[Sidenotes:

_The Duties of the Grooms of the Chamber._

[435] They shall make palets of litter 9 ft. long, 7 broad,

watered, twisted, trodden, with wisps at foot and side, twisted

and turned back; from the floor-level to the waist. [443] For

lords, 2 beds, outer and inner, hung with hangings, hooks and eyes

set on the binding; the valance hanging on a rod (?), four

curtains reaching to the ground; these he takes up with a forked

rod. [455] The counterpane is laid at the foot, cushions on the

sides, tapestry on the floor and sides of the room. [461] The

Groom gets fuel, and screens. [463] The Groom keeps the table,

trestles, and forms for dinner; and water in a heater. [467] He

puts 3 wax-lights over the chimney, all in different syces.

[473] _The Usher of the Chamber_ walks about and sees that all is

served right, [477] orders the table to be set and removed, takes

charge of the Wardrobe and Bedchamber, bids the _Wardroper_ get

all ready before the fire, nightgown, carpet, 2 cushions, a form

with a footsheet over it; on which the lord changes his gown.

[489] The Usher orders what’s wanted from the Buttery: a link from

the Chandler, and ale and wine. [495] (No meat shall be assayed

except for King, Prince, Duke or Heirs-apparent.) [498] From the

Pantry the Usher takes fine and coarse bread, and a wax-light that

burns all night in a basin. [507] (The Yeoman-Usher removes the

torches.) [509] The Usher puts lights on the Bedroom door, brings

bread and wine, (the lord washing first,) offers the drink

kneeling; puts his lord to bed, and then goes home himself. The

Yeoman-Usher sleeps at the Lord’s door.]

[Headnote: OF THE STEWARD.]

¶ De seneschallo.[32]

¶ Now speke I wyll{e} of þo stuarde als,

[Text note: [D MS. _and_]]

Few ar trew, but fele ar[D] fals.

Þo clerke of kechyn, countrollo{ur},

Stuarde, coke, and surueyour, 524

Assente{n} in counsell{e}, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} skorne,

How þo lorde schall{e} fare at mete þo morne.

Yf any deyntethe in countré be,

Þo stuarde schewes h{i}t to þo lorde so fre, 528

And gares by hyt for any cost,

Hit wer{e} grete syn and hit wer{e} lost.

Byfore þe cours þo stuarde comes þen,

Þe seruer h{i}t next of alle kyn me{n} 532

Mays way and stondes by syde,

Tyl all{e} be s{er}ued at þ{a}t tyde.

At countyng stuarde schall{e} ben,

Tylle all{e} be breuet of wax so grene, 536

Wrytten in-to bokes, w{i}t{h}-out let,

Þ{a}t be-fore in tabuls hase ben sett,

Tyl countes also þ{er}-on ben cast,

And somet vp holy at þo last. 540

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Steward._

[522] Few are true, but many false. He, the clerk, cook and

surveyor consult over their Lord’s dinner. [527] Any dainty that

can be had, the Steward buys. [531] Before dishes are put on, the

Steward enters first, then the Server. [535] The Steward shall

post into books all accounts written on tablets, and add them up.]

¶ De cont{ra}rotulatore.[33]

¶ The Countrollo{ur} shall{e} wryte to hym,

Taunt resceu, no more I myn;

And taunt dispendu þ{a}t same day,

Vncountabull{e} he is, as y ȝou say. 544

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Controller._

[541] He puts down the receipt and consumption of every day.]

¶ De sup{er}uisore.[34]

¶ Surueour and stuarde also,

Thes thre folke and no mo,

For noȝt resayue{n} bot eu{er} sene

Þ{a}t noþyng fayle {and} alle be whene; 548

Þ{a}t þo clerke of kechyn schulde not mys,

Þ{er}-fore þo countrollo{ur}, as hafe I blys,

Wrytes vp þo somme as eu{er}y day,

And helpes to count, as I ȝou say. 552

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Surveyor._

[546] He, the steward, and controller, receive nothing, but see

that all goes straight. [550] The Controller checks daily the

Clerk of the kitchen’s account.]

¶ De Clerico coquine.[35]

¶ The clerke of þe cochyñ shall{e} all{e} þyng breue,

Of men of court, bothe lothe and leue,

Of achat_is and_ dispenses þen wrytes he,

And wages for gromes and ȝeme{n} fre; 556

At dresso{ur} also he shalle stonde,

And fett forthe mete dresset w{i}t{h} honde;

Þe spicery and store w{i}t{h} hym shall{e} dwelle,

And mony thynges als, as I noȝt telle, 560

For clethyng of officers alle i{n} fere,

Saue þe lorde hym self and ladys dere.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Clerk of the Kitchen._

[553] He shall keep account of all purchases, and payments, and

wages, shall preside at the Dresser, and keep the spices, stores,

&c., [561] and the clothes of the officers.]

[Headnote: OF THE CHANCELLOR AND TREASURER.]

¶ De cancellario.[36]

¶ The chaunceler answer{es} for hor clothyng,

For ȝome{n}, faukeners, {and} hor horsyng, 564

For his wardrop and wages also;

And asseles patenti{s} mony {and} mo; [Fol. 22.]

Yf þo lorde gyf oȝt to t{er}me of lyf,

The chaunceler h{i}t seles w{i}t{h}-oute{n} stryf; 568

[Text note: [E MS. þ{er}]]

_Tan come nos plerra_ me{n} seyne,

þ{at}[E] is _q{ua}n{do} nob{is} placet_,

Þ{a}t is, whille vs lykes hym noȝt omys;

Ou{er}-se hys londes þ{a}t all{e} be ryȝt:

On of þo grete he is of myȝt. 572

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Chancellor._

[563] He looks after the servants’ clothes, and horses, seals

patents, and grants of land, &c., for life, or during the lord’s

pleasure. [571] He oversees the land too, and is a great man.]

¶ De thesaurizario.[37]

¶ Now speke y wylle of tresurer{e},

Husbonde and houswyf he is in fer{e};

Of þe resayu{er} he shall{e} resayue,

All{e} þ{a}t is gedurt of baylé and grayue,[38] 576

Of þe lordes courtes and forfet{is} als,

Wheþ{er} þay ben ryȝt or þay ben fals.

To þo clerke of cochen he payes moné

For vetayle to bye opon þo countré: 580

The clerke to kat{er} and pult{er} is,

To baker and butler bothe y-wys

Gyffys seluer to bye in all{e} thyng

Þ{a}t longes to here office, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lesyng. 584

Þe tresurer schall{e} gyfe alkyn wage,

To squyer, ȝomo{n}, grome, or page.

Þo resayuer and þo tresurer,

Þo clerke of cochyn and chaunceler, 588

Grayuis, and baylys, and parker,

Schone come to acountes eu{er}y ȝere

By-fore þo audito{ur} of þo lorde onone,

Þ{a}t schulde be trew as any stone; 592

Yf he dose hom no ryȝt lele,

To A baron of chekker þay mu{n} h{i}t pele.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Treasurer._

[574] He takes from the Receiver what is collected from bailiff

and grieve, courts and forfeits. [579] He gives the Kitchen clerk

money to buy provisions with, and the clerk gives some to the

baker and butler. [585] The Treasurer pays all wages. [587] He,

the Receiver, Chancellor, Grieves, &c., [590] account once a year

to the Auditor, from whom they can appeal to a Baron of the

Exchequer.]

¶ De receptore firmar{um}.

¶ Of þe resayuer speke wyll{e} I,

Þ{a}t fermys[39] resayuys wytt{ur}ly 596

Of grayuys, and hom aquetons makes,

Sex pons þ{er}-fore to feys he takes,

And pays feys to parkers als I-wys,

[Text note: [F _Or_ loned.]]

Þ{er}-of at acountes he loued[F] is, 600

And ou{er}-seys castels, man{er}s a-boute,

Þ{a}t noȝt falle w{i}t{h}-in ne w{i}t{h}-oute.

Now let we þes officers be,

And telle we wylle of smaller mené. 604

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Receiver of Rents._

[597]: He gives receipts, and gets a fee of 6d. [599] He pays fees

to park-keepers, and looks after castles and manor-houses.]

¶ De Auenario.[40]

¶ Þe Aueyn{er} schall{e} ordeyn p{ro}uande[41] good won,

For þo lordys horsis eu{er}ychon;

Þay schyn haue two cast[42] of hay,

A pek of p{ro}uande on a day; 608

Eu{er}y horse schall{e} so muche haue,

At racke and mang{er} þ{a}t standes w{i}t{h} staue.

