own laced at the back, and who tied their chins up in
gorgets.

JOHN

Reigned seventeen years: 1199-1216.

Born 1167. Married, in 1189, to Hadwisa, of Gloucester,
whom he divorced; married, in 1200, to Isabella of
Angouleme.

THE MEN

There was a garment in this reign which was the keynote of costume at
the time, and this was the surcoat. It had been worn over the armour
for some time, but in this reign it began to be an initial part of
dress.

Take a piece of stuff about 9 or 10 yards in length and about 22
inches wide; cut a hole in the centre of this wide enough to admit of
a man's head passing through, and you have a surcoat.

[Illustration: {A simple surcoat pattern}]

[Illustration: A MAN OF THE TIME OF JOHN (1199-1216)]

Under this garment the men wore a flowing gown, the sleeves of which
were so wide that they reached at the base from the shoulder to
the waist, and narrowed off to a tight band at the wrist.

These two garments were held together by a leather belt buckled about
the middle, with the tongue of the belt hanging down.

Broad borders of design edged the gowns at the foot and at the neck,
and heraldic devices were sewn upon the surcoats.

King John himself, the quick, social, humorous man, dressed very
finely. He loved the company of ladies and their love, but in spite of
his love for them, he starved and tortured them, starved and beat
children, was insolent, selfish, and wholly indifferent to the truth.
He laughed aloud during the Mass, but for all that was superstitious
to the degree of hanging relics about his neck; and he was buried in a
monk's cowl, which was strapped under his chin.

Silk was becoming more common in England, and the cultivation of the
silkworm was in some measure gaining hold. In 1213 the Abbot of
Cirencester, Alexander of Neckham, wrote upon the habits of the
silkworm.

Irish cloth of red colour was largely in favour, presumably for cloaks
and hoods.

The general costume of this reign was very much the same as that of
Henry II. and Richard I.--the long loose gown, the heavy cloak, the
long hair cut at the neck, the fashion of beards, the shoes, belts,
hoods, and heavy fur cloaks, all much the same as before, the only
real difference being in the general use of the surcoat and the very
convenient looseness of the sleeves under the arms.

[Illustration: {A man of the time of John; an alternative cuff}]

There is an inclination