At the wedding of Henry VI. and Margaret at Tours and Nancy, the courtiers were very richly attired in short jackets or tunics of pleated brocade trimmed with silk fringes; their body hose was of parti-coloured spun silk to match their tunics. Their shoes were made long, of white kid with high heels, and were laced with golden thread. Calves where skimpy were padded, and narrow shoulders were puffed out. They wore long pendent sleeves, pricked and furred. Their hair, generally worn _à la Nazarene_, hung in thick straight locks upon their shoulders, cut square over the forehead. A small _berretta_, with a heron’s plume and a jewelled brooch, completed the costume. Chains of gold and jewels were worn at will. The ladies of the Court wore short kirtles or petticoats, with long bunched-up trains of silk brocade in two contrasting colours; cloth of gold was reserved for dames of royal degree. Strict rules were observed in the wearing of fur--its quality and its breadth; ermine was reserved for royalty. Their gloves were long-fingered, and their shoes long-toed, the points of each being caught up with thin golden chains to their garters--“_un chose ridicule et absurde_,” as Paradin wrote. The salient mark adopted by the ladies of fashion was noted in their coiffures. The popular name, or, rather, the name of scorn,--thanks to Father Thomas of Brittany,--for the astounding headgear _à la mode_, “_hennin_,” was in select circles called _en papillons_--“butterflied.” Some ladies had double horns like the mitres of Bishops, some had round redoubts “_comme les donjons_,” some were half-moon shape, and some like hearts, whilst many goodly dames made themselves still more ridiculous by wearing miniature windmills! All these erections were made of white stiffened linen, built up on frameworks of wicker and carton. Over all _floquarts_,--thin gauze veils,--were gently cast. Collars of jewels and ropes of pearls were _de rigueur_, and most of the ladies wore badges of chivalry--the guerdons of their lords and sweethearts. One very pretty conceit was introduced at the time of Queen Margaret’s marriage--a dainty holder for the necessary pocket-handkerchief. This took the shape of a small heart of gold suspended from an enamelled white _marguerite_, and hung at the side of the jewelled cincture. The ladies’ shoes were richly embroidered with seed-pearls and gold thread. Rings were worn outside the gloves. Among the suite sent by Henry to attend upon his bride were the Countess of Shrewsbury and the Lady Emma de Scales, with five Barons and Baronesses of the realm. In attendance, too, was Scrivener William Andrews, Private Secretary to the King, who acted as juris-consult at the signing of the marriage registers. In his diary he wrote: “Never have I seen or heard of a young Princess so greatly loved and admired.” [Illustration: EMPANELLING THE KNIGHTS BEFORE THE “LISTS,” SAUMUR TOURNAMENT, 1446 Painted by King René. From “Le Livre des Tournois”