d man unto whom he gave a pair of
shears in the one hand and a piece of cloth in the other, to the
end that he should shape his apparel after such fashion as himself
liked, sith he could find no garment that could please him any
while together: and this he called an Englishman."

Edward the Confessor wore State robes which had been beautifully
embroidered with gold by his accomplished wife, Edgitha. In the
Royal Rolls of Edward III., in 1335, we find allusion to two vests
of green velvet embroidered respectively with sea sirens and coats
of arms. The tunics worn over armour offered great opportunities to
the needleworker. They were richly embroidered, usually in heraldic
style. When Symon, Bishop of Ely, performed the ceremony of Churching
for Queen Philippa, the royal dame bestowed upon him the gown which
she wore on that occasion; it is described as a murrey-coloured
velvet, powdered with golden squirrels, and was of such voluminous
pattern that it was cut over into three copes! Bridal gowns were
sometimes given to churches, as well.

St. Louis of France was what might be called temperate in dress.
The Sire de Joinville says he "never saw a single embroidered coat
or ornamented saddle in the possession of the king, and reproved
his son for having such things. I replied that he would have acted
better if he had given them in charity, and had his dress made of
good sendal, lined and strengthened with his arms, like as the
king his father had done!"

At the marriage of the Lord of Touraine in 1389, the Duke of Burgundy
presented magnificent habits and clothing to his nephew the Count
of Nevers: among these were tunics, ornamented with embroidered
trees conventionally displayed on their backs, fronts, and sleeves;
others showed heraldic blazonry, while a blue velvet tunic was
covered with balas rubies set in pearls, alternating with suns
of solid gold with great solitaire pearls as centres. Again, in
1390, when the king visited Dijon, he presented to the same nephew a
set of harnesses for jousting. Some of them were composed largely of
sheets of beaten gold and silver. In some gold and silver marguerites
were introduced also.

Savonarola reproved the Florentine nuns for employing
their valuable time in manufacturing "gold laces with which to
adorn persons and houses." The Florentine gold lace was very popular
in England, in the days of Henry VIII., and later the art was taken
up by the "wire-drawers" of England, and