104-
of C arz'caz'ur'e
Hwy
and
Grotejyue
words of the old writer who has preferved this anecdote, " the women
who, like fnails in a fright, had drawn in their horns, {hot them out again
as foon as the danger was over." The caricaturift would hardly overlook
fo extravagant a fafhion, and accordingly the manufcript in the Britifh
Mufeum, juft mentioned, furniihes us with the fubject of our cut No. 69.
In thofe times, when the pafiions were fubjeeted to no reftraint, the tine
ladies indulged in fuch luxury and licentioufnefs, that the caricaturift has
chofen as their fit reprefentative a fow, who wears the objectionable head-
drefs in full fafhion. The original forms one of the illuftrations of a
copy of the hiftorian Fr0iH'art, and was, therefore, executed in France,
or, more probably, in Burgundy.
The fermons and fatires againft extravagance in coftume began at an
early period. The Anglo-Norman ladies, in the earlier part of the
twelfth century, lirlt brought in vogue in our ifland this extravagance in
fafhion, which quickly fell under the lafh of fatiriit and caricaturitt. It
was firlt exhibited in the robes rather than in the head-drefs. The-fe
Anglo-Norman ladies are underltood to have firft introduced ftays, in
order to give an artificial appearance of flendernefs to their wailts; but
the greatelt extravagance appeared in the forms of their fleeves. The
robe, or gown, inftead of being loofe, as among the Anglo-Saxons, was
laced clofe round the body, and the fleeves, which fitted the arm tightly
till they reached the elbows, or fometimes nearly to the wrilt, then
fuddenly became larger, and hung down to an extravagant length, often
trailing on the ground, and fometimes {hortened by means of a knot.
The gown, alfo, was itfelf worn very long. The clergy preached againlt
thefe extravagances in falhion, and at times, it is faid, with effect 5 and
they fell under the vigorous lafh of the fatirift. In a clats of fatires which
became extremely popular in the twelfth century, and which produced
in the thirteenth the immortal poem of Dante-the vifions of purgatory
and of hell--thefe contemporary extravagances in fafhion are held up to
public deteitation, and are made the fubjeet of fevere punilhment.
They were looked upon as among the outward forms of pride. It arofe,
no doubt, from this taite-from the darker fhade which fpread over men's
minds in the twelfth century-that demons, inttead of animals, were
introduced