In  order  to  check  extravagance  and  display  in  dress
an  Act  of  1464  decreed  that  "  No  yeoman  or  any  other
person  under  the  degree  of  yeoman  shall  wear  in  the
apparel  for  his  body,  any  bolster,  nor  stuffing  of  wool,
cotton,  or  caddis  in  his  pourpoint  or  doublet,  but  a
lining  only,  according  to  the  same."  Another  indica-
tion is  given  in  the  Chronicle  of  London,  by  William
Gregory  ;  a  Papal  decree  in  1466  ordained  that  ' '  No
cordwainer  shall  make  any  pikes  (the  pointed  toe
ornaments)  more  than  two  inches  long,  or  sell  shoes
on  Sunday,  or  even  fit  a  shoe  upon  a  man's  foot  on

66


The  New  Invention

Sunday,  on  pain  of  excommunication.  Neither  shall
any  cordwainer  attend  any  fair  on  Sundays,  under
the  same  penalty."  This  Bull  was  approved  by  the
King's  Council  and  also  confirmed  by  Act  of  Parlia-
ment, and  a  proclamation  was  made  at  Paul's  Cross
to  that  effect.  Apparently  the  cordwainers  appealed
arainst  the  restriction  in  the  interests  of  their  trade,
and  the  men  of  fashion  continued  very  largely  to
ignore  it.
One  feature  of  mediaeval  trade  customs  was  the
rigorous  limitation  of  workers  to  their  own  trades,  and
even  to  certain  specified  branches  of  the  same  trade.
So  strict  were  these  that  those  who  made  boots  and
shoes  might  not  repair  them  ;  those  who  made  hats
might  not  make  caps  ;  weavers  and  fullers  might
sell  only  retail  in  their  own  town  and  might  not  go
beyond  its  limits  to  trade,  as  that  would  infringe  the
rights  of  the  merchants.  Caxton  had  come  back  to
London,  but  he  had  stepped  outside  the  boundaries
of  his  own  trade  ;  he  had  to  seek  anew  the  '  freedom  '
of  the  city.
