sandal. When, however, the former stands alone, scholars have usually rendered it as glove. In fact, the Talmud Lexicon gives it as glove. Also the high authority of the Targum or Chaldaic version renders it as WDTPpmj (Nartek yad), the case or cover ing of his right hand. Since it is quite cer tain, according to Casaubon, that the Chal deans wore gloves, it can be confidently as sumed that glove and not shoe is the correct rendition of the original Hebrew of the beau tiful tale of Ruth and Boaz. The same idiom occurs in the io8th Psalm: "Over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philista will I triumph." This is more cor rectly rendered by substituting glove, since the expression was one of defiance or threat. To show that this is not begging the ques tion, it is well to recall that in all Oriental countries the shoe related to ceremonials of humility and sorrow. John the Baptist pro claimed himself as preceding one whose shoe latchet he was unworthy to unloose; the sup plicant still enters the presence of the East ern potentate barefooted; the pilgrims climbed the sacred mount with bared heads and naked feet; the Hebrew mourner of to day sits on a bench or on the floor without his shoes; and the orthodox Jew stands on his bared feet when he prays in the Temple. From these circumstances we are compelled to conclude that the powerful and poetical David would not have sung his contempt and defiance to Edom, Philista and Moab in the accepted idiom of humility. M. Joseph, a Hebrew of great literary talent, believed this to be the proper exposi tion, and Joel Levy, the celebrated German translator, renders the passage referred to by using hand-schuh, i. c., glove or shoe for the hand. Both ancient and modern Rabbins render the word from the original writings as gloz-c and not shoe. Favyn, who is per haps one of the best authorities in reference to the customs of the days of chivalry, also says that the ancient custom of throwing the
glove was derived from the Eastern people, who in all sales or delivery of land gave a glove by way of delivery and vesture. The titles of possession of cities were com monly conveyed by the delivery of a glove. A recorded instance occurs in an old citycharter dated 1088, but more specifically by the Register of Parliament of Paris in 1294, which informs us that "the Earl of Flanders by delivery of a glove into the King's hand (Philip the Fair) gave him possession of the good towns of Flanders, vis., Bruges, Ghent, etc., etc." Indeed it is evident that possession by de livery of a glove was a formality observed in many parts of Christendom in the middle ages. Favyn claims that blessing the glove at tre coronation of the kings of France is a rem nant of the Eastern practice of vesture by the glove. Du Cange cites an instance given in a charter of the thirteenth century of reinvesture or restitution, which was symbolized by the person depositing his glove upon the earth. In fact, the act of challenging by throwing down the glove and the taking of it up was the seal of the compact or contract to meet in combat at a certain time and speci fied place. Early man was not a globe-trotter, and but little a merchant; his travels were usually limited, and his obligations few. Indeed, be fore the world became full of lawyers, scriveners and bankers, he employed very simple means to keep record of his contracts, of his claims and obligations. Notches were cut in a stick, which was afterward split in half, each party retaining the one-half of the cleft notches, which were to be compared on the final day of reckoning. Such crude book keeping once served the national exchequer of England. It was natural that the leading men of the times recognized the fact that a man's glove was easily identified; also a pair of good gloves were of no inconsiderable
