CRISPIN ANECDOTES, ETC.
Having given, in the preceding chapter, biographical sketches of some of
the sons of St. Crispin, who have risen from the _last_, to the first
rank among their fellow-men, in the several departments of knowledge, we
shall conclude this work with a few anecdotes, and such matters as are
of interest to the craft in general.
* * * * *
PATRON SAINTS OF THE SHOEMAKERS.--Crispin and Crispianus were brethren,
born at Rome, from which city they travelled to Soissons, in France, for
the purpose of propagating the Christian religion, A. D., 303; and in
order that they might not be chargeable to others for their maintenance,
they exercised the trade of shoemakers; but Rectionarius, governor of
the town, discovering them to be Christians, condemned them to be
beheaded; hence they became the tutelar saints of the shoemakers.
The following singular passage with reference to the preservation of
the relics of these saints, occurs in Lusius’s Acts of the Martyrs,
where he notices the blessed Crispin and Crispianus. After their
execution, their bodies, according to our author, were cast out to be
devoured by dogs and birds of prey: nevertheless, being protected by the
power of Christ, they suffered no harm. During the same night in which
they were martyred, a certain indigent old man, who resided with his
aged sister, was warned by an angel to take the bodies of these holy
martyrs, and to deposite them, with all proper care, in a sepulchre. The
old man, without hesitation, arose, and, accompanied by his venerable
sister, went to the place where the bodies of the martyrs lay. As this
was near the river Arona, they could easily, with the assistance of a
small boat, have brought them to their own dwelling; this, however, on
account of their poverty and infirmity, they were unable to procure,
nor, indeed, had they any experience in the management of a vessel,
which, moreover, must have been rowed against the current. When,
however, after diligently searching in the dark, they at last found the
precious corpses wholly uninjured--lo! they discovered a small boat
close to the shore, and thereupon assuming courage immediately, they
each took up a body, so staggering under the weight from weakness, that
they appear not so much to carry their burdens as to be carried by
them. Placing the bodies in the boat, they floated with great celerity
against the current of the river, and, without the assistance of either
rudder or oars, presently arrived at their own cottage; near to which,
with equal secresy and joy, they interred the bodies of the deceased
martyrs.
In Soissons, there are many churches and religious places dedicated to
these saints. There is a tradition of their interment in England.
* * * * *
ST. CRISPIN’S DAY.--Crispin stands marked in our almanacs for
remembrance, on the 25th of October, though his brother, Crispianus or
Crispinian, appears to have an equal claim to that respect. Their
history is only imperfectly known, and affords nothing particularly
interesting beyond the preceding notice. In an old romance, a prince of
the name of Crispin is represented as having exercised the profession of
a shoemaker; and thence is supposed to be derived the expression of the
“gentle craft,” as applied to that art:--
“Our shoes were sewed with merry notes,
And by our mirth expelled all moan;
Like nightingales, from whose sweet throats
Most pleasant tunes are nightly blown:
The Gentle Craft is fittest then
For poor distresséd gentlemen.”
The immortal Shakspere has given a speech to Henry the Fifth, before the
battle of Agincourt, that will mark the anniversary of St. Crispin to
the latest posterity:--
“This day is called--the feast of Crispian:
He, that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tiptoe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian:
He, that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his friends,
And say, To-morrow is St. Crispian:
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
Old men forget; yet shall not all forget,
But they’ll remember with advantages,
What feats they did that day: Then shall our names,
Familiar in their mouth as household words,--
Harry the king, Bedford, and Exeter,
Warwick, and Talbot, Salisbury, and Glo’ster,--
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered:
This story shall the good man teach his son:
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered:
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me,
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now abed,
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here;
And hold their manhoods cheap, while any speaks
That fought with us upon St. Crispin’s day.”
* * * * *
CORDWAINERS’ HALL is a modern structure, situated in Distaff lane,
London. It is a plain, but very neat and substantial brick building,
with a stone front, and a sculpture of the cordwainers’ arms, on a
shield, in the pediment, supported on each side by the cornucopia, or
horn of plenty. Over the centre window is a bass-relief of Clotho, one
of the parcæ or fates, spinning the thread of life.
The hall is entered by two side-wings, by an ascent of a few steps. On
the right and left are rooms for counting-houses, and other offices for
the use of the clerks and different persons belonging to the company.
The ballroom, 60 feet by 30, is a neat, commodious room, but without
ornaments, except merely the royal arms, the city arms, and the arms of
the company. Over the entrance is a music gallery or orchestra,
underneath which are some extremely neat representations of musical
instruments.
