A caul is a historical headress worn by women that covers tied-up hair. A fancy caul could be made of satin, velvet, fine silk or brocade, although a simple caul would commonly be made of white linen or cotton. The caul could be covered by a crespine or a hairnet to secure it from falling off.
During the second half of the thirteenth century, network caps, more properly called "cauls", came into fashion for ladies' wear. These headdresses were shaped like bags, made of gold, silver or silk network. At first they fitted fairly close to the head, the edge, band or rim being placed high up on the forehead, to show some hair on the temples and around the nape; they enclosed the head and hair, and were secured by a circlet or fillet. Jewels were often set at intervals in the band, also at the intersections of the cross-bars.[1]
At the coronation of Mary I in 1553, she came to Westminster Abbey wearing a gold circlet with a jewelled caul or "kall" made of tinsel fabric.[2] Some chronicle accounts mention the weight of the circlet and caul, and that Mary had sometimes to support it with her hand.[3] These comments may imply misogynistic criticism of this unprecedented female coronation.[4] An inventory of the jewels of Elizabeth I includes a section of "attires" or head-dresses with "cawles" and "cawles of hair" set with pearls and rubies.[5]