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London, England, 1829-12-17 00:00:00

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1111 a;:) "lac& ) URIOUS PARTICULARS RELATIVE
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TO THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GLOVES.

itensontam WILSON.
The preservation of the hands aeons, from the earliest ages, to
have been a paramount consideration ; and the coverings cud pro-
tections for these extremities of the body have been as MIND k
their structure and composition, as the purposes and ceremonies
for which they were introduced. The following curious '
particulars of the glove may not be unacceptable to our nednes•y
Gloves have obtained by some a very early origin, from the enpl
poiition that they are mentioned in the 109th Psalm, where thij'
royal prophet declares, he will cast his ' shoe,over Edom.' They
go still higher, imagining them to be used in the time of the
Judges. (Ruth iv. 7). where it is said, it was the custom for a mop
to take off his shoe, and to give it to Ms neighbour as a token of
redeeming or exchanging any thing. We are informed that the
word in these two texts, which is usually translated shoe, is by the
Chaldee Paraphrast in the latter, rendered glove.
Causabon is of opinion that gloves were worn by the Chaldean,
because the word here mentioned is in the Talmud Lexicon ex-
plained the cloatbing of the hand.' But ft mut be confessed
that all these lee mere conjectures, and that the Childs= Pars-
phrast has taken an unwarrantable liberty with the version.
Let us then be content to commence the origin of glovei with
Xenophon, who gives a clear and distinct account of them. Speak•
ing of the manners of the Persians, he gives us a proof of their
effeminacy—that, not satisfied with covering their head and their
feet,. they also guarded their hands against the cold with thick
gloves. Homer, speaking of Laertes at work In his garden, repre-
sents him with ' gloves on his hands, to secure them from the
thorns.' Vitro, an ancient writer, is an evidence in favour of
their antiquity among the Romans. In Lb. ii. cap. 35, de re Rus-
tics, be says, that olives gathered by the naked hand, are prefer-
able to those gathered with gloves. Athenians speaks of a cele-
brated glutton, who always came to table with gloves on hie
bands, that be might be able to handle and eat the meat while
hot, and devour more than the rest of the company I Millie mid
forks, of unite, at that time, were not invented.
These authorities go to prove that the ancients were not
strangers to gloves, though, perhaps, their use might not be is
common u among us. When the ancient severity of manners
declined, the use of gloves prevailed among the Romans, but me
without some opposition from the philosophers. Musonius, a phi.
losopher who lived at the close of the first century of thristianity,
among other invectives against the corruptions of the age, says,
' it is a shame that persons in perfect health should clothe their
hands and feet with soft and hairy coverings.' Their convenleoes,
however, soon made their use general. Pliny the younger informs
us, In his account of his uncle's journey to Vesuvius, that his secre-
tary sat by him, ready to write down whatever occurred remark-
able ; and that he had gloves on his hands, that the coldness of the
weather might not impede his business. In the beginning of the
ninth century, the use of gloves was become so universal, that eves
the church thought a regulation in that part of dress necessary.
In the reign of Louis le Debonaire, the Council of Aix ordered
that the monks should only wear gloves made of sheep skin.
That time has made alterations in the form of this, as in all other
apparel, appears from the old pictures and monuments.
Independent of covering the hand, gloves have been employed
on several great and solemn occasions ; as in the ceremony of in-
vestitures, in bestowing lands, or in conferring dignities.
Giving possession by the delivery of a glove, prevailed in several
parts of Christendom in later ages. In the year 1002 the Bishops
of Paderborn and Moocerco were put in possession of their sees
by receiving a glove. This was thought so essential a part of the
episcopal habit, that some Abbots in Franc*, presuming to wear
gloves, the Council of Poictien interposed in the affair, and for-
bade them the use of them, on the same footing with rings and
sandals, as being peculiar to bishops.
Monsieur Favin obierves, that the custom of blessing gloves at
the coronation of the kings of France, which still subsists, is a relic
of the eastern practice of investiture by the glove. A remarkable
instance of this ceremony is recorded In the German History.—
The unfortunate Conradin was deprived of his crown and his life
by the usurper Mainpoy. When having ascended the scaffold, the
injured prince lamented his bard fate, be asserted his right to the
crown ; and, as a token of investiture, threw his glove among the
crowd, begging It might be conveyed to some of his relations, who
should revenge his death. It was taken up by a knight, who
brought it to Peter, king of Arragon, who was afterwards crowned
at Palermo. As the delivery of gloves was once a part of the ce-
remony used in giving possession, so the depriving a person of
them was a mark of divesting him of his office, and of degrading'
him. Andrew Healey, Earl of Carlisle, was, in the reign of Ed-
ward the Second, impeached of holding a correspondence with the
Scots, and condemned to die as a traitor. Wilsingham, relating
other circumstances of his degradation, up, ' his spurs were cut
off with a hatchet, and his gloves and shoes were taken off,' site.
Another use of gloves was in a duel, un which occasion be who
tbiew one town was thereby understood to give defiance; and he
who took it up, to accept the challenge.
The use of single combats, at first designed only for a trial of
innocence, like the ordeal, fire and water, was in succeeding ages
practised for deciding right and property. Challenging by the glove
was continued down to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, as appears
from an account given by Spline% of a duel appointed to be
fought in Tothill-fields, in 1571. The dispute was concerning
some lands in the County of Lent. The plaintiff appeared in
court, and demanded a single combat. One of them threw down
his glove, which the other immediately took up, carried it of upon
the point of his sword, and the day of fighting was appointed, but
the matter was adjusted in an amicable manner by the queen's jct.
dicious interference.
Though such combats are now no longer in use,_we have o

