The Portland daily press., 1884-12-25
History Of Gloves.

Nv ANA opEOaA w nave OC6u WOIu III
England before the end of the 10th or be-
ginning of the 18th century, aud the manu-
facture would appear at that period special
ly German, as five pairs of gloves made
considerable part of the duty paid to the
English sovereign Ethelred II. 1919 to 1O16),
bysa society of German merchants, for ths
protection of their trade in this country, a
proof OF their great rarity. Their previous
absence is easily accounted for by the fact
that the long sleeves Of the gowns supplied
their place by being brought over the hand,
and the cloak or mantle was made to an
sWer the same purpose. 1t is remarkable
tnat no gloves are visible in the Bayeux tap
estry; hot even on the hands of Harold, who
carries hawk. WAGE, the Norman poet,
tells story of Raoul Taisson, Lord of Gin
ellis, playfully striking William of Normandy
with his glove previous to the ...tle of Va
lesdeur, in 1047; and in 1865 the gloves of
Conan, duke of Brittany, we're poisoned, at
the instigation, it was strongly suspected, of
the inscriptions Duke William afores aid:
but it is certainly not before the 18Th CEN
tury that gloves became generally worn ia
England. At the latter part of that century
the young NOrmans covered their hands
with gloves too long and wide for doing any-
thing needful. The efiges of Henry III, and
Richard l. at Fontevraud display gloves with
Jewels on the back of them; aud when King
Jonn's cofhn was opened in 1707, at Worces-
ter, Jeweled gloves were found on his hands.
Jeweled gloves were also worn BY the dig
mined clergy, and appear to have been Of
white silk or linen, and beautifully embroi-
dered. Those which were worn by William
OF Wykeham, and are still preserved at New
college, oxford, are of red silk, with the sa-
cred monogram, surrounded by a glory, in
gold on the backs. At what time 1t became
the custom to change the color of the gloves
according to the color of the vestments il
not known. Gloves had come into general
use in the 14th century among the better
classes, who we're accustomed to carry them
In their hands. 1t is not, however, till the
10th century that we find constant illusions
TO ana frequent representations Of them in
portraits. Gloves were customary New
years gifts In the 10Th century, but. being
more expensive than all could afford to pur
chase, money was given instead, which was
called 'glove money"
The short sleeves of the ladies' dresse. in
the reign of Charles ii. introduced the long
KID glove, which has now, after an interval,
again become fashionable. Gloves trimmed
with lace are mentioned by Evelyn in his
description OF lady's toilet, and a contem-
porary poet mentions:
Some Of chicken-skins for night.
10 keep their hands plump, SOFT, and white
Long gloves are seen in the portraits of Ma
ry, consort of William ILL.,, aud pair of
sn.eSd gloves occurs IN the inventory of a
lady's wardrobe in 1707.
ManV ancient recinaa ora avtare - A.
perfuming of gloves, and In an old French
work published at Lyons in 1857 the precise
directions for "Civitte tres exquise pour par
fumer gands ct en- vindre les main'' is given.
In these compositions musk, ambergIis, and
clVit were the chief perfumes, and as
they were applied inside the gloves.
combined with some sort Of oil or grease.
their use at the present day would be
thought intolerable. In the middle of The
last century the glovers of Paris were also
the chief perfumers and constituted a con-
siderable community, having statutes and
laws dating back as far as 119O Perfumed
skins were imported from Spain and Italv
for the making of gloves, aud were yerv ex-
penslve and "fort la mode" but their pow
erful odor led to their disuse, and Franeipa-
nj and Neroli Became the only perfumes I'm
fashion for gloves And here we NAV rs- =
mark that Frangipani owes its renown TO its
inventor, Marquis Frangipani, member of
very ancient and illustrioRs family of Rome.
and who was marshal in the armiea of
Louis XII. What the composition upas that
gained for the marquis so much reputation
Is not now known, but all sorts of utterly
different perfumes are to this day sold under
that.
Gloves were frequently held out In promi-
nent places in ancient times at fairs. in to-
ken of friendship to all corners. Iu the eitv
OF Chester, especially, that being a place IA
NOUS for the manufacture Of gloves, 1t was
the custom for some days before and during
the continuance of the fair to bring out from
the town ball their local emblem of com
merce, glove, thereby proclaimine that
non-treemen and strangers were permitted
TO trade within the city, a privilege at ali
other times enjoyed by the citizens alone
A pretty little incident connected with
gloves in ancient times is the circumstances
that Charles w., king of Spain, was so much
under the influence of any lady who wore
white kid gloves that the use OF them at
court was strictly prohibited. Modern row
atty is not so fantastical.
In the time Of Louis XIV. of France the
ladies at their toilet thought nothing Of de-
stroylDg half dozen pairs of gloves before
they got one pair to 1t. They were made Of
white skins, but ornamented with little rib
bons and hne rosettes. English-sewp gloves
were in the greatest request, and 1t used TO
be common saying that for glove to be
good three Kingdoms must contribute to It.
SPAN for the leather, France for the cutting,
and England for the sewing.