Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-01-17
THE NORMAN BRIDE.

The Norman bride was not, like
her Anglo Saxon sister, the slave,
the pr0perty~purchase of her hus-
band. She was a free woman,
probably an heiress, carrying for
dover rich domains, castles and
vassals, and In lofty and erect
bearing showed full consciousness
OF her independence and self
confidence. When two par
ties desired to he married, they
were asked three times in church,
as publishing OF their Dams, unless
a dispensation had been previous
ly procured, which was new
step on the part OF the church to
secure its interference in matters
concerning marriages. French
dress had varied little from Anglo.
Saxon times, but the names of the
garments had been changed. The
"gunna,' now become u s'robe,'
had the body made close to fit the
figure and form the 'ssurcoat.
The sleeves, of extravagant proper
tons, hung pendant from the
arms, and were tied In knots to
prevent their trailing upon the
ground and being trodden upon.
The form of them exactly resem-
bled the well-known "mannechp
of the Hastings arms. The high
born Maiden wore her hair long
and flowing until certain age,
when she was allowed to plat 1t
in two tails, or IL bind il with rib
Dons, much in the style of pig
tail. On her wedding day she
unplaited it, and let it nang loose
ly scattered over her shoulders, as
Indicating her noble birth, but af
ter her marriage she cut it off, 10
show she accepted the condition
of bondage to her husband. But
as civilization advanced the sacri-
flee of the hair was dispensed with;
only brides were required. after
the marriage ceremony, to bind 1t
in folds around the head. La jew
elry and rich materials for dress,
luxury increased. Silk stuffs,
called cendal, siglaton, SAINT, vel
vet, &C.. were used considerably
some home-wrought, others from
the Levant and Sicily, and some
from Chinese looms, tasty gauze
like stuffs resembling i'm color
the flowers of the meadow, and
rivaling in fineness the work Of
the SPIDERS" OF these snowy tex
lures, the knight wore over
his armor long, sleeveless gown,
slit up almost to the waist on 10th
sides. In the twelfth century
cotton had been introduced, and
Mosul had gained her reputation
for her textures Of cioud-like thin
ness, which derive their name Of
muslin from this Asiatic
city. That the Norman bride
should hold quite u new position
may be inferred from the state Of
society in this age of chivalry.
Her countrymen had become dis
tinguished throughout all Europe
for their military skill, their love
ofliterature, the splendor OF their |
attire, aud their courteous bearing
courtesy meaning the manners
of the court; that Is, OF the society
within the castle walls, as distin-
guished from the bourgeois, or
people Of the towns. Women were
then the objects OF the knights
idolatry; she armed her lover for
the fight, and sometimes led his
palfrey to the the field by the bril-
die. She attached her scarf to his
arm or helmet, and by her en-
enlargement made the coward
bold. The knight looked upon
woman as his patron, and him.
self as bound to risk his defense.
Hawking was one Of the favorite
accomplishment OF the Norman
lady. Mounted on her richly Ca
parisoned steed, she would go
forth in pursuit Of the game, her
hawk of merlin on her wrist. In
the castle, surrounded by her tire
women, she would work at tapes
try, and while she listened
to the reading of the tales of chiv-
airy, would reproduce them with
the needle to drape the bare walls
of the castle. The harp, the dance,
chess, aud the garden were the
o her amusements of the day
London S0ciety.