A mayst{ur} of horsys a squyer[43] þ{er} is,

Aueyn{er} and fero{ur} vnd{ur} hym I-wys; 612

Þose ȝome{n} þ{a}t olde sadels schyn haue,

Þ{a}t schyn be last for knyȝt and knaue,

For yche a hors þ{a}t ferrour{e}[44] schall{e} scho,

An halpeny on day he takes hym to; 616

Vnd{ur} ben gromes and pages mony one,

Þat ben at wage eu{er}ychone;

Som at two pons on a day, [Fol. 23.]

and som at iij ob., I ȝou say; 620

Mony of hem fote-me{n} þer ben,

Þ{a}t renne{n} by þe brydels of ladys shene.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Avener._

[605] He shall give the horses in the stable two armsful of hay

and a peck of oats, daily. [611]: A Squire is Master of the Horse;

under him are Avener and Farrier, (the Farrier has a halfpenny a

day for every horse he shoes,) and grooms and pages hired at 2d.

a day, or 3 halfpence, and footmen who run by ladies’ bridles.]

[Headnote: OF THE BAKER AND HUNTSMAN.]

¶ De pistore.[45]

¶ Of þo baker now speke y wylle,

And wat longes his office vntylle; 624

Of a lunden buschell{e} he shall{e} bake

xx louys, I vndur-take;

[Text note: [G _Read_ broun, brown.]]

Manchet and chet to make brom[G] bred hard,

For chaundeler and grehoundes {and} hu{n}tes reward. 628

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Baker._

[625] Out of a London bushel he shall bake 20 loaves, fine and

coarse.]

¶ De venatore {et} suis canib{us}.

¶ A halpeny þo hunte takes on þe day

For eu{er}y hounde, þo soth{e} to say:

Þo vewt{er}, two cast of brede he tase,

Two lesshe of grehoundes yf þ{a}t he hase; 632

To yche a bone, þat is to telle,

If I to ȝou þe sothe shall{e} spelle;

By-syde hys vantage þ{a}t may be-fall{e},

Of skynnes and oþ{er} thynges w{i}t{h}-all{e}, 636

Þat hunt{er}es con tell{e} bett{er} þa{n} I,

Þ{er}-fore I leue h{i}t wytt[{ur}]ly.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Huntsman and his Hounds._

[629] He gets a halfpenny a day for every hound. [631] The

Feuterer 2 lots of bread if he has 2 leash of Greyhounds, and a

bone for each, besides perquisites of skins, &c.]

¶ De aquario.[46]

¶ And speke I wyll{e} of oþ{er} myster{e}

Þ{a}t falles to court, as ȝe mu{n} her{e}; 640

An euwer{e} in hall{e} þere nedys to be,

And chandelew schall{e} haue and all{e} naper{e};

He schall{e} gef wat{er} to gentilme{n},

And als in all{e} ȝome{n}. 644

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Ewerer or Water-bringer._

[641] He has all the candles and cloths and gives water to every

one.]

¶ Qui d{eb}ent manus lauar{e} {et} i{n} q{u}or{um} domib{us}.

¶ In kynges court and dukes also,

Þ{er} ȝome{n} schynne wasshe and no mo;--

In duke Ionys house a ȝoma{n} þ{er} was,

For his rewarde p{ra}yde suche a g{ra}ce; 648

Þe duke gete graunt þ{er}-of in londe,

Of þe kyng his fader, I vndudurstonde.--(_so_)

Wosoeuer gefes wat{er} in lordys chaunber,

In p{re}sens of lorde or leuedé dere, 652

He schall{e} knele downe opoñ his kne,

Ellys he forȝetes his curtasé;

Þis euwer schall{e} hele his lordes borde,

W{i}t{h} dowbull{e} napere at on bar{e} worde: 656

The seluage to þo lordes syde w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne,

And douñ schall{e} heng þ{a}t oþ{er} may wynne;

Þo ou{er} nape schall{e} dowbull{e} be layde,

To þo vttur syde þe seluage brade; 660

Þo ou{er} seluage he schall{e} replye,[47]

As towell{e} h{i}t were fayrest in hye;

Browers[48] he schall{e} cast þ{er}-opon,

Þ{a}t þe lorde schull{e} clense his fyngers [on], 664

Þe leuedy and whoseuer syttes w{i}t{h}-inne,

All{e} browers schynne haue bothe mor{e} {and} myñ.

[Sidenotes:

_Who may wash his hands, and where._

[651] The bringer of Water shall kneel down. [655] The Ewerer

shall cover the lord’s table with a double cloth, the lower with

the selvage to the lord’s side; the upper cloth shall be laid

double, the upper selvage turned back as if for a towel. [664] He

shall put on cleaners for every one.]

[Headnote: OF THE PANTER, THE LORD’S KNIVES, ETC.]

¶ De panetario.

¶ Þenne comes þe pantere w{i}t{h} loues thre,

Þat squar{e} are coruyn of trencho{ur} fre, 668

To sett w{i}t{h}-inne {and} oon w{i}t{h}-oute,

And saller y-cou{er}yd and sett in route;

W{i}t{h} þo ouemast lofe h{i}t shall{e} be sett, [Fol. 24.]

W{i}t{h}-oute forthe square, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lett; 672

Two keruyng knyfes w{i}t{h}-oute one,

Þe thrydde to þo lorde, and als a spone.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Panter._

[667] He carries 3 loaves cut square for trenchers, and the

covered Saltcellar, 2 Carving-knives, and sets the 3rd, and a

spoon to his lord.]

¶ De Cultellis d{omi}ni.

¶ Of þo two þo haftes schynne outwarde be,

Of þe thrydd þe hafte inwarde lays he, 676

Þe spony stele þ{er} by schall{e} be layde;

Moo loues of trenchirres at a brayde

He settes, {and} seruys euyr in fer{e}

To duches his wyne þ{a}t is so der{e}. 680

Two loues of trenchors {and} salt þo,

He settes be-fore his son also;

A lofe of trencho{ur}s and salt on last,

At bordes ende he settes in hast. 684

Þen brede he brynges, in towell{e} wrythyñ,

Thre lofys of þo wyte schall{e} be geuyñ;

A chet lofe to þo elmys dyshe,

Weþ{er} he seruyd be w{i}t{h} flesshe or fysche; 688

At aþ{er} ende he castes a cope,

Layde dowñ on borde, þe endys plyed vp.

That he assayes knelande on kne,

Þo keru{er} hym parys a schyu{er} so fre; 692

And touches þo louys y{n} quer{e} a-boute,

Þo pantere hit etys w{i}t{h}-oute dowte;

Þo euwer{e} thurgh towell{e} syles[49] clene

His wat{er} into þo bassynges shene; 696

Þo ou{er} bassyn þ{er}-on schall{e} close,

A towell{e} þ{er}-on, as I suppose,

Þ{a}t folden schall{e} be w{i}t{h} full{e} grete lore,

Two quart{er}s on lenketh{e} and su{m}dele mor{e}; 700

A qwyte cuppe of tre þ{er}-by shall{e} be,

Þ{er}-w{i}t{h} þ{o} wat{er} assay schall{e} he;

Quelmes[50] h{i}t agayn by-for{e} all{e} me{n};

Þo keru{er} þe bassynges tase vp þenne; 704

Annaunciande sq{u}ier, or ellis a knyȝt,

Þo towell{e} dowñ tase by full{e} good ryȝt;

Þo cuppe he tase in honde also,

Þo keru{er} powres wat[er] þe cuppe into; 708

The knyȝt to þo keru{er} haldes anon,

He says h{i}t ar he m{o}r{e} schall{e} doñ;

Þo cuppe þen voyde is in þo flette,[51]

Þe euwer h{i}t takes w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lette. 712

The towell{e} two knyȝht{is} schyn halde i{n} fer{e},

Be-fore þe lordes sleues, þat ben so der{e};

The ou{er} bassyn þay halde neu{er} þe queder,

Quyll{e} þo keru{er} powre wat{er} in-to þe ned{ur}. 716

For a pype þ{er} is insyde so clene,

Þ{a}t wat{er} deuoydes, of selu{er} schene;

Þen settes he þe nethyr, I vnd[u]rstonde,

In þe ou{er}, and voydes w{i}t{h} bothe is honde; 720

And brynges to þe euwer þ{er} he come fro;

To þo lordys bordes aȝayn con go;

And layes iiij trencho{ur}s þo lorde be-fore,

Þe fyft aboue by good lore; 724

By hym self thre schall{e} he dresse,

To cut opon þe lordes messe; [Fol. 25.]

Smale towell{e} a-boute his necke shall{e} bene,

To clens his knyfys þ{a}t ben so kene. 728

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Lord’s Knive, (_Bread, and Washing.)_

[675] The hafts of 2 are laid outwards, that of the 3rd inwards,

and the spoon handle by it. [678] More trencher loaves are set,

and wine served to the Duchess. [681] 2 Trencher-loaves, and salt,

to the lord’s son; and 1 loaf and saltcellar set at the end of

the table. [685] Then 3 loaves of white bread are brought, and

1 coarse loaf is put in the Alms-dish. [691] To assay bread, the

Panter kneels, the Carver cuts him a slice, and he eats it.

[695] The Ewerer strains water into his basins, on the upper one

of which is a towel folded dodgily. [701] Then the water is

assayed in a cup of white wood. [704] The Carver takes up the

basins; a knight takes down the towel, and wipes the cup, into

which the Carver pours water; the knight hands it to him; he

assays it, and empties the cup. [713] Two knights hold the towel

before the lord’s sleeves, and hold the upper basin while the

Carver pours water into the lower; then he puts the lower into

the upper, and empties both, takes them to the Ewerer, returns

to the lord’s table, lays 4 trenchers for him, with 1 above.

