"horlle" in 1651?

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>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


--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.10.10/419 - Release Date: 8/15/2006

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org