he
calendars, as neither necessary nor commendable in a reformed church.

The apparel in like sort of our clergymen is comely, and, in truth, more
decent than ever it was in the popish church, before the universities
bound their graduates unto a stable attire, afterward usurped also even by
the blind Sir Johns. For, if you peruse well my Chronology ensuing, you
shall find that they went either in divers colours like players, or in
garments of light hue, as yellow, red, green, etc., with their shoes
piked, their hair crisped, their girdles armed with silver, their shoes,
spurs, bridles, etc., buckled with like metal, their apparel (for the most
part) of silk, and richly furred, their caps laced and buttoned with gold,
so that to meet a priest in those days was to behold a peacock that
spreadeth his tail when he danceth before the hen,[127] which now (I say)
is well reformed. Touching hospitality, there was never any greater used
in England, sith by reason that marriage is permitted to him that will
choose that kind of life, their meat and drink is more orderly and
frugally dressed, their furniture of household more convenient and better
looked unto, and the poor oftener fed generally than heretofore they have
been, when only a few bishops and double or treble beneficed men did make
good cheer at Christmas only, or otherwise kept great houses for the
entertainment of the rich, which did often see and visit them. It is
thought much peradventure that some bishops, etc., in our time do come
short of the ancient gluttony and prodigality of their predecessors; but
to such as do consider of the curtailing of their livings, or excessive
prices whereunto things are grown, and how their course is limited by law,
and estate looked into on every side, the cause of their so doing is well
enough perceived. This also offended many, that they should, after their
deaths, leave their substances to their wives and children, whereas they
consider not that in old time such as had no lemans nor bastards[128]
(very few were there, God wot, of this sort) did leave their goods and
possessions to their brethren and kinsfolks, whereby (as I can shew by
good record) many houses of gentility have grown and been erected. If in
any age some one of them did found a college, almshouse, or school, if you
look unto these our times, you shall see no fewer deeds of charity done,
nor better grounded upon the right stub of piety than before. If you say
that th