Military History. 235 



doubtedly the style of their garments was that so often seen in the 

 pictures of the period. Can we not, for the moment, people our 

 streets with them once more ? — the men in their tall-crowned, 

 broad-brimmed hats, the short coat close-belted, with broad buckle 

 in front, the knee breeches, long stockings and buckled shoes 

 varied by the better protection of long boots worn by others, 

 especially in winter, and in this latter season the long cape 

 hanging gracefully from the shoulders ; the women in their be- 

 coming hoods, faced it may be with fur, the straight, rather short 

 skirts, and the long enveloping cloaks, with gloves or mittens in 

 cold weather. 



The costumes were picturesque if the materials were not of 

 the finest, but we have no reason to suppose an utter absence of 

 more elegant fabrics when occasion demanded, and not a few are 

 the traditions of silks which would stand alone, carefully treas- 

 ured as their chief pride by our great-great-grandmothers, while 

 doubtless velvet coats and knee-breeches, with famous paste or 

 silver buckles, and perhaps even a bit of gold lace, about this 

 time forbidden by the General Court to all but certain excepted 

 classes, found proud and dignified wearers on days of importance 

 among the town fathers and military commanders. We read, 

 too, of the bequest of swords in some of the wills of the period, 

 and it is not unlikely that they were at least occasionally worn 

 by the grandees of the town, as well as by the trainband officers, 

 on ceremonious occasions. Nor must it be forgotten that from 

 necessity, as well as by mandate of law, the musket had become 

 so constant a companion that, though strictly not an article of 

 dress, it may at least be considered as a part of the costume of the 

 men ; it was upon their shoulders in the street, it rested against 

 the nearest tree when the farmer toiled, it went with him to 

 meeting on the Sabbath, and leaned, ready loaded, in the corner 

 at the house when he was at home. 



The heavy cloud which had so long threatened Plymouth, and 

 which finally burst upon Swansea in June, was extending over 

 Massachusetts also. The border towns were immediately upon 

 the defensive. Hingham, with her boundary upon that of the 

 Plymouth Colony, and peculiarly bound to it by neighborhood, 

 by frequent marriages between her families and those of the 

 Pilgrim settlements, and by the removal of some of their people 

 to live among hers, may well have benefited by the kindly influ- 

 ences of the sister colonv, and imbibed a liberalism and ima«;i- 



•/ 7 O 



nation not common among the Puritans. At all events, no 

 persecution for conscience' sake mars the records of the old town, 

 which a little later loyally followed for more than half a century 

 the teachings of Dr. Gay, with his broad and embracing Chris- 

 tianity. Now, with sympathy for her friends and apprehension 

 for herself, the town quietly, soberly, grimly prepared for the 

 contest, and awaited the call for duty. 



