The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-10-13
ELIzABETHAN CLOTHING.

Ellzabeth's day was day of beat
ty and extravaganza in mems dres
as we'll as women's. Writing in tn:
September st. Nicholas, George Mac
Adam says: When Queen Elizabeth
took up the reins of government, hap
piness and prosperity once more
spread throughout the kingdom. 1t
was in these days when England's
trade, led by those renowned voyag-
ers, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Fran
els Drake, began to stretch to the re-
motest corners of the globe. Money
flowed into Britain's Golfers, and the
Britishers spent it freely. The no.
bility maintained large retinues of
knights, squires, household retainers,
and servants, and entertained royal
ly every day. At an entertainment
given the Queen by the Earl of Lei
cester, the most astonishing prodigal-
ity was displayed. Among other
sumptuous details, it was reported
that three hundred and sixty FIVE
hogsheads of beer were consumed.
The cardinal of the realm had in his
household over FIVE hundred persons.
Magnificent dress was the natural ac-
compartment of this style of living.
A gentleman's clothes were made of
rich satins and velvets of divers hues.
His sleeves were puffed out until the
shape Of his arm was entirely hidden !;
his doublet was stuffed from the
shoulders down to the waist and his
trunk-hose were enormously padded
from the thigh to the knee, this whole
suit being elaborately slashed so as to
show the rich Innings beneath. That
glory of the Elizabethan days, the
szarched ruff, gave the finishing touch
to costume that was already so stiff
and padded that if knight were un-
fortunate enough to drop his hat or
his cane, he had to call for a servant
to pick it up for him.
These monstrously pulled clothes
became even greater in size during
the reign of the following monarch,
for James l., being a timid king and
fearful of assassination, looked with
great favor upon these padded clothes
as defense against the dirk or sti-
letto. To extend these clothes to this
preposterous size, rags, wool, hair
and bran were used, until ans embar-
RAISING accident befell a certain prom
inent lord of the realm. Arising from
his bench to address crowded House
of Lords, a projecting nail tore hole
in his trunk hose. With a proud
bearing suitable to his lordly dignity,
he strutted to the front of the cham
Der to make his speech, the bran
meanwhile pouring through the tear
in his hose. The assembly broke
into roar of laughter.
Discovering the catastrophe that
had befallen him, the speaker instant
ly lost his lordly bearing, and turn
ing, ran for the door, his shriveled
hose Tapping about his legs. After
this, a wire apparatus like women S
Sklrt-hoops, was used to extend the
hose.
To such an excess was this full
blown style of clothes carried that all
of sudden it burst. From pads and
ruffs and wire frames, fashion sud-
denly veered around to a simple, easy,
and graceful style. 1t was no longer
the ambition of a gentleman to appear
as fat and burly as padding and stiff
ening could make him. 1t was now
his object to be slim, graceful, and
elegant. His dress became a close
fitting doublet, petticoat-breeches,
boots with wide, Tapping top, and a
short cape. This suit was tastefully
ornamented with delicate lace and en-
broidery. Altogether this is consid-
cred the best era of dress in England.