Quintise

COINTOISE (Quintise, Quentyse)

A term applied to dresses, kerchiefs or other ornamental portions of attire, quaintly or fantastically cut in the shape of leaves, flowers or other devices. A fashion which arose in the 12th century, and prevailed to an extent in the two succeeding centuries. It is recorded that the nobility who attended the marriage of the daughter of Henry III to Alexander, King of Scotland, a.d. 1251, were attired in habits of silk, commonly called cointises; and a robe ordered for Henry III to be made of the best purple-coloured samite,embroidered with three little leopards in front and three behind, is described as a quintise, showing that it was the cut of the garment and not the particular class of it which entitled it to the name.