"Marry, here's grace and a cod-piece; that's a wise man and a fool."
February 14, 2024 1:46 AM Subscribe
For a brief moment in the Renaissance, in between the invention of the microscope, printing press, and pencils – along with other technologies that uphold modern society – upper class men were rather preoccupied with erecting another innovation: the codpiece. from How the codpiece flopped [BBC]
Wow I didn’t know that they didn't actually put their bits in them. You learn something new everyday!
posted by Flitcraft at 5:13 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
posted by Flitcraft at 5:13 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
Fantastic read, thanks for posting!
posted by hilaryjade at 5:20 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
posted by hilaryjade at 5:20 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
Wow I didn’t know that they didn't actually put their bits in them. You learn something new everyday!
TIL, Flitcraft has a lot of very popular male friends.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:36 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
TIL, Flitcraft has a lot of very popular male friends.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:36 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
"Women! I make my codpiece bigger and bigger every day, and all they ever want to do is stare into my eyes! I'm like -- hey lady, my penis is DOWN HERE!"
posted by PlusDistance at 6:09 AM on February 14 [8 favorites]
posted by PlusDistance at 6:09 AM on February 14 [8 favorites]
what a fun read!! (also love the tags on this post!) happy v-day back atcha, chavenet.
posted by tamarack at 6:10 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
posted by tamarack at 6:10 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
“The first codpieces were limp triangles of fabric that were tucked in to cover the openings between each hose. But it didn't take long for men to take full advantage of these new garments, and start padding them.” Ahem.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:20 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:20 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
There's a wild painting about halfway through the article, where the guy is wearing a codpiece that is more like one of those penis sheaths worn by some people in New Guinea. It's erect and pointing up, poking out of his clothes; I did not know that codpieces could be so graphic.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:20 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 6:20 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
From the National Portrait Gallery description of the portrait of Henry VIII (first link in the article): The mural may have been in Henry's Privy Chamber and therefore have had a select, restricted audience rather than being an image of wider propaganda.
:). Those Brits.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:04 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
:). Those Brits.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:04 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
What's so striking about the 16th century codpieces is how public they were, worn in ordinary company, featured in formal portraits. In the modern world we have something like codpieces in jeans cut to show off a basket (often worn with a cock ring). But you see that in gay bars, not at work or at a society party.
I'm a little confused by the citation of The Canterbury Tales; that was written some 200 years before the 1500s period the article is about. Was there a previous period of late 1300s codpieces? Do we have any imagery of them? All I can find are the 1500s.
The Chaucer reference is in The Parson's Tale. It's very funny. Here's a modern translation:
posted by Nelson at 7:16 AM on February 14 [6 favorites]
I'm a little confused by the citation of The Canterbury Tales; that was written some 200 years before the 1500s period the article is about. Was there a previous period of late 1300s codpieces? Do we have any imagery of them? All I can find are the 1500s.
The Chaucer reference is in The Parson's Tale. It's very funny. Here's a modern translation:
Upon that other side, to speak of the horrible excessive scantiness of clothing, as are these coats cut short, or short jackets, that through their shortness do not cover the shameful members of man, to wicked intent. Alas, some of them show the bulge of their shape, and the horrible swollen members, that it seems like the malady of hernia, in the wrapping of their leggings; and also the buttocks of them fare as it were the back part of a she-ape in the full of the moon.From the description it sounds a little different from the codpiece. Crotch exposed and highlighted in colorful fabric, but maybe not a sculptural codpiece.
And moreover, the wretched swollen members that they show through their style of clothing, in parting of their hoses into white and red, seems that half their shameful private members were flayed. And if so be that they divide their hoses in other colors, as is white and black, or white and blue, or black and red, and so forth, then seems it, as by variance of color, that half the part of their private members were corrupt by the fire of Saint Anthony (inflammation of the skin), or by cancer, or by other such mischance.
posted by Nelson at 7:16 AM on February 14 [6 favorites]
This piece reminded me of the existence of sumptuary laws and while I could do without codpieces, I think it might be time to bring sumptuary laws back.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:17 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 7:17 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
So many possible openings for the " . . . or are you just happy to see me?" joke.
posted by Standeck at 7:18 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
posted by Standeck at 7:18 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
To be clear, not so much the 'you can't buy this if you are lower class' aspects of them, but the limits on extravagant spending on imported luxury items seem like they might be a good idea.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:18 AM on February 14 [4 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 7:18 AM on February 14 [4 favorites]
Western masculinity has had its flamboyant periods; certainly tight trousers, an emphasis on well-turned calves, and so on were part of many fashion eras prior to the 20th century. And then again in the 70s.
In our era, we are moving away from strict gender binaries in clothing, so it would be interesting to see how something like a codpiece would fit into that.
posted by emjaybee at 7:40 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
In our era, we are moving away from strict gender binaries in clothing, so it would be interesting to see how something like a codpiece would fit into that.
posted by emjaybee at 7:40 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
> I think it might be time to bring sumptuary laws back.
They've never worked before, but sure why not.
Ah, now, seeing your followup. What you want is not sumptuary laws but economic limitarianism. Which also does not have a great track record, never having been really tried. And in the path to which there are various easily-seen obstacles. But some form of it seems to me to be pretty critical if we are not to avoid the eventuality where the world's citizenry consists of a few hundred families who own everything, including all of the people who are not them.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 7:53 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
They've never worked before, but sure why not.
