While reading "The Turkish Embassy Letters" by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
(Virago 1995, edited by Anita Desai), I came across the following
tantalising passages. Lady Montagu's husband was appointed British
Ambassador to Turkey in 1716 and they travelled across Europe and back for
his posting, along with a young child, and a second born on the trip.
Educated, well brought up and curious, she has some fascinating, albeit
opinionated and not always accurate, comments on the places and people she
saw, and is also credited with introducing the Turkish method of smallpox
inoculation into England.
At the start of her trip:, written in Rotterdam in August 1716:
"...I must not conclude without begging your pardon for not obeying your
commands in sending the lace you ordered me. Upon my word I can yet find
none that is not dearer than you may buy it in London. If you want any
Indian goods, here are great variety of pennyworths, and I shall follow your
orders with great pleasure and exactness..."
And near the end of the book, written on the trip back to Dover in October
1718:
"...I could not forebear being entertained by the double distress of a
fellow passenger? She was an English lady that I had met at Calais, who
desired me to let her go over with me in my cabin. She had bought a fine
point head [identified in a foot note as a "lace cap"] which she was
contriving to conceal from the custom house officers. When the wind grew
high and our little vessel cracked, she fell very heartily to her prayers
and thought wholly of her soul. When it seemed to abate she returned to the
worldly care of her headdress, and addressed herself to me. 'Dear madam,
will you take care of this point? If it should be lost...ah Lord! We shall
all be lost! Lord have mercy on my soul. Pray, madam, take care of this
headdress'. This easy transition from her soul to her headdress, and the
alternate agonies that both gave her, made it hard to determine which she
thought of greatest value."
There are a couple of mentions of the sumptuary laws and some general
comments on other textiles, but regrettably nothing else on lace...
Lady Montagu
JulieO in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, hosting the Canada Winter Games
February 23- March 10, 2007 - held north of 60 for the first time - with
lots of fresh snow, cold temperatures, and more daylight each day .
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