The "costly and delicate needle-work" is here, as elsewhere, passed over with merely a mention. It is, naturally, too insignificant a subject to task the attention of those whose energies are devoted to describing the warfare and welfare of kingdoms and thrones. Thus did we look only to professed historians, though enough exists in their pages to evidence the existence of such productions as those which form the subject of our chapter, our evidence would be meagre indeed as to the minuter details: but as the "novel" now describes those minutiae of every day life which we should think it ridiculous to look for in the writings of the politician or historian, so the romances of the days of chivalry present us with descriptions which, if they be somewhat redundant in ornament, are still correct in groundwork; and the details gathered from romances have in, it may be, unimportant circumstances, that accidental corroboration from history which fairly stamps their faithfulness in more important particulars: and it has been shown, says the author of 'Godefridus,' by learned men, in the memoirs of the French Academy of Inscriptions, that they may be used in common with history, and as of equal authority whenever an inquiry takes place respecting the _spirit and manners of the ages_ in which they were composed. But we are writing a dissertation on romance instead of describing the "clodes ryche," to which we must now proceed. So highly was a facility in the use of the needle prized in these "ould ancient times," that a wandering damsel is not merely _tolerated_ but _cherished_ in a family in which she is a perfect stranger, solely from her skill in this much-loved art. After being exposed in an open boat, Emare was rescued by Syr Kadore, remained in his castle, and there-- "She tawghte hem to _sewe_ and _marke_ All _maner of sylkyn werke_, Of her they wer ful fayne."[41] Syr Kadore says of her-- "She ys the konnyngest wommon, I trowe, that be yn Crystendom, Of _werk_ that y have sene." And again describing her-- "She _sewed sylke_ werk yn bour." This same accomplished and luckless lady had, princess though she was, every advantage of early tuition in this notable art, having been sent in her childhood to a lady called Abro, who not only taught her "curtesye and thewe" (virtue and good manners), but also "Golde and sylke for to sewe, Amonge maydenes moo:" evidently an old dame's school; where, however, we may infer from the arrangement of the accomplishments taught, and the special mention of needlework, that the extra expense would be for the _sewing_; whereas, in our time and country (or county), the routine has been, "REDING AND SOING, THREE-PENCE A WEEK: A PENY EXTRA FOR MANNERS." This expensive and troublesome acquirement--the art of sewing in "golde and silke"--was of general adoption: gorgeous must have been the appearance of the damsels and knights of those days, when their