The court-room, 30 feet by 15, is a very neat room, the walls hung with
various plans of estates belonging to the company. Over the fireplace is
a beautiful engraved view of the hall, drawn by Mr. Michael Meredith.
The view is taken from the southwest angle, and gives a correct view, in
perspective, of the west entrance, as well as of the front. Opposite
this picture, at the other end of the room, is another view of the hall,
an entire front view, showing both the wings. This was drawn by Mr.
Robinson, of Lothbury, surveyor to the company. Over this room is the
smoking-room, a perfectly plain, but clean and neat apartment. Opposite
to this is the dining-room, at the, east end of which is a capital
picture, by Sir William Beechy, of William Williams, Esq., who, after
being three times elected master of the company, died on the 5th of
November, 1809, aged eighty-seven. The portrait is very large, and
painted in Beechy’s best style. The frame is superbly gilt and
ornamented. It is surmounted by Mr. Williams’s own arms. At the other
end of this room, are the arms of the company, richly emblazoned. Under
this, in a niche, is a massy sepulchred urn, of white marble, on a base
of the same material, bearing the following inscription:--
“This tablet is dedicated to the memory of Mr. John Carne, many years a
valuable member of this company, in testimony of the many virtues which
adorned his character, particularly that spirit of benevolence and
charity so manifestly displayed in his last will, dated the 12th of
August, 1782, by which he gave, in trust, to the master, wardens, and
stewards of this company for ever, £37,200 three per cent. government
annuities, the interest arising therefrom he bequeathed to this company,
and also subject to certain annuities, amounting to £145, to be by them
annually distributed in £5 each, to clergymen’s widows. Mr. Carne died
the 13th of May, 1796, aged seventy-eight years, and was buried in the
church of St. Mary-le-bow, London. Mr. Carne, during several years prior
to his death, gave £300 for the same purposes as those mentioned on the
tablet.”
On one side of this room is a neat music gallery. There are, besides,
several other minor apartments, and beneath, a most excellent kitchen,
with all sorts of culinary apparatus.
* * * * *
INCORPORATED SHOEMAKERS.--When and where the shoemakers first began to
form themselves into societies, and to observe the festival of their
saint, does not appear; it is natural enough to suppose that the
celebrity of Crispin and Crispianus, would confer on the day and place
an honor, which they who wrought at the same occupation would wish to
record and celebrate; at Soissons, therefore, it is probable that a
trade, which had been selected and distinguished by saints and martyrs,
would be also distinguished by some principles of recognition by its
members. Be this as it may, it is certain that the memory of the above
saints is honored in the city of their decollation, where churches, and
other religious buildings, are dedicated to “St. Crispin,” “St. Crispin
the Greater,” “St. Crispin the Less,” “St. Crispin _en chay_,” &c.
In Paris, there are two pious societies, with the title of “_Freres
Cordonniers_,” or brothers shoemakers. They were established by
authority, about the middle of the sixteenth century; the one under the
patronage of St. Crispin, and the other of Crispianus. They live in
community, and are governed by fixed statutes and officers, both in
their secular and spiritual concerns. The produce of the shoes which
they make goes to the common stock, to furnish necessaries for their
support, the overplus to be distributed among the poor.
Shoemakers are legally called cordwainers, or cordovanners, from
Cordova, a town and province in Spain, whence the leather called
cordovan was brought. The Latin appellation of a shoemaker is SUTOR or
CALCEOLARIUS, in Greek it is ΡΑΠΤΗΣ, in Arabic SABBATERO, in French
CORDINNIER. The cordwainer’s company was first incorporated in England
by the letters patent of Henry IV., in the year 1410, by the style of
the “Cordwainer’s and Cobbler’s Company.” The incorporation of this
body was again recognised early in the fifteenth century, by an act of
parliament, the provisions of which were to restrict the making of
boots, shoes, &c., after a certain “preposterous” fashion then
prevalent: defaults to be adjudged by the wardens of the company, and a
line of twenty shillings to be levied on the party so offending. A like
penalty was inflicted by the same act upon any “cordwainer or cobbler,”
in London, or within three miles of it, who should be convicted of
making, or putting upon the legs or feet of any person, any shoes,
boots, or buskins, on _Sundays_, or feasts of the nativity and ascension
of our Lord, and Corpus Christi. Shoemakers are incorporated in
Edinburgh, and called CORDINERS.
