BOLSTER, among surgeons, a soft yielding sub-
stance, either laid under the head or a broken limb.
In this sense, bolsters are contrived for crooked, bun-
ched, and otherwise distorted backs, shoulders, &c.
By a constitution made under Archbishop Burchier,
the clergy are forbidden to wear bolsters about their
shoulders, in their gowns, coats, or doublets. The
occasion of the prohibition is variously construed. Some
say that bolsters came in fashion in the reign of King
Richard III. who being necessitated, by his natural
deformity, to pad, the courtiers, and even the clergy,
did the same, out of complaisance to their prince; so
that every body who had the misfortune to be born
straight, was obliged to wear a bolster on his shoulders
to be in the fashion. Others, however, controvert this;
alleging that the constitution above-mentioned was
made 20 years before the usurpation of Richard.
BOLSTERS of a saddle, those parts of a great saddle
which are raised upon the bows, both before and be-
hind to hold the rider's thigh, and keep him in a
right posture.