Page:A short history of social life in England.djvu/138

 ridicule. Some were like steeples, with long streamers hanging down from the top; they were made of rolls upon rolls of linen, towering some two feet above the head and ending in a point, not unlike an extinguisher. Some were like a bishop's mitre, immoderately broad and high, while some fastened two great projecting towers of rolled lawn and ribbon on their heads, which looked like two great horns. Indeed, so extreme and immoderate were the head-dresses that the doors of the Royal palaces had to be made higher and wider to enable the ladies to pass through. The lady of the period must have been sorely hampered and harassed by her costume, though the long trailing skirt was fast passing out of fashion. Men and women were alike adopting the doublet, or short padded jacket, pleated below the waist and fastened with a girdle laced in front across a stomacher of coloured satin, linen, tawny silk, or murrey-coloured taffeta. Enormous hanging sleeves were worn, and it is related that Edward IV. used to tie his behind his back to avoid tumbling over them as he walked. For a time pointed shoes continued to be the fashion, but soon length gave way to breadth and broad