[725] The Carver takes 3 to cut the lord’s messes on, and has a

cloth round his neck to wipe his knives on.]

[Headnote: OF THE ALMONER AND DISH-SERVER.]

¶ De Elemosinario.[52]

¶ The aumener{e} by þis hathe sayde g{ra}ce,

And þo almes dysshe hase sett in place;

Þ{er}-in þe keru{er} a lofe schall{e} sette,

To s{er}ue god fyrst w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lette; 732

Þese oþ{er} lofes he parys a-boute,

Lays h{i}t myd dysshe w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute.

Þe small{e} lofe he cutt{is} eue{n} i{n} twynne,

Þo ou{er} dole in two lays to hym. 736

The aumener{e} a rod schall{e} haue in honde,

As office for almes, y vndurstonde.

Alle þe broken met he kepys y wate,

To dele to por{e} me{n} at þe ȝate. 740

And drynke þ{a}t leues s{er}ued in halle;

Of ryche {and} pore bothe grete {and} small{e}.

He is sworne to ou{er}-se þe s{er}uis wele,

And dele hit to þe pore eu{er}y dele; 744

Selu{er} he deles rydand by way;

And his almys dysshe, as I ȝou say,

To þe porest ma{n} þ{a}t he can fynde,

Oþ{er} ellys I wot he is vnkynde. 748

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Almoner._

[729]: He says grace, sets down the Alms-dish, and the Carver

puts the first loaf in it. [733] The other loaves he pares round,

cuts one in two, and gives the upper half in halves to him.

[737] The Almoner has a staff in his hand. [739] He keeps the

broken food and wine left, for poor men at the gate, and is sworn

to give it all to them. [745] He distributes silver as he rides.]

¶ De ferculario.

¶ This wyle þo squyer to kechyn shall{e} go,

And brynges a bof for assay þo;

Þo Coke assayes þe mete vngryȝt,

Þo sewer he takes and kou{er}s on ryȝt; 752

Wo so eu{er} he takes þ{a}t mete to bere,

Schall{e} not so hardy þo cou{er}tour{e} rer{e},

For colde ne hote, I warne ȝou all{e},

For suspecyoñ of tresou{n} as may befalle. 756

Yf þo sylu{er} dyssh{e} wyll{e} algate brenne,

A sotelté I wylle þe kenne,

Take þe bredde coruyn {and} lay by-twene,

And kepe þe well{e} h{i}t be not sene; 760

¶ I teche hit for no curtayse,

But for þyn ese.

When þe sewer comys vnto þe borde,

Alle þe mete he sayes at on bare worde, 764

Þe potage fyrst w{i}t{h} brede y-coruyn,

Cou{er}ys hom agayn lest þey ben storuyn;

W{i}t{h} fyssh{e} or flessh yf [they] be s{er}ued,

A morsell{e} þ{er}-of shalle he be keruyd; 768

And touche þe messe ou{er} all{e} aboute,

Þo sewer h{i}t et{is} w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute.

W{i}t{h} baken mete yf he s{er}uyd be þo,

Þo lydes vp-rered or he fyr go, 772

Þe past or pye he sayes w{i}t{h}-inne,

Dippes bredde in graué no mor{e} ne mynne;

Ȝif þe baken mete be colde, as may byfall{e},

A gobet of þo self he sayes w{i}t{h}-all{e}. 776

But þ{o}u þ{a}t berys mete in hande,

Yf þo sewer stonde, loke þ{o}u stande;

Yf he knele, knele þ{o}u so longe for oȝt,

¶ Tylle mete be sayde þ{a}t þ{o}u hase broght. [Fol. 26.] 780

As oft at hegh borde yf brede be nede,

The butler two louys takys indede;

Þat on settes down, þ{a}t oþer agayn

He barys to cupborde in towell{e} playn. 784

As oft as þe keru{er} fettys drynke,

Þe butler assayes h{i}t how good hy{m} thynke;

In þe lordys cupp þ{a}t leuys vndrynken,

Into þe almesdisshe h{i}t schall{e} be sonken. 788

The keru{er} anon w{i}t{h}-oute{n} thouȝt,

[Headnote: OF THE CARVER, SURNAPE-LAYERS, AND CHANDLER.]

Vnkou{er}s þe cup þ{a}t he hase brouȝt;

Into þe cou{er}tour{e} wyn he powr{e}s owt,

Or in-to a spare pece, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute; 792

Assayes, an gefes þo lorde to drynke,

Or settes h{i}t doun as hym goode thynke.

Þo keru{er}[53] schall{e} kerue þo lordes mete,

Of what kyn pece þ{a}t he wyll{e} ete; 796

And on hys trenchour he hit layes,

On þys maner w{i}t{h}-out displayes;

In almesdysshe he layes yche dele,

Þ{a}t he is w{i}t{h} serued at þo mele; 800

But he sende h{i}t to ony stronger{e},

A pese þ{a}t is hym leue and dere,

And send hys potage also,

Þ{a}t schall{e} not to þe almes go. 804

Of keru{er} more, yf I shulde telle,

Anoþ{er} fytt þenne most I spelle,

Ther-fore I let h{i}t her{e} ou{er} passe,

To make oure talkyng su{m}medelasse. 808

When þe lorde hase eten, þo sewer schall{e} bryng

Þo surnape on his schulder bryng,

A narew towell{e}, a brode be-syde,

And of hys hondes he lettes h{i}t slyde; 812

Þe vssher ledes þ{a}t on hed ryȝt,

Þo aumener þo oþ{er} away shall{e} dyȝt.

When þe vssher comys to þe borde ende,

Þo narow towell{e} he strecches vnkende; 816

Be-for{e} þo lorde and þe lady so dere,

Dowbell{e} he playes þo towell{e} þere;

Whenne þay haue wasshen and g{ra}ce is sayde,

Away he takes at a brayde; 820

Awoydes þo borde in-to þo flore,

Tase away þo trest{is} þ{a}t ben so store.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Sewer (or setter-on of Dishes)._

[751] The Cook assays the meat before it’s dished. [752] The

Sewer puts the cover on it, and the cover must never be raised

for fear of treason. [757] (A Dodge: If the silver dish burns you,

put bits of bread under it.) [763] The Sewer assays all the food:

potage with a piece of bread; fish or flesh, he eats a piece;

baked meats hot, he lifts up the crust, and dips bread in the

gravy; baked meats cold, he eats a bit. [777] The meat-bearer

stands or kneels as the Sewer does. [782] When bread is wanted,

the Butler puts one loaf on the table, the other on the cupboard.

[785] The Butler assays all the wine. [787] What is left in the

lord’s cup goes to the Alms-dish. [790 The Carver fills the empty

cup, assays it, and gives it the lord or puts it down. [795] He

carves the lord’s meat, and lays it on his trencher, putting a

piece of every thing in the Alms-dish, except any favourite piece

or potage sent to a stranger. [805] (To say more about the Carver

would require another section, so I pass it over.) [809] After

dinner the Sewer brings the Surnape, a broad towel and a narrow,

and slides it down. [813] The Usher takes one end of the broad

one, the Almoner the other, and when it is laid, he folds the

narrow towel double before his lord and lady. [819] After grace

removes them, lays the table on the floor, and takes away the

trestles.]

¶ De candelario.[54]

¶ Now speke I wylle a lytull{e} whyle

Of þo chandeler, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} gyle, 824

Þ{a}t torches[55] {and} tortes[56] {and} preketes[57] con make,

P{er}chours,[58] smale condel, I vnder-take;

Of wax þese candels all{e} þat brenne{n},

And morter of wax þ{a}t I wele kenne; 828

Þo snof of hom dose a-way

W{i}t{h} close sesours, as I ȝow say;

Þe sesours ben schort {and} rownde y-close,

W{i}t{h} plate of irne vp-on bose. 832

In chamb{ur} no lyȝt þ{er} shall{e} be brent,

Bot of wax þ{er}-to, yf ȝe take tent;

In hall{e} at soper schall{e} caldels ({so}) brenne [Fol. 27.]

Of parys, þ{er}-in þ{a}t all{e} me{n} kenne; 836

Iche messe a candell{e} fro alhalawgh{e} day

To candelmesse, as I ȝou say;

Of candel liu{er}ay squiyers schall{e} haue,

So long, if hit is mon will{e} kraue. 840

Of brede and ale also þo boteler

Schall{e} make lyu{er}é thurgh-out þe ȝere

To squyers, and also wyn to knyȝt,

Or ellys he dose not his office ryȝt. 844

Her{e} endys the thryd speche.

Of all{e} oure synnes cryst be oure leche,

And bryng vs to his vonyng place!

Ame{n}, sayes ȝe, for hys grete grace! 848

¶ Amen, par charite.

