the bosom bare, still formed a long waist by extending downwards; it was loaded with jewels and embossed gold, and preposterously stiff and formal. The attachment of the Queen to dress was such, that she could not bear the idea of being rivalled, much less surpassed, in any exhibition of this kind. "It happenede," relates Sir John Harrington, "that Ladie M. Howarde was possessede of a rich border, powderd wyth golde and pearle, and a velvet suite belonginge thereto, which moved manie to envye; nor did it please the Queene, who thoughte it exceeded her owne. One daye the Queene did sende privately, and got the ladies rich vesture, which she put on herself, and came forthe the chamber amonge the ladies; the kirtle and border was far too shorte for her Majestie's height; and she askede every one, How they likede her new-fancied suit?' At lengthe, she askede the owner herself, If it was not made too short and ill-becoming ?'-which the poor ladie did presentlie consente to. Why then, if it become not me, as being too shorte, I am minded it shall never become thee, as being too fine; so it fitteth neither well.' This sharp rebuke abashed the ladie, and she never adorned her herewith any more." Neither could she endure, from whatever quarter it came, any censure, direct or indirect, or her love of personal decoration. "One Sunday (April last)," says the same facetious knight, "my lorde of London preachede to thee Queenes Majestie, and seemede to touche on the vanitie of deckinge the bodie too finely. -Her Majestie tolde the ladies, that If the bishope helde more discourse on suche matters, shee wolde fitte him for heaven, but he shoulde walke thither withoute a staffe, and leave his mantle behind him :' perchance the bishope hathe never soughte her Highnesse wardrobe, or he Woulde have chosen another texte."+ Of this costly wardrobe it is recorded in Chamberlaine's epistolary notices, that it consisted of more than two thousand gowns, with all things answerable; and Mr. Steevens, commenting on a passage in Cymbeline, where Imogen exclaims "Poor I am stale, a garment out of fashion; give us the following interesting illustration. "Clothes were not formerly, as at present, made of slight materials, were not kept in drawers, or given away as soon as lapse of time or change of fashion had impaired their value. On the contrary, they were hung up on wooden pegs in a room appropriated to the sole purpose of receiving them; and though such cast-off things as were composed of rich substances, were Occasionally ripped for domestick uses (viz. mantles for infants, vests for children, and counterpanes for beds), articles of inferior quality were suffered to hang by the walls, till age and moths had destroyed what pride would not permit to be worn by servants or poor relations. When a boy, at an ancient mansion-house in Suffolk, I saw one of these repositories, which (thanks to a succession of old maids!) had been preserved, with superstitious reverence, for almost a century and a half. "When Queen Elizabeth died, she was found to have left above three thousand dresses behind her." With such a model before them, it may easily be credited, that our fair countrywomen vied with each other in the luxury, variety, and splendour of their eccentricities in this way, and a few remarks on his allusions, with some invectives from less good-tempered observers, will sufficiently illustrate the subject. Benedict, describing the woman of his choice, says, "her hair shall be of what colour it please God;" an oblique stroke at a very prevalent fashion in Shakspeare's time of colouring or dying the hair, and which, from its general adoption, not only excited the shaft of the satirist, but the reprobation of the pulpit. Nor were the ladies content with disfiguring their own hair, but so universally dismissed it for that of others, that it was a common practice with them, as Stubbes asserts in his Anatomie of Abuses, to allure children who had beautiful hair to private places, in order to deprive them of their envied locks. Nuge Antiquæ apud Park, vol. i. p. 361. † Ibid p. 170. That the dead were frequently rifled for this purpose, our poet has told us in more places than one; thus, in his sixty-eighth sonnet, he says— "the golden tresses of the dead, The right of sepulchres, were shorn away, To live a second life on second head, And' beauty's dead fleece made another gay;' and he repeats the charge in his Merchant of Venice, "So are those crisped snaky golden locks, Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them in the sepulchre." Act iii. sc. 2. The hair, when thus obtained, was often dyed of a sandy colour, in compliment