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Updated: October 14, 2025
Persons of fashion had, by the way, the advantage formerly of being better distinguished from the vulgar than at present; for, what the ancient farthingale and more modern hoop were to court ladies, the sword was to the gentleman; an article of dress, which only rendered those ridiculous who assumed it for the nonce, without being in the habit of wearing it.
The age had not so much refinement, that any sense of impropriety restrained the wearers of petticoat and farthingale from stepping forth into the public ways, and wedging their not unsubstantial persons, if occasion were, into the throng nearest to the scaffold at an execution.
There, too, was Sir Henry, seeming equally stern in his court suit and hat, and Dame Markham, in stomacher and farthingale and ruff, with quite a look of alarm on their countenances, which was reflected from that of another of the old Markhams all appearing either angry or startled at such a freak being played in their august presence.
And lastly, she stood just five feet four inches in her high-heeled shoes, and in honour of her younger son's safe arrival home was garbed, in the height of the prevailing mode, in a gown of brown velvet that exactly matched the colour of her hair, with long pointed bodice heavily embroidered with gold thread, voluminous farthingale, long puffed sleeves, ruffed lace collar, lace stomacher, and lace ruffles at her dainty wrists.
My great-grandmother couldn't do a bit with her; she turned the house topsy-turvy, cut the noses out of the old portraits, and chewed the jewels out of the settings, killed the little home animals, spoiled the dinners, pranced in the garden with Madam Willoughby's farthingale and royal stiff brocades rustling yards behind, this atom of a shrimp, or balanced herself with her heels in the air over the curb of the well, scraped up the dead leaves under one corner of the house and fired them, a favorite occupation, and if you left her stirring a mess in the kitchen, you met her, perhaps, perched in the china-closet and mumbling all manner of demoniacal prayers, twisting and writhing and screaming over a string of amber gods that she had brought with her and always wore.
"I have not seen you since you laughed my advice to scorn and took it," he said. "Where's the farthingale, Benedick the married man?" "In the house." "Oh, ay!" he commented. "It's near to supper time. I trust she's a good cook?" "She does not cook," I said dryly. "I have hired old Goody Cotton to do that." He eyed me closely. "By all the gods! a new doublet! She is skillful with her needle, then?"
"Don't you like fish, Farthingale?" Farthingale was a new boy, who blushed, and said, promptly, "Oh! yes, Sir." "Don't you like fish, Mark Blanding? Your brother Gyles used to," asked Mr. Gray. "Yes, Sir," replied that youth, slowly, and with a certain expression in his eye, "I suppose I do." "All boys who are in favor of having fish dinner on Fridays will hold up their right hands," said Mr.
She held her white hand to receive the kisses of the boys: William Cavendish, under his mother's eye, knelt obediently; Antony Babington, a fair, pretty lad, of eight or nine, of a beautiful pink and white complexion, pressed forward with an eager devotion which made the Queen smile and press her delicate hand on his curled locks; as for Humfrey, he retreated behind the shelter of his mother's farthingale, where his presence was forgotten by every one else, and, after the rebuff just administered to Cicely, there was no inclination to bring him to light, or combat with his bashfulness.
"Naught to alarm you, sweet; yet something that may vex you." He set an arm about that lissom waist of hers above the swelling farthingale, and gently led her back to her chair, then flung himself upon the window-seat beside her. "You hold Sir John Killigrew in some affection?" he said between statement and inquiry. "Why, yes. He was our guardian until my brother came of full age."
Some will have it that it portends the Downfal of the French King, and observe that the Farthingale appeared in England a little before the Ruin of the Spanish Monarchy. Others are of Opinion that it foretels Battle and Bloodshed, and believe it of the same Prognostication as the Tail of a Blazing Star.
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