bert, introduced the fecret into France of dying woollen
■of that beautiful fcarlet called after their name, "which
was done with the kermes that had been long in ufe in
Flanders, 'where many old pieces of tapeilry, though
above- two hundred years old, had fcarcely loft any thing
o f their bloom. But cochineal, being now introduced
into the dyehoufe, fo called from the latin word cocci-
nella, as a diminutive o f coccum, and giving that
briehtnefs to fcarlet, at firft called D ? Dutch, and afterwards
Paris fcarlet, the invention-of which, according
to Kunkel, is owing to Kufter, a German, by means of a
folution o f tin in aqua regia ; the kermes then began
to decline, and yield in its turn as the murex had done
before, of which Colbert makes, a particular complaint,
in his general inftru&ions to the dyers of France, in the
year 1671(0). Infenfibly, the kermes was totally laid
(a) As the Phoenicians negleCted the antient purple, and gave a preference to the fcarlet,
-whofe colour is lefs coftly arid more beautiful ; juft fo, .the French have forfaken out fcarlet
for that of the Dutch. This new-invented colour was at fit ft in efteem on account'of its
brightnefs; but being lefs durable than that Of France, and under a notion that they were
both equally liable to fpots, they were Toon laid afide, which occafioned the downfal of our
mod valuable cloth manufactures, where this colour was fo much in ufe, particularly amongft
our nobility, that few were without a fcarlet cloak o f‘cloth, much preferable to thofe of Barracan
now in faftriori, which’ are of foreign manufacture, lefs becoming, and alfo dearer, if we
confider the fhort time they laft. Chap. 304. “ Again in the next chapter Therefore, to
ireinftate our cloth manufactory and vermilion dye, (the kermes) it ihould be introduced
amongft the nobility and army as thenobleft of colours, moft fuitabic to their rank; befides
cloth being more ferviceable, either o f this, or any other colour, than thofe flimfy Barracans,
we import from abroad* General inftruCtions of Colbert, 1671.
afide,
Hi