grogram

plural grograms · alternative grogran

1. countableuncountableA strong, rough fabric made up of a mixture of silk, and mohair or wool.

   Tell him, if he will, / He ſhall ha' the grogran's, at the rate I told him, / And I will meet him, on the Exchange, anon.

   1598, Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Euery Man in His Humour. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 18

   5 more examples

   Are not your Frenchmen neate? Fine, as you ſee, / I have but one frenchman, looke, hee followes mee. / Certes they are neatly cloth'd. I, of this minde am, / Your only wearing is your Grogaram; / Not ſo Sir, I have more.

   p. 1597, J[ohn] Donne, “[Satyres] Satyre IIII”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, pages 339–340

   I like ſome humors of the Cittie Dames well: to eate Cherries onely at an Angell a pound, good; to dye rich Scarlet black, pretty: to line a Grogaram gowne cleane thorough with veluet, tollerable; their pure linnen, their ſmocks of 3. li. a ſmock are to be borne withall. But your minſing nicetyes, taffata pipkins, durance petticotes & ſilver bodkins—Gods my life, as I ſhall be a Lady, I cannot indure it.

   1605 August (first performance), Geo[rge] Chapman, Ben Ionson, Ioh[n] Marston, Eastward Hoe. […], London: […] [George Eld] for William Aspley, published September 1605, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii

   The merchants aduise mee, that there is intended a proclamation for the prohibition of grograms, which, if it may aduance our owne commodity, will be an act of good policy; but I am bound to informe, it will retrench halfe the trade of this port.

   1622 June 27, Thomas Roe, “To Mr. Secretary Caluert”, in The Negotiations of Sir Thomas Roe, in His Embassy to the Ottoman Porte, from the Year 1621 to 1628 inclusive: […], London: Printed by Samuel Richardson, at the expence of the Society for the Encouragement of Learning; and sold by G[eorge] Strahan, […], published 1740, →OCLC, page 58

   Inſtead of Home-ſpun quoifs were ſeen / Good Pinners, edg'd with Colberteen: / Her Petticoats tra[n]sform'd apace, / Became Black Satin flounc'd with Lace. / Plain Goody would no longer down, / 'Twas Madam in her Grogram gown.

   1708, [Jonathan Swift], “The Metamorphosis of Baucis and Philemon, Burlesqu’d; from the 8th Book of Ovid”, in Baucis and Philemon; a Poem. […], London: […] H. Hills, […], published 1709, →OCLC, pages 7–8

   The natural sweetness and innocence of her behaviour, the freshness of her complexion, the unaffected turn of her shape and person, shot me through and through every time I saw her, and did more execution upon me in grogram, than the greatest beauty in town or court had ever done in brocade.

   1712 November 17 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, November 7, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 530; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 72

2. countableuncountableA garment made from this fabric.

   [W]ould you, Lady Alma, refuse to purchase a new gown, when by length of time your old grogram was worn to tatters, or grown so unfashionable as to excite ridicule in the very boys as you go to church?

   1824, Vicesimus Knox, “Evening LVIII. On the Danger and Folly of Innovation.”, in The Works of Vicesimus Knox, D.D. with a Biographical Preface. In Seven Volumes, volume III, London: Printed for J. Mawman, […], →OCLC, pages 258–259