The Book of Curtesye.
[The Book of Curtesy.]
[_From the Oriel MS. lxxix._]
[1]
Lytle childe, sythen youre tendre infancie
Stondeth as yett vndir yndyff[e]rence,
To vice or vertu to moven[1] or Applie, 3
[Sidenote 1: MS. coorven]
And in suche Age ther is no prouide_n_ce,
Ne comenly no sadde intelligence,
But ryght as wax receyueth printe and figure,
So chylder ben disposed of nature,
[2]
Vice or vertu to Folowe and ympresse
In mynde; and therfore, to stere and remeve
You from vice, and to vertu thou[1] dresse, 10
[Sidenote 1: _Read_ you]
That on to folow, and the other to eschewe,
I haue devysed you this lytill newe
Instrucc_i_on according to your_e_ age,
Playne in sentence, but playner in langage. 14
(_Richard Hill's Commonplace Book, or Balliol MS. 354, ffl C lx._)
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
Here begynnyth lytill[e] Ioh_a_n.
¶ Lytell[e] Iohan, sith yo_u_r tender_e_ enfancye
Stondyth as yet vnder_e_ Indyfference
To vyce or vertu to mevyn or applie,
& in suche age _ther_[1] ys no p_ro_vydence, 4
Ne come_n_ly no sage Intelygence,
But as wax receyvith prynt or fygure,
So chyldren bene disposed of nature
[Footnote 1: The _th_ is the same as the _y_.]
¶ Vyce or vertu to folowe, & enpresse 8
In mynde; & _ther_for to styre & remeve
you frome vice, & to vertu addresse,
That on to folow, & _tha_t o_ther_ to eschewe,
I haue devysed you this lytill[e] newe 12
Instrucc_i_on[1] accordyng vnto yo_u_r age,
playn In sentence, but playner_e_ In langage.
[Footnote 1: The mark of contraction is over the _n_: t.i. the _n_ has
its tail curled over its back like a dog's.]
[The Book of Courtesye.]
[_Caxton's Text._]
[1]
[Sidenote: Leaf 1 a.]
Lytyl Iohn syth your tendre enfancye
Stondeth as yet vnder / in difference
[Sidenote: As Infancy is indifferent]
To vice or vertu to meuyn or applye 3
[Sidenote: whether it follows vice or virtue,]
And in suche age ther is no prouidence
Ne comenly no sad_e_ Intelligence
But as waxe resseyueth prynte or figure
So children ben disposid_e_ of nature 7
[2]
Vyce or vertue to folowe and_e_ enpresse
In mynde / and_e_ therfore / to styre & remeue
You from vice / and_e_ to vertue addresse 10
That one to folowe / and that other teschewe
I haue deuysed you / this lytyl newe
[Sidenote: I have written this new treatise to draw you from vice, and
turn you to virtue.]
Instrucc_i_on / acordyng_e_ vnto your age
Playne in sentence / but playner in la_n_gage 14
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