Privy Purse Accounts of Elizabeth of York

Elizabeth of York, Henry VII's Queen, had her purchases recorded in wardrobe accounts. The 1502 accounts are fascinating for their mention of fabrics, colors, period terms and dress pieces. Below is a modernized partial listing with some explanations of the terms. Click here for a full account of Elizabeth's memoirs and privy purse accounts.

• Hemming of a kirtle [undergown] of the Queen's of damask [silk, often woven so the pattern is produced by the different directions of the thread with no contrasting color]
• Mending of a crimson velvet gown
• Mending of a gown of black velvet
• Going from Greenwich to London for a stole of the Queen
• Yard quart' di quart' (unknown meaning) of black tynselle [?] satin of the rich making for an edge of a gown of black velvet for the Queen
• A yard quarter by quarter of black satin for an edge of a gown of crimson velvet
• 7 yards of green satin of Bruges [town in Flanders] for a kertell [kirtle] for my Lady Anne
• 12 yards sarcenet [a fine soft silk] of eight diverse colors for girdelles [ribbons or stockings?] for the Queen
• 4 yards of sarcenet of tawny green and russet
• Yard and an half of tawny satin for the Queen
• Yard and an half of black satin [smooth heavy silk]
• Yard and a half of crimson sarcenet
• Stole covered with scarlet
• Gown of russet velvet with a purfle [decorated edge] of cloth of gold of damask
• Gown of purple velvet with a purfle of cloth of gold
• 2 yards of white fustian for sokkes [socks/hosen] for the Queen
• 6 yards of black velvet for a gown for the Queen
• A yard of black bokeram [buckram?] for the same gown
• A yard and a quarter of sarcenet orange color
• Petticoat of scarlet for the Queen
• Making of linen petticoats for the Queen
• Lining of a gown of black velvet for the Queen of Scots
• Canvas to the same
• Making a gown of black satin for my lady Mary
• Making a pair of sleeves of white sarcenet for the Queen of Scots
• " 6 ells of linen cloth sent to the Queen