The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-04
GLOVES AND THEIR SYMBOLISM.


The prevalence of the glove is feature
of modern rather than OF ancient ofvili-
cation. Musonius, writing In the first
century, says: cit is shameful that per-
sons in perfect health should olothe their
hands and feet with soft and hairy cover
ings.'' 1t was undoubtedly the spirit OF
luxurious fashion that gradually advanced
the glove to it's present position; for eve
~ thousand gloves now worn as pro-
lection from cold. many thousands are
worn simply as an adornment of the per-
son.
The symbolism of gloves grew up SLOW
ly under medieval fostering. The traces
of this symbolism that still remain may
be seen in the white gloves worn at wed.
dings, the white gloves given at a maiden
assize. the black gloves of funeral cere-
monial. With the clergy the glovo be-
came a symbol of their office, it's purity
and incorruptibility with feudalism il
became synonymous with knightly hon
or The last resting place of old customs
is generally to be found in popular phrase
OlOky-tb WHO'LL Wo oPonh u Vh1oWAAS
down the gauntlet. Even now, at tbs
coronation of British soyereigns, the
glove Is thrown down in Westminster
Hall by the armed champion Of majesty
and it is remembers that at the CROWN
ing Of George II. an unknown Jaoobite
half of the exiled Stuarts. 1t was q
plucky, though foolish action. In the
days of the Plantagenets it appears that
the kings were not only crowned with
gloves on their hands, but were buried
with them.
When the tomb of King John was
opened in 1897, it was found that his
hands were gloved; and the remains OF
Edward I. were discovered in the same
condition. The glove had long been a
symbol of investiture. and possibly the
kings were thus buried with some grim
idea of investing them with the rights OF
the grave-their regal rights having
passed to their successors At the coro-
nation of French kings, the royal gloves
In some parts of Christendom bishops
themselves were indicted to their do
ceses by receiving a glove, investing
them with temporal as'well as spiritual
rights. The glove became so associated
with episcopal authority that at different
times the wearing of gloves was abso-
lutely prohibited to the lower clergy.
While one council issued this edict an.
other declared that monks should only
presume to wear gloves Of common
sheepskin. Episcopal gloves were often
richly adorned, as we may gather from
the fact that Bishop Recalfus, dying in
the year 915, bequeathed pair of gloves
in his will.
For the word glove 1t would appear
that we are indebted to the Icelandio glof.
AS a gift of gloves was a mark of the
highest honor, token of investiture, a
comforting of trust, SO the deprival of a
persons gloves was a sign of the deepest
degradation. We read OF the Earl of Car
Isle, condemned to die as a traitor In the
reign of Edward IL, that his 'spurs were
cut off with Ratchet, and his gloves and
shoes were taken off. {"
In vet another sense, to lose the glove
Of a lady at tourney was deep disgrace.
knights wore their ladies' dainty gloves
as the most precious of insignia, and he
who lowered his lady's honor need little
look for her smiles. The practice of Civ.
ing gloves to the judge at maiden assize
probably had it's origin in the fact that q
Judge was not supposed to wear gloves
while on the bench; to present him with
pair might signify that he was nov
free to do as he chose. London Standard