Although it is certain that the art of figure-weaving was then known in Bri tain, it must be owned, that the piece of tapestry just mentioned owes most of its beauty to the exquisite needle-work with which it is adorned.
About the close of the eleventh centu ry, the clothing arts had acquired a con siderable degree of improvement in this island. About that time, the weavers in all the great towns were formed into guilds or corporations, and had various privileges bestowed upon them by royal charters. In the reign of Richard I. the woollen manufacture became the subject of legislation ; and a law was made, A. D. 1197, for regulating the fabrication and sale of cloth. The number of weavers, however, was comparatively small, until the policy of the wise and liberal Ed ward III. encouraged the art, by the most advantageous offers of reward and en couragement to foreign cloth-workers and weavers who would come and settle in England. In the year 1331, two wea vers came from Brabant, and settled at York. The superior skill and dexterity of these men, who communicated their knowledge to others, soon manifested it self in the improvement and spread of the art of weaving in this island.
Many weavers from Flanders were dri ven into England by the cruel persecu tions of the duke of D'Alva, in the year 1567, who settled in different parts of the kingdom, and introduced, or promoted, the manufacture of baizes, serges, crapes, and other stuffs.
About the year 1686, nearly 50,000 ma nufacturers, of various descriptions, took refuge in Britain, in consequence of the revocation of the edict of Nantz, and other acts of religious persecution com mitted by Louis XIV. These improve ments, &c, chiefly related to linen weav ing.
The arts of spinning, throwing, and weaving silk, were brought into England about the middle of the fifteenth century, and were practised by a company of wo men in London, called silk-women. A bout A. D.1480, men began to engage in the silk manufacture, and the art of silk weaving, in England, soon arrived at ver y great perfection.
The civil dissentions which followed this period, retarded the progress of this art; but afterwards, when the nation was at rest, the arts of peace, and, among others, that of weaving, made rapid ad vances in almost every part of the kingdom. It has been generally suppos ed, that silk-weaving, particularly that of figure-weaving, has never been brought to that perfection in England, to which it has attained in other countries. Our silk
weavers, however, seem at length deter mined to remove this reproach. For this purpose a most magnificent undertaking ;s at this time begun by the weavers in Spitalfields, London ; the object of which is "to remove those prejudices which have long prevailed in favour of foreign manufactures." This object is intended to be accomplished by the "weaving of certain flags, for public exhibition, on which are to appear figures, flowers, and other devices," interwoven with various coloured silks.
After considerable labour and expense, this design is now begun to be put into execution, under the superintendance of a committee, who are appointed to re ceive subscriptions, and conduct the execution of the plans, &c. Mr. William Titford, of Union-street, Bishopsgate, has been appointed treasurer by the commit tee, and the undertaking is now making advances towards its final accomplish ment. The weaving of the first flag is begun, and about twelve or fourteen inches of it completed. The designs for this flag are curious and well executed. They represent, within a large oval, "a female figure, with a dejected aspect, re clining on a remnant of brocade. ' Two figures, representing Enterprise and Ge nius, appear to encourage the dejected female. In the back ground is the Tem ple of Fame, on the top of which is a flag bearing the weaver's arms, to which Ge nius is directing the attention of the re clining figure. The four corners of this design, which are intended to be correct ly engraved, are ornamented with appro priate emblematical figures of Peace, In dustry, &c. It is two yards wide ; and the figures in the body of the design are drawn nearly as large as life; but the silks, being all dyed fast colours, have not that brilliant appearance, in the work, which could have been wished. What makes this piece of work more curious, and will convey an extraordinary stability to its texture, is, that it has a satin ground, and is brocaded on both sides exactly alike. The threads of the weh, or porry, arc upwards of 48,900, the lead attached to the harness weighs upwards of 500 pounds, and the shuttles constantly in use, amount to upwards of 500. Two men are employed in the weaving, who are able to make, upon an average, about three-quarters of an inch daily.