d without a brim,
and a hat with a peak like the helmet.

Hoods, of course, were worn during the winter, made very close to the
head, and they were also worn under the helmets.

Thus in such a guise may we picture the Norman lord at home, eating
his meat with his fingers, his feet in loose skin shoes tied with
thongs, his legs in loose trousers bound with crossed garters, his
tunic open at the neck showing the white edge of his shirt, his face
clean-shaven, and his hair neatly cropped.

THE WOMEN

[Illustration: {A woman of the time of William I.}]

Nothing could be plainer or more homely than the dress of a Norman
lady. Her loose gown was made with ample skirts reaching well on to
the ground, and it was gathered in at the waist by a belt of wool,
cloth, silk, or cloth of gold web.

The gown fitted easily across the shoulders, but fell from there in
loose folds. The neck opening was cut as the man's, about five inches
down the front, and the border ornamented with some fine needlework,
as also were the borders of the wide sleeves, which came just below
the elbows.

Often the gown was made short, so that when it was girded up the
border of it fell only to the knees, and showed the long chemise
below.

The girdle was, perhaps, the richest portion of their attire, and was
sometimes of silk diapered with gold thread, but such a girdle would
be very costly. More often it would be plain wool, and be tied simply
round the waist with short ends, which did not show.

The chemise was a plain white garment, with tight sleeves which
wrinkled at the wrists; that is to say, they were really too long for
the arm, and so were caught in small folds at the wrist.

The gown, opening at the neck in the same way as did the men's tunics,
showed the white of the chemise, the opening being held together
sometimes by a brooch.

[Illustration: {A woman of the time of William I.; a type of
neckline}]

Towards the end of the reign the upper part of the gown--that is, from
the neck to the waist--was worn close and fitted more closely to the
figure, but not over-tightly--much as a tight jersey would fit.

Over all was a cloak of the semicircular shape, very voluminous--about
three feet in diameter--which was brooched in the centre or on the
shoulder.

[Illustration: A WOMAN OF THE TIME OF WILLIAM I. (1066-1087)

A twist of wool holds the gown at the waist. Under the gown the
chemise shows. The neck of the gown