Something fishy just for you Kathy

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Henry VIII wearing a codpiece
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Henry VIII wearing a codpiece

A codpiece (Middle English codpece: cod, bag, scrotum (from Old English codd, bag) + pece, piece) is a flap or pouch that attaches to the front of the crotch of men's trousers to provide a covering for the genitals. It would be held closed by string ties, buttons, or other methods.

It was an important item of European clothing in the 15th and 16th centuries.
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History

At first, the codpiece was entirely a practical matter of modesty. Men's hose were typically very snug on the legs and open at the crotch, with the genitalia simply hanging loose under the doublet. As changing fashions led to shorter doublets, the codpiece was created to cover the crotch. Alternate versions of the origin of the codpiece exist.

As time passed, codpieces were shaped to emphasize the male genitalia and eventually often became padded and bizarrely shaped. They also often doubled as pockets, handy carrying places for a variety of items such as coins and snuff. In England in the latter half of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, the codpiece and doublet merged into the "peascod" doublet, and the codpiece faded from fashion.

Armour of the 16th century followed civilian fashion, and for a time armoured codpieces were a prominent addition to the best full harnesses. Few of these are in evidence today, though the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City does have one on display. [Source - this paragraph: Arms and Armor of Medieval Knights: An Illustrated History of Weaponry in the Middle Ages - David Edge]

Renaissance humorist Francois Rabelais wrote an essay named Of the importance of codpiece.
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Codpieces in contemporary culture

Codpieces are rarely worn publicly today and then usually as a part of a costume worn in a performance. Some contemporary performers who have worn codpieces are:

* In Jim Henson's 80s classic movie Labyrinth, the Goblin King (played by David Bowie) sports a codpiece beneath his riding breeches.

* Ian Anderson, front man for Jethro Tull, wore an oversized codpiece during his performances in the mid-70s.

* Sir Tom Jones, the Welsh singer, is famous for wearing oversized codpieces (commonly called 'cucumbers') during performances.

* The album cover Up For The Down Stroke by Parliament depicts a man in an armoured codpiece.

* The lead singer of 80s music group Cameo, Larry Blackmon, famously wore a large, bright-red codpiece in all of his performances.