[15]
And whan ye speke, loketh men in the face[1]
[Sidenote 1: MS. visage.]
Wyth sobre chere and goodly semblaunce;
Cast not your_e_ eye asyde in odir place, 101
For that is a tokyn of wantowne inconstaunce,
Which wolle appeyre your_e_ name, and disauau_n_ce;
The wyse man seyth, 'who hathe this signes thre
Ne is not like a good man [for] to be--' 105
[16]
'Yn hert,' he seyth, 'who that is inconstaunte,[1]
[Sidenote 1: MS. inconstaunce]
A waveryng eye, glyddryng but sodenly
From place to place, and A fote[2] variaunte[3] 108
[Sidenote 2: MS. fore.]
[Sidenote 3: MS. variaunce.]
That in no place abydeth stabully--
Thes ben signes,' the wyse man seyth sekerly,
'Of suche a wyght as is vnmanerly nyce,
And is full like dissposed be to vice.' 112
[17]
And wayte, my childe, whan ye stond at the table,
Of souereyne or maister whether hit be,
Applieth you [for] to be seruysable, 115
That no defaute in you may founde be;
Loke who doth best and hym envyeth ye,
And specially vseth attendaunce,
Whiche is to souereyne thyng of gret plesaunce. 119
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
¶ And wha_n_ ye speke, loke me_n_ in _th_e face
w_i_t_h_ sobre chere & goodly semblavnce; 100
Caste not eye a-side in no other_e_ place,
ffor _tha_t ys a token of a wanton constavnce
which will[e] apayre yo_ur_ name, & dysavance.
The wyse ma_n_ sayth, 'who hath these thy_ngis_ iij, 104
ys not lyke a good man for to be:'
¶ 'In herte,' he sayth, 'who _tha_t ys Inco_n_stavnte,
A waverynge eye, glydyng sodenly
ffro place to place, & a foote varyavnte 108
that in no place a-bydyth stabli,
'Thyse bene _th_e thyng_is_,' _th_e wysma_n_ sayth sekerly,
'Off suche a wayghte _tha_t be vnmanerly nyce,
& be full[e] lykely dysposed vnto vyce.' 112
¶ Awayte, my chyld, wha_n_ ye stonde at table,
Off mayster or soverayne whe_ther_ yt be,
Applye you for to be servysable
That no defawte in you fownden be; 116
loke who dothe best, & hym folow ye,
& in especyall[e] vse ye attendavnce
wheryn ye shall[e] yo_u_r selfe best avaunce.