al strings and tassels. To describe one of these is
almost to describe all. The best preserved specimen I know belongs to a
little satin embroidered copy of the Psalms, printed in London in 1633,
and measures 5 inches long by 4 inches in depth.

[Illustration: 1--Embroidered Bag for Psalms. London, 1633.]

The same design is repeated on each side. A parrot on a small grass-plot
is in the middle of the lower edge. Behind the bird grow two curving
stems of thick gold braid, each curve containing a beautifully-worked
flower or fruit. In the centre is a carnation, and round it are arranged
consecutively a bunch of grapes, a pansy, a honeysuckle, and a double
rose, green leaves occurring at intervals. From the lower edge depend
three ornamental tassels of silver loops, with small acorns in silver
and coloured silks, one from the centre and one from each corner.

The top edge has two draw-strings of gold and red braid, each ending in
an ornamental oval acorn of silver thread and coloured silks, probably
worked on canvas over a wooden core, ending in a tassel similar to those
on the lower edge.

A long loop of gold and silver braid serves as a handle, or means of
attachment to a belt, and is fixed at each side near a strong double
loop of silver thread, used when pulling the bag open. The lining is of
pink silk. This particular bag is perfect in colour as well as
condition, but usually the silver has turned black, or nearly so.
Besides these very ornamental bags, others of quite simple workmanship
are occasionally found, worked in outline with coloured silks. As well
as the embroidered bags, certain rectangular cloths variously
ornamented, some richly, some plainly, were made and used for the
protection of embroidered books, when being read. These, like the bags,
only seem to have been used during the seventeenth century. A
particularly fine example belongs to a New Testament bound in
embroidered satin in 1640. It is of fine linen, measuring 16-1/2 by
9-1/4 inches, and is beautifully embroidered in a floral design, with
thick stalks of gold braid arranged in curves and bearing conventional
flowers and leaves, all worked in needle-point lace with coloured silks
in a wonderfully skilful manner.

In the centre is a double red rose with separate petals, and among the
other flowers are corn-flowers, honeysuckles, carnations, strawberries,
and several leaves, all worked in the same way, and appliques at their
edges. Some, howev