Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/360

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264 ILLUSTRATIONS OF MEDIEVAL MANNERS, CHIVALRY, " Le petit Jehan de Saintre," or the " Tres joyeuse Hystoire" of Bayart, by the " loyal Serviteur "." At a much later period, likewise, the custom of England required a similar discipline for the children even of the most worshipful families, a prac- tice regarded Avith no small surprise by the Venetian envoy in the reign of Henry VII., whose interesting relatione has been so ably and agreeably edited by Miss Charlotte Sneyd, ibr the Camden Society. This is but one example of many interesting illustrations of the customs and spirit of the past, w^hich evidences like this might suggest. The formulary for the ceremonious toilet of the incipient knight is curiously circumstantial. In the older version now given, it may deserve reniark, it is only stated that the squire's beard was to be freshly shaven, but in the copy used by Anstis it is added, "and his liede rounded ;" an instance of the value of matters of costume as evidence towards fixing the date, as well of any written memorial as of a limning or a sculpture. From this trifling addition the age of this copy might Avith much probability be assigned to the earlier part of the fifteenth century, when the flowing curls of the times of the Edwards and Richard II. were succeeded by the ungrace- ful fashion of " rounding" or cropping the hair short around the face, as shewn in the well-known portrait of the Regent Duke of Bedford". Very shortly after, a more becoming fashion was resumed, Avhich was carried in the reign of Henry VII. to an extravagant degree, in the profusion and length of " syde lokkys" hanging upon the shoulders. In the account of the ceremonies of the "bayne," described in Anstis' copy as a " fatte," that is, a vat or tub, some curi- ous particulars are to be noticed, which are not found in that text. When the neophyte in his bayne had been duly ad- monished by the most worthy and wise knights, thereto de- puted, one of these worshipful monitors was directed to take " I cannot allude to Bayart without plate armour, the origin of the term, to commending to notice the charming volume "round" the hair, is to be traced. It was of liis History, recently " set forth in Eng- used in later times, when short hai;- again lish by Edward Cockburn Kindersley," in became in vogue. llormaii says, in his whose version of the narrative above-men- Vulgaria, "Rounded heare becometh men, tioned the interesting pictures and quaint and unrounded, women." Palsgrave has originality of the old chronicler are most the verb " to round ones heed with a pleasingly j)reserved. payre of cysers, roigner." W. Thomas, " There can be little doubt that to this Ital. Diet. " Tondare, to rounde or cut of singular fashion, which arose possibly for tho heare." convenience in wearing a head- piece of