But streight as she had forthwith opened the locke,
And look’t in the bagge, what it was a clocke,” &c.
Sig. K 3,—Workes, ed. 1598.
In our author’s Garlande of Laurell we find,
“With burris rowth and bottons surffillyng [MS. surfullinge].”
v. 803. vol. i. 394.
which is cited (Dict. in v. Surfel) by Richardson, who, after quoting from Gifford that “To surphule or surfel the cheeks, is to wash them with mercurial or sulphur water,” &c., adds that Gifford’s “explanation does not extend to the passage from Skelton.” The fact seems to be that Skelton uses surfle for purfle, i. e. border, embroider: and I may notice that Brathwait, on the other hand, seems to employ purfle for surfle;
“With painting, purfling, and a face of Art.”
A Strappado for the Diuell, 1615. p. 150.