“You might reckon that sum, Matthew, without damage to your gentle blood. The King himself reckoneth up the troops he shall lack, and the convention-subsidy due from each man to furnish them. You shall scantly go above him, I count.”
“I would I were but a king! Wouldn’t I lead a brave life!”
“That would not I be for all the riches in Christendom.”
“The which speech showeth thine unwisdom. Why, a king can have his purveyor to pick of the finest in the market ere any other be serven; he can lay tax on his people whenas it shall please him (this was true at that time); he can have a whole pig or goose to his table every morrow; and as for the gifts that be brought him, they be without number. Marry, but if I were a king, wouldn’t I have a long gown of blue velvet, all o’er broidered of seed-pearl, and a cap of cramoisie (crimson velvet), with golden broidery! And a summer jack (the garment of which jacket is the diminutive) of samitelle would I have—let me see—green, I reckon, bound with gold ribbon; and fair winter hoods of miniver and ermine, and buttons of gold by the score. Who so bravely apparelled as I, trow?”
“Be your garments not warm enough, Matthew?”
“Warm enough? certes! But they be only camoca and lamb’s far, with never a silver button, let be gold.”
“What advantage should gold buttons be to you? Those pearl do attach your gown full evenly as well.”
“Hylton, thou hast no ambitiousness in thee! Seest not that folks should pay me a deal more respect, thus donned (dressed) in my bravery?”
“That is, they should pay much respect to the blue velvet and the gold buttons? You should be no different that I can see.”
“I should be a vast sight comelier, man alive!”