he waist with a stuff or leather belt, on which
is hung a bag-purse; that these plain gowns are laced across the front
to the waist over a vest of some coloured stuff other than the gown.

[Illustration: {Two men of the time of Edward IV.}]

You will see that the poor are in very simple tunics--just a loose,
stuff shirt with sleeves about 8 inches wide, and with the skirts
reaching to the knees, a belt about their middle--rough, shapeless
leather shoes, and woollen tights.

You will remember in the early part of the reign, before the heraldic
shield with the red pale, Caxton's sign, caught your eye, that the
fashionable wore very wide sleeves, great swollen bags fitting only at
shoulder and wrist, and you may recall the fact that a tailor was
fined twenty shillings in 1463 for making such wide sleeves.
Poulaines, the very long shoes, are now forbidden, except that an
esquire and anyone over that rank might wear them 2 inches beyond the
toes; but I think the dandies wore the shoes and paid the fine if
it were enforced.

[Illustration: A MAN OF THE TIME OF EDWARD IV. (1461-1483)

Notice the jagged ribbon falling from the brim of his hat; this is
the last of the liripipe.]

See Caxton, in a sober-coloured gown, long, and laced in the front,
showing a plain vest under the lacing, talking to some of his great
customers. The Duchess of Somerset has just lent him 'Blanchardine and
Eglantine'; Earl Rivers, the Queen's brother, talks over his own
translation of 'The Sayings of the Philosophers'; and Caxton is
extolling that worshipful man Geoffrey Chaucer, and singing praises in
reverence 'for that noble poet and great clerke, Vergyl.'

Edward himself has been to the shop and has consented to become patron
of an edition of Tully--Edward, with his very subtle face, his tall,
handsome appearance, his cold, elegant manners. He is dressed in a
velvet gown edged with fur; the neck of the gown is low, and the silk
vest shows above it. Across his chest are gold laces tapering to his
waist; these are straight across the front of his gown-opening. His
hair is straight, and falls to the nape of his neck; he wears a black
velvet cap upon his head. The skirts of his gown reach to his knees,
and are fur-edged; his sleeves are full at the elbows and tight over
his wrists; he is wearing red Spanish leather tall boots, turned
over at the top.

[Illustration: {A man of the time of Edward IV.; lacing on a cut
sleeve}]