he judges and the London liverymen, for such, indeed, as those who
wear them in our own days. As for "the comely cloak, altogether used in
the beginning of my time," Randle Holme notes that it was "now scarce
used but by old and grave persons." The coat was sometimes buttoned down
the front but was more often thrown open to display the waistcoat, a
lesser coat with skirts. The great turned over cuffs were now below the
elbow, although there was good space for the display of the ruffle, and
at the neck was the large cravat with laced ends. After the battle of
Steinkirk, in 1692, to which the young French nobles hastened with
disarranged neckcloths, the cravat was sometimes worn twisted, the ends
passed through a ring, although the word Steinkirk was in later years
often carelessly given to the neckcloth worn in any style. For riding,
the big jack-boot of earlier days, with spurs and broad spur-leathers,
remained in fashion, although the bell-shaped tops were turned up and
not down. Boots, however, were riding-gear. Gondomar, the Spanish
ambassador to James I., had laughed over the citizens of London "all
booted and ready to go out of town," but this custom died away, and a
man in boots showed that he was for the road. William III.'s grave court
was not one in which new fashions flourished, but it is remarkable that
feminine modes take curious variety before the century end. Long-waisted
and straitly cut stays were worn, the gown sleeve is short as the
coat-sleeve of a Charles II. courtier. The gown itself has the skirts
gathered to show the petticoat, and small aprons fringed with lace are
often seen. The simple head-dresses of the Restoration are changed for
caps with long lace lappets, or for a cap whose top-knot or commode
stood up stiff and fan-shaped like a section cut out of an old ruff.
When no commode was worn, a loose hood, thrown gracefully over the head
and gathered at the shoulders, sometimes took its place. As a riding or
walking dress, ladies of quality often wore coats, waistcoats, hats and
cravats, not to be distinguished from those of their lords.

The 18th century.

For a distinguishing note of the 18th century, we may take the
three-cornered cocked hat. Even in the Elizabethan age we have the
gallant cocking up one side of his broad-brimmed, high-crowned felt or
beaver and securing it with a jewel. Brims were as wide at the end of
the 17th century, but the crown was lower. From the French court cam