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VOL. 3.] Dr. Drake's Shakspeare and his Times.-Dress of the Beaux.

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or with very wide ones, called Danish Corked shoes, or pantofles, are de sleeves. The breeches, hose, or gally- scribed by Stubbes, as bearing up their gaskins, now shrunk in their bulk, were wearers two inches or more from the either made close to the form, or render- ground, as being of various colours, ed moderately round by stuffing: the and razed, carved, cut, and stitched. former, which ended far above the knee, They were not unfrequently fabricated of were often made of crimson satin, cut velvet, embroidered with the precious and embroidered, and the latter had metals, and, when fastened with strings, frequently a most indelicate appendage, these were covered with enormous roses to which our poet has too often indulged of ribbon, curiously ornamented, and of the licence of allusion. A cloak surmounting the whole, of the richest materials, and generally embroidered with gold or silver, was worn buttoned over the shoulder. Fox-skins, lambs-skins, and sables were in use as facings, but the latter was restricted to the nobility, none under the rank of an earl being allowed to wear sables, which were so expensive, that an old writer of 1577, speaking of the luxury of the times, says, "that a thousand ducates were some times given for a face of sables;" consequently, as Mr. Malone has remarked, "a suit trimed with sables, was, in Shakspeare's time, the richest dress worn by men in England."

great value. Thus Hamlet speaks of
"Provencial roses on my razed shoes;"
and it is remarkable, that, as in the
present age, both shoes and slippers were
worn shaped after the right and left foot.
Shakspeare describes his smith
"Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste

Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet.”

and Scott, in his Discoverie of Witchcraft, observes, that, he who receiveth a mischance, "will consider, whether he put not on his shirt wrong side outwards, or his left shoe on his right foot."

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The boots were, if possible, still more eccentric and costly than the shoes, resembling, in some degree, though on a The stockings, or hose, as they were large scale, the theatric buskin of the called in common with the breeches, modern stage. They were usually maconsisted either of woven silk, or were nufactured of russet cloth or leather, cut out by the tailor, "from silke, vel- hanging loose and ruffled about the leg, vet, damaske, or other precious stuffe." with immense tops turned down and They were gartered externally, and be- fringed, and the heel decorated with low the knee, with materials of such gold or silver spurs. Decker speaks of expensive quality, that Howes tells us, a gilt spur and a ruffled boot ;" and in biscontinuation of Stowe's Chronicle, in another place adds,-"let it be thy "men of mean rank weare garters and prudence to have the tops of them wide shoe-roses of more than five pounds as the mouth of a wallet, and those with price." Decker advises his gallant to fringed boot-hose over them to hang "strive to fashion his legs to his silk down to thy ancles." Yet even this stockings, and his proud gate to his extravagance did not content those who broad garters," which, being so conspi- aspired to the highest rank of fashion; cuous a part of the dress, were either for Dr. Nott, the editor of Decker's manufactured of gold and silver, or were Horn-book, in a note on the last passage made of satin or velvet, with a deep which we have quoted, informs us, on gold fringe. The common people were the authority of Stubbes's Anatomie of content with worsted galloon, or what Abuses, that these boots were often were called caddis-garters. The gaudi- "made of cloth fine enough for any ness of attire, indeed, with regard to hand, or ruff; and so large, that the quanthese articles of clothing, appears to tity used would nearly make a shirt: they have been carried to a most ridiculous were embroidered in gold and silver; havexcess: red silk stockings, and parti- ing on them the figures of birds, animals, coloured garters, and cross gartering, so and antiques in various coloured silks: the as to represent the varied colours of the needle-work alone of them would cost Scotch plaid, were frequently exhibited. from four to ten pounds." Shakspeare Nor were the shoes and boots of this alludes to the large boots with ruffles, period less extravagantly ostentatious. or loose tops, which were frequently

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Dress of Beaux in the Reigns of Elizabeth and James I.

