"In the second yeere of Queen Elizabeth, 1560, her _silke woman_, Mistris Montague, presented her majestie for a new yeere's gift, a _paire of black knit silk stockings_, the which, after a few days' wearing, pleased her highness so well, that she sent for Mistris Montague, and asked her where she had them, and if she could help her to any more; who answered, saying, 'I made them very carefully of purpose only for your majestie, and seeing these please you so well, I will presently set more in hand.' 'Do so (quoth the queene), for _indeed I like silk stockings so well, because they are pleasant, fine, and delicate, that henceforth I will wear no more_ CLOTH STOCKINGS'--and from that time unto her death the queene never wore any more _cloth hose_, but only silke stockings; for you shall understand that King Henry the Eight did weare onely cloath hose, or hose cut out of ell-broade taffety, or that by great chance there came a pair of _Spanish silk stockings_ from Spain. King Edward the Sixt had a _payre of long Spanish silk stockings_ sent him for a _great present_.--Dukes' daughters then wore gownes of satten of Bridges (Bruges) upon solemn dayes. Cushens, and window pillows of velvet and damaske, formerly only princely furniture, now be very plenteous in most citizens' houses." "Milloners or haberdashers had not then any _gloves imbroydered_, or trimmed with gold, or silke; neither gold nor imbroydered girdles and hangers, neither could they _make any costly wash_ or _perfume_, until about the fifteenth yeere of the queene, the Right Honourable Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, came from _Italy_, and brought with him gloves, sweete bagges, a perfumed leather jerkin, and other _pleasant things_; and that yeere the queene had a _pair of perfumed gloves_ trimmed only with four tuffes, or _roses of coloured silk_. The queene took such pleasure in those gloves, that she was pictured with those gloves upon her handes, and for many years after it was called '_The Earl of Oxford's perfume_.'" In such a chronology of fashions, an event not less important surely was the origin of _starching_; and here we find it treated with the utmost historical dignity.