222 Patnters in the Reign of ^een Elizabeth. 



diamonds, a vaft ruff, a vafter fardingale 

 aiid a buihcll of pearls are die features by 

 which every body knows at once the pic- 

 tures of queen Elizabeth. * Befides many 



of 



* It is obfervable that her majefiy thought enormity 

 of drefs a royal perogative, for on the izth of February 

 1579, an order was made in the Star-chamber, *' that 

 no perfon fhould ufe or wear exceflive long cloaks, (this 

 might proceed from apprchenficn of their concealing, 

 arms under them) as of late be ufcd, and before two 

 years paft hath not been ufed in this realm ; no perfons 

 to wear fuch great ruffes about their necks ; to be left 

 off fuch monilrous undecent attyring/' Alfo another 

 againft wearing any fword rapier, that Ihall pafTe the 

 length of one yard and half a q uarter in the blade, nor 

 dagger above twelve inches in the blade at moft. In her 

 father's time, who dictated in every thing from religion 

 to fafhions, an ad of parliament was pafTed in his twen- 

 ty-fourth year againft inordinate ufe of apparel direft- 

 ing that no one fhould wear on his apparel any cloth of 

 geld, filver or tinfel, fatyn, filk, or cloth mixed with gold 

 or filver, any fables, velvet, furrs, embroidery, velvet in 

 gowns or outermoft garments, except persons of di- 

 stinction, dukes, marquiffes, earls, barons and 

 knights of the order, barons' fons, knights or fuch that 

 may difpend 250/. per ann. This a6l was renewed in 

 the fecond cf Elizabeth. Edward VI. carried this re- 

 ftraint ftili farther : In heads of a bill drawn up with 

 his own hand 1551, (though it never pafTed into a law) 

 no one, who had lefs than 100/. a year for life, or gen- 

 tlemen, the king's fvvorn fervants, was to wear fatten, 



darnaik^ 



