Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/361

 AND COSTUME, FROM ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. 265 water, and make a cross on the left shoulder of the squire, and kiss it, saying, — in nomine patris, &c., Avith a conckiding benison. The union of sacred solemnity with secular observ- ances on such occasions is quite in accordance with the spirit of the age, and deserves notice in other parts of this ceremo- nial ; it is, however, curious to find a symbolical action of this nature, resembling in some measure the rites of baptism, per- formed iiy any save a priest. It was not, perhaps, without a certain intention of averting some untoward influence on the left side that the sign of the cross was thus solemnly made, and it appears to explain the motive of affixing to the left shoulder the white lace, or stif/ma militare album, as Upton terms itp, mentioned afterwards, which was to be worn till the new-created knight had proved his prowess. Upton speaks of it as an ancient custom established in England, titi docet consuetudo An (/lie ; it does not appear, however, that it was exclusively observed in our own country. A degraded vestige of this usage of chivalry may yet be traced in the shoulder- knots of modern times. After the ceremonies of the bath were concluded, the no- vice was removed to a bed, the furniture of which is described minutely ; and he then prepared for the nightly watch in the chapel, being provided with an outer wrapper, a cape of black russet, with long sleeves, the hood sewn to the cape, like a sclaveyn, or hermit's attire, " in hermytis aray of Colchester russet," as the Astley MS. gives this passage. After mass said, the offering of the taper with a silver penny sticking near the light, and the other ceremonies of the night concluded, the squire was to be clad, suitably for coming into the royal presence, in a doublet with black hose " chasemles," (in the French, — "chaulses de noir'^ avecqucs semelles de cuir" — " hosyn of blac sylke, or of blak cloth, with soles of ledyr sowed to them"",") a cote of red tartaryn (" kyrtel de rouge tar- tarin," — surcot, or gown, in other English copies ^) girt with '' Upton, de Milit. Off, lib. i. cap. iii. p. ther stockings, with soles of leather sowed 10. Ill a fragment relating to Edw. IV., to them." Translation given by Dugdale. printed by Ilearne, Sprot's Chron., p. 288, In the Wanlrobe liock, 12 Rich. II. "j. these laces are termed " tokens of whijte par calig' de panno nigro long.'" Anstis, silke." . App., p. 20. •I Erroneonsly printed denons, both in ^ Apparently in the place of the gar- the notes to Upton, and by Anstis. "Chan- ment called in early accounts cointesium, sez noirs de soy,ove uii' drap.ove semeles — quoyntesium, 3 Edw. III. — quanta- de cuyr." Cott. MS. Nero, D. II. sium, &c., — tunica, and in later documents, ' Copy edited by Anstis, p. 102. " Ne- surcotts, &c.