Masks  Book III, Chapter 1, Section 2
 
After covers for the head, of which I have given you divers examples and fashions both ancient and modern: I shall now proceed to give you some covers for the face, and through an omission here, I have caused them to be Engraven, chap.5. numb.63.64. where you may see the form and manner of such things, but I shall treat of them here.


Masks and vizards
  He beareth a Mask. This is a thing that in former times Gentlewomen used to put over their Faces when they travel to keep them from the Sun burning; it covered only the Brow, Eyes and Nose, through the holes they saw their way; the rest of the Face was covered with a Chin-cloth.
Of these Masks they used them either square with a flat and even top, or else the top cut with an half round; they were generally made of Black Velvet.
The second form of Mask, is the Vizard Mask, which covers the whole face, having holes for the eyes, a case for the Nose, and a slit for the mouth, and to speak through; this kind of Mask is taken off and put on in a moment of time, being only held in by the Teeth by means of a round bean fastned on the in-side over against the mouth, see chap.5. numb.64.
A Vizard is another kind of cover for the Face, and it is made after the form of ugly ill shapen Faces; these are used in Interludes and Plays to make Mens Faces appear to what they act, as deformed Creatures, Apes or Devils.
[The images are included on the Chapter 5 plate, and have been repeated here.]


Previous section   Next section

 

 
icon  Back to Main Text and Picture index  

[Table of Contents] [Picture Index] [Image List]
[Table of Subjects] [Text Index]   [Ms Pages]
[Introduction: Randle Holme and The Academy of Armory] [Introduction: Editing the CD-ROM]
[Copyright details] [Site map] [Guided Tour]



icon  © 2000 The British Library Board