Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/133

 "He was an English yeoman good, And born in Lancashire.

His coal-black hair, shorn round and close, Set off his sun-burnt face; Old England's sign, St. George's cross, His barret-cap did grace; His bugle horn hung from his side, All in a wolf-skin baldric tied; And his short falchion, sharp and clear, Had pierced the throat of many a deer. His kirtle, made of forest green, Reached scantly to his knee; And at his belt, of arrows keen A furbished sheaf bore he."

Shortly after the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1558, remarkable alterations became evident in the fashions of the inhabitants. The skirts of the doublet were reduced to much smaller dimensions, so as thoroughly to expose the upper stocks, which, under the new title of trunk-hose, had risen to a very important place in the toilet. French trunk-hose were the first to render themselves conspicuous in our locality, and consisted of two varieties, the former of which were short, round, and full, becoming, in fact, in course of time, so swollen by padding that their use was abandoned by universal consent; and the second variety, going to the other extreme and fitting tightly to the limb, introduced. The next to arrive were the Gallic hose, very large and wide, and extending to the knee only; after which came the Venetian hose, reaching below the knee to the garter, where they were secured with silken bands. The trunk-hose, of every kind, were made of silk, velvet, satin, or damask. The nether stocks, or stockings, were of jarnsey, thread, fine yarn, and later, of silk, whilst the shoes partook more of the nature of slippers, and were variously decorated. Ruffs encircled the necks of the males as well as the females. Above the doublet was worn in the Spanish style a cloak of silk, velvet, or taffeta, and of a red, black, green, yellow, tawny, russet, or violet colour, many being bordered with long glass beads. Hats were conical and high, flat and broad, and flat and round, but in all cases were made of velvet or sarcenet, and ornamented with bunches of feathers. The robes of the ladies, made of bright-coloured velvet, silk, or fine cloth,