Sleeves of lawn, considered as forming part of the episcopal dress. Hence, the dignity or office of a bishop; also, a bishop or bishops.
c. 1640. Troutbeck, in Hickeringill, Priest-Cr. (1707), II. iii. 34. That unhappy Verdict occasion’d to me the loss of 20000l. of my Uncle’s (Doctor Troutbeck’s Estate) Dis-inheriting me … lest any of the Lawn-Sleeves … should lay their Fingers on’t.
1674. Essex Papers (Camden), I. 177. Wee … find little assistance from those we might most justly expect it from (ye Lawne Sleeves).
1710. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), II. 355. A Man of great Note For the sake of Laun-sleeves is aturning his Coat.
1730. Fielding, Rape upon Rape, III. v. Why, I should sooner have suspected ermine or lawn-sleeves.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 492. If they [parents] propose … divinity, they think of the lawn sleeves.
1859. Thackeray, Virgin., II. x. 73. My lords of the lawn sleeves have lost half their honours now.
1882. Besant, Revolt of Man, viii. (1883), 188. The Bishop himself appeared, in lawn-sleeves and surplice.
Hence Lawn-sleeved a.
1651. Cleveland, Poems, 51. A fair blew-apron’d Priest, a Lawn-sleev’d brother.
1682. O. N., trans. Boileau’s Lutrin, I. 162. [He] Tells them … what rude Affronters Of Laun-sleev’d Grandeur were these Sawcy Chanters.
c. 1743. Savage, Progr. Divine, Wks. 1775, II. 125. Lawn-sleev’d, and mitred, stand he now confest.
