Page 368 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

A History of Lace 361

At this time, too, the embroidery style known as Stumpwork began to
be taught in the home, and haberdashers sold calico pieces with the (usually
Biblical) scene ready stamped on the fabric. The figures would be worked
in raised and detached techniques, often with clothing made in needle-lace,
and the completed pieces would be professionally mounted as panels on a
mirror frame or a box-sometimes shaped as Noah's Ark-or casket to form
part of the furnishings of the lady's room. After the execution of Charles
I, favoured themes amongst those who secretly supported the Royalist camp
were those featuring Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, Moses in the bulrushes
(where Pharoah's daughter was taken to represent Henrietta Maria), with the
Biblical royalty dressed in the style of the Stuart monarchy. There is even one
example in existence which claims to have the hair of `martyred King Charles'
stitched into the head of the figure of Solomon! This style of work appears to
be exclusive to England, and crosses into the realms of lace for amusement.
One other point should be made: when the Pilgrim Fathers sailed to
America in the Mayflower, their roll did not include a single lacemaker. While
they were all emigrating for ethical reasons, it is conceivable that some of the
passengers would not have taken this step if they could have earned sufficient
wages to continue living in England; that the lacemakers did earn a good wage,
even on piece-work, is confirmed by this. Furthermore, there would not have
been much demand for lace in a pioneer community, so the lace crafts had a
very late start in the New World.

The Latter Half of the Seventeenth Century

In 1643 Louis XIII died leaving a child king on the French throne under
the regency of the Queen Mother Anne of Austria. Cardinal Mazarin, the
chief minister, made some attempts to curb extravagances of dress, and it is
recorded that in 1648 the Swiss Guard had their new uniforms made with
trims of `counterfeit lace' instead of silver-edged ribbons. However, he had
more pressing matters to distract his attention: the English prince Charles
Stuart (later to be Charles II) and his court were exiled in France, there was
civil war (the wars of the Fronde), and there was war with Spain. It was
not until 1661, when Jean-Baptiste Colbert replaced Fouquet as Minister of
Finance that any action was taken to deal with the flow of money to Italy.
Colbert suggested to Louis that it would be profitable to tax `all that wear
clothes beyond their quality'. On 30-vi-1661 Louis XIV issued a Declaration
du Roi in which he stated the wish that his French subjects should wear French
trimmings and lace of no more than two fingers' breadth and no more than
40 sols' value, when decoration was applied to clothing. [At that time, 20 sols
= 1 livre; fine hollands (linen) for shirts cost less than 14 sols per 45 inches
length.] Lace trims for men were to be limited to the collar edging, the hem