[VOL. 3 called lugged boots, in All's Well that isfactory illustration from Mr. Douce, Ends Well, act iii, scene 2; and we find, in an extract taken from Stafforde's from the same authority, that boots close- Briefe conceipt of English Pollicy, 1581, ly fitting the leg were sometimes worn; 4to.; in which not only this practice is for Falstaff, in Henry the Fourth, part ii. mentioned, but the preceding fashion of accounting for the Prince's attachment the heavy sword and buckler is particuto Poins, mentions, among his other larly noticed:-"I think wee were as qualifications, that he "wears his boot much dread or more of our enemies, very smooth, like unto the sign of the when our gentlemen went simply, and our leg." serving men plainely, without cuts or Nor was the interior clothing of the guards, bearing their heavy swords and beau less sumptuous and expensive than buckelers on their thighes, instead of his exterior apparel; his shirts, relates cuts and gardes and light daunsing that minute observer, Stubbs, were made swordes; and when they rode, carrying of "camericke, Hollande, lawne, or els good speares in theyr hands in stede of of the finest cloth that may be got." white rods, which they cary now more And were so wrought with "needle- like ladies or gentlewemen then men; worke of silke, and so curiously stitched all which delicacyes maketh our men with other knackes beside, that their cleane effeminate and without strength." price would sometimes amount to ten pounds."

No gentleman was considered as dressed without his dagger and rapier; the former, richly gilt and ornamented, was worn at the back: thus Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, exclaims,

"This dagger hath mista'en-for, lo! his house
Is empty on the back of Montague-
And is mis-sheath'd in my daughter's bosom."

It soon became the fashion to wear these rapiers of such an enormous length, that government was obliged to interfere, and a sumptuary law was passed to limit these weapons to three feet, which was published by proclamation, together with one for the curtailment of ruffs. "He," says Stowe, "was held the greatest gallant, that had the deepest ruffe and longest rapier; the offence to the eye of the one, and the hurt unto the life of the subject

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And an old play, of the date 1570, ex- that came by the other, caused her mapressly tells us,

"Thou must weare thy sword by thy side, And thy dagger handsumly at thy backe."

The rapier, or small sword, which had been known in this country from the reign of Henry the Eighth, or even earlier, entirely superseded, about the 20 of Elizabeth, the use of the heavy or two-handed sword and buckler; an event

which Justice Shallow, in the Merry
Wives of Windsor, is represented as re-
gretting. Though occasionally used as
an offensive weapon, and certainly a
more dangerous instrument than its pre-
decessor, it was chiefly worn as a splen-
did ornament, the hilt and scabbard be-
ing profusely, and often elegantly decora-
ted. It was also the custom to wear
these swords when dancing, as appears
from a passage in All's Well that Ends
Well, where Bertram says,

"I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock
"Till honour be bought up, and no sword worn,
But one to dance with ;"

jesty to make proclamation against them both, and to place selected grave citizens at every gate to cut the ruffes, and breake the rapiers' points of all passengers that exceeded a yard in length of their rapiers." This regulation occasioned a whimsical circumstance, related by Lord Talbot in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury, dated June 23d, 1580:-"The French imbasidore, Mounswer Mouiser,

(Malvoisier) riding to take the ayer, in his returne came thowrowe Smithfield; and ther, at the bars, was steayed by thos offisers that sitteth to cut sourds, by reason his raper was longer than the statute: He was in a great feaurie, and dreawe his raper; in the meane season my Lord Henry Seamore cam, and so steayed the matt: Hir Matie is greatlie ofended with the ofisirs, in that they wanted judgment."

This account of the male fashionable dress, during the days of Shakspeare, has sufficiently borne out the assertion which we made at its commencement,

an allusion which has received most sat that in extravagance and frivolity it sur

`VOL. 3.]

Shakspeare and his Times-Domestic Economy.