ceremoly still remaining among us, in which the challenge is given
by a glove; vie. at the coronation of the kings of England; upon
which occasion his Majesty's champion, completely armed, and
well mounted, enters Westminster Hall, and proclaims that if any
man shall deny the prince's title to the crown, he is ready to main-
tain and liefend it by single combat. After this declaration he
throws down his glove, or gauntlet, as a token of defiance.
The custom of challenging by the glove is still in. use in so'

parts of the world. It I; common is Germany, on receiving
affront, to send a glove to the offending party, as a challenge to a
duel.
Gloves were also used in hawking. In former times princes,
and other great men, took so much pleasure in carrying the hawk
in their hand, that some of them have chosen to be represented in
this attitude. There Is a monument of Philip the First, of France,
still remaining. in which be is represented at length, on his tomb,
holding a glove in his hand.
Mr. Chambers says that formerly judges were forbidden to wear
gloves on the bench. No reason is assigned for this prohibition.—
Our judges He under no such restraint, for both they and the rest
of the court make no difficulty of receiving gloves horn the sheriffs,
whenever the session or assizes concludes without any one reedv
ing sentence of death, which is called a maiden assist This custom
is of great antiquity. The same curious antiquarian bas also pre.
served a very singular anecdote concerning gloves. He informs
us that it is not safe, at present, to enter the stables of Fitness
without pulling of the gloves. He does not indeed tell us what
the danger consists. A friend from Germany explains the matter.
He says it is an ancient established custom in that country, that
whoever enters the stables of a prince. or great man, with his
gloves on his hands, is obliged to forfeit them, or redeem them by
a fee to the servants. The same custom is observed in some places
at the death of the stag; in which case, the gloves, if not taken of.
are redeemed by money given to the huntsmen and keepers. This
is practised in France ; and Louis XVI. lever failed to pull of one
of his gloves on that occasion. Th reason of this ceremony fa not
known.
We meet with this term in our old records, by which is meant,
Motley given to servants to bur gloves. This, no doubt, gave rise
to the saying of " giving a pair of gloves," to signity making a
present for some favour or service. •
To the honour of the glove, it has mere than once bet admitted
• as a teem of the tenure, or holding lands. One Boman, who came
ever with William the Conqueror, held the manor of Farnham
Royal by the service of providing a glove. for the king's right hand
on the day of his coronation, and supporting the same band that
day while; the king held the royal sceptre. In the year 1177,
Simon de /tenth gave a grant at his lands in consideration of Ma
teen shillings, one pair of white gloves at Raster, and one pound of
cinnamon.—Eceiteoss of the Rona and Feet.