The state herald., 1891-11-27
PURSES, OLD AND NEW.
THE EVOLUTION OF THIS USE.
Full ARTICLE.
The Old Greeks Wore Them and Then
They Went Out OF Fashion-Re-
vivod by CharlcniAgns and
Popular Ever Since.

she would hardly have had q purse.
But purses were used ages ago, says
the N. Y. Recorder, for We have the
word in Greek, or one SO nearly like
1t that 1t Is easy to see that the name
IN all modern languages was derived
from tho Greek. bursa.
The purse Or pouch. was originally
a piece OF hide folded up to make
kind Of pocket and this was attached
to belt hung around the waist 1t
is possible that purses went out of
fashion for few hundred years, rs no
mention Is made OF one until tho time
OF Charlemugno, who Is described ms
wearing gilt travelling pouch when
he went to Romo. We may suppose
that the gilt was OF the best quality and
did not tarnish. because 1t was attached
TO u girdle composed Of gold or silver.
Allusion Is occasionally made in old
authors to leather bugs and purses for
money; but there is not tho least men,
tion OF them or even OF pockets rs used
by tho Saxons, although the Saxons
must have used them, and probably
wore them under tho garments.
A little later, In the timo OF Henry
Will, purse OF crimson satin. en-
broidered with gold is mentioned in
tho inventory OF tho contents OF the
palace at Greenwich.
About this time also. 1t was the
custom for men TO wear n knife or
dagger through the straps or belt that
carried the purse, and there was very
little difference between the purse and
tho pouch. The latter was worn by
countrymen and sportsmen. Noble
persons and gentlemen carried tho
same recepticle Mt the time OF tho Nor
man invasion. It was moro or less
ornamented and hung from long laces
Of silver or gold. From the habit of
giving aims, it was called by the Nor
mans aumonier and the same word is
used in Franco now for the pretty lit
tic bags which bridemaids hand
around the church at a wedding when
the ceremony has been performed and
1t is time 10 take up collection for
the poor.
Before modern pockets were invent
ed the purse or escarelle, was some
times most elaborate contrivance,
and contained four or five bags In
which money, jewels. medicines, relics
and tablets were kept 1t was worn
at the girdlc, and until the seventeenth
century was attached TO IL with cords.
Afterward these bags were richly orna-
mented with clasps and embroidery.
The Kings purse generally con-
tanned his signet or seal. With women
the purse ordinarily served TO keep
counters. paternosiers, relics. etc.
The accounts OF one Goeflloc do Fleurl
Q3l6) mention n purse OF velvet srs-
pended from silver chain. This was
for the secret seal OF tho king. A note
is also made OF the buying of velvet
which is to bc embroidered and TO hold
the secret seal OF tho Dauphine.
Sometimes one person owned several
purses which were used for different
purposes.
In the inventory OF Charlotte de
Savoio QIS3) no fewer thnn twenty
three purses were OF white or red
leather and others were Of cloth or
satin. In some there was money and
others held relics In tho inventory
OF Anne de Bretngne mention Is made
OF purse which contained n serpent's
tongue. Tho marriage purse" was
an institution Of this time. and was the
purse in which good husband always
placed gold pieces at the solemn mo-
ment when she who had been his
sweetheart was about TO take his
name. Often these purses wore richly
embroidered or enameled. and these
embroiderics and enamclings repre-
sented tho two iianccs- Then ngaln
tho monogram OF both was interlaced,
These purses were carried until the
seventeenth century. In France the
uumonierc wai an Indispensable OBJ
ject in the daily drcss of both sexes.
II was almost never taken OF. except
while the individual was dressing or
putting on armor. when ho was In the
privacy OF his own house.
In the early part OF the present cen
tury kind of case or box called II
reticulc came into vogue. In 1903 1t
Is described us made OF figured sarcc-
not. plain satin, or silver tissue with
strings and tassols 10 match. To at-
tain tho acme OF good taste 1t had to
be OF the same color us the polisso or
wrap.
The gowns md hats were compare
tivcly plain in tho days OF our great
grandmother but the cuts 10 be found
OF tho fashions OF that day represent
these esteemed danes us wearing fun
ny little shnwls folded lengthwlso and
tied Mt both ends with small and friv-
olous bows Their handkcrchicfs were
OF enormous size ard certainly no
small bag or case could contain the
fan. card money. essence bottle and
handkerchief which wo aro told II did.
A remarkable adjunct TO tho leather
purse used by Alsatian and Swiss
women many years ngo wns n knife
which was suspended from tho girdlc
with bunch OF keys, tho throo arti-
cics falling nearly to the bottom OF the
dress
Tho strictly modern purse Is not u
purso nt nll. hut a pockctbook. Tho
woman OF tho period carries In this ar
ticlc hor visiting cards her money
and n memorandum tablet and pencil.
Fashion changes tho shape OF tho
pockoiboos from llmc 10 time. but
whatever It's style II answers tho snmo
general purpose.
origin Of "God save the king"
Tho melody which tho English claim
ms their national hymn WINS really
composed by Lully, tho Italian musi-