THE SCENE: Walter Map, a 12th century social commentarian, gives a compelling case for why monks should wear underwear, citing examples where needed.
THE TEXT: Now in this regulation of clothing I find cause for surprise in regard of the breeches, in that they are obligated to wear them at the service of the altar, and they are taken off when they go thence. A reason why the Cistercians do not use it was given me by some one, namely, to preserve coolness in that part of the body. But I say, No. It would be better to shorten the inner tunic from the belt downwards, and not discarding the breeches, which are a respectable garment and approved by every other order.
The lord King, Henry the Second, of late was riding as usual at the head of all the great concourse of his knights and clerks, and talking with Dom Reric, a distinguished monk and an honourable man. There was a high wind; and lo! a [Cistercian] monk was making his way on foot along the street and looked round, and made haste to get out of the way. He dashed his foot against a stone and was not being borne up by angels at the moment, and fell in front of the feet of the king’s horse, and the wind blew his habit right over his neck, so that he was entirely exposed to the unwilling eyes of the lord king and Reric. The king, that treasure house of all politeness, feigned to see nothing, looked away, and kept silence. Still, the monk who tumbled down would have got up again with more dignity had he had his breeches on.
– De Nugis Curialium, Walter Map, 12th Century AD
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