"A certain kind of embroidery, or cut-work in linen, was much used in
Denmark before lace came in from Brabant," writes Professor Thomsen. "This
kind of work is still in use among the peasants, and you will often have
observed it on their bed-clothes."
The art of lace-making itself is supposed to have been first brought over
by the fugitive monks at the Reformation, or to have been introduced by
Queen Elizabeth,[729] sister of Charles V., and wife of Christian II., that
good queen who, had her husband been more fortunate, would, says the
chronicler, "have proved a second Dagmar to Denmark."
Lace-making has never been practised as a means of livelihood throughout
Denmark. It is only in the province of North Schleswig (or South Jutland,
as it is also called) that a regular manufacture was established. It is
here that King Christian IV. appears to have made his purchases; and while
travelling in Schleswig, entries constantly occur in his journal book, from
1619 to 1625, such as, "Paid to a female lace-worker 28 rixdollars--71
specie to a lace-seller for lace for the use of the children," and many
similar {273}notices.[730] It was one of those pieces of Tönder lace that
King Christian sends to his Chamberlain, with an autograph letter, ordering
him to cut out of it four collars of the same size and manner as Prince
Ulrik's Spanish. They must contrive also to get two pairs of manchettes out
of the same.
In the museum of the palace at Rosenborg are still preserved some shirts of
Christian IV., trimmed with Schleswig lace of great beauty (Fig. 115), and
in his portrait, which hangs in Hampton Court Palace, the lace on his shirt
is of similar texture.
[Illustration: Fig. 115.
SHIRT COLLAR OF CHRISTIAN IV.--(Castle of Rosenborg, Copenhagen.)]
It was in the early part of this monarch's reign[731] that the celebrated
Golden Horn, so long the chief treasure of the Scandinavian Museum at
Copenhagen, was found by a young {274}lace-maker on her way to her work.
She carried her prize to the king, and with the money he liberally bestowed
upon her she was enabled, says tradition, to marry the object of her
choice.
The year 1647 was a great epoch in the lace-making of Jutland. A merchant
named Steenbeck, taking a great interest in the fabric, engaged twelve
persons from Dortmund, in Westphalia, to improve the trade, and settled
them at Tönder, to teach the manufacture to both men and women, rich and
poor. These twelve persons are described as aged men, with long beards,
which, while making lace, they gathered into bags, to prevent the hair from
becoming entangled among the bobbins. The manufacture soon made great
progress under their guidance, and extended to the south-western part of
Ribe, and to the island of Romö.[732] The lace was sold by means of "lace
postmen," as they were termed, who carried their wares throughout all
Scandinavia and parts of Germany.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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