Hello all I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup alias Bartlett who leaves a long list of clothes to various people and have two recurring words that seem to describe the garment. The writing though quite small is relatively good and most words are quite easy to read The first seems to apply mostly to Partletts where several are described as a "holilayes" or "holilazes" or "holidayes" partlett. The other item also seems to be an item of clothing and is spelt a couple of ways but seems to be "carcheife" or "carc_eise" In one line this is put into context as "one paire of bought cloth stockings two holilayes carcheifes & one holilayes partlett and my new blanket" I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" at the time Quite a number of items are described as being canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much finer fabric. regards Chris Bartlett

Chris: it's only possible to guess without seeing the text, but could "carcheife" be a kerchief, ie handkerchief? And could "holidayes" items be ones for holy days, ie Sunday best? Best wishes Paul Prescott ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:08 PM Subject: [OEL] recurring words in 1609 will > > Hello all > > I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup alias > Bartlett who leaves a long list of clothes to various > people and have two recurring words that seem to describe > the garment. The writing though quite small is relatively > good and most words are quite easy to read > > The first seems to apply mostly to Partletts where several > are described as a "holilayes" or "holilazes" or "holidayes" > partlett. > > The other item also seems to be an item of clothing and is > spelt a couple of ways but seems to be "carcheife" or "carc_eise" > > In one line this is put into context as > "one paire of bought cloth stockings two holilayes carcheifes > & one holilayes partlett and my new blanket" > > I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" > at the time Quite a number of items are described as being > canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. > The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor > awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much > finer fabric. > > regards > Chris Bartlett > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 31-05-2004

Hi Chris I expect someone else has replied to you by now but here's what I think. holilayes and variations of it may be hollandaise. I'm not absolutely sure about this without looking it up but I think it's fine linen. On the other hand, what Paul and Liz say sounds another good possibility. Agree with Paul that the word is a version of kerchief, i.e. a little triangular piece of cloth knotted around the throat. I think partlets were the cotton tabs, also worn around the neck but resting on the upper chest - see portraits of the time. My description in words does not convey what I have in mind's eye. Canvas was, I believe, a coarse unbleached cloth of hemp or flax at that date but I shall, no doubt, have to be corrected on this. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:08 PM Subject: [OEL] recurring words in 1609 will > > Hello all > > I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup alias > Bartlett who leaves a long list of clothes to various > people and have two recurring words that seem to describe > the garment. The writing though quite small is relatively > good and most words are quite easy to read > > The first seems to apply mostly to Partletts where several > are described as a "holilayes" or "holilazes" or "holidayes" > partlett. > > The other item also seems to be an item of clothing and is > spelt a couple of ways but seems to be "carcheife" or "carc_eise" > > In one line this is put into context as > "one paire of bought cloth stockings two holilayes carcheifes > & one holilayes partlett and my new blanket" > > I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" > at the time Quite a number of items are described as being > canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. > The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor > awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much > finer fabric. > > regards > Chris Bartlett > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > >

Hi Audrey, There was Holland cloth which was a linen fabric, called brown Holland when unbleached. I think Hollandaise was the sauce rather than the cloth. Cheers, Liz Quoting "norman.lee1" <norman.lee1@virgin.net>: > Hi Chris > > I expect someone else has replied to you by now but here's what I think. > > holilayes and variations of it may be hollandaise. I'm not absolutely > sure about this without looking it up but I think it's fine linen. On the > other hand, what Paul and Liz say sounds another good possibility. > > Agree with Paul that the word is a version of kerchief, i.e. a little > triangular piece of cloth knotted around the throat. I think partlets were > the cotton tabs, also worn around the neck but resting on the upper chest - > see portraits of the time. My description in words does not convey what I > have in mind's eye. > > Canvas was, I believe, a coarse unbleached cloth of hemp or flax at that > date but I shall, no doubt, have to be corrected on this. > > Audrey > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> > To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:08 PM > Subject: [OEL] recurring words in 1609 will > > > > > > Hello all > > > > I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup alias > > Bartlett who leaves a long list of clothes to various > > people and have two recurring words that seem to describe > > the garment. The writing though quite small is relatively > > good and most words are quite easy to read > > > > The first seems to apply mostly to Partletts where several > > are described as a "holilayes" or "holilazes" or "holidayes" > > partlett. > > > > The other item also seems to be an item of clothing and is > > spelt a couple of ways but seems to be "carcheife" or "carc_eise" > > > > In one line this is put into context as > > "one paire of bought cloth stockings two holilayes carcheifes > > & one holilayes partlett and my new blanket" > > > > I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" > > at the time Quite a number of items are described as being > > canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. > > The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor > > awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much > > finer fabric. > > > > regards > > Chris Bartlett > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To contact the list administrator: > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > >

