Nurserie.'

Euphues' 'Golden Legacie.'

'Every Man out of his Humour.'

If you do not come out from these saturated with detail then you will
never absorb anything.

For the shapes, the doublet was a close-fitting garment, cut, if in
the Italian fashion, down to a long peak in front. They were made
without sleeves, like a waistcoat, and an epaulette overhung the
armhole. The sleeves were tied into the doublet by means of points
(ribbons with metal tags). These doublets were for a long time
stuffed or bombasted into the form known as 'pea's cod bellied' or
'shotten-bellied.'

The jerkin was a jacket with sleeves, and was often worn over the
doublet. The sleeves of the jerkin were often open from shoulder to
wrist to show the doublet sleeve underneath. These sleeves were very
wide, and were ornamented with large buttons.

[Illustration: {A man of the time of Elizabeth; a travelling cloak;
a jerkin}]

The jornet was a loose travelling cloak.

The jumper a loose jerkin, worn for comfort or extra clothing in
winter.

Both doublet and jerkin had a little skirt or base.

[Illustration: {Three types of doublet; two types of epaulette}]

The very wide breeches known as trunks were worn by nearly everybody
in the early part of the reign, until they vied with Venetian breeches
for fashion. They were sometimes made of a series of wide bands of
different colours placed alternately; sometimes they were of bands,
showing the stuffed trunk hose underneath. They were stuffed with
anything that came handy--wool, rags, or bran--and were of such
proportions that special seats were put in the Houses of Parliament
for the gentlemen who wore them. The fashion at its height appears to
have lasted about eight years.

[Illustration: A MAN OF THE TIME OF ELIZABETH (1558-1603)

He wears a double linen collar, nearly as usual at this time as
the ruff. His trunk hose will be seen through the openings of his
trunks. His boots are held up by two leather straps. His cloak is
an Italian fashion.]

The Venetian breeches were very full at the top and narrowed to the
knee; they were slashed and puffed, or paned like lattice windows with
bars of coloured stuffs or gold lace.

The French breeches were tight and ruffled in puffs about the thighs.

The stockings were of yarn, or silk, or wool. They were gartered about
the knee, and pulled up over the breeches; but the man most proud of
his leg wore no garters,