MOTH. 
235 
most earnest terms, particularly in the year l608, 
to plant mulberry-trees for the propagation of 
silkworms, but unhappily without effect; though 
from various experiments, recorded in the Philo- 
sophical Transactions, &c. it appears that the silk- 
worm thrives and works as well in England as in 
any other part of Europe. It should not here be 
omitted that James the first, while King of Scot- 
land, is said to have once written to the Earl of 
Mar, one of his friends, to borrow a pair of silk 
stockings, in order to appear with becoming dig- 
nity before the English Ambassador; concluding 
his epistle with these words; for ye Avould not, 
sure, that your King should appear like a scrub 
before strangers.” This shews the great rarity of 
silk articles at that period in Scotland; and we 
are told that our own Queen Elizabeth was pre- 
sented by her silk-woman Mrs. Montague, with 
a pair of black silk stockings, with wdiich her 
Majesty was so captivated that she resolved in 
future to wear no other stockings than silk ones. 
Towards the end of James the first’s reign, viz. 
about 1620, the broad silk-manufacture w as intro- 
duced into this country, and prosecuted wdth great 
vigour and advantage. In 1629 the silk-manu- 
facture was become so considerable in London, 
that the silk throw^sters of the city and parts ad- 
jacent were incorporated, under the names of 
Master, Wardens, &c. of the Silk-Throwsters, and 
in 1661 this company employed above forty thou- 
sand persons. The revocation of the edict of Nantes, 
