Gloves. afforded the romancer a theme, and poets from Austin Dobson to David have sung of it as a gage and a guaranty. Surely art, his tory and song have woven the glove into the tapestried tales of the romantic past. It is an interesting study to trace the evo lution of an article of dress, such as a hat or a glove, from the uncouth covers which the elements forced primeval man to assume, up to the development of the king's crown and his jewelled gloves of investure. The present article, however, contemplates no such ambi tious project, nor even to enter upon the gen eral discussion of the various observances connected with the glove, but rather a brief survey of some of the peculiar and often-
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pledge of faith for the execution of an agree ment. In fact the earliest authenticated his tory which we have of the glove is of its being given as a pledge of faith in the con veyance of a parcel of land to Boaz that was Elimelech's, the husband of Naomi. "Then said Boaz, 'What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.' "And the kinsman said, 'I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem tliou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.' "Now this was the manner in former time
GLOVE OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS.
times significant consuetudinary relations which it has sustained to law, litigation, judges and courts. Early literature affords numerous exam ples of the custom of giving the glove as a pledge of faith, delivery and investiture. It is natural, since the glove originated in the necessities of the North, that in the Ori ental countries its use became a matter of symbol, luxury and ornament. Therefore h is not surprising that many of the peculiar usages observed in connection with the glove should originate among the people of the south. The giving of a glove was commonly re garded by these ancient Orientals as a sacred
in Israel concerning redeeming and concern ing changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was testimony in Israel. "Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, 'Buy it for thee.' So he drew off his shoe. "And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, 'Ye are witnesses this clay, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the "hand of Naomi.' " (Ruth, chapter iv, 5-9.) The word shoe as it appears in this passage should be translated as glove. The Hebrew word byi (Naiigal) signifies to shut, to close or to enclose, and when followed by hf^ (Regal) it must imply either a shoe or
