Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-09-11
Hosiery in All Ages.

1t is decidedly interesting, if not entirely
instructive, to look into thelhistory ofstock-
ings. So far as civilization and civilized
usages must be considered, the anterior his
tory of this country is that of the land
which furnished the bulk of its colonlsts,
and SO it becomes matter of pertinence to
America to learn that while the Scotch
Highlanders from the days of Agrlcola to
the battle of Killicrankie, looked with scorn
upon garments of any Sort at least in the
heat Of battle, the Southern or Belgic Brit
ons were clad, like the Gauls, in cloth of
fine wool, which include covering for the
limbs also. But the days of distinctive
hose for the Highlander and South Briton
were days of slow development.
In the time of the Anglo Saxons, drawers
reaching half way down the thigh and
stockings meeting them were alluded to by
Saxon writers under the name OF breecn
and hose. In France the femoraha or draw 5aI,
ers of Charlemange were of linen. Inc
monk of st. Gaul speaks of 1i6ian0 0es
cordlld stockings or drawers) OF linen OIL
one color, but ornamented with precious
workmanship. 1t is evident from the con-
text that the writer meant long drawers IN
one. like the bracse of Caesars Gauls.
In the days of the Norman and Plantag-
enet Kings the costume for the neither ex-
tremeties consisted of drawers, with long
stockings or pantaloons with feet to them,
called by the Normans "chausses." The
Saxon word chose" occurs in wardrobe
roll of King Johns time. Cloth stockings,
embroidered with gold, are among the ar
ticles of dress ordered by Henry LII for his
sister Isabella. In the reign OF Henry the
hose were richly fretted with gold and va
riotsly colored silks.
But Elizabeth was the first English SOW
ereign to wear genuine knitted stockings,
and as soon as the fashion had been lnaug-
urated the ladies went wild over it. 1t is
expressly stated in contemporary records
that thew were 'not ashamed to wear hose
| of all kinds of changeable colors as green,
red. white, russell, tawny, and else, what
not. ~ "common knit" too, and 'curiously
indented in every point with quirks, clocks,
open seams, and everything else according
ly." -,
1t was Mrs. Montague who presented the
Queen with the first pair Of black knit SILK
stockings, which pleased her so much that
shs would not wear any cloth hose after
ward. Soon after this, says Stow, Will IAN
Rider, then apprentice to Thomas Burdet,
seeing pair of knit worsted stockings at
an Italian merchants, brought from Man
I tua. borrowed them, and having made
pair them, presented them to the Earl O
Pembroke the first worsted stockings kni
in England.
In 1899 William Lee, master of arts and
fellow of St. Johns College, Cambridge
invented stocking frame. Tradition at
tributes the origin of his invention to q
pioue he had taken against a townswomal
with whom he was in love, and who ne
| -1.oAol ~. ,rgniop "a UOt her liValihOO(
| by knitting stockings, and to depreciate he
employment be constructed this frame anc
| instructed his brother and other relatives
how to work it. The other stocking maker
combined and drove him from the country
so that at last he died at Paris of broker
heart.
In the reign of Anne the vests wer
heightened to meet the Stockings aud en-
tirely conceal the breechee, the stocking
being of blue Or scarlet silk. with gold o
silver clocks. Scarlet stockings were worl
by fashionable bellies, who also INDUCED II
snuff taking.
Mrs. Damer, the eccentric and cee
brated sculptor of the,dsys of George Ill
is said to have been the first female VIII
wore black silk stockings in England
Ladies wore white stockings, even il
mourning, and white stockings are worn b
two thirds of the English women of al
classes to day, the cost Of washing n0twth
standing.
The bare -limbed lassies of Scotland ant
Ireland have attracted the eye of ever
American tourist. In the former case tn
custom, which prevails chiefly in the rura
districts, is largely dictated by the practic
prevalent among Scotch women Of washin
heavy articles by treading them in tn