MOTH. 





most earnest terms, particularly in the year l(X)S, 

 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 would 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 bv her silk-woman Mr^. Montague, with 

 a pair of black silk stockings, with which 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 was intro- 

 duced into this country, and prosecuted with great 

 vigour and advantage. In 1629 the silk-manu- 

 facture was become so considerable in London, 

 that the silk throwsters of the city and parts ad- 

 jacent were incorporated, under the names of 

 Master, Wardens, &c. of the Silk-Throwsters, and 

 in l66l this company employed above forty thou- 

 sand persons. The re vocation of the edict of Nantes, 



