The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

¶ Of apparayle belongynge to a noble man beinge a gouernour or great counsaylour. Cap. iii.

APparayle may be well a part of ma∣iestie. For as there hath ben euer a discrepance of vesture of youth and age, men and womenne, and our lorde god ordeyned the apparayle of priestis distinct frome seculars, as it appereth in holy scri∣pture: also the gentyles had of auncyente tyme sondry apparayle to sondrye astates, as to the senate, and dignities called ma∣gistrates, And what enormitie shoulde hit nowe be thought and a thing to laughe at,

to se a iuge or sergeāt at the lawe in a short coote garded and pounced after the galy∣arde fation, or an apprentyse of the lawe or pleder, come to the barre with a myllayne or frenche bonette on his heed, sette full of aglettes? So is there apparayle comely to euery astate and degree, and that whiche excedeth or lacketh, procureth reproche, in a noble man specially. For apparaile sim∣ple or scant reprouethe hym of auarice. If it be alwaye excedynge precious and often tymes chaunged, as well in to charge as straunge and newe facions, it causeth hym to be noted dyssolute of maners.

¶ The moste noble emperours of Rome, Augustus, Traiane, Hadriane, Antonine, Seuerus, and Alexander, whiche were of al other incomparable in honorable lyuing, vsed a dyscrete moderation in theyr appa∣rayle, all though they were greatte empe∣rours and gentyles. Howe moche more ought than christen men, whose denomina∣tion is founded on humilitie, and they that be not of the estate of pryncis, to shewe a moderation and constaunce in vesture, that they diminysshe noo part of theyr maiestie, eyther with newe fanglenesse, or with ouer sumptuous expences, and yet may this last be suffred, where there is a great assembly of straungers: for than some tyme it is ex∣pediente,

that a noble man, in his aparayle, do aduaunce hym selfe to be bothe ryche and honourable. But in this as wel as in o∣ther partes of maiestie, tyme is to be high∣ly consydered.

¶ Semblable deckinge oughte to be in the house of a noble man, or manne of honour. I meane concernynge ornamentes of halle and chambres, in Aryse, paynted tables, and images couteynynge histories, wherin is represented some monumente of vertue, mooste cunnyngely wrought, with the cir∣cumstaunce of the matter briefly declared, wherby other men in beholdynge, maye be instructed, or at the least wayes to vertue perswaded. In lyke wise his plate and ves∣sayle wolde be ingraued with histories, fa∣bles, or quycke and wyse sentences, com∣prehendyng good doctryne or counsayles, wherby one of these commodyties maye happen, eyther that they whiche doo eate or drynke, hauynge those wysedomes euer in syghte, shall happen with the meate to receyue some of them, or by purposing thē at the table, maye sussitate some dysputati∣on or reasonynge, wherby somme parte of tyme shall be saued, whiche elles by super∣fluouse eatynge and drynkynge, wolde be idelly consumed.

Notes

• Hāgynges and plate mete for a noble mā.