in forma lez lowpes et tuftes,”at 6 d. each; the like number in the formof leaves at 12 d.; 12 in form of “lezPemmides,” at 3s. id .; 24 of globes, at12 d., with hair by the yard, made in“ lowpes, crispat’ curiose fact’, curiorotund’,” and other wonderful “inven-tions.”