But, bycause I have not taken uppon me to shew unto you, mens sinnes, but their Errors: it shalbe no parte of my charge at this time to entreate of ye Nature of vices & vertues: but onely of the seemely & unseemely fashions and maners wee use one with another. One of the which unseemely fashions was, that Count Richard did use: of which I tould you before. Which, as unseemely and unfitting with those other his good and faire maners hee had besides: that same worthie Bishop (as a skilfull and cunning Maister in musicke will easily here a note out of Tune) had quickly founde out.
It shalbe then, necessarie for gentlemen and men of good behaviour, to have a regard to this measure I speake of: in going, in standing, in sitting, in gesture, in porte, in apparell, in talke, in silence, in rest and in action. For, a man must not apparell him selfe like a woman: that the Attire may not be of one sorte, and the person of another: as I doe see it in some that weare their heads & their beards curled with bodkins, and have their face, and their necks, & their hands, so starchte and painted, that it were to muche for a girle, nay, harlot, that makes a merchandize of it, and sets her selfe to the sale.
You must smell, neither of sweete nor of sower: for a gentleman would not savour nastily like a begger: nè del maschio venga odore di femina o di meretrice. I doe not by this forbid, but you may very well use some sweete smelles of sweete waters.
Your apparell must be shaped according to the fashion of the time, and your calling, for the causes I have shewed you before. For, We must not take uppon us to alter customes at our will. For time doth beget them, and time doth also weare them out.
Every man may applie those fashions, that be in common use, ye moste to his owne advantage that he can. For, if perchaunce your legges be very long, and men use but short garments: you may use a meane, not to long, nor to short. And if your legges be to small, to greate, or crooked: make not your hosen of to light and garishe a colour, that it may not call men to looke and to gawre uppon your deformitie. Thou must weare no garment that shall be to light, or overmuche daubde with garding; that men may not say, thou hast Ganymedes hosen, or wearest Cupides doublet. But, whatsoever it be thou wearest, let it be fit and well made for thy bodie: least thou seme to brave it, in another mans cloathes.
But with all, thou must in any case respect thy condition or estate. For, A man of the Clergie, must not be attired like a Souldier: nor a Souldier goe like a Player. When Castruccio was in Rome with Lodovico Bavero at a greate Pompe, and triumphe: who was both Duke of Lucca and Pistoia, and Count of Palazzo, and Senatour of Rome: this Castruccio, being Lorde greate Maister of the saide Lodovico Bavero his househoulde: for his bravery, made him a coate of crimsin, uppon the brest wherof, there was this devise, in letters of Golde
It is even as God will.
And it shallbe as God will.
I beleeve, you thinke this garment, would have become Castruccio his Trumpeter better, then it could become him.