or hit to powd{er} ye bete,
and þ{a}t hit be hard / w{i}t{h}-owt worme /
bytyng{e}, & good hete;
For good gyng{er} colombyne / is best to drynke and ete;
Gyng{er} valadyne & maydelyñ ar not so holsom in mete. 132
[Sidenote: your sticks of Cinnamon thin, hot and sweet; Canel is
not so good. Cinnamon is hot and dry, Cardamons are hot and
moist.]
looke þat yo{ur} stikk{es} of synamome be thyñ,
bretill{e}, & fayr{e} in colewr{e},
and in your{e} mowth{e}, Fresch{e}, hoot, & swete /
þat is best & sure,
For canell{e} is not so good in þis crafte & cur{e}.
Synamome is hoot & dry in h{i}s worchyng{e}
while he will{e} dur{e}. 136
[Sidenote: Take sugar or sugar candy, red wine,]
Graynes of p{ar}adise,[35] hoote & moyst þey be:
Sugre of .iij. cute[36] / white /
hoot & moyst in his p{ro}purte;
Sugr{e} Candy is best of all{e}, as y telle the,
and red wyne is whote & drye to tast, fele, & see, 140
[Sidenote: graines, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, spice, and
turnesole, and put each powder in a bladder by itself.]
Graynes[35] / gyng{er}, long{e} pepur, & sugr{e} /
hoot & moyst in worchyng{e};[37]
Synamome / Canelle[38] / red wyne /
hoot & drye in þeir{e} doyng{e};
Turnesole[39] is good & holsom for red wyne colowryng{e}:
all{e} þese ingredyent{es}, þey ar for ypocras makyng{e}. 144
[Sidenote: Hang your straining-bags so that they mayn’t
touch,--first bag a gallon, others a pottle.]
Good soñ, your{e} powdurs so made,
vche by þam self in bledd{ur} laid,
hang{e} sur{e} your{e} p{er}che & bagges
þ{a}t þey from yow not brayd,
& þat no bagge touche oþ{er} / do as y haue yow said{e};
þe furst bag a galou{n} / all{e} oþ{er} of a potell{e},
vchoñ by oþ{er} teied. 148
[Sidenote: Put the powders in two or three gallons of red wine;
then into the runner, the second bag,]
Furst put in a basou{n} a galou{n}
ij. or iij. wyne so red; [Fol. 173.]
þeñ put in your{e} powdurs, yf ye will{e} be sped,
and aftyr in-to þe renner{e} so lett hym be fed,
þañ in-to þe second bagge so wold it be ledde. 152
[Sidenote: (tasting and trying it now and then), and the third
vessel.]
loke þ{o}u take a pece in þyne hand eu{er}mor{e} among{e},
and assay it in þy mouth{e} if hit be any thyng{e} strong{e},
and if þow fele it welle boþe w{i}t{h} mouth{e} & tong{e},
þañ put it in þe iij. vessell{e} / & tary not to long{e}. 156
[Sidenote: If it’s not right, add cinnamon, ginger, or sugar, as
wanted.]
And þañ ȝiff þ{o}u feele it be not made p{ar}fete,
þat it cast to moche gyng{er}, with synamome alay þ{a}t hete;
and if hit haue synamome to moche,
w{i}t{h} gyng{er} of iij. cute;
þañ if to moche sigur{e} þ{er} be /
by discressiou{n} ye may wete. 160
[Sidenote: If it’s not right, add cinnamon, ginger, or sugar, as
wanted. Mind you keep tasting it. Strain it through bags of fine
cloth,]
Thus, son, shaltow make p{ar}fite ypocras, as y the say;
but w{i}t{h} þy mowth{e} to prove hit, /
be þow tastyng{e} all{e}-way;
let hit renne in iiij. or vj bagg{es}[40];
gete þem, if þow may,
of bultell{e} cloth{e}[41], if þy bagg{es} be þe fyner{e}
w{i}t{h}-owteñ nay. 164
[Sidenote: hooped at the mouth, the first holding a gallon, the
others a pottle,]
Good soñ loke þy bagg{es} be hoopid at þe mothe a-bove,
þe surer{e} mayst þow put in þy wyne vn-to þy behoue,
þe furst bag of a galou{n} /
all{e} oþ{er} of a potell{e} to prove;
hang{e} þy bagg{es} sur{e} by þe hoopis; do so for my loue; 168
[Sidenote: and each with a basin under it. The Ypocras is made.
Use the dregs in the kitchen.]
And vndur eu{er}y bagge, good soñ, a basou{n} cler{e} & bryght;
and now is þe ypocras made / for to plese many a wight.
þe draff of þe spicery / is good for Sewes in kychyn diȝt;
and ȝiff þow cast hit awey, þow dost þy mastir no riȝt. 172
[Sidenote: Put the Ypocras in a tight clean vessel, and serve it
with wafers.]
++Now, good son, þyne ypocras is made p{ar}fite & well{e};
y wold þan ye put it in staunche & a clene vessell{e},
and þe mouth{e} þ{er}-off y-stopped eu{er} more wisely & fell{e},
and s{er}ue hit forth w{i}t{h} wafurs boþe in chambur & Cell{e}. 176
[Headnote: THE BOTERY.]
[Sidenote: _The Buttery._]
++The botery.
[Sidenote: Keep all cups, &c., clean. Don’t serve ale till it’s
five days old.]
++Thy cuppes / þy pott{es}, þ{o}u se be clene
boþe w{i}t{h}-in & owt;
[T]hyne ale .v. dayes old er þow s{er}ue it abowt,
for ale þat is newe is wastable w{i}t{h}-owteñ dowt:
And looke þat all{e} þyng{e} be pure & clene þat ye go abowt. 180
[Sidenote: Be civil and obliging, and give no one stale drink.]
Be fayr{e} of answer{e} / redy to s{er}ue /
and also gentell{e} of cher{e},
and þañ meñ will{e} sey
‘þer{e} goth{e} a gentill{e} officer{e}.’
be war{e} þat ye geue no p{er}sone palled[42] drynke,
for feer{e}
hit myȝt bryng{e} many a man in dissese /
duryng{e} many a ȝer{e}. 184
[Headnote: HOW TO LAY THE CLOTH AND WRAP UP BREAD.]
[Sidenote: _To lay the cloth_, &c. Wipe the table. Put a cloth
on it (a cowche); you take one end, your mate the other;]
++Son, hit is tyme of þe day /
þe table wold be layde. [Fol. 173b.]
Furst wipe þe table w{i}t{h} a cloth{e}
or þ{a}t hit be splayd,
þañ lay a cloth{e} oñ þe table /
a cowche[43] it is called & said:
take þy felow ooñ ende þ{er}of /
& þ{o}u þat other{e} that brayde, 188
[Sidenote: lay the fold of the second cloth(?) on the outer edge
of the table, that of the third cloth(?) on the inner.]
Thañ draw streight þy cloth{e}, & ley þe bouȝt[44]
oñ þe vtt{ur} egge of þe table,
take þe vpper part / & let hyt hang{e} evyñ able:
þanñ take þe .iij. cloth{e}, & ley the bouȝt
oñ þe Inner side plesable,
and ley estate w{i}t{h} the vpper part,
þe brede of half fote is greable. 192
[Sidenote: Cover your cupboard with a diaper towel, put one round
your neck, one side on your left arm with your sovereign’s
napkin;]
Cover þy cuppeborde of thy ewery w{i}t{h}
the towell{e} of diapery;
take a towell{e} abowt thy nekke / for þat is curtesy,
lay þ{a}t ooñ side of þe towaile oñ þy lift arme manerly,
an oñ þe same arme ley þy sou{er}aignes napkyñ honestly; 196
[Sidenote: on that, eight loaves to eat, and three or four
trencher loaves: in your left the salt-cellar. In your right hand,
spoons and knives.]
þañ lay oñ þat arme viij. louys bred /
w{i}t{h} iij. or iiij. trencher{e} lovis;
Take þat oo ende of þy towaile /
in þy lift hand, as þe man{er} is,
and þe salt Seller{e} in þe same hand, looke þ{a}t ye do this;
þat oþ{er} ende of þe towaile /
in riȝt hand w{i}t{h} spones & knyffes y-wis; 200
[Sidenote: Put the Salt on the right of your lord; on its left,
a trencher or two; on their left, a knife, then white rolls,]
Set your{e} salt oñ þe right side /
wher{e} sitt{es} your{e} soverayne,
oñ þe lyfft Side of your{e} salt /
sett your{e} trencher oon & twayne,
oñ þe lifft side of yo{ur} tr{e}nchour{e} lay
your{e} knyffe syng{u}l{e}r & playñ;
[Textnote: [* a space in the MS.]]
and oñ þe ....[*] side of your{e} knyff{es} /
ooñ by oñ þe white payne; 204
[Sidenote: and beside them a spoon folded in a napkin. Cover
all up. At the other end set a Salt and two trenchers.]
your{e} spone vppoñ a napkyñ fayr{e} / ȝet foldeñ wold he be,
besides þe bred it wold be laid, soñ, y telle the:
Cover your spone / napkyñ, trencher, & knyff,
þ{a}t no mañ hem se.
at þe oþ{er} ende of þe table /
a salt w{i}t{h} ij. trenchers sett ye. 208
[Sidenote: _How to wrap up your lord’s bread in a stately way._
Cut your loaves all equal.]
[Textnote: [† ? MS.]]
+S+{ir},[†] ȝeff þow wilt wrappe þy sou{er}aynes bred stately,
Thow must square & p{ro}porciou{n} þy bred clene & evenly,
and þat no loof ne bunne be mor{e} þañ oþ{er} p{ro}porcionly,
and so shaltow make þy wrappe for þy mast{er} man{er}ly; 212
[Sidenote: Take a towel two and a half yards long by the ends,
fold up a handful from each end,]
þañ take a towaile of Raynes,[45] of ij. yard{es}
and half wold it be,
take þy towaile by the end{es} dowble /
and fair{e} oñ a table lay ye,
þañ take þe end of þ{a}t bought /
an handfull{e} in hande, now her{e} ye me:
wrap ye hard þat handfull{e} or mor{e} it is þe styffer,
y telle þe 216
[Sidenote: and in the middle of the folds lay eight loaves or
buns, bottom to bottom;]
Þañ ley betwene þe endes so wrapped, in myddes of þat towell{e},
viij loves or bonnes, botom to botom̅,
forsothe it will{e} do well{e},
and wheñ þe looff{es} ar betweñ,
þañ wrappe hit wisely & fell{e};
and for your{e} enformaciou{n}
mor{e} playnly y will{e} yow tell{e}, 220
[Sidenote: put a wrapper on the top, twist the ends of the towel
together, smooth your wrapper,]
ley it oñ þe vpper part of þe bred,
y telle yow honestly; [Fol. 174.]
take boþe endis of þe towell{e}, & draw þem straytly,
and wrythe an handfull{e} of þe towell{e}
next þe bred myghtily,
and se þat thy wrapper{e} be made strayt & evyñ styffely. 224
[Sidenote: and quickly open the end of it before your lord.]
wheñ he is so y-graithed,[46] as riȝt befor{e} y haue saide,
þeñ shall{e} ye opeñ hym thus / & do hit at a brayd,
opeñ þe last end of þy wrapper{e} befor{e} þi sou{er}ayne laid,
and your{e} bred sett in man{er} & forme:
þeñ it is honestly arayd. 228
[Sidenote: After your lord’s lay the other tables. Deck your
cupboard with plate, your washing-table with basins, &c.]
++Soñ, wheñ þy sou{er}eignes table is drest in þus array,
kou{er} all{e} oþ{er} bord{es} w{i}t{h} Salt{es};
trenchers & cuppes þ{er}oñ ye lay;
þan emp{er}iall{e} þy Cuppeborde /
w{i}t{h} Silu{er} & gild full{e} gay,
þy Ewry borde w{i}t{h} basons & lauo{ur},
wat{ur} hoot & cold, eche oþ{er} to alay. 232
[Sidenote: Have plenty of napkins, &c., and your pots clean.]
loke p{a}t ye haue napkyns, spones, & cuppis eu{er} y-nowe
to your sou{er}aynes table, your{e} honeste for to allowe,
also þat pott{es} for wyne & ale be as clene as þey mowe;
be eu{er}more war{e} of flies & mot{es},
y telle þe, for þy prowe. 236
[Headnote: HOW TO LAY THE SURNAPE AND TABLE.]
[Sidenote: Make the _Surnape_ with a cloth under a double napkin.]
++The surnape[47] ye shull{e} make w{i}t{h} lowly curtesye
with a cloth{e} vndir a dowble of riȝt feir{e} napry;
take thy towailes end{es} next yow w{i}t{h}-out vilanye,
and þe ende of þe cloth{e} oñ þe vttur side
of þe towell{e} bye; 240
[Sidenote: Fold the two ends of your towel, and one of the cloth,
a foot over, and lay it smooth for your lord to wash with.]
Thus all{e} iij. end{es} hold ye at onis, as ye well{e} may;
now fold ye all{e} ther{e} at oonys
þ{a}t a pliȝt passe not a fote brede all{e} way,
þañ lay hyt fayr{e} & evyñ þer{e} as ye cañ hit lay;
þus aft{ur} mete, ȝiff yowr{e} mastir will{e} wasch{e},
þat he may. 244
[Sidenote: The marshal must slip it along the table, and pull it
smooth.]
at þe riȝt ende of þe table ye must it owt gyde,
þe marchall{e} must hit convey along{e} þe table to glide;
So of all{e} iij clothes vppeward þe riȝt half þat tide,
and þat it be draw strayt & evyñ boþe in length{e} & side. 248
[Sidenote: Then raise the upper part of the towel, and lay it
even, so that the Sewer (arranger of dishes) may make a state.]
Then must ye draw & reyse / þe vpper p{ar}te of þe towell{e},
Ley it w{i}t{h}-out ruffelyng{e} streiȝt
to þat oþ{er} side, y þe telle;
þañ at eu{er}y end þ{er}of convay half a yarde or an elle,
þat þe sewer{e} may make[A] a state /
& plese h{i}s mastir well{e}. 252
[Text note A: _make_ is repeated in the MS.]
[Sidenote: When your lord has washed, take up the Surnape with
your two arms, and carry it back to the Ewery.]
whan þe state hath wasch{e}, þe surnap drawne playne,
þeñ must ye ber{e} forþe þe surnape befor{e} your{e} souerayne,
and so must ye take it vppe with{e} your{e} armes twayne,
and to þe Ewery bere hit your{e} silf agayne. 256
[Sidenote: Carry a towel round your neck. Uncover your bread; see
that all diners have knife, spoon, and napkin.]
a-bowt your{e} nekke a towell{e} ye ber{e},
so to s{er}ue your{e} lorde,
þañ to hym make curtesie, for so it will{e} accorde.
vnkeu{er} your{e} brede, & by þe salt
sette hit euyñ oñ þe borde;
looke þer{e} be knyfe & spone /
& napkyñ w{i}t{h}-outy[{n}] any worde. 260
[Sidenote: Bow when you leave your lord. Take eight loaves from
the bread-cloth, and put four at each end.]
Eu{er} whañ ye dep{ar}te from your{e} sou{er}aigne,
looke ye bowe yo{ur} knees; [Fol. 174b.]
to þe port-payne[48] forth{e} ye passe,
& þer{e} viij. loues ye leese:
Set at eiþur end of þe table .iiij. loofes at a mese,
þañ looke þat ye haue napkyñ &
spone eu{er}y p{er}sone to plese. 264
[Sidenote: Lay for as many persons as the Sewer has set potages
for, and have plenty of bread and drink.]
wayte well{e} to þe Sewer{e} how many potag{es} keuered he;
keu{er} ye so many p{er}sonis for your{e} honeste.
þañ serve forth{e} your{e} table /
vche p{er}sone to his degre,
and þat þ{er} lak no bred / trenchour{e}, ale, & wyne /
eu{er}mor{e} ye se. 268
[Sidenote: Be lively and soft-spoken, clean and well dressed.
Don’t spit or put your fingers into cups.]
be glad of cher{e} / Curteise of kne / & soft of speche,
Fayr{e} hand{es}, clene nayles / honest arrayed, y the teche;
Coughe[*] not, ner spitte, nor to lowd ye reche,
ne put your{e} fyngurs in the cuppe /
moot{es} for to seche. 272
[Footnote *: Mark over _h_.]
[Sidenote: Stop all blaming and backbiting, and prevent
complaints.]
yet to all{e} þe lord{es} haue ye a sight /
for groggy{n}g{e} & atwytyng{e}[49]
of fellows þat be at þe mete, for þeir{e} bakbytyng{e};
Se þey be s{er}ued of bred, ale, & wyne,
for complaynyng{e},
and so shall{e} ye haue of all{e} meñ /
good loue & praysyng{e}. 276
[Headnote: SYMPLE CONDICIONS: HOW TO BEHAVE.]
[Sidenote: _General Directions for Behaviour._]
++Symple condicions.
[Sidenote: Don’t claw your back as if after a flea; or your head,
as if after a louse.]
++Symple Co{n}dicyons of a p{er}sone þ{a}t is not taught,
y will{e} ye eschew, for eu{er}mor{e} þey be nowght.
your{e} hed ne bak ye claw / a fleigh as þaugh{e} ye sought,
ne your{e} heer{e} ye stryke, ne pyke /
to prall{e}[50] for a flesch{e} mought.[51] 280
[Sidenote: See that your eyes are not blinking and watery. Don’t
pick your nose, or let it drop, or blow it too loud,]
Glowtyng{e}[52] ne twynkelyng{e} w{i}t{h} your{e} yȝe /
ne to heuy of cher{e},
watery / wynkyng{e} / ne droppyng{e} /
but of sight cler{e}.
pike not your{e} nose / ne þat hit be droppyng{e}
w{i}t{h} no peerlis cler{e},
Snyff nor snityng{e}[53] hyt to lowd /
lest your{e} sou{er}ayne hit her{e}. 284
[Sidenote: or twist your neck. Don’t claw your cods, rub your
hands,]
wrye not your{e} nek a doyle[54] as hit wer{e} a dawe;
put not your{e} hand{es} in your{e} hoseñ
your{e} codwar{e}[55] fer to clawe,
nor pikyng{e}, nor trifelyng{e} /
ne shrukkyng{e} as þauȝ ye wold sawe;
yo{ur} hond{es} frote ne rub /
brydelynge w{i}t{h} brest vppoñ yo{ur} crawe; 288
[Sidenote: pick your ears, retch, or spit too far. Don’t tell
lies,]
w{i}t{h} your{e} eris pike not / ner be ye slow of heryng{e};
areche / ne spitt to ferr{e} / ne haue lowd laughyng{e};
Speke not lowd / be war of mowyng{e}[56] & scornyng{e};
be no lier w{i}t{h} your{e} mouth{e} /
ne lykorous, ne dryvelyng{e}. 292
[Sidenote: or squirt with your mouth, gape, pout, or put your
tongue in a dish to pick dust out.]
w{i}t{h} your{e} mouthe ye vse nowþ{er} to squyrt, nor spowt;
be not gapyng{e} nor ganyng{e}, ne w{i}t{h} þy mouth to powt
lik not w{i}t{h} þy tong{e} in a disch, a mote to haue owt.
