Description

Exploring the intricate networks of suppliers to the early modern English court, this book provides an examination of those who produced clothes and accessories for the wardrobe of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and his contemporaries. The sheer scale of those involved in dressing the court is revealed, highlighting the diverse nature of the artisans and business people that ensured Leicester and his fellow courtiers appeared in a suitably magnificent manner to be seen alongside the Queen. The fortunate survival of a selection of Leicester's personal papers, the majority of which are unpublished, has enabled the compilation of a list of suppliers to his wardrobe. From this list it has been possible to flesh out a London based network that highlights the interconnected nature of those people supplying Leicester and the wider court. The first study of London wardrobe supply networks to the early modern English court, the individuals examined within the book provides exemplars for practicing artisans and business people within sixteenth-century London including women, aliens, citizens and non-citizens.

The book's analysis of the rich material these documents provide presents fresh insights into hitherto unknown master craftspeople and businesspersons. With no known parallel survival of personal papers, Leicester's records provide unique information regarding what was being constructed, by whom and at what cost. The study also offers a list of names compiled during the analysis of material, including those of people identified supplying other leading courtiers and highlighting specific figures central to creating the magnificence evident in court dress.