[Sidenotes:

_Of the Chandler._

[825] He can make all kinds of candles, little and big, and

mortars of wax. [829] He snuffs them with short scissors. [833] In

bed-chambers wax lights only shall be burnt; in hall, Candles of

Paris, each mess having one from Nov. 1 to Feb. 2 (see l. 393),

and squires one too. [841] The Butler shall give Squires their

daily bread and ale all the year, and Knights their wine.

[846] May Christ bring us to His dwelling-place. Amen!]

[Footnote 1: Toom or rymthe. _Spacium, tempus, oportunitas._

P. Parv.]

[Footnote 2: AS. _wræsten_, to writhe, twist.]

[Footnote 3: grace, civility; from AS. _mennise_, human; cp. our

double sense of _humanity_. H. Coleridge.]

[Footnote 4: courteous.]

[Footnote 5: AS. _flytan_, dispute, quarrel.]

[Footnote 6: Mowe, or skorne. _Vangia, vel valgia, cachinna._

Promptorium.]

[Footnote 7: _an_ privative, unhonest.]

[Footnote 8: AS. _mod_, mood, passion, violence.]

[[Footnote 8a: Croscrist. _La Croix de par Dieu._ The

Christs-crosse-row; or, the hornebooke wherein a child learnes it.

Cotgrave. The alphabet was called the _Christ-cross-row_, some say

because a cross was prefixed to the alphabet in the old primers;

but as probably from a superstitious custom of writing the

alphabet in the form of a cross, by way of charm. This was even

solemnly practised by the bishop in the consecration of a church.

See Picart’s Religious Ceremonies, vol. i. p. 131. _Nares_.]]

[Footnote 9: to relation or friend.]

[Footnote 10: contempt, scorn, O.N. _heðung._ H. Coleridge.]

[Footnote 11: AS. _gýman_, attend, regard, observe, keep.]

[Footnote 12: thine eye]

[Footnote 13: AS. _win_, contention, labour, war; _win_, _wyn_,

joy, pleasure.]

[Footnote 14: See the duties of Prince Edward’s Porters, A.D.

1474, in _Household Ordinances_, p. *30, and of Henry VIII.’s

Porters, _ibid._ p. 239.]

[Footnote 15: Though Edward IV. had Marshals (_Household

Ordinances_, p. 84, &c.), one of whom made the Surnape when the

King was in the Hall (p. 32), or Estate in the Surnape (p. 38),

yet there is no separate heading or allowance for them in the

_Liber Niger_. Two yeomen Ushers are mentioned in p. 38, but the

two yeomen Ewars, their two Grooms and Page, p. 84, perform

(nearly) the duties given above to the Usher and his Grooms.]

[[Footnote 15a: Fires in Hall lasted to _Cena Domini_, the

Thursday before Easter: see l. 398. Squires’ allowances of lights

ended on Feb. 2, I suppose. These lights, or _candle_ of l. 839,

would be only part of the allowances. The rest would continue all

the year. See _Household Ordinances & North. Hous. Book_. Dr Rock

says that the _holyn_ or holly and _erbere grene_ refer to the

change on Easter Sunday described in the _Liber Festivalis_:-- “In

die paschẽ. Good friends ye shall know well that this day is

called in many places God’s Sunday. Know well that it is the

manner in every place of worship at this day _to do the fire out

of the hall;_ and the black winter brands, and all thing that is

foul with smoke shall be done away, and there the fire was, shall

be gaily arrayed with fair flowers, and strewed with green rushes

all about, showing a great ensample to all Christian people, like

as they make clean their houses to the sight of the people, in the

same wise ye should cleanse your souls, doing away the foul

brenning (burning) sin of lechery; put all these away, and cast

out all thy smoke, dusts; and strew in your souls flowers of faith

and charity, and thus make your souls able to receive your Lord

God at the Feast of Easter.” --Rock’s _Church of the Future_, v.

iii. pt. 2, p. 250. “The holly, being an evergreen, would be more

fit for the purpose, and makes less litter, than the boughs of

deciduous trees. I know some old folks in Herefordshire who yet

follow the custom, and keep the grate filled with flowers and

foliage till late in the autumn.” --D. R. On Shere-Thursday, or

_Cena Domini_, Dr Rock quotes from the _Liber Festivalis_--“First

if a man asked why Sherethursday is called so, ye may say that in

Holy Church it is called ‘Cena Domini,’ our Lord’s Supper Day; for

that day he supped with his disciples openly.... It is also in

English called Sherethursday; for in old fathers’ days the people

would that day sheer their heads and clip their beards, and poll

their heads, and so make them honest against Easter-day.” --Rock,

_ib._, p. 235.]]

[Footnote 16: Edward IV.’s Esquiers for the Body, IIII, had ‘for

wynter lyverey from All Hallowentide (Nov. 1) tyll Estyr, one

percher wax, one candell wax, ij candells Paris, one tallwood and

dim{idium}, and wages in the countyng-house.’ _H. Ord._ p. 36. So

the Bannerettes, IIII, or Bacheler Knights (p. 32), who are

kervers and cupberers, take ‘for wynter season, from

Allhallowentyde till Estyr, one tortays, one percher, ii candelles

wax, ii candelles Paris, ii talwood, ii faggotts,’ and rushes,

litter, all the year; which the Esquiers have too. The Percy

household allowance of Wax was cciiij score vij lb. dimid. of Wax

for th’ expensys of my House for oone hole Yere. Viz. Sysez,

_Pryketts_, Quarions, and _Torches_ after ix d. the lb. by

estimacion; p. 12.]

[Footnote 17: The Liber Niger of Edw. IV. assigns this duty to one

of the Gentylmen Usshers. _H. Ord._ p. 37.]

[Footnote 18: See the Office of Panetry, _H. Ord._ p. 70.]

[Footnote 19: See the Office of Butler of Englond, _H. Ord._

p. 73.]

[Footnote 20: See Gentylmen Usshers of Chaumbre, IIII, _H. Ord._

p. 37. ‘This name ussher is a worde of Frenshe,’ p. 38.]

[Footnote 21: Compare _H. Ord._ p. 39. ‘Yeomen of Chambre, IIII,

to make beddes, to bere or hold torches, to sette bourdes, to

apparayle all chaumbres, and suche other servyce as the

chaumberlayn, or usshers of chambre command or assigne.’ Liber

Niger Edw. IV. See also _H. Ord._ p. 40, Office of Warderobe of

Beddes, p. 41, Gromes of Chambyr, X; and the elaborate directions

for making Henry VII.’s bed, _H. Ord._ p. 121-2.]

[Footnote 22: _Hoc stramentum_, lyttere, (the straw with which the

bed was formerly made) p. 260, col. 2, Wright’s Vocabularies.]

[Footnote 23: Sylure, of valle, or a nother thynge (sylure of a

walle), _Celatura_, _Celamen_, Catholicon, in P. Parv. Fr. _Ciel_,

Heauen, pl. _Ciels_, a canopie for, and, the Testerne and Valances

of a Bed. Cotgrave. A tester over the beadde, _canopus_. Withals.]

[Footnote 24: _Crochet_, a small hooke.]

[Footnote 25: Lyowre, to bynde wythe precyows clothys.

_Ligatorium._ P. Parv.]

[Footnote 26: Fylowre, of barbours crafte, _Acutecula_,

_filarium_. P. Parv. See note 3, p. 160.]

[Footnote 27: Tapet, a clothe, _tappis_. Palsgrave, 1530. _Tapis_,

Tapistrie, hangings, &c., of Arras. Cotgrave, 1611. _Tapis_,

carpet, a green square-plot. Miege, 1684. The hangynges of a house

or chambre, in plurali, _aulæa ... Circundo cubiculum aulæis_, to

hange the chambre. The carpettes, _tapetes_. Withals.]

[Footnote 28: And he (a Grome of Chambyr) setteth nyghtly, after

the seasons of the yere, torchys, tortays, candylles of wax,

mortars; and he setteth up the _sises_ in the King’s chambre,

_H. Ord._ p. 41, ‘these torches, five, seven, or nine; and as many

_sises_ sett upp as there bee torches,’ _ib._ p. 114; and dayly

iiii other of these gromes, called wayters, to make fyres, to sett

up tressyls and bourdes, with yomen of chambre, and to help dresse

the beddes of sylke and arras. _H. Ord._ p. 41.]

[[Footnote 28a: ? some omission after this line.]]

[Footnote 29: Wardroppe, or closet--_garderobe_. Palsgrave.]

[Footnote 30: See the duties of Edward IV.’s Sewar, _H. Ord._

p. 36.]

[Footnote 31: Manchet was the fine bread; chet, the coarse. Fr.

_pain rouffet_, Cheat, or boulted bread; houshold bread made of

Wheat and Rie mingled. Cotgrave.]

[Footnote 32: See the ‘Styward of Housholde,’ _H. Ord._ p. 55-6:

‘He is head officer.’]

[Footnote 33: See the ‘Countroller of this houshold royall,’

_H. Ord._ p. 58-9.]