Be not rasche ne recheles, it is not worth a clowt. 296
[Sidenote: Don’t cough, hiccup, or belch, straddle your legs, or
scrub your body.]
w{i}t{h} your{e} brest / sigh{e}, nor cowgh{e} /
nor brethe, your{e} sou{er}ayne befor{e}; [Fol. 175.]
be yoxing{e},[57] ne bolkyng{e} /
ne gronyng{e}, neu{er} þe more;
w{i}t{h} your{e} feet trampelyng{e},
ne settyng{e} your{e} leggis a shor{e}[58];
w{i}t{h} your{e} body be not shrubbyng{e}[59];
Iettyng{e}[60] is no loor{e}. 300
[Sidenote: Don’t pick your teeth, cast stinking breath on your
lord, fire your stern guns, or expose your codware before your
master.]
Good soñ, þy teth{e} be not pikyng{e}, grisyng{e},[61]
ne gnastynge[62];
ne stynkyng{e} of breth{e} oñ your{e} sou{er}ayne castyng{e};
w{i}t{h} puffyng{e} ne blowyng{e},
nowþ{er} full{e} ne fastyng{e};
and all{e} wey be war{e} of þy hyndur part
from gu{n}nes blastyng{e}. 304
These Cuttid[63] galaunt{es} with their{e} codwar{e};
þat is añ vngoodly gise;--
Other tacches[64] as towchyng{e} /
y spar{e} not to mysp{ra}ue aft{ur} myne avise,--
wheñ he shall{e} s{er}ue his mastir,
befor{e} hym̅ oñ þe table hit lyes;
Eu{er}y sou{er}eyne of sadnes[65]
all{e} suche sort shall{e} dispise. 308
[Sidenote: Many other improprieties a good servant will avoid.’]
Many moo condicions a mañ myght fynde /
þañ now ar named her{e},
þ{er}for{e} Eu{er}y honest s{er}uand /
avoyd all{e} thoo, & worshipp{e} lat hym leer{e}.
Panter, yomañ of þe Celler{e}, butler{e}, & Ewer{e},
y will{e} þat ye obeye to þe marshall{e},
Sewer{e}, & kerver{e}.[66]’ 312
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE, AND TO LAY TRENCHERS.]
[Sidenote: ‘Sir, pray teach me how to carve, handle a knife, and
cut up birds, fish, and flesh.’]
“++Good syr, y yow pray þe connyng{e}[A]
of kervyng{e} ye will{e} me teche,
and þe fayr{e} handlyng{e} of a knyfe, y yow beseche,
and all{e} wey wher{e} y shall{e} all{e} man{er} fowles /
breke, vnlace, or seche,[67]
and w{i}t{h} Fysch{e} or flesch{e},
how shall{e} y demene me w{i}t{h} eche.” 316
[Text note: MS. comynge.]
[Sidenote: ‘Hold your knife tight, with two fingers and a thumb,]
++“Soñ, thy knyfe must be bryght, fayr{e}, & clene,
and þyne hand{es} fair{e} wasch{e}, it wold þe well{e} be sene.
hold alwey thy knyfe sur{e}, þy self not to tene,
and passe not ij. fyngurs & a thombe oñ thy knyfe so kene; 320
[Sidenote: in your midpalm. Do your carving, lay your bread, and
take off trenchers, with two fingers and thumb.]
In mydde wey of thyne hande set the ende of þe haft Sur{e},
Vnlasyng{e} & mynsyng{e} .ij. fyngur{s} w{i}t{h} þe thombe /
þ{a}t may ye endur{e}.
kervyng{e} / of bred leiyng{e} / voydyng{e} /
of cromes & trenchewr{e},
w{i}t{h} ij. fyngurs and a thombe / loke ye haue þe Cure. 324
[Sidenote: Never touch others’ food with your right hand, but only
with the left.]
Sett neu{er} oñ fysch{e} nor flesch{e} / beest /
nor fowle, trewly,
Moor{e} þañ ij. fyngurs and a thombe, for þat is curtesie.
Touche neu{er} w{i}t{h} your{e} right hande
no man{er} mete surely,
but w{i}t{h} your lyft hande / as y seid afor{e},
for þ{a}t is goodlye. 328
[Sidenote: Don’t dirty your table or wipe your knives on it.]
All{e}-wey w{i}t{h} your{e} lift hand
hold yo{ur} loof w{i}t{h} myght, [Fol. 175b.]
and hold your{e} knyfe Sur{e}, as y haue geue yow sight.
enbrewe[68] not your{e} table / for þañ ye do not ryght,
ne þ{er}-vppoñ ye wipe your{e} knyff{es},
but oñ your{e} napkyñ plight. 332
[Sidenote: Take a loaf of trenchers, and with the edge of your
knife raise a trencher, and lay it before your lord;]
Furst take a loofe of trenchurs in þy lifft hande,
þañ take þy table knyfe,[69] as y haue seid afor{e} hande;
w{i}t{h} the egge of þe knyfe
your{e} trencher{e} vp be ye reysande
as nyghe þe poynt as ye may,
to-for{e} your{e} lord hit leyande; 336
[Sidenote: lay four trenchers four-square, and another on the top.
Take a loaf of light bread,]
right so .iiij. trenchers ooñ by a-nothur
.iiij. squar{e} ye sett,
and vppoñ þo trenchurs .iiij. a trenchur
sengle w{i}t{h}-out lett;
þañ take your{e} loof of light payne / as y haue said ȝett,
and w{i}t{h} the egge of þe knyfe nygh{e} your hand ye kett. 340
[Sidenote: pare the edges, cut the upper crust for your lord,]
Furst par{e} þe quarters of the looff round all{e} a-bowt,
þañ kutt þe vpper crust /
for your{e} sou{er}ayne, & to hym alowt.
Suffer{e} your{e} parell{e}[70] to stond still{e}
to þe botom / & so nyȝe y-spend owt,
so ley hym of þe cromes[A] a quarter of þe looff
Sauncȝ dowt; 344
[Text note: MS. _may be_ coomes.]
[Sidenote: and don’t touch it after it’s trimmed. Keep your table
clean.]
Touche neu{er} þe loof aft{ur} he is so tamed,
put it, [on] a plater{e} or þe almes disch þ{er}-for{e} named.
Make clene your{e} bord eu{er}, þañ shall{e} ye not be blamed,
þañ may þe sewer{e} his lord s{er}ue /
& neyth{ur} of yow be gramed[71] 348
[Headnote: FUMOSITEES.]
[Sidenote: _Indigestibilities._]
Fumositees.
[Sidenote: You must know what meat is indigestible, and what
sauces are wholesome.]
++Of all{e} man{er} met{es} ye must thus know & fele
þe fumositees of fysch, flesch{e},
& fowles dyu{er}s & feele,
And all{e} man{er} of Sawc{es} for fisch{e}
& flesch{e} to p{re}serue yo{ur} lord in heele;
to yow it behouyth to knew all{e} þese eu{er}y deele.” 352
++“Syr, hertyly y pray yow for to telle me Certenle
of how many met{es} þat ar fumose in þeir{e} degre.”
[Sidenote: These things are indigestible:]
++“In certeyñ, my soñ, þat sone shall{e} y shew the
by letturs dyu{er}s told{e} by thries thre, 356
[Sidenote: Fat and Fried, Raw and Resty, Salt and Sour,]
+F, R,+ and +S+ / in dyu{er}se tyme and tyde
+F+ is þe furst / þat is, ++Fatt, ++Farsed, & ++Fried;
+R+, ++raw / ++resty, and ++rechy, ar combero{us} vndefied;
+S+ / ++salt / ++sowre / and ++sowse[72] /
all{e} suche þow set a-side, 360
[Sidenote: also sinews, skin, hair, feathers, crops, heads,
pinions, &c., legs, outsides of thighs, skins;]
w{i}t{h} other of the same sort, and lo thus ar thay,
Senowis, skynnes / heer{e} / Cropyns[73] /
yong{e} fedurs for certeñ y say,
heedis / py{n}nyns, boonis / all{e} þese pyke away,
Suffir neu{er} þy sou{er}ayne / to fele þem, y the pray / 364
[Sidenote: these destroy your lord’s rest.’]
All{e} man{er} leggis also, bothe of fowle and beestis,
the vttur side of the thygh{e} or legge
of all{e} fowlis in feest{is},
the fumosite of all{e} man{er} skynnes
y p{ro}mytt þe{e} by heestis,
all{e} þese may benym[74] þy sou{er}ayne /
from many nyght{is} rest{is}.” 368
[Headnote: KERUYNG OF FLESH.]
[Sidenote: ‘Thanks, father, I’ll put your teaching into practice,
and pray for you.]
++“Now fayr{e} befall{e} yow fadur / & well{e} must ye cheve,[75]
For these poyntes by practik y hope full{e} well{e} to p{re}ve,
and yet shall{e} y p{ra}y for yow / dayly while þat y leue /
bothe for body and sowle / þat god yow gyde from greve; 372
[Sidenote: But please tell me how to carve fish and flesh.’]
Prayng{e} yow to take it, fadur / for no displesur{e},
yf y durst desir{e} mor{e} / and þat y myght{e} be sur{e}
to know þe kervyng{e} of fisch{e} & flesch{e} /
aftur cock{es} cur{e}:
y hed leu{er} þe sight of that /
thañ A Scarlet hur{e}.”[76] 376
[Sidenote: _Carving of Meat._]
Kervyng of flesh:
[Sidenote: Cut _brawn_ on the dish, and lift slices off with your
knife;]
++“Son, take þy knyfe as y taught þe while er{e},
kut bravne in þe disch{e} riȝt as hit lieth{e} ther{e},
and to þy sou{er}eynes trenchour{e} / w{i}t{h} þe knyfe /
ye h{i}t ber{e}:
pare þe fatt þ{er}-from / be war{e} of hide & heer{e}. 380
[Sidenote: serve it with mustard. Venison with furmity.]
Thañ whan ye haue it so y-leid / oñ þy lord{es} trenchour{e},
looke ye haue good mustarde þ{er}-to and good licour{e};
Fatt venesou{n} w{i}t{h} frumenty / hit is a gay plesewr{e}
your{e} sou{er}ayne to s{er}ue with in sesou{n}
to his honowr{e}: 384
[Sidenote: Touch _Venison_ only with your knife, pare it, cross it
with 12 scores,]
Towche not þe venisou{n} w{i}t{h} no bare hand
but with{e} þy knyfe; þis wise shall{e} ye be doand{e},
with{e} þe fore part of þe knyfe looke ye be hit parand,
xij. draught{es} w{i}t{h} þe egge
of þe knyfe þe venison crossand{e}. 388
[Sidenote: cut a piece out, and put it in the furmity soup.]
Thañ whañ ye þat venesou{n} so haue chekkid hit, [Fol. 176b.]
with þe fore p{ar}te of your{e} knyfe /
þ{a}t ye hit owt kytt,
In þe frume{n}ty potage honestly ye co{n}vey hit,
in þe same forme w{i}t{h} pesyñ & bakeñ
whañ sesou{n} þ{er}-to doth{e} sitt. 392
[Sidenote: Touch with your left hand, pare it clean, put away the
sinews, &c.]
With{e} your{e} lift hand touche beeff / Chyne[77] /
motou{n}, as is a-for{e} said,
& pare hit clene or þ{a}t ye kerve /
or hit to yo{ur} lord be layd;
and as it is showed afor{e} / bewar{e} of vpbrayd{e};
all{e} fumosite, salt / senow /
Raw / a-side be hit convayd{e}. 396
[Sidenote: _Partridges_, &c.: take up by the pinion, and mince
them small in the sirrup.]
In siripp{e} / p{ar}trich{e} / stokdove /
& chekyns, in s{er}uyng{e},
w{i}t{h} yo{ur} lifft hand take þem
by þe pynoñ of þe whyng{e},
& þat same w{i}t{h} þe fore p{ar}te
of þe knyfe be ye vp reryng{e},
Mynse hem small{e} in þe sirupp{e}:
of fumosite algate be ye feeryng{e}. 400
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE LARGE ROAST BIRDS, SWAN, CAPON, &C.]
[Sidenote: Larger roast birds, as the _Osprey_, &c., raise up [?
cut off] the legs, then the wings,]
Good soñ, of all{e} fowles rosted y tell{e} yow as y Cañ,
Every goos / teele / Mallard / Ospray / & also swanne,
reyse vp þo leggis of all{e} þese furst, y sey the thañ,
afft{ur} þat, þe whyng{es} large & rownd /
þañ dar{e} blame þe no man; 404
[Sidenote: lay the body in the middle, with the wings and legs
round it, in the same dish.]
Lay the body in mydd{es} of þe disch{e} /
or in a-nod{ur} charger{e},
of vche of þese w{i}t{h} whyng{es} in mydd{es},
þe legg{es} so aftir ther{e}.
of all{e} þese in .vj. lees[78] /
if þat ye[A] will{e}, ye may vppe arer{e},
& ley þem̅ betwene þe legg{es},
& þe whyng{es} in þe same plater{e}. 408
[Text note: _MS. may be_ yo.]
[Sidenote: _Capons:_ take off the wings and legs; pour on ale or
wine, mince them into the flavoured sauce.]
Capoñ, & hen of hawt grees[79], þus wold þey be dight:--
Furst, vn-lace þe whynges, þe legg{es} þan in sight,
Cast ale or wyne oñ þem̅, as þ{er}-to belo{n}geth of ryght,
& mynse þem̅ þañ in to þe sawce w{i}t{h} powdurs kene of myght. 412
[Sidenote: Give your lord the left wing, and if he want it, the
right one too.]
Take capou{n} or heñ so enlased, & devide;
take þe lift whynge; in þe sawce mynce hit eueñ beside,
and yf your{e} sou{er}ayne ete sau{er}ly /
& haue þ{er}to appetide,
þañ mynce þat oþur whyng{e} þ{er}-to
to satisfye hym̅ þ{a}t tyde. 416
[Sidenote: _Pheasants_, &c.: take off the wings, put them in the
dish, then the legs.]
Feysaunt, p{ar}trich{e}, plou{er}, & lapewynk, y yow say,
areyse[80] þe whyng{es} furst / do as y yow pray;
In þe disch{e} forth{e}-with{e}, boþe þat ye ham lay,
þañ aftur þat / þe leggus / w{i}t{h}out lengur delay. 420
[Sidenote: _Woodcocks_, Heronshaws, Brew, &c. break the pinions,
neck, and beak.]
wodcok / Betowr{e}[81] / Egret[82] / Snyte[83] / and Curlew,
heyrou{n}sew[84] / resteratiff þey ar /
& so is the brewe;[85]
þese .vij. fowles / must be vnlaced, y tell{e} yow trew,
breke þe pynons / nek, & beek, þus ye must þem shew. 424
[Sidenote: Cut off the legs, then the wings, lay the body between
them.]
Thus ye must þem vnlace / & in thus manere: [Fol. 177.]
areyse þe leggis / suffir{e} þeir{e} feete still{e}
to be oñ ther{e},
þañ þe whyng{es} in þe disch{e} / ye may not þem forber{e},
þe body þañ in þe middes laid / like as y yow leer{e}. 428
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE THE CRANE, FAWN, VENISON, &C.]
[Sidenote: _Crane_: take off the wings, but not the trompe in his
breast.]
The Crane is a fowle / þat strong{e} is w{i}t{h} to far{e};
þe whyng{es} ye areyse / full{e} large evyñ thar{e};
of hyr{e} trompe[86] in þe brest / loke þ{a}t ye bewar{e}.
towche not hir trompe / eu{er}mor{e} þat ye spar{e}. 432
[Sidenote: _Peacocks_, &c.: carve like you do the Crane, keeping
their feet on.]
Pecok / Stork / Bustarde / & Shovellewr{e},
ye must vnlace þem in þe plite[87] / of þe crane prest & pur{e},
so þ{a}t vche of þem̅ haue þeyre feete aft{ur} my cur{e},
and eu{er} of a sharpe knyff wayte þat ye be sur{e}. 436
[Sidenote: _Quails_, larks, pigeons: give your lord the legs
first.]
Of quayle / sparow / larke / & litell{e} / m{er}tinet,
pygeou{n} / swalow / thrusch{e} / osull{e} / ye not forgete,
þe legges to ley to yo{ur} sou{er}eyne ye ne lett,
and afturward þe whyngus if his lust be to ete. 440
[Sidenote: _Fawn_: serve the kidney first, then a rib. Pick the
fyxfax out of the neck.]
