The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-06-30
GLOVES IN HISTORY
THEIR ANTIQUITY AND TIL VARIOUS
USES THEY WERE PUT TO.

They Preceded Shoes and Other Articles
of Dress-An Christians PreachedAgainst
Their UsS-Monks rs Glove Makers-TO-
kens of Love, Honor and Battle.
As an article of costume gloves pre-
coded shoes with primitive man, and
other parts Of his artificial covering
as we'll
Prof. Dowkins In his work. Early
Man in Britain" says that the cave
men and women wore gloves, reaching
even to the elbows, thus anticipating
the twenty buttoneu kids that adorn
the modern dame and demoiselle
Now. according 10 geology and the
scientists, the cave people lived 1907
600 years go, SO it may be seen how
ancient the glove is. Neither shoes
nor hats go back so far.
When we come to historic times
there is NJ literature that does not
mention gloves and the Bible contains
many references to them. The early
Christian fathers considered them to
be a mark of effcminacy and preached
against their use. but it awaited moth
ing against fashions decree. Il thing
that has often happened since when
the pulpit undertook to direct what
should he worn in the pews. BY and
by. somewhere about the tenth cen
fury the clergy began to wear gloves
also. and the episcopal glove is now 4
material part of tde bishops insignia.
The episcopal glove, with its taSScl
or tuft of silk. is well seen on the
etligy of one of the arChhiShOpS in
Canterbury Cathedral, The monks
themselves became the earliest glove
makers in Europe.
In coronation cGremOnials the glove
always bore a conspicuous part. the
champion knight throwing down a
glove as a challenge to any one who
would question the right of the new
sovereign to the throne. The new
king or queen was also presented with
a right-hand glove, with which to
grasp the sceptre of the kingdom.
There is a good deal about gloves in
Shakespeare. Master Slender in The
Merry Wives" swears by his gloves
by this white glove" protests Byron
in Loves Labor Lost" oh. that
were glove on that hand that |
+ might touch that cheek" sighed Ro-
mco as he gazed upon Juliet in the
balcony.
I one of the amusing scenes i'm Henry
: W turn upon the exchange of gloves
between Williams and the king. The
! latter subsequently gives the glove he
received TO Fluellan. the WclShman,
and when williams comes UP and spies
/ his glove in Fluellans cap he gives
| him the promised box on the ear. The
king enters. the quarrel is explained,
and Williams is presented with Il glove
/ full of crowns.
A curious Roman custom is shown
by Shakespeare in "Coriolanus, -
where the women of Rome fling gloves
upon the hero as he enters the city
returning from his victory over the
! NolScians.
From the earliest times the glove
has been esteemed a token of love. a
j pledge of honor and gage of battle
! The old knights threw down the
gauntlet or the glove in token of de-
tiance and as challenge to combat,
and the custom is still expressed
rhetorically in the speeches at the
Bar and in the forum. Benton sncrr.
mgly rebuked Webster for refusing tC
take up the glove that Hayne had
metaphorically thrown down in the
Senate chamber. rebule he soon re.
! GREETED when Webster made his cele-
! brated reply to Hayne.
! This use of the glove as a mode of
/ defiance probably originated in the
necessity for removing the glove from
the good right hand in order to obtain
a better grip upon weapon.
Gloves have always been a favorite
gift mt the time of betrothalS and we'd
dings, as well as at other times. and
some times they are lined with gold
to make them more precious. 1t was
with these gold Innings that Lord
Chancellor Bacon frequently received
them. much TO his subsequent shame
and dishonor Bacon should have fol
lowed the example of his great pre-
decessor, Sir Thomas More, who. when
Il grateful sutton presented him with a
pair of gloves filled with gold coin,
replied: THE gloves accept, but the
lining you will be pleased otherwise
to bestow."