* * * * *
PROVERBS.--Several common and proverbial expressions are taken from the
shoemaker’s trade. “To stick to the last,” is used of perseverance in an
undertaking till its completion. “Nothing is like leather,” signifies to
cry up one’s own craft, as in the case of the currier, who would have
defended the town with tanned cowhides. “_Urit pedem, calceus_,” I am in
the shoemaker’s stocks. “_Ne sutor ultra crepidam_,” the shoemaker must
not go beyond his last. These were the words of Apelles, a famous
painter of antiquity, to a critical Crispin, who properly found fault
with an ill-designed slipper. The artist amended his picture
accordingly; but the cobbler, ascending to other parts, betrayed the
grossest ignorance. “No man,” says a commentator on this proverb,
“should pass his opinion in a province of art where he is without a
qualification.”--“_Etre sur un grand pied dans le monde_,” to be on a
great foot (or footing) in the world. This favorite French proverb
originated at the time when a man’s rank was known by the size of his
shoes. Those of a prince measured two feet and a half; a plain cit was
allowed only twelve inches. A noble Roman being asked why he had put
away his beautiful wife, put forth his foot, and showed his buskins. “Is
not this,” said he, “a handsome and complete shoe? yet no man but myself
knows where it pinches me.” Hence the saying, “None but the wearer knows
where the shoe pinches.” As “tight as a bristle,” is still a common
saying of anything that is attached dexterously, or that fits nicely,
and is derived from the exactness required by the cobbler in fixing a
bristle to the thread or _end_ with which he sews, that it may follow
the awl the better. The waxed string pointed with bristle, as at
present, was in use as early as the twelfth century.
* * * * *
The following pleasant anecdote used to be told by the eccentric Dr.
Monsey. The duke of Leeds, the doctor, and his grace’s chaplain, being
one morning, soon after breakfast, in his library, Mr. Walkden, of Pall
Mall, his grace’s shoemaker, was shown in with a pair of new shoes for
the duke. The latter was remarkably fond of him, as he was at the same
time clerk of St. James’s church, where the duke was a constant
attendant. “What have you there, Walkden?” said the duke.--“A pair of
shoes for your grace,” he replied.--“Let me see them.” They were handed
to him accordingly. The chaplain taking up one of them examined it with
great attention: “What is the price?” asked the chaplain. “Half a
guinea, sir,” said the shoemaker. “Half a guinea! what for a pair of
shoes?” said the chaplain. “Why I could go to Cranbourn alley, and buy a
better pair of shoes than they ever were or ever will be, for five and
sixpence.” He then threw the shoe to the other end of the room. Walkden
threw the other after it, saying as they were fellows they ought to go
together; and at the same time replied to the chaplain: “Sir, I can go
to a stall in Moorfields and buy a better sermon for twopence, than my
lord gives you a guinea for.” The duke clapped Walkden on the shoulder,
and said “That is a most excellent retort, Walkden; make me half a
dozen pairs of shoes directly.”
* * * * *
The greatest multitude of shoemakers ever known to have been assembled
on one occasion, were collected by the celebrated mob-orator, Henley, at
his oratory near Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields. This public declaimer used to
discourse on general topics during the week, and on some subject of
morality on the Sunday. On the above occasion he had announced that on a
given day he should discourse to shoemakers, and that he could teach
them a most expeditious method of making shoes--which proved to be no
other than cutting off the tops of ready-made boots! The admission
ticket on that occasion bore the following motto: “Omne majus continet
in se minus.” The writer of this anecdote says: “I can not think the
representatives of Prince Crispin would have pocketed this insult. I
think they would have _bristled_ up, one and _all_, and, _waxing_ wroth,
would not have waited for the _ends_ of justice, but would have brought
the orator down from his ‘gilt tub,’ and persevering to the _last_, have
put their _soles_ upon his neck till he had discovered too late, that
the ‘gentle craft,’ might not be insulted with impunity.”
* * * * *
A shoemaker attending a public ball, where he happened to be the
handsomest and best-dressed gentleman, the mushroom gentry thought to
play a trick on him. While engaged in a dance, a stocking manufacturer
begged to be measured for a pair of boots, to be ready by five o’clock
next morning. The shoemaker, observing his drift, and the approbation of
a considerable part of the company, immediately desired him to hold it
on the floor, and with one knee on it measured the foot: then saying,
“You may depend upon it, the boots will be ready according to your
order;” he ordered half a dozen pairs of silk stockings, to be ready at
the same hour, and proceeded with the dance. Having stayed till two
o’clock in the morning, he waked some of his workmen, and had the boots
finished by five o’clock; then sending and obliging the stocking
manufacturer to rise, and try on his boots, which exactly fitted, he
ordered instant payment of five guineas for them, and threatened
prosecution, as the stockings were not ready according to promise.
THE END.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The _feather_ is the edge of the insole.
[2] Properly.
[3] Merchants’ Magazine.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Book of the Feet, by Joseph Sparkes Hall