1915.] 



THE CHEVAUCHEE DE ST. MICHEL. 



241 



be held, regulating the costume to be worn by the pionsW or 

 footmen in attendance on the Court, and other matters. The 

 earliest official record we have of the prescribed dress is dated 

 May 24th, 1768. when Mr. Henry Budd was Senechal. It reads 

 as follows : — 



" A black cap (Calotte) with a red 

 ribbon at the back, a ruffled shirt (une 

 cheminse a Manchette), with black ribbon 

 wristbands and a black ribbon round the 

 neck, white breeches with red ribbons tied 

 round the knee, white stockings, and red 

 ribbons on their wands." 



Exactly the same costume was ap- 

 pointed for the Chevauchee of 1786, and 

 a very similar one for the Chevauchees of 

 the 9th June, 1813, the 8th of June, 1825, 

 and 31st May, 1837, with the following 

 alterations : — In 1813 a white handkerchief 

 was to be worn round the neck above the 

 white frilled shirt, and also a sort of white 

 smock frock or " habit rond " bound with 

 scarlet ribbon was worn outside the shirt. 

 In 1825 the " habit rond " was transformed 

 into a white waistcoat or " gilet blanc " 

 bordered with red ribbon and the same 

 costume was ordained for 1837. This may 

 I think be taken as an indication that 

 black, white and red were the colours 

 associated with this ceremony from time 

 immemorial. 



I will now detail the observances 

 which took place on the 9th of June, 1813, 

 as it is the oldest Chevauchee of which con- 

 temporary records and descriptions exist, 

 and is the most likely to have adhered 

 literally to the ancient order of procedure. 

 On the 27th of May, 1813, before Thomas Falla, Esq., 

 Seneschal of the Court and jurisdiction of St. Michel, and the 

 Vavassors of the said Court. " The Court being to-day assem- 

 bled to regulate the order to be pursued on Wednesday, the 9th 

 of June proximo " (the day appointed by the Court for the 

 Chevauchee of His Majesty to pass) having decreed the dress of 

 the pions, went on to ordain that " Messieurs les prevots of the 

 Court are ordered to warn all those who are obliged to assist at 

 the said Chevauchee to find themselves with their swords (2 >, 



(1) Pion from Latin pedone, a footman— cf. a paten at chess. 



(2) The three members of the Chevanchee who wore swords were the King's 

 Sheriff, the Seneschal of St. Michel, and the Porte-Lance. Probably in mediaeval 

 days they wore full armour, while the other mounted officials would have worn 

 semi-armour and the unmounted men would have worn fustian, with pikes, and 

 probably bows of ribbon with the symbolic colours, 



Pion's Wand. 