Ah, now, seeing your followup. What you want is not sumptuary laws but economic limitarianism. Which also does not have a great track record, never having been really tried. And in the path to which there are various easily-seen obstacles. But some form of it seems to me to be pretty critical if we are not to avoid the eventuality where the world's citizenry consists of a few hundred families who own everything, including all of the people who are not them.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 7:53 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
Related: Armadillos in our trousers and Derek Smalls / Airport Security
...tuning fork...
posted by chavenet at 8:03 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
...tuning fork...
posted by chavenet at 8:03 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
How the codpiece flopped
That sometimes happens as you get older.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:07 AM on February 14 [11 favorites]
That sometimes happens as you get older.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:07 AM on February 14 [11 favorites]
Came for the Spinal Tap joke, was not let down. Keep it up MeFi.
Apparently codpieces were thought to be linked to increased syphilis during their brief time in the sun. (TW: Descriptions of syphilis' late stages).
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:18 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
Apparently codpieces were thought to be linked to increased syphilis during their brief time in the sun. (TW: Descriptions of syphilis' late stages).
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:18 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
I was just coming back to say something similar to Hardcore Poser; the FPP links to a (somewhat shocking, to my delicate eyes) essay detailing what disease-ridden horrors the codpieces may have been concealing. WHICH SORT OF TAKES ALL THE FUN OUT OF IT. (Bringing the fun back in: learning the French term braguette.)
posted by mittens at 8:45 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
posted by mittens at 8:45 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
How have we gotten this far into a conversation about codpieces without reference to Cameo - Word up? I'm equally disappointed in the article for it's lack of Cameo.
I will admit that my introduction to the codpiece was Blackadder... bits like The Archbishop Edmond's Codpiece and the start of the scene in the 3rd series where Baldrik talks about his uncle who was in the theatre
posted by cirhosis at 8:49 AM on February 14 [9 favorites]
I will admit that my introduction to the codpiece was Blackadder... bits like The Archbishop Edmond's Codpiece and the start of the scene in the 3rd series where Baldrik talks about his uncle who was in the theatre
posted by cirhosis at 8:49 AM on February 14 [9 favorites]
Sigh...I frickin' knew it!
posted by Marco Polo's Lost Codpiece at 8:49 AM on February 14 [6 favorites]
posted by Marco Polo's Lost Codpiece at 8:49 AM on February 14 [6 favorites]
This was a rare opportunity for men to give their nether regions a dash of flair
Does that apply toward the minimum 15?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:53 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
Does that apply toward the minimum 15?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:53 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]
sometimes stashing useful items away inside such as handkerchiefs and money
Thus leading to hand-written signs on store entryways every summer: "Thine crotch-coin be not accepted by ye keeper of this shoppe"
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:55 AM on February 14 [10 favorites]
Thus leading to hand-written signs on store entryways every summer: "Thine crotch-coin be not accepted by ye keeper of this shoppe"
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:55 AM on February 14 [10 favorites]
The 16th-century equivalent of "Internet inches," I suppose.
posted by the sobsister at 9:03 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
posted by the sobsister at 9:03 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]
a character known as "the person"
Really? "the person"?
Henry VIII, whose reproductive woes led him to invent a new branch of Christianity
AAAARGH NO HE DIDN'T
Come on, BBC. You're Brits. I'm sure you can find someone with a modicum of knowledge of your own history to edit these pieces.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:47 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
Really? "the person"?
Henry VIII, whose reproductive woes led him to invent a new branch of Christianity
AAAARGH NO HE DIDN'T
Come on, BBC. You're Brits. I'm sure you can find someone with a modicum of knowledge of your own history to edit these pieces.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:47 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]
I suppose I only thought of codpieces as the crotch part of a suit of armor, not as an everyday fashion accessory for froufy-froufy dandy men. TIL!
posted by zardoz at 1:02 PM on February 14 [1 favorite]
posted by zardoz at 1:02 PM on February 14 [1 favorite]
Cod piece? Sure, bacalao is a traditional Lenten food in a lot of places, and I guess it’s Ash Wednesday, so - oh. Oh, I see.
Yes, well. That’s a very different sort of salty dish.
posted by nickmark at 1:30 PM on February 14 [4 favorites]
Yes, well. That’s a very different sort of salty dish.
posted by nickmark at 1:30 PM on February 14 [4 favorites]
I'm reminded of our doing Something Rotten, where yes, the men did use their codpieces as fanny packs. At one point Nigel roots through his codpiece looking for his letter from Shakespeare, embarrassing Portia.
That said, I'm not sure if this article really clarifies "what happened" to the codpiece. People...made fun of them? I guess?
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:20 PM on February 14 [1 favorite]
That said, I'm not sure if this article really clarifies "what happened" to the codpiece. People...made fun of them? I guess?
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:20 PM on February 14 [1 favorite]
Milady, please, dry your tears with my handkerchief…. *reaches into codpiece*.
YECCCH!
posted by caviar2d2 at 3:00 PM on February 14 [3 favorites]
YECCCH!
posted by caviar2d2 at 3:00 PM on February 14 [3 favorites]
'Scuse me while I whip this out...
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:13 PM on February 14 [7 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:13 PM on February 14 [7 favorites]
braguette is a fantastic word.
posted by doctornemo at 3:31 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
posted by doctornemo at 3:31 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
'Scuse me while I whip this out...
*screams* *fainting*
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:36 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
*screams* *fainting*
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:36 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
Members in public of members of the public
posted by allium cepa at 11:06 PM on February 14 [4 favorites]
posted by allium cepa at 11:06 PM on February 14 [4 favorites]
How the codpiece flopped
People just didn't need to see another Aquaman
posted by Dokterrock at 11:27 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
People just didn't need to see another Aquaman
posted by Dokterrock at 11:27 PM on February 14 [2 favorites]
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That's not...I mean, I'm pretty sure that's not how it works?
posted by mittens at 4:55 AM on February 14 [5 favorites]