Neuerthelesse in the vse of a garment many occasions alter the decencies,
sometimes the qualities of the person, sometimes of the case, otherwise
the countrie custome, and often the constitution of lawes, and the very
nature of vse it selfe. As for example a king and prince may vse rich and
gorgeous apparel decently so cannot a meane person doo, yet if an herald
of armes to whom a king giueth his gowne of cloth of gold, or to whom it
was incident as a fee of his office, do were the same, he doth it
decently, because such hath alwaise bene th'allowances of heraldes: but if
such herald haue worne out, or sold, or lost that gowne, to buy him a new
of the like stuffe with his owne mony and to weare it, is not decent in
the eye and iudgement of them that know it.
And the country custome maketh things decent in ves as in Asia for all men
to weare long gownes both a foot and horsebacke: in Europa short
gaberdins, or clokes, or iackets, euen for their vpper garments. The Turke
and Persian to weare great tolibants of ten, fifteene, and twentie elles
of linen a peece vpon their heads, which can not be remooued: in Europe to
were caps or hats, which vpon euery occasion of salutation we vse to put
of as a signe of reuerence. In th'East partes the men to make water
couring like women, with vs standing as a wall.
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