[36]
Be ware, my child, of laughing ou_er_ mesure,
Ye shall not Also at the borde your_e_ naylis pare,
Ne pike not your_e_ teth wyth your_e_ knyff, I you ensure,
Ete at your_e_ messe, and odir folkes spare; 249
A glottou_n_ can but make dissches bare,
And of Inough he taketh neu_er_ hede,
He fedith for lust more than[1] he doth for nede.
[Sidenote 1: MS. that.]
[37]
And whan the borde is then [as] of s_er_uice, 253
Not replenyshide wyth gret diuercite,
Of mete and drincke good chere may than suffice,
Hit is A signe of gret humanite, 256
Wyth gladsom chere than fulsom for to be;
The poet seyth howe that the poure borde
Men may encrese wyth cherefull wille and worde.
[38]
And o thing, my childe, I warne you vndirstonde,
Specially for your_e_ owne honeste,
In the water wasschith so clene your_e_ hande, 262
That your_e_ towell neuer ensoyled be
So foule that hit be lothely vnto se;
Wasschith wyth watir_e_ till your_e_ handis be clene,
And in your_e_ clothe ther shall no spotte be sene.
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
¶ Beware, my chyld, of laughynge ou_er_ mesure;
Ne at _th_e borde ye shall[e] no nayles pare,
Ne pyke yo_u_r teth w_i_t__h knyf, I you ensure. 248
Ete at yo_u_r messe, & other_e_ folk_i_s spare;
A gloton ca_n_ but make _th_e bonys bare,
& of ynowgh he takyth never_e_ hede,
he ffedyth more for lust than for nede. 252
¶ And wha_n_ _th_e borde ys thyn as of s_er_vyce,
Nowght replenysshed w_i_t_h_ gret dyversite
of mete & drynke, gud chere may tha_n_ suffice,
w_i_t_h_ honest talkyng; & also owght ye 256
w_i_t_h_ gladsu_m_ chere the_n_ fulsome for to be:
The poete seyth how _tha_t 'a powre borde
Me_n_ may enryche w_i_t_h_ cherfull[e] will[e] & worde.' 259
¶ And on thyng, my child, ye vnderstond,
In especyall[e] for yo_u_r own honeste:
In _th_e wat_er_ wasshe so clene yo_u_r hond
_tha_t yo_u_r towell[e] never ensoyled be
So fowle _tha_t yt be lothsome on to see; 264
wasshe w_i_t_h_ wat_er_ yo_u_r hond_is_ so clene
_tha_t in _th_e towell[e] shall[e] no spote be sene.