[Footnote 34: See the duties and allowances of A Surveyour for the

Kyng, in _Household Ordinances_, p. 37.]

[Footnote 35: See the ‘chyef clerke of kychyn,’ t. Edw. IV.,

_H. Ord._ p. 70; and Henry VIII.’s Clerke of the Kitchen, A.D.

1539, _ib._ p. 235.]

[Footnote 36: The duties of the Chauncellor of Englond are not

stated in Edw. IV.’s Liber Niger, _H. Ord._ p. 29; but one of the

two Clerkys of Grene-Clothe was accustomed to ‘delyver the

clothinge of housholde,’ p. 61.]

[Footnote 37: See the ‘Thesaurere of Housholde’ in Edw. IV.’s

Liber Niger, _H. Ord._ p. 56-8: ‘the grete charge of polycy and

husbandry of all this houshold growyth and stondyth moste part by

hys sad and dylygent pourveyaunce and conduytes.’]

[Footnote 38: AS. _gerefa_, reeve, steward, bailiff.]

[Footnote 39: Rents, in kind or money; AS. _feorme_, food, goods.]

[Footnote 40: The Avener of Edw. IV. is mentioned in _H. Ord._

p. 69. See the Charge of Henry VIII.’s Stable, A.D. 1526, _ib._

p. 206-7.]

[Footnote 41: Prouender or menglid corne--fovrraige ...

_provende_. Palsgrave.]

[Footnote 42: See ‘two _cast_ of brede,’ l. 631. ‘One caste of

brede’ for the Steward’s yeoman, _H. Ord._ p. 56, &c.]

[Footnote 43: Mayster of the horses--_escvier de escvirie_.

Palsg.]

[Footnote 44: See Rogers’s _Agriculture and Prices in England_,

v. 1, p. 280-1. The latest prices he gives for shoeing are in 1400;

“Alton Barnes, Shoeing 5 horses, a year, 6s. 8d. Takley, Shoeing 2

cart horses [a year] 1s. 8d.” A.D. 1466, ‘fore shoyinge ij.d.’

_Manners and Household Expenses_ (ed. Dawson Turner), 1841,

p. 380. (Sir Jn. Howard, Knt., 1462-9.) The Percy allowance in

1512 was “ij s viiij d. every Hors Shoynge for the hole Yere by

estimacion, Viz. a Hors to be shodd oons in iij moneths withowt

they jornay.” p. 24. A horse’s daily allowance was ‘a Peck of

Oats, or 4d. in B{re}ade after iiij Loiffes, 4d. for Provaunder,

from 29th Septr. 8 Hen. VIII. to 3rd May following,’ p. 266.]

[Footnote 45: See Edw. IV.’s Office of Bakehouse, _H. Ord._

p. 68-70. ‘The sergeaunt of thys office to make continually of

every busshell, halfe chiete halfe rounde, besydes the flowre for

the Kinges mouthe, xxvii loves, every one weying, after one daye

olde, xxiii ounces of troye weyghtes.’ p. 69.]

[Footnote 46: In Edward the Fourth’s Court, ‘Knyghts of Household,

XII, bachelers sufficiant, and most valient men of that ordre of

every countrey’ had ‘to serve the King of his bason.’ _H. Ord_.

p. 33.]

[Footnote 47: _Replier_, To redouble, to bow, fould, or plait into

many doublings. Cotgrave.]

[Footnote 48: Napkins? O. Fr. _brueroi_ is _bruyère_, heath.]

[Footnote 49: ? Du. _zijgen_ (_door een zifte ofte Stramijn_), to

runne (through a Sift or a Strainer.). _een Suyle_ a Pale or a

Water-pale. Hexham.]

[Footnote 50: covers. ‘Ovyr quelmyd or ouer hyllyde. _Obvolutus._’

P. Parv.]

[Footnote 51: A.S. _flett_, room, hall.]

[Footnote 52: See The Almonry of Henry VIII. A.D. 1526, _H. Ord._

p. 154, and p. 144; A.D. 1539, _H. Ord._ p. 239.]

[Footnote 53: Edward IV. had ‘Bannerettes, IIII, or Bacheler

Knights, to be kervers and cupberers in his Courte.’ ‘The kerver

at the boarde, after the King is passed it, may chese for hymself

one dyshe or two, that plentie is among.... Theis kervers and

cupberers ... them nedeth to be well spede in taking of degree in

_the schole of urbanytie_.’ _H. Ord._ p. 32-3.]

[Footnote 54: See the ‘Office of Chaundlerye,’ _H. Ord._ p. 82-3.

Paris candles, torches, morters, tortayes, sizes, and smalle

lightes, are mentioned there.]

[Footnote 55: Torche. _Cereus._ P. Parv.]

[Footnote 56: ? same as _tortayes_, p. 192, note 2 [[28]];

p. 204, _n._ [[54]] ]

[Footnote 57: Pryket, of a candylstykke, or other lyke. _Stiga_,

P. Parv. Candlesticks (says Mr Way) in ancient times were not

fashioned with nozzles, but with long spikes or _prykets_....

(See wood cut at the end of this book.) In the Memoriale of Henry,

prior of Canterbury, A.D. 1285, the term _prikett_ denotes, not

the candlestick, but the candle, formed with a corresponding

cavity at one end, whereby it was securely fixed upon the spike.

p. 413, n. 1. Henry VIII.’s allowance ‘unto our right dere and

welbilovede the Lady Lucy,’ July 16, 1533, included ‘at our

Chaundrye barr, in Wynter, every night oon _preket_ and foure

syses of Waxe, with eight Candells white lights, and oon Torche.’

_Orig. Letters_, ed. Ellis, Series I., vol. ii. p. 31.]

[Footnote 58: See note 1, p. 189. [[16]] ]

* * * * *

* * * *

NOTES TO THE BOOK OF CURTASYE.

[Transcriber’s Note:

This section originally appeared near the end of the volume, immediately

before the General Index.]

p. 188, l. 377-8, _Statut._ The only Statute about horse-hire that I can

find, is 20 Ric. II. cap. 5, A.D. 1396-7, given below. I suppose the

_Foure pens_ of l. 376 of the _Boke of Curtasye_ was the price fixed

by “the kyngis crye” or Proclamation, l. 378, or by the sheriff or

magistrates in accordance with it as the “due Agreement to the party”

required by the Statute.

“_Item._ Forasmuch as the Commons have made Complaint, that many great

Mischiefs Extortions & Oppressions be done by divers people of evil

Condition, which of their own Authority take & cause to be taken royally

Horses and other Things, and Beasts out of their Wains Carts and Houses,

saying & devising that they be to ride on hasty Messages & Business,

where of Truth they be in no wise privy of any Business or Message, but

only in Deceit & Subtilty, by such Colour and Device to take Horses, and

the said Horses hastily to ride & evil entreat, having no Manner of

Conscience or Compassion in this Behalf, so that the said Horses become

all spoiled and foundered, paying no manner of Thing nor penny for the

same, nor giving them any manner of sustenance; and also that some such

manner of people, changing & altering their Names, do take and ride such

Horses, and carry them far from thence to another Place, so that they

to whom they belong, can never after by any mean see, have again,

nor know their said Horses where they be, to the great Mischief Loss

Impoverishment & Hindrance of the King’s poor People, their Husbandry,

and of their Living: Our Lord the King willing, for the Quietness and

Ease of his People, to provide Remedy thereof, will & hath ordained,

That none from henceforth shall take any such Horse or Beast in Such

Manner, against the Consent of them to whom they be; and if any that do,

and have no sufficient Warrant nor Authority of the King, he shall be

taken and imprisoned till he hath made due Agreement to the Party.”

That this seizing of horses for the pretended use of the king was no

fancied grievance, even in much later times, is testified by Roger

Ascham’s letter to Lord Chancellor Wriothesley (? in 1546 A.D.)

complaining of an audacious seizure of the horse of the invalid Master

of Peterhouse, Cambridge, on the plea that it was to carry the king’s

fish, whereas the seizer’s own servant was the nag’s real burden:

“tentatum est per hominem apud nos valde turbulentum, nomine Maxwellum.”

_Ascham’s Works_, ed. Giles, v. 1, p. 99. In vols. ix., x., and xi. of

Rymer, I find no Proclamation or Edict about horse-hire. In 1413 Henry

V.’s _Herbergeator_ is to provide Henry le Scrop, knight, with all that

he wants “Proviso semper quòd idem Henricus pro hujusmodi Fœnis, Equis,

Carectis, Cariagiis, & aliis necessariis, per se, seu Homines &

Servientes suos prædictos, ibidem capiendis, fideliter solvat &

satisfaciat, ut est justum.” _Rymer_, ix. 13.

The general rule shown by the documents in Rymer is that reasonable

payments be made.

_De Equis pro Cariagio Gunnorum Regis capiendis._

A.D. 1413 (1 Sept.), An. 1. Hen. V. Pat. 1, Hen. V. p. 3, m. 19. Rex,

Dilectis sibi, _Johanni Sprong_, Armigero, & _Johanni Louth_ Clerico,

Salutem.

