Love Tokens

A correspondent told Hone that in olden times enamoured maids and gentlewomen gave their chosen swains little handkerchiefs as love tokens, about three or four inches square, embroidered round, with a button or tassel at each corner and a small one in the middle. The finest were edged with gold lace or twist, and folded so that the centre showed, they were worn in the hat or at the breast. In Elizabeth’s time they were sold ready made in the shops for sixpence to sixteen pence. Men gave tokens in return, and an old comedy speaks of bracelets of a lover’s hair.