Off Foweñ / kid / lambe, / þe kydney furst it lay,
Þañ lifft vp the shuldur, do as y yow say,
Ȝiff he will{e} þ{er}of ete / a rybbe to hym̅ convay;
but in þe nek þe fyxfax[88] þat þow do away. 444
venesou{n} rost / in þe disch{e} if your{e} sou{er}ayne hit chese,
[Sidenote: _Pig_: 1. shoulder, 2. rib. _Rabbit_: lay him on his
back; pare off his skin;]
þe shuldir of a pigge furst /
þañ a rybbe, yf hit will{e} hym plese;
þe cony, ley hym oñ þe bak in þe disch, if he haue grece,
while ye par awey þe skyñ oñ vche side /
& þañ breke hym̅ or y[e] sece 448
[Sidenote: break his haunch bone, cut him down each side of the
back, lay him on his belly, separate the sides from the chine, put
them together again,]
betwene þe hyndur legg{is} breke þe canell{e} booñ,[89]
þañ w{i}t{h} your{e} knyfe areyse
þe sides along{e} þe chyne Alone;
so lay yo{ur} cony wombelong{e} vche side to þe chyne /
by craft as y co{n}ne,
betwene þe bulke, chyne, þe sid{es}
to-gedur{e} lat þem be dooñ; 452
[Sidenote: cutting out the nape of the neck; give your lord the
sides.]
The .ij. sides dep{ar}te from þe chyne, þus is my loor{e},
þen ley bulke, chyne, & sides, to-gedir{e} /
as þey wer{e} yor{e}.
Furst kit owte þe nape in þe nek / þe shuldurs befor{e};
w{i}t{h} þe sides serve your{e} sou{er}anyne /
hit state to restor{e}. 456
[Sidenote: Sucking rabbits: cut in two, then the hind part in two;
pare the skin off, serve the daintiest bit from the side.]
Rabett{es} sowkers,[90] þe furþ{er} p{ar}te
from þe hyndur, ye devide;
þañ þe hyndur part at tweyñ ye kut þat tyde,
par{e} þe skyñ away / & let it not þer{e} abide,
þañ s{er}ue your{e} sou{er}ayne of þe same /
þe deynteist of þe side. 460
[Sidenote: Such is the way of carving gross meats.]
++The man{er} & forme of kervyng{e} of met{es}
þat byñ groos, [Fol. 177b.]
afftur my symplenes y haue shewed, as y suppose:
yet, good soñ, amonge oþ{er} estat{es} eu{er} as þow goose,
as ye se / and by vse of your{e} self / ye may gete yow loos. 464
[Sidenote: Cut each piece into four slices (?) for your master to
dip in his sauce.]
But furþ{er}mor{e} enforme yow y must in metis kervyng{e};
Mynse ye must iiij lees[91] / to ooñ morsell{e} hangyng{e},
þat your{e} mastir may take w{i}t{h}
.ij. fyngurs in his sawce dippyng{e},
and so no napkyñ / brest, ne borcloth{e}[92],
in any wise enbrowyng{e}. 468
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE LARGE AND SMALL BIRDS.]
[Sidenote: Of large birds’ wings, put only three bits at once in
the sauce.]
Of gret fowle / in to þe sawce mynse þe whyng{e} this wise;
pas not .iij. morcell{es} in þe sawc{e} at onis, as y yow avise;
To your{e} sou{er}ayne þe gret fowles legge ley, as is þe gise,
and þus mowe ye neu{er} mysse of all{e} co{n}nyng{e} s{er}uise. 472
[Sidenote: Of small birds’ wings, scrape the flesh to the end of
the bone, and put it on your lord’s trencher.]
Of all{e} man{er} smale brydd{is},
þe whyng{is} oñ þe trencher leying{e},
w{i}t{h} þe poynt of your{e} knyfe /
þe flesch{e} to þe booñ end ye bryng{e},
and so co{n}veye hit oñ þe trencher{e},
þ{a}t wise yo{ur} sou{er}ayne plesyng{e},
and w{i}t{h} fair{e} salt & trenchour{e} /
hym̅ also oft renewyng{e}. 476
[Sidenote: _How to carve Baked Meats._]
Bake metes.[93]
[Sidenote: Open hot ones at the top of the crust, cold ones in the
middle.]
Almaner{e} bakemet{es} þat byñ good and hoot,
Opeñ hem aboue þe brym of þe coffyñ[94] cote,
and all{e} þat byñ cold / & lusteth your{e} sou{er}eyñ to note,
alwey in þe mydway opeñ hem ye mote. 480
[Sidenote: Take Teal, &c., out of their pie, and mince their
wings,]
Of capoñ, chikeñ, or teele, in coffyñ bake,
Owt of þe pye furst þat ye hem take,
In a dische besyde / þat ye þe whyngus slake,
thynk[95] y-mynsed in to þe same
w{i}t{h} yo{ur} knyfe ye slake, 484
[Sidenote: stir the gravy in; your lord may eat it with a spoon.]
And ster{e} well{e} þe stuff þ{er}-in
w{i}t{h} þe poynt of yo{ur} knyfe;
Mynse ye thynne þe whyng{is}, be it in to veele or byffe;
w{i}t{h} a spone lightely to ete
yo{ur} sou{er}ayne may be leeff,
So w{i}t{h} suche diet as is holsom
he may length{e} his life. 488
[Sidenote: Cut Venison, &c., in the pasty. Custard: cut in squares
with a knife.]
++Venesou{n} bake, of boor or othur venur{e}, [Fol. 178.]
Kut it in þe pastey, & ley hit oñ his trenchur{e}.
Pygeoñ bake, þe legg{is} leid to your{e} lord sur{e},
Custard,[96] chekkid buche,[97]
squar{e} w{i}t{h} þe knyfe; þ{us} is þe cur{e} 492
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE DOWCETES AND PAYNE PUFF.]
[Sidenote: Dowcets: pare away the sides; serve in a sawcer.]
Þañ þe sou{er}ayne, w{i}t{h} his spone
whañ he lusteth{e} to ete.
of dowcet{es},[98] par{e} awey the sid{es}
to þe botom̅, & þ{a}t ye lete,
In a sawcer{e} afor{e} your{e} sou{er}ayne
semely ye hit sett
whañ hym̅ liketh{e} to atast: looke ye not forgete. 496
[Sidenote: Payne-puff: pare the bottom, cut off the top. Fried
things are indigestible.]
Payne Puff,[99] par{e} þe botom nyȝe þe stuff, take hede,
Kut of þe toppe of a payne puff, do thus as y rede;
[Textnote: (? p{ar}neys)]
Also pety p{er}ueys[100] be fayr{e} and clene /
so god be your{e} spede.
off Fryed met{es}[101] be war{e}, for þey ar Fumose in dede. 500
Fried metes.
[Sidenote: Poached-egg (?) fritters are best. Tansey is good hot.
Don’t eat Leessez.]
++O Frutur{e} viant[102] / Frutur sawge,[102] byñ good /
bett{ur} is Frut{ur} powche;[102]
Appull{e} frutur{e}[103] / is good hoot /
but þe cold ye not towche.
Tansey[104] is good hoot / els cast it not in your{e} clowche.
all{e} man{er} of leesseȝ[105] / ye may forber{e} /
herber{e} in yow none sowche. 504
_Len-voy_
[Sidenote: Cooks are always inventing new dishes that tempt people
and endanger their lives:]
{ Cook{es} w{i}t{h} þeir{e} newe co{n}ceyt{es},
choppyng{e} / stampyng{e}, & gryndyng{e},
{ Many new curies / all{e} day
þey ar co{n}tryvyng{e} & Fyndyng{e}
{ þ{a}t p{ro}voketh{e} þe peple to p{er}ell{es} of passage /
þrouȝ peyne soor{e} pyndyng{e},
{ & þrouȝ nice excesse of suche receyt{es} /
of þe life to make a endyng{e}. 508
[Sidenote: Syrups Comedies, Jellies, that stop the bowels.]
{ Some w{i}t{h} Sireppis[106] / Sawces /
Sewes,[107] and soppes,[108]
{ Comedies / Cawdell{es}[109] cast in Cawdrons /
ponnes, or pottes,
{ leesses / Ielies[110] / Fruturs / fried mete þat stoppes
{ and distempereth{e} all{e} þe body, bothe bak,
bely, & roppes:[111] 512
[Sidenote: Some dishes are prepared with unclarified honey.
Cow-heels and Calves’ feet are sometimes mixed with unsugared
leches and Jellies.]
{ Some man{er} cury of Cooke{s} crafft Sotelly y haue espied,
{ how þeir{e} dischmet{es} ar dressid w{i}t{h} hony not claryfied.
{ Cow heelis / and Calves fete / ar der{e} y-bouȝt some tide
{ To medill{e} among{e} leeches[112] & Ielies /
whañ sug{er} shall{e} syt a-side. 516
[Headnote: POTAGES.]
Potages.[113]
[Sidenote: Furmity with venison, mortrewes,]
++Wortus w{i}t{h} an henne / Cony /
beef, or els añ haar{e}, [Fol. 178b.]
Frumenty[114] w{i}t{h} venesou{n} /
pesyñ w{i}t{h} bakoñ, long{e} wort{es} not spar{e};
Gr{ow}ell{e} of force[115] / Gravell{e} of beeff[116] /
or motou{n}, haue ye no car{e};
Gely, mortrows[117] / creyme of almond{es},
þe mylke[118] {þer}-of is good fare. 520
[Sidenote: jussell, &c., are good. Other out-of-the-way soups set
aside.]
Iussell{e}[119], tartlett[120], cabag{es}[121],
& nombles[122] of vennur{e},[A]
all{e} þese potages ar good and sur{e}
of oþ{er} sewes & potages þ{a}t ar not made by natur{e},
all{e} Suche siropis sett a side your{e} heer{e} to endur{e}. 524
[Text note: The long _r_ and curl for _e_ in the MS. look like
f, as if for vennuf.]
[Sidenote: Such is a flesh feast in the English way.]
++Now, soñ, y haue yow shewid somewhat of myne avise,
þe service of a flesch{e} feest folowyng{e} englondis gise;
Forgete ye not my loor{e} / but looke ye ber{e} good yȝes
vppoñ oþur co{n}nyng{e} kervers: now haue y told yow twise. 528
[Headnote: THE SAUCES FOR DIFFERENT DISHES.]
[Sidenote: Sauces.]
Diuerce Sawces.[123]
[Sidenote: Sauces provoke a fine appetite.]
++Also to know your{e} sawces for flesch{e} conveniently,
hit p{ro}vokith{e} a fyne apetide if sawce your{e} mete be bie;
to the lust of your{e} lord looke þ{a}t ye haue þer redy
suche sawce as hym liketh{e} / to make hym glad & mery. 532
[Sidenote: Have ready Mustard for brawn, &c., Verjuice for veal,
&c., Chawdon for cygnet and swan, Garlic, &c., for beef and
goose,]
Mustard[124] is meete for brawne /
beef, or powdred[125] motou{n};
verdius[126] to boyled capou{n} / veel / chikeñ /or bakoñ;
And to signet / & swañ, co{n}venyent is þe chawdoñ[127];
Roost beeff / & goos / w{i}t{h} garlek, vinegr{e},
or pepur,[[127a]] in co{n}clusiou{n}. 536
[Sidenote: Ginger for fawn, &c., Mustard and sugar for pheasant,
&c., Gamelyn for heronsew, &c., Sugar and Salt for brew, &c.,]
Gyng{er} sawce[128] to lambe, to kyd / pigge, or fawñ /
in fere;
to feysand, p{ar}trich{e}, or cony /
Mustard w{i}t{h} þe sugur{e};
Sawce gamelyñ[129] to heyroñ-sewe / egret / crane / & plover{e};
also / brewe[130] / Curlew / sugre & salt /
w{i}t{h} water{e} of þe ryver{e}; 540
[Sidenote: Gamelyn for bustard, &c., Salt and Cinnamon for
woodcock, thrushes, &c., and quails, &c.]
Also for bustard / betowr{e} / & shoveler{e},[131]
gamelyñ[132] is in sesou{n};
Wodcok / lapewynk / M{er}tenet / larke, & venysou{n},
Sparows / thrusches / all{e} þese .vij.
w{i}t{h} salt & synamome:
Quayles, sparowes, & snytes, whañ þeir{e} sesou{n} com,[133] 544
Thus to p{ro}voke a{n} appetide
þe Sawce hath{e} is op{er}aciou{n}.
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE HERRINGS AND SALT FISH.]
[Sidenote: _How to carve Fish._]
Kervyng of fische.[134]
[Sidenote: With pea soup or furmity serve a Beaver’s tail, salt
Porpoise, &c.]
++Now, good soñ, of kervyng{e} of fysch{e}
y wot y must þe leer{e}:
To pesoñ[135] or frumeñty take þe tayle of þe bever{e},[136]
or ȝiff ye haue salt purpose[137] / ȝele[138] /
torrentill{e}[139], deynteith{us} fulle der{e}, 548
ye must do aftur{e} þe forme of frumenty, as y said while er{e}.
[Sidenote: Split up Herrings, take out the roe and bones, eat with
mustard.]
Bakeñ heryng{e}, dressid & diȝt w{i}t{h} white sugur{e};
þe white heryng{e} by þe bak a brode ye splat hym̅ sur{e},
bothe rough{e} & boon{us} / voyded /
þeñ may your{e} lorde endur{e} 552
to ete merily w{i}t{h} mustard þ{a}t tyme to his plesur{e}.
[Sidenote: Take the skin off salt fish, Salmon, Ling, &c., and let
the sauce be mustard,]
Of all{e} man{er} salt fisch{e}, looke ye par{e} awey the felle,
Salt samou{n} / Congur[140], grone[141] fisch{e} /
boþe lyng{e}[142] & myllewelle[143],
& oñ your{e} sou{er}aynes trenche{ur} ley hit, as y yow telle. 556
þe sawce þ{er}-to, good mustard, alway accordeth{e} well{e}.
[Sidenote: but for Mackarel, &c., butter of Claynes or Hackney
(?)]
Saltfysch{e}, stokfisch{e}[144] / m{er}lyng{e}[145] /
makerell{e}, butt{ur} ye may
w{i}t{h} swete butt{ur} of Claynos[146] or els of hakenay,
þe boon{us}, skynnes / & fynnes, furst y-fette a-way, 560
þeñ sett your{e} dische þer{e}
as your{e} sou{er}ey{n} may tast & assay.
[Sidenote: Of Pike, the belly is best, with plenty of sauce.]
Pike[147], to your{e} sou{er}eyñ y wold þat it be layd,
þe wombe is best, as y haue herd it said{e},
Fysch{e} & skyñ to-gedir be hit convaied 564
w{i}t{h} pike sawce y-noughe þ{er}-to /
& h{i}t shall{e} not be denayd.
[Sidenote: Salt Lampreys, cut in seven gobbets, pick out the
backbones, serve with onions and galentine.]
The salt lamprey, gobeñ hit a slout[148]
.vij. pec{is} y assigne;
þañ pike owt þe boon{us} nyȝe þe bak spyne,
and ley hit oñ {your} lord{es} trencher{e}
wheþ{er} he sowpe or dyne, 568
& þat ye haue ssoddyñ ynons[149]
to meddill{e} w{i}t{h} galantyne.[150]
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE PLAICE AND OTHER FISH.]
[Sidenote: Plaice: cut off the fins, cross it with a knife, sauce
with wine, &c.]
Off playce,[151] looke ye put a-way þe wat{ur} clene,
afft{ur} þat þe fynnes also, þat þey be not sene;
Crosse hym þeñ w{i}t{h} yo{ur} knyffe þat is so kene; 572
wyne or ale / powd{er} þ{er}-to,
your{e} sou{er}ayñ well{e} to queme.
[Sidenote: Gurnard, Chub, Roach, Dace, Cod, &c., split up and
spread on the dish.]
Gurnard / roche[152] / breme / chevyñ / base /
melet / in her kervyng{e},
Perche / rooche[153] / darce[154] / Makerell{e}, & whityng{e},
Codde / haddok / by þe bak / splat þem̅ in þe disch{e} liyng{e}, 576
pike owt þe boon{us}, clense þe refett[155] in þe bely bydyng{e};
[Sidenote: Soles, Carp, &c., take off as served.]
Soolus[156] / Carpe / Breme de mer{e},[157] & trowt, [Fol. 179b.]
þey must be takyñ of as þey in þe disch{e} lowt,
bely & bak / by gobyñ[158] þe booñ to pike owt, 580
so serve ye lord{es} trencher{e}, looke ye well{e} abowt.
[Sidenote: Whale, porpoise, congur, turbot, Halybut, &c., cut in
the dish,]
Whale / Swerdfysch{e} / purpose / dorray[159] / rosted wele,
Bret[160] / samoñ / Congur[161] / sturgeou{n} / turbut, & ȝele,
þornebak / thurle polle / hound fysch[162] /
halybut, to hy{m} þ{a}t hath{e} heele, 584
all{e} þese / cut in þe disch{e}
as your{e} lord eteth{e} at meele.
[Sidenote: and also Tench in jelly. On roast Lamprons cast
vinegar, &c., and bone them.]
Tenche[163] in Iely or in Sawce[164] /
loke þe{re} ye kut hit so,
and oñ your{e} lord{es} trencher{e} se þ{a}t it be do.
Elis & lampurnes[165] rosted / wher{e} þ{a}t eue{r} ye go, 588
Cast vinegr{e} & powd{er} þ{er}oñ /
furst fette þe bon{us} þem̅ fro.
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE CRABS AND CRAYFISH.]
[Sidenote: Crabs are hard to carve: break every claw, put all the
meat in the body-shell,]
Crabbe is a slutt / to kerve / & a wrawd[166] wight;
breke eu{er}y Clawe / a sond{ur} / for þ{a}t is his ryght:
In þe brode shell{e} putt your{e} stuff /
but furst haue a sight 592
þat it be clene from skyñ / & senow / or ye begyñ to dight.
[Sidenote: and then season it with _vinegar or verjuice_ and
powder. (?)]
And what[167] ye haue piked / þe stuff owt of eu{er}y shell{e}
w{i}t{h} þe poynt of your{e} knyff, loke ye temp{er} hit well{e},
put vinegr{e} / þ{er}to, verdjus, or aysell{e},[168] 596
Cast þ{er}-oñ powdur, the bettur it will{e} smell{e}.
[Sidenote: Heat it, and give it to your lord. Put the claws,
broken, in a dish.]
Send þe Crabbe to þe kychyñ / þer{e} for to hete,
agayñ hit facch{e} to þy sou{er}ayne sittyng{e} at mete;
breke þe clawes of þe crabbe / þe small{e} & þe grete, 600
In a disch þem̅ ye lay / if hit like yo{ur} sou{er}ayne to ete.
