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, 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 (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
their wives be fond, after the decease of their hu