Sciatis quod Assignavimus vos, conjunctim & divisim, ad tot Equos,

Boves, Plaustra, & Carectas, quot pro Cariagio certorum Gunnorum

nostrorum, ac aliarum Rerum pro eisdem Gunnis necessarium, a Villa

Bristolliæ usque Civitatem nostram Londoniæ, indiguerint, tàm infra

Libertates, quàm extea (Feodo Ecclesiæ dumtaxat excepto) pro Denariis

nostris, in hac parte rationabiliter solvendis Capiendum & Providendum.

_Rymer_, ix. p. 49.

So in 1417 the order to have six wings plucked from the wing of every

goose (except those commonly called _Brodoges_--? brood geese--) to make

arrows for our archers, says that the feathers are _rationabiliter

solvendis_. See also p. 653.

p. 188, l. 358. _The stuarde_ and his _stafe_. Cp. Cavendish’s Life of

Wolsey (ed. Singer, i. 34), “he had in his hall, daily, three especial

tables furnished with three principal officers; that is to say, a

Steward, which was always a dean or a priest; a Treasurer, a knight;

and a Comptroller, an esquire; _which bare always within his house their

white staves._

“Then had he a cofferer, three marshals, two yeomen ushers, two grooms,

and an almoner. He had in the hall-kitchen two clerks of his kitchen,

a clerk comptroller, a surveyor of the dresser, a clerk of his spicery.”

See the rest of Wolsey’s household officers, p. 34-9.

p. 190, l. 409. _Ale._ See in _Notes on the Months_, p. 418, the Song

“Bryng us in good ale,” copied from the MS. song-book of an Ipswich

Minstrel of the 15th century, read by Mr Thomas Wright before the

British Archæological Association, August, 1864, and afterwards

published in _The Gentleman’s Magazine_. P.S.--The song was first

printed complete in Mr Wright’s edition of _Songs & Carols_ for the

Percy Society, 1847, p. 63. He gives Ritson’s incomplete copy from Harl.

MS. 541, at p. 102.

Bryng us in good ale, and bryng us in good ale;

For owr blyssyd lady sak, bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no browne bred, fore that is made of brane,

Nor bryng us in no whyt bred, for therin is no game;

But bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no befe, for there is many bonys;

But bryng us in good ale, for that goth downe at onys,

And bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no bacon, for that is passing fate;

But bryng us in good ale, and gyfe us i-nought of that,

And bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no mutton, for that is often lene,

Nor bryng us in no trypes, for thei be syldom clene;

But bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no eggys, for ther ar many schelles;

But bryng us in good ale, and gyfe us no[th]yng ellys,

And bryng us in good ale.

Bryng vs in no butter, for therin ar many herys

Nor bryng us in no pygges flesch, for that will make us borys;

But bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no podynges, for therin is al Godes-good;

Nor bryng us in no venesen, for that is not for owr blood;

But bryng us in good ale.

Bryng us in no capons flesch, for that is ofte der;

Nor bryng us in no dokes flesche, for thei slober in the mer;

But bryng us in good ale.

See also the other ale song at p. 81 of the same volume, with the burden

Doll thi ale, doll; doll thi ale, doll;

Ale mak many a mane to have a doty poll.

p. 191, l. 435, _Gromes._ “the said four groomes, or two of them at the

least, shall repaire and be in the King’s privy chamber, at the farthest

between six and seven of the clock in the morning, or sooner, as they

shall have knowledge that the King’s highnesse intendeth to be up early

in the morning; which groomes so comen to the said chamber, shall not

onely avoyde the pallets, but also make ready the fire, dresse and straw

the chamber, purgeing and makeing cleane of the same of all manner of

filthynesse, in such manner and wise as the King’s highnesse, at his

upriseing and comeing thereunto, may finde the said chamber pure,

cleane, whollsome, and meete, without any displeasant aire or thing,

as the health, commodity, and pleasure of his most noble person doth

require.” _Household Ordinances_, p. 155, cap. 56, A.D. 1526.

* * * * *

* * * *

Errata (noted by transcriber):

de Worde, _Boke of Keruynge_

M.CCCC.xiij. [_text unchanged: end of selection has “CCCCC“_]

[Sidenote: _ewynge of_]

[_text shown as printed: probably “Sewynge of Flesshe”

with printing defect_]

[Sidenote: _Keruynge of Flesshe._]

[_editor’s spelling; the same sidenote is used in the “Seruyce”

section, following_]

[Sidenote: _Rittern._ Salt, the sauce.]

[_text unchanged: error for “Bittern“?_]

[Sidenote: Carp, Trout, Conger, Thornback]

[_comma after “Carp” added_]

The Marshall and the vssher muste knowe ...

[_in the list following, line-final punctuation is as in the

original_]

all these may svt two or thre

[_text unchanged: printing error for “syt”?_]

Σαλαγξ [Σαλάχξ]

_Sele turrentyne_, p. 166, l. 8 [l, 8]

_Boke of Curtesye_

l. 201

[Sidenote: Go on the pilgrimages (?) ....]

[_“pilgrim / ages” at line break with room for hyphen_]

[_question mark in original_]

l. 267 Also a wyfe be-falle of ryȝt

[_corrected by editor from “be, falle”_]

l. 394-5 (unnumbered header between lines) Sidenote

Fire shall burn in the Hall.

[_corrected by editor from final comma; Corrigenda gives line

reference as 393_]

ll. 462-64 ... hete ... sett; ... let,

[_Line-ending punctuation changed by editor from_

... hete. ... sett, ... let;]

ll. 468-69 ... sett / In syce;

[_Punctuation changed by editor from_

... set, / In syce]

l. 676

[Sidenote: ... and the spoon handle by it.]

[_“spoon handle” changed by editor from “steel spoon”_]

[Footnote 15: ... p. *30]

[_asterisked number in original_]

[Footnote 27: ... P. Parv. See note 3, p. 160.]

[_reference is to P. Parv., not to present book_]

[Footnote 34: See the ‘Countroller of this houshold royall,’ ...]

[“Countroller...]

[Footnote 55: ... _H. Ord._ p. 32-3.]

[_final period (full stop) missing_]

[Footnote 58: ...]

[Footnote 60: ...]

[_footnote numbers in double brackets added by transcriber_]

_Boke of Curtesye_: notes

the order to have six wings plucked from the wing of every goose

[_text unchanged: error for “six feathers”?_]

* * * * *

* * * *

* * * * *

The Booke of

Demeanor

and

the Allowance and

Disallowance

of

certaine Misdemeanors

in

Companie,

[From the reprint by Bensley & Sons (in 1817) of

“The Booke of Demeanor from Small Poems entitled

_The Schoole of Vertue_ by Richard Weste,” 1619, 12mo.]

To the Reader.

R Ightly conceiue me, and obserue me well,

I Doe what heere is done for Childrens good,

C Hrist in his Gospell (as S. Marke doth tell)

H Ath not forbidden Children, nor withstood

A Ny that should but aske the ready way,

R Egarding Children, not to say them nay.

D Irecting all that came, how faith should be,

W Hat they should crave of Gods high Majestie,

E Ven Salvation, through their faithful Prayer,

S Ending their contemplations into the ayre,

T O his high throne, whose love so guide us all

E Ven to the end we neuer cease to call.

[N.B.--The stops and sidenotes are those of the original,

but that has no Headlines.]

The Booke of

Demeanor.

[Sidenote: Serving at the table.]

Stand straight vpright, and both thy feet

together closely standing,

Be sure on’t, ever let thine eye

be still at thy commanding. 4

Observe that nothing wanting be

which should be on the bord.

[Sidenote: Silence]

Vnlesse a question moved be,

be carefull: not a word. 8

[Sidenote: Serving or filling drinke.]

If thou doe give or fill the drinke,

with duty set it downe,

And take it backe with manlike cheere

not like a rusticke Lowne. 12

[Sidenote: [p. 6.]]

[Sidenote: If on an errand.]

If on an errand thou be sent,

make haste and doe not stay,

When all have done, observe the time,

serve God and take away. 16

[Sidenote: To schoole againe.]

When thou hast done and dined well,

remember thou repaire

To schoole againe with carefulnesse,

be that thy cheefest care. 20

And marke what shall be read to thee,

or given thee to learne,

That apprehend as neere as may be,

wisdome so doth warne. 24

With stedfast eye and carefull eare,

remember every word

Thy Schoole master shall speake to thee,

as memory shall afford. 28

[Sidenote: [p. 7.]]

[Sidenote: To use the browes.]

Let not thy browes be backward drawn,

it is a signe of pride,

Exalt them not, it shewes a hart

most arrogant beside. 32

[Sidenote: The eyes.]

Nor let thine eyes be gloting downe,

cast with a hanging looke:

For that to dreamers doth belong,

that goodnesse cannot brooke. 36

[Sidenote: The forehead.]

Let forehead joyfull be and full,

it shewes a merry part,

And cheerefulnesse in countenance,

and pleasantnesse of heart. 40

[Sidenote: Countenance.]