[Sidenote: The sea Crayfish: cut it asunder, slit the belly of the
back part, take out the fish,]
Crevise[169] / þus wise ye must them dight:
Dep{ar}te the crevise a-sondir{e} euyñ to your{e} sight,
Slytt þe bely of the hyndur part / & so do ye right, 604
and all{e} hoole take owt þe fisch{e},
like as y yow behight.
[Sidenote: clean out the _gowt_ in the middle of the sea
Crayfish’s back; pick it out, tear it off the fish,]
Par{e} awey þe red skyñ for dyu{er}s cawse & dowt,
and make clene þe place also / þat ye call{e} his gowt,[170]
hit lies in þe mydd{es} of þe bak / looke ye pike it owt; 608
areise hit by þe þyknes of a grote / þe fisch{e} rownd abowt.
[Sidenote: and put vinegar to it; break the claws and set them on
the table.]
put it in a disch{e} lees{e} by lees[171] /
& þat ye not forgete
to put vinegr{e} to þe same / so it towche not þe mete;
breke þe gret clawes your{e} self / ye nede no cooke to trete, 612
Set þem̅ oñ þe table / ye may / w{i}t{h}-owt any man{er} heete.
[Sidenote: Treat the back like the crab, stopping both ends with
bread.]
The bak of þe Crevise, þus he must be sted:
array hym̅ as ye doth{e} / þe crabbe, if þat any be had,
and boþe end{es} of þe shell{e} /
Stoppe them fast w{i}t{h} bred, 616
& s{er}ue / your{e} sou{er}eyñ þ{er} w{i}t{h} /
as he liketh{e} to be fedd.
[Sidenote: The fresh-water Crayfish: serve with vinegar and
powder.]
Of Crevis dewe douȝ[172] Cut his bely a-way, [Fol. 180.]
þe fisch{e} in A disch{e} clenly þat ye lay
w{i}t{h} vineg{er} & powdur þ{er} vppoñ, þus is vsed ay, 620
þañ your{e} sou{er}ayne / whañ hym semeth{e}, sadly he may assay.
[Headnote: HOW TO CARVE WHELKS AND LAMPREYS.]
[Sidenote: Salt Sturgeon: slit its joll, or head, thin. Whelk: cut
off its head and tail, throw away its operculum, mantle, &c.,]
The Iolle[173] of þe salt sturgeou{n} / thyñ /
take hede ye slytt,
& rownd about þe disch{e} dresse ye musteñ hit.
Þe whelke[174] / looke þat þe hed / and tayle awey be kytt, 624
his pyntill[175] & gutt / almond & mantill{e},[176]
awey þ{er} fro ye pitt;
[Sidenote: cut it in two, and put it on the sturgeon, adding
vinegar.]
Theñ kut ye þe whelk asond{ur}, eveñ pec{is} two,
and ley þe pecis þ{er}of / vppoñ your{e} sturgeou{n} so,
rownd all abowt þe disch / while þ{a}t hit will{e} go; 628
put vinegr{e} þ{er}-vppoñ / þe bett{ur} þañ will{e} hit do.
[Sidenote: Carve Baked Lampreys thus: take off the piecrust, put
thin slices of bread on a Dish,]
Fresch{e} lamprey bake[177] / þus it must be dight:
Opeñ þe pastey lid, þ{er}-in to haue a sight,
Take þeñ white bred þyñ y-kut & liȝt, 632
lay hit in a charger{e} / disch{e}, or plater, ryght;
[Sidenote: pour galentyne over the bread, add cinnamon and red
wine.]
w{i}t{h} a spone þeñ take owt þe gentill{e} galantyne,[178]
In þe disch{e}, oñ þe bred / ley hit, le{m}mañ myne,
þeñ take powd{ur} of Synamome,
& te{m}p{er} hit w{i}t{h} red wyne: 636
þe same wold plese a por{e} mañ / y suppose, well{e} & fyne.
[Sidenote: Mince the lampreys, lay them on the sauce, &c., on a
hot plate, serve up to your lord.]
Mynse ye þe gobyns as thyñ as a grote,
þañ lay þem̅ vppoñ your{e} galantyne stondyng{e}
oñ a chaffir{e} hoote:
þus must ye diȝt a lamprey owt of his coffyñ cote, 640
and so may your{e} sou{er}ayne ete merily be noote.
[Sidenote: White herrings fresh; the roe must be white and tender
serve with salt and wine.]
White heryng{e} in a disch{e}, if hit be seaward & fressh{e},
yo{ur} sou{er}eyñ to ete in seesou{n} of yer{e} /
þ{er}-aft{ur} he will{e} Asch{e}.
looke he be white by þe booñ / þe rough{e} white & nesch{e}; 644
w{i}t{h} salt & wyne s{er}ue ye hym̅ þe same /
boldly, & not to bassh{e}.
[Sidenote: Shrimps picked, lay them round a sawcer, and serve with
vinegar.”]
Shrympes well{e} pyked / þe scales awey ye cast,
Round abowt a sawcer / ley ye þem in hast;
þe vinegr{e} in þe same sawcer, þ{a}t your{e} lord may attast, 648
þañ w{i}t{h} þe said fisch{e} / he may fede hym̅ /
& of þem make no wast.”
[Sidenote: “Thanks, father, I know about Carving now,]
++“Now, fadir, feir{e} falle ye / & crist yow haue in cure,
For of þe nurtur{e} of kervyng{e}
y suppose þat y be sur{e}, [Fol. 180b.]
but yet a-nod{ur} office þ{er} is / saue y dar not endure 652
to frayne yow any further / for feer{e} of displesur{e}:
[Sidenote: but I hardly dare ask you about a Sewer’s duties, how
he is to serve.”]
For to be a sewer{e} y wold y hed þe co{n}nyng{e},
þañ durst y do my devoir{e} /
w{i}t{h} any worshipfull{e} to be wo{n}nyng{e};
señ þat y know þe course / & þe craft of kervyng{e}, 656
y wold se þe siȝt of a Sewer{e}[179] / what wey he /
sheweth{e} in s{er}uyng{e}.”
[Headnote: THE SEWER’S OR ARRANGER’S DUTIES.]
[Sidenote: _The Duties of a Sewer._]
Office of a sewer.[180]
[Sidenote: “Son, since you wish to learn, I will gladly teach
you.]
++“Now sen yt is so, my son / þat science ye wold fayñ lere,
drede yow no þyng{e} daungeresnes;
þ{us}[A] y shall{e} do my dever{e}
to enforme yow feithfully w{i}t{h} ryght gladsom cher{e}, 660
& yf ye woll{e} lysteñ my lor{e} / somewhat ye shall{e} her{e}:
[Text note: Inserted in a seemingly later hand.]
[Sidenote: Let the Sewer, as soon as the Master begins to say
grace, hie to the kitchen.]
Take hede whañ þe worshipfull{e} hed / þat is of any place
hath wasch{e} afor{e} mete / and bigy{n}neth{e} to sey þe grace,
Vn-to þe kechyñ þañ looke ye take your{e} trace, 664
Entendyng & at your{e} co{m}maundyng{e}
þe s{er}uaund{es} of þe place;
[Sidenote: I. Ask the Panter for fruits (as butter, grapes, &c.),]
Furst speke w{i}t{h} þe panter{e} / or officer{e} of þe spicery
For frutes a-fore mete to ete þem fastyng{e}ly,
as butt{ur} / plommes / damesyns, grapes, and chery, 668
Suche in sesons of þe yer{e} / ar served / to make meñ mery,
[Sidenote: if they are to be served. II. Ask the cook and
Surveyor what dishes are prepared.]
Serche and enquere of þem̅ /
yf such{e} s{er}uyse shall{e} be þat day;
þan co{m}myñ w{i}t{h} þe cooke /
and looke what he will{e} say;
þe surveyour{e} & he / þe certeynte tell{e} yow will{e} þay, 672
what met{es} // & how many disches / þey dyd for{e} puruay.
[Sidenote: III. Let the Cook serve up the dishes, the Surveyor
deliver them]
And whañ þe surveour{e}[181] & þe Cooke /
w{i}t{h} yow done accorde,
þen shall{e} þe cook dresse all{e} þyng{e}
to þe surveyng{e} borde,
þe surveour{e} sadly / & soburly /
w{i}t{h}-owteñ any discorde 676
Delyu{er} forth{e} his disches, ye to co{n}vey þem̅ to þe lorde;
[Sidenote: and you, the Sewer, have skilful officers to prevent
any dish being stolen.]
And wheñ ye bith{e} at þe borde /
of s{er}uyce and surveyng{e}, [Fol. 181.]
se þat ye haue officers boþe courtly and co{n}nyng{e},
For drede of a disch{e} of your{e} course stelyng{e}[181], 680
whych{e} myght cawse a vileny ligtly
in your{e} s{er}uice sewyng{e}.
[Sidenote: IV. Have proper servants, Marshals, &c., to bring the
dishes from the kitchen. V. You set them on the table yourself.]
And se þ{a}t ye haue s{er}uytours semely /
þe disches for to ber{e},
M{ar}chall{es}, Squyers / & s{er}geaunt{es} of armes[182],
if þ{a}t þey be ther{e},
þat your{e} lord{es} mete may be brought
w{i}t{h}out dowt or der{e}; 684
to sett it surely oñ þe borde / your{e} self nede not feer{e}.
[Headnote: FIRST COURSE OF A FLESH DINNER.]
[Sidenote: _A Meat Dinner._]
A dynere of flesche.[183]
[Sidenote: _First Course._]
The Furst Course.
[Sidenote: 1. Mustard and brawn. 2. Potage. 3. Stewed Pheasant and
Swan, &c. 4. Baked Venison.]
++Furst set forth{e} mustard / & brawne /
of boor{e},[184] þe wild swyne,
Suche potage / as þe cooke hath{e} made /
of yerbis / spice / & wyne,
Beeff, motoñ[185] / Stewed feysaund /
Swañ[186] w{i}t{h} the Chawdwyñ,[187] 688
Capou{n}, pigge / vensou{n} bake, leche lombard[188] /
frutur{e} viaunt[189] fyne;
+A Sotelte+
[Sidenote: 5. A Device of Gabriel greeting Mary.]
{ And þan a Sotelte:
{ Maydoñ mary þat holy virgyne,
{ And Gabriell{e} gretyng{e} hur / w{i}t{h} an Ave. 692
[Sidenote: _Second Course._]
The Second Course.
[Sidenote: 1. Blanc Mange (of Meat). 2. Roast Venison, &c.
3. Peacocks, heronsew,]
T{w}o potag{es}, blanger manger{e},[190] & Also Iely[191]:
For a standard / vensou{n} rost / kyd, favne, or cony,
bustard, stork / crane / pecok in hakill{e} ryally,[192]
heiron-sew or / betowr{e}, w{i}t{h}-s{er}ue wit{h} bred,
yf þat drynk be by; 696
[Sidenote: egrets, sucking rabbits, larks, bream, &c. 4. Dowcets,
amber Leche, poached fritters.]
Partrich{e}, wodcok / plover{e} / egret /
Rabett{es} sowker{e}[193];
Gret briddes / larkes / gentill{e} breme de mer{e},
dowcett{es},[194] payne puff, w{i}t{h} leche /
Ioly[195] Amber{e},
Fretour{e} powche / a sotelte folowyng{e} in fer{e}, 700
[Sidenote: 5. A Device of an Angel appearing to three Shepherds on
a hill.]
þe course for to fullfylle,
An angell{e} goodly kañ apper{e},
and syngyng{e} w{i}t{h} a mery cher{e},
Vn-to .iij. shep{er}d{es} vppoñ añ hill{e}. 704
[Headnote: 3RD COURSE OF A FLESH DINNER.]
[Sidenote: _Third Course._]
The iij^d Course.
[Sidenote: 1. Almond cream. 2. Curlews, Snipes, &c. 3. Fresh-water
crayfish, &c. 4. Baked Quinces, Sage fritters, &c.]
“Creme of almond{es}, & mameny, þe iij. course in coost,
Curlew / brew / snyt{es} / quayles / sp{ar}ows /
m{er}tenett{es} rost,
P{er}che in gely / Crevise dewe douȝ /
pety p{er}ueis[196] w{i}t{h} þe moost,
Quynces bake / leche dugard / Frutur{e} sage /
y speke of cost, 708
[Sidenote: 5. Devices: The Mother of Christ, presented by the
Kings of Cologne.]
and soteltees full{e} soleyñ:
þat lady þ{a}t conseuyd by the holygost
hym̅ þ{a}t distroyed þe fend{es} boost,
presentid plesauntly by þe kyng{es} of coleyñ. 712
[Sidenote: _Dessert._ White apples, caraways, wafers and Ypocras.]
Afft{ur} þis, delicat{is} mo.
Blaunderell{e}, or pepyns, w{i}t{h} carawey in confite,
Waffurs to ete / ypocras to drynk w{i}t{h} delite.
[Sidenote: _Clear the Table._]
now þis fest is fynysched / voyd þe table quyte 716
Go we to þe fysch{e} fest while we haue respite,
& þañ w{i}t{h} godd{es} g{ra}ce þe fest will{e} be do.
[Headnote: 1ST COURSE OF A FISH DINNER.]
[Sidenote: _A Fish Dinner._]
A Dinere of Fische.[197]
[Sidenote: _First Course._]
The Furst Course.
[Sidenote: 1. Minnows, &c. 2. Porpoise and peas. 3. Fresh
Millwell. 4. Roast Pike.]
“Musclade or[198] menows // w{i}t{h} þe Samou{n} bellows[199]//
eles, lampurns in fer{e};
Pesoñ w{i}t{h} þe purpose // ar good potage, as y suppose // 720
as falleth{e} for tyme of þe yer{e}:
Bakeñ herynge// Sugr{e} þ{er}oñ strewyng{e} // [Fol. 182.]
grene myllewell{e}, deynteth{e} & not der{e};
pike[200] / lamprey / or Soolis
// purpose rosted oñ coles[201] // 724
g{ur}nard / lamp{ur}nes bake / a leche, & a fritur{e};
[Sidenote: 5. A Divice: A young man piping on a cloud, and called
_Sanguineus_, or Spring.]
a semely sotelte folowyng{e} evyñ þer{e}.
A galaunt yong{e} mañ, a wanton wight,
pypyng{e} & syngyng{e} / lovyng{e} & lyght, 728
Standyng{e} oñ a clowd, Sang{ui}neus he hight,
þe begy{n}nyng{e} of þe sesoñ þ{a}t cleped is ver.”
[Sidenote: _Second Course._]
The second course.
[Sidenote: 1. Dates and Jelly, 2. Doree in Syrup, 3. Turbot, &c.
4. Eels, Fritters,]
“Dat{es} in confyte // Iely red and white //
þis is good dewyng{e}[202]; 732
Cong{ur}, somoñ, dorray // In siripp{e} if þey lay //
w{i}t{h} oþ{er} disches in sewyng{e}.
Brett / turbut[203] / or halybut // Carpe, base /
mylet, or trowt //
Cheveñ,[204] breme / renewyng{e}; 736
Ȝole / Eles, lampurnes / rost // a leche, a frytur{e},
y make now bost //
[Sidenote: 5. A Device: A Man of War, red and angry called
_Estas_, or Summer.]
þe seco{n}d / sotelte sewynge.
A mañ of warr{e} semyng{e} he was,
A rough{e}, a red, angry syr{e}, 740
An hasty mañ standyng{e} in fyr{e},
As hoot as som{er} by his attyre;
his name was þ{er}oñ, & cleped Estas.
[Headnote: 3RD AND 4TH COURSES OF A FISH DINNER.]
[Sidenote: _Third Course._]
The thrid course.
[Sidenote: 1. Almond Cream, &c., 2. Sturgeon, Whelks, Minnows,
3. Shrimps, &c., 4. Fritters.]
Creme of almond[205] Iardyne // & mameny[206] // good & fyne // 744
Potage for þe .iij^d s{er}uyse.
Fresch sturgeñ / breme de mer{e} // P{er}che in Iely /
oryent & cler{e} //
whelk{es}, menuse; þ{us} we devise:
Shrympis / Fresch heryng{e} bryled
// pety p{er}ueis may not be exiled, 748
leche frytur{e},[207] a tansey gyse //
[Sidenote: 5. A Device: A Man with a Sickle, tired, called
Harvest.]
The sotelte / a mañ w{i}t{h} sikell{e} in his hand{e},
In a ryver{e} of watur stand{e} /
wrapped in wed{es} in a werysom wyse,
hauyng{e} no deynteith{e} to daunce: 752
þe thrid age of mañ by liklynes;
hervist we clepe hym̅, full{e} of werynes
ȝet þer folowyth{e} mo þat we must dres,
regard{es} riche þ{a}t ar full{e} of plesaunce. 756
[Sidenote: _Fourth Course._]
The .iiij. course of frute.
[Sidenote: Hot apples, Ginger, Wafers, Ypocras.]
Whot appuls & peres w{i}t{h} sugr{e} Candy, [Fol. 182b.]
With{e} Gyng{re} columbyne, mynsed man{er}ly,
Wafurs w{i}t{h} ypocras.
Now þis fest is fynysched / for to make glad cher{e}: 760
and þaugh{e} so be þat þe vse & maner{e}
not afor{e} tyme be seyñ has,
[Sidenote: The last Device, _Yemps_ or Winter, with grey locks,
sitting on a stone.]
Neu{er}thelese aft{ur} my symple affeccioñ
y must conclude w{i}t{h} þe fourth co{m}pleccioñ, 764
‘yemps’ þe cold terme of þe yer{e},
Wyntur / w{i}t{h} his lokkys grey / febill{e} & old,
Syttyng{e} vppoñ þe stone / bothe hard & cold,
Nigard in hert & hevy of cher{e}. 768
[Sidenote: These Devices represent the Ages of Man: _Sanguineus_,
the 1st age, of pleasure.]
++The furst Sotelte, as y said, ‘Sang{ui}ne{us}’ hight
[T]he furst age of mañ / Iocond & light,
þe sp{ri}ngyng{e} tyme clepe ‘ver.’
[Sidenote: _Colericus_, the 2nd, of quarrelling.]
