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4 HISTORY OF LACE. afterwards employed them in the labours of the distaff and the needle.” Edgitha, Queen of Edward the Confessor, was, says the same historian, “ perfect mistress of her needle.” Though needlework was greatly cultivated m France, and “ Berthe aux grands pieda,” mother of Charlemagne, was a cele brated worker— . . “a Ouvrer si com jo voiis dirai N’avoit meillor ouvriere de Tours jusqu’h Cambrai” ; and of Charlemagne 18 it is chronicled that he “ Ses filles fist bien doctriner. Kt aprendre keudre et filer ”— still the palm may be accorded to our Anglo-Saxon ancestresses, for William the Conqueror, on his first appearance in public, after the battle of Hastings, clad himself in a richly wrought cloak of Anglo-Saxon embroidery, 19 an improvement, no doubt, upon the reputed handiwork of his queen, the far-famed tapestry of Bayeux. „ Perhaps the finest specimens of “opus anglicanum extant are the cope and maniple of St. Cuthbert, removed from his coffin some years since in the cathedral of Durham, and now preserved in the chapter library of that city. The embroidery, in beauty, baffles all description. One side of the maniple is of gold lace stitched on, worked, apparently, on a parchment pattern. It was the custom in feudal times for knightly families to send their daughters to the castles of their suzerain lords, there to be trained to spin, weave, and embroider, under the eye of the lady chatelaine; 20 a custom which, in the more primitive countries, continued even to the French Revolution. 21 In French romances 17 The Anglo-Saxon Godric, sheriff of s’cmployoit, une pnrtie de la journee en Buckingham, granted to Alcuid half a broderies et nutres menus ouvrages ap- hide of land, as long as he should be partenant a telles dames, et y occupoit sheriff, on condition she taught his ses damoyselles dont avoit bonne quantite", daughter the art of embroidery. et de grosses, riches et illustres maisons.” 18 The skill of his wife, Fastrade, and —Panegyric de Loys de la Tnfmoille, par that of Constance, queen of Robert, King Jean Bouehet. ■ of France, is also recorded. Again, Vecollio dedicates his “ Corona ” 79 His secretary, William of Foictiers, to Signora Nani, not only on account of states that “ the English women are the pleasure she takes in works of the eminently skilful with the needle, and in needle, but for “ il diletto che prende in weaving of gold.” falne essercitar le donne di casa sua, “ We read, for instance, that Gabrielle ricctto delle piii virtuose giovani che de Bourbon, ’wife of Louis de la Tre. hoggidi vivono in questa citta.” mouille, “jamais u’estoit oyscuse, mais 21 “It is usual here,” writes a lady