they were already provided with, "except the immoderate great sleeves,
slashed apparel, immoderate great rails and long wings." Five years
later there was a new piece of legislation which banished "immoderate
great breeches, knots of ryban, broad shoulder bands and rayles, silk
ruses, double ruffles and capes," and in 1651 the General Court, having
found its legislation futile in many respects, descended to argument,
and expressed its "utter detestation and dislike that men or women of
meane condition, education, and callings shoulde take uppon them the
garbe of gentlemen by the wearinge of gold or silver lace or buttons or
poynts at their knees, to walke in great boots, or women of the same
rank to weare silke or tiffany hoodes or scarfes." If those "of meane
condition" did these things, it is evident that the people of higher
class could not have been very sober in their garb--indeed we know that
they were not. In 1676 the Court of Connecticut passed a law that is
worthy of quotation in full, since it not only sets forth the Puritan
opinion upon the matter, but shows the ingenuity of their efforts to
cope with the growing evil, and also gives us a good idea of the
fashions of that time:

"Whereas excess in apparel amongst us is unbecoming a wilderness
condition and the profession of the gospell, whereby the riseing
Generation is in danger to be corrupted, which practices are testifyed
against in God's holy word, it is therefore ordered by this Court and
authority thereof, that what person soever shall wear Gold or Silver
Lace, or Gold or Silver Buttons, Silk Ribbons, or other costly
superfluous trimings, or any bone Lace above three shillings per yard,
or Silk Scarf es, the List makers of the respective Townes are hereby
required to assesse such persons so offending, (or their Husbands,
parents, or masters under whose government they are) in the list of
Estates at one hundred and fifty pound Estate; and they to pay their
Rates according to that proportion, as such men use to pay, to whom such
apparell alowed as suitable to their Rank, provided this law shall not
extend to any magistrate, or a like publique officer of this Colony,
their wives or children, whoe are left to their discretion in wearing of
apparell, or any setled military commission officer, or such whose
quality and Estate have been above the ordinary degree, though now
decayed.

"It is further ordered that all such persons as shall for the future
mak