s."

We can easily picture sixteen-year-old Hannah, in silk bedight, inwardly
rejoicing at the unusual opportunity to fully and publicly display her
rich attire, and we can easily read in her offensive flaunting in court
a presage of the waning of magisterial power which proved a truthful
omen, for in six years similar prosecutions in Northampton, for
assumption of gay and expensive garments, were quashed. The ministers of
the day note sadly the overwhelming love of fashion that was crescent
throughout New England; a love of dress which neither the ban of
religion, philosophy, nor law could expel; what Rev. Solomon Stoddard
called, in 1675, "intolerable pride in clothes and hair." They were
never weary of preaching about dress, of comparing the poor Puritan
women to the haughty daughters of Judah and Jerusalem; saying
threateningly to their parishioners, as did Isaiah to the daughters of
Zion:

"The Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments
about their feet, and their cauls and their round tires like the
moon.

"The chains and the bracelets and the mufflers.

"The bonnets and the ornaments of the legs and the head-bands and
the tablets and the earrings.

"The rings and nose jewels.

"The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles and the wimples
and the crisping pins.

"The glasses and the fine linen and the hoods and the vails."

Every evil predicted by the prophet was laid at the door of these Boston
and Plymouth dames; fire and war and poor harvests and caterpillars, and
even baldness--but still they arrayed themselves in fine raiment, "drew
iniquity with a cord of vanity and sin with a cart-rope," and "walked
with outstretched necks and wanton eyes mincing as they go."

As an exposition of the possibilities, or rather the actual
extensiveness, of a Puritanical feminine wardrobe at this date, let me
name the articles of clothing bequeathed by the will of Jane Humphrey,
who died in Dorchester, Mass., in 1668. I give them as they appear on
the list, but with the names of her heirs omitted.

"Ye Jump. Best Red Kersey Petticoate, Sad Grey Kersey Wascote. My
blemmish Searge Petticoate & my best hatt. My white Fustian
Wascote. A black Silk neck cloath. A handkerchiefe. A blew Apron. A
plain black Quoife without any lace. A white Holland Appron with a
small lace at the bottom. Red Searge petticoat and a blackish