in yelow vellat laced about with Venise silver, the sleeves cutt and drawne out with cobweb lawn, a stomacher of white satin lined with sarcenet laced with gold lace ... the bodyes of carnation satten.
Another year she had a gown of carnation velvet with silk lace, cut, and drawn out with cobweb lawn and tinsel, sleeves of white satin laced with gold. The price of the material is given in this series. In 1590 she had a blue velvet dress, seven yards, at 24s. the yard; the next year a carnation velvet of same price, richly adorned, sleeves of white satin and gold lace; a loose gown of black damask, with a pair of sleeves of tawny satin. In 1592 there is “a gowne of tawny silk grograine at 16s. the yard, sleeves of white satin”; next year a yellow velvet again. In 1594 we find
a haire coloured velvet gown and hanging sleeves wrought with silver, white satin showes laced with gold lace, a gown of white taffeta lined with satin tincel; a gowne of willow-coloured velvet at 22s. a yard.
She was in flame-coloured silk in 1596, next year in black velvet and black silk, and the following year in purple tuft taffeta, as if she had been in mourning. In 1600, after all the honourable ladies of the Court, appears “Thomasina our Woman Dwarf,” and the supply allowed to her is noted. The following volume in this series seems to have been lost.
But in another series she is entered still as “Thomazina Muliercula,” 43-44 Elizabeth, on which occasion she had a “robe of satin tawny with sleeves of cut satin lined with gold,” etc. This series runs through five volumes, but I am afraid of giving references, they have changed so often since I began to go through the whole of the books twelve years ago. They used to be L.C. II. 22, etc. I thought the names which I have selected worth noting, as they may hereafter explain some recondite allusions. I remember having seen “Monarcho” mentioned in contemporary literature, but forget the reference.[98] I have found no further notices of William Shenton, nor any further information about Thomasina. She disappears from the Lord Chamberlain’s books with her royal mistress, and she is resuscitated nowhere else. She evidently did nothing to distinguish herself for good or bad. But she lived longer in her office than any of the others, and she adds a feature to our picture of Court life during the later years of Elizabeth.
“Athenæum,” 16th August 1913.
FOOTNOTES:
[97] In the account of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation is mentioned “Mrs. Snow, five yards scarlet,” among the “Extraordinary women of the Privy Chamber when the Queen pleaseth to call for them.”
[98] Mr. J. F. in the “Athenæum,” 30th August 1913, reminds me it is in “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” iv, 1, l. 103: “A phantasime, a Monarcho, and one that makes sport to the Prince,” and Mr. Littledale refers me to Scot’s “Discouerie of Witchcraft,” 1584, “The Italian whom he called The Monarch,” p. 42.