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“My Jewish Gaberdine”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2021

M. Channing Linthicum
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Extract

Two questions are involved in a discussion of “Jewish gaberdine”: First, what was a gaberdine? Second, what was the distinction in dress between Jew and Christian? Modern Shakesperean editors, confronted by the necessity of explaining gaberdine, quote the statements of the New English Dictionary, of previous editors, or of authors of costume books. The editors of the N.E.D. having found no reference to the word earlier than 1520, and none which gave an idea of the garment, fell back on the definitions in seventeenth-century dictionaries, which tell only half the story. Authors of costume books made compilations of quotations given in other costume books, and thus grew a definition which gained weight through sheer repetition. Most of these compilers cite the statements of Planché, but none of them quotes the sentence with which he concludes his discussion after examining the definitions of lexicographers and making deductions from literary references: “But, alas, we are no nearer to identification!” Any attempt at identification requires examination of the etymology of the word; definition and pictorial representation of the garments to which cognate terms in other languages were applied; contemporary evidence concerning materials of which gaberdines were made, and the rank of persons for whom they were made.

Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , September 1928 , pp. 757 - 766
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1928

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References

page 757 note 1 Endopadia of Costume, London, 1874, 1, 145.

page 757 note 2 “The earliest forms appear to be directly a O.F. gauvardina, gateerdina, gallevrardina perh. a derivative of O.H.G. wallevart, pilgrimage; the word passed into other Romance languages ss It. gatardina, Sp. gabardina, the latter spelling of which has influenced the form of the English word.”

page 757 note 3 Glossairt arcklolotique du moycn-age el de la renaissance, 1887, VoL 1, p. 757

Quelle robe vous semblersit belle

Qui tous les trois estate designe?

Par Dieu, je n'en sais point de telle

Que serait une galverdine.

page 758 note 4 A Guide into Tongues, London, J. Brown, 1617.

page 758 note 5 Queen Anna's Sew World of Words, London, 1598.

page 758 note 6 The writer has examined every contemporary Spanish dictionary in the British Museum. The list includes ell edition* of Lebrija, end many polyglot dictionaries, but the omission of the word from the dictionaries is no proof that it did not exist.

page 758 note 7 Op. cit., I, 757.

page 758 note 8 The spelling varies by an interchange of c,g, as initial letter; in the second syllable, and doubling of b. Florio gives gabanio.

page 758 note 9 Probably quoting Oudin, he called attention to a similar ancient cloak called galbana, from it* color resemblance to the gum, gatbanum. This garment sometimes called golbanum is defined by Rider, as * “bright white garment.”

page 758 note 10 Cesare Vecellio, Hobiti antici e moderni di lutto mondo, Venitia, Damian Zenario, 1590. Reprinted with French and Italian text, Pari*, 1859.

page 759 note 11 Op. cit., p. 171.

page 759 note 12 Vocabulario degli Accademici delta Crusca (1612): “Feltro si dice anche a mantello o gabbano fatto de feltro da far vaggio. E gabbano i mantello ma con maniche.”

page 759 note 13 Minshew: “a horseman's coat.” Palsgrave (1530): “gaberdyne to ride ingauerrline.”

page 759 note 14 Com, custodis Magna Carderobe Regis. Public Record Office E. 101. /417/4.

page 759 note 15 Antiquarian Repertory, London: Jeffrey, 1809, IV, 357.

page 759 note 16 Arckeeolotia, XXXVIII, 371. It is possible that the garment was a long coat This is the only reference to the garment as feminine property which I have found.

page 759 note 17 Will of William Rayne, Lincoln Diocese Documents (EETS, Or. Ser., 149), p. 246. Florence Porter (1562) leaves to her sons a gaberdine (Wills and Inventories, Surtee* Society, II, 1835, p. 209).

page 759 note 18 Progresses and Public Processions of King James, III, 893,895.

page 760 note 19 Tempest, II, ii, 115.

page 760 note 20 Statutes at Large, 1 Richard III, Ch. VIII.

page 760 note 21 Ibid. 3 Henry VTJI, Ch. VII. That part of the statute relating to complete manufacture of certain cloths before export was repealed, but no change was evidently made la the width required.

page 760 note 22 Founded in 1230 by Henry III, continued until the time of James I, this home offered a refuge to converted Jews. Each inmate was supported for life, and had no servile work. He had to attend chapel service every day and pray for the souls of the royal benefactors, or the kings whose bounty had supported the borne. As far as records show, only one money-lender carried on his trade within the home. The Dtmu Conversorum occupied the site of the present Public Record Office, Chancery Lane.

page 761 note 23 There were, according to the records, only two inmates in the Home at the time of the writing of The Merchant of Venice, both Spanish. The reference to nationalities who had formerly been there is made to show that during the 319 years when no Jew was allowed by law to enter England, they were nevertheless coming there, at least, ss converts. Probably some who were not converts managed to conceal their identity. Mr. Adler, in discussing the records, points out (Transactions of the Jewish Historical Society of England, IV, 44) that Lopez lived in England thirty-rive years, and Menda, six years without molestation. Menda was later converted and entered the Home. His confessions, and statements of reasons for adopting Christianity were published the year Shakespeare is supposed to have come to London.

