Curiosities of Literature Volume I Part 33

When Sigismond, king of Sweden, was elected king of Poland, he made a treaty with the states of Sweden, by which he obliged himself to pa.s.s every fifth year in that kingdom. By his wars with the Ottoman court, with Muscovy, and Tartary, compelled to remain in Poland to encounter these powerful enemies, during fifteen years he failed in accomplis.h.i.+ng his promise. To remedy this in some shape, by the advice of the Jesuits, who had gained an ascendancy over him, he created a senate to reside at Stockholm, composed of forty chosen Jesuits. He presented them with letters-patent, and invested them with the royal authority.

While this senate of Jesuits was at Dantzic, waiting for a fair wind to set sail for Stockholm, he published an edict, that the Swedes should receive them as his own royal person. A public council was immediately held. Charles, the uncle of Sigismond, the prelates, and the lords, resolved to prepare for them a splendid and magnificent entry.

But in a private council, they came to very contrary resolutions: for the prince said, he could not bear that a senate of priests should command, in preference to all the princes and lords, natives of the country. All the others agreed with him in rejecting this holy senate.

The archbishop rose, and said, "Since Sigismond has disdained to be our king, we also must not acknowledge him as such; and from this moment we should no longer consider ourselves as his subjects. His authority is _in suspenso_, because he has bestowed it on the Jesuits who form this senate. The people have not yet acknowledged them. In this interval of resignation on the one side, and a.s.sumption on the other, I absolve you all of the fidelity the king may claim from you as his Swedish subjects." The prince of Bithynia addressing himself to Prince Charles, uncle of the king, said, "I own no other king than you; and I believe you are now obliged to receive us as your affectionate subjects, and to a.s.sist us to hunt these vermin from the state." All the others joined him, and acknowledged Charles as their lawful monarch.

Having resolved to keep their declaration for some time secret, they deliberated in what manner they were to receive and to precede this senate in their entry into the harbour, who were now on board a great galleon, which had anch.o.r.ed two leagues from Stockholm, that they might enter more magnificently in the night, when the fireworks they had prepared would appear to the greatest advantage. About the time of their reception, Prince Charles, accompanied by twenty-five or thirty vessels, appeared before this senate. Wheeling about, and forming a caracol of s.h.i.+ps, they discharged a volley, and emptied all their cannon on the galleon bearing this senate, which had its sides pierced through with the b.a.l.l.s. The galleon immediately filled with water and sunk, without one of the unfortunate Jesuits being a.s.sisted: on the contrary, their a.s.sailants cried to them that this was the time to perform some miracle, such as they were accustomed to do in India and j.a.pan; and if they chose, they could walk on the waters!

The report of the cannon, and the smoke which the powder occasioned, prevented either the cries or the submersion of the holy fathers from being observed: and as if they were conducting the senate to the town, Charles entered triumphantly; went into the church, where they sung _Te Deum_; and to conclude the night, he partook of the entertainment which had been prepared for this ill-fated senate.

The Jesuits of the city of Stockholm having come, about midnight, to pay their respects to the Fathers, perceived their loss. They directly posted up _placards_ of excommunication against Charles and his adherents, who had caused the senate of Jesuits to perish. They urged the people to rebel; but they were soon expelled the city, and Charles made a public profession of Lutheranism.

Sigismond, King of Poland, began a war with Charles in 1604, which lasted two years. Disturbed by the invasions of the Tartars, the Muscovites, and the Cossacs, a truce was concluded; but Sigismond lost both his crowns, by his bigoted attachment to Roman Catholicism.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 68: The _Lama_, or G.o.d of the Tartars, is composed of such frail materials as mere mortality; contrived, however, by the power of priestcraft, to appear immortal; the _succession of Lamas_ never failing!]

THE LOVER'S HEART.

The following tale, recorded in the Historical Memoirs of Champagne, by Bougier, has been a favourite narrative with the old romance writers; and the princ.i.p.al incident, however objectionable, has been displayed in several modern poems.

