(A) Parochial History of Enstone, in the County of Oxford; Bring an Attempt to Exemplify the Compilation of Parochial Histories from Antiquarian Remains, Ecclesiastical Structures and Monuments, Ancient and Modern Documents, Manorial Records ... &C., &C (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857 Excerpt: ...operation, and friese was the kind of cloth here made. The lower garments that were to be provided for William Newman are thus enumerated and described: " one pair of leggings; one pair of socks; and a pair of breeches." At this time such articles as stockings, or knitted hose of any kind, were entirely unknown. It is equally uncertain whether the invention of knitting stockings is due to the Scotch or the French, for there are plausible pretensions in favour of both, but there is no doubt that the art had not been invented in the fifteenth century, nor until some time in the sixteenth, although when is not exactly known. Howell, in his History of the World, printed in 1680, thus writes of the state of trade in his time: " Silk is now grown nigh as common as wool, and become the cloathing of those in the kitchen as well as the court; we weare it not onely on our backs, but of late years on our legs and feet, and tread on that which formerly was of the same value with gold itself. Yet that magnificent and expensive prince Henry VIII. wore ordinarily cloth hose, except there came from Spain, by great chance, a pair of silk stockins. K. Edward, his son, was presented with a pair of long Spanish silk stockins by Thomas Gresham, his merchant, and the present was taken much notice of. Queen Elizabeth, in the third year of her reign was presented by Mrs. Montague, her silkwoman, with a pair of black knit silk stockins, and thenceforth she never wore cloth any more," p. 222. But although silk stockings were such a luxury, knitted hose of other material were within the reach of the upper classes generally, as appears from an authentic and curious household book kept during the life of Sir Tho. L'Estrange, Knt. of Hunstanton in Norfolk, by his lad...