Silkewerk - A thin lace

A thin lace

This is a nice braid, but the only thing it has in common with the surrounding braids in the manuscript is that it uses five loops. I usually leave it out of my beginner classes because handling two loops on one finger takes a bit more practice.

Take five loops, and place them on the following fingers:
Left hand: One on A, two on B, one on C
Right hand: One on B

Work with the right hand:
A takes through B right, the loop of C left reversed.
B takes the inner loop on B left unreversed, pulling it through the outer loop on B left.
C takes the loop from B left unreversed.
Lower the left loop from A to B.

Work with the left hand:
A takes through B left the loop of C right unreversed.
B takes the inner loop on B right unreversed, pulling it through the outer loop on B right.
C takes the loop from B right unreversed.
Lower the right loop from A to B.

Repeat from the beginning.

[If steps 2 and 3 are too awkward, you can substitute the following:
C takes the outer loop on B left unreversed.
B takes through C the loop on B left unreversed.
Repeat in mirror image for the left hand.]

Source: Tollemache 5

A thin lace of 5 bows.
Set one bow on A left and 2 sundry bows on B left and one bow on C left and one bow on B right then shall A right take through B of the same hand the bow C left reversed and B right shall take the inner bow of B left through the bow that stand before on B left unreversed then shall C right take the bow that is left on B left unreversed then low thy bow of A left on to B left then shall A left take through the bow B of the same hand the bow C of the right hand unreversed and B left shall go through the fore bow of B right and take the bow that stand within on B right unreversed then shall C left take the bow of B right unreversed then low thy bow of A right onto B right etc.

Source: Harleian 4

A thynne lace of 5 bows.
Set a bow on A left hand, and two sundry bows on B left hand, one bow on C left hand and one bow on B right hand. Then shall A right take through B of the same hand the bow C of the left hand reversed; and B right shall take the hind bow of B left hand through the bow that stands before on B left unreversed. Then shall C right take bow that is left [leuyd] on B left hand unreversed then low bow of A left onto B left. Then shall A left take through the bow B of the same hand the bow C of the right hand unreversed; and B left shall go through the former bow of B right and take the bow that stands within on B right unreversed. Then low the bow of A right onto B right, and begin again.