"La manufacture des points de France, appelés dans le pays velin."—Savary, Vol. I., p. 108.
"The expression is still used. When the author inquired at Alençon the way to the house of Mr. R., a lace manufacturer, she was asked in return if it was 'Celui qui fait le velin?'"—Mrs. Palliser.
In 1788 Arthur Young states the number of lace-makers at and about Alençon to be from 8,000 to 9,000."—Travels in France.
Madame Despierres, however, states that only 500 or 600 lace-workers left Alençon on the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, as there were not 4,000 lace-workers then in the town.
He deducts 150,000 livres for the raw material, the Lille thread, which was used at prices ranging from 60 to 1,600 livres per pound; from 800 to 900 livres for good fine point; but Lille at that time fabricated thread as high as 1,800 livres per pound.
In 1705 there were ten processes:—(1) Le dessin; (2) le picage; (3) la trace; (4) les fonds; (5) la dentelure ou bride à picots; (6) la brode; (7) l'enlevage; (8) l'éboulage; (9) le régalage; (10) l'assemblage.
Mrs. Palliser gives eighteen processes, and states that this number is now reduced to twelve. The workwomen were:—(1) The piqueuse; (2) traceuse; (3) réseleuse; (4) remplisseuse; (5) fondeuse; (6) modeuse; (7) brodeuse; (8) ébouleuse; (9) régaleuse; (10) assembleuse; (11) toucheuse; (12) brideuse; (13) boucleuse; (14) gazeuse; (15) mignonneuse; (16) picoteuse; (17) affineuse; (18) affiquese.