The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-01
CENTURIES UNDER FOOT.
HOW THE Old FAsHfOysIy SHOES
NAVE CHANGED.
The Ancients Made Them Works of Art
Grotesque Footwear OF the Middle
Ages-Interesting Facts.

able. The fOOtGcdr OF the early Chris
tiaus was Of the plainest possible des-
cription. st. Jerome warned them a
gainst initiating frivolous persons. who.
he said. take special pride in having
their shoes clean and neat" The clergy
in those DAYS were the bootmakers. In
order to escape the sin Of idleness. they
were seen even in the churches and dur
ing services hard at work al that humble
trade. Some Of them were taiiors. and
these Likewise brought their work TO the
sacred edihces.
In the time Of Charlemagne. shoes were
not i'm general use and that monarch
habitually wore only bands Of different
coiored cloth wound about his feet and
legs However, he had most elaborate
shoes for state occasions. as is shown by
those preserved to this day among the
Imperial treasures or vienna.
During the reign Of the French King
Louis the Debonnairb, il was the custom
for sovereigns to send presents TO the
Pope at Rome and shoes were always in
cluded among the gifts. 81. Louis Of
France. wore shoes with long points,
a pair of which are still preserved to-
gether with other parts OF his costume,
at the church OF Poissy writer OF
that period, scandazed by the excessive
luxury he witnessed, writes thus reproach-
fully Of the young girls OF MS uihe
Their clothes have lost all their old
SIMPLICITY; their enormous cuffs, tight-ft-
ting tunics and shoes OF which the point
ed toes turn upward give evidence that
they have lost all sense OF decency."
In the early part of the thirteenth cen
tury shoes began TO have long-pointed
toes, both I'm France and England, and
this fashion grew until the points were
actually longer than the shoes. These
absurdties were called 'pOuaines." and
were invented by the Chevalicr Robert
le CeFRu. So uncomfortable were they,
interfering, seriously with ease Of move
ment, that many people began to wear
silver and gold chains attached TO the
points and held by fastenings just below
the knee The uppers Of these shoes were
much decorated often being cut in letter
ings which related stories, some quaint
and humorous and others obscene. They
were adorned at the back with spurs ac-
cording to the Washington Star.
Ia war, the poulsines we're found so ia
convenient that at the battle OF Sempac
where Duke Leopold, Of Austria, was
killed, the officers decided to cut off the
extra length Of leather so that they
might fight at ease. At one time the
points were stiffened and turned upward,
the ends being Ornamented with griffins
uniforms and other grotesque figures
while on the extreme point bell was at
tached
The points Of the popleiBes we're made
longer or shorter according 10 the rank
Of the wearer. With ordinary people
they extended only six inches beyond the
toe. With rich bourgeois the rule was
one foot. with a knight, a foot and
half. and with nObleman, two feet
Princes actually wore points two and
half feet long. The longer the shoe
the prOuder and more respected the man.
The more grave and thoughtful members
Of society resisted the dictates of fashion
i'm this matter no more than the most
frivolous of exquisites. Clergymen wore
them and that in spite Of being abso-
lutey forbidden TO do 20.
Kings issued edicts prohibiting such
ridiculous footgear; the pulpits stormed
against Sc, poets ridiegled IL; papal bulls
were uttered against IT, Nevertheless.
for nearly three centuries the shoes with
points held their own. being even length
ened from time to time. IN ll62 stat
ute of Edward ". forbade English gem
tlemen below the rank Of baron 10 wear
shoes with points more than SIX Inches
long. This decree was ratified by an act
Of Parliament. But IL was not until the
first part Of the sixteenth century That
such footgear finally disappeared.
In those days when a fashion In shoes
came into general use among the com
mon people the mobiles at once demanded
something new from the bOotmakers.
Thus It was expected that gentlemen
should exhibit good tas;e by a certain
degree OF originality in their iootgear.
Shoes I'm the seventeenth century were
remarkable for their beauty OF shape.
and the elegance OF the ornaments used
on them. 4 boot that came IN az this
time was in odd contrast 10 the poulaine,
being remarkably square in toe, and haV-
ing the broad end sashed so as TO show
another color through the apertures. This
style was particularly popular In Ger
many, where some OF the shoes at that
period we're digitated, with "tugers' for
the toes like gloves.
The most popular boot OF that date was
OF soft kid with a large and decorated
top which fell about the calf Of the les.
one variety OF this kind had a decoration
at the instep, called a windmill con-
sisting Of two wing-like additions, which
stood out on either side Heels were
worn high. The materials then used in
the manufacture of shoes were humer-
Gus. including velvet, satin. cloth, silk and
leather all i'm a variety Of colors, as wei
as In brocades Of silver and gold. AT
the court OF Louis XIV. none but red
heels were worn. For ladies' shoes ana
slippers the heels were made OF wood.
The shoes were covered with embroidery
or braided Fifty dollars was a small
price paid for a chaussure in those days.
From these gorgeous fashions shoes
gradually came 10 assume simpler FORMS
being made OF more seryiceahe materials
Thus, through the process OF an eVolu-
ton in the direction Of usefulness rather
than beauty, the footgear OF the present
day has become what II ls-rather more
comfortable than elegant
Even the elaborate shoes of the mid
die ages were not so expressed in fan
cy" as those used by the ancient Romans
The latter expended on their footgear
all the decorations which their ingenuity
could devise. Their bootmakeFs were
really artists. The shoes, especially those
of women, were adorned with rich EN-
broideries and with pearls. virgil de-
scribes light boots garnished with gold ana
amber. The skins used were DYED WIN
cOlOrs which cost marvellous prices. oh
some shoes precious stones sparkled'
while others were decorated with en-
graved silver. Even the soles were made
Of solid gold.
Such excessive luxury was not az All
uncommon among the Romans. and 10
see person shod with gold occasioned
no remark. The enormous fortunes own
ed by some Of the patricians made the
extravaganza seem only in keeping with
their style Of living. Subsequently. shoes
were made OF purple kid. The shape OF
them was so elegant and the embroidery
On them so perfect that they were actu-
ally preferred TO those with golden soles
a go a., ,..,,t ata.-.on6o The shopnakarSt