Regulation as to wearing Furs, and clearing the Streets.
9 Edward I. A.D. 1281. (fn. 1) Letter-Book A. fol. cxxx. (Norman French.)
It is provided and commanded, that no woman of the City shall
from henceforth go to market, or in the King's highway, out of
her house, with a hood (fn. 2) furred with other than lambskin or rabbitskin, on pain of losing her hood to the use of the Sheriffs; save
only those ladies who wear furred capes, (fn. 3) the hoods of which
may have such furs as they may think proper. And this, because
that regratresses, (fn. 4) nurses and other servants, and women of loose
life, bedizen themselves, and wear hoods furred with gros vair
and with minever, (fn. 5) in guise of good ladies.
And further, that no swine, and no stands, (fn. 6) or timber lying,
shall from henceforth be found in the streets, after Monday next.
[And as to swine so found,] let them be killed, and redeemed of
him who shall so kill them, for four pence each; and let the stands
and timber be forfeited to the use of the Sheriffs; hay also, and
fodder, belonging to persons, found in West Chepe.
Footnotes
| 1 |
This is the apparent date, but the
number of the year has been accidentally
omitted in the Manuscript. |
| 2 |
chaperon. |
| 3 |
chapes. |
| 4 |
Females who sold articles by retail. |
| 5 |
Or "great vair" and "little vair;"
costly furs, by some considered to have
been identical with ermine of different
kinds. See the Glossary to the Liber
Custumarum (printed ed.), p. 834. |
| 6 |
Boxes, placed in the streets, for the
sale of wares. |