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[Page 40]
No. 19 Ruffs
The first appearance of Ruffs is on the Great Seal of Philip & mary whence we may conclude that the custom of wearing them was brought from Spain The Ruffs are very short & have only one fold set of Folds it is Remarkable that the wrists are ornamented with minute Ruffs exaclly imitating in the folds the larger ones worn round the neck similar wristbands are very well markd on Q
1505 Elizabeths great Seal on the wrists of the Persons Composing the Court of wards by vertue does not this give us the origin of the word Ruffle & is not this the ornament which Ended at Last in the Ruffle of of Point Lace now worn, as the Ruff ended in a stiffend Cope of Point Lace well markd on the Portrait of the Queen of Bohemia & the Queen of James 1st. & the Falling band of Ch [1st's?] Reign
Ruffs were considerd as full dress The chief officers of the Court of wards
1635 before Quoted all wear them, whitocke tells us p 23 tells us that he was put into the chair at the oxford Quester Sapiens tho in Colord Cloths & a Falling Band & that folks said. that one may speak as good [Sence?] in a Falling band as in a Ruff. it is probable that the Ruff was a necessary Part of the dress of a Judge till the wig was introduced in the Reign of ch 2nd
1574? about the year 1574 [clever] noble Personages & others of Special note made them Ruffes a full Quarter of a Yard deep & 12 leng[th]s in one Ruffe this Fashion in London was Calld the French Fashion but when Englishmen came to Paris the French know it not & in derision called it The English monster Howe
Shorlty after, began Long Tucks & Long Revers & he was held the greatest gallant that had the deepest Ruff & the Longest Rapier The offence to the Eye of the one & the hurt unto the Life of the Subject that Came by the other Caused Her majesty to make proclamations against them [indecipherable] & to Place selected grave Citizens at every gate to cut their Ruffes & break the Rapier Points of all [Passereen?] that exceeded a yard in Leng[th] of their Rapiers &c may be of an yard in breadth depth of their Ruffe Howe
1583 They have monstrous ruffs ¼ of a yard deep some more few Less stiffend with Starch & supported by a machine Calld a Suppertasse or underpropper made of wyer whipped over with thread The bands are workd with Silk & Laced with Gold Silver or Tthread Lace Stubbs anatomy of abuses