Silkewerk - Lace maskell (analysis)

Lace maskell (An analysis)

This is one of the more confusing braids because all three manuscripts offer slightly different instructions.

After braiding each one, and comparing the instructions side by side, I feel that the Serene braid is more likely what was intended in the earlier two manuscripts.

The Harliean braid is an unnecessary amount of work if this were the intended result. The wide sides are actually two narrower segments forced together by all the central crossings.

In the Tollemache braid, these narrow segments are allowed to spread out a little bit because the outer (A D) edges aren't brought together into the center. The potential is evident, but the proportions are off because the side crossings are nearly opposite the central cross.

Serene's version includes segments after the side crosses, before the center cross, making a balanced pattern. It's larger because the segments are 3 exchanges long, rather than the 2 of Harliean and Tollemache.

A "maskell" is the heraldic term for a voided lozenge - a diamond-shaped outline.

Tollemache 27	Harleian 20	Serene 35

Set up the loops:
Set 4 bows on A B C D right and 4 bows on A B C D left but order A and B on both hands of 1 color and C D of another color (and the one side shall have color contrary to the other if A and B be of one color and C and D of another)	Set 4 bows of one color on A B right and on in A B left. (And if A B be of one color on both hands then shall one masclen be of one color and that other of another color.)	Take eight bows of one color set upon A B C D of both thine hands
Exchange with the fingers directly across:
Then shall A right change with A left so that A right take the bow of A left through his bow reversed in the same manner shall B right change with B left and so of C and D	Then shall A right change with A left, so that A right take the bow of A left throughout his bow reversed; and in the same manner shall B right change his bow with B left and C right with C left, and D right with D left	and then A right through his bow shall change with A left reversed and in the self manner B right with B left and C right with C left, and D right with D left
And do it again (two or three times):
and after that begin again and when thou hast changed 2 so that all the bows that were on thy right hand be there again	In the same manner thou shalt change all thy bows again. And when thou hast changed twice, that all thy bows that were on thy right hand be on thy right hand again	and do so thrice
Exchange top and bottom (A B and C D) pairs:
then shall A right change with B left so that A right take through his bow the bow of B left reversed in the same manner shall B right change with A left and C right with D left and D right with C left	then shall A right change his bow with B left so that A right take through his bow the bow of B left reversed In the same manner shall B right change his bow with A left and C right with D left and D right with C left	and then shall A right change with B left and B right with A left and C right with D left and D right with C left
Here's where they begin to differ. Exchange with the fingers directly across two (three) times:
Missing	Missing	and then shall A change with A ~~B and A~~ B with B ~~C and B~~ C with C ~~D and C~~ D with B [should be D] other thrice,
Exchange the central (B C) pair:
then shall C right change with B left and B right with C left	Then shall C right change his bow with B left and B right with C left	and then shall B right change with C left and B right with C left
Connect the outer (A D) edges:
Missing. This step (with the essential addition of moving the B C loops out of the way first) appears in Tollemache's round version [T49].	and then A right with D left, and D right with A left. Perhaps there was some confusion when copying the manuscript. Connecting the outer (A D) edges is needed to form the flat braid into a tube, yet Harleian doesn't contain a round version. If this is meant to be the round version, then the essential step moving the B C loops out of the way is missing.	Missing. This step (with the essential addition of moving the B C loops out of the way first) appears in Serene's round version [S36].
Begin again.
then begin again as is before	Then begin again.	and then begin again.