When doublet and hose were worn, the latter were, of course, the long, Florentine hose, somewhat like our modern tights. The jerkin of other lists varied little from the doublet; both were often sleeveless, and the cassock in turn was different only in being longer; buff-coat and horseman’s coat were slightly changed. The evolution of doublet, jerkin, and cassock into a man’s coat is a long enough story for a special chapter, and one which took place just while America was being settled. Let me explain here that, while the general arrangement of this book is naturally chronological, we halt upon our progress at times, to review a certain aspect of dress, as, for instance, the riding-dress of women, or the dress of the Quakers, or to review the description of certain details of dress in a consecutive account. We thus run on ahead of our story sometimes; and other times, topics have to be resumed and reviewed near the close of the book. The breeches worn by the early planters were fulled at the waist and knee, after the Dutch fashion, somewhat like our modern knickerbockers or the English bag-breeches. The four pairs of shoes furnished to the colonists were the best. In another entry the specifications of their make are given thus:— “Welt Neats Leather shoes crossed on the out-side with a seam. To be substantial good over-leather of the best, and two soles; the under sole of Neats-leather, the outer sole of tallowed backs.” They were to be of ample size, some thirteen inches long; each reference to them insisted upon good quality. There is plentiful head-gear named in these inventories,—six caps and a hat for each man, at a time when Englishmen thought much and deeply upon what they wore to cover their heads, and at a time when hats were very costly. I give due honor to those hats in an entire chapter, as I do to the ruffs and bands supplied in such adequate and dignified numbers. There was an unusually liberal supply of shirts, and there were drawers which are believed to have been draw-strings for the breeches. In _New England’s First Fruits_ we read instructions to bring over “good Irish stockings, which if they are good are much more serviceable than knit ones.” There appears to have been much variety in shape as well as in material. John Usher, writing in 1675 to England, says, “your sherrups stockings and your turn down stocking are not salable here.” Nevertheless, stirrup stockings and socks were advertised in the Boston News Letter as late as January 30, 1731. Stirrup-hose are described in 1658 as being very wide at the top—two yards wide—and edged with points or eyelet holes by which they were made fast to the girdle or bag-breeches. Sometimes they were allowed to bag down over the garter. They are said to have been worn on horseback to protect the other garments.