Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess...
(Shakespeare, King John, 1595)
What I think people who talk about "gilding the lily" are missing is that gilding is really fun. I don't know whether that would have been relevant for Salisbury (I haven't read/seen the play), but I recommend gilding the fuck out of something just because you can.
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