DOI Heft:
October 20, 1860
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16866#0160
152
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[October 20, 1860.
PUNCH’S BOOK OF BRITISH COSTUMES.
CHAPTER XXXIII.—IN WHICH WE BID GOOD BYE TO
HENRY IV. AND V., AND SAY HOWDEDO TO HENRY VI.
!P the elegant costumes
which were worn by the
civilians in the two first of
these reigns, we gave in our
last chapter an elegant de-
scription. It now remains
for us to say a word or two
about the armour and the
arms which were in use
about that period, although
in neither of them is there
much of novelty presented
to our notice. We observe
however that the steel shoe,
or solleret, was sometimes
laid aside, and that its place
was supplied by footed stir-
rups. Moreover there is
certainly a marked increase
of splendour in the mili-
tary equipment. The swell
knights of the day wore
around their bascinet a rich
wreath or band; and the
border of their jupon was
still elegantly cut into the
form of foliage, notwith-
standing the provisions of
the sumptuary statutes.
With regard to this quaint
fashion of cutting borders
into leaves, one of the old
writers (who never lost a
chance of playing upon
words) states that English
tailors “ first did take
French leave to take it from the French : ” but it is a^ matter of
some doubt to us, whether this remark was based ou actual truth, or
was merely made for the small pun which it involved. Somewhat
questionable likewise to our mind seems the story of how when King
Henry the Fourth was asked, if his jupon should be bordered with
an oakleaf or an ashleaf, he replied, “ 1 had as lief to leave it to the
knave to indent which leaf he liketh; for if he trieth to make an oak-
leaf he is full sure to make a (h)ash of it! ”
Since the time of Edward the Third civilians had not seldom worn
feathers in their caps; but, excepting as heraldic crests, plumes had
not been sported by knights until this period. In the reign of Henry
the Fieth we first find them adopted as military ornaments; and they
either were stuck upright on the helmet or the bascinet (in which
event the plume was called, correctly, a “panache”), or, at a later
time, were worn at the side, or falling backward, when the proper term
to apply to them was “plume.” We mention this distinction just to
show our readers how minutely accurate we can be if we choose; but
as these minute descriptions are generally dull, we cannot let them
often intrude upon our space.
The great crested helmet, called otherwise the heaume, was now
exclusively reserved for wearing at the tournament: as the bascinet
sufficed for ordinary purposes, shielding wearers from the blows of
weapons and of winds. This headpiece we described when it was
introduced (namely in the reigns of Edward the First and Second,
and of course our careful readers must remember our description. All
that we need add to it is, that at this period its shape was slightly
changed, being curved behind so as to be more closely fitting to the
head. In this respect it bore resemblance to the salade, a kind of
German headpiece introduced in the next reign. We must take care
not to mix this salade with the bascinet, because the two, although so
much alike, were really different; and as the salade was first used as
an article for dressing in the time of Henry the Sixth, it would be
premature to say at present much about it.
A fashion somewhat curious was that of wearing with the armour
large loose^ hanging sleeves, made of cloth or silk or even richer sub-
stances. These in general were part of a kind of cloak, or surcoat,
thrown over the whole suit; but sometimes they are shown as though
they were detached, and were worn without the surcoat, being fastened
to the shoulder, and falling to the wrist.
For further information respecting the knightly equipment of this
period the reader will do well to read up what is said about it by
Monstrelet, St. Hemy, Elmham, Bonnard, Froissart, Cotgrave,
Chaucer, Occleve, Shakspeare, Ashmore, Meyrick, Mills, Fos-
brooke, Fairholt, Planche, Strutt, and some few dozen other
writers on the subject, whom we have no time now more closely to
consult. All that we can add in the way of illustration of the military
costume, is a copy of an interesting picture we possess, representing
Sir John Falstaff as he appeared when he was sent to grass by fiery
Hotspur, whom he fought so many hours with, as he said, “by Shrews-
bury clock.” The original picture (in point, at least of measurement) is
one of the very greatest works of art we are acquainted with; for the
figure of Sir John Falstaff, being painted of life size, occupies upon the
canvas about twenty-five square feet.
PORTRAIT OF SIR JOHN FALSTAFF WINNING THE BATTLE. MILITARY COSTUME.
TEMP. HENRY THE FOURTH.
