Book 1

, C. 23.’

Bishop Barlow, _Answer to a Catholike Englishman_, p. 231, Lond. 1607, says: ‘Now heere the Censurer makes an Almaine leape, skipping 3 whole pages together’ (quoted in _N. & Q._ 1st Ser. 10. 157).

=1. 1. 97 their hoods.= The French hood was still worn by citizens’ wives. Thus in the _London Prodigal_, ed. 1709:

No _Frank_, I’ll have thee go like a _Citizen_ In a Garded Gown, and a _French_ Hood.

When Simon Eyre is appointed sheriff, his wife immediately inquires for a ‘Fardingale-maker’ and a ‘French-hood maker’ (Dekker, _Wks._ 1. 39). Strutt says that French hoods were out of fashion by the middle of the 17th century (_Antiq._ 3. 93). See the frequent references to this article of apparel in _Bart. Fair_. It is interesting to notice that the hoods are worn at dinner.

=1. 1. 106, 7.= The readings of ‘Whalley and Gifford are distinctly inferior to the original.

=1. 1. 112, 3 Car-men Are got into the yellow starch.= Starch was introduced in the age of Elizabeth to meet the needs of the huge Spanish ruff which had come into favor some years before (see _Soc. Eng._, p. 386). It was frequently colored. In Middleton and Rowley’s _World Tossed at Tennis_ five different colored starches are personified. Stubbes says that it was ‘of all collours and hues.’ Yellow starch must have come into fashion not long before this play was acted, for in the _Owle’s Allmanacke_, published in 1618, it is said: ‘Since yellow bandes and saffroned chaperoones came vp, is not above two yeeres past.’ This, however, is not to be taken literally, for the execution of Mrs. Turner took place Nov. 14, 1615. Of her we read in Howell’s Letters 1. 2: ‘Mistress _Turner_, the first inventress of _yellow Starch_, was executed in a Cobweb Lawn Ruff of that colour at _Tyburn_; and with her I believe that _yellow Starch_, which so much disfigured our Nation, and rendered them so ridiculous and fantastic, will receive its Funeral.’ Sir S. D’Ewes _(Autobiog._ 1. 69) says that from that day it did, indeed, grow ‘generally to be detested and disused.’ _The Vision of Sir Thomas Overbury_, 1616 (quoted in Amos, _Great Oyer_, p. 50) speaks of

----that fantastic, ugly fall and ruff Daub’d o’er with that base starch of yellow stuff

as already out of fashion. Its popularity must have returned, however, since Barnaby Riche in the _Irish Hubbub_,1622, p. 40, laments that ‘yellow starcht bands’ were more popular than ever, and he prophesies that the fashion ‘shortly will be as conversant amongst taylors, tapsters, and tinkers, as now they have brought tobacco.’

D’Ewes also in describing the procession of King James from Whitehall to Westminster, Jan. 30, 1620, says that the king saw one window ‘full of gentlewomen or ladies, all in yellow bandes,’ whereupon he called out ‘A pox take yee,’ and they all withdrew in shame. In _The Parson’s Wedding_, printed 1664, _O. Pl._ 11. 498, it is spoken of as out of fashion. Yellow starch is mentioned again in 5. 8. 74. 5, and a ballad of ‘goose-green starch and the devil’ is mentioned in _Bart. Fair_, _Wks._ 4. 393. Similarly, Nash speaks in _Pierce Pennilesse_, _Wks._ 2. 44. of a ‘Ballet of Blue starch and poaking stick.’ See also Dodsley’s note on _Albumazar_, _O. Pl._ 7. 132.

=1. 1. 113, 4 Chimney-sweepers To their tabacco.= See the quotation from Riche in the last note and note 5. 8. 71.

=1. 1. 114, 5 Hum, Meath, and Obarni.= Hum is defined B. E. _Dict. Cant. Crew, Hum_ or _Humming Liquor_, Double Ale, Stout, Pharoah. It is mentioned in Fletcher’s _Wild Goose Chase_ 2. 3 and Heywood’s _Drunkard_. p. 48. Meath or mead is still made in England. It was a favorite drink in the Middle Ages, and consisted of a mixture of honey and water with the addition of a ferment. Harrison, _Description of England_, ed. Furnivall, 1. 161, thus describes it: ‘There is a kind of swish swash made also in Essex, and diuerse other places, with honicombs and water, which the [homelie] countrie wiues, putting some pepper and a little other spice among, call mead, verie good in mine opinion for such as loue to be loose bodied [at large, or a little eased of the cough,] otherwise it differeth so much from the true metheglin, as chalke from cheese.’

Obarni was long a crux for the editors and dictionaries. Gifford (_Wks._ 7. 226) supplied a part of the quotation from _Pimlyco or Runne Red-Cap_, 1609, completed by James Platt, Jun. (_N. & Q._ 9th Ser. 3. 306). in which ‘Mead Obarne and Mead Cherunk’ are mentioned as drinks

----that whet the spites Of Russes and cold Muscovites.

Mr. Platt first instanced the existing Russian word _obarni_ or _obvarnyi_ (see Gloss.), meaning ‘boiling, scalding,’ and C. C. B. (_N. & Q._ 9. 3. 413) supplied a quotation from the account of the voyage of Sir Jerome Bowes in 1583 (Harris’s _Travels_ 1. 535), in which ‘Sodden Mead’ appears among the items of diet supplied by the Emperor to the English Ambassador. The identification was completed with a quotation given by the _Stanford Dict._: ‘1598 Hakluyt _Voy._ 1. 461 One veather of sodden mead called _Obarni_.’

=1. 1. 119 your rope of sand.= This occupation is mentioned again in 5. 2. 6.

=1. 1. 126 Tissue gownes.= Howes, p. 869. tells us that John Tuce, ‘dweling neere Shorditch Church’, first attained perfection in the manufacture of cloth of tissue.

=1. 1. 127 Garters and roses.= Howes, p. 1039, says that ‘at this day (1631) men of meane rancke weare Garters, and shooe Roses, of more than fiue pound price.’ Massinger, in the _City Madam_, _Wks._, p. 334, speaks of ‘roses worth a family.’ Cf. also John Taylor’s _Works_, 1630 (quoted in _Hist. Brit. Cost_.):

Weare a farm in shoe-strings edged with gold And spangled garters worth a copyhold.

=1. 1. 128 Embroydred stockings.= ‘Then haue they nether-stocks to these gay hosen, not of cloth (though neuer so fine) for that is thought to base, but of _Iarnsey_ worsted, silk, thred, and such like, or els at the least of the finest yarn _that_ can be, and so curiouslye knit with open seam down the leg, with quirks and clocks about the ancles, and sometime (haply) interlaced with gold or siluer threds, as is wonderful to behold.’--Stubbes, _Anat._,