Veils of white linen enwrapped the head, and unbound hair was rarely seen except on young girls. A richly embroidered cap that received some attention was so shaped that it partly covered the cheeks, and below it were two ear-cages of metallic tissue in plaited design. A very curious head-dress in France was composed of a closely-fitting cap with a jewelled border, surmounted by a long flat piece of material placed over the forehead and hanging down behind, this being elaborately trimmed and jewelled, and completely hiding the hair. [Illustration: A QUAINT WIMPLE.] It is written to the honour of Isabella of Bavaria that she encouraged the ladies of her Court in a great love for dress, and she would seem to have made a study of the subject, if one judges from a picture of her robed in regal array, with a horned head-dress surmounted by a crown, an elaborate robe profusely adorned with jewels, a mantle bordered with ermine, and a train of prodigal extent. The surcoat received the honour of sleeves in the latter part of the century, and these hung almost to the hem of the skirt, while the _côte hardie_ took unto itself another shape, the shoulders being broader, the bodice cut low, and edged with fur, with folds of white silk to form a collar, a short waist being simulated by the wearing of the girdle high. The last twenty years of the century saw the introduction of high coverchiefs, mostly crescent-shaped or horned, one of the former being contrived of two heart-shaped pieces of silk with rolled edges, the spaces between the two sides being occupied with a veil of cloth. [Illustration: THE HEAD-DRESS OF HENRY IV.] Henry IV., with tender solicitude for his own comfort and beauty, invented a cloth head-dress which enwrapped his bald pate and bore a gold device on one side, and a fringe on the hem. A novel head-dress for a woman, calculated to show both itself and the hair at the best, shows plaits worn outside the lawn covering, as in the picture. This must have been most attractive; so too would be a lawn head-dress which set outwards and upon a frame at the back, whence it hung straight across to form a most becoming background. The origin of this was German, and its accomplishment was a little complicated, involving the arrangement of the ordinary band of linen round the face, while above was drapery of _appliqué_ work in white or white of silver. The short veil which came above this again was kept in place by a jewelled circlet, the cloth around the throat and shoulders being cut in one with the inner band of the wimple. [Illustration: A HEAD DRAPERY HELD WITH PLAITED HAIR.] Amongst the most attractive descriptions that I have found of dress in this period is one of a Frenchwoman whose hair was entwined with black ribbon, and whose dress was of white embroidered in silver, with small sleeves of red and white check bordered with gold.