The specimens of Indian pillow-laces, wrought with white and black threads, in the India Museum, are apparently made in single pieces, and not as in Honiton laces, by separate flowers, which are subsequently placed together for the ground to be worked in between them.[264] "A missionary taught a few Chinese women to make silk lace from the wild silk of this part of China," reports Consul Bullock from Chefoo (at the request of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce), but the small quantity of lace so produced is sold to Europeans only. The Chinese do not care to buy it. Acting Consul Trotman also reported from Hangkow, that a large quantity of hand-made lace is made in the Roman Catholic orphanages there, but this was entirely for European consumption. White lace in China is not woven by the natives, for white and blue being the national mourning colours, and severe simplicity of dress being _de rigueur_ on these occasions, lace of these colours has no sale.[265] {90}CHAPTER VI. SPAIN. "Of Point d'Espagne a rich cornet, Two night rails and a scarf beset, With a large lace and collaret." --Evelyn, _Voyage to Marryland_. "Hat laced with gold Point d'Espagne."[266] --Wardrobe of a Pretty Fellow, _Roderick Random_. "The Count: 'Voglio una punta di Spagna, larga, massiccia, ben lavorata. Del disegno, della ricchezza, ma niente di luccicante."--Goldoni, _L'Avaro fastoso_. Spanish point, in its day, has been as celebrated as that of Flanders and Italy. Tradition declares Spain to have learned the art from Italy, whence she communicated it to Flanders, who, in return, taught Spain how to make pillow-lace. Though the dress of the Court, guided not by the impulse of fashion, but by sumptuary laws, gave little encouragement to the fabric, on the other hand, the numberless images of our Lady and other patron saints, dressed and redressed daily in the richest vestments, together with the albs of the priests and the decorations of the altars, caused an immense consumption of lace for ecclesiastical purposes. "Of so great value," says Beckford, "were the laces of these favoured Madonnas, that in 1787 the Marchioness of Cogalhudo, wife of the eldest son of the semi-royal race of Medino Coeli, was appointed Mistress of the Robes to our Lady of La Solidad, at Madrid, a much-coveted office." {91}[Illustration: Fig. 43. THE WORK-ROOM.--(From an engraving of the Sixteenth Century after Stradan.)]