LnpiboPTERA. 2\y 



nesus lost Its old name, and was called the Morea, from the Latin 

 name for "mnlbeny," morns. '^ 



Constantinople and Greece, during centuries, furnished the whole 

 of Europe with silkworms. This diffusion, however, was effected 

 very slowly. The Greeks attached great importance to retaining the 

 •monopoly, and the emperor Justinian had caused to be established 

 at Constantinople itself silk manufactories, where the most skilful 

 artificers of Asia, who were forbidden to reveal the various processes 

 to strangers, worked. 



Towards the beginning of the eighth century the Arabs introduced 

 'the silkworm into Spain. But this industry remained confined within 

 narrow limits. It was in fact not till after the twelfth century that 

 sericulture began to spread throughout Europe. Roger, King of 

 the Two Sicilies, possessing a navy that commanded the Mediter- 

 ranean, employed it chiefly in making excursions and conquests. He 

 ravaged Greece, and, not satisfied with the booty he carried away 

 from that unfortunate country, wished still further to deprive them, 

 for the good of his own kingdom, of the silk monopoly, the source 

 of their riches. Roger carried away into Sicily and Naples a great 

 number of prisoners, amongst whom were some weavers and men 

 who had devoted themselves to the rearing of silkworms. He 

 established these workmen in houses adjoining his own palace at 

 Palermo. There they dyed the silk of different colours, and mixed 

 it with gold, pearls, and precious stones. 



From Sicily the art of preparing silk spread over the rest of Italy. 

 In 1204 the workers in silk constituted themselves into a syndicate 

 at Florence. It is not, however, till 1423 — more than two hundred 

 years after the introduction of this branch of industry into Italy — that 

 we find the first mention of the cultivation of the mulberry tree in 

 Tuscany. In 1440 each Tuscan peasant was forced to plant at least 

 five mulberry trees on the land he cultivated. In 1474 the com- 

 merce in silk fabrics with all parts of the world had become extremely 

 prosperous at Florence. In 13 14 the Venetian manufactures began 

 to assume much importance. Three thousand workers in silk were 

 then established in Venice. 



Without dwelling longer on the propagation of the silk trade in 

 Italy, let us pass on to its establishment in France. It was in 1340 

 that some French gentlemen, who had stayed some time in Naples, 

 planted in Avignon the first mulberry trees.t According to Olivier 



* Others derive the name from more, the Slavonic word for the sea. See "On 

 he Study of Words ;" by Abp. Trench.— Ed. 



t De Gasparin, "Essai sur rintroduction des Vers a Soie en Europe," p. 70. 



