Part 22 (2/2)
Whilst one man wors.h.i.+ps lordly state As yielding all that he desires-- This, fertile acres begs from fate; Another, b.l.o.o.d.y laurels fires.
To dissipate my devils blue, Trifles, I'm satisfied to do; For surely if the fair I please, My very labours smack of ease.
Take then, fair ladies, I you pray, The book which at your feet I lay, To make you happy, brisk and gay.
There's much you here may learn anew, Which _comme il faut_ will render you, And bring you joy and honour too.
Proceed we to the--
”Ouvrages de point Coupe,” of which there are thirty-six. Some birds, animals, and figures are introduced; but the patterns are chiefly arabesque, set off in white, on a thick black ground.
Then, with a repet.i.tion of the ornamented t.i.tle-page, come about fifty patterns, which are represented much like the German patterns of the present day, in squares for st.i.tches, but not so finely wrought as some which we shall presently notice. These patterns consist of arabesques, figures, birds, beasts, flowers, in every variety. To many the st.i.tches are ready counted (as well as pourtrayed), thus:--
”Ce Pelican contient en longueur 70 mailles, et en hauteur 65.” This pattern of maternity is represented as pecking her breast, towards which three young ones are flying; their course being indicated by the three lines of white st.i.tches, all converging to the living nest.
”Ce Griffon {contient} en hauteur 58 mailles, et en {longueur} 67.”
Small must be the skill of the needlewoman who does not make this a very rampant animal indeed.
”Ce Paon contient en longueur 65 mailles, et en hauteur 61.”
”La Licorne en hauteur {contient} 44 mailles, et en longueur 62, &c.
&c.”
”La bordure contient 25 mailles.”
”La bordure de haut {contient} 35 mailles.” This is a very handsome one, resembling pine apples.
”Ce quarre contient 65 mailles.” There are several of these squares, and borders appended, of very rich patterns.
But the book contains far more ambitious designs. There are Sol, Luna, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Neptune, and others, whose dignities and vocation must be inferred from the emblematical accompaniments.
There is ”La Deesse des fleurs representant le printemps.”
”La Deesse des Bleds representant l'este.”
”Ce Bacchus representant l'Autonne.”
”Ceste figure representant l'hiver,” &c. &c.
Appended is this ”Extraict du Privilege.”
”Per grace et privelege du Roy, est permis a Jean le Clerc le jeune, tailleur d'histoires a Paris, d'imprimer ou faire imprimer {vendre} et distribuer un livre int.i.tule livre de patrons de Lingerie, DEDIE A LA ROYNE, nouvellement invente par le Seigneur Federic de Vinciolo Venitien, avec deffences a tous Libraires, Imprimeurs, ou autres, de quelque condition et qualite quilz soyent, de faire ny contrefaire, aptisser ny {agrandir}, ou pocher lesdits figures, ny exposer en vente ledict Livre sans le {conge} ou permission dudict le Clerc, et ce jusques au temps et terme de neuf ans finis et accomplis, sur peine de confiscation de tous les livres qui se trouveront imprimez, et damande arbitraire: comme plus a plein est declare en lettres patentes, donnees a Paris ce douziesme jour de Novembre, 1587.”
Another work, preserved in the British Museum, was published at Strasbourg, 1596, seemingly from designs of the same Vinciolo. These consist of about six-and-thirty plates, with patterns in white on a black ground, consisting of a few birds and figures, but chiefly of stars and wreaths p.r.i.c.ked out in every possible variety; and at the end of the book a dozen richly wrought patterns, without any edging, were seemingly designed for what we should now call ”insertion” work or lace.
There is another, by the same author, printed at Basil in 1599, which varies but slightly from the foregoing.
This Frederick de Vinciolo is doubtless the same person who was summoned to France, by Catherine de Medicis, to instruct the ladies of the court in the art of netting the lace of which the then fas.h.i.+onable ruffs were made.
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