66 . Amye Robsart. 
be less interesting than the others; being a letter from Amye her- 
self. It was only by the greatest chance I did not overlook it ; 
because among thousands of papers of every size and sort, it happened 
to be pinned inside another paper, the other paper being a woman’s- 
taylor’s bill, which the woman’s-taylor, Mr. Edney, had sent in, after 
Amye’s decease, to Lord Robert. The letter therefore does not treat of 
state matters, nor of politics, nor of religion, nor of any unhappy 
condition she was in, but of a very simple and appropriate subject— 
a new gown! 
Amye, Lady Dudley’s letter to her Taylor. 
‘“Cedney wt my harty comendations thesse shalbe 
to desier you to take y* paynes for me As 
to make this gowne of vellet* whiche I sende 
you w* suche A collare as you made my 
me 
rosset taffyta gowne you sente =H last 
& I will se you dyscharged for all I pray 
you let it be done w* as muche speade 
as you can & sente by this bearar 
frewen the carryar of oxforde / & & 
thus I bed you most hartely fare well 
from comnare this xxiiij of avyguste 
Your assured frind 
Amyz DuppLey.” 
‘To my very frinde will 
yam / edney the tayler 
at tower rill geve 
this 
in London.” + 
Among other items of this poor lady’s wardrobe were “ a loose 
gown of satten byassed with lace over the garde,” “a round kirtle of 
russet wrought-velvet with a fringe; ” “ 
laced all thick athwart the guard;” “a Spanish gown of russet 
damask ;” “a loose gown of rosset taffata” (the pattern alluded 
to in the letter). Also lace, fringes of black silk and gold, 
a Spanish gown of damask, 
*: Vellet,”’? in the letter, is used by Spenser, for velvet. Chaucer, has velloute. Ben Jonson, 
vellute, probably from the Latin villosus, hairy or woolly. 
+Tower Royal, near Bucklersbury and the Mansion House, London. Stowe says the Queen’s 
wardrobe was there, and that it had been a strong residence occupied by Royalty, afterwards turned 
into stops. Others derive it from the merchants of La Reole, who established themselves there, 
and that the street was called La Reole, 
_——- 
