As he stands talking to Caxton, one or two gentlemen, who have also
dismounted, stand about him. Three of them are in the height of the
fashion. The first wears a velvet tunic, with fur edges. The tunic is
pleated before and behind, and is full and slightly pursed in front;
the sleeves are long, and are cut from shoulder to wrist, where they
are sewn together again; cuff and border of the cut or opening are
both edged with fur. The neck is high, but there is no collar. The
length of the tunic is quite short; it comes well above the knees. His
under-sleeves are full, and are of rich silk; his shoes are certainly
over the allowed length; his tights are well cut. His peaked hat has
gold bands round the crown.

The second gentleman is also in a very short tunic, with very wide
sleeves; this tunic is pleated into large even folds, and has a belt
of its own material. His hair is long, and bushed behind; his tights
are in two colours, and he wears an eighteen-penny pair of black
leather slops or shoes. His hat is black, tall, but without a peak; a
long feather is brooched into one side of it.

[Illustration: {A man of the time of Edward IV.; three types of boot}]

The third man is wearing a low black cap, with a little close brim; a
jagged piece of stuff, about 3 feet long, hangs from under the brim of
his hat. He is wearing long, straight hair. This man is wearing a
little short tunic, which is loose at the waist, and comes but an inch
or two below it; the sleeves are very loose and wide, and are not
fastened at the wrist; the tunic has a little collar. The shortness of
his tunic shows the whole of his tights, and also the ribbon-fastened
cod-piece in front. His shoes are split at the sides, and come into a
peak before and behind.

Now, our gentlemen of this time, having cut open their baggy sleeves,
and made them to hang down and expose all the under-sleeve, must now
needs lace them up again very loosely. Then, by way of change, the
tight sleeve was split at the elbow to show a white shirt. Then came
the broad shoulders, when the sleeves were swelled out at the top to
give an air of great breadth to the shoulders and a more elegant taper
to the waist. Some men had patterns sewn on one leg of their tights.
The gown, or whatever top garment was being worn, was sometimes cut
into a low, V shape behind at the neck to show the undergarment, above
which showed a piece of white shirt.

[Illustration: {A man of the time of