Thanks for that Liz. Of course you're right. I had a feeling when I looked at what I'd written that there was something wrong with it. Perhaps it was close to a meal time? Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: <emagar@hotkey.net.au> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 12:39 PM Subject: Re: [OEL] recurring words in 1609 will > Hi Audrey, > > There was Holland cloth which was a linen fabric, called brown Holland when > unbleached. I think Hollandaise was the sauce rather than the cloth. > > Cheers, > > Liz > > Quoting "norman.lee1" <norman.lee1@virgin.net>: > > > Hi Chris > > > > I expect someone else has replied to you by now but here's what I think. > > > > holilayes and variations of it may be hollandaise. I'm not absolutely > > sure about this without looking it up but I think it's fine linen. On the > > other hand, what Paul and Liz say sounds another good possibility. > > > > Agree with Paul that the word is a version of kerchief, i.e. a little > > triangular piece of cloth knotted around the throat. I think partlets were > > the cotton tabs, also worn around the neck but resting on the upper chest - > > see portraits of the time. My description in words does not convey what I > > have in mind's eye. > > > > Canvas was, I believe, a coarse unbleached cloth of hemp or flax at that > > date but I shall, no doubt, have to be corrected on this. > > > > Audrey > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> > > To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:08 PM > > Subject: [OEL] recurring words in 1609 will > > > > > > > > > > Hello all > > > > > > I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup alias > > > Bartlett who leaves a long list of clothes to various > > > people and have two recurring words that seem to describe > > > the garment. The writing though quite small is relatively > > > good and most words are quite easy to read > > > > > > The first seems to apply mostly to Partletts where several > > > are described as a "holilayes" or "holilazes" or "holidayes" > > > partlett. > > > > > > The other item also seems to be an item of clothing and is > > > spelt a couple of ways but seems to be "carcheife" or "carc_eise" > > > > > > In one line this is put into context as > > > "one paire of bought cloth stockings two holilayes carcheifes > > > & one holilayes partlett and my new blanket" > > > > > > I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" > > > at the time Quite a number of items are described as being > > > canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. > > > The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor > > > awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much > > > finer fabric. > > > > > > regards > > > Chris Bartlett > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > > > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > To contact the list administrator: > > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > THREADED archives for OLD-ENGLISH: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=OLD-ENGLISH > >

At 23:08 16-06-04 +1200, you wrote: >Hello all > >I am transcribing a long 1609 will of Alice Startup <snip> >I am also curious about the quality of what was called "canvas" >at the time Quite a number of items are described as being >canvas including canvas sheets and a couple of canvas towels. >The only canvas I know is a very heavy material used for outdoor >awnings and tents. Was the material talked about the will a much >finer fabric. > >regards >Chris Bartlett > >Hello Chris, The following notes from history notes in a magazine produced by a big chemical company (I think it was "Bayer Farben Review", but not positive) Unbleached canvas was used predominantly for sheeting, made by spinning and weaving the very finest flax or hemp. The owner could slowly bleach the material by hanging the sheets on the line on frosty nights and I can remember my mother buying unbleached calico sheets in the 1930s, and it taking about three years of the usual washing on changing the bed weekly to produce white sheets. Though cheaper to buy, they were also much stronger (and warmer) than the chemically bleached item and lasted years longer. Now, history: Until about 1775 (when chlorine became a bleach) lawn bleaching was the only known method for bleaching cotton and linen (flax & hemp). Hundreds of acres of land were always covered with fabrics and yarns in this tedious and time-wasting process. When chemical bleaching released large areas of land for agriculture, everybody agreed that this was one of the great benefits which the world reaped from chemistry. Those who coloured this material (the dyers) were delighted because (as one of them said in 1773) "The fabrics bleached on different lawns eventually assume a widely different appearance, even if they are equally fine. No two batches look alike, not even in colour." In early spring the material was laid out in the open for bleaching and remained there until it was sent back in autumn for further processing - sometimes not until the following year if the weather had been bad. A lot of fabrics were sent to Holland for bleaching, which explains the origin of the English word "hollands" for high grade linen. Hope that's of OEL interest. regards, Ada Ackerly, Melbourne, Australia formerly Ackerly DocuSearch