sumptuary
laws. These laws forbade the purchase of woollen, silk, or linen
garments, with silver, gold, silk, or thread lace on them. Two years
later a narrow binding of lace was permitted on linen garments. The
colonists were ordered not to make or buy any slashed clothes, except
those with one slash in each sleeve and another slash in the back. "Cut
works, imbroidd or needle or capps bands & rayles," and gold or silver
girdles, hat-bands, belts, ruffs, and beaver hats were forbidden.
Liberty was thriftily given, however, to the colonists to wear out any
garments they chanced to have unless in the form of inordinately slashed
apparel, immoderate great sleeves and rails, and long wings, which could
not possibly be endured.

In 1639 men's attire was approached and scanned, and "immoderate great
breeches" were tabooed; also broad shoulder-bands, double ruffles and
capes, and silk roses, which latter adornment were worn on the shoes.

In 1651 the Court again expressed its "utter detestation that men and
women of meane condition, education, and calling, should take vppon them
the garbe of gentlemen by wearinge of gold or silver lace, or buttons or
poynts at their knees, or walke in great boots, or women of the same
ranke to wear silke or tiffany hoods or scarfs."

Many persons were "presented" under this law, men boot-wearers as well
as women hood-wearers. In Salem, in 1652, a man was presented for
"excess in bootes, ribonds, gould and silver lace."

In Newbury, in 1653, two women were brought up for wearing silk hoods
and scarfs, but they were discharged on proof that their husbands were
worth L200 each. In Northampton, in the year 1676, a wholesale attempt
was made by the magistrates to abolish "wicked apparell." Thirty-eight
women of the Connecticut valley were presented at one time for various
degrees of finery, and as of too small estate to wear silk. A young girl
named Hannah Lyman was presented for "wearing silk in a fflaunting
manner, in an offensive way and garb not only before but when she stood
presented." Thirty young men were also presented for silk-wearing, long
hair, and other extravagances. The calm flaunting of her silk in the
very eyes of the Court by sixteen-year-old Hannah was premonitory of the
waning power of the magistrates, for similar prosecutions at a later
date were quashed. By 1682 the tables were turned and we find the Court
arraigning the selectmen of five towns for not prosecuting offender