Nor wrinckled let thy countenance be,

still going to and fro:

For that belongs to hedge-hogs right,

they wallow even so. 44

[Sidenote: [p. 8.]]

[Sidenote: The nose.]

Nor imitate with Socrates,

to wipe thy snivelled nose

Vpon thy cap, as he would doe,

nor yet upon thy clothes. 48

But keepe it cleane with handkerchiffe,

provided for the same,

Not with thy fingers or thy sleeve,

therein thou art too blame. 52

[Sidenote: Blowing or breathing.]

Blow not alowd as thou shalt stand,

for that is most absurd,

Iust like a broken winded horse.

it is to be abhord. 56

[Sidenote: Snuffling in the nose when you speake.]

Nor practize snufflngly to speake,

for that doth imitate

The brutish Storke and Elephant,

yea and the wralling cat. 60

[Sidenote: [p. 9.]]

[Sidenote: Neezing.]

If thou of force doe chance to neeze,

then backewards turne away

From presence of the company,

wherein thou art to stay. 64

[Sidenote: The Cheekes.]

Thy cheekes with shamefac’t modesty,

dipt in Dame Natures die,

Not counterfet, nor puffed out,

observe it carefully. 68

[Sidenote: Breathing.]

Keepe close thy mouth, for why, thy breath

may hap to give offence,

And other worse may be repayd

for further recompence. 72

[Sidenote: Lips.]

Nor put thy lips out like a foole

as thou wouldst kisse a horse,

When thou before thy betters art,

and what is ten times worse, 76

[Sidenote: [p. 10.]]

[Sidenote: Yawning.]

To gape in such unseemely sort,

with ugly gaping mouth,

Is like an image pictured

a blowing from the south. 80

Which to avoyd, then turne about,

and with a napkin hide

That gaping foule deformity,

when thou art so aside. 84

[Sidenote: Laughing.]

To laugh at all things thou shalt heare,

is neither good nor fit,

It shewes the property and forme

of one with little wit. 88

[Sidenote: Biting the lip.]

To bite the lip it seemeth base,

for why, to lay it open,

Most base dissembling doggednesse,

most sure it doth betoken. 92

[Sidenote: [p. 11.]]

[Sidenote: Biting the upper lip.]

And so to bite the upper lip

doth most uncomely shew,

The lips set close (as like to kisse)

in manner seeme not so. 96

[Sidenote: The tongue.]

To put the tongue out wantonly,

and draw it in agen,

Betokens mocking of thy selfe,

in all the eyes of men, 100

[Sidenote: Spitting.]

If spitting chance to move thee so

thou canst it not forbeare,

Remember do it modestly,

consider who is there. 104

If filthiness, or ordure thou

upon the floore doe cast,

Tread out, and cleanse it with thy foot,

let that be done with haste. 108

[Sidenote: [p. 12.]]

[Sidenote: Hammering in speech.]

If in thy tale thou hammering stand,

or coughing twixt thy words,

It doth betoken a liers smell,

that’s all that it affords. 112

[Sidenote: Belching.]

To belch or bulch like _Clitipho_,

whom _Terence_ setteth forth,

Commendeth manners to be base,

most foule and nothing worth. 116

[Sidenote: Vomiting.]

If thou to vomit be constrain’d,

avoyd from company:

So shall it better be excus’d,

if not through gluttony. 120

[Sidenote: Keeping the teeth cleane.]

Keep white thy teeth, and wash thy mouth

with water pure and cleane,

And in that washing, mannerly

observe and keep a meane. 124

[Sidenote: Kembing the head.]

[Sidenote: [p. 13.]]

Thy head let that be kembd and trimd,

let not thy haire be long,

It is unseemely to the eye,

rebuked by the tongue. 128

[Sidenote: Hanging down the head]

And be not like a slothfull wight,

delighted to hang downe

The head, and lift the shoulders up,

nor with thy browes to frowne. 132

[Sidenote: Carriage of the body.]

To carry up the body faire,

is decent, and doth shew

A comely grace in any one,

Where ever he doth goe. 136

[Sidenote: Hanging the head aside.]

To hang the head on any side,

doth shew hypocrisie:

And who shall use it trust him not,

he deales with policie. 140

[Sidenote: [p. 14.]]

[Sidenote: Privy members.]

Let not thy privy members be

layd open to be view’d,

It is most shamefull and abhord,

detestable and rude. 144

[Sidenote: Urine or winde.]

Retaine not urine nor the winde,

which doth thy body vex,

So it be done with secresie,

let that not thee perplex. 148

[Sidenote: Sitting.]

And in thy sitting use a meane,

as may become thee well,

Not straddling, no nor tottering,

and dangling like a bell. 152

[Sidenote: Curtesie.]

Observe in Curtesie to take

a rule of decent kinde,

Bend not thy body too far foorth,

nor backe thy leg behind. 156

[Sidenote: The gate in going.]

[Sidenote: [p. 15.]]

In going keep a decent gate,

not faining lame or broken,

For that doth seeme but wantonnesse,

and foolishnesse betoken. 160

[Sidenote: Apparrell.]

Let thy apparrell not exceede,

to passe for sumptuous cost,

Nor altogether be too base,

for so thy credit’s lost. 164

Be modest in thy wearing it,

and keep it neat and cleane,

For spotted, dirty, or the like,

is lothsome to be seene. 168

This for thy body may suffice,

how that must ordred be:

Now at the Church thou shalt observe

to God how all must be. 172

[_No doubt incomplete, or to be inserted before _Cap. v._

of _Weste’s Schoole of Vertue_, at the end of this Part._ F. J. F.]

* * * * *

* * * *

+Bp. Grossetest’s Household Statutes.+

[_Sloane MS._ 1986, _p._ 193, _ab._ 1450-60.

_The last page mentions the 19th year of Henry VI.,_ A.D. 1440-1.]

[Transcriber’s Note:

The _Statutes_ were printed as a single paragraph. The text has been

broken up for readability, using the original paragraph marks ¶.

Sidenotes that do not correspond to numbered items are marked with

lower-case letters. The first three sidenotes, from the original MS,

were printed in larger type.]

Incipiunt statuta familie bone Memorie do{m}pni Rob{er}ti Grossetest,

lincoln{i}e ep{iscop}i.

[a] Let alle men be warned þ{a}t s{er}uen ȝou, and warnyng be ȝeue to

all{e} me{n} that be of howseholde, to {ser}ue god and ȝou trewly &

diligently and to p{er}formyng, or the wyllyng of god to be p{er}formed

and fulfyllydde.

[Sidenote: +p{ri}m{us} u{e}r{sicu}l{us}+]

[b] Fyrst let s{er}uaunt{is} doo p{er}fytely in all{e} thyng{is}

youre wylle, and kepe they ȝoure {com}maundement{is} after god and

ryȝthwysnesse, and w{i}t{h}-oute co{n}dicioñ and also w{i}t{h}-oute gref

or offense. And sey ȝe, that be p{ri}ncipall{e} heuede or prelate to

all{e} ȝoure s{er}uaunt{is} both{e} lesse and mor{e}, that they doo

fully, reedyly, and treuly, w{i}t{h}-oute offense or ayenseyng, all{e}

youre wille & co{m}maundement that is not ayeynys god.

[Sidenote: +2^us+]

[Sidenotes:

[a] All servants should serve truly God and their Master;

[b] doing fully all that their Master orders, without answering.]

T the secunde ys, that [a] ȝe co{m}maunde them that kepe and haue kepyng

of ȝoure howseholde, a-fore ȝoure meynye, that bothe w{i}t{h}-in and

w{i}t{h}-oute the meynye be trewe, honest, diligent, both{e} chast and

p{ro}fitabulle.

[Sidenote: +3^us+]

¶ the thrydde: co{m}maunde ye that [b] nomañ be admittyd in ȝoure

howseholde, nother inwarde nother vtwarde, but hit be trustyd and leuyd

that ȝe be trewe and diligent, and namely to that office to the whiche

he is admyttyd; Also þ{a}t he be of goode man{er}s

[Sidenotes:

[a] The upper servants must be honest and diligent, [b] and engage

no untrusty or unfit man.]

¶ The fowreth{e}: be hit sowȝht and examined ofte tymys yf ther be

ony [a] vntrewman, vnkunnyng, vnhonest, lecherous, stryffull{e},

drunke[p. 194]lewe, vnp{ro}fitabull{e}, yf there be ony suche yfunde or

diffamydde vppon these thyng{is}, that they be caste oute or put fro the

howseholde.

[Sidenotes:

iv. [a] Dishonest, quarrelsome, and drunken servants must be

turned out.]

¶ The fyft: co{m}maunde ȝe that in no wyse be in the howseholde men

debatefull{e} or stryffull{e}, but that all{e} be of ooñ a-corde, of ooñ

wylle, euen lyke as in them ys oon mynde and oon sowle.

¶ The sixte: co{m}maunde ȝe that all{e} tho that s{er}uen in ony offyce

be obedient, and redy, to the{m} that be a-bofe them in thyng{is} that

p{er}teynyñ to there office.

