Greg Hogan, A

361: An haberdasshere and a carpenter,
A haberdasher and a carpenter,
362: A webbe, a dyere, and a tapycer, --
An arras-maker, dyer, and weaver
363: And they were clothed alle in o lyveree
Were with us, clothed in similar livery,
364: Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
All of one sober, great fraternity.
365: Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;
Their gear was new and well adorned it was;
366: Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras
Their weapons were not cheaply trimmed with brass,
367: But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel
But all with silver; chastely made and well
368: Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.
Their girdles and their pouches too, I tell.
369: Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys
Each man of them appeared a proper burges
370: To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
To sit in guildhall on a high dais.
371: Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
And each of them, for wisdom he could span,
372: Was shaply for to been an alderman.
Was fitted to have been an alderman;
373: For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,
For chattels they'd enough, and, too, of rent;
374: And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
To which their goodwives gave a free assent,
375: And elles certeyn were they to blame.
Or else for certain they had been to blame.
376: It is ful fair to been ycleped madame,
It's good to hear "Madam" before one's name,
377: And goon to vigilies al bifore,
And go to church when all the world may see,
378: And have a mantel roialliche ybore.

Having one's mantle borne right royally.