page 761 note 24 M. Ohsson, Histoire des Mongols, Amsterdam, III, 272.

page 761 note 25 “Ne igitur tam dammate commixtionis excessus per velmentum erroris hujusmodi, excusetionis ulterius possint habere diffigium; statuimus ut tales utriusque sexus, in omni Christianorum provincia, & omni tempore, qualitate habitus publice ab aliis populis clistinguintur.....”Labbé and Cossart, Sacrosancta Concilia, XIII, 1006).

page 761 note 26 Purchas, His Pilgrimes, VIII, 271.

page 762 note 27 Ibid., VIII, 173.

page 762 note 28 Crudities, Ed. 1611, p. 231.

page 762 note 29 Purchas, op. cit., IX, 274.

page 762 note 30 “.... in medio pectoris deferent lignum roue, cuius circulus sit latitudinis unius digiti, altitudo veto unius dimidii palmi de canna” (Sacrosancta Concilia, XIII, 1106).

page 762 note 31 The color of the circle was first prescribed by Pope Gregory DC, 1233-34 “unam rotam de feltro seu panno croceo.” R. TJlysse, Revue des Etudes Juives, VI, 83. I am indebted to M. Ulysses articles f > T references to several of the sources for synodal and civil edicts concerning the bade.

page 762 note 32 Ibid., p. 90.

page 762 note 33 Ibid., p. 269; also E. H. Undo, History of the Jews of Spain and Portuial, London, 1848, p. 205.

page 762 note 34 Undo, op. cit., pp. 199,205. The originals ol the Ordinances are not accessible to me. Undo states also that the Jews were compelled to wear cheap cloths in their garments and were not allowed silks.

page 763 note 35 Plate II shows one type; Tke Jewisk Encyclopedia gives others. This article aims to give information and illustration not found there.

page 763 note 36 Memoires et Observations, a la Haye. H. van Bulderen, p. 67.

page 763 note 37 In Sicily, persons were appointed to see that the law was enforced. “F. Nicolaus de Panormo conoscere debuerat de observatione Judaeorum Rotelue de panno rubeo in forma & quantitate majoris regii sigilli, per dependentiam barbae, & palmi distantiam in eorum exteriori veste semper, & ubicumque in pec tore portando, in distinctionem à Christi fidelibus manifestam; & mu lie rum earumdem in earum veste exteriori sub poena quinderue carceris eisdem utriusque sexus inferendae ....1395 (D. Rocd Pirri, Siciilae Sacrae, II, 907). This edict may be found in Graevius, Thesaurus Antiquitatam ct Historiarum Siciliae, VoL 3-4, p. 1050.

page 763 note 38 “In Venezia pert continuava la misura dei giorni quindeci proscritu del decreto 139S e durd per tutto il XV secolo, rinnovatasi ansi dal Sena to nel 1496 allorche vendendosi deluso 1' effetto del segnale letters O sul petto, occulando gli Ebrei col mantello o eltri modi servendo al religioso fermo oggetto, che con notorj segni fossero i Giudei separati e distinctamente conosciuti, in luongo dell'O si comandò che potar dovesero nelia Dominante, e nei luoghi sudditi beret te sul capo in cadauna stagione coperte di giallo, colore cangiato poi nel rosso, di cui sussiste sino adoggidl la legge, ben ché col quakhe abuso violaU” (Vettor Sandi, frixi^ di staria titile delta Republica di Venexia, Venice, 1756,1, Pt. hi, p. 439).

page 763 note 39 Revue des Etudes Juives, XX, 45-6.

page 763 note 40 Op. cit., p. 464.

page 764 note 41 Crudities, p. 231.

page 764 note 42 Voyage d“emit, p. 288.

page 764 note 43 “.... duaa ubulas albas in pectore, factas de lineo panno, vel de parcaraeno; iu quod per hujusmodi signum, manifeste possint Judei à Christianis ditcerni......” (Rymer'i Foedera, 1, 151).

page 764 note 44 “....... ut canines omnino Judaei, tarn masculi quam foemirue, in veste superiori ante pectus tabulas laneas alterius colons, quam vestis sit, deferent manifeste, iu quod utraque tabula duorum digitorum mensuram babeat in latitudine, et quatuor in longitudinc” (Wilkins, Concilia Magna Britaniae, I, 591).

page 764 note 45 “e. k. checun Geu pus kil avra passee set ana, porte enseign e en son soverain garment cest assavr en fourme de deus Ubles joyntes de feutre iaune de la longure de sis poucers e de la laur de treis pouz” (Statutes of tke Realm, 1,221).

page 764 note 46 Rymers Foedera, I, pt II, 543.

page 764 note 47 “....... ut Judaei utriusque sexus super vestes eiteiiores duas tabulas laneas habeant alterius colons ad pectus consutas; quarum latitudo digitorum duorum, et longitudo quatuor tit ad minus.....”“(W'ilkins, Concilia, II, 155).

page 765 note 48 A series of publications followed Thorowgood's Jews in America, or Prebalities that these Indians are Judicial, 1660. The idea was attacked and defended for many months.

page 765 note 49 Memoires et Obsertaticmes, a la Haye, p. 273.

page 766 note 50 The materials for this paper were gathered by the writer daring her tenure of the European Fellowship of the American Association of University