' courts (I say) it is a world to see what lewd
behaviour is used among divers of those that resort unto the same, and
what whoredom, swearing, ribaldry, atheism, dicing, carding, carousing,
drunkenness, gluttony, quarrelling, and such like inconveniences do daily
take hold, and sometimes even among those in whose estates the like
behaviour is least convenient (whereby their talk is verified, which say
that the thing increaseth and groweth in the courts of princes, saving
virtue, which in such places doth languish and daily fade away), all which
enormities are either utterly expelled out of the court of England or else
so qualified by the diligent endeavour of the chief officers of her
grace's household that seldom are any of these things apparently seen
there without due reprehension and such severe correction as belongeth to
those trespassers. Finally, to avoid idleness, and prevent sundry
transgressions otherwise likely to be committed and done, such order is
taken that every office hath either a Bible, or the books of the Acts and
Monuments of the Church of England, or both, besides some histories and
chronicles lying therein, for the exercise of such as come into the same:
whereby the stranger that entereth into the court of England upon the
sudden shall rather imagine himself to come into some public school of the
universities, where many give ear to one that readeth, than into a
princes' palace, if you confer the same with those of other nations. Would
to God all honourable personages would take example of her grace's godly
dealing in this behalf, and shew their conformity unto these her so good
beginnings! Which, if they would, then should many grievous offences
(wherewith God is highly displeased) be cut off and restrained, which now
do reign exceedingly, in most noble and gentlemen's houses, whereof they
see no pattern within her grace's gates.

I might speak here of the great trains and troops of serving men also
which attend upon the nobility of England in their several liveries and
with differences of cognisances on their sleeves, whereby it is known to
whom they appertain. I could also set down what a goodly sight it is to
see them muster in the court, which, being filled with them, doth yield
the contemplation of a noble variety unto the beholder, much like to the
shew of the peacock's tail in the full beauty, or of some meadow garnished
with infinite kinds and diversities of pleasant flowers.[206] But I pa