¶ The second course / ‘colericus’ by callyng{e}, 772
Full{e} of Fyghtyng{e} / blasfemyng{e}, & brallyng{e},
Fallyng{e} at veryaunce w{i}t{h} felow & fere.
[Sidenote: _Autumpnus_ the 3rd, of melancholy.]
¶ The thrid sotelte, y declar{e} as y kan,
‘Autu{m}pnus,’ þat is þe .iij^d age of mañ, 776
With a flewisch{e}[208] countenaunce.
[Sidenote: _Winter_, the 4th, of aches and troubles.]
¶ The iiij^th countenaunce[209], as y seid before,
is wyntur w{i}t{h} his lokk{es} hoor{e},
þe last age of mañ full{e} of grevaunce. 780
[Sidenote: These Devices give great pleasure, when shown in a
house.]
++These iiij. soteltees devised in towse,[210]
wher þey byñ shewed in an howse,
hith{e} doth{e} gret plesaunce
w{i}t{h} oþ{er} sightes of gret Nowelte 784
þañ hañ be shewed in Riall{e} feest{es} of solempnyte,
A notable cost þe ordynaunce.
[Sidenote: _Inscriptions for the Devices._]
The superscripcioun of þe sutiltees aboue specified, here folowethe
+Versus+
[Sidenote: _Spring._]
+Sanguine{us}.+
[Sidenote: Loving, laughing, singing, benign.]
Largus, amans, hillaris, ridens, rubei q{ue} coloris,
Cantans, carnos{us}, sat{is} audax, atque benignus. 788
[Sidenote: _Summer._]
+¶ Estas+
+Colericus.+ [Fol. 183.]
[Sidenote: Prickly, angry, crafty, lean.]
Hirsutus, Fallax / irascens / p{ro}digus, sat{is} audax,
Astutus, gracilis / Siccus / crocei q{ue} coloris.
[Sidenote: _Autumn._]
+¶ Autumpnus+
+Fleumaticus.+
[Sidenote: Sleepy, dull, sluggish, fat, white-faced.]
Hic sompnolentus / piger, in sputamine multus,
Ebes hinc sensus / pinguis, facie color albus. 792
[Sidenote: _Winter._]
+¶ yemps+
+Malencolicus.+
[Sidenote: Envious, sad, timid, yellow-coloured.]
Invidus et tristis / Cupidus / dextre que tenac{is},
Non expers fraudis, timidus, lutei q{ue} coloris.
[Headnote: A FEST FOR A FRANKLEN.]
[Sidenote: _A Franklin’s Feast._]
+A fest for a franklen.+
[Sidenote: Brawn, bacon and pease,]
++“A Frankleñ may make a feste Imp{ro}berabill{e},
brawne w{i}t{h} mustard is con{c}ordable, 796
bakoñ s{er}ued w{i}t{h} pesoñ,
[Sidenote: beef and boiled chickens,]
beef or motoñ stewed s{er}uysable,
Boyled Chykoñ or capoñ agreable,
convenyent for þe sesoñ; 800
[Sidenote: roast goose, capon, and custade.]
Rosted goose & pygge full{e} profitable,
Capoñ / Bakemete, or Custade Costable,
wheñ eggis & crayme be gesoñ.
[Sidenote: _Second Course._ Mortrewes,]
Þerfor{e} stuffe of household is behoveable, 804
Mortrowes or Iussell{e}[211] ar delectable
for þe second course by resoñ.
[Sidenote: veal, rabbit, chicken, dowcettes,]
Thañ veel, lambe, kyd, or cony,
Chykoñ or pigeoñ rosted tendurly, 808
bakemet{es} or dowcett{es}[212] w{i}t{h} all{e}.
[Sidenote: fritters, or leche,]
þeñ followyng{e}, frytowrs & a leche lovely;
Suche s{er}uyse in sesou{n} is full{e} semely
To s{er}ue w{i}t{h} bothe chambur & hall{e}. 812
[Sidenote: spiced pears, bread and cheese,]
Theñ appuls & peris w{i}t{h} spices delicately
Aft{ur} þe terme of þe yer{e} full{e} deynteithly,
w{i}t{h} bred and chese to call{e}.
[Sidenote: spiced cakes, bragot and mead.]
Spised cak{es} and wafurs worthily 816
with{e} bragot[213] & meth{e},[214] þus meñ may meryly
plese well{e} bothe gret & small{e}.”
[Sidenote: _Dinners on Fish-days._]
Sewes on fishe dayes. [Fol. 183b.]
[Sidenote: Gudgeons, minnows, venprides (?) musclade (?) of
almonds, oysters dressed,]
++“Flowndurs / gogeons, muskels,[215] menuce in sewe,
Eles, lampurnes, venprid{es} / quyk & newe, 820
Musclade in wortes / musclade[216] of almondes
for stat{es} full{e} dewe,
Oysturs in Ceuy[217] / oysturs in grauey,[218]
your helth{e} to renewe,
[Sidenote: porpoise or seal, pike cullis, jelly, dates, quinces,
pears,]
The baly of þe fresch{e} samoñ / els purpose, or seele[219],
Colice[220] of pike, shrympus[221] /
or p{er}che, ye know full{e} wele; 824
P{ar}tye gely / Creme of almond{es}[222] /
dat{es} in confite / to rekeu{er} heele,
Quinces & peris / Ciryppe w{i}t{h} p{ar}cely rot{es} /
riȝt so bygyñ yo{ur} mele.
[Sidenote: houndfish, rice, mameny. If you don’t like these
potages, taste them only.]
Mortrowis of houndfisch{e}[223] / & Rice standyng{e}[224] white,
Mameny,[225] mylke of almond{es}, Rice rennyng{e} liquyte,-- 828
þese potages ar holsom for þem þat hañ delite
þ{er}of to ete / & if not so / þeñ taste he but a lite.”
[Headnote: SAUCE FOR FISH.]
[Sidenote: _Fish Sauces._]
Sawce for fishe.[226]
[Sidenote: Mustard for salt herring, conger, mackerel, &c.]
++“Yowr{e} sawces to make y shall{e} geue yow lerynge:
Mustard is[A] / is metest w{i}t{h} all{e} man{er}
salt heryng{e}, 832
Salt fysch{e}, salt Congur, samou{n}, w{i}t{h} sparlyng{e},[227]
Salt ele, salt makerell{e}, & also with{e} m{er}lyng{e}.[228]
[Text note: ? _is_ repeated by mistake.]
[Sidenote: Vinegar for salt porpoise, swordfish, &c. Sour wine for
whale, with powder.]
++Vynegur is good to salt purpose & torrentyne,[229]
Salt sturgeoñ, salt swyrd-fysch{e} savery & fyne. 836
Salt Thurlepolle, salt whale,[230] is good w{i}t{h} egr{e} wyne,
with{e} powdur put þ{er}-oñ shall{e} cawse ooñ well{e} to dyne.
[Sidenote: Wine for plaice. Galantine for lamprey. Verjuice for
mullet. Cinnamon for base, carp, and chub.]
Playce w{i}t{h} wyne; & pike with{e} his reffett;
þe galantyne[231] for þe lamprey / wher{e} þey may be gete; 840
verdius[232] to roche / darce / breme / soles / & molett;
Baase, flow[{n}]durs / Carpe / Cheveñ /
Synamome ye þ{er}-to sett.
[Sidenote: Garlic, verjuice, and pepper, for houndfish, stockfish,
&c.]
Garlek / or mustard, v{er}geus þ{er}to,
pep{ur} þe {po}wderyng{e}--
For þornebak / houndfysch{e} / & also fresch{e} heryng{e}, 844
hake[233], stokfysh{e}[234], haddok[235] /
cod[236] / & whytyng{e}--
ar moost metist for thes met{es}, as techith{e} vs þe wrytynge.
[Sidenote: Vinegar, cinnamon, and ginger, for fresh-water
crayfish, fresh porpoise, sturgeon, &c.]
Vinegr{e} / powdur with{e} synamome / and gynger{e}, [Fol. 184.]
to rost Eles / lampurnes / Creveȝ dew douȝ,
and breme de mer{e}, 848
For Gurnard / for roche / & fresch{e} purpose, if hit appe{re},
Fresch{e} sturgeoñ / shrympes / p{er}che /
molett / y wold it wer{e} her{e}.
[Sidenote: Green Sauce for green fish (fresh ling): Mustard is
best for every dish.]
++Grene sawce[237] is good w{i}t{h} grene fisch[238],
y her{e} say;
botte lyng{e} / brett[239] & fresch{e} turbut /
gete it who so may. 852
yet make moche of mustard, & put it not away,
For w{i}t{h} euery disch{e} he is dewest /
who so lust to assay.
[Sidenote: Other sauces are served at grand feasts, but the above
will please familiar guests.”]
Other sawces to sovereyns ar s{er}ued in som solempne festis,
but these will plese them full{e} well{e} /
þ{a}t ar but hoomly gestis. 856
Now have y shewyd yow, my soñ, somewhat of dyu{er}se Iestis
þat ar reme{m}bred in lord{es} courte /
þer{e} as all rialte restis.”
[Sidenote: “Fair fall you, father! You have taught me lovesomely;
but please tell me, too, the duties of a Chamberlain.”]
++“Now fayre falle yow fadir / in fayth{e} y am full fayñ,
For louesomly ye han lered me þe nurtur þat ye han sayñ; 860
pleseth{e} it you to certifye me with ooñ worde or twayñ
þe Curtesy to co{n}ceue conveniently for eu{er}y chamburlayñ.”
[Headnote: THE OFFICE OFF A CHAMBURLAYNE.]
[Sidenote: _The Chamberlain’s Duties._]
The office off a chamburlayne.[240]
[Sidenote: He must be diligent, neatly dressed, clean-washed,
careful of fire and candle,]
++“The Curtesy of a chamburlayñ is in office to be diligent,
Clenli clad, his cloþis not all to-rent; 864
handis & face wascheñ fayr{e}, his hed well kempt;
& war eu{er} of fyr{e} and candill{e} þat he be not neccligent.
[Sidenote: attentive to his master, light of ear, looking out for
things that will please.]
To your{e} mastir looke ye geue diligent attendaunce;
be curteyse, glad of cher{e}, & light of er{e}
in eu{er}y semblaunce, 868
eu{er} waytyng{e} to þat thyng{e} þat may do hym plesaunce:
to these p{ro}purtees if ye will apply,
it may yow well{e} avaunce.
[Sidenote: The Chamberlain must prepare for his lord a clean
shirt, under and upper coat and doublet, breeches, socks, and
slippers as brown as a water-leech.]
Se that your{e} sou{er}ayne haue clene shurt & breche,
a petycote,[241] a dublett, a long{e} coote,
if he wer{e} suche, 872
his hosyñ well brusshed, his sokk{es} not to seche,
his shoñ or slyppers as browne as is þe wat{ur}leche.
[Sidenote: In the morning, must have clean linen ready, warmed
by a clear fire.]
In þe morow tyde, agaynst your{e} sou{er}ayne doth ryse,
wayte hys lynnyñ þat hit be clene;
þeñ warme h{i}t in þ{i}s wise, 876
by a cler{e} fyr{e} w{i}t{h}owt smoke /
if it be cold or frese,
and so may ye your{e} sou{er}ayñ plese at þe best asise.
[Sidenote: When his lord rises, he gets ready the foot-sheet; puts
a cushioned chair before the fire, a cushion for the feet,]
Agayne he riseth vp, make redy your{e} fote shete
in þ{i}s man{er} made greithe / & þat ye not forgete 880
furst a chayer{e} a-for{e} þe fyr{e} / or som oþ{er} honest sete
With{e} a cosshyñ þ{er} vppoñ /
& a noþ{ur} for the feete [Fol. 184b.]
[Sidenote: and over all spreads the foot-sheet: has a comb and
kerchief ready,]
aboue þe coschyñ & chayer{e} þe said shete ou{er} sprad
So þat it keu{er} þe fote coschyñ and chayer{e}, riȝt as y bad; 884
Also combe & kercheff / looke þer{e} bothe be had
your{e} sou{er}eyñ hed to kymbe or he be graytly clad:
[Sidenote: and then asks his lord to come to the fire and dress
while he waits by.]
++Than pray your{e} sou{er}eyñ w{i}t{h} wordus mansuetely
to com to a good fyr{e} and aray hym ther by, 888
and ther{e} to sytt or stand / to his p{er}sone plesauntly,
and ye eu{er} redy to awayte w{i}t{h} maners metely.
[Sidenote: 1. Give your master his under coat, 2. His doublet,
3. Stomacher well warmed, 4. Vampeys and socks,]
Furst hold to hym a petycote aboue your{e} brest and barme,
his dublet þañ aftur to put in boþe hys arme, 892
his stomacher{e} well{e} y-chaffed to kepe hym fro harme,
his vampeys[242] and sokkes, þañ all day he may go warme;
[Sidenote: 5. Draw on his socks, breeches, and shoes, 6. Pull up
his breeches, 7. Tie ’em up,]
Theñ drawe oñ his sokkis / & hosyñ by the fur{e},
his shoñ laced or bokelid, draw them̅ oñ sur{e}; 896
Strike his hosyñ vppewarde his legge ye endur{e},
þeñ trusse ye them vp strayte / to his plesur{e},
[Sidenote: 8. Lace his doublet, 9. Put a kerchief round his neck,
10. Comb his head with an ivory comb, 11. Give him warm water to
wash with,]
Then lace his dublett eu{er}y hoole so by & bye;
oñ his shuldur about his nek a kercheff þer{e} must lye, 900
and curteisly þañ ye kymbe his hed w{i}t{h} combe of yvery,
and watur warme his hand{es} to wasche, & face also clenly.
[Sidenote: 12. Kneel down and ask him what gown he’ll wear:
13. Get the gown, 14. Hold it out to him;]
++Than knele a dowñ oñ your{e} kne /
& þ{us} to your{e} sou{er}ayñ ye say
“Syr, what Robe or govñ pleseth it yow to wer{e} to day?” 904
Suche as he axeth for{e} / loke ye plese hym to pay,
þañ hold it to hym̅ a brode, his body þ{er}-in to array;
[Sidenote: 15. Get his girdle, 16. His Robe (see l. 957). 17. His
hood or hat.]
his gurdell{e}, if he wer{e}, be it strayt or lewse;
Set his garment goodly / aftur as ye know þe vse; 908
take hym̅ hode or hatt / for his hed[[242a]] cloke or cappe de huse;
So shall{e} ye plese hym̅ prestly, no nede to make excuse
[Sidenote: 18. Before he goes brush him carefully.]
Wheþ{ur} hit be feyr{e} or foule, or mysty all{e} with{e} reyñ.
Or your{e} mastir depart his place, afor{e} þ{a}t þis be seyñ, 912
to brusch{e} besily about hym̅; loke all be pur and playñ
wheþur he wer{e} sateñ / sendell, vellewet, scarlet, or greyñ.
[Sidenote: Before your lord goes to church, see that his pew is
made ready, cushion, curtain, &c.]
Prynce or p{re}late if hit be, or any oþ{er} potestate,
or he entur in to þe church{e}, be it erly or late, 916
p{er}ceue all þyng{e} for his pewe þ{a}t it be made p{re}p{ar}ate,
boþe cosshyñ / carpet / & curteyñ /
bed{es} & boke, forgete not that.
[Sidenote: Return to his bedroom, throw off the clothes, beat the
featherbed, see that the fustian and sheets are clean.]
++Thañ to your{e} sou{er}eynes chambur walke ye in hast;
all þe cloþes of þe bed, them aside ye cast; 920
þe Fethurbed ye bete / w{i}t{h}out hurt, so no feddurs ye wast,
Fustiañ[243] and shetis clene by sight and sans ye tast.
[Sidenote: Cover the bed with a coverlet, spread out the bench
covers and cushions, set up the headsheet and pillow, remove the
urinal and basin,]
Kover w{i}t{h} a keu{er}lyte clenly / þat bed so man{er}ly made;
þe bankers & quosshyns, in þe chambur se þem̅ feir{e} y-sprad, 924
boþe hedshete & pillow also, þat þe[y] be saaff vp stad,
the vrnell{e} & basoñ also that they awey be had.
[Sidenote: lay carpets round the bed, and with others dress the
windows and cupboard, have a fire laid.]
Se the carpett{is} about þe bed
be forth spred & laid, [Fol. 185.]
wyndowes & cuppeborde w{i}t{h} carpett{is} & cosshyns splayd; 928
Se þer be a good fyr{e} in þe chambur conveyed,
w{i}t{h} wood & fuell{e} redy þe fuyr{e} to bete & aide.
[Sidenote: Keep the Privy sweet and clean, cover the boards with
green cloth, so that no wood shows at the hole; put a cushion
there,]
++Se þe privehouse for esement[244] be fayr{e}, soote, & clene,
& þat þe bord{es} þ{er} vppoñ /
be keu{er}ed with{e} clothe feyr{e} & grene, 932
& þe hool{e} / hym self, looke þer no borde be sene,
þ{er}oñ a feir{e} quoschyñ / þe ordour{e} no mañ to tene
[Sidenote: and have some blanket, cotton, or linen to wipe on;
have a basin, jug, and towel, ready for your lord to wash when he
leaves the privy.]
looke þ{er} be blanket / cotyñ /
or lynyñ to wipe þe neþ{ur} ende[245];
and eu{er} wheñ he clepith{e}, wayte redy & entende, 936
basou{n} and ewer{e}, & oñ yo{ur} shuldur a towell{e},
my frende[246];
In þis wise worship shall{e} ye wyñ /
wher{e} þ{a}t eu{er} ye wende
[Headnote: THE CHAMBERLAIN IN THE WARDEROBES.]
The warderober.[247]
[Sidenote: In the Wardrobe take care to keep the clothes well,]
++In þe warderobe ye must muche entende besily
the robes to kepe well / & also to brusche þem̅ clenly; 940
w{i}t{h} the ende of a soft brusch{e} ye brusch{e} þem clenly,
and yet ou{er} moche bruschyng{e} wereth{e} cloth lyghtly.
