On this day the reigning King Edward III [1312-1377] passed a Sumptuary Law which effectively distinguished seven social categories and made it easy to recognise members of each class by their clothes. Sumptuary Laws were introduced during the middle ages in order to regulate and reinforce social hierarchies and morals through restrictions on the type of clothing, food, and luxuries that a person of each social rank was permitted to indulge in. They made it easy to identify social rank and privilege, and could therefore be used for social discrimination and to stabilise social hierarchies. The penalties for violating Sumptuary Laws could be harsh, including fines, the loss of property, title and even life!