We come now to the period of King Henry the Sixth, regarding
which a trustworthy authority observes:—
“ If any proof were wanting of the confusion and disorder of this unfortunate
monarch’s reign, it might be drawn from the apparel of his people, which appears to
have been a jumble of all the fashions of past ages with everything most ridiculous
and extravagant that could be discovered at the moment. It were a vain task to
attempt a minute description or classification of the dresses of this period."
As vanity forms no part of our mental composition, we shall not try
our hand at this unprofitable task; but shall content ourselves with
simply noticing a point or two which appear to our mind worthy of
attention.
Commengant par le bout, or more correctly par le boot—whether the
game of football was in vogue about this time is a question which
debating clubs, if they like, may argue ; and if they incline to a decision
that it was, it remains for them to settle as to how the players played
at it—any one who looks at the preposterous long toes, in which, saj^s
Strutt, the dandies strutted in this reign, might with reason doubt if
active crural exercise were possible; and might think the art of kicking
became almost extinct.
So far as we can judge, too, the coverings for the head were quite as
queer and quaint-looking as those used for the feet. Of the horned I
and heartshaped headdresses in fashion with the ladies, we shall speak
when we describe the feminine costume. But the men wore forms of
headcover nearly as fantastic, and the variety seems endless in the
caps * worn by the chaps. Some wore them stuck erect, some bore
them cocked or slouched; and every size and shape appeared in vogue
at the same time, from the biggest of big bell-toppers, to the smallest
of small hats. We have hunted up some dozens of old drawings in
rare manuscripts, and in no two are the kinds of braincover alike.
Some hats are made peaked, as being thought perhaps piquant; and
while one dandy wears a hign crown like a brigand’s in a ballet, another
sports a structure not unlike a gothic pepper-castor, which pinnacle-
wise sticks up from the centre of the skuLl. In short, we shall not
much exaggerate in stating that the caps or hats or “ bonnets” of the
time whereof we are treating were every whit as odd and ugly as those
of our own day. Nearly every sort of wideawake in fashion now was
worn; except perhaps the species known as the “ porkpie,” which it
was reserved for modern taste to introduce.
As a good many of our readers are Knights of the Garter, it may
interest them to know that the robes of this Most Noble Order were
* The word “cap” we should notice, as well as that of “ bonnet, ’ is applied by
learned writers (other than ourselves) to various sorts of wideawakey-lookintf
forms of headcover, to which we now more commonly should give the name of
“ hat."
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[October 20, 1860.
PUNCH’S BOOK OF BRITISH COSTUMES.
CHAPTER XXXIII.—IN WHICH WE BID GOOD BYE TO
HENRY IV. AND V., AND SAY HOWDEDO TO HENRY VI.
!P the elegant costumes
which were worn by the
civilians in the two first of
these reigns, we gave in our
last chapter an elegant de-
scription. It now remains
for us to say a word or two
about the armour and the
arms which were in use
about that period, although
in neither of them is there
much of novelty presented
to our notice. We observe
however that the steel shoe,
or solleret, was sometimes
laid aside, and that its place
was supplied by footed stir-
rups. Moreover there is
certainly a marked increase
of splendour in the mili-
tary equipment. The swell
knights of the day wore
around their bascinet a rich
wreath or band; and the
border of their jupon was
still elegantly cut into the
form of foliage, notwith-
standing the provisions of
the sumptuary statutes.
With regard to this quaint
fashion of cutting borders
into leaves, one of the old
writers (who never lost a
chance of playing upon
words) states that English
tailors “ first did take
French leave to take it from the French : ” but it is a^ matter of
some doubt to us, whether this remark was based ou actual truth, or
was merely made for the small pun which it involved. Somewhat
questionable likewise to our mind seems the story of how when King
Henry the Fourth was asked, if his jupon should be bordered with
an oakleaf or an ashleaf, he replied, “ 1 had as lief to leave it to the
knave to indent which leaf he liketh; for if he trieth to make an oak-
leaf he is full sure to make a (h)ash of it! ”
Since the time of Edward the Third civilians had not seldom worn
feathers in their caps; but, excepting as heraldic crests, plumes had
not been sported by knights until this period. In the reign of Henry
the Fieth we first find them adopted as military ornaments; and they
either were stuck upright on the helmet or the bascinet (in which
event the plume was called, correctly, a “panache”), or, at a later
time, were worn at the side, or falling backward, when the proper term
to apply to them was “plume.” We mention this distinction just to
show our readers how minutely accurate we can be if we choose; but
as these minute descriptions are generally dull, we cannot let them
often intrude upon our space.
