112 



kirtles were prohibited by act of parliament. But so wedded te 

 the use of silk were the " naked Irishry," as the calumnious 

 Moryson unblushingly calls them, that in 1596 Spencer enumerates 

 silken fillets as one of the common parts of dress ;* and at that time 

 silk was a very costly article. 



Woollens of fine fabrick, it has been proved, were largely ex- 

 ported to Italy, where they were highly prized for their excellence, 

 so early as before 1357, f- when the manufacture of fine goods was 

 only introducing into England by Edward III. Therefore this art 

 was not acquired from their English masters ; but there is evidence 

 to prove that trade in this commodity was in full vigour at a still 

 earlier period, when the " very ancient" MS., quoted in the Delia 

 Crusca Dictionary, was written, at which time Irish serge appears 

 to have been much used by the luxurious ladies of Florence. J 



Woollen goods were imported from Ireland into England in 

 121 6,§ only forty-six years after the first Anglo-Norman invasion. 

 And still farther back, Donat, Bishop of Fiesole in Italy, describes 

 Ireland in 802 as being a country " rich in garments and cloth- 

 ing."f Manufactures and commerce are both of slow growth, 



* Spencer's View, p. 114, Edit. Dub. 

 t Transactions R. I. A. I. 20. 

 § Ibid. 



X Ibid. p. 22 England continued to import woollens both from Ireland and the Hans towns, 



down to Elizabeth's reign ; and Ireland continued to manufacture and export woollen of various 

 fabrics until Lord Stafford prohibited the practice. The long wool of Ireland was highly prized 

 by the French, and employed in their manufacture of fine cloth — Phil. Survey of the South 

 of Ireland, 193. 



II Stewart's Hist, of Armagh, 14-6 — 



Far westward lies an Isle of ancient fame. 

 By nature bless'd, and Scotia is her name ; 

 An island rich — exaustless is her store 

 Of veiny silver, and of golden ore ; 



