BOOT. A lengthened variety of shoe, which is among the most ancient articles of attire. Shoes, extending a certain height up the leg, laced, ornamented. and of fanciful colors, were in use by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. A description of these and other varie ties of shoes, as well as an account of the trade and manufacture of shoes and boots generally, will he found in the article SHOES, and below will be given a few historical particulars re specting what properly are called boots, meaning by the term leather coverings for both the legs and feet. Different kinds of half-boots were worn by the Anglo-Saxons and Anglo-Normans; and in the reign of Edward IV., if not earlier, the boot proper, with tops and spurs, was es tablished as an article of knightly dress. In the reign of Charles I., a species of boot, ex ceedingly wide at the top, made of Spanish leather, came into use; and with Charles II. the highly decorated French boot was introduced as an article of Court attire. Meanwhile, the jack-boot. as it is called, had become indispens able in the costume of cavalry soldiers and horse men generally; and it was regularly adopted in England by William III. and his followers. Strongly made, the jackboot extended in length above the knee. was wide at the top. had a very high heel, and around the ankle had a flat leather band, by which a powerful spur was attached.
The jack-boot, a form of which is still used in the British Horse Guards and other European cavalry regiments, is almost entitled to be called the parent of the top-boot and other more or less similar styles. Boots with tops of yellow were so commonly worn by English gentlemen m the Eighteenth Century as to become a peculiari ty in the national costume. When Philip. Duke
of Orleans, and other revolutionists of note af fected to imitate English sentiments and man ners, they ostentatiously wore top-boots. Early in the Nineteenth Century English gentlemen habitually wore top-boots: but at the present time they characterize the apparel of coachmen. grooms. joekes. and fox-hunters. The introduc tion of the Hessian hoot ?is an article of walking dress tended to break up the general use of top boots, and, worn over tight trousers, it had an attractive and ornamental appearance. Boots of this shape, as may be seen from engravings. were worn by English general officers in the early part of the Napoleonic wars and somewhat. later. At length they were superseded by the well-known Wellington boot, which, as its name signifies, was introduced by the great Duke to be worn un der the loose military trousers. This species of boot has, in its turn, been almost entirely aban doned in consequence of the universal use of short ankle-hoots or shoes. Boots are worn by cavalry and horsemen generally, and also are often to be seen in the rural districts of America and Europe. They may be made of rubber and cloth, and in such form are used extensively by men working in water or damp places.
The word 'boot' is also used to indicate a leather flap fastened to the front or dashboard of a carriage to be drawn up over the lap of the rider as a protection from the rain.