[Sidenote: and brush ’em with a soft brush at least once a week,
for fear of moths. Look after your Drapery and Skinnery.]
lett neu{er} wollyñ cloth ne furr{e} passe a seuenyght
to be vnbrossheñ & shakyñ / tend þ{er}to aright, 944
for mought{es} be redy eu{er} in þem to gendur & aliȝt;
þerfore to drapery / & skynn{er}y eu{er} haue ye a sight.
[Sidenote: If your lord will take a nap after his meal, have ready
kerchief, comb, pillow and headsheet]
your{e} souerayñ aftir mete / his stomak to digest
yef he will{e} take a slepe / hym self þer{e} for to rest, 948
looke bothe kercheff & combe / þat ye haue þer{e} prest,
bothe pillow & hedshete / for hym̅ þe[y] must be drest;
[Sidenote: (don’t let him sleep too long), water and towel.]
yet be ye nott ferr{e} hym fro, take tent what y say,
For moche slepe is not medcynable in myddis of þe day. 952
wayte þat ye haue watur to wasch{e} / & towell{e} all{e} way
aftur slepe and sege / honeste will not hit denay.
[Headnote: TO PUT A LORD TO BED.]
[Sidenote: When he goes to bed, 1. Spread out the footsheet,
2. Take off your lord’s Robe and put it away.]
++Whañ your{e} sou{er}ayne hath{e} supped /
& to chamb{ur} takith{e} his gate,
þañ sprede forth{e} your{e} fote shete /
like as y lered yow late; 956
thañ his gowne ye gadir of, or garment of his estate,
by his licence / & ley hit vpp in suche place as ye best wate.
[Sidenote: 3. Put a cloak on his back, 4. Set him on his
footsheet, 5. Pull off his shoes, socks, and breeches, 6. Throw
the breeches over your arm,]
vppoñ his bak a ma{n}tell ye ley / his body to kepe from cold,
Set hym̅ oñ his fote shete[248] / made redy as y yow told; 960
his shoñ, sokkis, & hosyñ / to draw of be ye bolde;
þe hosyñ oñ your{e} shuldyr cast /
oñ vppoñ yo{ur} arme ye hold; [Fol. 185b.]
[Sidenote: 7. Comb his head, 8. Put on his kerchief and nightcap,
9. Have the bed, and headsheet, &c., ready,]
your{e} sou{er}eynes hed ye kembe / but furst ye knele to ground;
þe kercheff and cappe oñ his hed / hit wolde be warmely wounde; 964
his bed / y-spred / þe shete for þe hed /
þe pelow prest þ{a}t stounde,
þat wheñ your{e} sou{er}eyñ to bed shall go /
to slepe þer{e} saaf & sounde,
[Sidenote: 10. Draw the curtains, 11. Set the night-light,
12. Drive out dogs and cats, 13. Bow to your lord,]
The curteyns let draw þem̅ þe bed round about;
se his morter[249] w{i}t{h} wax or p{er}cher{e}[250]
þat it go not owt; 968
dryve out dogge[[250a]] and catte, or els geue þem̅ a clovt;
Of your{e} sou{er}ayne take no leue[251]; /
but low to hym̅ alowt.
[Sidenote: 14. Keep the night-stool and urinal ready for whenever
he calls, and take it back when done with.]
looke þat ye haue þe basoñ for ch{a}mbur & also þe vrnall{e}
redy at all{e} howres wheñ he will{e} clepe or call{e}: 972
his nede p{er}formed, þe same receue agayñ ye shall{e},
& þus may ye haue a thank /
& reward wheñ þ{a}t eu{er} hit fall{e}.
[Headnote: TO MAKE A BATH.]
[Sidenote: _How to prepare a Bath._]
A bathe or stewe so called.
[Sidenote: Hang round the roof, sheets full of sweet herbs, have
five or six sponges to sit or lean on,]
Ȝeff your{e} sou{er}ayne will{e} to þe bath{e},
his body to wasch{e} clene,
hang shetis round about þe rooff; do thus as y meene; 976
eu{er}y shete full of flowres & herbis soote & grene,
and looke ye haue sponges .v. or vj. p{er}oñ to sytte or lene:
[Sidenote: and one great sponge to sit on with a sheet over and a
sponge under his feet. Mind the door’s shut.]
looke þ{er} be a gret sponge, þ{er}-oñ
your{e} sou{er}ayne to sytt;
þ{er}oñ a shete, & so he may bathe hym̅ þer{e} a fytte; 980
vndir his feete also a sponge, ȝiff þ{er} be any to putt;
and alwey be sur{e} of þe dur, & se þat he be shutt.
[Sidenote: With a basinful of hot herbs, wash him with a soft
sponge, throw rose-water on him; let him go to bed.]
A basyñ full in your{e} hand of herbis hote & fresch{e},
& with a soft sponge in hand, his body þ{a}t ye wasch{e}; 984
Rynse hym̅ with rose watur warme & feir{e} vppoñ hym flasch{e},
þeñ lett hym̅ go to bed / but looke it be soote & nesch{e};
[Sidenote: Put his socks and slippers on, stand him on his
footsheet, wipe him dry, take him to bed to cure his troubles.]
but furst sett oñ his sokkis, his slyppers oñ his feete,
þat he may go feyr{e} to þe fyr{e},
þer{e} to take his fote shete, 988
þañ with{e} a clene cloth{e} / to wype awey all wete;
thañ bryng{e} hym̅ to his bed, his bales ther{e} to bete.”
[Headnote: THE MAKYNG OF A BATHE MEDICINABLE.]
[Sidenote: _To make a Medicinal Bath._]
The makyng of a bathe medicinable.[252]
[Sidenote: Boil together hollyhock centaury, herb-benet,
scabious,]
++“Holy hokke / & yardehok[253] / p{er}itory[254] /
and þe brown fenell{e},[255] [Fol. 186.]
walle wort[256] / herbe Iohñ[257] / Sentory[258] /
rybbewort[259] / & camamell{e}, 992
hey hove[260] / heyriff[261] / herbe benet[262] /
bresewort[263] / & smallache,[264]
broke lempk[265] / Scabiose[266] / Bilgres[267] /
wildflax / is good for ache;
[Sidenote: withy leaves; throw them hot into a vessel, set your
lord on it; let him bear it as hot as he can, and whatever disease
he has will certainly be cured, as men say.]
wethy leves / grene otes / boyled in fer{e} fulle soft,
Cast þem̅ hote in to a vessell{e} /
& sett your{e} soverayñ alloft, 996
and suffir{e} þat hete a while as hoot as he may a-bide;
se þ{a}t place be cou{er}ed well{e} ou{er} /
& close oñ eu{er}y side;
and what dissese ye be vexed w{i}t{h}, grevaunce ouþ{er} peyñ,
þis medicyne shall{e} make yow hoole surely, as meñ seyñ.” 1000
[Headnote: USHER AND MARSHAL: THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF PERSONS.]
[Sidenote: _The Duties of an Usher and Marshal._]
The office of ussher & marshalle.[268]
[A]my lorde, my master, of lilleshull{e} abbot[A]
[Text note: This line is in a later hand.]
[Sidenote: He must know the rank and precedence of all people.]
++“The office of a co{n}nyng{e} vscher{e} or marshall{e}
w{i}t{h}-owt fable
must know all{e} estat{es} of the church goodly & greable,
and þe excellent estate of a kyng{e}
w{i}t{h} his blode honorable: 1004
hit is a notable nurtur{e} /
co{n}nyng{e}, curyouse, and commendable.
[Sidenote: I. 1. The Pope. 2. Emperor. 3. King. 4. Cardinal.
5. Prince. 6. Archbishop. 7. Royal Duke.]
[Sidenote: II. Bishop, &c.]
+Thestate of a+
+The pope+ hath no peere;
{ Emperowr{e} is nex hym eu{er}y wher{e};
{ Kyng{e} corespondent; þus nurtur{e} shall{e} yow lere.
{ high{e} Cardynell{e}, þe dignyte doth{e} requer{e}; 1008
{ Kyngis soñe, prynce ye hym Call{e};
{ Archebischopp{e} is to hym p{er}egall{e}.
{ Duke of þe blod{e} royall{e},
{ bishopp{e} / Marques / & erle / coequall{e}. 1012
[Sidenote: III. 1. Viscount. 2. Mitred abbot. 3. Three Chief
Justices. 4. Mayor of London.]
[Sidenote: IV. (The Knight’s rank.) 1. Cathedral Prior, Knight
Bachelor. 2. Dean, Archdeacon. 3. Master of the Rolls. 4. Puisné
Judge. 5. Clerk of the Crown. 6. Mayor of Calais. 7. Doctor of
Divinity. 8. Prothonotary. 9. Pope’s Legate.]
{ ++Vycount / legate / baroune / suffrigañ /
abbot w{i}t{h} myt{ur} feyr{e},
{ barovñ of þescheker{e} / iij. þe cheff Iusticeȝ /
of londoñ þe meyr{e};
{ Pryour{e} Cathedrall{e}, myt{ur} abbot w{i}t{h}out /
a knyght bachiller{e}
{ P{ri}oure / deane / archedekoñ / a knyght /
þe body Esquyer{e}, 1016
{ Mastir of the rolles / riȝt þus rykeñ y,
{ Vndir Iustice may sitte hym by:
{ Clerke of the crowne / & thescheker{e} Co{n}venyently
{ Meyr{e} of Calice ye may p{re}ferr{e} plesauntly. 1020
{ Provynciall{e}, & doctur diuyne, [Fol. 186b.]
{ P{ro}thonot{ur}, ap{er}tli to-gedur þey may dyne.
[Sidenote: V. (The Squire’s rank.) 1. Doctor of Laws. 2. Ex-Mayor
of London. 3. Serjeant of Law. 4. Masters of Chancery.
5. Preacher. 6. Masters of Arts. 7. Other Religious. 8. Parsons
and Vicars. 9. Parish Priests. 10. City Bailiffs. 11. Serjeant at
Arms. 12. Heralds (the chief Herald has first place),
13. Merchants, 14. Gentlemen, 15. Gentlewomen may all eat with
squires.]
{ ++Þe popes legate or collectour{e}, to-ged{ur} ye assigne,
{ Doctur of bothe lawes, beyng{e} in science digne. 1024
{ ++Hym þat hath byñ meyr{e} / & a londyner{e},
{ Sargeaunt of lawe / he may w{i}t{h} hym comper{e};
{ The mastirs of the Chauncery w{i}t{h} comford & cher{e},
{ Þe worshipfull{e} p{re}chour{e} of p{ar}dou{n}
in þ{a}t place to apper{e}. 1028
The clerk{es} of connyng{e} that hañ takeñ degre,
And all{e} othur ordurs of chastite chosyñ, & also of pou{er}te,
all{e} p{ar}sons & vicaries þat ar of dignyte,
parisch{e} prest{es} kepynge cur{e}, vn-to þem loke ye se. 1032
For þe baliff{es} of a Cite purvey ye must a space,
A yemañ of þe crowne / Sargeaunt of armes w{i}t{h} mace,
A herrowd of Armes as gret a dygnyte has,
Specially kyng{e} harrawd /
must haue þe p{ri}ncipall{e} place; 1036
Worshipfull{e} m{er}chaund{es} and riche artyficeris,
Gentilmeñ well{e} nurtured & of good maneris,
W{i}t{h} gentilwo{m}men / and namely lord{es} nurrieris,
all{e} these may sit at a table of good squyeris. 1040
[Headnote: USHER & MARSHAL: WHAT PEOPLE RANK AND DINE TOGETHER.]
[Sidenote: I have now told you the rank of every class, and now
I’ll tell you how they may be grouped at table.]
++Lo, soñ, y haue shewid the aft{ur} my symple wytte
euery state aftir þeir{e} degre,
to þy knowleche y shall{e} co{m}mytte,
and how þey shall{e} be s{er}ued, y shall{e} shew the ȝett,
in what place aft{ur} þeir{e} dignyte how þey owght to sytte: 1044
[Sidenote: I. Pope, King, Prince, Archbishop and Duke.]
+Thestate of a+
{ Pope, Emp{er}owr{e} / kyng{e} or cardynall{e},
{ Prynce w{i}t{h} goldyñ rodde Royall{e},
{ Archebischopp{e} / vsyñg to wer{e} þe palle,
{ Duke / all{e} þese of dygnyte owȝt not kepe þe hall{e}. 1048
[Sidenote: II. Bishop, Marquis, Viscount, Earl. III. The Mayor of
London, Baron, Mitred Abbot, three Chief Justices, Speaker,]
Bisshoppes, M{er}ques, vicount, Erle goodly,
May sytte at .ij. messeȝ yf þey be lovyng{e}ly.
þe meyr{e} of londoñ, & a baroñ, an abbot myterly,
the iij. chef Iusticeȝ, þe speker{e} of þe p{ar}lement,
p{ro}purly 1052
[Sidenote: may sit together, two or three at a mess.]
all{e} these Estat{es} ar gret and honorable,
þey may sitte in Chambur or hall{e} at a table,
.ij. or els iij. at a messe / ȝeff þey be greable:
þus may ye in your{e} office to eu{er}y mañ be plesable. 1056
[Sidenote: IV. The other ranks (three or four to a mess) equal to
a Knight, unmitred Abbot, Dean, Master of the Rolls,]
Of all{e} oþ{er} estat{es} to a messe /
iij. or iiij. þus may ye sur{e},
And of all{e} estatis þat ar egall{e} w{i}t{h} a knyght /
digne & demur{e},
Off abbot & p{ri}our{e} sauncȝ myt{ur},
of co{n}vent þey hañ cur{e};
Deane / Archedecoñ, mast{ur} of þe rolles,
aft{ur} your{e} plesur{e}, 1060
[Sidenote: under Judges, Doctor of Divinity, Prothonotary, Mayor
of Calais.]
Alle the vndirIusticeȝ and barou{n}es
of þe kyng{es} Eschekier{e}, [Fol. 187.]
a p{ro}vinciall{e} / a doctour{e} devine /
or boþe lawes, þus yow ler{e},
A p{ro}thonot{ur} ap{ert}li, or þe popis collectour{e},
if he be ther{e},
Also þe meyr{e} of þe stapull{e} /
In like purpose þ{er} may apper{e}. 1064
[Sidenote: V. Other ranks equal to a Squire, four to a mess.
Serjeants of Law, ex-Mayor of London, Masters of Chancery,]
Of all{e} oþ{ur} estat{es} to a messe ye may sette
four{e} / & four{e},
as suche p{er}sones as ar p{er}egall{e}
to a squyer{e} of honour{e}:
Sargeaund{es} of lawe /
& hym̅ þat hath byñ meyr{e} of londoñ aforne,
and þe mastyrs of þe chauncery, þey may not be forborne. 1068
[Sidenote: Preachers and Parsons, Apprentices of Law, Merchants
and Franklins.]
All{e} p{re}chers / residencers / and p{er}sones þat ar greable,
Apprentise of lawe In courtis pletable,
Marchaund{es} & Frankloñȝ, worshipfull{e} & honorable,
þey may be set semely at a squyers table. 1072
[Sidenote: Each estate or rank shall sit at meat by itself, not
seeing another.]
These worthy[A] Estat{es} a-foreseid / high of renowne,
Vche Estate syngulerly in hall{e} shall{e} sit a-downe,
that none of hem se othur{e} /
at mete tyme in feld nor in towne,
but vche of þem̅ self in Chambur or in pavilowne. 1076
[Text note: royall{e} _is written over_ worthy.]
[Sidenote: The Bishop of Canterbury shall be served apart from the
Archbishop of York, and the Metropolitan alone.]
++Yeff þe bischopp{e} of þe p{ro}vynce of Caunturbury
be in þe p{re}sence of the archebischopp{e}
of yorke reu{er}ently,
þeir{e} s{er}uice shall{e} be kou{er}ed /
vche bisshopp{e} syngulerly,
and in þe p{re}sence of þe metropolytan{e}
none oþ{er} sicurly. 1080
[Sidenote: The Bishop of York must not eat before the Primate of
England.]
yeff bischopps of yorke p{ro}vynce be fortune be syttyng{e}
In þe p{re}sence of þe p{ri}mate of Englond þañ beyng{e},
þey must be cou{er}ed in all{e} þeyr{e} s{er}uyng{e},
and not in p{re}sence of þe bischopp{e}
of yorke þer{e} apperyng{e}. 1084
[Headnote: USHER AND MARSHAL: OF BLOOD ROYAL AND PROPERTY.]
[Sidenote: Sometimes a Marshal is puzzled by Lords of royal blood
being poor, and others not royal being rich;]
++Now, soñ, y p{er}ceue þat for dyu{er}se cawses /
as well{e} as for ignorau{n}ce,
a m{er}chall{e} is put oft tymes in gret comberaunce
For som lord{es} þat ar of blod royall{e} /
& litell{e} of lyvelode p{er} chaunce,
and some of gret lyvelode / & no blode royall{e} to avaunce; 1088
[Sidenote: also by a Lady of royal blood marrying a knight, and
_vice versâ_. The Lady of royal blood shall keep her rank; the
Lady of low blood shall take her husband’s rank.]
And som knyght is weddid / to a lady of royall{e} blode,
and a poor{e} lady to blod ryall{e}, manfull{e} & myghty of mode:
þe lady of blod royall{e} shall{e} kepe þe state /
þat she afor{e} in stode,
the lady of low blode & degre /
kepe her lordis estate, y make h{i}t good. 1092
[Sidenote: Property is not so worthy as royal blood, so the latter
prevails over the former, for royal blood may become King.]
The substau{n}ce of lyvelode is not so digne /
as is blode royall{e},
Þ{er}for{e} blode royall{e} opteyneth þe sou{er}eynte
in chambur & in hall{e},
For blode royall{e} somtyme tiȝt to be kyng{e} in pall{e};
of þe which{e} mater{e} y meve no more:
let god gou{er}ne all{e}! 1096
[Sidenote: The parents of a Pope or Cardinal must not presume to
equality with their son,]
++There as pope or cardynall{e} in þeir{e} estate beyng{e},
þat hañ fadur & mod{ur} by their{e} dayes lyvyng{e},
þeir{e} fadur or modir ne may in any wise be p{re}sumyng{e}
to be egall{e} w{i}t{h} their{e} soñ standyng{e} ne sittyng{e}: 1100
[Sidenote: and must not want to sit by him, but in a separate
room.]
