Kabanata Kabanata 56 · How the men and women of the

Chapter 1.LVI.

How the men and women of the religious order of Theleme were apparelled.

The ladies at the foundation of this order were apparelled after their own

pleasure and liking; but, since that of their own accord and free will they

have reformed themselves, their accoutrement is in manner as followeth.

They wore stockings of scarlet crimson, or ingrained purple dye, which

reached just three inches above the knee, having a list beautified with

exquisite embroideries and rare incisions of the cutter’s art. Their

garters were of the colour of their bracelets, and circled the knee a

little both over and under. Their shoes, pumps, and slippers were either

of red, violet, or crimson-velvet, pinked and jagged like lobster waddles.

Next to their smock they put on the pretty kirtle or vasquin of pure silk

camlet: above that went the taffety or tabby farthingale, of white, red,

tawny, grey, or of any other colour. Above this taffety petticoat they had

another of cloth of tissue or brocade, embroidered with fine gold and

interlaced with needlework, or as they thought good, and according to the

temperature and disposition of the weather had their upper coats of satin,

damask, or velvet, and those either orange, tawny, green, ash-coloured,

blue, yellow, bright red, crimson, or white, and so forth; or had them of

cloth of gold, cloth of silver, or some other choice stuff, enriched with

purl, or embroidered according to the dignity of the festival days and

times wherein they wore them.

Their gowns, being still correspondent to the season, were either of cloth

of gold frizzled with a silver-raised work; of red satin, covered with gold

purl; of tabby, or taffety, white, blue, black, tawny, &c., of silk serge,

silk camlet, velvet, cloth of silver, silver tissue, cloth of gold, gold

wire, figured velvet, or figured satin tinselled and overcast with golden

threads, in divers variously purfled draughts.

In the summer some days instead of gowns they wore light handsome mantles,

made either of the stuff of the aforesaid attire, or like Moresco rugs, of

violet velvet frizzled, with a raised work of gold upon silver purl, or

with a knotted cord-work of gold embroidery, everywhere garnished with

little Indian pearls. They always carried a fair panache, or plume of

feathers, of the colour of their muff, bravely adorned and tricked out with

glistering spangles of gold. In the winter time they had their taffety

gowns of all colours, as above-named, and those lined with the rich

furrings of hind-wolves, or speckled lynxes, black-spotted weasels, martlet

skins of Calabria, sables, and other costly furs of an inestimable value.

Their beads, rings, bracelets, collars, carcanets, and neck-chains were all

of precious stones, such as carbuncles, rubies, baleus, diamonds,

sapphires, emeralds, turquoises, garnets, agates, beryls, and excellent

margarites. Their head-dressing also varied with the season of the year,

according to which they decked themselves. In winter it was of the French

fashion; in the spring, of the Spanish; in summer, of the fashion of

Tuscany, except only upon the holy days and Sundays, at which times they

were accoutred in the French mode, because they accounted it more

honourable and better befitting the garb of a matronal pudicity.

The men were apparelled after their fashion. Their stockings were of

tamine or of cloth serge, of white, black, scarlet, or some other ingrained

colour. Their breeches were of velvet, of the same colour with their

stockings, or very near, embroidered and cut according to their fancy.

Their doublet was of cloth of gold, of cloth of silver, of velvet, satin,

damask, taffeties, &c., of the same colours, cut, embroidered, and suitably

trimmed up in perfection. The points were of silk of the same colours; the

tags were of gold well enamelled. Their coats and jerkins were of cloth of

gold, cloth of silver, gold, tissue or velvet embroidered, as they thought

fit. Their gowns were every whit as costly as those of the ladies. Their

girdles were of silks, of the colour of their doublets. Every one had a

gallant sword by his side, the hilt and handle whereof were gilt, and the

scabbard of velvet, of the colour of his breeches, with a chape of gold,

and pure goldsmith’s work. The dagger was of the same. Their caps or

bonnets were of black velvet, adorned with jewels and buttons of gold.

Upon that they wore a white plume, most prettily and minion-like parted by

so many rows of gold spangles, at the end whereof hung dangling in a more

sparkling resplendency fair rubies, emeralds, diamonds, &c., but there was

such a sympathy betwixt the gallants and the ladies, that every day they

were apparelled in the same livery. And that they might not miss, there

were certain gentlemen appointed to tell the youths every morning what

vestments the ladies would on that day wear: for all was done according to

the pleasure of the ladies. In these so handsome clothes, and habiliments

so rich, think not that either one or other of either sex did waste any

time at all; for the masters of the wardrobes had all their raiments and

apparel so ready for every morning, and the chamber-ladies so well skilled,

that in a trice they would be dressed and completely in their clothes from

head to foot. And to have those accoutrements with the more conveniency,

there was about the wood of Theleme a row of houses of the extent of half a

league, very neat and cleanly, wherein dwelt the goldsmiths, lapidaries,

jewellers, embroiderers, tailors, gold-drawers, velvet-weavers,

tapestry-makers and upholsterers, who wrought there every one in his own

trade, and all for the aforesaid jolly friars and nuns of the new stamp.

They were furnished with matter and stuff from the hands of the Lord

Nausiclete, who every year brought them seven ships from the Perlas and

Cannibal Islands, laden with ingots of gold, with raw silk, with pearls and

precious stones. And if any margarites, called unions, began to grow old and

lose somewhat of their natural whiteness and lustre, those with their art

they did renew by tendering them to eat to some pretty cocks, as they use to

give casting unto hawks.