To whom with
Thee and with the Holy Spirit, one everlasting King, immortal,
invisible, only-wise God, be all honor and glory forever and ever,
amen.
Elizabeth promoted commercial speculations, which diffused a vast
increase of wealth among her people. The Elizabethan era was one
of general prosperity. Her good spirits and gayness created a
happy mood in the nation. She loved dancing and madrigal music was
popular. She came to dress elaborately and fancifully. Her dresses
were fitted not only at the waist, but along the torso by a long
and pointed bodice stiffened with wood, steel, or whalebone. Her
skirt was held out with a petticoat with progressively larger
hoops. There were two layers of skirt with the top one parted to
show the bottom one. The materials used were silks, satins,
velvets, and brocades. On her dress were quiltings, slashings, and
embroidery. It was covered with gold ornaments, pearls, gems, and
unusual stones from America. She wore decorated gloves. Ladies
copied her and discarded their simple over-tunics for elaborate
dresses. The under-tunic was now becoming a petticoat and the
over-tunic a dress. Their under-tunics became petticoats. Often
they also wore a fan with a mirror, a ball of scent, a miniature
portrait of someone dear to them, and sometimes a watch. Single
ladies did not wear hats, but had long, flowing hair and low cut
dresses showing their bosoms.
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