This same rich golden stuff had a third and even better known name, to be found all through our early literature as _Cloth of Pall_. The state cloak (in Latin pallium, in Anglo-saxon paell), worn alike by men as well as women, was always made of the most gorgeous stuff that could be found. From a very early period in the mediæval ages golden webs shot in silk with one or other of the various colours, occasionally blue but oftener crimson, were sought for through so many years, and everywhere, that at last each sort of cloth of gold had given to it the name of “pall,” no matter the immediate purpose to which it might have to be applied or after what fashion. Vestments for sacred use and garments for knights and ladies were equally made of it. The word is common enough in the church inventories. As to worldly use, the king’s daughter in the ‘Squire of low degree’ had Mantell of ryche degre Purple palle and armyne fre: and in the poem of Sir Isumbras-- The rich queen in hall was set; Knights her served, at hand and feet In rich robes of pall. For ceremonial receptions our kings used to order that every house should be “curtained” along the streets which the procession would have to take through London, “incortinaretur.” How this was done we learn from Chaucer in the ‘Knight’s tale’; By ordinance, thurghout the cite large Hanged with cloth of gold, and not with sarge; as well as from the ‘Life of Alexander:’ Al theo city was by-hong Of riche baudekyns and pellis (palls) among. Hence, when Elizabeth, queen of Henry the seventh, “proceeded from the towre throwge the citie of London (for her coronation) to Westminster, al the strets ther wich she shulde passe by, were clenly dressed and besene with clothes of tappestreye and arras. And some strets, as Cheepe, hangged with rich clothes of gold, velvetts, and silks, etc.” Machyn in his diary tells us that as late as 1555 “Bow chyrche in London was hangyd with cloth of gold and with ryche hares (arras).” Both in England and abroad, it was customary in the middle ages to provide richly decorated palls with which to cover the biers of dead people: more especially the members of various guilds. Some of these are still existing; one, belonging to the London fishmongers’ company; another, of the fifteenth century, is in the museum at Amiens. [Illustration: Mortuary Cloth from the church of Folleville (Somme), now in the museum at Amiens.]