shew their limbes, specially those that natures hath
commanded out of sight, should be inioyned either to go starke naked, or
else to resort backe to the comely and modest fashion of their owne
countrie apparel, vsed by their old honourable auncestors.

And there is a decency of apparel in respect of the place where it is to
be vsed: in the Court to be richely apparelled: in the countrey to weare
more plain & homely garments. For who would not thinke it a ridiculous
thing to see a Lady in her milke-house with a velvet gowne, and at a
bridal in her cassock of mockado: a Gentleman of the Countrey among the
bushes and briers, goes in a pounced dublet and a paire of embroidered
hosen, the the Cities to weare a fries Ierkin and a paire of leather
breeches? yet some such phantasticals haue I knowen, and one a certaine
knight, of all other the most vaine, who commonly would come to the
Sessions, and other ordinarie meetings and Commissions in the Countrey, so
bedect with buttons and aglets of gold and such costly embroideries, as
the poore plaine men of the Countrey called him for his gaynesse, the
golden knight. Another for the like cause was called Saint Sunday; I
thinke at this day they be so farre spent, as either of them would be
content with a good cloath cloake: and this came by want of discretion, to
discerne and deeme right of decencie, which many Gentlemen doe wholly
limite by the person or degree where reason doeth it by the place and
presence: which may be such as it might very well become a great Prince to
wear courser apparel than in another place or presence a meaner person.

Neuerthelesse in the vse of a garment many occasions alter the decencies,
sometimes the qualities of the person, sometimes of the case, otherwise
the countrie custome, and often the constitution of lawes, and the very
nature of vse it selfe. As for example a king and prince may vse rich and
gorgeous apparel decently so cannot a meane person doo, yet if an herald
of armes to whom a king giueth his gowne of cloth of gold, or to whom it
was incident as a fee of his office, do were the same, he doth it
decently, because such hath alwaise bene th'allowances of heraldes: but if
such herald haue worne out, or sold, or lost that gowne, to buy him a new
of the like stuffe with his owne mony and to weare it, is not decent in
the eye and iudgement of them that know it.

And the country custome maketh things decent in ves as in Asia for all men
to we