Sir Thomas glanced at his wife's flowing satin dress, trimmed with costly lace, and, like an unreasonable man, opined that it was quite good enough for anything; "This!" exclaimed Lady Enville. "Surely you cannot mean it, Sir Thomas. This gown is all rags, and hath been made these four years." Sir Thomas contemplated the dress again, with a rather puzzled face. "I see not a patch thereon, Orige. Prithee, be all thy gowns rags?--and be Clare and Blanche in rags likewise?" "Of course--not fit to show," said the lady. "It seemeth me, Orige, thou shouldst have had money aforetime. Yet I cannot wholly conceive it,--we went not to church in rags this last Sunday, without somewhat ail mine eyes. If we be going thus the next, prithee lay out in time to avoid the same." "Gramercy, Sir Thomas!--how do you talk!" "Rachel," said her brother, as she entered, "how many new gowns dost thou need to show my Lady Jack?" "I lack no new gowns, I thank thee, Tom. I set a new dowlas lining in my camlet but this last week. I would be glad of an hood, 'tis true, for mine is well worn; but that is all I need, and a mark [13 shillings and 4 pence] shall serve me." "Then thy charges be less than Orige, for she ensureth me that all her gowns be but rags, and so be Clare's, and the like by Blanche." "Lack-a-daisy!" cried Rachel. "Call me an Anabaptist, if she hath not in her coffers two velvet gowns, and a satin, and a kersey, and three camlets--to say nought of velvet kirtles and other habiliments!" "My dear Rachel!--not one made this year!" "My satin gown was made six years gone, Orige; and this that I bear seven; and my camlet--well-a-day!--it may be ten." "They be not fit to sweep the house in." "Marry come up!--Prithee, Tom, set Orige up in tinsel. But for Clare and Blanche, leave me see to them. Clare hath one gown was made this year--" "A beggarly say!" [a coarse kind of silk, often used for curtains and covering furniture] put in Lady Enville. "And Blanche hath one a-making." "A sorry kersey of twenty pence the yard!" "Orige, prithee talk no liker a fool than thou canst help. Our gowns be right and--decent, according to our degree. We be but common folks, woman! For me, I go not about to prink [make smart and showy] me in cloth of gold,--not though Jack should wed all the countesses in England. If she love not me by reason of my gowns, she may hold me off with the andirons. I can do without her."