to the Queen, whose locks were of that tint: and these false ornaments or thatches," as Timon terms them, were called periwigs; thus Julia, in the Two Gentlemen of Verona, contemplating the picture of her rival, observes, 66 Periwigs, which were first introduced into England about 1572, were to be had of all colours; for an old satirist, speaking of his countrywomen, says, "It is a woonder more than ordinary to beholde theyr perewigs of sundry collours." A distinction, however, in wearing the hair, as well as in other articles of dress, existed between the matrons and unmarried women. "Gentlewomen virgins,” observes Fines Moryson, weare gownes close to the body, and aprons of fine linen, and go bareheaded with their hair curiously knotted, and raised at the forehead, but many (against the cold, as they say) weare caps of hair that is not their own." 66 To some of the various coverings for the hair our poet refers in the Merry Wives of Windsor, when Falstaff, complimenting Mrs. Ford, exclaims, "thou hast the right arched bent of the brow, that becomes the ship-tire, the tirevaliant, or any tire of Venetian admittance." The ship-tire appears to have been an open flaunting head-dress, with scarfs or ribands floating in the air like streamers, or as Fenton himself, in the fifth act of this play, describes it, "With ribbons pendant flaring 'bout her head." The tire-valiant, if the text be correct, must mean a dress still more showy and ostentatious; and we know that feathers, jewels, and gold and silver ornaments, were common decorations in these days of gorgeous finery. Nash, in 1594, speaks of "lawn caps" with "snow-resembled silver curlings;"* and a sarcastic poet in 1595 describes "flaming heads with staring haire, Venice and Paris were the sources of fashion, and both occasionally furnished a more chaste and elegant costume for the female head than had been the objects of Falstaff's encomium. The "French hood," a favourite of the times, consisted simply of gauze or muslin, reaching from the back of the head down over the * "Christ's Tears over Jerusalem," 4to. 1594. "Quippes for upstart new fangled Gentlewemen: or a Glasse, to view the pride of vain glorious Vemen," 4to. 1595.-Vide Restituta, vol. iii. p. 255. i forehead, and leaving the hair exposed on each side.* Cauls, or nets of gold thread, were thrown with much taste over their glossy tresses, and attracted the notice of the satirist just quoted : "These glittering caules of golden plate Wherewith their heads are richlie dect, Another happy mode of embellishment consisted of placing gracefully on the hair artificial peascods, which were represented open, with rows of pearls for peas. The lady's morning-cap was usually a mob; and the citizens' wives wore either a splendid velvet cap, or what was called the Minever cap,' with peaks three inches high, white, and three-cornered. Paint was openly used for the face: "These painted faces which they weare, and masks and mufflers were in general use; the former, according to Stubbes, were made of velvet, "wherewith when they ride abroad they cover all their faces, having holes made in them against their eyes, whereout they looke. So that if a man knew not their guise before, should chaunce to meet one of them, would think he met a monster or a devil, for face he can shew none, but two broad holes against their eyes, with glasses in them;"S the latter covered the 6 lower part of the face only, as far as the nose, and had the appearance of a linen bandage. So common were these female masks in Shakspeare's days, that the author of "Quippes for newfangled Gentlewemen," after remarking that they were the offspring not of modesty but of pride, informs us that "on each wight now are they seene, The pudding-red, the dapple-graie." The ruff, already partly described under the dress of Elizabeth, was common to both sexes; but under the fostering care of the ladies, attained, in stiffness, fineness, and dimensions, the most extravagant pitch of absurdity. It reached behind to the very top of the head, and the tenuity of the lawn or cambric of which it was made was such, that Stowe prophesies, they would shortly "wear ruffes of a spider's web." In order to support so slender a fabric, a great quantity of starch became necessary, the skilful use of which was introduced by a Mrs. Dingen Van Plesse in 1564, who taught her art for a premium of five guineas. Starching was subsequently improved by the introduction of various colours, one of which, the yellow die, being the invention of a Mrs. Turner, who was afterwards concerned in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, was dismissed with abhorrence