Preston.
_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.