238 BOMBICIP^F,— STLK-WOllM MOTHS. 



to have been the first Frondi king who wore silk stockings. 

 Tlie invention, liowever, originally came from Spain, 

 whence silk stockings were brought over to England to 

 Henrv YIII. and Edward YI. 



It i'^s stated, that at the celebration of the marriage between 

 Margaret, daughter of Henry III., and Alexander III. of 

 Scotland, in the year 1251, a most extravagant display of 

 magnificence was made by one thousand English knights 

 appearing in suits of silk. It appears also by the 33d of 

 Henry \I., cap. 5, that there was a company of silk- 

 women ill England as early as the year 1455 ; but these 

 were probably employed rather in embroidering and making 

 small haberdasheries^, than in the broad manufacture, which 

 was not introduced till the year 1G20. 



Sir Thomas Gresham, in a letter to Sir William Cecil, 

 Elizabeth's great minister, dated Antwerp, April 30th, 

 15G0, says: "I have wTitten into Spain for silk hose both 

 for you and my lady, your wife, to whom, it may please 

 you, I may be remembered." These silk hose, of a black 

 color, were accordingly soon after sent by Gresham to 

 Cecil.i 



Hose were, in England, up to the time of Henry YIII., 

 made out of ordinary cloth :' the King's own were formed 

 of yard-wide taffata. It was only by chance that he might 

 obtain a pair of silk hose from Spain. His son, Edward YI., 

 received as a present from Sir Thomas Gresham — Stow 

 speaks of it as a great present — "a pair of long Spanish 

 silk stockings." For some years longer, silk stockings 

 continued to be a great rarity. "In the second year of 

 'Queen Elizabeth," says Stow, ''her silk- woman. Mistress 

 Montague, presented her Majesty with a pair of black knit- 

 silk sto'ckings for a Xew-Year's gift; the which, after a few 

 days' wearing, pleased her Highness so well, that she sent 

 for Mistress Montague, and asked her where she had them, 

 and if she could help her to any more ; who answered, say- 

 ing, 'I made them very carefully, of purpose only for your 

 Majesty, and, seeing these please you so well, I will pres- 

 ently set more in hand.' 'Do so,' quoth the Queen, 'for 

 indeed I hke silk stockings so well, because they are pleas- 

 ant, fine, and delicate, that henceforth I will wear no more 



Burgon's Life of Sir Thnma.<i Crfsham, 1«.^9, i. 110, 802. 