from the fashionable world, in consequence of this abandoned woman being executed at Tyburn in a ruff of her favourite tint. The extreme indignation with which Stubbes speaks of the use of starch is highly amusing:— "One arch or piller," says he, "wherewith the devil's kingdome of great ruffes is underpropped, is a certain kind of liquid matter which they call starch, wherein the devill hath learned them to wash and die their ruffes, which, being drie, will stand stiff and inflexible about their neckes. And this starch they make of divers substances of all collours and hues, as white, redde, blewe, purple, and the like." We are further informed by the same vehement satirist, that the ruff had the additional support of an underpropper called a suppertasse, and that its plaits were adjusted by poking-sticks made of iron, steel, or silver, that, when used, were heated in the fire, a custom against which he expresses his wrath by relating a Strutt's Customs, vol. iii. plate 22. fig. 9. + Restituta, vol. iii. p. 256. most curious story of a gentlewoman of Antwerp who had her ruff poked by the devil on the 27th of May, 1582, "the sounde whereof," says he, "is blowne through all the world, and is yet fresh in every man's memory." It appears that this unfortunate lady, being invited to a wedding, could not, although she employed two celebrated laundresses, get her ruff plaited according to her taste, upon which, proceeds Stubbes, "She fell to sweare and teare, to curse and ban, casting the ruffes under feete, and wishing that the devil might take her when shee did wear any neckerchers againe;" a wish which was speedily accomplished; for the devil, assuming the form of a beautiful young man, made ha appearance under the character of a suitor, and enquiring the cause of her agitation, "tooke in bande the setting of her ruffes, which he performed to her great contentation and liking; insomuch, as she, looking herselfe in a glasse (as the devill bad her), became greatly inamoured with him. This done, the young man kissed her, in the doing whereof, he writhed her neck in sunder, so she died miserably; her body being straight waies changed into blew and black colours, most ugglesome to beholde, and her face (which before was so amorous) became most deformed and fearfull to looke upon. This being knowne in the citie, great preparation was made for her buriall, and a rich coffin was provided, and her fearfull body was laide therein, and covered very sumptuously. Foure men immediately assayed to lift up the corpes, but could not move it; thes sixe attempted the like, but could not once stirre it from the place where it stood. Whereat the standers-by marvelling, causing the coffin to be opened to see the cause thereof: where they found the body to be taken away, and a blacke catte, very leane and deformed, sitting in the coffin, setting of great ruffes, and frizling of baire, to the greate feare and woonder of all the beholders.TM* The waist was beyond all proportion long, the bodice or stays terminating al the bottom in a point, and having in the fore part a pocket, for money, needlework, and billets, a fashion to which Proteus alludes in the Two Gentlemen of Verona, when he tells Valentine "Thy letters shall be deliver'd Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love." Gowns were made of the richest materials, with velvet capes embroidered with bugelles, and with the sleeves curiously cut; the fashionable petticoat was the Scottish fardingale, made of cloth, taflety, satin, or silk, and of enormous bulk, so that when an Elizabethan lady was dressed in one of these, with the gown, as was usually the case, stuffed about the shoulders, and the ruffe in the first style of the day, her appearance was truly formidable. Over all was frequently thrown a kirtle, mantle, or surcoat, with or without a head, formed of silk or velvet, and richly bordered with lace. Silk-stockings, which were first worn by the Queen in 1560, Mrs. Montagu, her silk-woman, having presented her with a pair of this material in that year, soon became almost universal among the ladies, and formed one of the most expensive articles of their dress. Shoes with very high heels, in imitation of the Venetian chopine, a species of stilt sometimes better than a foot in height, was the prevalent mode, and carried, for the sake of increasing the stature, to a most ridiculous excess. It never reached, indeed, this enormous dimension in England, but seems, from a passag in Hamlet, to have been of such a definite size, as to admit of a reference to it as a mark of admeasurement, for the Prince remarks, "Your Ladyship is nearer la