hoods. They wore huge hats of velvet, fur, or
leather. Their hair was cut into a cap-like shape on their heads,
and later was shoulder-length. They wore doublets with thick
padding over the shoulders or short tunics over the trucks of
their bodies and tightened at the waist to emphasize the
shoulders. Their collars were high. Their sleeves were long
concoctions of velvet, damask, and satin, sometimes worn wrapped
around their arms in layers. Their legs and hips were covered with
hosen, often in different colors. Codpieces worn between the legs
emphasized the sensuality of the age as did ladies' tight and low-
cut gowns. Men's shoes were pointed with upward pikes at the toes
that impeded walking. At another time, their shoes were broad with
blunt toes. Both men and women wore much jewelry and
ornamentation. But, despite the fancy dress, the overall mood was
a macabre preoccupation with mortality, despair, and a lack of
confidence in the future. Cannon and mercenaries had reduced the
military significance of knighthood, so its chivalric code
deteriorated into surface politeness, ostentation, and
extravagance.

Master and servants ceased to eat together in the same hall,
except for great occasions, on feast days, and for plays. The
lord, and his lady, family, and guests took their meals in a great
chamber, usually up beneath the roof next to the upper floor of
the great hall. The chimney-pieces and windows were often richly
decorated with paneled stonework, tracery and carving. There was
often a bay or oriel window with still expensive glass.
Tapestries, damask, and tablecloths covered the tables. There was
much formality and ceremonial ritual, more elaborate than before,
during dinners at manorial households, including processions
bringing and serving courses, and bowing, kneeling, and
curtseying. There were many courses of a variety of meats, fish,
stews, and soups, with a variety of spices and elaborately cooked.
Barons, knights, and their ladies sat to the right of the lord
above the salt and were served by the lord's sewer and carver and
gentlemen waiters; their social inferiors such as "gentlemen of
worship" sat below the salt and were served by another sewer and
yeomen. The lord's cupbearer looked after the lord alone. A
knights table was waited on by yeomen. The gentlemen officers,
gentlemen servants and yeomen officers were waited on by their own
servants. The amount of food dished out to each person varied
a