BEDS IN TILE MIDDLE AGES. Meanwhile, in the \Vest, bedsteads, though reduced to extreme simplicity, with the fall of Roman civilization had not entirely fallen into disuse. In the time of Charlemagne they were sometimes made of bronze tnbing—like our own brass bedsteads, with bulbs at the joints and ends of the posts— with a rope netting to support the mattress and with numerous large pillows. In the crusading times of the Twelfth Century the beds acquired considerable richness; the frames were low and narrow, and of almost Spartan simplicity, there being no headboard or footboard, and only posts projecting slightly above the frame. These frames were, however, richly inlaid, carved, or painted, were covered with embroidered hangings and overhung with canopies. As in the Carlo vingian Age, the bedding was arranged on a very inclined plane. so now the mattresses appear much longer than the frame, raised over the low headboard and suspended on a curve. With the advent of the Gothic Age in the Thirteenth Century, and the Golden Age of the manor-life of the castles, beds increased still further in size and luxury. The marriage-beds stood often
not in a special bedroom, but in the main hall, where all persons could enter, and were entirely curtained about. Metal bedsteads had been en tirely abandoned in favor of wood. The balus trade became wider, and had an opening in the middle of the front side for entrance: the height of the headboard was increased; the mattress was laid flat, inside the frame instead of on top of it, and the number of pillows was increased.
In the Fourteenth Century the bedsteads de creased in size but increased in comfort, in fineness of linen sheets and richness of coverings. They were placed in bedrooms, which were now sumptuously decorated with hangings. There were often two mattresses instead of one, and they were covered with silk. Previously the sheets had been used to wrap the person in— as nightgowns were almost unknown—but now the sheets were larger and fell over the sides of the bed, even to the ground, under the sumptu ous covers.