Alphabet of tales : an English 15th century translation of the Alphabetum narrationum of Etienne de Besançon, from Additional MS. 25,719 of the British Museum / by Etienne de Besançon

DXCVI.
Ornatus vestium non debet esse nimis sumptuosus.

Helynandus tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a kyng in Yngland̛ þat hight Gillelmus, and he wolde were no clothyng bod of a huge price; and if it war light of price, & it war neuer so gude, he wold̛ hafe grete dedeyn̛ þer-att. So on a tyme hys chamberlayn̛ did on̛ hym̛ a payr of new hose, and he axkid̛ hym̛ what þai coste, & he sayd̛ iij s; and he grynnyd̛ & had grete dedyn̛ þeratt & said̛ vnto hym̛; "þou hureson̛! Whar̛ saw þou evur kyng were hose off so vile a price? Go," he sayd̛, "faste, & bryng me a payr of a marke price." And he went furtℏ & broght hym̛ a payr þat was mekuƚƚ better þan̛ þe toder, bod he made a lee of þe price of þaim. And

when̛ þe kyng saw þaim he said̛; "Ya, thies acordis vnto a kyng to were." And fro þat tyme evur afterward̛ his chawmberlayn̛ tellid̛ hym̛ þe price of his clothyng as hym̛ lyste, and as it plesid̛ hym̛. And bod if he said̛ it coste mekuƚƚ he wold not were it.

• ...Ornatus vestium quandoque eleuat cor hominis in superbiam. Supra de augurio, ij MS. iij. .