Obs. [f. next.]
1. An embroidered border or hem; also, one of the pleats made in hemming.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 906. The surfyls, les ourletz.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, III. v. 110. That the same Chylus might the better bee sucked vp by the Veynes, these transuerse foulds make this coate longer,… for this cause also it was … gathered into Plights; and these foulds or surphles are moueable … as the surphles of a hemme gathered vpon a thred.
[1846. Fairholt, Costume Eng. (1860), 593. Surple, a border or embroidered edge to a garment.]
2. A face-wash, cosmetic. Also surfle water.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., V j b. At twenty their liuely colour is lost, theyr faces are soddin & perboyld with French surfets [? surfels].
1611. Ravenscroft, Melismata, D ij b.
| Red Leather and Surflet [sic] water, | |
| Scarlet colour or Staues-aker, | |
| Will yee buy any faire complection? |
