"horlle" in 1651?

Charles Doyle cdoyle at UGA.EDU
Thu Aug 17 14:30:58 UTC 2006


I wondered whether, instead on its being the name of an article of apparel or decoration, "horlle" is more descriptive--"whorl" or "whirl" (though the parallelism with "scarfs" would be inexact).

--Charlie
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---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 07:44:30 -0400
>From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>Subject: Re: "horlle" in 1651?
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>
>After reading much transcription of 17th and especially 18th century (Massachusetts) spelling, I am perhaps less surprised than some, but I certainly agree "rrl" is strange.  As for typographical or transcription error, fortunately the primary source is a "Massachusetts Act", so I can check.
>
>Joel
>
>At 8/17/2006 02:01 AM, you wrote:
>>>What is a "horlle" that a woman of wealth might wear "silk or tiffany
>>>horlles or scarfes" in 1651 Massachusetts?
>>
>>My short answer is "I don't know."
>>
>>However, for lack of other/better responses, I will make the probably
>>superfluous observation that Hoerlle/Horlle/etc. is a surname, I suppose
>>German. The spelling with "-rll-" seems so strange that -- assuming there
>>is no typographical or transcription error -- I suppose this is probably
>>the same word. One might speculate that the word refers to an article of
>>clothing or decoration named after some Mr./Ms. Hoerlle (cf. "mackintosh" =
>>"raincoat" etc.).
>>
>>-- Doug Wilson

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