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Chapter Two

ORIGINS

To many familiar with thc gaily-decoratcd lcathcr used for hangi ngs, scrccns and ocbcr amdes of fumiturc nil co be found, and vagudy refincd co as being of‘Spanish’ or ‘Cordovan’ lcather. it nuy come as a surprise co mcci, noc ancptntnoply, refcrenccs co che use of leaihcr so designaced in soch uulicarian objccts as boocs and shocs, glovcs, purses and pouchcs, cushions and so on. Forcxample:

*Nivard de HogeviDe gave all his lands of BonviDe co che monks of Maule and hatf che rithes chcrcoC for which he rcccivcd by che gpodwill of che monks aS/-. His brocher Simon confirmed che gift, whcreupon Hugh che prior gave him a pair ofCordovan shocs.'

Abouc i IOÓ. Ordericus Vicalis. Ecclesiastkal History ofEnglandand Normandy, cnnslaced by T. Forcstcr, 1854.

'Icem. Paied co Jacson... for a douzin and half Spanysshe glovcs vij" vj^a.'

15 ja. Priuy Purst Expensts ojIbe Princess Mary, ediced by F. Madden, 1831, p. a67-

*Les pieds estoienc chausćcs dc soulicn en peau d'Espagne.’

1587. Pmis'Vtrbal de l'txecuHon Je Marie'Stuart.

‘I... was almosc poison'd with a pair of Cordevanc glovcs hc weazs* (probably a reference to scentea gloves).

1676. G. Ethcrcgc, The Mon of the Modę, iii, 3.

What connection can (herc be bctwccn the highly decorative mural hangings and scrccns and articles of personal use? The connection in face now seems tenuous or even non* exiscent, and the explanation of how che term 'Cordovan' lcather ca me co be used for such widely differing products lies far back in history.

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