their　gown　bodies；　and　so　thrusting　up　their　breasts　in　order　that　they　might　show　them　half…naked。〃　　It　was　not　only　at　balls　and　in　chambers　of　entertainment；　he　avowed；　they　appeared　in　this　manner；　but　likewise　at　church；　where　their　dress　was　〃not　only　immodest；　but　sometimes　impudent　and　lascivious；〃　for　they　braved　all　dangers　to　have　the　satisfaction　of　being　seen；　and　the　consolation　of　giving　pleasure。
  The　riding…habit；　first　introduced　in　1664　caused　considerable　notice；　and　no　small　amount　of　mirth。　　The　garb；　as　it　was　called；　consisted　of　a　doublet　buttoned　up　the　breast；　a　coat　with　long　skirts；　a　periwig　and　tall　hat；　so　that　women　clad　in　this　fashion　might　be　mistaken　for　men；　if　it　were　not　for　the　petticoat　which　dragged　under　the　coat。　　At　the　commencement　of　the　reign；　ladies　of　the　court　wore　their　hair　after　the　French　fashion；　cut　short　in　front　and　frizzed　upon　the　forehead。　　When　the　queen　arrived；　her　hair　was　arranged　A　LA　NEGLIGENCE；　a　mode　declared　mighty　pretty；　but　presently　a　fashion　came　in　vogue　of　wearing　〃false　locks　set　on　wyres　to　make　them　stand　at　a　distance　from　the　head；　as　fardingales　made　the　clothes　stand　out　in　Queen　Elizabeth's　reign。〃　　Painting　the　face；　which　had　been　practised　during　the　Commonwealth；　became　fashionable；　as　did　likewise　the　use　of　patches　and　vizards　or　masks；　which　from　the　convenience　they　afforded　wearers　whilst　witnessing　an　immoral　play；　or　conducting　a　delicate　intrigue；　came　greatly　into　use。
  According　to　Randal　Holmes's　notes　on　dress；　in　the　Harleian　Library；　the　male　costume　at　the　restoration　consisted　of　〃a　short…waisted　doublet；　and　petticoat　breechesthe　lining；　being　lower　than　the　breeches；　is　tied　above　the　knees。　　The　breeches　are　ornamented　with　ribands　up　to　the　pocket；　and　half　their　breadth　upon　the　thigh；　the　waistband　is　set　about　with　ribands；　and　the　shirt　hanging　out　over　them。〃　　This　dress　gradually　increased　in　richness　and　ornamentation：　　the　doublet　and　breeches　being　changed　from　cloth　to　velvet　and　satin；　the　hat　trimmed　with　plumes　of　gay　feathers；　and　the　neck　adorned　with　bands　of　cambric；　trimmed　with　Flanders　and　Brussels　lace。　　The　perfection　and　costliness　to　which　the　costume　eventually　reached　is　best　shown　by　a　description　of　Sir　Richard　Fanshaw　ambassador　of　the　king；　as　presented　in　the　diary　of　his　spouse。　　〃Sir　Richard　was　dressed；〃　she　writes；　〃in　a　very　rich　suit　of　clothes　of　a　dark　FILLEMONTE　brocade；　laced　with　silver　and　gold　lace　nine　lacesevery　one　as　broad　as　my　hand；　and　a　little　silver　and　gold　lace　laid　between　them；　both　of　very　curious　workmanship；　his　suit　was　trimmed　with　scarlet　taffety　ribbon；　his　stockings　of　white　silk　upon　long　scarlet　silk　ones；　his　shoes　black；　with　scarlet　shoestrings　and　gaiters；　his　linen　very　fine；　laced　with　rich　Flanders　lace；　a　black　beaver　buttoned　on　the　left　side　with　a　jewel　of　twelve　hundred　pounds'　value；　a　rich　curious　wrought　gold　chain；　made　in　the　Indies　at　which　hung　the　king　his　master's　picture；　richly　set　with　diamonds；　on　his　fingers　he　wore　two　rich　rings；　his　gloves　trimmed　with　the　same　ribbon　as　his　clothes。〃
  The　uttermost　extravagance　and　luxury　in　dress　now　obtained；　indeed；　to　such　a　passion　and　pride　did　it　reach　that　the　monarch　resolved　on　giving　it　some　check　by　inventing　a　suit　of　plainer　pretensions；　which　should　become　the　national　costume；　and　admit　no　change。
  This　determination　he　solemnly　declared　to　his　council　in　October；　1666；　and　on　the　14th　of　the　month　appeared　clad　in　a　long　vest　slashed　with　white　silk；　reaching　the　knee；　having　the　sword　girt　over　it；　a　loose　coat；　straight　Spanish　breeches　ruffled　with　black　ribbons；　and　buskins　instead　of　shoes　and　stockings。　　Though　the　habit　was　pronounced　decent　and　becoming　to　his　majesty；　and　was　quickly　adopted　by　the　courtiers；　there　were　those　amongst　his　friends　who　offered　him　a　wager　he　would　not　persist　in　wearing　it　long。　　At　this　the　king　stated　his　resolution　afresh　of　never　changing；　but　before　the　month　was　out　he　had　made　an　alteration；　for　inasmuch　as　the　vest　being　slashed　with　white；　was　said　by　a　wag　to　make　the　wearers　look　like　magpies；　his　majesty　changed　the　colour　of　the　silk　to　black。　This　〃manly　and　comely　habit〃　might　have　become　permanently　the　fashion；　if　the　King　of　France；　by　way　of　ridiculing　the　merry　monarch；　had　not　caused　his　footmen　to　be　clad　in　like　manner。　Therefore；　in　less　than　two　years；　this　mode　gave　place　to　others　more　fantastical。　　The　vest　was　retained；　but　the　shape　and　material　were　altered；　the　surcoat　of　cloth　was　discarded　for　velvet　and　rich　plush；　adorned　with　buckles　of　precious　stones　and　chains　of　gold；　the　Spanish　leather　boots　were　laid　aside　for　high…heeled　shoes　with　rosettes　and　silver　buckles。　　