Therfor{e} fadir ne moder / þey owe not to desire
to sytte or stond by þeyr{e} son /
his state will{e} h{i}t not requir{e},
but by þem self / a chambur assigned for them sur{e},
Vn-to whom vche office ought gladly [Fol. 187b.]
to do plesur{e}. 1104
[Sidenote: A Marshal must look to the rank of every estate,]
To the birth{e} of vche estate a m{er}shall{e} must se,
and þeñ next of his lyne / for þeyr{e} dignyte;
þen folowyng{e}, to officers affter{e} þeir{e} degre,
As chaunceler{e}, Steward / Chamburleyñ / tresorer{e} if he be: 1108
[Sidenote: and do honour to _foreign visitors_ and residents.]
Mor{e} ou{er} take hede he must / to aliene /
co{m}mers straungeres,
and to straungers of þis land, resi[d]ent dwelleres,
and exalte þem to honour{e} / if þe be of honest maneres;
þeñ all{e} oþ{er} aft{ur} þeir{e} degre / like as cace requeres. 1112
[Sidenote: A well-trained Marshal should think beforehand where to
place strangers at the table.]
In a man{er}able m{er}shall{e} þe co{n}nyng{e}
is moost co{m}mendable
to haue a for{e} sight to straungers, to sett þem at þe table;
For if þey haue gentill{e} cher{e} / & gydyng{e} man{er}able,
þe m{er}shall{e} doth his sou{er}eyñ honour{e} /
& he þe mor{e} lawdable. 1116
[Sidenote: If the King sends any messenger to your Lord receive
him one degree higher than his rank.]
¶ Ȝeff þow be a m{er}shall{e} to any lord of þis land,
yff þe kyng{e} send to þy sou{er}eyñ eny his s{er}uand by sand,
+Yeff he be a+ +receve hym as a+
{ knyght { barouñ honorand
{ Squyer{e} { knyght w{i}t{h} hand
{ yomañ of þe crowñ { Squyer{e}
{ grome { yemañ in maner{e}
{ page { grome goodly in fer{e}
{ Childe { grome gentill{e} lerner{e}.
[Sidenote: The King’s groom may dine with a Knight or Marshal,]
¶ hit rebuketh not a knyght /
þe knyg{es} grome to sytte at his table, 1125
no mor{e} hit doth{e} a m{er}shall{e} of maners plesable;
and so from̅ þe hiest degre / to be lowest honorable,
if þe m{er}shall{e} haue a sight þ{er}to, he is co{m}mendable. 1128
[Headnote: THE DIFFERENCES OF MEN EQUAL IN RANK.]
[Sidenote: A Marshal must also understand the rank of County and
Borough officers,]
¶ Wisdom woll{e} a m{er}shall{e}
man{er}abely þ{a}t he vndirstand
all{e} þe worshipfull{e} officers of the comunialte of þis land,
of Shires / Citees / borowes; like as þey ar ruland,
þey must be sett aft{ur} þeir{e} astate dewe
in degre as þey stand. 1132
[Sidenote: and that a Knight of blood and property is above a poor
Knight,]
¶ hit belongeth{e} to a m{er}shall{e} to haue a for{e} sight
of all{e} estatis of þis land in eu{er}y place pight,
For þestate of a knyght of blode, lyvelode, & myght, [Fol. 188.]
is not p{er}egall{e} to a symple & a poouere knyght. 1136
[Sidenote: the Mayor of London above the Mayor of Queenborough,]
¶ Also þe meyr{e} of londoñ, notable of dignyte,
and of queneborow[269] þe meir{e}, no þyng{e} like in degre,
at one messe þey owght in no wise to sitt ne be;
hit no þyng{e} besemeth{e} /
þ{er}for{e} to suche semble ye se / 1140
[Sidenote: the Abbot of Westminster above the poor Abbot of
Tintern,]
¶ Also þe abbote of Westmynster{e}, þe hiest of þ{is} lande /
The abbot of tynterne[270] þe poorest,
y vndirstande, [Fol. 188a.]
þey ar boþe abbot{es} of name, & not lyke of fame to fande;
ȝet Tynterne w{i}t{h} Westmynster
shall{e} nowþ{er} sitte ne stande. 1144
[Sidenote: the Prior of Canterbury above the Prior of Dudley,]
¶ Also þe Pryour{e} of Caunturbury,[271]
a cheff churche of dignyte,
And þe priour{e} of Dudley,[272] no þyng{e} so digne as he:--
ȝet may not þe priour{e} of dudley, symple of degre,
Sitte w{i}t{h} þe priour{e} of Caunturbury:
þ{er} is why, a dyu{er}site. 1148
[Sidenote: the Prior who is Prelate of a Cathedral Church above
any Abbot or Prior of his diocese,]
¶ And reme{m}br{e} eu{er}mor{e} / añ rule þ{er} is generall{e}:
A p{ri}our{e} þat is a p{re}late of any churche Cathedrall{e},
above abbot or priour{e}
w{i}t{h}-in the diocise sitte he shall{e},
In churche / in chapell{e} / in chambur / & in hall{e}. 1152
[Sidenote: a Doctor of 12 years’ standing above one of 9 (though
the latter be the richer),]
¶ Right so reu{er}end docturs, degre of xij. yer{e},
þem ye must assigne
to sitte aboue hym / þat co{m}mensed hath but .ix.
and þaugh{e} þe yonger may larger spend gold red & fyne,
ȝet shall{e} þe eldur sitte aboue /
wheþ{ur} he drynke or dyne. 1156
[Sidenote: the old Aldermen above the young ones, and 1. the
Master of a craft, 2. the ex-warden.]
¶ like wise the aldremen, ȝef þey be eny wher{e},
þe yonger{e} shall{e} sitte or stande
benethe þe elder riȝt þer{e};
and of eu{er}y crafft þe mastir aftur rule & maner{e},
and þeñ þe eldest of þem, þ{a}t wardeñ was þe for{e} yer{e}. 1160
[Sidenote: Before every feast, then, think what people are coming,
and settle what their order of precedence is to be.]
¶ Soche poyntes, w{i}t{h} many oþ{er},
belongeth{e} to a m{er}shall;
þerfor{e} whensoeu{er} your{e} sovereyñ a feest make shall,
demeene what estates shall{e} sitte in the hall,
þañ resoñ w{i}t{h} your{e} self lest your{e} lord yow call{e}; 1164
[Sidenote: If in doubt, ask your lord or the chief officer,]
¶ Thus may ye devise your{e} marshallyng{e},
like as y yow ler{e},
þe honour{e} and worshipp{e}
of your{e} sou{er}eyñ eu{er}y wher{e};
And ȝeff ye haue eny dowt / eu{er} looke þ{a}t ye enquer{e},
Resorte eu{er} to your{e} souereyn{e} /
or to þe cheff officer{e}; 1168
[Sidenote: and then you’ll do wrong to no one, but set all
according to their birth and dignity.]
¶ Thus shall{e} ye to any state / do wronge ne pr{e}iudice,
to sette eu{er}y p{er}sone accordyng{e} w{i}t{h}-owteñ mys,
as aftur þe birthe / livelode / dignite /
a-fore y taught yow this,
all{e} degrees of high{e} officer{e}, & worthy as he is. 1172
[Headnote: THE DUTIES OF THE USHER AND MARSHAL.]
[Sidenote: Now I have told you of Court Manners, how to manage in
Pantry, Buttery, Carving, and as Sewer, and Marshal,]
¶ ++Now good soñ, y hau{e} shewed the / & brought þe in vre,
to know þe Curtesie of court / & these þow may take in cur{e},
In pantry / botery / or celler{e} /
& in kervyng{e} a-for{e} a sovereyn{e} demewr{e},
A sewer / or a m{er}shall{e}: in þes science /
y suppose ye byñ sewr{e}, 1176
[Sidenote: as I learnt with a Royal Prince whose Usher and Marshal
I was. All other officers have to obey me.]
¶ Which in my dayes y lernyd with{e} a prynce full{e} royall{e},
with whom̅ vscher{e} in chambur was y,
& m{er}shall{e} also in hall{e},
vnto whom̅ all{e} þese officer{es} for{e}seid /
þey eu{er} ente{n}d{e} shall{e},
Evir to fulfill{e} my co{m}maundement wheñ þat y to þem call{e}: 1180
[Headnote: THE USHER AND MARSHAL IS THE CHIEF OFFICER.]
[Sidenote: Our office is the chief, whether the Cook likes it or
not.]
For we may allow & dissalow / our{e} office is þe cheeff
In celler{e} & spicery / & the Cooke,
be he looth{e} or leeff.[273]
[Sidenote: All these offices may be filled by one man, but a
Prince’s dignity requires each office to have its officer, and a
servant under him,]
¶ ++Thus þe diligences of dyu{er}se officeȝ
y haue shewed to þe allone, [Fol. 188b.]
the which science may be shewed & dooñ
by a syng{e}l{er}[274] p{er}sone; 1184
but þe dignyte of a prince req{ui}reth{e}
vche office must haue ooñ
to be rewler{e} in his rome / a s{er}uand hym̅ waytyng{e} oñ.
[Sidenote: (all knowing their duties perfectly) to wait on their
Lord and please his guests.]
¶ Moor{e}-ou{er} h{i}t requireth{e}
eu{er}ich of þem in office to haue p{er}fite science,
For dowt and drede doyng{e} his souereyñ displicence, 1188
hym to attende, and his gest{is} to plese
in place wher{e} þey ar p{re}sence,
that his souereyñ þrough{e} his s{er}uice
may make grete co{n}gaudence.
[Sidenote: Don’t fear to serve a prince; take good heed to your
duties, watch, and you need not fear.]
¶ For a prynce to s{er}ue, ne dowt he not /
and god be his spede!
Furþ{er} þañ his office / & þ{er}-to let hym̅ take good hede, 1192
and his warde wayte wisely //
& eu{er}mor{e} þ{er}-in haue drede;
Þus doyng{e} his dewte dewly, to dowte he shall{e} not nede.
[Sidenote: _Tasting_ is done only for those of royal blood, as a
Pope, King, Duke, and Earl: not below.]
¶ ++Tastyng{e} and credence[275]
longeth{e} to blode & birth royall{e},[276]
As pope / emp{er}our{e} / E{m}p{er}atrice, and Cardynall{e}, 1196
kyng{e} / queene / prynce / Archebischoppe in palle,
Duke / Erle and no mo / þat y to remembraunce / calle.
[Sidenote: Tasting is done for fear of poison; therefore keep your
room secure, and close your safe, for fear of tricks.]
¶ ++Credence is vsed, & tastyng{e}, for drede of poysenyng{e},
To all{e} officers y-sworne / and grete oth{e} by chargyng{e}; 1200
þ{er}for{e} vche mañ in office kepe his rome sewr{e}, closyng{e}
Cloos howse / chest / & gardevyañ[277],
for drede of congettyng{e}.
[Sidenote: A Prince’s Steward and Chamberlain have the oversight
of all offices and of tasting,]
¶ ++Steward and Chamburlayñ of a p{r}ince of royalte,
þey haue / knowleche of homages, s{er}uice, and fewte; 1204
so þey haue ou{er}sight of eu{er}y office /
aft{ur} þeir{e} degre,
by wrytyng{e} þe knowleche / & þe Credence to ou{er}se;
[Sidenote: and they must tell the Marshal, Sewer, and Carver how
to do it.]
¶ Therfore in makyng{e} of his credence, it is to drede, y sey,
To m{er}shall{e} / sew{e}r{e}[278] and kerver{e}
þey must allowte allwey, 1208
to teche hym̅ of his office / þe credence hym to prey:
þus shall{e} he not stond in makyng{e}
of his credence in no fray.
[Sidenote: I don’t propose to write more on this matter. I tried
this treatise myself,]
¶ ++Moor{e} of þis co{n}nyng{e} y Cast not me to contreve:
my tyme is not to tary, hit drawest fast to eve. 1212
þis tretyse þat y haue entitled, if it ye entende to p{re}ve,
y assayed me self in youth{e} w{i}t{h}-outeñ any greve.
[Sidenote: in my youth, and enjoyed these matters, but now age
compels me to leave the court; so try yourself.”]
while y was yong{e} y-nough{e} & lusty in dede,
y enioyed þese maters foreseid / & to lerne y toke good hede; 1216
but croked age hath{e} co{m}pelled me /
& leue court y must nede.
þerfor{e}, son{e}, assay thy self / & god shall{e} be þy spede.”
[Sidenote: “Blessing on you, Father, for this your teaching of me!
Now I shall dare to serve where before I was afraid.]
++“Now feir{e} falle yow, fadur / & blessid mote ye be,
For þis comenyng{e} / & þe co{n}nyng{e} /
þat y[e] haue her{e} shewed me! 1220
now dar y do s{er}uice diligent / to dyu{er}s of dignyte,
wher{e} for scantnes of conny{n}g{e} y durst no mañ y-se.
[Sidenote: I will try, and shall learn by practice. May God reward
you for teaching me!”]
So p{er}fitely seth{e} y hit p{er}ceue /
my parte y woll{e} p{re}ue and assay; / [Fol. 189.]
boþe by practike and ex{er}cise / yet som good lerne y may: 1224
and for your{e} gentill{e} lernyng{e} / y am bound eu{er} to pray
that our{e} lorde rewarde you in blis that lasteth aye.”
[Headnote: IOHN RUSSELLS REQUEST TO THE READER.]
[Sidenote: “Good son, and all readers of this _Boke of Nurture_,
pray for the soul of me, John Russell, (servant of Humphrey, Duke
of Gloucester;)]
++“Now good soñ, thy self w{i}t{h} other
þ{a}t shall{e} þe succede,
which{e} þus boke of nurtur{e} shall{e} note /
lerne, & ou{er} rede,
pray for the sowle of Iohñ Russell{e}, þat god do hym mede,
Som tyme s{er}uaunde w{i}t{h} duke vmfrey,
duc[A] of Glowcet{ur} in dede.
[Text note: The _duc_ has a red stroke through it, probably to
cut it out.]
[Sidenote: also for the Duke, my wife, father, and mother, that we
may all go to bliss when we die.”]
For þat prynce pereles prayeth{e} / & for suche other mo,
þe sowle of my wife / my fadur and modir also, 1232
vn-to Mary modyr and mayd / she fende us from owr{e} foe,
and bryng{e} vs all{e} to blis wheñ we shall{e} hens goo.
+AMEN+.”
[Sidenote: Little book, commend me to all learners, and to the
experienced, whom I pray to correct its faults.]
Go forth{e} lytell{e} boke, and lowly þow me co{m}mende
vnto all{e} yong{e} gentilmeñ / þ{a}t lust to lerne or entende, 1236
and specially to þem þat han exsperience,
p{ra}yng{e} þe[m] to amend{e}
and correcte þat is amysse, þer{e} as y fawte or offende.
[Sidenote: Any such, put to my copying, which I have done as I
best could.]
¶ And if so þat any be founde / as þrouȝ myñ necligence,
Cast þe cawse oñ my copy / rude / & bar{e} of eloquence, 1240
which{e} to drawe out [I] haue do my besy diligence,
redily to reforme hit / by resoñ and bettur sentence.
[Sidenote: The transcriber is not to blame; he copied what was
before him, and neither of us wrote it,]
¶ As for ryme or resoñ, þe for{e}wryter was not to blame,
For as he founde hit aforne hym̅, so wrote he þe same, 1244
and þaugh{e} he or y in our{e} mater{e} digres or degrade,
blame neithur of vs / For we neuyr{e} hit made;
[Sidenote: I only corrected the rhyme. God! grant us grace to rule
in Heaven with Thine elect!]
¶ Symple as y had insight / somwhat þe ryme y correcte;
blame y cowde no mañ / y haue no p{er}sone suspecte. 1248
Now, good god, graunt vs grace /
our{e} sowles neu{er} to Infecte!
þañ may we regne in þi regiou{n} /
et{er}nally w{i}t{h} thyne electe.
[Some word or words in large black letter have been cut off at the
bottom of the page.]
[Footnote 1: do, get on.]
[Footnote 2: ? þat = nought can.]
[Footnote 3: The Lawnd in woodes. _Saltus nemorum._ Baret, 1580.
_Saltus_, a launde. Glossary in _Rel. Ant._, v. 1, p. 7, col. 1.
_Saltus_, a forest-pasture, woodland-pasture, woodland; a forest.]
[Footnote 4: at will. A.S. _wilsum_, free willed.]
[Footnote 5: A.S. _hirne_, corner. Dan. _hiörne_.]
[Footnote 6: Halke or hyrne. _Angulus_, _latibulum_; A.S. hylca,
_sinus_ Promptorium Parvulorum and note.]
[Footnote 7: AS. _fregnan_, to ask; Goth., _fraihnan_; Germ.,
_fragen._]
[Footnote 8: AS. _lis_ remissio, lenitas; Dan. _lise_, Sw. _lisa_,
relief.]
[Footnote 9: _for_ me to]
[Footnote 10: In Sir John Fastolfe’s _Bottre_, 1455, are “ij.
kerving knyves, iij. kneyves in a schethe, the haftys of every
(ivory) withe naylys gilt ... j. trencher-knyfe.” _Domestic
Arch._, v. 3, p. 157-8. _Hec mensacula_, a dressyng-knyfe, p. 256;
trencher-knyves, _mensaculos_. Jn. de Garlande, Wright’s Vocab.
p. 123.]
[Footnote 11: An Augre, or wimble, wherewith holes are bored.
Terebra & terebrum. _Vng tarriere._ Baret’s Alvearie, 1580.]
[Footnote 12: A Cannell or gutter. _Canalis._ Baret. _Tuyau_,
a pipe, quill, cane, reed, canell. Cotgrave. _Canelle_, the faucet
[l. 68] or quill of a wine vessel; also, the cocke, or spout of a
conduit. Cot.]
[Footnote 13: A Faucet, or tappe, a flute, a whistle, a pipe as
well to conueigh water, as an instrument of Musicke. _Fistula_ ...
_Tábulus._ Baret.]
