etending, unless set
off by a rich embroidery of gold. The first embroideries of the Romans
were but bands of stuff, cut or twisted, which they put on the
dresses: the more modest used only one band; others two, three, four,
up to seven; and from the number of these the dresses took their
names, always drawn from the Greek: molores, dilores, trilores,
tetralores, &c.

Pliny seems to be the authority whence most writers derive their
accounts of ancient garments and needlework.

"The coarse rough wool with the round great haire hath been of ancient
time highly commended and accounted of in tapestrie worke: for even
Homer himself witnesseth that they of the old world used the same
much, and tooke great delight therein. But this tapestrie is set out
with colours in France after one sort, and among the Parthians after
another. M. Varro writeth that within the temple of Sangus there
continued unto the time that he wrote his booke the wooll that lady
Tanaquil, otherwise named Caia Cecilia, spun; together with her
distaff and spindle: as also within the chapel of Fortune, the very
roiall robe or mantle of estate, made in her own hands after the
manner of water chamlot in wave worke, which Servius Tullius used to
weare. And from hence came the fashion and custome at Rome, that when
maidens were to be wedded, there attended upon them a distaffe,
dressed and trimmed with kombed wooll, as also a spindle and yearne
upon it. The said Tanaquil was the first that made the coat or
cassocke woven right out all through; such as new beginners (namely
young souldiers, barristers, and fresh brides) put on under their
white plaine gowns, without any guard of purple. The waved water
chamelot was from the beginning esteemed the richest and bravest
wearing. And from thence came the branched damaske in broad workes.
Fenestella writeth that in the latter time of Augustus Caesar they
began at Rome to use their gownes of cloth shorne, as also with a
curled nap.--As for those robes which are called crebrae and
papaveratae, wrought thicke with floure worke, resembling poppies, or
pressed even and smooth, they be of greater antiquitie: for even in
the time of Lucilius the poet Torquatus was noted and reproved for
wearing them. The long robes embrodered before, called praetextae, were
devised first by the Tuscanes. The Trabeae were roiall robes, and I
find that kings and princes only ware them. In Homer's time also they
used garments embrodered with