170 THE HISTORY OF SILK 



tial benefit to his people by the propagation of an 

 insect which was of such great commercial import- 

 ance to other states. It is a ciuious fact, that Sully, 

 whom the king generally consulted on any import- 

 ant measure, used all his eloquence to dissuade 

 him against the measure, who, in opposition to an 

 opinion which he generally respected, imported the 

 insect, which throve amazingly, and the result was 

 soon crowned by a successful and beneficial esta- 

 blishment of numerous silk manufactories in dif- 

 ferent provinces throughout the kingdom. 



The increase of demand for silks in England 

 attracted the attention of Queen Mary, and, to check 

 the pride of the citizens, which appeared to her as 

 too aspiring, she, in the year 1.554', enacted, " That 

 whoever shall wear silk in or upon his or her hat, 

 bonnet, or girdle, scabbard, hose, shoes, or spur- 

 leather, shall be imprisoned during three months, 

 and forfeit ten pounds." Magistrates of corporations 

 and esquires were exempt from the penalties of this 

 statute. 



During the reign of James I. of Scotland, silk was 

 a very rare article in his kingdom ; for we are told 

 that that monarch had not a pair of silk stockings in 

 his possession when he was to receive the English 

 ambassador, and had to apply to a subject, who, it 

 appears, was better provided, for the loan of a pair. 

 This was the Earl of Mar, to whom the king said, 

 in an impressive manner, " You would not, sure. 