Howell, in his "Familiar Letters," in one addressed to Ben Jonson, recommends it to him as a subject "which peradventure you may make use of in your way;" and concludes by saying, "in my opinion, which vails to yours, this is choice and rich stuff for you to put upon your loom, and make a curious web of."

The Lord de Coucy, va.s.sal to the Count de Champagne, was one of the most accomplished youths of his time. He loved, with an excess of pa.s.sion, the lady of the Lord du Fayel, who felt a reciprocal affection. With the most poignant grief this lady heard from her lover, that he had resolved to accompany the king and the Count de Champagne to the wars of the Holy Land; but she would not oppose his wishes, because she hoped that his absence might dissipate the jealousy of her husband. The time of departure having come, these two lovers parted with sorrows of the most lively tenderness. The lady, in quitting her lover, presented him with some rings, some diamonds, and with a string that she had woven herself of his own hair, intermixed with silk and b.u.t.tons of large pearls, to serve him, according to the fas.h.i.+on of those days, to tie a magnificent hood which covered his helmet. This he gratefully accepted.

In Palestine, at the siege of Acre, in 1191, in gloriously ascending the ramparts, he received a wound, which was declared mortal. He employed the few moments he had to live in writing to the Lady du Fayel; and he poured forth the fervour of his soul. He ordered his squire to embalm his heart after his death, and to convey it to his beloved mistress, with the presents he had received from her hands in quitting her.

The squire, faithful to the dying injunction of his master, returned to France, to present the heart and the gifts to the lady of Du Fayel. But when he approached the castle of this lady, he concealed himself in the neighbouring wood, watching some favourable moment to complete his promise. He had the misfortune to be observed by the husband of this lady, who recognised him, and who immediately suspected he came in search of his wife with some message from his master. He threatened to deprive him of his life if he did not divulge the occasion of his return. The squire a.s.sured him that his master was dead; but Du Fayel not believing it, drew his sword on him. This man, frightened at the peril in which he found himself, confessed everything; and put into his hands the heart and letter of his master. Du Fayel was maddened by the fellest pa.s.sions, and he took a wild and horrid revenge. He ordered his cook to mince the heart; and having mixed it with meat, he caused a favourite ragout, which he knew pleased the taste of his wife, to be made, and had it served to her. The lady ate heartily of the dish. After the repast, Du Fayel inquired of his wife if she had found the ragout according to her taste: she answered him that she had found it excellent. "It is for this reason that I caused it to be served to you, for it is a kind of meat which you very much liked. You have, Madame,"

the savage Du Fayel continued, "eaten the heart of the Lord de Coucy."

But this the lady would not believe, till he showed her the letter of her lover, with the string of his hair, and the diamonds she had given him. Shuddering in the anguish of her sensations, and urged by the utmost despair, she told him--"It is true that I loved that heart, because it merited to be loved: for never could it find its superior; and since I have eaten of so n.o.ble a meat, and that my stomach is the tomb of so precious a heart, I will take care that nothing of inferior worth shall ever be mixed with it." Grief and pa.s.sion choked her utterance. She retired to her chamber: she closed the door for ever; and refusing to accept of consolation or food, the amiable victim expired on the fourth day.

THE HISTORY OF GLOVES.

The present learned and curious dissertation is compiled from the papers of an ingenious antiquary, from the "Present State of the Republic of Letters," vol. x. p. 289.[69]

The antiquity of this part of dress will form our first inquiry; and we shall then show its various uses in the several ages of the world.

It has been imagined that gloves are noticed in the 108th Psalm, where the royal prophet declares, he will cast his _shoe_ over Edom; and still farther back, supposing them to be used in the times of the Judges, Ruth iv. 7, where the custom is noticed of a man taking off his _shoe_ and giving it to his neighbour, as a pledge for redeeming or exchanging anything. The word in these two texts, usually translated _shoe_ by the Chaldee paraphrast, in the latter is rendered _glove_. Casaubon is of opinion that _gloves_ were worn by the Chaldeans, from the word here mentioned being explained in the Talmud Lexicon, _the clothing of the hand_.

