i68 THE WILD CAT OF BRITAIN. 



(Article 2) tradesmen, artificers, and men in office, called 

 yeomen, their wives and children, shall wear no kind of furs 

 excepting those of lambs, of rabbits, of cats, and of foxes." 

 Further : " No man, unless he be possessed of the yearly 

 value of forty shillings, shall wear any furs but black and 

 white lambs' skins." Lambs' and cats' skins were equivalent 

 in value and order. 



In the twenty-second year of this monarch's reign, all the 

 former statutes "against excess in apparel " were repealed. 



My old friend Fairholt, in his useful work on costume, 

 says of the Middle Ages : " The peasants wore cat skins, 

 badger skins, etc." 



One of the reasons why the skin of cats was used on 

 cloaks and other garments for trimming, being that it 

 showed humility in dress, and not by way of affectation or 

 vanity, but for warmth and comfort, it being of the lowest 

 value of any, with the exception of lambs' skin and badgers' ; 

 and adopted by some priests as well as nuns, when wishing 

 to impress others with their deep sense of humility in all 

 things, even to their wearing-apparel. The proof of which 

 Strutt's "Habits of the Anglo-Normans," circa twelfth century, 

 fully illustrates : 



"William of Malmesbury, speaking of Wulfstan, Bishop of 

 Worcester, assures us that he avoided all appearance of 

 pride and ostentation in his dress, and though he was very 

 wealthy, he never used any furs finer than lambs' skin for 

 the lining of his garments. Being blamed for such needless 

 humility by Geoffrey, Bishop of Constans, who told him that 



* He not only could afford, but even ought to wear those of 

 sables, of beavers, or of foxes,' he replied : ' It may indeed 

 be proper for you politicians, skilful in the affairs of the 

 world, to adorn yourselves in the skins of such cunning 

 animals ; but for me, who am a plain man, and not subject 

 to change my opinion, the skins of lambs are quite sufficient.' 



* If,' returned his opponent, * the finer furs are unpleasant, 

 you might at least make use of those of the cat.' * Believe 

 me,' answered the facetious prelate, * the lamb of God is 

 much oftener sung in the Church than the cat of God.' This 



