[357] The Venetians early made much lace for furniture or ecclesiastical linen adornment, of what they called “maglia quadrata,” which was usually squared netting, afterwards filled in with patterns in darned needlework. This somewhat primitive style of lace trimming was popular on account of its simplicity, and descended to the peasantry for their domestic decorations in Spain, Germany, France, and Italy. There are specimens of this work believed to be of the thirteenth century. At the time of the Renaissance the simple geometrical designs developed into animals, fruits, flowers, and human figures.
[358] See Rock, p. cix, cx. He says that a sort of embroidery was called network, and certain drawn work he calls “opus filatorium.” See Catalogue of Textiles in the South Kensington Museum, by D. Rock, p. cxxvii.
[359] Reminding us of the description of a net—“holes tied together by a string.” As a contrast in descriptive style, we would quote Dr. Johnson on network: “Anything reticulated or decussated at equal distances, with interstices between the intersections.”—Johnson’s Dictionary.
[360] Isaiah iii. 18, xix. 9.
[361] The nets of chequer work which hung round the capitals, with the wreaths of chain work, were designed by Hiram of Tyre, at Solomon’s desire (1 Kings vii. 17).
[362] A fringe lace is made on the Riviera, of the fibres of the aloe, and is called “macramè,” which is an Arabic word. Mrs. Palliser’s “History of Lace,” p. 64.
[363] A collar of fine white human hair was made in point lace stitches at Venice, and worn at his coronation by Louis Quatorze. It cost 250 pieces of gold. “Scritti di V. Zanon da Udine” (1829). Cited by Urbani de Gheltof, “Merletti di Venezia,” pp. 22, 23.
[364] See, for example, the inventory of the household goods of the great Earl of Leicester at Longleat; also the lists of the possessions of Ippolito and Angela Sforza (sixteenth century).
[365] Coloured thread and silk laces are still made in Venice.
[366] In the British Museum.