_Xenophon_ gives a clear and distinct account of _gloves_. Speaking of the manners of the Persians, as a proof of their effeminacy, he observes, that, not satisfied with covering their head and their feet, they also guarded their hands against the cold with _thick gloves_.

_Homer_, describing Laertes at work in his garden, represents him with _gloves on his hands, to secure them from the thorns_. _Varro_, an ancient writer, is an evidence in favour of their antiquity among the Romans. In lib. ii. cap. 55, _De Re Rustica_, he says, that olives gathered by the naked hand are preferable to those gathered with _gloves_. _Athenaeus_ speaks of a celebrated glutton who always came to table with _gloves_ on his hands, that he might be able to handle and eat the meat while hot, and devour more than the rest of the company.

These authorities show that the ancients were not strangers to the use of _gloves_, though their use was not common. In a hot climate to wear gloves implies a considerable degree of effeminacy. We can more clearly trace the early use of gloves in northern than in southern nations. When the ancient severity of manners declined, the use of _gloves_ prevailed among the Romans; but not without some opposition from the philosophers.

_Musonius_, a philosopher, who lived at the close of the first century of Christianity, among other invectives against the corruption of the age, says, _It is shameful that persons in perfect health should clothe their hands and feet with soft and hairy coverings_. Their convenience, however, soon made the use general. _Pliny_ the younger informs us, in his account of his uncle's journey to Vesuvius, that his secretary sat by him ready to write down whatever occurred remarkable; and that he had _gloves_ on his hands, that the coldness of the weather might not impede his business.

In the beginning of the ninth century, the use of _gloves_ was become so universal, that even the church thought a regulation in that part of dress necessary. In the reign of _Louis le Debonair_, the council of Aix ordered that the monks should only wear _gloves_ made of sheep-skin.

That time has made alterations in the form of this, as in all other apparel, appears from the old pictures and monuments.

_Gloves_, beside their original design for a covering of the hand, have been employed on several great and solemn occasions; as in the ceremony of _invest.i.tures_, in bestowing lands, or in conferring _dignities_.

Giving possession by the delivery of a _glove_, prevailed in several parts of Christendom in later ages. In the year 1002, the bishops of Paderborn and Moncerco were put into possession of their sees by receiving a _glove_. It was thought so essential a part of the episcopal habit, that some abbots in France presuming to wear _gloves_, the council of Poitiers interposed in the affair, and forbad them the use, on the same principle as the ring and sandals; these being peculiar to bishops, who frequently wore them richly adorned with jewels.

Favin observes, that the custom of blessing _gloves_ at the coronation of the kings of France, which still subsists, is a remain of the eastern practice of invest.i.ture by _a glove_. A remarkable instance of this ceremony is recorded. The unfortunate _Conradin_ was deprived of his crown and his life by the usurper _Mainfroy_. When having ascended the scaffold, the injured prince lamenting his hard fate, a.s.serted his right to the crown, and, as a token of invest.i.ture, threw his _glove_ among the crowd, intreating it might be conveyed to some of his relations, who would revenge his death,--it was taken up by a knight, and brought to Peter, king of Aragon, who in virtue of this glove was afterwards crowned at Palermo.

As the delivery of _gloves_ was once a part of the ceremony used in giving possession, so the depriving a person of them was a mark of divesting him of his office, and of degradation. The Earl of Carlisle, in the reign of Edward the Second, impeached of holding a correspondence with the Scots, was condemned to die as a traitor. Walsingham, relating other circ.u.mstances of his degradation, says, "His spurs were cut off with a hatchet; and his _gloves_ and shoes were taken off," &c.

