ited to a wedding,
could not, although she employed two celebrated laundresses, get her
ruff plaited according to her taste, upon which "she fell to sweare
and teare, to curse and ban, casting the ruffes under feete, and
wishing that the devill might take her when shee did wear any
neckerchers againe." This gentleman, whom it is said an invocation
will always summon, now appeared in the likeness of a favoured suitor,
and inquiring the cause of her agitation, he "took in hande the
setting of her ruffes, which he performed to her great contentation
and liking; insomuch, as she, looking herself in a glasse (as the
devill bade her) became greatly enamoured with him. This done, the
young man kissed her, in the doing whereof, he writhed her neck in
sunder, so she died miserably."

But here comes the marvel: four men tried in vain to lift her "fearful
body" when coffined for interment; six were equally unsuccessful;
"whereat the standers-by marvelling, caused the coffin to be opened to
see the cause thereof: where they found the body to be taken away, and
a blacke catte, very leane and deformed, sitting in the coffin,
_setting of great ruffes and frizling of haire_, to the great feare
and woonder of all the beholders."

The large hoop farthingales were worn now, but they were said to be
adopted by the ladies from a laudable spirit of emulation, a
praiseworthy desire on their parts to be of equal standing with the
"nobler sex," who now wore breeches, stuffed with rags or other
materials to such an enormous size, that a bench of extraordinary
dimension was placed round the parliament house, (of which the traces
were visible at a very late period) solely for their accommodation.

Strutt quotes an instance of a man whom the judges accused of wearing
breeches contrary to the law (for a law was made against them): he,
for his excuse, drew out of his slops the contents; at first a pair of
sheets, two table-cloths, ten napkins, four shirts, a brush, a glass,
and a comb; with nightcaps and other things of use, saying, "Your
worship may understand, that because I have no safer a storehouse,
these pockets do serve me for a room to lay up my goods in,--and,
though it be a strait prison, yet it is big enough for them, for I
have many things of value yet within it." His excuse was heartily
laughed at and accepted.

This ridiculous fashion was for a short time disused, but revived
again in 1614. The breeches were then chiefly stuffed wi