CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY OF THE SILK MANUFACTURE CONTINUED FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF SILK-WORMS INTO EUROPE, A. D. 530, TO THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.

A. D. 530.--Introduction of silk-worms into Europe--Mode by which it was effected--The Serinda of Procopius the same with the modern Khotan--The silk-worm never bred in Sir-hind--Silk shawls of Tyre and Berytus--Tyrannical conduct of Justinian--Ruin of the silk manufactures--Oppressive conduct of Peter Barsames--Menander Protector--Surprise of Maniak the Sogdian ambassador--Conduct of Chosroes, king of Persia--Union of the Chinese and Persians against the Turks--The Turks in self-defence seek an alliance with the Romans--Mortification of the Turkish ambassador--Reception of the Byzantine ambassador by Disabul, king of the Sogdiani--Display of silk textures--Paul the Silentiary’s account of silk--Isidorus Hispalensis. Mention of silk by authors in the seventh century--Dorotheus, Archimandrite of Palestine--Introduction of silk-worms into Chubdan, or Khotan--Theophylactus Simocatta--Silk manufactures of Turfan--Silk known in England in this century--First worn by Ethelbert, king of Kent--Use of by the French kings--Aldhelmus’s beautiful description of the silk-worm--Simile between weaving and virtue. Silk in the eighth century--Bede. In the tenth century--Use of silk by the English, Welsh, and Scotch kings. Twelfth century--Theodoras Prodromus--Figured shawls of the Seres--Ingulphus describes vestments of silk interwoven with eagles and flowers of gold--Great value of silk about this time--Silk manufactures of Sicily--Its introduction into Spain. Fourteenth century--Nicholas Tegrini--Extension of the Silk manufacture through Europe, illustrated by etymology--Extraordinary beauty of silk and golden textures used in the decoration of churches in the middle ages--Silk rarely mentioned in the ninth, eleventh, or thirteenth centuries 66