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