The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-08-17

Lined velvet caps were permitted only
to Kings. Princes and Knights. Their
cloaks were of scarlet or violet cloth.
while those of meaner rank went clad
in garments of more somber hue. At
times the sumptury laws were very
strictly enforced, and we hear of occa-
sional instances in which overdressed
ladies' and gentlemen were seized at a
ball and carried off TO prison for setting
the royal commands at defiance.
But of all classes of society the citi-
zens suffered most from the harassing.
if necessary, restrictions. Their COM
forts, as well as their superfiuities,
were suppressed by the jealous vigi.
lance of the law. Not only were they
and their households forbidden the
privilege Of wearing furs, jewelry or
''crowns OF gold and silver"
but no citizens wife was al.
lowed to use the primitive two
wheeled vehicle which later developed
into the more comfortable coach, or
carriage. She must ride behind her
husband on the same horse when she
did not go afOOt; nor might she be
lighted home through the streets al
night with waxen torches in emulation
of her betters. Doubtless in the reign
of Philip the Fair. the different classes
of society strove to tread upon each
others heels, much as they do now,
and these apparently petty restrictions
were devised TO meet the occasion. Ii
is fair to say, however, tina; the King
himself set an example of moderation
and frugality. In these days the royal
family wore gold and jewels but spar
ingly, and showed a praiseworthy sim
plicity in the furnishing and decoration
of the royal table.
But neither example nor precepi
served TO check the extravaganza OF
our neighbors over the water. Luxury
increased among them, and in the time
of Henry IV.-the once simple, hardy
King of Navarre-the taste for dress
had reached an absurd height. The
wearing apparel of this period was pro
fusely decorated with gold, silver anG
jewels; and il is recorded of the Kings
favorite, Gabrielle d distress, that wher
fully dressed she was so encountered
with finery that she could neither move
nor standi One is reminded of
French Court of later date, and of the
new made Empress Josephine stagger
ing under the magnificence of the
splendid train which her unwilling
sisters-in-law so negligently supported.
The love of display and senseless
profusion which characterized the
France of the Bourbons reappeared
after brief hiatus under the first En-.
pire, being fostered by the lavish ex.
penditure of the court, and once more
in the palmy days of the Empress
Eugenie Many husbands and fathers
of our own times have had reason to
deplore that the extravaganza and ex-
cessive variety of costumes which she
encouraged among her subjects should
of late years have been waited across
the chaI1el TO our more sober island.
Yet To- English of olden time were
not altogether guiltleSs of extravaganza
in the matter of food and apparel, az
the sumptuary laws of our own sover-
eigns Edward III, Edward ". Henry
Will, and Elizabeth can bear witness.
Possibly the first of these Princes NAV
have taken hint in law-making from
his maternal grandfather. the self-same
French King. Philip. who gave these
small details so much of his attention.
As for our maiden Queen, she had her
self the true feminine love for a large
and varied wardrobe. but she did not
countenance a like eXtravigance in her
subjects. Even the dimensions of their
rufus were circumscribed by law. a.
the length of their shoes had been in
previous reigns.
The days are gone by for interference
of this kind with the liberties of the
subject No arbitrary distinction of
dress or equipment now divides
patrician from plebeian. In our
streets and social gatherings to-
day the wife of an alderman,
of a merchant. of Judge. of cotton
spinner is indistinguishable in outward
adornments from a Pcercss of the
els as abundant and and costly, the APP
pOintments of her table are arranged
with, at least, an affectatiOn of
the same luxury Only, alas, the
"thing signiied" by all this outward
bravery, the inward grace of good
breeding is sometimes found wanting,
and still marks the difference between
gentle and simple, formerly shown in
the breadth of trimming, the sparkle |
or absence of a jewel. Wealth. the
great leveler, is allowed full scope, un.
limited in its workings by either Queen |
or Senate. No statesman would now !
dream of enforcing private economy by |
act of Parliament.-Ihe ArgoSy.