Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-08-27
NECK ORNAMENTS.
SOME OF THE STYLES WORN BY
OUR ANCESTORS.

Art.
The ruff. among other social p5cuIiari-
ii, : of cur forclathrrs which have been
brought to light il these days, las quite
little history of its own, beginning as
far back as the maria of King Philip
of Srlin with Queen Mary, in the year
1851. when they were first Introduced.
These. ruffs we're not flrecy and light, as
off red to lis now, but stiff and formal in
shape. Queen Mary S ruiIs wer" small
col~i,t;n4 of one fold only-as compared
will, those of Queen Elizabeth, who
came to the throne only four wears later.
They had greatly increased III size III that
time. They must have been very ex-
,u,,siyn to wear. az the art of starching
wus not known i'll Eu-l"ui. although
we'll known in Flanders, and the stif-
feue, linen was all imported from there,
and after once being washed was OF nc
further use.
The fist starcIting done in England
was by the wife Of Queen Elizabeth $
coacllman. giving her for the time the
exclusive right to IL home starched ruff.
II was not long. however, before young
woman came from Flanders to set up as
clear stayCher in London. Everybody
began to make riffs of CamEIIc and sent
them to Miss DlngHe to be starched;
she charged fabulous prices for so dong.
+. en- lawn was tried, when some scoffed
and said they would soon be made OF
spderS' y chs.
Miss Dinghcn at length took scholars in
the art, charging many pounds Tor the
lessons. In the reign OF Queen Elizabeth
there was but one person who ha pat
cnt, but it was soon iufringcd upon. As
soon as the invention of proper tool:
made the work easier, the ruff began to
increase in size, both men and women
often wearing one a quarter of yard
deep. At first it was called the "French
fashion, arterward the "Engiish Mon
sler," and | e who had the deepest ruff
and the longest rapler was considered the
greatest gallant.
But it WAS not long before a proclama'
ton was issued that an officer should be
placed at every gate in LondOn to cut tbs
ruff to a certain dept, and break the
Doiut of the rapier of all that exceeded a
yard in length. Rufus were looked upon
at this time rather as an index of staid,
mature character than beautiful us an
adornment. The younger ladies with
lretty throats rebelcd against the wear
ing of them unless they could open the
ruff in front. which became a common
custom. even Queen Elizabeth adopting
this style
The weight of this neck attire, when
formed of frame of wire covered with
fine point lace, WAS very great, and stiff
collar was contrlved to support it. This
was called q "Pircadilly."
But things had reached such pass
that in tine beginning of the reign OF
Games |. the dignified clergy of the
, ,lrcl q, England became most violent
j. their censures Of what they d"emo!
~ c>r of apparel. Yellow starch
vas at this date used to stiff"n ruff
ard cuffs. 1t WAS said to be a "horrld
gar,. " and III the reign of King Charles
l. was abandoned both by gentlemen and
ladies. In the coins of that date Charles
!. is REPRESENTED in a stiff starched ruff,
but after two Years, with an unstarche
run IalillS over HIS S'i''i wv ii'S
itd",s alone continued them longer.
Then came tie falling band, a deep
collar, a sort of continuation of the inner
linen garments. and made Of the most
costly material The wearer could afford
point lace, il II very rich perSon-.i"d
with string and tasse,s, and harginS
deep over the shoulders and breast
4
first of the English kings who Wore Al
band around his neck, and of the plain
est material, without lace, and only
about am inch or SO in depth quite diff.
ferent from the huge rufus that stood out
like cart vii, lis bout the neck of Queen
Elizabeth.
The civil war soon after put an end to
all such ornamental apparel. The Round.
heads scarcely lrgned to comb t"eir
shaggy locks. much less ornament their
persons. At the restoration, Hi x
Charles brou LIT with him the "peruke. :"
which was quicNly adopted by lawyers
and courtrrs. \ peruke, though ut first
costly purchase, lasted long with little
change, " lille the lace bands were all the
llllle SupJtct W lt!le"d' n p'''C VI
these bands may be seen to-day in some
of the cIcrgy-slips of hemmed cambria.
Then came the high cravat. In the reign
of William and Mary this fashion was
very general but it did not last long
not much longer than to wear out the
stock of lace which in tbs limited use
would continue servccablc for one gen.
Grafton at least.
70 these lace cravais the stock sue
cecded buckled bc!i,d and plated With
many folds. was there ever so uNg2i "
a neck gear? The h"lf hAudkerChi {
neck band came next. MS Il us a cover
ing to a quilted stiff ning-r'ally Il IA.
vat. In these days of Improvement "e
could not tolerate these fashions If nlr
ancestors, nor shall we be called upon 20
do it.
Woman Curi"u>: Perish the Thought.
Talk about a womnns curiosity. il ism t
to be compared With a maII'a.
A woman won't stick her finger in 4
rat trap to see if il is set; a man nill
Who ever heard of a woman blowing
in the muzzlr of II shotgun to see if the
old fuse was loaded The golden paths
Of glory are Iinri with men who have
come in over the shotgun route.
A woman will not put her hand on y
door facing to see if it is fresh painted.
The sign "B ware. Fresh Paint" is