you that are boys, I would have you, as much as is possible, have your clothes made of the proper manufactures of this kingdom; for the winter let your clothes be made of English broad cloth, and for the summer of stuffs made in England, as Norwich stuffs, Devonshire kerseys, sarges and the like. I will not have you wear silks, or satins, or gold and silver lace.

And as to the girls, though silks made in England may be fit for your wearing sometimes, yet I would have your ordinary habit be English stuffs. But I will have you wear no silver or gold lace, no costly rich bonelaces or points made beyond sea, no foreign or outlandish silks, but silks or stuffs made in England, they are cheaper, and better becoming English manners.

4. As to new fashions, it is true it is the use and reproach of the English nation, that they are ever altering the fashions of their clothes, and the plain truth of it is, that it is the craft of tradesmen, especially of taylors and seamstresses, and such kind of people, to be devising and learning out of new fashions, that so they may have new employment; every new fashion sets the taylors on work to make new clothes and to alter the fashions of old, and thus the gentry, especially of this kingdom, are imposed upon by tradesmen: but yet because this cus

tom has strangely obtained in England, it will be too hard a lesson for you, when you are young men or young women, wholly to be out of the fashion in your clothes, therefore I will give you these few directions, in relation to new fashions. 1. Do not strive to be in a new fashion for your clothes with the first; but stay a time, and rather come into the fashion at the latest than too soon, for it may be the fashion will change again the next week. 2. Be sure you wear out your old clothes before you make new for the fashion's sake; and never change your old clothes into new fashions. If you have a necessary occasion to make a new suit of clothes, you may make it according to the fashion then in use, or somewhat near it; but never make a new suit merely upon this account, to be in the new fashion. 3. When you come to be about thirty years old, I would have you fix upon a fashion that you keep to with constancy, for by that age you are presumed to have out grown the vanities of youth, and if you then begin to be constant to a fashion, it will rather be for your reputation than otherwise; the younger people will never much observe or blame your constancy in a fashion; and wise men will rather commend you for it, and it will save you the expense of many a pound. I know not what age you may live in, or live to, and

therefore I shall not peremptorily impose my example in point of clothes upon you; only I do tell you, that I never changed the fashion of my clothes after I was thirty years old; and I do say, you will have no cause to repent, if you follow the same example.

5. Do not affect to go in light coloured clothes, as red, blue, green, or the like; for it is an evidence, and many times an occasion of lightness of mind; but rather let your clothes be sad coloured. Black is the most decent, but always seasonable, especially in the country; sad medley cloth is a convenient wear for a young man. Neither would I have you load your clothes with gold or silver lace, or rich bone lace, or great bunches of ribbands; it is costly, and to no use in the world, and you make yourselves by such toys but like pages, or footboys, or players.

6. Let your clothes be warm, especially in the winter, and towards the spring and fall. This will prevent many diseases, which people fall into by going too thin or cold in their clothes. I remember the saying of an old gentleman unto me, when I was about sixteen years old, that he always looked upon it as one of the earliest discoveries of discretion in a young man, when he knew how to keep himself warm.

CHAPTER XXI.

Concerning your carriage to your Inferiors, Superiors, and Equals.

BEFORE I shall fall to particulars, I shall spend a few words in general, touching your carriage to all men.

1. You must know, that there is no person that lives, but may at some time or other have occasion to make use of another's help and assistance or kindness; and there is not the meanest person in the world, but one time or other may have an opportunity of doing you a kindness or

assistance.

2. You must know there is no person in the world, though seemingly never so vile an object, but one time or other may have power or opportunity to do you a mischief, or procure you some notable inconvenience; these are truths that are most certain, though too little thought upon or minded by most men; therefore it will be your wisdom to keep a common fair carriage to all

people of all ranks, and to make to yourself as few enemies as you can, still remembering this saying of mine, that there is not the meanest person in the world, but once in your life time you may some way or other stand in need of his help; or that one time or other

may have power or opportunity to do you a mischief; and therefore it will be your wisdom to oblige as many as you can without detriment to yourself; and to disoblige none without great necessity. Esop's fables, though they seem but light and trivial, yet they, many of them, contain excellent morals, I shall mention two to this purpose.

A little ant being fallen into the water and like to be drowned, a pigeon flying by, and obe serving the ant's extremity, let fall a little branch into the water, to relieve the ant, upon which she got, and so saved herself and got to the land. A short time after, a fowler aimed to shoot the pigeon: the little ant being near hand, and remembering the kindness the pigeon had shewn her, and observing the design of the fowler, bit him by the foot, whereby the fowler lost his aim and the pigeon escaped.

Again he tells us, that a lion sleeping in the forest, a little mouse running up and down awakened, and so angered the lion, that the