They had a distinctive dress, which changed with the fashions, and at the close of the mediaeval period they were wearing blue cloaks in summer, and in winter blue coats or gowns, their stockings being of white broadcloth "sewed close up to their round slops or breeches, as if they were all but of one piece." Later on, none were allowed to wear "any girdle, point, garters, shoe-strings, or any kind of silk or ribbon, but stockings only of woollen yarn or kersey; nor Spanish shoes; nor hair with any tuft or lock, but cut short in decent and comely manner." If an apprentice broke these rules, or indulged in dancing or masking, or "haunting any tennis court, common bowling alley, cock-fighting, etc., or having without his master's knowledge any chest, trunk, etc., or any horse, dog or fighting-cock," he was liable to imprisonment. Chaucer gives an amusing picture of the fondness of the city apprentices for "ridings"--_i.e._, for the processions and pageants which took place when a king or queen entered the city in state, and such like joyful occasions--and for similar diversions: "A prentis whilom dwelt in our Citie, And of a craft of vitaillers was he; At every bridale would he sing and hoppe; He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe. For whan ther any riding was in chepe, Out of the shoppe thither would he lepe, And till that he all the sight ysein, And danced well, he would not come agein; And gathered him a many of his sort, To hoppe and sing, and maken such disport." The presence of large companies of these somewhat boisterous youths must have added considerable life and animation to the town.