174 Dress According to Statute. 



G-oddes plasmacion 



iion Mis complacet ergo. 

 Wyde coleres and haye 



ei gladio sunt colla parata ; 

 Ware ye the prophecye 



contra tales recitata. 

 Long sporys on her helys, 



et rostra fovent ocrearum. 



?P ■«* w <fc 



Qwen oder men knelys, 



pia Christo votaferentes, 

 Thei stond at here helys, 



sua non curvare valentes. 

 For hortyng of here hosyn, 



non inclinare laborant ; 

 I trowe, for here long toos 



dum stant ferialiter orant." 



Otter writers mention, in language equally strong, the 

 shortcomings and excesses of gallants' clothing at this time. 

 The author of the poem on the deposition of Richard II., in 

 the first volume of the " Political Songs and Poems" (pub- 

 lished by the Master of the Rolls), thus speaks of the un- 

 scrupulous thriftlessness and folly of the courtiers of that prince. 

 He says they beg and borrow 



" of hurgeis in tounes 

 ffuris of ffoyne 

 and other ffelle (skin) whare, 

 and not the better of a bean 

 thouz they boru evere. 

 And but if the slevis 

 slide on the erthe 

 thei wolle be wroth as the wynde, 

 and warie hem that it made ; 

 and zif it were elbowis 

 adoun to the helis, 

 or passinge the knee, 

 it was not accounted ; 

 and if Pernelle preisid 

 the ply t is bihynde (the pleats behind) 

 the costis were accountid, 

 paye whan he myzth. 



^P ^JP ?P ■)(• 



and if Ffelice ffonde 



ony ffaute thenne of the makynge 



yt was ysent sone 



to shape of the newe." 



The writer also speaks of ' ' a wondir coriouse crafte" lately 

 introduced, whereby the cloth was slashed " alio to pecis," so 

 that seven good sewers could not in six weeks sew up all the 

 seams if they tried. 



Chaucer, writing De Superbid, in the " Persone's Tale/' 

 written about the year 1892-3, says, " Seint Gregoire saith 

 that precious clothing is coupable for dcrthe of it, and for his 



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