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QUEEN ELIZABETH. 267 drawing of thread worked over with silk. We have smocks thus © wrought and decorated “ cum lez ruffs et wrestbands.” 14 In addition to the already enumerated laces of Queen Eliza beth are the bride laces of Coventry blue, 15 worn and given to the guests at weddings, mentioned in the “ Masques ” of Ben Jon- “ Clod. And I have lost beside my purse, my best bride-Iaee I had at Joan Turnips’ wedding. “ Frances. Ah, and I have lost my thimble and a skein of Coventry blue I had to work Gregory Litchfield a handkerchief.” When the queen visited Kenilworth, in 1577, a “ Bridall ” took place for the pastime of her Majesty. “First,” writes the Chan cellor, “ came all the lusty lads and bold bachelors of the parish, every wight with his blue bridesman’s bride lace upon a braunch of green broom.” What these bride laces exactly were, we cannot now tell. They continued in fashion till the Puritans put down all festivals, ruined the commerce of Coventry, and the fabric of blue thread ceased for ever. It was probably a showy kind of coarse trimming, like that implied by Mopsa in the “ Winter’s Tale,” when she says— “ You promised me a tawdry lace: ” 17 14 G. W. A. Eliz., last year of ber reign. black silk drawne worke, five smocks of Again fi ne bolland cloth.”—II. M. Add. MSS. 1600. “Drawing and working with No. 5751. “ These Holland smocks as white as snow, And gorgets brave with drawn-work wrought.” Pleasant Quippes for Upstart New-fangled Gentlewomen, 1596. 15 As early as 1485, we have in the or the Worlde’s Folly, 1605. inventory of St. Mary-at-Hill, “ An altar “ Though he perfume the table with cloth of diaper, garnished with 3 blue rose cake or appropriate bone-lace and Kays (St. Peter’s) at each end.” All the Coventry Blue,” writes Stephens in his church linen seems to have been em- “ Satirical Essays,” 1615. broidered in blue thread, and so appears In the inventory of Mary Stuart, taken to have been the smocks and other linen. at Fotheringay, after her death, we have : Jenkin, speaking of bis sweetheart, “Furniture for a bedd of black velvet, says: “She gave me a shirt collar, garnished with Bleue lace. In the care wrought over with no counterfeit stuff. of Rallay, alias Beauregard.” “ George. What! was it gold ? 16 The window of the famous clothier, “Jenkin. Nay,’twas better than gold. called Jack of Newbury, is described “George. What was it? when a bride as “led to church between “ Jenkin. Bight Coventry blue.”— two boys with bride laces and rosemary Pinner of Wakefield, 1599. tied about llieir sleeves.” “ It was a simple napkin wrought with 17 “Tawdry. As Dr. Henshaw and Coventry blue.”—Laugh and Lie Downe, Skinner suppose, of knots and ribbons.