and material; of the colours in the woollen garments worn by each of the three several classes into which our Bardic order was apportioned. Of the checkered pattern in Boadicea's cloak we have spoken just now, p. xii.
Of the beauty and wide repute of English needlework, we shall have to speak when, a little further on, we reach the subject of embroidery.
From John Garland's words, which we gave at p. xxii, it would seem that all the lighter and more tasteful webs wrought here came from women's hands; and the loom, one of which must have been in almost every English nunnery and homestead, was of the simplest make.
In olden times, the Egyptians wove in an upright loom, and beginning at top so as to weave downwards, sat at their work. In Palestine the weaver had an upright loom too, but beginning at bottom and working upwards, was obliged to stand. During the mediæval period the loom, here at least, was horizontal, as is shown by the one figured in that gorgeously illuminated Bedford Book of Hours, fol. 32, at which the Blessed Virgin Mary is seated weaving curtains for the temple.
As samples of one of the several kinds of work wrought by our nuns and mynchens, as well as English ladies, we refer to Nos. 1233, p. 24, 1256, p. 33, 1270, p. 38, demonstrating the ability of their handicraft as well as elegance in design during the thirteenth century. For specimens of the commoner sorts of silken textiles and of wider breadth, which began to be woven in this country under Edward III., it would be as hard as hazardous to direct the reader. Very recent examples of all sorts—velvets among the rest—may be found in the Brooke collection. To some students the piece of Old English printed chintz, No. 1622, p. 84, will not be without an interest.
For the finer sort of linen napery, Eylisham or Ailesham in Lincolnshire was famous during the fourteenth century. Exeter cathedral, A.D. 1327, had "unum manutergium de Eylisham"—a hand towel of Ailesham cloth.[1]
Our coarser native textiles in wool, in thread or in both, woven together, forming a stuff called "burel," made of which St. Paul's London, A.D. 1295, had a light blue chasuble;[2] and Exeter cathedral, A.D. 1277, a long pall;[3] all sorts, in fine, of heavier work, were wrought in our monasteries for men. By their rule the Benedictine monks, and all their offsets, were bound to give a certain number of hours every week-day to hand work, either at home or in the field.[4]
