Voss—Regulations of the University of Wittenberg , 1546. 401 
may add a border thereto sufficient to clothe her ankles, but it 
must be of no costlier fabric than the original garment. 
Plush jackets and collars are thought to be permissible, but 
they must be plain, Ho silver and gold embroideries, no bor¬ 
ders and bands of adornment can be allowed, and special warn¬ 
ing is given against the reprehensible fashion of cutting and 
slashing one’s dress so that fin© undergarments may disclose 
themselves for the witchery of the beholder. Short cloaks and 
mantels are also a snare and temptation, in the decisions of the 
Senate, when adorned above or below with costly borders or 
overshot with useless, giddy decoration. 
But most of all must the women reform their flowing head¬ 
dresses and their bewitching embroidered veils. Golden tresses 
of the curling, floating fashion must be abandoned, and all 
strings of pearls and golden head ornaments left out of the fair 
one’s coiffure. However, since gold and silver are treasures, 
they may wear in modest and fitting manner a golden chain and 
a gilded silver girdle. 
In this last concession one sees again that these solemn am 
thoriti.es wished after all to retain a little good-will with the 
women at home. But in the next sentence they are reminded 
of the gold and silver bracelets which they conclude to for¬ 
bid (as one must certainly draw the line pretty closely on these 
frivolous creatures after all.) How follows a careful regula¬ 
tion in detail of all dress and adornment of the wives and 
daughters of the university masters and others. The restric¬ 
tions are the same as for the women of higher position except 
as they are made more severe. All fine silks are strictly pro¬ 
hibited, but the cheaper grades, such as the satin from Bruges, 
are permitted together with plush collars and damask jackets. 
The skirts of the women of this rank may have an upper 
border not broader than three fingers, but no lower borders are 
permitted, except where the skirt through age became short 
and had to be lengthened. But even in this case the material 
for the lower border must not be more expensive than the one of 
which the skirt was originally made. 
