When fashionable women had discarded
it, which was the case in George Fox's time, the more sober, on account
of these ancient marks of its sanctity, had retained it, and it was then
common among them. With respect to the hair of grave and sober women In
those days, it was worn plain, and covered occasionally by a plain hat
or bonnet. They had avoided by this choice those preposterous
head-dresses and bonnets, which none but those, who have seen paintings
of them, could believe ever to have been worn. They admitted none of the
large ruffs, that were then in use, but chose the plain handkerchief for
their necks, differing from those of others, which had rich point, and
curious lace. They rejected the crimson sattin doublet with black velvet
skirts, and contented themselves with a plain gown, generally of stuff,
and of a drab, or grey, or buff, or buffin colour, as it was called, and
faced with buckram. These colours, as I observed before, were the
colours worn by country people; and were not expensive, because they
were not dyed. To this gown was added a green apron. Green aprons had
been long worn in England, yet, at the time I allude to, they were out
of fashion, so as to be ridiculed by the gay. But old fashioned people
still retained them.
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