Another use of _gloves_ was in a duel; he who threw one down was by this act understood to give defiance, and he who took it up to accept the challenge.[70]

The use of single combat, at first designed only for a trial of innocence, like the ordeals of fire and water, was in succeeding ages practised for deciding rights and property. Challenging by the _glove_ was continued down to the reign of Elizabeth, as appears by an account given by Spelman of a duel appointed to be fought in Tothill Fields, in the year 1571. The dispute was concerning some lands in the county of Kent. The plaintiffs appeared in court, and demanded single combat. One of them threw down his _glove_, which the other immediately taking up, carried off on the point of his sword, and the day of fighting was appointed; this affair was, however, adjusted by the queen's judicious interference.

The ceremony is still practised of challenging by a _glove_ at the coronations of the kings of England, by his majesty's champion entering Westminster Hall completely armed and mounted.

Challenging by the _glove_ is still in use in some parts of the world.

In Germany, on receiving an affront, to send a _glove_ to the offending party is a challenge to a duel.

The last use of _gloves_ was for carrying the _hawk_. In former times, princes and other great men took so much pleasure in carrying the hawk on their hand, that some of them have chosen to be represented in this att.i.tude. There is a monument of Philip the First of France, on which he is represented at length, on his tomb, holding a _glove_ in his hand.

Chambers says that, formerly, judges were forbid to wear _gloves_ on the bench. No reason is a.s.signed for this prohibition. Our judges lie under no such restraint; for both they and the rest of the court make no difficulty of receiving _gloves_ from the sheriffs, whenever the session or a.s.size concludes without any one receiving sentence of death, which is called a _maiden a.s.size_; a custom of great antiquity.

Our curious antiquary has preserved a singular anecdote concerning _gloves_. Chambers informs us, that it is not safe at present to enter the stables of princes without pulling off our _gloves_. He does not tell us in what the danger consists; but it is an ancient established custom in Germany, that whoever enters the stables of a prince, or great man, with his _gloves_ on his hands, is obliged to forfeit them, or redeem them by a fee to the servants. The same custom is observed in some places at the death of the stag; in which case, if the _gloves_ are not taken off, they are redeemed by money given to the huntsmen and keepers. The French king never failed of pulling off one of his _gloves_ on that occasion. The reason of this ceremony seems to be lost.

We meet with the term _glove-money_ in our old records; by which is meant, money given to servants to buy _gloves_. This, probably, is the origin of the phrase _giving a pair of gloves_, to signify making a present for some favour or service.

Gough, in his "Sepulchral Monuments," informs us that gloves formed no part of the female dress till after the Reformation.[71] I have seen some as late as the time of Anne richly worked and embroidered.

There must exist in the Denny family some of the oldest gloves extant, as appears by the following glove anecdote.

At the sale of the Earl of Arran's goods, April 6th, 1759, the gloves given by Henry VIII. to Sir Anthony Denny were sold for 38_l._ 17_s._; those given by James I. to his son Edward Denny for 22_l._ 4_s._; the mittens given by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward Denny's lady, 25_l._ 4_s._; all which were bought for Sir Thomas Denny, of Ireland, who was descended in a direct line from the great Sir Anthony Denny, one of the executors of the will of Henry VIII.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 69: In 1834 was published a curious little volume by William Hull, "The History of the Glove Trade, with the Customs connected with the Glove," which adds some interesting information to the present article.]

[Footnote 70: A still more curious use for gloves was proposed by the Marquis of Worcester, in his "Century of Inventions," 1659; it was to make them with "knotted silk strings, to signify any letter," or "pinked with the alphabet," that they might by this means be subservient to the practice of secret correspondence.]

[Footnote 71: This is an extraordinary mistake for so accurate an antiquary to make. They occur on monumental effigies, or bra.s.ses; also in illuminated ma.n.u.scripts, continually from the Saxon era; as may be seen in Strutt's plates to any of his books.]