A Frankish noble named Sigismer, who lived a.d. 600, was to marry a
Visigoth princess. A Roman soldier saw their wedding, and gave the
following description of it in a letter to a friend:
"As you are so fond of beholding war and armor, it would have been a
great pleasure for you if you had seen the royal youth Sigismer dressed
as a bridegroom, according to the custom of his people, walking to his
father-in-law's house. His horse was decorated with brilliant housings,
and other horses went before and behind him all glittering with precious
stones. The bridegroom, however, did not ride, for it was considered
more becoming that he should go on foot among his comrades, dressed in
bright purple, with ornaments of red gold and white silk, while his
hair, complexion, and skin were in keeping with these ornaments. But the
appearance of his comrades was formidable even in peace: their feet up
to the ankles were encased in rough boots, above which their shins,
knees, and thighs were bare. Besides these, they wore a short
tight-fitting tunic of many colors, which did not reach down to the
knees. The sleeves reached only to the elbows, the bright green tunic
contrasting sharply with the ruddy limbs. Their swords were suspended by
straps from their shoulders, and stuck close to their fur-clad hips. The
same dress which serves them for ornament serves also for defense. In
the right hand they carried barbed lances and battle-axes, which can
also be used as missiles; and in the left a shield, with a snow-white
rim and yellow boss. This shield is evidence of the wealth of its owner,
as well as of the skill of its maker. Altogether everything was so
arranged that the whole seemed to be not merely a bridal procession, but
a military one also."
Compiled From Sources In The Public Domain.
Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
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It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915
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