BEDFORDSHIRE.

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assisted. It is related, also, that during her sojourn at Ampthill“ she passed her time, when not at her devotions, with her gentle-women, working with her own hands something wrought inneedlework, costly and artificially, which she intended for thehonour of God to bestow on some of the churches.” 3

“ The country people,” continues her contemporary, “ began tolove her exceedingly. They visited her out of pure respect, andshe received the tokens of regard they daily showed her mostsweetly and graciously.” The love borne by the peasantry to thequeen, the sympathy shown to her in her days of trouble anddisgrace, most likely met with its reward; and we believeKatherine to have taught them an art which, aided, no doubt, bythe later introduction of the pillow 7 and the improvements of therefugees, has now, for the space of nigh three centuries, been thestaple employment of the female population of Bedfordshire andthe adjoining counties. 4 To this very day—though, like all suchfestivals in the present utilitarian age, gradually dying out, thelace-makers still hold “ Cattern’s day,” 5 the 25th November, as theholiday of their craft, kept, they say, “ in memory of good QueenKatherine, who, when the trade was dull, burnt all her lace andordered new to be made. Tire ladies of the court follow'ed herexample, and the fabric once more revived.” “Ainsi secritrhistoire,” as the French say; and this garbled version may reston as much foundation as most of the folk-lore current throughoutthe provinces.

Speaking of Bedfordshire, Defoe writes: “Thro’ the wholesouth part of this country, as far as the borders of Buckingham-shire and Hertfordshire, the people are taken up with the manu-facture of bone lace, in which they are wonderfully exercised andimproved within these few years past,” 6 —probably since the

3 Dr. Nicolas Harpsfield. Douay, 1022.(In Latin.)

Again we read that at Kimbolton“ she plied her needle, drank her potions,and told her heads .”—Pule of Mnn-ehe*ter , Kimbolton Paper*.

4 Quoen Katherine dieil 1536.

5 A lady from Ampthill writes : “ The

feast of St. Katherine is no longer kept.

In the palmy days of the trade, both oldand young used to subscribe a sum ofmoney and enjoy a good cup of Bohea

and cake, which they called ‘ Cuttern ’cake. After tea, they danced and mademerry, nnd finished the evening with asupper of boiled stuffed rabbits smotheredwith onion sauco.” The custom of send-ing about Cattern cakes was also ob-served at Kettering, in Northampton-shire, but the lace trade there is nearlyextinct.

• ‘‘ Tour through tho whole Island ofGreat Britain,” by a Gentleman. 3 vols.1724-27. Several subsequent editions of

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