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80 HISTORY OF LACE. Point d’Espagne was likewise made in France, introduced by one Simon Chatelain, a Huguenot, about 1596; in return for which good services he received more protection than his advanced opinions warranted. Colbert, becoming minister in 1662, gua ranteed to Simon his safety—a boon already refused to many by the intolerant spirit of the times. He died in 1675, having amassed a large fortune. 18 Colbert, in 1669, writes, “ En dentelles de toutes fapons, la France fait grandissime commerce en Espagne et aux Indes occidentales.” “ France,” says Anderson, “ exports much lace into Spain.” Towards the middle of the eighteenth century, the Spanish manufactures seem to have been on the decline, judging from the constant seizures of vessels bound from St. Malo to Cadiz, freighted with gold and silver lace. The Eagle, French vessel, taken by Captain Carr, in 1745, bore cases to the value of 150,000Z. 19 In 1789 we also read that the exports of lace from the port of Marseilles alone to Cadiz exceeded 500,COO/. 2 " Gold and silver lace are made at Barcelona, Talavera de la lvcyna, Valencia, and Seville. In 1808, that of Seville was flourishing. The gold is badly prepared, having a red cast. The manufacture of blonde is almost entirely confined to Cata lonia, where it is made in many of the villages along the sea-coast, and especially in the city of Barcelona. In 1809, it gave em ployment to 12,000 persons, a number now augmented to 34,000. There are no large manufactories, the trade is in the hands of women and children, who make it on their own account, and as they please. 21 Swinburne, who visited Spain in 1775, writes:— “ The women of the hamlets were busy with their bobbins making- black lace, some of which, of the coarser kind, is spun out of the leaf of the aloe. It is curious, but of little use, for it grows mucilaginous with washing.” He adds, “ at Barcelona, there is a great trade in thread lace.” 22 The manufacture of silk lace or blonde in Almagro (La Mancha) occupies from 12,000 to 13,000 is “ Eighty children and grandchildren 22 Peuchet, “ Dictionnaire Universel de attended his funeral, in defiance of the laGeographie Commeryante” (An. VII. = edict of 12 Sept. 1664, and were heavily 1799), speaking of Barcelona, says their fined.”—La France Frotestanle, par M. laces are “faqon de France,” but inferior M. llaag. Paris, 1846-59. in beauty and quality. The fabrication is 19 “ Gentleman’s Magazine,” 1745. considerable, employing 20UO women in 20 Peyron, 1789. the towns and villages east of Barcelona. 21 “ Ilineraire de l’Espagne,” Comte They are sold in Castile, Andalusia, and Alpli. de Laborde, t. v. piincipally in the Indies.