"Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster, wife of John of Gaunt, wears a quilted silk cap with a three-pointed border of broad lace network." (Sandford. St. Paul's monument, after Dugdale.) "Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter, died 1425 (Sandford, p. 259), wore also a caul of network with a needlework edging."
In the Statute 2 Rich. II. = 1378, merchant strangers are allowed to sell in gross and in retail "gold wire or silver wire" and other such small ware. Neither in this nor in the Treaty 13 Rich. II. = 1390, between England, the Count of Flanders, and "les bonnes Gentz des Trois bonnes villes de Flandres Gand, Brugges et Ipre" (see Rymer), is there any mention of lace, which, even if fabricated, was of too little importance as an article of commerce to deserve mention save as other "small wares."
Pins not yet being in common use, any lace would be called "work of the needle."
3 Edw. IV., cap. iv.
"1463. John Barett bequeaths to 'My Lady Walgrave, my musk ball of gold with p̄le and lace.
"'Item, to John Eden, my o gr. of tawny silk with poynts of needle work—opus punctatum.'"—Bury Wills and Inventories.