Chaucer, in England, also deplores the fashions of his day, alluding to the “sinful costly array of clothing, namely, in too much superfluity or else indisordinate scantiness!” Changing fashions have always been the despair of writers who have tried to lay down rules for aesthetic effect in dress.  “An Englishman,” says Harrison, “endeavouring some time to write of our attire... when he saw what a difficult piece of work he had taken in hand, he gave over his travail, and onely drue a picture of a naked man unto whom he gave a pair of shears in the one hand and a piece of cloth in the other, to the end that he should shape his apparel after such fashion as himself liked, sith he could find no garment that could please him any while together:  and this he called an Englishman.”

Edward the Confessor wore State robes which had been beautifully embroidered with gold by his accomplished wife, Edgitha.  In the Royal Rolls of Edward III., in 1335, we find allusion to two vests of green velvet embroidered respectively with sea sirens and coats of arms.  The tunics worn over armour offered great opportunities to the needleworker.  They were richly embroidered, usually in heraldic style.  When Symon, Bishop of Ely, performed the ceremony of Churching for Queen Philippa, the royal dame bestowed upon him the gown which she wore on that occasion; it is described as a murrey-coloured velvet, powdered with golden squirrels, and was of such voluminous pattern that it was cut over into three copes!  Bridal gowns were sometimes given to churches, as well.

St. Louis of France was what might be called temperate in dress.  The Sire de Joinville says he “never saw a single embroidered coat or ornamented saddle in the possession of the king, and reproved his son for having such things.  I replied that he would have acted better if he had given them in charity, and had his dress made of good sendal, lined and strengthened with his arms, like as the king his father had done!”

At the marriage of the Lord of Touraine in 1389, the Duke of Burgundy presented magnificent habits and clothing to his nephew the Count of Nevers:  among these were tunics, ornamented with embroidered trees conventionally displayed on their backs, fronts, and sleeves; others showed heraldic blazonry, while a blue velvet tunic was covered with balas rubies set in pearls, alternating with suns of solid gold with great solitaire pearls as centres.  Again, in 1390, when the king visited Dijon, he presented to the same nephew a set of harnesses for jousting.  Some of them were composed largely of sheets of beaten gold and silver.  In some gold and silver marguerites were introduced also.