Towards　the　close　of　the　reign　the　costume　became　much　plainer。　　Through　all　these　varying　fashions　the　periwig；　introduced　in　1663；　held　its　own；　increasing　in　length　and　luxuriance　with　time。　　On　its　first　coming　into　general　use；　the　clergy　had　cried　out　against　it　as　ministering　to　the　vanity　and　extravagance　of　the　age；　but　in　a　while　many　of　them　adopted　its　use；　for；　as　Granger　remarks；　〃it　was　observed　that　a　periwig　procured　many　persons　a　respect　and　even　veneration　which　they　mere　strangers　to　before；　and　to　which　they　had　not　the　least　claim　from　their　personal　merit。〃
  Amongst　other　strange　innovations　and　various　improvements　known　in　this　reign；　the　introduction　of　a　penny　post　may　be　considered　the　most　useful。　　King　James　I。；　of　happy　memory；　had；　in　imitation　of　like　regulations　in　other　countries；　established　a　general　post　for　foreign　parts；　King　Charles　I。　had　given　orders　to　Thomas　Witherings；　Esquire；　his　postmaster…general；　to　settle　〃a　running　post　or　two；　to　run　night　and　day　between　Edinburgh；　in　Scotland；　and　the　city　of　London；　to　go　thither　and　back　in　six　days；〃　but　the　organization　of　a　penny　post；　for　the　conveyance　of　letters　and　parcels　throughout　the　capital　and　suburbs；　was　reserved　for　the　reign　of　the　merry　monarch。　　This　beneficial　scheme　was　originated　by　an　upholsterer　named　Murray；　who　communicated　it　to　one　William　Dockwra；　a　man　who　for　over　ten　years　had　laboured　with　fidelity　in　the　Custom　House。　Uniting　their　efforts；　they；　with　great　labour　and　vast　expense；　carried　the　plan　into　execution　in　the　year　1680；
  The　principal　office　was　stationed　at　the　residence　of　William　Dockwra；　in　Lime　Street；　seven　sorting…houses　and　as　many　as　four　hundred　receiving…houses　were　speedily　established　in　the　cities　of　London；　Westminster；　and　the　suburbs；　and　a　great　number　of　clerks　and　messengers　were　employed　to　collect；　enter；　and　deliver　parcels　and　letters　not　exceeding　one　pound　in　weight　nor　ten　pounds　in　value。　　Stamps　were　used　as　an　acknowledgment　that　postage　was　paid；　and　likewise　to　mark　the　hours　when　letters　were　sent　out　from　the　offices；　by　which；　in　case　of　delay；　its　cause　might　be　traced　to　the　messengers；　and　deliveries　took　place　ten　times　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Exchange　and　Inns　of　Court；　and　four　times　in　the　suburbs　daily。　　All　persons　were　requested　to　post　their　communications　before　six　o'clock　in　the　winter；　and　seven　in　the　summer；　on　Saturday　nights；　〃that　the　many　poor　men　employed　may　have　a　little　time　to　provide　for　their　families　against　the　Lord's　Day。〃　　And　it　was　moreover　intimated　that　upon　three　days　at　Christmas；　and　two　at　Easter　and　Whitsuntide；　as　likewise　upon　the　30th　of　January；　the　post　would　not　be　delivered。
  From　the　first　this　scheme　promised　success；　the　manner　in　which　it　was　carried　out　being　wholly　admirable；　yet　there　were　many　who　raised　their　voices　against　it　persistently。　　Porters　and　messengers　declared　it　took　away　their　means　of　subsistence；　whilst　those　of　higher　grade　were　confident　it　was　a　contrivance　of　the　papists；　which　enabled　them　to　carry　out　their　wicked　schemes　with　greater　security。　　But　these　illusions　vanished　with　time；　and　the　penny　post　became　such　a　success　that　Government　laid　claim　to　it　as　a　branch　of　the　General　Post　Office；　and　annexed　its　revenues　to　the　Crown。　　＇In　the　year　1703　Queen　Anne　bestowed　a　grant　on　Elizabeth；　Dowager　countess　of　Thanet；　to　erect　a　penny　post…office　in　Dublin；　similar　to　that　in　existence　in　London。＇
  Another　innovation　in　this　interesting　reign　were　stage…coaches；　described　as　affording　〃admirable　commodiousness　both　for　men　and　women　of　better　rank；　to　travel　from　London　and　to　almost　all　the　villages　near　this　great　city；　that　the　like　hath　not　been　known　in　the　world；　wherein　one　may　be　transported　to　any　place；　sheltered　from　foul　weather　and　foul　ways；　free　from　endamaging　one's　health　or　body　by　hard　jogging　or　over…violent　emotion；　and　this　not　only　at　a　low　price；　as　about　a　shilling　for　every　five　miles　in　a　day；　for　the　stage…coaches　called　flying　coaches　make　forty　or　fifty　miles　in　a　day；　as　from　London　to　Cambridge　or　Oxford；　and　that　in　the　space　of　twelve　hours；　not　counting　the　time　for　dining；　setting　forth　not　too　early；　nor　coming　in　too　late。〃
  Likewise　were　divorce　suits　introduced　whilst　Charles　II。　sat　upon　the　throne　for　the　first　timeif　the　case　of　Henry　VIII。　be　exceptedwhen　my　Lord　Rosse；　in　consequence　of　the　misconduct　of　his　lady；　had　a　bill　broug