heaven, than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine.' Fans, constructed of ostrich feathers, inserted into handles of gold, silver, or ivory, and wrought with great skill in various elegant forms, were so commonly worn that the author of Quippes for upstart newfangled Gentlewemen," 1595, exclaims, 66 "Were fannes, and flappes of feathers, found To flit away the flisking flies, The wit of women we might praise, Anatomie of Abuses, 4to. P. 43. See Katharine's gown, in Taming of the Stre But seeing they are still in hand, In house, in field, in church, in street; In colde, in heate, in drie, in weet; I judge they are for wives such tooles Silver and ivory handles were usual among ladies of the middle class of society, but in the higher ranks they were frequently decorated with gems, and the Queen had several new-year's gifts of fans, the handles of which were studded with diamonds and other jewels. Shakspeare has many allusions to fans of feathers;* and even hints, in his Henry the Eighth, that the coxcombs of his day were not ashamed to adopt their use. Act. i. sc. 3. Perfumed bracelets, necklaces, and gloves, were favourite articles. "Gloves as sweet as damask roses," form part of the stock of Autolycus, and Mopsa tells the Clown, that he promised her "a pair of sweet gloves." Act. iv. sc. 3. The Queen in this, as in most other luxuries of dress, set the fashion; for Howes informs us, that in the fifteenth year of her reign, Edward Vere, Earl of Oxford, presented her with a pair of perfumed gloves trimmed with four tufts of rose-coloured silk, in which she took such pleasure that she was always painted with those gloves on her hands, that their scent was so exquisite that it was ever after called the Earl of Oxford's perfume. To these notices it may be added, that a small looking-glass pendent from the girdle, a pocket-handkerchief richly wrought with gold and silver, and a lovelock hanging wantonly over the shoulder, were customarily exhibited by the fashionable female. Burton, writing at the close of the Shakspearean era, has given us a brief but exact enumeration of the feminine allurements of his day; a passage which, whilst it adds a few new particulars, will furnish an excellent recapitulation of what has been already advanced. "Why," exclaims he, "do they decorate themselves with artificial flowers, the various colours of herbs, needle works of exquisite skill, quaint devices, and perfume their persons, wear inestimable riches in precious stones, crown themselves with gold and silver, use coronets and tires of several fashions; deck themselves with pendants, bracelets, ear-rings, chains, girdles, rings, pins, spangles, embroideries, shadows, rebatoes, versicoler ribands? Why do they make such glorious shews with their scarfs, feathers, fans, masks, furs, laces, tiffanies, ruffs, falls, calls, calls, damasks, velvets, tinsels, cloth of gold, silver tissue? Such setting up with corks, straitening with whale-bones; why, it is but as a day-net catcheth larks, to make young ones stoop unto them.-And when they are disappointed, they dissolve into tears, which they wipe away like sweat: weep with one eye, laugh with the other; or as children, weep and cry they can both gether and as much pity is to be taken of a woman weeping as of a goose going barefoot."† We have seen in the extract from Harrison, at the commencement of this chapter, that a great portion of it is employed in satirising the extravagance and folly of the male-dress of his times, and the adduction of further particulars will serve but to strengthen the propriety of his invective, and to prove, what will scarcely be credited, that, in the absurdity and frivolity of personal ornament, the men far surpassed the other sex. Though there is reason to conclude that this taste for expensive and frivolous decoration, was originally derived from the reign of Elizabeth, yet was it even still more encouraged by James; for though he set no example of profusion of this kind in his own person, Sir Arthur Wheldon declaring that he was, For a correct representation of these fans, vide Baudry's edition of Shakspeare's Complete Works. vol i p. 80. Anatomie of Melancholy, folio, 8th edit. p. 293, 294, 307.-In Vaughan's "Golden Grove," also, the Erst edition of which appeared in 1600, may be found some curious notices on "superfluitie of apparell' with regard to both sexes; he tells us that the women in the early ages of the world imitated not hermaphrodites, in wearing of men's doublets. They wore no chaines of gold, &c.—they went not clothed in sevet gownes, nor in chamlet peticotes. They smelt not unto pomander, civet, muske, and such lyke trimperies." |