[Footnote 14: _Tampon_, a bung or stopple. Cot. Tampyon for a
gon--_tampon._ Palsg.]
[Footnote 15: The projecting rim of a cask. Queen Elizabeth’s
‘yeoman drawer hath for his fees, all the lees of wine within
fowre fingers of the _chine_, &c.’ _H. Ord._ p. 295, (referred to
by Halliwell).]
[Footnote 16. _Ashore_, aslant, see note to l. 299.]
[_Labeled in text as “l. 71” and printed between notes 13, 14.
The “note to l. 299” is Footnote 58._]
[Footnote 17: ? This may be _butter-cheese_, milk- or
cream-cheese, as contrasted with the ‘hard chese’ l. 84-5; but
butter is treated of separately, l. 89.]
[Footnote 18: Fruit preserves of some kind; not the stew of
chickens, herbs, honey, ginger, &c., for which a recipe is given
on p. 18 of _Liber Cure Cocorum._ Cotgrave has _Composte_: f.
A condiment or composition; a wet sucket (wherein sweet wine was
vsed in stead of sugar), also, a pickled or winter Sallet of
hearbes, fruits, or flowers, condited in vinegar, salt, sugar, or
sweet wine, and so keeping all the yeare long; any hearbes, fruit,
or flowers in pickle; also pickle it selfe. Fr. _compote_, stewed
fruit. The Recipe for _Compost_ in the Forme of Cury, Recipe 100
(C), p. 49-50, is “Take rote of p{er}sel. pasternak of raseñs.
scrape hem and waische he{m} clene. take rap{is} & caboch{is}
ypared and icorne. take an erthen pa{n}ne w{i}t{h} clene wat{er},
& set it on the fire. cast all þise þ{er}inne. whan þey buth
boiled, cast þ{er}to peer{is}, & p{ar}boile hem wel. take þise
thyng{is} up, & lat it kele on a fair cloth, do þ{er}to salt whan
it is colde in a vessel; take vineg{ur}, & powdo{ur}, & safrou{n},
& do þ{er}to, & lat alle þise þing{is} lye þ{er}in al nyȝt oþ{er}
al day, take wyne greke and hony clarified togidur, lumbarde
mustard, & raisou{n}s corance al hool. & grynde powdo{ur} of
canel, powdo{ur} douce, & aneys hole. & fenell seed. take alle
þise þing{is}, & cast togyd{ur} i{n} a pot of erthe. and take
þ{er}of whan þ{o}u wilt, & s{er}ue forth.”]
[Footnote 19: ? not A.S. _wínberie_, a wine-berry, a grape, but
our _Whinberry_. But ‘Wineberries, currants’, Craven Gloss.; Sw.
_vin-bär_, a currant. On _hard cheese_, see note to l. 86.]
[Footnote 20: _Blandureau_, m. The white apple, called (in some
part of England) a Blaundrell. Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 21: See note to l. 75.]
[Footnote 22: _Pouldre blanche_. A powder compounded of Ginger,
Cinnamon, and Nutmegs; much in use among Cookes. Cotgrave. Is
there any authority for the statement in _Domestic Architecture_,
v. 1, p. 132; that sugar ‘was sometimes called _blanch powdre_’?
P.S.--Probably the recollection of what Pegge says in the Preface
to the _Forme of Cury_, “There is mention of _blanch-powder or
white sugar_,” 132 [p. 63]. They, however, were not the same, for
see No. 193, p. xxvi-xxvii. On turning to the Recipe 132, of
“Peer{is} in confyt,” p. 62-3, we find “whan þei [the pears] buth
ysode, take he{m} up, make a syrup of wyne greke. oþ{er} v{er}nage
w{i}t{h} blau{n}che powd{ur}, oþ{er} white sug{ur}, and powdo{ur}
gyng{ur}, & do the per{is} þ{er}in.” It is needless to say that if
a modern recipe said take “sugar or honey,” sugar could not be
said “to be sometimes called” honey. See Dawson Turner in Howard
Household Books.]
[Footnote 23: _Ioncade_: f. A certaine spoone-meat made of creame,
Rose-water and Sugar. Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 24: See the recipe to make it, lines 121-76; and in
_Forme of Cury_, p. 161.]
[Footnote 25: Muffett held a very different opinion. ‘Old and dry
cheese hurteth dangerously: for it stayeth siege [stools],
stoppeth the Liver, engendereth choler, melancholy, and the stone,
lieth long in the stomack undigested, procureth thirst, maketh a
stinking breath and a scurvy skin: Whereupon Galen and Isaac have
well noted, That as we may feed liberally of ruin cheese, and more
liberally of fresh Cheese, so we are not to taste any further of
old and hard Cheese, then to close up the mouth of our stomacks
after meat,’ p. 131.]
[Footnote 26: In youth and old age. Muffett says, p. 129-30,
‘according to the old Proverb, _Butter is Gold in the morning,
Silver at noon, and lead at night._ It is also best for children
whilst they are growing, and for old men when they are declining;
but very unwholesom betwixt those two ages, because through the
heat of young stomacks, it is forthwith converted into choler
[bile]. The Dutchmen have a by-Verse amongst them to this effect,
_Eat Butter first, and eat it last,_
_And live till a hundred years be past’_]
[Footnote 27: See note to l. 82.]
[Footnote 28: See ‘Rompney of Modoñ,’ among the sweet wines,
l. 119.]
[Footnote 29: _Eschec & mat._ Checke-mate at Chests; and
(metaphorically) a remedilesse disaster, miserie, or misfortune.
Cot.]
[Footnote 30: _? ascia_, a dyse, Vocab. in _Reliq. Ant._ v. 1,
p. 8, col. 1; _ascia_, 1. an axe; (2. a mattock, a hoe; 3. an
instrument for mixing mortar). _Diessel_, ofte _Diechsel_,
A Carpenter-axe, or a Chip-axe. Hexham.]
[Footnote 31: ? The name of the lees of some red wine. Phillips
has _Rosa Solis_, a kind of Herb; also a pleasant Liquor made of
Brandy, Sugar, Cinnamon, and other Ingredients agreeable to the
Taste, and comfortable to the Heart. (So called, as being at first
prepared wholly of the juice of the plant ros-solis (sun-dew) or
drosera. Dict. of Arts and Sciences, 1767.)]
[Footnote 32: See note, l. 31.]
[Footnote 33: See note on these wines at the end of the poem.]
[Footnote 34: In the Recipe for Jussel of Flessh (Household Ord.,
p. 462), one way of preparing the dish is ‘for a Lorde,’ another
way ‘for Commons.’ Other like passages also occur.]
[Footnote 35: Graines. _Cardamomum, Graine de paradis._ Baret.
‘Graines of Paradise; or, the spice which we call, Graines.’
Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 36: _Cuite_, a seething, baking. Cot.]
[Footnote 37: _Spices._ Of those for the Percy Household, 1512,
the yearly cost was £25 19s. 7d., for _Piper_, Rasyns of Corens,
Prones, _Gynger_, Mace, Clovvez, Sugour, _Cinamom_, Allmonds,
Daytts, Nuttmuggs, _Granes_, _Tornesole_, Saunders, _Powder of
Annes_, Rice, Coumfetts, _Galyngga_, _Longe Piper_, _Blaynshe
Powder_, and Safferon, p. 19, 20. Household Book, ed. Bp. Percy.]
[Footnote 38: Canel, spyce. _Cinamomum, amomum._ Promt. Parv.
_Canelle_, our moderne Cannell or Cinnamom. Cot. (Named from its
tube stalk?)]
[Footnote 39: _Tourne-soleil._ Tornesole, Heliotropium. Cotgrave.
Take bleue _turnesole_, and dip hit in wyne, that the wyne may
catch the colour thereof, and colour the potage therwith. _H.
Ord._, p. 465.... and take red _turnesole_ steped wel in wyne, and
colour the potage with that wine, _ibid._ ‘And then with a little
_Turnsole_ make it of a high murrey [mulberry] colour.’ Markham’s
Houswife, p. 70.]
[Footnote 40: Manche: f. A sleeue; also a long narrow bag (such as
Hypocras is made in). Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 41: boulting or straining cloth. ‘ij bulteclothes.’
Status Domus de Fynchall, A.D. 1360. _Dom. Arch._ v. 1, p. 136,
note _f_.]
[Footnote 42: Stale, dead. Pallyd, as drynke (palled, as ale).
_Emortuus._ P. Parv. See extract from A. Borde in notes at end.]
[Footnote 43: See _Dict. de L’Academie_, p. 422, col. 2, ed. 1835.
‘_Couche_ se dit aussi de Toute substance qui est étendue,
appliquée sur une autre, de manière à la couvrir. _Revêtir un mur
d’une_ couche _de plâtre, de mortier, &c._’]
[Footnote 44: Fr. _repli_: m. A fould, plait, or _bought_.
Cotgrave. cf. _Bow_, bend.]
[Footnote 45: Fine cloth, originally made at Rennes, in Bretagne.]
[Footnote 46: A.S. _gerǣdian_, to make ready, arrange, prepare.]
[Footnote 47: See the mode of laying the Surnape in Henry VII.’s
time described in _H. Ord._, p. 119, at the end of this Poem.]
[Footnote 48: “A _Portpayne_ for the said Pantre, an elne longe
and a yerd brode.” The _Percy_, or Northumberland Household Book,
1512, (ed. 1827), p. 16, under _Lynnon Clothe_. ‘A _porte paine_,
to beare breade fro the Pantree to the table with, _lintheum
panarium_.’ Withals.]
[Footnote 49: A.S. _ætwítan_, twit; _oðwítan_, blame.]
[Footnote 50: ‘prowl, proll, to seek for prey, from Fr. _proie_ by
the addition of a formative _l_, as kneel from knee.’ Wedgwood.]
[Footnote 51: Louse is in English in 1530 ’Louse, a beest--_pov._
Palsgrave. And see the note, p. 19, _Book of Quinte Essence_.]
[Footnote 52: To look sullen (?). _Glowting_ round her rock, to
fish she falls. _Chapman_, in Todd’s Johnson. Horrour and
_glouting_ admiration. _Milton._ _Glouting_ with sullen spight.
_Garth._]
[Footnote 53: Snytyn a nese or a candyl. _Emungo, mungo._ Prompt.
Parv. _Emungo_, to make cleane the nose. _Emunctio_, snuffyng or
wypynge of the nose. Cooper. _Snuyt uw neus_, Blow your nose.
Sewel, 1740; but _snuyven, ofte snuffen_, To Snuffe out the Snot
or Filth out of ones Nose. Hexham, 1660. A learned friend, who in
his bachelor days investigated some of the curiosities of London
Life, informs me that the modern Cockney term is _sling_. In the
dress-circle of the Bower Saloon, Stangate, admission 3d., he saw
stuck up, four years ago, the notice, “_Gentlemen_ are requested
not to _sling_,” and being philologically disposed, he asked the
attendant the meaning of the word.]
[Footnote 54: askew. _Doyle_, squint. Gloucestershire. Halliwell.]
[Footnote 55: Codde, of mannys pryuyte (preuy membris). _Piga,
mentula._ Promptorium Parvulorum.]
[Footnote 56: Mowe or skorne, _Vangia vel valgia_. Catholicon, in
P. P.]
[Footnote 57: Ȝyxyñ _Singulcio_. Ȝyxynge _singultus_. P. P. To
yexe, sobbe, or haue the hicket. _Singultio._ Baret. To yexe or
sobbe, _Hicken_, To Hick, or to have the Hick-hock. Hexham.]
[Footnote 58: ? shorewise, as shores. ‘Schore, undur settynge of a
þynge þat wolde falle.’ P. Parv. Du. _Schooren_, To Under-prop.
_Aller eschays_, To shale, stradle, goe crooked, or wide betweene
the feet, or legs. Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 59: Dutch _Schrobben_, To Rubb, to Scrape, to Scratch.
Hexham.]
[Footnote 60: Iettyn _verno_. P. Parv. Mr Way quotes from
Palsgrave, “I _iette_, I make a countenaunce with my legges, _ie
me iamboye_,” &c.; and from Cotgrave, “_Iamboyer_, to _iet_, or
wantonly to go in and out with the legs,” &c.]
[Footnote 61: grinding.]
[Footnote 62: gnastyn (gnachyn) _Fremo, strideo_. Catholicon.
Gnastyng of the tethe--_stridevr, grincement_. Palsg. Du.
_gnisteren_, To Gnash, or Creake with the teeth. Hexham.]
[Footnote 63: Short coats and tight trousers were a great offence
to old writers accustomed to long nightgown clothes. Compare
Chaucer’s complaint in the Canterbury Tales, The Parsones Tale,
_De Superbiâ_, p. 193, col. 2, ed. Wright. “Upon that other syde,
to speke of the horrible disordinat scantnes of clothing, as ben
these cuttid sloppis or anslets, that thurgh her schortnes ne
covereth not the schamful membre of man, to wickid entent. Alas!
som men of hem schewen the schap and the boce of the horrible
swollen membres, that semeth like to the maladies of hirnia, in
the wrapping of here hose, and eek the buttokes of hem, that faren
as it were the hinder part of a sche ape in the fulle of the
moone.” The continuation of the passage is very curious. “Youre
schort gownys thriftlesse” are also noted in the song in Harl. MS.
372. See Weste, _Booke of Demeanour_, l. 141, below.]
[Footnote 64: Fr. _tache_, spot, staine, blemish, reproach. C.]
[Footnote 65: sobriety, gravity.]
[Footnote 66: Edward IV. had ‘Bannerettes IIII, or Bacheler
Knights, to be kervers and cupberers in this courte.’ _H. Ord._,
p. 32.]
[Footnote 67: See the _Termes of a Keruer_ in Wynkyn de Worde’s
_Boke of Keruynge_ below.]
[Footnote 68: to embrew. _Ferrum tingere sanguine._ Baret.]
[Footnote 69: The table-knife, ‘Mensal knyfe, or borde knyfe,
_Mensalis_,’ P. Parv., was, I suppose, a lighter knife than the
trencher-knife used for cutting trenchers off very stale coarse
loaves.]
[Footnote 70: ? Fr. _pareil_, A match or fellow. C.]
[Footnote 71: A.S. _gramian_, to anger.]
[Footnote 72: Sowce mete, _Succidium_. P. Parv.]
[Footnote 73: ? Crop or crawe, or cropon of a beste (croupe or
cropon), _Clunis_. P. Parv. Crops are emptied before birds are
cooked.]
[Footnote 74: A.S. _beniman_, take away, deprive.]
[Footnote 75: Fr. _achever_, To atchieue; to end, finish. Cot.]
[Footnote 76: Hwyr, cappe (hure H.), _Tena_. A.S. _hufe_, a tiara,
ornament. Promptorium Parv.]
[Footnote 77: Chyne, of bestys bakke. _Spina._ P. Parv.]
[Footnote 78: slices, strips.]
[Footnote 79: ‘_De haute graisse_, Full, plumpe, goodlie, fat,
well-fed, in good liking.’ Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 80: Fr. _arracher_. To root vp ... pull away by
violence. Cotgrave. [[Compare, “and the Geaunte pulled and drough,
but he myght hym not _a-race_ from the sadell.” _Merlin_, Pt. II.
p. 346 (E. E. T. Soc. 1866).]] ]
[Footnote 81: The Bittern or Bittour, _Ardea Stellaris_.]
[Footnote 82: _Egrette_, as _Aigrette_; A foule that resembles a
Heron. _Aigrette_ (A foule verie like a Heron, but white);
a criell Heron, or dwarfe Heron. Cot. _Ardea alba_, A crielle or
dwarfe heron. Cooper.]
[Footnote 83: Snype, or snyte, byrde, _Ibex._ P. P. A snipe or
snite: a bird lesse than a woodcocke. _Gallinago minor_,
&c. Baret.]
[Footnote 84: A small Heron or kind of Heron; Shakspere’s editors’
_handsaw_. The spelling _heronshaw_ misled Cotgrave, &c.; he has
_Haironniere_. A herons neast, or ayrie; a _herne_-shaw or shaw of
wood, wherein herons breed. ‘An Hearne. _Ardea._ A hearnsew,
_Ardeola_.’ Baret, 1580. ‘Fr. _heronceau_, a young heron, gives E.
_heronshaw_,’ Wedgwood. I cannot find _heronceau_, only
_heronneau_. ‘A yong _herensew_ is lyghter of dygestyon than a
crane. A. Borde. _Regyment_, fol. F i, ed. 1567. ‘In actual
application a _heronshaw_, _hernshaw_ or _hernsew_, is simply a
Common Heron (Ardea Vulgaris) with no distinction as to age, &c.’
Atkinson.]
[Footnote 85: The Brewe is mentioned three times, and each time in
connection with the Curlew. I believe it to be the Whimbrel
(_Numenius Phæopus_) or Half Curlew. I have a recollection (or
what seems like it) of having seen the name with a French form
like Whimbreau. [Pennant’s British Zoology, ii. 347, gives _Le
petit Courly, ou le Courlieu_, as the French synonym of the
Whimbrel.] Morris (Orpen) says the numbers of the Whimbrel are
lessening from their being sought as food. Atkinson.]
[Footnote 86: “The singular structure of the windpipe and its
convolutions lodged between the two plates of bone forming the
sides of the keel of the sternum of this bird (the Crane) have
long been known. The trachea or windpipe, quitting the neck of the
bird, passes downwards and backwards between the branches of the
merry-thought towards the inferior edge of the keel, which is
hollowed out to receive it. Into this groove the trachea passes,
... and after making three turns passes again forwards and upwards
and ultimately backwards to be attached to the two lobes of the
lungs.” Yarrell, _Brit. Birds_ ii. 441. Atkinson.]
[Footnote 87: Way, manner. Plyte or state (plight, P.). _Status._
P. Parv.]
[Footnote 88: A sort of gristle, the tendon of the neck. Germ.
_flachse_, Brockett. And see Wheatley’s Dict. of Reduplicated
Words.]
[Footnote 89: The ‘canelle boon’ between the hind legs must be the
pelvis, or pelvic arch, or else the _ilium_ or haunch-bone: and in
cutting up the rabbit many good carvers customarily disjoint the
haunch-bones before helping any one to the rump. Atkinson.]