Ruffles, when worn (Vol. v., p. 12.).
—These appendages to our ancient costume were originally termed handruffs. They may be traced in some of our early monumental effigies. The earliest written notice of them, that I remember, is in the following extract from an inventory of Henry VIII.'s apparel quoted by Strutt:
"One payer of sleves, passed over the arme with gold and silver, quilted with black silk, and ruffled at the hand with strawberry leaves and flowers of gold, embroidered with black silk."
In the reign of Elizabeth, the handruffs are seen pleated and edged with rich lace; and in the three succeeding reigns, they were generally worn of fine lawn or cambric. When the Hanoverian race ascended the English throne, many changes took place in the national costume; but the ruffle was retained, and continued during the century.
Some of your readers may recollect the print of Garrick's Macbeth, with cocked hat of the last London cut, bag-wig, full court dress and ruffles!
In 1762, the rage for large ruffles was beginning to decline. A writer in the London Chronicle for that year (p. 167.) says (speaking of the gentlemen's dress):—
"Their cuffs cover entirely their wrists, and only the edge of their ruffles are to be seen; as if they lived in the slovenly days of Lycurgus, when every one was ashamed to show clean linen."
The French Revolution of 1789 very much influenced the English fashions in costume; the cocked-hat and ruffles were discarded to make room for the ugly "round hat" and "small cuffs" of the Parisian butchers.
It would be difficult to fix upon the period for the total disuse of any particular fashion. Fashions of a "hundred years ago" may still be seen in some of our country churches; and I should not be surprised to find ruffles among their number.
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.