The Lisle Letters, vol. 4
University of Chicago Press, Ltd.,
London - 1981
ISBN: 0-226-08801-4 (set)
edited by Muriel St. Clare Byrne
reviewed by Annika Johnson
This is a collection of letters written by and to the Lisle family living in Calais, France, from 1535-1539, with some contextual information added by the editor. The letters are divided into themes, such as the placing of daughters at court, the career of the eldest son, the education of the youngest son, and the problems facing a family of the gentry/aristocracy in the 1530s. Honor Lisle, the wife, is a member of the gentry, but her husband, Arthur, is the bastard son of King Edward IV, therefore uncle to King Henry VIII through Arthur's half-sister, Elizabeth, who is Henry VIII's mother.
The Lisle Letters are of some significance for historical costumers for the discussion of what was fashionable at court, and the materials involved in upper-class clothing. Some articles of clothing are mentioned by name. As Arthur, Lord Lisle, is the English governor of English-occupied Calais, there are references to both English and French things styles and customs.
The costume-related information is spread thinly throughout the book, although the parts dealing with the children contain the most. It is not a quick reference material; the reader has to dig through it to find the clothing references. There are photostats of some of the original documents, but unfortunately no reproductions of period portraits.
Although it is not a great resource for the beginner, it is useful as a back-up for checking fabrics by name and color (i.e., tawny velvet is in fashion in 1539) and for checking very basic names of clothing. There is not enough detail! But they all knew what they were talking about and didn't know we'd be reading their private correspondence 4 1/2 centuries later.
This book is part of a six volume series, and an annotated overview exists as well.
I found it at Powell's Books (downtown) where they had volumes 4 - 6 ($20 each) and the annotated overview ($15) when I was there in November. The annotated overview is like a guide to the full version. It also has some portrait copies in it and lots more background on the family members, including what happened to them after the period covered by the letters. The six volume set and the annotated overview are also available for perusal at the PSU library; however those are marked for in-library use only, so they can't be checked out.