Part 7 (1/2)

Even at the risk of being considered utterly unpatriotic, I cannot give much more than faint praise to the lace-making of England up to the present date, when notable efforts are at last being made to raise the poor imitation of the Continental schools to something more in accordance with artistic conception of what a great National Art might become.

As in all countries, lace-making apparently commenced in its early English stages by drawn-thread and cutwork. In many of the charming old sixteenth-century English samplers just as exquisite cut-work, and its natural successor Reticella, or ”punto in aria” is shown, as in the finest examples of the Venetian schools. Unfortunately, however, English fine lace-making came to a sudden and inexplicable end, although we know that any quant.i.ty of fine Venetian, exquisite Brussels, or Flemish laces, and the wonderful Point de France were being imported into the country and lavishly used.

As early as the reign of Edward IV. lace was mentioned as being prohibited for importation amongst other items of feminine luxury, such as ”ribans, fringes of silk and cotton,” but it is considered that the word ”laces” here means only the twisted threads that go to make up a lace or tie, commonly ending in tags or points. It must be allowed, however, that laces, or more probably ”gimps” of gold and silver threads were used for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g both lay and ecclesiastical garments, and in Henry VII.'s reign we find that importation of Venetian lace was permitted, but this is generally admitted still to refer to gold and silver lace, more probably coming from Genoa.

It was not really until the time of bluff King Hal that lace became an article of fas.h.i.+on, when during the life of the last of his unfortunate queens he permits ”the importation of all manner of gold and silver fringes, or _otherwise_, with all new 'gentillesses' of what facyion or value, for the pleasure of our dearest wyeff the Queen.”

Henry himself also began to indulge in all these little elegances of fas.h.i.+on, and wore his sleeves embroidered with cutwork, and handkerchiefs edged with gold and silver, treating himself liberally to ”coverpanes” and ”shaving-cloths” trimmed with gold lace.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EDMUND SPENSER: COLLAR TRIMMED WITH RETICELLA.

Early period.]

Little mention of white work was made in the inventories of Henry VIII.

or his Queens, but Cardinal Wolsey seems to have had more than his share of cutwork embroideries, judging from contemporary portraits.

In Queen Mary's reign white work began to be more frequently spoken of, and in 1556 it is stated that Lady Jane Seymour presented the Queen with ”a smock of fair white work, Flanders making.”

It was not until Queen Elizabeth's time that lace became freely mentioned; then suddenly we are introduced to an endless variety of lace and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, both of gold and silver, pearl and embroideries, and various white work! In some of the old Chronicles mention was made of drawn work, cut-work, Crown lace, bone lace for ruffs, Spanish chain, parchment, hollow, and diamond lace. Many of these terms cannot be understood.

The enormous ruffs worn by Queen Elizabeth were introduced into England in the time of her sister Mary. Portraits both of Philip of Spain and Queen Mary show ruffs, but not edged with lace. Queen Elizabeth's, on the contrary, are both edged with lace and, in some instances, covered with it. On her poor old effigy at Westminster Abbey, where her waxen image is dressed in her actual garments, the only lace that appears is on the enormous ruff, three-quarters of a yard wide, covered with a fine lace of the loose network kind. The rest of her garments are trimmed with gold and silver lace and _pa.s.s.e.m.e.nterie_.

In the succeeding reign lace of a geometric design shows itself on the ruffs of the richest people. Pictures in the National Portrait Gallery show many exquisite examples of the beautiful Reticella of Venice, which must have been very costly to the purchaser, as twenty-five yards or more of this fine lace were required to edge a ruff.

It was in the reign of James I. and his consort, Anne of Denmark, that Flanders lace and the expensive Point laces of Italy first became widely popular. Then, as now, they were costly--to such an extent that many gentlemen sold an estate to buy laces for their adornment.

It was during this reign that we first learn of a lace being made in England, as Queen Anne of Denmark on her journey south purchased lace at _Winchester_ and _Basing_, but history mentions not what kind of lace it was. Apparently only a simple kind of edging was used, made on a pillow.

The enormous ruffs went out of fas.h.i.+on with the death of James I.

Charles I., in all his portraits, wears the falling collar edged with Vand.y.k.e lace. It was during this reign that Venetian lace reached its apotheosis in England. The dress of the day has never been surpa.s.sed, though it became much more elaborate and ostentatious in the time of Charles II. and William and Mary. Falling collars were specially adapted to the display of the handsome laces of Venice. The cuffs of the sleeves were likewise trimmed with the same; scarves were worn across the breast, trimmed with the narrower Reticella.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEVENTEENTH CENTURY FALLING COLLAR TRIMMED WITH FINE RETICELLA.

(_S.K.M. Collection._)]

During the Commonwealth the laces of Venice suffered a temporary eclipse, and the plainer laces of Flanders were freely used. Cromwell himself, it is said, did not disdain the use of it. His effigy at Westminster was dressed in a fine Holland lace-trimmed s.h.i.+rt, with bands and cuffs of the same. This effigy, by the way, was destroyed at the Restoration.

Charles II., who during his exile in France had become imbued with the extravagant taste of the French Court, gave vast orders for ”Points of Venice and Flanders,” on the plea of providing English lace-workers with better patterns and ideas.

The falling collar certainly went out of fas.h.i.+on, but lace was liberally used on other parts of the dress. Lace frills of costly Point edged the knee-breeches, lace cravats were worn and deep falling cuffs. Charles II., in the last year of his reign, spent 20 for a new cravat for his brother's birthday.

During James II.'s reign extravagance in lace purchases are still mentioned, but it surely reached its culmination in the joint reign of William and Mary, when enormous sums were spent by both King and Queen.

In one year Queen Mary's lace bill amounted to 1,918. New methods of using lace were fas.h.i.+oned. A huge head-dress called the ”Fontange,” with upright standing ends of Venetian Point, double hanging ruffles falling from elbow sleeves, lace-trimmed ap.r.o.ns, lace tuckers, characterised the feminine dress of the day, while the ”Steinkirk” cravat and falling cuffs of William III.'s day ran up accounts not much less than that of his Queen. In 1690 his bill was 1,603, and in 1695 it amounted to 2,459!

The effigies of William and Mary in the Abbey, wear the very finest Venetian Point laces. None of the other figures wear such costly lace, nor in such profusion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COLLAR IN GROS POINT DE VENISE.