to the cardinals by Pope Innocent at the Council of Lyons in 1245; and, according to De Curbio, they wore it for the first time in 1246, on occasion of an interview between the Pope and Louis IX. of France. It was not flat, as at present, but of the shape here represented from a MS. of the commencement of the fourteenth century, marked, Royal MS. 16, G. 6.

During this reign the two orders of friars, the Dominicans, or preaching friars, and the Franciscans, or friars minors, were established in this country. St. Dominic founded his order in the year 1215, and the first Englishman that is recorded to have become a Dominican was the ecclesiastical physician, Johannes Ægidius. Forty-three houses of this order were in time raised in England, where from their black cloak and capuchon they were popularly termed Black Friars. The Franciscans planted themselves at Canterbury in 1220, and at Northampton soon after. Their grey vestments obtained for them the additional name of Grey Friars.

5 From frères (brothers). "A frère there was, a wanton and a merry." Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

CHAPTER IX.

REIGNS OF EDWARD L. AND II., 1272-1327.

Fig. a. Edward I., from a seal attached to a charter of the city of Hereford; b, regal personage, from a MS. of this reign, in the library of H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex.

EDWARD I., 1272-1307.

EDWARD I., that chivalric and temperate prince, who, despite a ferocity which was perhaps the vice of his age more than the bent of his natural disposition,

must be ranked as one of the greatest monarchs that ever swayed the English sceptre, was as simple in his dress as he was magnificent in his liberalities. He never wore his crown after the day of his coronation, and preferred to the royal garments of purple the dress of a common citizen. Being asked one day why he did not wear richer, apparel, he answered, with the consciousness of real worth, that it was absurd to suppose he could be more estimable in fine than in simple clothing Under such a king it is natural to suppose that foppery could not flourish, and we therefore hear of no preposterous fashions amongst the knights and nobles of his court. The shafts of satire are directed in this reign against the ladies only.

There is no monumental effigy of Edward; but on opening his tomb in Westminster Abbey, A. D. 1774, his corpse was discovered arrayed in a dalmatica or tunic of red silk damask, and a mantle of crimson satin fastened on the shoulder with a gilt buckle or clasp four inches in length, and decorated with imitative gems and pearls. The sceptre was in his hand, and a stole was crossed over his breast of rich white tissue, studded with gilt quatrefoils in philagree-work, and embroidered with pearls in the shape of what are called true-lovers' knots. The gloves, it is presumed, had perished, for the ornaments belonging to the backs of them were found lying on the hands. The body from the knees downwards was wrapped in a piece of cloth of gold, which was not removed. The regal ornaments were all of metal gilt, and the stones and pearls false; a piece of economy unusual at this period. In a fine MS. of this time, in the library of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, several figures in regal costume have a stole crossed on their breasts splendidly embroidered, and one of these we have selected for the engraving at

the commencement of this chapter. The crowned head beside it is that of Edward I. from a seal.

Costume of the close of the 13th century, from the Painted Chamber at Westminster,Vide p. 106-7.

THE HABITS OF THE NOBLES

were becomingly magnificent. The long tunic and mantle, varied sometimes by the cyclas, and the bliaus composed of rich stuffs and lined with ermine and other costly furs, was the general costume of the

1 The rich stuff called "cloth of tars" is mentioned in this reign. It was latinized tarsicus and tartarinus, and we read of dalmaticas and tunics of slate-colour, and light blue cloth of tars embroidered with branches and bezants of gold. Visitat. Thesau. St. Paul, Lond. sub anno 1195.

1

Civil costume of the reign of Edward I., from a MS. Royal, 16, G. 6.

court. Caps of various shapes, and a hat like the classical petasus slung behind to be assumed at pleasure, become frequent. (Vide fig. a, b, c, in the engraving from the Painted Chamber.) Buttons closely set from the wrist to the elbow appear about this time (vide figure on horseback), and in a MS. poem, certainly not later than the year 1300, particular mention is made of this fashion:

"His robe was all of gold beganne,
Well chrislike maked I understandé;
Botones azurd (azure) everilke ane
From his elboth to his hande."

MS. Cotton, Julius V.

Gloves are more generally worn by noblemen and officers of state. Some are splendidly embroidered