Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

188 Arts a11d Crafts in the M:iddle Ages

in the sнn, а1·е bruised in а brazen mortar, and after­ wards washed, and "'hatsoever earthy substance st,icks to them is taken аway. Lastly, these threads are spun 1ike ordinary wool, and ,Yoven into cloth. And ,vhen they ,vould wblten those c1oths, they cast them into the fire for an hour, and then take them out unhшt whiter than snow. Afteг the same manneг they cleaнse them when they have taken any spots, for по other washing is used to them, besides the fire." In the :Мiddle Ages it "'ould have been possiЫe, as Lady Alford suggests, to play the gаше "Animal, VegetaЫe, or Mineral " with textiles only ! Bet\1t·eeп silk, hemp, cotton, gold, silYer, ,vool, fiax, camel's hair, and asbestos, surely tЪе three elements all played their parts. Since the first record of Eve having " sewn fig leaves together to шаkе aprons," women have used the needle iп some form. In England, it is said that the first needles were made Ьу an Indian, iн 1545, Ьеfоге "·hich time they "·еге import.ed. The old play, "Gammer Gurton's Needle," is based upon the extreme raгity of these domestic implements, and the calaшity occa­ sioned in а family Ьу their loss. There is а curious old story about а needle, which "'as supposed to possess magic powers. This needle is repoгted to have worked at night while its owner was гesting, saving her all personal responsibility about hег mending. When the old lady finally died, another owner claimed this charmed needle, and began at once to test its powers. But, do