acS strictures on manners. -^tig. 14, 



Lafflamma, who wrote in the fourteenth century, 

 comp ains that frugality and simplicity had given way 

 to extravagance and luxury, and regrets the times 

 of the emperor Frederic Barbarofsa, of the twclth 

 eentuiy, and of the emperor Frederic 11. of the 

 thir etnth cen' ury, wl.en in Milan, the capital of 

 Lon hardy, they ate flclh meai but three times a- 

 weck. Wine was very scarce. Thty liad no idea 

 of wax candles, and even those of tallow were deemed 

 luxury, insomuch that all the better sort of people 

 used splinters of wood instead of candles. 1 hey 

 wore woollen Ihirts, the most considerable citizens 



V gave not above .00 livres for their daughter's porti- 

 ons, " But now, ("says Li.fflarama,) wp wear linen, 

 the women drefs in bilk gowns, and have their ears 

 adorned with gold pendants, with other luxuries un- 

 known to our ancestors." At this time, the use of 

 fhirts and table linen was very rare in England. 

 Wine was sold only by apoihicaries, and that as a 

 cordi^il alone. Private gentlenen's houses were all ®f 

 wood, both in London and Paris. It was reckoned a 

 kind of luxury to ride in a two wheeled cart in the 

 ill paved and dirty streets of Paris, and was forbid- 

 den the wives of citizens by an exprefs law. " Let 

 no one presume, (says an edict of Carles v of 

 France, )to treat his guests with more than soup 

 snd two dillies." The use of silver knives and 

 forks, spoons, and cups, was esteemed in those days, 

 an extreme degree of luxury. Glafs windows had 



, been in use long before this, but being always es- 

 teemed marks of great extravagance, had not come 

 iiito gencrrJ use, and were very rare in private 



