saying that
they consist of "two irons, three fingers in breadth, narrow above
and below, everywhere thin, and perforated with three or four ranges,
through which holes wires are drawn." This would seem to be a primitive
form of the more developed instrument. Wire drawing was introduced
into England by Christian Schutz about 1560. In 1623 was incorporated
in London, "The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wire-Drawers."
The preamble of their charter reads thus: "The Trade Art of Drawing
and flattening of gold and silver wire, and making and spinning
of gold and silver thread and stuffe." It seems as though there
were some kind of work that corresponded to wire-drawing, earlier
than its supposed introduction, for a petition was sent to King
Henry VI. in 1423, by the "wise and worthy Communes of London, &
the Wardens of Broderie in the said Citie," requesting protection
against "deceit and default in the work of divers persons occupying
the craft of embroidery;" and in 1461 "An act of Common Council
was passed respecting the gold-drawers," showing that the art was
known to some extent and practised at that time. In the reign of
George II., in 1742, "An act to prevent the counterfeiting of gold
and silver lace and for the settling and adjusting the proportions
of fine silver and silk, and for the better making of gold and silver
lace," was passed.

Ecclesiastical vestments were often trimmed with heavy gold fringe,
knotted "fretty wise," and the embroideries were further enriched
with jewels and small plaques of enamel. Matthew Paris relates a
circumstance of certain garments being so heavily weighted with
gold that the clergy could not walk in them, and, in order to get
the solid metal out again, it was necessary to burn the garments
and thus melt the gold.

Jewelled robes were often seen in the Middle Ages; a chasuble is
described as having been made for the Abbot of St. Albans, in the
twelfth century, which was practically covered with plaques of gold
and precious stones. Imagine the unpleasant physical sensation
of a bishop in 1404, who was obliged to wear a golden mitre of
which the ground was set with large pearls, bordered with balas
rubies, and sapphires, and trimmed with indefinite extra pearls!

The body of St. Cecilia, who was martyred in 230, was interred in
a garment of pure woven gold.

The cloth of solid gold which was used for state occasions was
called "tissue;" the thin paper in which it was wrap