Frieze cloth and what it was used for

 Frieze was a plain weave wool cloth that had been friezed, that is a nap had been raised. Whether the nap was on one side or both is a question. The OED says that it was usually napped on one side only, but a 1683 reference has, “having a Nap on both sides like Freez.” (1 p. 43) Frieze appears in England in the fourteenth century when a statute of 1376  states that, "That no subsidy nor aulnage duty should be paid on cloths called frize-ware.” (2) Early in the the fifteenth century “a gowne of grene frese,” was left in a will. (3 p. 37)

Woodcut from The Country-man's Care and the Citizen's Fear, 1641. 

 From Charles Hindley, The old book collector's miscellany, Vol. 3.

London Reeves and Turner, 1873.

Frieze was sometimes referred to as a coarse cloth, indicating that it was for lower status people. In the early sixteenth century there is a reference to “ffrysed rosat” [friezed russet] gowns being provided to those living in an almshouse. (4 p. 112) When Mary Tudor, Queen Dowager of France and sister of Henry VIII, married Henry Brandon in 1515 he supposedly wrote, “Cloth of gold, do not despise, Though thou be match'd with cloth of frize; Cloth of frize, be not too bold, Though thou be match'd with cloth of gold.”

There were however better qualities of frieze. Thomas Fuller wrote in 1662 that there was “none warmer to be worn in winter, and the finest sort thereof very fashionable and gentile.” (5) Even Henry, Prince of Wales had a suit of frieze. (6) Spenser in the Faerie Queene had “Winter cloathed all in frize.” The nap could wear off in use, so that the fabric became much thinner, resulting in, “an old Freeze Jerkin in Summer your Sonday-suit.” (7)

The clothes

Gowns, as already mentioned, could be provided for the poor in almshouses, but they also appear higher up the social scale. When Susan Mason died in 1624 she willed to her daughter, a “ black frieze gown.” (8 p. 422) It was also used by women for petticoats. In 1623 Margaret Symonds left a “frieze petticoat with gold lace.” (8 p. 301)

Coats of frieze appear frequently throughout the century from the shoemaker Edward Harwood in 1606 to the yeoman John Dale in 1686 (9 p. 188) (10 p. 165) Many frieze coats are purchased for servants and footmen. In 1609 the Shuttleworths purchased “foure yards of frize for Dembie's coat 5s 8d.” (11 p. 184) Frieze coats were also purchased by members of the nobility, both for themselves and their servants, the accounts of the Earl of Bath show in 1640 “for frieze coats for footmen £1 17s 6d” and in 1647 “4 yards of frieze for a coat for my Lord £1 10s.” (12 p. 178 & 265)

Frieze was used for jerkins, although jerkins almost disappear after 1650. When in 1620 a young John Hughes was sent from Banbury to enter an apprenticeship in London, among the clothes he was provided with was a frieze jerkin costing 2s 8d. (9 pp. 213-4)

Frieze suits of apparel appear in the records, they may be either a doublet and breeches, or a coat and breeches depending on the date. In 1643 Edward Edens leaves “two frize suits of wearing apparrell and my riding coate.” (13 p. 150) Gregory Thorndale in 1671, who is given as a gentleman and is part of the Chapel Royal at Windsor, also leaves a frieze suit which may be doublet and breeches as he also leaves cloaks. (14 p. 96)

The hosier Michael Threlkelle in 1623 had in stock 24 pair of Irish frieze hose, these are cloth stockings. (15 p. 37) He has a further 144 pairs of Irish hose that do not specify the fabric, they are listed as white, white & grey, or coloured. It is interesting that many, including Francis Higginson, recommended Irish stockings to settlers heading to North America. (16)

Colours

Colours mentioned are grey, especially for coats, also white, black, green and blue. The blue was for a cassock; “a cassock of blue fryse per bill 18s 6d.” (17 p. 121)

Prices

Because frieze came in a range of qualities it also came in a range of prices. An analysis of prices across probate accounts showed that from 1570 to 1610 they ranged from 7d to 5s 8d a yard, and from 1610 to 1660 the range was 2s to 7s a yard. (18)  The different prices can be seen in the Shuttleworth accounts. In 1604 two yards of frieze was purchased at 1s 1d a yard to make a jerkin for “the boy”, in 1617 three yards of indigo frieze cost 3s 8d a yard, in 1621 five yards of broad frieze was 2s 2d a yard, and in the same year three yards of frieze at 3s a yard was for “a jerkine for my maister” (11)

References

1. Milbourn, Thomas and Hussey, Christopher . Britanniæ Speculum, Or, A Short View of the Ancient and Modern State of Great Britain. London : Thomas Milbourn, 1683.

2. Acts, Statutes, etc. Edward III, 50, c.8. Certain cloths whereof no subsidy or aulnage shall be paid. 1376.

3. Furnivall, F. J. Fifty earliest English wills in the Court of Probate, London : A. D. 1387-1439 . London : Early English Texts Society, 1882.

4. Tymms, S. ed. Wills and inventories from the registers of the Commissary of Bury St Edmunds and the Archdeacon of Sudbury. London : Camden Society, 1850.

5. Fuller, Thomas. The history of the worthies of England . London : J.G.W.L. and W.G. for Thomas Williams, 1662.

6. Bray, W. Extract from the Wardrobe Account of Prince Henry, eldest son of King James I. Archaeologia. 1794, Vol. 11, pp. 88-96.

7. ben-Arod, Gad. The wandering-Jew, telling fortunes to English-men. London : john Raworth, for Nathaniel Butter,, 1640.

8. Allen, M. E. ed. Wills in the Archdeaconry of Suffolk 1620-1624. Woodbridge : Suffolk Records Society, 1988.

9. Brinkworth E.R.C. and Gibson, J.S.W. eds. Banbury wills and inventories. Pt.1, 1591-1620. Banbury Historical Society. 1985, Vol. 13.

10. Williams, Lorelei and Thomson, Sally. Marlborough Probate Inventories 1591-1775. Chippenham : Wiltshire Record Society, 2007.

11. Harland, John (ed.). The House and Farm Accounts of the Shuttleworths ...1582-1621, Part 1. Lancaster : Chetham Society, 1856.

12. Gray, Todd. Devon Household Accounts 1627-59. Part 2 . Exeter : Devon and Cornwall Record Society, new series, vol. 39, 1996.

13. Brinkworth E.R.C. and Gibson, J.S.W. eds. Banbury wills and inventories. Pt.2, 1621-1650. Banbury Historical Society. 1976, Vol. 14.

14. Reed, M. Buckinghamshire probate inventories 1661-1714. Buckinghamshire Record Society. 1988, Vol. 24, 258-9.

15. George, E. and S. eds. Bristol probate inventories, Part 1: 1542-1650. Bristol Records Society publication. 2002, Vol. 54.

16. Higginson, Francis. New-Englands Plantation. London : T.C. and R.C. for Michael Sparke, 1630.

17. Ornsby, G. ed. Selections from the Household Books of the Lord William Howard of Naworth Castle. Publications of the Surtees Society. 1878, Vol. 68.

18. Spufford, Margaret. Fabric for seventeenth century children and adolescents' clothes. Textile History. 2003, Vol. 34.