15

passed the caprice and expenditure of a very satisfactory and entertaining manthe other sex; a charge which is repeated ner, by the "Orders for household Serby Burton at the close of this era: for, vantes; first devised by John Haryngton, exclaiming against the luxury of fine in the year 1566, and renewed by John clothes, he remarks, "women are bad, Haryngton, soune of the saide John, in and men are worse. So ridiculous we the yeare 1592: the saide John, the are in our attires, and for cost so exces- sonne, being then high shrieve of the sive, that as Hierom said of old,-'tis an county of Somerset." ordinary thing to put a thousand oaks, and an hundred oxen into a suit of apparel, to wear a whole mannor on his back. What with shoo-ties, hangers, points, caps and feathers, scarfs, bands, cuffs, &c. in a short space their whole patrimonies are consumed. Heliogabalus is taxed by Lampridius, and admired in his age for wearing jewels in his shoes, a common thing in our times, not for emperors and princes, but almost for serving men and taylors: all the flowers, stars, constellations, gold, and pretious stones, do condescend to set out their shoes."

DOMESTIC ECONOMY IN THE REIGN OF

ELIZABETH.

Imprimis. That no servant bee absent from praier, at morning or evening, without a lawfull excuse, to be alledged within one day after, upon payne to forfeit for every tyme 2d. 2. Item, That none sweare any othe, uppon payne for every othe, 1d.

3. Item, That no man leave any doore open that he findeth shut, without there bee cause, upon payne for every tyme ld.

4. Item, That none of the men bee in bed from our Lady-day to Michaelmas, after 6 of the clock in the morning; nor out of his bed after 10 of the clock at night: nor, from Michaelmas till our Lady-day, in bed after 7 in the morning; nor out after 9 at night, without reasonable cause, on paine of 2d.

5. Item, That no man's hed be unmade, nor fire or candle-box uncleane, after 8 of the clock in the morning, on paiue of 1d.

6. Item, That no man make water within either of the courts, upon paine of, every tyme it shall be proved, 1d.

7. Item, That no man teach any of the children any unhonest speeche, or baudie word, or othe, on paine of 4d.

8. Item, That no man waite at the table

without a treacher in his hand, except it be
uppon some good cause, on paine of 1d.
table, be absent that meale, without rea-
sonable cause, on paine of 1d.

9. Item, That no man appointed to waite at

In the days of Elizabeth, servants were more numerous and considered as a more essential mark of gentility, than at any subsequent period. "The English," observes Hentzner, "are lovers of show, liking to be followed wherever they go by whole troops of servants, who weare their master's arms in silver, fastened to 10. Item, If a man breake a glasse, hee shall their left arms." They were, also,usually answer the price thereof out of his wages; and, distinguished by blue coats; thus, Gru- if it bee not known who breake it, the buttier shall pay for it, on paine of 12d. mio, enquiring for his master's servants, says, "Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest; let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed."

We learn,however, from Fynes Moryson, that both silver badges and blue coats were out of fashion in the reign of James the First; "the servants of gentlemen," he informs us, “were wont to weare blew coates, with their master's badge of silver on the left sleeve, but now they most commonly weare clokes garded with lace, all these family wearing the same livery for colour

and ornament.'

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11. Item, The table must bee covered halfe

an hour before 11 at dinner, and 6 at supper, or before, on paine of 2d.

12. Item, That meate be ready at 11, or bepaine of 6d.

fore at dinner; and 6, or before, at supper, on

13. Item, That none be absent, without leave or good cause, the whole day, or any part of it, on paine of 4d.

14. Jtem, That no man strike his fellow, OR paine of losse of service; nor revile or threaten, or provoke another to strike, on paine of 12d.

15. Item, That no man come to the kitchen

without reasonable cause, on paine of 1d. and the cook likewyse to forfeit ld. ants of one 16. Item. That none toy with the maids, on paine of 4d.

The very strict regulations to which servants were subjected in the sixteenth

17. Item, That no man weare foule shirt on Sunday, nor broken hose or shooes or doublett without buttons, on paine of Id.

