The  laws  that  regulated  the  costume  of  both  ladies
and  gentlemen  at  this  period  were  so  arbitrary,
that  eyen  in  matters  so  trifling  as  the  spots
on  their  fur  no  scope  was  allowed  for  the  fancy  of  the
wearer.  It  was  ordered  that  none  should  appear  in  an
ermine,  or  lettice-bonnet,  unless  she  were  a  gentlewoman
bom,  having  the  righfc  to  bear  arms.
**  Item,  a  gentleman's  wife,  she  being  a  gentlewoman  born,  shall
wear  an  ermine  or  lettice  bonnet,  having  one  powdering  to  the  top.
And  if  she  be  of  honourable  stock,  to  have  two  powderings,  one  before
another  in  the  top.  Item,  an  esquire's  wife  to  have  two  powderings.**
(S.  Peqgb,  Curialia  Miscdlania,  1818,  p.  313.)

In  other  articles  of  dress  the  numbers  of  spots  varied
according  to  the  wearer's  rank.  A  knight's  wife  might
wear  seven  powderings  or  spots,  a  baron's  wife  thirteen,  a
viscount's  wife  eighteen,  a  countess  twenty-four,  and  after
that  estate  as  many  as  convenient.  On  the  occasion  of
Anne  Boleyn's  coronation  the  queen  was  followed  by
ladies —

"being  lordes  wives,  which  had  circotes  of  scarlet,  with  narrow
sleeves,  the  breast  all  lettice,  with  barres  of  pouders,  according  to  their
degrees."    (Nichols,  Progresses  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  vol.  i.  p.  12.)

The  word  Lettice  hsLS  been  variously  explained.  By
some  authors  it  is  considered  to  mean  lattice,  or  network.
