g information concerning wigs.
Under date of 2nd November, 1663, he writes: "I heard the Duke say that
he was going to wear a periwig, and says the King also will. I never
till this day observed that the King is mighty gray." It was perhaps the
change in the colour of his Majesty's hair that induced him to assume
the head-dress he had previously so strongly condemned.

As might be expected, Pepys, who delighted to be in the fashion, adopted
the wig. He took time to consider the matter, and had consultations with
Mr Jervas, his old barber, about the affair. Referring in his "Diary" to
one of his visits to his hairdresser, Pepys says, "I did try two or
three borders and periwigs, meaning to wear one, and yet I have no
stomach for it; but that the pains of keeping my hair clean is great. He
trimmed me, and at last I parted, but my mind was almost altered from my
first purpose, from the trouble which I foresee in wearing them also."
Weeks passed before he could make up his mind to wear a wig. Mrs Pepys
was taken to the periwig-maker's shop to see the one made for Mr Pepys,
and expressed her satisfaction on seeing it. We read of the wig being at
Jervas's under repair in April 1665. Early in May, Pepys writes in his
"Diary," that he suffered his hair to grow long, in order to wear it;
but he said, "I will have it cut off all short again, and will keep to
periwigs." Later, under date of September 3rd, he writes: "Lord's day.
Up; and put on my coloured silk suit, very fine, and my new periwig,
bought a good while since, but durst not wear, because the plague was in
Westminster when I bought it; and it is a wonder what will be in
fashion, after the plague is done, as to periwigs, for nobody will dare
to buy any hair, for fear of the infection, that it had been cut off the
heads of people dead of the plague."

We learn from an entry in the "Diary" for June 11th, 1666, that ladies,
in addition to assuming masculine costume for riding, wore long wigs.
"Walking in the galleries at Whitehall," observes Mr Pepys, "I find the
ladies of honour dressed in their riding garbs, with coats and doublets
with deep skirts, just for all the world like mine, and buttoned their
doublets up the breast, with periwigs and with hats, so that, only for
long petticoats dragging under their men's coats, nobody could take them
for women in any point whatever." Pepys, we have seen, wondered if
periwigs would survive after the terrible plague. He thought no