Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-22
ENGLISH JUDICIAL DRESS.
Something of the Origin of Caps, Gowns, Wigs,
and Other Spendors of the Bench.
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than a man of peace. He travelled about
with the sovereign whithersoever he
went, and mounted the kings tribunal
OF justice wheresoever it might be con-
stltuted. He wore the soldiers coat of
mail and helmet, and carried the bat
tleaxe and long sword. Even down to
comparatively modern times the English
| Judges rode on circuit armed and a sur
v1val OF the practice might still be traced
by the curious IN such matters in the
crOssbOlt of scarlet cloth called ''g11n-
| case" part of the full dress of her
maJesty's supreme court in 1888. Chief
Justice De Hengham, author of a work
| which Is still quoted with respect by
lawyers and jantiquarians- "The Summao
of Lord Chief Justice Hengham was
the first English judge who never put
on armour. Hefourished In the latter part
OF the thirteenth century, and was man
OF some legal attalnments, much In favor
| OF King Edward [. It was he who first
donnedthe ermined robe which has found
such favor with long line of illustrious
| successors.
The bench of English judges would
seem to have as nice appreciation of col
or and other little frivolities of dress as
their less gifted fellows. In 1886 SOL
emn decree was made by all of the judg-
es of the courts of Westminster, Assem-.
bled In solemn conclave, appointing
what robes they should henceforth use,
and at what times. The paper they then
drew up is too long for insertion here;
but it may be remarked that its main
points are still rigidly adhered to in the
present costume of the English bench. I
had the opportunity the other day of ex-
aiming the splendor OF an English
judges robe through the courtesy of
| Mr.. Wctherall, of Bell Yard, Chancery
Lane, who makes them. The full dress
Is scarlet gown, cape and hood trim
med with ermine, the sleeves very full,
with deep cuffs OF ermine and loose
bands and collars. A broad scarlet band
encircles the waist, and the traditional
"gun case" is slipped under it and car
ried across the shoulder. The lord chief
justice wears in addition, or grand occa-
sions, broad gold chain, called a collar
of S. S., supposed to have been a Ian
caste1ian badge adopted by Henry ".
The letters stand, some say, for Sow
eraigne;" others that they are designed
in honor of st. Simplicius, a martyr.
There is also an undress robe of
black silk and another of puce-colored
silk, with cape and hood, trimmed with
fawn-colored taffeta, with deep sleeves of
the same material. A couple Of wigs,
ordinary or extraordinary, shOrt-clipped
and full bottomed, with Golf, and black
cloth square cap, vulgarly known as
his sentence cap" because the Judge
never places it on his head except when
he proceeds to pass sentence of death on
a criminal, completes the costume.
This last article of dress may be traced
back to the middle of the seventeenth
century, to the time of Hale, at least,
who wore it at the last trial tor witch
craft in England. The full bottomed
wig and the ordinary English barrister's
wig came into vogue at the restoration,
beng importations from France. At first
the Judges would not suffer the young
barristers to plead before them SO attir-
ed, but by and by it became the custom,
and Lord Campbell mentions that. being
once engaged before the house Of lords
for sixteen hours in great privilege
| wig. Leave was sOlemnly given by the
judges, with the condition that sit was
not to be drawn into a precedent. :"
| Many judges have ridiculed the wig,
Campbell, Benman and Brougham among
the number. It is the silliest and most
useless, if not positively harmful, part
of barrister's or judges costume, and
one is amazed to think it possible that
men of ordinary common sense should,
in the year 1888, array themselves in
such preposterous bead-gear. The
''stove-p1pe hat has at least merit of
being well ventilated through the top;
but the wig is like tarpaulin cover over
a conservatory in summer "a bottler-up
of heat and ventilation.
The fusion of law and equity has, so
| Mr.. WetheralI tells me, suggested that
change should be made in the robes OF
vice chancellor, who is no longer a
Yice-chancellor, but a plain justice of
the supreme court. And saw, IN Mr..
Wetherall's glass case for such articles,
a gaudy gown of black silk and GOLD
| lace that reminded one very much of the
robes of the late Mr. Pumblechook, the
beadle. This sample emblem of the
majesty of the law had been submitted
as pattern of what an vlce-chancel-
lor's gown should be. Very sensibly
| the ex-vice chancellOrs rejected the
| trumpery with one accord. and, as the
matter stands, IN court they wear robe
of plain black silk. After all, the Eng
lish judges are but mortal men, and
have their little vanities like the best of
US. Doubtless many of them hold it
essential to their dignity as successors
of Gascoigne, Hale, Coke, Mansfield,
and the rest, TO sit in court clad in robes
of scarlet and ermine, or puce or taffeta,
and, truth to say, it is difficult to i'm
agine an English judge on the judg-
ment seat in any other costume. But
in years to come, when kings and
queens courts may have become things
of the past and the emblems of their
sovereignty have perchance been abol-
ished with them, men will view, with
much the same kind of establishment
that they nowgaze on the mail once worn
by Edward the Black Prince, the splen-
did robes and golden chain OF a lord
chief justice of England.