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CHAPTER Y. GREECE. We have already spoken of Greece as the cradle of embioideiy, and in those islands which escaped the domination of the Tuiks the art still lingered on. Cyprus, to whom in after times proud Venice gave a queen, was renowned for its gold, its stuffs, and its needlework. As early as 13d.3, in an inventory of the Dukes of Enrgundy, we find noted “ un petit pourpoint de satin noii et est la gorgerette de maille d'argent de Cliippre ’ a collar of silver network. 1 In our own country, thirty years later, we have a statute touch ing the deceitful works oi the embroiderers of gold or of silvei of Cipre, which shall be forfeited to the king. 2 But the secret of these cunning works became, after a time, known throughout Europe. Of outworks or laces from Cyprus 3 and the islands of the Grecian seas, there is no mention; but we hear much of a certain Point known to the commerce of the seventeenth century as that °f Ragusa, which again, after an ephemeral existence, disappears from the scene. Of Ragusa, says Anderson, “ her citizens, though a Bopish state, are manufacturers to a man.” Certain it is that this little republic, closely allied with the Italian branches of the house of Austria, served them with its navy, and in return received from them protection. Ihe commerce of liagusa consisted in bearing the products of the Greek islands and Turkey to Venice, Ancona, and the kingdom of Naples; hence it might be inferred that those fine productions of the Greek con vents which, of late years, have been so much brought before the public notice were first introduced into Italy by the merchants of Dalmatia, and received on that account the denomination of “ points Laborde, “ Glossaire,” Paris, 1853. gives “ Ciprioto.’ 2 Statute 2 Hon. VI. c. x. = 1423. 4 “ Description de Raguse.” Bib. Nat. Paglienti, 1530, among liis punti, MSS. P. Fr. 10,772. F