ce in the streets of the flat cap
upon the heads of citizens. The hood, that eminently practical
head-gear, took long to die, and, when at last it went out of fashion,
except among the labouring classes, there came in the cap that now
remains to us in the cap of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London.

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

It is the time of jerkin or jacket, doublet or coat, and
hose--generally worn with trunks, which were puffed, short
knickerbockers.

The flat cap, afterwards the statute cap as ordered by Elizabeth,
became, as I say, the ordinary head-wear, though some, no doubt, kept
hoods upon their heavy travelling cloaks. This cap, which some of the
Bluecoat Boys still wear, was enforced upon the people by Elizabeth
for the encouragement of the English trade of cappers. 'One cap of
wool, knit, thicked, and dressed in England,' was to be worn by all
over six years of age, except such persons as had 'twenty marks by
year in lands, and their heirs, and such as have borne office of
worship.'

Edward, according to the portraits, always wore a flat cap, the base
of the crown ornamented with bands of jewels.

The Bluecoat Boys, and long may they have the sense to keep to their
dress, show us exactly the ordinary dress of the citizen, except that
the modern knickerbocker has taken the place of the trunks. Also, the
long skirts of these blue coats were, in Edward's time, the mark of
the grave man, others wore these same skirts cut to the knee.

That peculiar fashion of the previous reign--the enormously
broad-shouldered appearance--still held in this reign to some extent,
though the collars of the jerkins, or, as one may more easily know
them, overcoats or jackets, open garments, were not so wide, and
allowed more of the puffed shoulder of the sleeve to show. Indeed, the
collar became quite small, as in the Windsor Holbein painting of
Edward, and the puff in the shoulders not so rotund.

The doublet of this reign shows no change, but the collar of the shirt
begins to show signs of the ruff of later years. It is no larger, but
is generally left untied with the ornamental strings hanging.

Antiquarian research has, as it often does, muddled us as to the
meaning of the word 'partlet.' Fairholt, who is very good in many
ways, puts down in his glossary, 'Partlet: A gorget for women.' Then
he goes on to say that a partlet may be goodness knows what else.
Minshein says they are 'part of