History of the Fylde of LancashirePorter, John (Writer on the Fylde of Lancashire)
History
History of the Fylde of Lancashire
Porter, John (Writer on the Fylde of Lancashire)
Lancashire (England) -- History
and opened out the Fylde by means of a good road-way to the coast, the
Setantii modified their wild uncultivated habits, and, taking pattern
from the more civilised garb of their conquerors, adopted a covering
for the lower limbs, called _brachæ_, hence the modern breeches, whilst
many of the chiefs were not long before they strutted about in all the
pride of a _toga_, or gown. About four hundred years later, when the
Anglo-Saxons had taken possession of the soil of the Fylde, and had
either appropriated the deserted settlements and renamed them, or reared
small and scattered groups of dwellings of their own, a marked change
became visible in the nationality, character, and costumes of the people.
No longer the semi-civilised and half-clad Briton was lord of the domain,
but the more refined Saxon with his linen shirt, drawers, and stockings,
either of linen or woollen, and bandaged crosswise from the ankle to the
knee with strips of leather; over these a tunic of the same material as
the stockings was thrown, and reached as low as the knees, being plain or
ornamented according to the means or rank of the wearer. This garment was
open at the neck and for a short distance over the chest; the sleeves,
extending to the wrists, were generally tight, and a girdle frequently,
but not universally, confined the gown round the waist. In addition a
small cloak was worn for out-door purposes over the tunic, and fastened
on the breast or shoulder with brooches or clasps. The shoes of the Saxon
settlers were open down the instep, where they were laced or tied with
two thongs. Even the very lowest of the population, although poverty
might reduce them to miserable straits, seldom, if ever, went barefooted.
Caps, on the contrary, were not in great request, and rarely to be seen,
unless on the heads of some of the more affluent. Our female ancestors at
that era were habited in a close-fitting dress, falling to the feet and
furnished with tight sleeves, reaching as far as the wrists, over which
was placed a shorter gown with loose open sleeves. Their head-dress was
simply a strip of linen of sufficient length to wrap round the temples
and fall on the neck. Amongst the wealthiest of the nation a flowing
mantle, ornaments of precious metal, and sable, beaver, and fox furs
were common, but the inhabitants of the Fylde, being of less exalted
social standing, were obliged to content themselves with the skins of
lambs and cats by way of adornment. The inferior farm servants, called
serfs, amongst whom many of the vanquished Britons would be classed,
were seldom indulged by their masters with more than a coat, a pair of
drawers, and sandals, the shirt, we presume, being deemed ill suited to
their positions of servitude and dependence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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