[21]
And yit in Aventure ye, if the caase require,
Ye most speke as hit may doo percace;
[Sidenote 1: MS. precace.]
Seuen condic_i_ons obserue as ye shall hire, 143
Avise you well what ye sey and in what place,
Of whom, and to whom, in your_e_ mynde compace;
Howe ye shall speke, and whan, taketh good hede,
This couns_e_illeth the wyse man wyth-outen drede.
[22]
A wayte, my childe, ye haue you manerly,
Whan at your_e_ mete ye sittyn at your_e_ table;
In euery pres, in euery company, 150
Disposeth you to be so componable,
That men may you reporte for comendable;
For tristeth well, vppon your_e_ bering
Men woll you blame or yeven you preysing. 154
[23]
And printeth chiefly in your_e_ memorie, For A principalle poynt of
feire norture, Ye depraue no man absent especially; 157 Seint Austyn
Amonishith wyth besy cure, Howe at the table men shull them assure, That
there escapeth them no suche langage, As myght turne other folke to
disparage. 161 */
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text.]
¶ And yet i_n_ aduenture, yf _th_e caas requyre,
ye may speke, but ye must p_er_caas
Seven[1] co_n_dyc_i_ons obs_er_ve, as ye may here:
[Sidenote: Six they are at p. 358, _Babees Book_, of the Wise Man.]
Avyce ye well[e] what ye say, & i_n_ what place, 144
Off whom, & to whom, i_n_ yo_u_r mynd co_m_pace;
how ye shall[e] speke, & wha_n_, take good hede:
_th_is cow[n]syled _th_e wyse ma_n_ w_i_t_h_owten drede.
¶ A-wayte, my chyld, ye behaue you man_er_ly 148
wha_n_ at yo_u_r mete ye sytte at the table;
In eu_er_y prees & In en_er_y cu_m_pany
Dyspose you to be so cu_m_penable
_th_at me_n_ may of you reporte for co_m_me_n_dable; 152
ffor, trustyth well[e], vpon yo_u_r beryng
Men will[e] you blame or gyve p_ra_ysyng.
¶ And prynte ye truly _th_is in yo_u_r memorye
for a pryncypall[e] poynt of fayer noretvre, 156
_th_at ye deprave no ma_n_ absente specyally.
Saynt Austyne amonessheth w_i_t_h_ besy cure,
howe me_n_ att table shulde the_m_ assure
_tha_t _ther_ escape the_m_ no suche langage 160
As myght hurte or bryng folke to disparage.