The changes effected in judicial costume during the Commonwealth, like
the reformation introduced at the same period into the language of the
law, were all reversed in 1660, when Charles II.'s judges resumed the
attire and usages of their predecessors in the first Charles's reign.
When he had satisfied himself that monarchical principles were sure of
an enduring triumph, and that their victory would conduce to his own
advantage, great was young Samuel Pepys's delight at seeing the ancient
customs of the lawyers restored, one after another. In October, 1660, he
had the pleasure of seeing "the Lord Chancellor and all the judges
riding on horseback, and going to Westminster Hall, it being the first
day of term." In the February of 1663-4 his eyes were gladdened by the
revival of another old practice. "28th (Lord's Day). Up and walked to
St. Paul's," he writes, "and, by chance, it was an extraordinary day for
the Readers of Inns of the Court and all the Students to come to church,
it being an old ceremony not used these twenty-five years, upon the
first Sunday in Lent. Abundance there was of students, more than there
was room to seat but upon forms, and the church mighty full. One Hawkins
preached, an Oxford man, a good sermon upon these words, 'But the wisdom
from above is first pure, then peaceable.'" Hawkins was no doubt a
humorist, and smiled in the sleeve of his Oxford gown as he told the
law-students that _peace_ characterized the highest sort of _wisdom_.
But, notwithstanding their zeal in reviving old customs, the lawyers of
the Restoration introduced certain novelties into legal life. From Paris
they imported the wig which still remains one of the distinctive
adornments of the English barrister; and from the same centre of
civilization they introduced certain refinements of cookery, which had
been hitherto unknown in the taverns of Fleet Street and the Strand. In
the earlier part of the 'merry monarch's' reign, the eating-house most
popular with young barristers and law-students was kept by a French cook
named Chattelin, who, besides entertaining his customers with delicate
fare and choice wine, enriched our language with the word 'cutlet'--in
his day spelt costelet.
In the seventeenth century, until wigs were generally adopted, the
common law judges, like their precursors for several past generations,
wore in court velvet caps, coifs, and cornered caps. Pictures preserve
to us the appearance of justices, with their heads covered by one or two
of these articles of dress, the moustache in many instances adorning the
lip, and a well-trimmed beard giving point to the judicial chin. The
more common head-dress was the coif and coif-cap, of which it is
necessary to say a few words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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