Undergarments page 1  2  3  4
Bumrolls and Drums 

One of the necessary evils of Elizabethan garb is the bumroll. In their smaller size they are worn over the Spanish farthingale to support the cartridge pleating. The bumrolls got bigger and bigger. They stacked them over each other. Stuffed with “bombast” the bumrolls probably weighed a ton! Finally, towards the end of the century the “drum” farthingale made the fashion scene. Drum farthingales were also known as the “French” farthingale. 
 
Arnold, QEWU pg. 197 One of my favorite caricatures . It shows the way the padded rolls were arranged over each other. c. 1590

This is my attempt at the pattern for a drum farthingale. A large bum- roll supports the frame. I used sprung steel for my first attempt.  I don't have access to whalebone (and don't like whale hunting) and a cane supported farthingale would hinder movement at crowded events.
It did create the “softer” drum seen in the “Armada Portrait.” 
Arnold. Patterns of Fashion pg.126. Pattern for the “Drum” farthingale. 
Bumroll worn under my drum farthingale.  Two bumrolls. I put a needle case to give a sense of scale. The bumroll on the left is the smaller one that I wear over a Spanish farthingale. The larger one on the right is worn under the Drum or French farthingale.