Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/362

 266 ILLUSTRATIONS OF MEDIEVAL MANNERS, CHIVALRY, a plain girdle of white leather, a white coif, and a mantle of red tartaryn, or tissue of Tarsus, edged with ermine. A term of costume is here used, of very rare occurrence, " chasemles ;" it may be found in a list of apparel for the Bath for Prince Edward (Edw. VI.) printed by Anstis from a MS. in his own possession. " Item, a pere of hose and silke blacke, the solles of black lether, called chassembles," that is, as he remarks, " chausses semelles de cuir." This term occurs likewise in a curious enumeration of objects of costume, written apparently in the reign of Henry V., mention being therein made of "chausez, solers, botes ou hoseux et bo- teaux, chausemblez" &c. Anstis adopts without hesitation the explanation that this term implies merely chausses semel- Ues ; may they not have been a kind of ?^;^r/er-hose, as usually worn, but in this instance soled with leather? Emhler, according to Roquefort, signifies " deroher, soustraire ; sembler, sesqidver,'' &c. " en emhlez, — en caclieite, en secret." The whole of the costume and colours thus minutely pre- scribed was of symbolical import, and in accordance Avith ancient usage, not confined to our own country or to the Order of the Bath. The explanations, given in certain Italian memorials, cited by Anstis" from Erancisco Redi, the " Or- dene de chevalerie" by Hue de Tabarie, and in the " Ordre de chevalerie" of Johan de Vignay, in his " Gieu des eschez," are highly curious, as regards the significance of colom^s. Many other particulars might be noticed, suggested by a careful comparison of this extract from the MS., for the use of which we have been so much indebted to Lord Hastings, with the copies of this formulary already published. These observa- tions, however, it is feared, have already entered into tedious detail, and the authorities above-mentioned will supply nuich curious information to any reader who may be disposed to pursue the investigation. The Erench ordinance, to which allusion has been made, is a document of much interest ; and, although we have been unable to discover any record of the precise text of which the Astley MS. has preserved a translation, we are induced tp lay before our readers a copy of the original, for the purpose of comparison. This curious example of ancient language has never, indeed, been printed with accuracy ; and the following MS. of "Femina," MS. Trin. Coll. Camb. " Anstis, Appendix, pp. 95, 97.
 * From collections bound up with the B. li, 40.