Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 7, No. 0182.  Thursday, 7 March 1996.

From:           Christine Jacobson <
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Date:           Thursday, 07 Mar 1996 16:18:41 -0700 (MST)
Subject:        Elizabethean Society, Cleanliness?

This is in response to Michael Best, Department of English, University of
Victoria's interest in information pertaining to customs of hygiene in
Elizabethean England.

Dear Michael:

Your posting of February 26, 1996 interested me.  I have two books to
recommend that I believe will give you some more information regarding
this question.  The first publication is:

                        The Structures of Everyday Life
                        (Civilization & Capitalism, 15th - 18thCentury)
                        Volume 1
                        by:  Fernand Braudel
                        Harper & Row, publishers.

The 4th Chapter, "Superfluity and Sufficiency:  Houses, Clothes and Fashion"
might be of some help and in any case, this book is a good read.  It also
speaks of the spread of disease and  its subsequent relationship to evolution
in housing structure and materials.

The second publication is:

                        The First Elizabeth
                        by: Carolly Erickson
                        Summit Books, New York, publisher.

Chapter 20, "To Laugh, to lie, to flatter, to face, Four waies in Court to win
men grace.", is also an interesting read on the royal household and the
costumes and customary ways in which staff were treated and were fed.  I hope
this helps.

Christine Jacobson - 
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