18. Item, That when any strainger goeth hence, the chamber be dressed up againe with

century, and the admirable order pre-in four hours after, on paine of id.
served in the household of the upper
13. Item, That the hall he made cleane eve-
classes at that time, will be illustrated in ry day, by eight in the winter, and seaveu in

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Shakspeare's Times-The Domestic Fool-The Country Squire. [voL. 3 sommer, on paine of him that should do it to coat fastened round the body by a girdle,

forfet ld.

20. That the court-gate bee shutt each meale, and not opened during dinner and supper, without just cause, on paine the porter to forfeit for every time 'd.

21. Item, That all stayrs in the house, and other rooms that neede shall require, bee made cleane on Fryday after dinner, on paine of forfeyture of every on whome it shall belong unto, 3d.

with close breeches, and hose on each leg of different colours; or he wore a long petticoat dyed with curious tints, and fringed with yellow. With both dresses was generally connected a hood, covering the whole head, falling over part of the breast and shoulders, and surmounted with asses ears, or a cocks-comb. Bells and a bauble were the usual insignia of the character; the former either atTo the tribe of household servants, tached to the elbows, or the shirt of the must be added, as a constant inmate in coat, and the latter consisting of a stick, the houses of the great, during the life decorated at one end with a carved fool's of Shakspeare, and, indeed, to the close head, and having at the other an inflated of the reign of Charles I., that motley bladder, an instrument either of sport or personage, the domestic fool, who was an defence.

All which sommes shall be duly paide each quarter-day out of their wages, and bestowed on the poore, or other godly use.

essential part of the entertainment of the Bitter jests, provided they were so fire-side, not only in the palace and the dressed up, or so connected with adjunccastle, but in the tavern and the brothel, tive circumstances, as to raise a laugh,

especially in his fool in King Lear, whose scraps of old songs fully exemplify the aim and scope of this favorite of our ancestors.

The character of the "all-licens'd were at all times allowed; but it was fool" has been copied from the life, with moreover expected, that their keenness his usual naïveté and precision, and with or bitterness should also be allayed by an inexhaustible fund of wit, in many a due degree of obliquity in the mode of of the plays of our poet; yet, perhaps, attack, by a careless, and, apparently, we shall no where find a more condensed undesigning manner of delivery; and and faithful picture of the manners of by a playful and frolic demeanour. For this once indispensable source of domes- these purposes, fragments of sonnets and tic pleasantry, than what has been given ballads were usually chosen by the fool, us by Dr. Lodge:-"This fellow," says a safe medium through which the neceshe, "in person is comely, in apparell sary degree of concealment might be courtly, but in behaviour a very ape, and given, and the edge of his sarcasm duly no man; his studie is to coine bitter abated; a practice of which Shakspeare jeasts, or to show antique motions, or to has afforded us many instances, and sing baudie sonnets and ballads: give him a little wine in his head, he is continually flearing and making of mouthes: he laughs intemperately at every little occasional, and dances about the house, leaps over tables, out-kips mens heads, trips up his companion's heeles, burns sack with a candle, and hath all the feats of a lord of misrule in the countrie: We have seen, when treating of the feed him in his humor, you shall have his domestic economy of the country squire, heart, in meere kindness he will hug you that it was usual to take their banquet in his arms, kisse you on the cheeke, and or dessert, in an arbour of the garden rapping out an horrible oth, crie God's or orchard; and in town, the nobility soule Tum I love you, you know my and gentry, immediately after dinner poore heart, come to my chamber for a and supper, adjourned to another room, pipe of tobacco, there lives not a man in for the purpose of enjoying their wine this world that I more honour. In these and fruit; this practice is alluded to by ceremonies you shall know his courting, Shakspeare, in Romeo and Juliet; and and it is a speciall mark of him at the Beaufort, in the Unnatural Combat of table, he sits and makes faces." Massinger, says,——

A few household arrangements, in addition to those developed in Sir John Harrington's orders, shall terminate this branch of our subject.

