[Grovenet] One for the Lawyer Historian

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

And how was that of help?

(BTW, my definitions came from the American Heritage Dictionary)

It boggles the mind that the poor fellow might have been studying the
buttons at the neck of her shirt or the cuff of a sleeve while she was
picking his pocket! 

Ron D'Eau Claire 


-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Bob Browning
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:25 AM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] One for the Lawyer Historian


Definitions of Placket on the Web:
The part of a shirt or jacket where the garment fastens together.
www.embroideryauthority.com/glossary_of_terms.htm 
An opening with fabric piecing and buttons or snaps on a garment that
facilitates dressing. Plackets can be at the neck of a shirt, the cuff of a
sleeve, or the waist of a skirt or pair of pants.
www.territoryahead.com/customer_service/fabglossary.asp 
The piece of cloth that reinforces a split or opening in a garment; that
usually also serves as the closure. www.dressking.com/search/glossary.htm 
A vertical slit extending from the front of a shirt's collar, often
reinforced at the base to prevent tearing. Two or three buttons are usually
placed within this placket area. www.capsandmore.com/terms.html 
multiple layers of fabric that are used to attach buttons to button holes,
which in turn creates the opening & closer for shirts.
www.apparelsearch.com/glossary_p_1.htm 
The opening in the cuff or neck of a garment that creates a larger opening
for ease in dressing, and can be buttoned closed.
www.glencoe.com/sec/busadmin/marketing/dp/ap_and_acc_mktg/gloss.shtml 
a piece of cloth sewn under an opening  wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn 
bob "glad to help" browning

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

Those are funny. Thanks Steven. In fact, I have a feeling that as a randy
young college student, I might have dated the descendant of this woman:

"Elizabeth Spark, alias Souch , and William Abbot were indicted the former
being a notorious pickpocket, was as she pretended picked up in Cornhil, by
one Nichols a Butcher, who would needs fasten a Glass of Wine upon her, so
that they repairing to a Tavern, whilst he was searching her Placket, took
the opportunity of searching his pocket, and drew thence for her own proper
Use, about 14 or 15 Shillings, and then making an excuse to go down stairs,
sheard off ; at which the Cully having some mistrust, all was not as it
should be searching his Pockets, found his loss; and runs down stairs, to
enquire after his departed new acquaintance, but she had left him to bewail
his folly..."

That from 15 January, 1680. 

Note that her "placket" might be a slit in her dress, such as in a skirt or
in the bodice to reveal her "cleavage", or a pocket in ladies clothing. I
suspect the first two are the most likely in this case...

Ron D'Eau Claire