Les cadenas et ceintures de chasteté  

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Alcide Bonneau, padlock, girdle, chastity

Padlocks and Girdles of Chastity is a book by Alcide Bonneau first published in Paris, in 1883 by Isidore Liseux.

The first half of the book is a dubious historical overview of chastity belts and their use by Greeks, Romans and others. The second half of the book is titled "Speech of Monsieur Freydier's on behalf of Mademoiselle Marie Lajon versus Sieur Pierre Berlhe, prisoner of the Court", in which Mlle. Lajon's counsel argues to have the Court order a chastity belt removed from her.)

From the introduction by Fredonia Books:

The origin of padlocks of chastity in that peculiar knot, called the Herculean knot, which used to fasten the woolen sash of the Grecian maiden, and which the husband alone was to untie on his wedding night. Solidify this knot, apply it to iron bars, and you have almost the padlock. The girdle of virginity, worn by the Grecian maidens, used to be put on at the nubile age and taken off after marriage; quite on the contrary, the girdle of chastity was presented by the husband to the wife in the morning of his wedding night, as a most suitable means of maintaining union and good understanding between them, by dispelling all his jealous fears. The woman’s body is like the larder of man’s pleasures, in a selfish point of view; what can be more natural than to padlock the larder, for fear some intruder should come and fall upon the best morsels and eat up the dainties? --Fredonia Books (NL) (June 2001), English, ISBN 1589633474