They
were worn especially by footmen.
were worn especially by footmen.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
36, 7): 'There is one thing vsed of the Venetian women, and
some others dwelling in the cities and towns subject to the Signiory
of Venice, that is not to be obserued (I thinke) amongst any other
women in Christendome: which is so common in Venice, that no woman
whatsoeuer goeth without it, either in her house or abroad; a thing
made of wood, and couered with leather of sundry colors, some with
white, some redde, some yellow. It is called a Chapiney, which they
weare vnder their shoes. Many of them are curiously painted; some
also I haue seene fairely gilt: so vncomely a thing (in my opinion)
that it is pitty this foolish custom is not cleane banished and
exterminated out of the citie. There are many of these Chapineys of a
great heigth, euen half a yard high, which maketh many of their women
that are very short, seeme much taller then the tallest women we haue
in England. Also I haue heard that this is obserued amongst them,
that by how much the nobler a woman is, by so much the higher are her
Chapineys. All their Gentlewomen, and most of their wiues and widowes
that are of any wealth, are assisted and supported eyther by men or
women when they walke abroad, to the end they may not fall. They
are borne vp most commonly by the left arme, otherwise they might
quickly take a fall. For I saw a woman fall a very dangerous fall as
she was going down the staires of one of the little stony bridges
with her high Chapineys alone by her selfe: but I did nothing pitty
her, because shee wore such friuolous and (as I may truely term them)
ridiculous instruments, which were the occasion of her fall. For both
I myselfe, and many other strangers (as I haue obserued in Venice)
haue often laughed at them for their vaine Chapineys. '
=4. 4. 71, 2 Spanish pumps Of perfum'd leather. = Pumps are
first mentioned in the sixteenth century (Planche). A reference
to them occurs in _Midsummer Night's Dream_, 1593-4, 4. 2.
They
were worn especially by footmen.
Spanish leather was highly esteemed at this time. Stubbes (_Anat. of
Abuses_, Part 1, p. 77) says: 'They haue korked shooes, pinsnets,
pantoffles, and slippers, . . . some of spanish leather, and some of
English lether. ' Marston (_Dutch Courtezan_, _Wks. _ 2. 7) speaks of
a 'Spanish leather jerkin,' and Middleton (_Father Hubburd's Tales_,
_Wks. _ 8. 70) of 'a curious pair of boots of King Philip's leather,'
and a little farther on (_Wks. _ 8. 108) of Spanish leather shoes.
Fastidious Brisk's boots are made of the same material (_Ev.
some others dwelling in the cities and towns subject to the Signiory
of Venice, that is not to be obserued (I thinke) amongst any other
women in Christendome: which is so common in Venice, that no woman
whatsoeuer goeth without it, either in her house or abroad; a thing
made of wood, and couered with leather of sundry colors, some with
white, some redde, some yellow. It is called a Chapiney, which they
weare vnder their shoes. Many of them are curiously painted; some
also I haue seene fairely gilt: so vncomely a thing (in my opinion)
that it is pitty this foolish custom is not cleane banished and
exterminated out of the citie. There are many of these Chapineys of a
great heigth, euen half a yard high, which maketh many of their women
that are very short, seeme much taller then the tallest women we haue
in England. Also I haue heard that this is obserued amongst them,
that by how much the nobler a woman is, by so much the higher are her
Chapineys. All their Gentlewomen, and most of their wiues and widowes
that are of any wealth, are assisted and supported eyther by men or
women when they walke abroad, to the end they may not fall. They
are borne vp most commonly by the left arme, otherwise they might
quickly take a fall. For I saw a woman fall a very dangerous fall as
she was going down the staires of one of the little stony bridges
with her high Chapineys alone by her selfe: but I did nothing pitty
her, because shee wore such friuolous and (as I may truely term them)
ridiculous instruments, which were the occasion of her fall. For both
I myselfe, and many other strangers (as I haue obserued in Venice)
haue often laughed at them for their vaine Chapineys. '
=4. 4. 71, 2 Spanish pumps Of perfum'd leather. = Pumps are
first mentioned in the sixteenth century (Planche). A reference
to them occurs in _Midsummer Night's Dream_, 1593-4, 4. 2.
They
were worn especially by footmen.
Spanish leather was highly esteemed at this time. Stubbes (_Anat. of
Abuses_, Part 1, p. 77) says: 'They haue korked shooes, pinsnets,
pantoffles, and slippers, . . . some of spanish leather, and some of
English lether. ' Marston (_Dutch Courtezan_, _Wks. _ 2. 7) speaks of
a 'Spanish leather jerkin,' and Middleton (_Father Hubburd's Tales_,
_Wks. _ 8. 70) of 'a curious pair of boots of King Philip's leather,'
and a little farther on (_Wks. _ 8. 108) of Spanish leather shoes.
Fastidious Brisk's boots are made of the same material (_Ev.
