Passaic City record., 1893-09-09

the sides and encompassing the 1oins
of the rider. Many of these have
neither saddle bow nor pommel In
the following century shield was in
troduced for the protection of the
riders thighs This extended down
the hanks of the horse and was attached
to the saddle, forming a part of it.
Another curious feature is noticeable
for the first time in the saddles of the
period. This was for the pommel and
cantle to be continued in a circu-
lar band or rail which completely sur
rounded the rider, who must have
climbed or dropped into his saddle. A
curious specimen of this description
is German tstilting saddle" of the
Fifteenth Century. which is preserved
in the Tower of London, bought in
1858 from the collection of the Baron
de Peuker, of Berlin. It is made of
wood and covered with hide and cam
vas, upon which there has been paint
ing. The front measures over three
faet and forms shield for the legs of
tIS knight who, when fairly mounted,
wo,d be carried forward in standing
rather 5na1l sitting position.
The tower also owns another Ger
man fitting saddle of bone dating
from the same period. This is carved
with ornaments of dragons, foliage,
and has it's ground and hatchings fitted
with color after the manner of enamel
ing. An inscription in the old German
is inscribed upon fitch hoff des
pesten dir Ceiling. Hilf Gott vol auf
Sand Iorgen nam" q hope the best
fortune may attend you. May God
assist you In the name of st. George).
Four other saddles of q similar kind
are in existance, one at the arsenal in
Schaffhausen, one in the museum at
Ratisbon, third in the Renne collec-
ton in Constance and the last in the
Germanic Museum.
The saddler's art in the Middle
Ages was brought to degree of per-
lection which the present age has never
seen and scarcely realizes The horse
cloth, which was introduced about the
Twelfth Century, and the coverings
for the launches and neck represented
in Norman manuscript are rich with
armorial decorations and are often
blazoned with numerous quarterings.
In the olden times knights and ladies
were not content to ride on plain
leather seats, and consequently their
saddles were covered with thick vel
vets of splendid color, richly embroid-
cred, gilded, carved, printed, studded
with rare gems and precious stones or
seeded with pearls. 1t is not difficult
to appreciate the saying that a
ssknight often wore his castle on his
horses back" The back of the raised
cantle was the chosen field for the fam
cies of the saddler, its fiat surface
offering a suitable place for the de-
vices that were carved or painted here.
Birds and flowers were the favorite sub
jects for the ladies' saddles, introduced
by Queen Anne, the wife of Richard
H., who taught her female attendants
to ride sideways, while battle scenes
were chosen for the men. Previous
to this the ladies had ridden behind
their knights on pillion.
The Archdeacon of Bath, alluding to
the unmartial manners of some of the
knights of his time, says that they
cause to be painted wars and eques-
triaian cont ests on saddles and shields
in order that they may please them
selves with an imaginary sight of bat
ties which they dare not actually set
upon or see. :
From the ordinances of the Saddler's
Company, of London, we learn that in
the Fourteenth Century three guilds
were implicated in the making of sad
dles-the joiners, who made the sad
die tree; the painters, who decorated
the saddle, and the saddlers, who were
responsible for the important work.
Among the directions of the period is
q prohibition against painting in gold
or gliding the back of saddle save In
laying on of pure gold, yet the maker
is allowed to paint the saddle bow in
front according to the dictation of his
fancy.