st, since the relic was
ultimately bought by the Bishop of Landaff (Van Mildert) for 20_l._ By
him it was presented to the corporation of Plymouth, who still possess
it.

FOOTNOTE:

[123] He contrived, by means of a Venetian priest, his spy, to obtain
a copy of a letter from Philip to the Pope; a gentleman of the
bedchamber taking the keys of the cabinet from the pockets of his
holiness as he slept. Upon intelligence thus obtained, Walsingham got
those Spanish bills protested at Genoa which should have supplied
money for the preparations.

CHAPTER XX.

ON STITCHERY.

"Here have I cause in men just blame to find,
That in their proper praise too partial bee,
And not indifferent to womankind,

* * * * *

Scarse do they spare to one, or two, or three,
Rowme in their writtes; yet the same writing small
Does all their deedes deface, and dims their glories all."

Faerie Queene.

"Christine, whiche understode these thynges of Dame
Reason, replyed upon that in this manere. Madame Ise wel
{that} ye myght fynde ynowe & of grete nombre of women
praysed in scyences and in crafte; but knowe ye ony that
by {the} vertue of their felynge & of subtylte of wytte
_haue founde of themselfe_ ony newe craftes and scyences
necessary, good, & couenable that were neuer founde
before nor knowne? for it is not so grete maystry to
folowe and to lerne after ony other scyence founde and
comune before, as it is to fynde of theymselfe some newe
thynge not accustomed before.

"_Answere._--Ne doubte ye not {the} contrary my dere
frende but many craftes and scyences ryght notable hathe
ben founde by the wytte and subtylte of women, as moche
by speculacyon of understandynge, the whiche sheweth
them by wrytynge, as in craftes, {that} sheweth theym
_in werkynge of handes_ & of laboure."

_The Boke of the Cyte of Ladyes._

Again we must lament that the paucity of historical record lays us
under the necessity of concluding, by inference, what we would fain
have displayed by direct testimony. The respectable authority quoted
above affirms that "many craftes and scyences ryght notable hathe ben
founde by the wytte and subtylte of women," and it specifies
particularly "werkynge of handes," by which we suppose the "talented"
author means needlework. That the necessity for this p