From Shakspeare we learn that the "We'll dine in the great room, but let the musick apparel of the domestic fool was of two And banquet be prepared here ;”

kinds; he had either a parti-coloured a custom which it is astonishing the deli

VOL. 3.]
cacy and refinement of modern manners
have not generally adopted.

Dr. Drake's new work, Shakspeare and his Times-Dances.

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queen was peculiarly fond of this exercise, as had been her father, Henry the Eighth and the taste for it became so general, during her reign, that a great part of the leisure of almost every class

As our ancestors, during the greater part of the period we are considering, possessed not the conveniency of eating with forks, and were, therefore, com- of society was spent, and especially on pelled to make use of their fingers, it days of festivity, in dancing. became an essential point of good manners, to wash the hands immediately before dinner and supper, as well as afterwards: thus Petruchio, on the entrance of his servants with supper, says, addressing his wife,

To dance elegantly was one of the strongest recommendations to the favour of Her Majesty; and her courtiers, therefore, strove to rival each other in this pleasing accomplishment: nor were their efforts, in many instances, unrewarded. Sir Christopher Hatton, we are told, "Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily." owed his promotion, in a great measure, In the fifteenth item of Harrington's to his skill in dancing; and in accordOrders, we find that no man was allow- ance with this anecdote, Gray opens his ed to come to the kitchen without rea- " Long Story" with an admirable desonable cause, an injunction which may appear extraordinary; but,in those days, it was customary, in order to prevent the cook being disturbed in his important duties, to keep the rest of the men aloof, and, when dinner was ready, he sum moned them to carry it on the table, by knocking loudly on the dresser with his knife: thus in Massinger's Unnatural Combat, Beauford's steward says,—

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a practice which gave rise to the phraseology, he knocks to the dresser, or, he warns to the dresser, as synonymous with the annunciation that, "dinner is ready."

scription of his merit in this department, which, as containing a most just and excellent picture, both of the architecture and manners of "the days of good Queen Bess," as well as of the dress and agility of the knight, we with pleasure transcribe. Stoke-Pogeis, the scene of the narrative, was formerly in the possession of the Hattons:

66 In Britain's isle, no matter where,
An ancient pile of building stands ;
The Huntingdons and Hattons there
Employ'd the pow'r of Fairy hands
To raise the ceiling's fretted height,
Each pannel in achievements clothing,
Rich windows that exclude the light,
And passages that lead to nothing.
" Full oft within the spacious walls,
When he had fifty winters o'er him,
My grave Lord-Keeper led the brawls;
The seal and maces dane'd before him.
His bushy beard, and shoe-strings green,
His high crown'd hat, and sattin doublet,
Mov'd the stout heart of England's Queen,
Tho' Pope and Spaniard could not trouble it,”

It was usual, also, especially where the domestic fool was retained, to keep an ape or a monkey, as a companion for him, and he is frequently represented with this animal on his shoulders. Monkeys, likewise, appear to have been an indispensable part of a lady's establishThe brawl, a species of dance here ment, and, accordingly, Ben Jonson, word braule, "indicating," observes Mr. alluded to, is derived from the French in his Cynthia's Rivals, represents one Douce, "a shaking or swinging motion. of his characters as asserting, "the gen. It was performed by several persons tleman (I'll undertake with him) is a man of fair living, and able to maintain a lady in her two caroches a day, besides pages, monkeys, parachitoes, with such attendants as she shall think meet for her turn."

DANCES.

Dancing was an almost daily amusement in the court of Elizabeth; the D ATHENEUM. Vol. 3.

uniting hands in a circle, and giving each other continual shakes, the steps changing with the tune. It usually consisted of three pus and a pied-joint, to the time of four strokes of the bow; which, being repeated, was termed a double brawl. With this dance, balls were

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