And for what its worth: Florence Montgomery's Textiles in America 1650-1870
"Ticking: Linen Twill. According to John Holker's manuscript(prepared about 1750), this material was used for the aprons worn by distillers, brewers, and waiters (swatch no. 31) Savary des Bruslons(Dictionnaire universel de commerce. 1723-30; 6th ed.,5 vols. Geneva: Les Freres Cramer & c. Philibert, 1750-65.) stated that army tents were made of ticking and that it served to enclose feathers in mattresses, bolsters, and pillows. Samples of blue and white and tan and white striped linen coutil, included in a letter from Lyons dated 1775, are in the collection of Colonial Williamsburg. Like so many other linen textiles, these were later made of cotton...." page 363
sorry nothing earlier in this book