Domestic folk-loreThiselton-Dyer, T. F. (Thomas Firminger)
History
Domestic folk-lore
Thiselton-Dyer, T. F. (Thomas Firminger)
Folklore; Superstition
The gift of a pair of gloves was at one time the ordinary perquisite
of those who performed some small service; and in process of time,
to make the reward of greater value, the glove was "lined" with
money; hence the term "glove-money." Relics of the old custom still
survive in the presentation of gloves to those who attend weddings
and funerals. It is difficult, however, to discover the connection
between gloves and a stolen kiss. Our readers, for example, may
recollect how, in Sir Walter Scott's "Fair Maid of Perth," Catharine
steals from her chamber on St. Valentine's morn, and catching Henry
Smith asleep, gives him a kiss; then we have the following:--"Come
into the booth with me, my son, and I will furnish thee with a
fitting theme. Thou knowest the maiden who ventures to kiss a
sleeping man, wins of him a pair of gloves." Gloves are still given
to a judge at a maiden assize, a custom which, it has been suggested,
originated in a Saxon law, which forbade the judges to wear gloves
while sitting on the Bench. Hence, to give a pair of gloves to a
judge was tantamount to saying that he need not trouble to come to
the Bench, but might wear gloves. Again, in bygone times gloves
were worn as a mark of distinction by sovereigns, ecclesiastical
dignitaries, and others; their workmanship being excessively costly,
richly embroidered as they were and decorated with jewels. "The
association of gloves with ecclesiastical dignity survived," says
Mr. Leadam in the _Antiquary_, "the Reformation in England; for
although they ceased to be worn in the services of the Church, yet
as late as the reign of Charles II. bishops upon their consecration
were accustomed to present gloves to the archbishop, and to all who
came to their consecration banquet. The lavender gloves with golden
fringes which do often adorn their portraits, may still remind our
modern prelates of the ancient glories of their predecessors." It
was also customary to hang a pair of white gloves on the pews of
unmarried villagers who had died in the flower of their youth, and at
several towns in England it has been customary from time immemorial
to announce a fair by hoisting a huge glove upon a pole--a practice
which exists at Macclesfield, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Chester;
the glove being taken down at the conclusion of the fair. Hone,
in his description of Exeter Lammas Fair, says:--"The charter for
this fair is perpetuated by a glove of immense size, stuffed and
carried through the city on a very long pole, decorated with ribbons,
flowers, &c., and attended with music, parish beadles, and the
nobility. It is afterwards placed on the top of the Guildhall, and
then the fair commences; on the taking down of the glove the fair
terminates." Mr. Leadam also quotes a passage from the "Speculum
Saxonicum" which throws light on the origin of this custom:--"No one
is allowed to set up a market or a mint, without the consent of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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