The great crested helmet, called otherwise the heaume, was now
exclusively reserved for wearing at the tournament: as the bascinet
sufficed for ordinary purposes, shielding wearers from the blows of
weapons and of winds. This headpiece we described when it was
introduced (namely in the reigns of Edward the First and Second,
and of course our careful readers must remember our description. All
that we need add to it is, that at this period its shape was slightly
changed, being curved behind so as to be more closely fitting to the
head. In this respect it bore resemblance to the salade, a kind of
German headpiece introduced in the next reign. We must take care
not to mix this salade with the bascinet, because the two, although so
much alike, were really different; and as the salade was first used as
an article for dressing in the time of Henry the Sixth, it would be
premature to say at present much about it.
A fashion somewhat curious was that of wearing with the armour
large loose^ hanging sleeves, made of cloth or silk or even richer sub-
stances. These in general were part of a kind of cloak, or surcoat,
thrown over the whole suit; but sometimes they are shown as though
they were detached, and were worn without the surcoat, being fastened
to the shoulder, and falling to the wrist.
For further information respecting the knightly equipment of this
period the reader will do well to read up what is said about it by
Monstrelet, St. Hemy, Elmham, Bonnard, Froissart, Cotgrave,
Chaucer, Occleve, Shakspeare, Ashmore, Meyrick, Mills, Fos-
brooke, Fairholt, Planche, Strutt, and some few dozen other
writers on the subject, whom we have no time now more closely to
consult. All that we can add in the way of illustration of the military
costume, is a copy of an interesting picture we possess, representing
Sir John Falstaff as he appeared when he was sent to grass by fiery
Hotspur, whom he fought so many hours with, as he said, “by Shrews-
bury clock.” The original picture (in point, at least of measurement) is
one of the very greatest works of art we are acquainted with; for the
figure of Sir John Falstaff, being painted of life size, occupies upon the
canvas about twenty-five square feet.
PORTRAIT OF SIR JOHN FALSTAFF WINNING THE BATTLE. MILITARY COSTUME.
TEMP. HENRY THE FOURTH.
We come now to the period of King Henry the Sixth, regarding
which a trustworthy authority observes:—
“ If any proof were wanting of the confusion and disorder of this unfortunate
monarch’s reign, it might be drawn from the apparel of his people, which appears to
have been a jumble of all the fashions of past ages with everything most ridiculous
and extravagant that could be discovered at the moment. It were a vain task to
attempt a minute description or classification of the dresses of this period."
As vanity forms no part of our mental composition, we shall not try
our hand at this unprofitable task; but shall content ourselves with
simply noticing a point or two which appear to our mind worthy of
attention.
Commengant par le bout, or more correctly par le boot—whether the
game of football was in vogue about this time is a question which
debating clubs, if they like, may argue ; and if they incline to a decision
that it was, it remains for them to settle as to how the players played
at it—any one who looks at the preposterous long toes, in which, saj^s
Strutt, the dandies strutted in this reign, might with reason doubt if
active crural exercise were possible; and might think the art of kicking
became almost extinct.
So far as we can judge, too, the coverings for the head were quite as
queer and quaint-looking as those used for the feet. Of the horned I
and heartshaped headdresses in fashion with the ladies, we shall speak
when we describe the feminine costume. But the men wore forms of
headcover nearly as fantastic, and the variety seems endless in the
caps * worn by the chaps. Some wore them stuck erect, some bore
them cocked or slouched; and every size and shape appeared in vogue
at the same time, from the biggest of big bell-toppers, to the smallest
of small hats. We have hunted up some dozens of old drawings in
rare manuscripts, and in no two are the kinds of braincover alike.
Some hats are made peaked, as being thought perhaps piquant; and
while one dandy wears a hign crown like a brigand’s in a ballet, another
sports a structure not unlike a gothic pepper-castor, which pinnacle-
wise sticks up from the centre of the skuLl. In short, we shall not
much exaggerate in stating that the caps or hats or “ bonnets” of the
time whereof we are treating were every whit as odd and ugly as those
of our own day. Nearly every sort of wideawake in fashion now was
worn; except perhaps the species known as the “ porkpie,” which it
was reserved for modern taste to introduce.
As a good many of our readers are Knights of the Garter, it may
interest them to know that the robes of this Most Noble Order were
* The word “cap” we should notice, as well as that of “ bonnet, ’ is applied by
learned writers (other than ourselves) to various sorts of wideawakey-lookintf
forms of headcover, to which we now more commonly should give the name of
“ hat."