¶ The seuenth{e}: co{m}maunde ȝe that ȝoure gentilmen yome{n} and other,

dayly bere and were there robis in ȝoure p{re}sence, and namely at the

mete, for ȝoure worshyppe, and not oolde robis and not cordyng to the

lyu{er}ey, nother were they oolde schoon ne fylyd.

[Sidenotes:

v. All must be of one accord, vi. obedient to those above them,

vii. dress in livery, and not wear old shoes.]

¶ The viij: Commaunde ȝe that ȝoure almys be kepyd, & not sende not to

boys and knafis, nother in the hall{e} nothe out{e} of þe hall{e},

ne be wasted in soperys ne dyners of gromys, but wysely, temp{er}atly,

w{i}t{h}-oute bate or betyng, be hit distribute and the[n] dep{ar}tyd to

powre meñ, beggers, syke folke and febull{e}.

¶ The ix.: Make ȝe ȝoure owne howseholde to sytte in the all{e}, as

muche as ye mow or may, at the bordis of oon p{ar}te and of the other

p{ar}te, and lette them sitte to-gedur as mony as may, not here fowre

and thre there: and when youre chef maynye be sett, then all{e} gromys

may [p. 195] entre, sitte, And ryse

[Sidenotes:

viii. Order your Alms to be given to the poor and sick. ix. Make

all the household dine together in the Hall.]

¶ The x.: Streytly for-bede ȝe that no wyfe[A] be at ȝoure mete. [a] And

sytte ȝe eu{er} in the myddul of the hye borde, that youre fysegge and

chere be schewyd to all{e} meñ of bothe p{ar}tyes, and that ȝe may see

lyȝhtly the s{er}uic{is} and defawt{is}: and diligently see ȝe that

eu{er}y day in ȝoure mete seson be two men ordeyned to ou{er}-se youre

mayny, and of that they shall{e} drede ȝou

¶ The xi: co{m}maunde ȝe, and yeue licence as lytul tyme as ye may

w{i}t{h} honeste to them that be in ȝoure howseholde, to go home. And

whenne ȝe yeue licence to the{m}, Assigne ȝe to them a short day of

comyng a yeyne vnd{ur} peyne of lesyng ther{e} s{er}uice. [b] And yf ony

mañ speke ayen or be worth{e},[B] say to hym, “what! wille ye be lorde?

ye wylle þ{a}t y s{er}ue you after ȝoure wylle.” and they that wylle not

here that ȝe say, effectually be they ywarnyd, and ye shall{e} p{ro}uide

other s{er}uant{is} the which{e} shall{e} s{er}ue you to your{e} wylle

or plesyng.

[Sidenotes:

x. Let no woman dine with you. [a] Let the Master show himself to

all. [b] Don’t allow grumbling. xi. Let your servants go to their

homes.

¶ The xij is: {comman}d the panyt{r}ere w{i}t{h} youre brede, & the

botelare w{i}t{h} wyne and ale, come to-gedur afore ȝou at the tabull{e}

afore gracys, [a] And let be there thre yome{n} assigned to s{er}ue the

hye tabull{e} and the two syde tabullis in solenne dayes;

¶ And ley they not the vessels deseruyng for ale and wyne vppon the

tabull{e},[p. 196] but afore you, But be thay layid vnder þe tabull{e}.

¶ The 13: co{m}maunde ye the stywarde þ{a}t he be besy and diligent

to kepe the maynye i{n} hys owne p{er}sone i{n}warde and vtwarde, and

namely in the hall{e} and at mete, that they be-haue them selfe

honestly, w{i}t{h}-out stryffe, fowlespekyng, and noyse; And that

they that be ordeynyd to sette messys, [b] bryng them be ordre and

c{on}tinuelly tyl all{e} be s{er}ued, and not inordinatly, And thorow

affeccion [C] to p{er}sonys or by specialte; And take ȝe hede to this

tyl messys be fully sett in the hall{e}, and aft{er} tende ye to ȝoure

mette.

[Sidenotes:

xii. Tell your Panter and Butler to come to the table before

grace. [a] Tell off three yeomen to wait at table. xiii. Tell the

Steward to keep good order in the Hall, [b] and serve every one

fairly.]

¶ The xiiij: c{om}maunde ȝe þ{a}t youre dysshe be well{e} fyllyd and

hepid, and namely of ent{er}mes, and of pitance w{i}t{h}-oute fat,

carkyng that ȝe may p{ar}te coureteysly to thoo that sitte beside, bothe

of the ryght hande and the left, thorow all{e} the hie tabulle, and to

other as plesyth{e} you, thowȝght they haue of the same that ye haue. At

the sop{er} be s{er}uant{is} s{er}uid of oon messe, & byȝth met{is}, &

aft{er} of chese. ¶ And yf the[r] come gest{is}, s{er}uice schall{e} be

haued as nedyth{e}. ¶ The xv: co{m}maunde ye the officers that they

admitte youre knowlechyd men, familiers frendys, and strangers, w{i}t{h}

mery chere, the wh[i]che they knowen you to wille for to admitte and

receyue, and to them the whiche wylle you worschipe, and [p. 197] they

wylleñ to do that ye wylle to do, that they may know them selfe to haue

be welcome to ȝou, and to be welle plesyd that they be come. ¶ And al so

much{e} as ȝe may w{i}t{h}-oute p{er}il of sykenes & werynys ete ȝe in

the halle afore ȝoure meyny,

¶ For that schall{e} be to ȝou p{ro}fyte and worshippe.

[Sidenotes:

xiv. Have your dish well filled that you may help others to it.

xv. Always admit your special friends, and show them you are glad

to see them.]

¶ The xvj: when your{e} ballyfs comyn a-fore ȝoure, speke to the{m}

fayr{e} and gentilly in opyñ place, and not in p{ri}uey,

¶ And shew them mery cher{e}, & serche and axe of them “how fare owr{e}

meñ & tenaunt{is}, & how cornys dooñ, & cart{is}, and of owr{e} stor{e}

how hit ys m{u}ltiplyed,” Axe suche thyng{is} ope{n}ly, and knowe ȝe

certeynly that they wille the more drede ȝou.

¶ The xvij: co{m}maunde ȝe that din{er}is and sopers p{ri}uely i{n} hid

plase be not had, & be thay forbeden that there be no suche dyn{er}s

nother sopers oute of the hall{e}, For of such{e} cometh{e} grete

destr[u]ccion, and no worshippe therby growyth{e} to the lorde.

¶ Expliciu{n}t Statuta Familie bone Memorie.

[Sidenotes:

xvi. Talk familiarly to your Bailiffs, ask how your tenants and

store do. xvii. Allow no private meals; only those in Hall.]

[Textnotes:

A MS. wyse

B t.i. wroth

C MS. affecciori]

Prof. Brewer has, I find, printed these _Statuta_ in his most

interesting and valuable _Monumenta Franciscana_, 1858, p. 582-6. He

differs from Mr Brock and me in reading _drunkelewe_ (drunken, in

Chaucer, &c.) as ‘drunke, lewe,’ and _vessels_ as ‘bossels,’ and in

adding _e_’s[1] to some final _g_’s. He says, by way of Introduction,

that, “Though entitled Ordinances for the Household of Bishop Grostete,

this is evidently a Letter addressed to the Bishop on the management of

his Household by some very intimate friend. From the terms used in the

Letter, it is clear that the writer must have been on confidential terms

with the Prelate. I cannot affirm positively that the writer was Adam de

Marisco, although to no other would this document be attributed with

greater probability. No one else enjoyed such a degree of Grostete’s

affection; none would have ventured to address him with so much

familiarity. Besides, the references made more than once by Adam de

Marisco in his letters to the management of the Bishop’s household,

greatly strengthen this supposition. See pp. 160, 170 (_Mon.

Francisc._). The MS. is a small quarto on vellum, in the writing of the

15th century. It is in all probability a translation from a Latin

original.”

[Footnote 1: In this he is probably right. The general custom of

editors justifies it. Our printers want a pig-tailed or curly _g_

to correspond with the MS. one.]

* * * * *

* * * *

Stanzas and Couplets of Counsel.

[_From the Rawlinson MS., C. 86, fol. 31,

in the Bodleian Library._]

Vtter thy langage wyth good avisement;

Reule the by Reasou{n} in thy termoȝ all{e};

[Sidenote: Never mistrust or fail your friend.]

Mystruste not thy frende for non{e} accusement,

Fayle him neu{er} at nede, what so eu{er} befall{e}; 4

Solace þi selfe when men{n} to sporte þee call{e};

[Sidenote: Don’t talk too much.]

Largely to speke be wele ware for þ{a}t cause;

Roll{e} faste this reasou{n} & thynke wele on þ{i}s clause.

[Sidenote: Spare your master’s goods as your own.]

What man{n} þ{o}u s{er}uyst, all{e} wey him drede; 8

His good as þyñ owne, eu{er} þ{o}u spare.

Lette neu{er} þy wyll{e} þy witt ou{er} lede,

But be glad of eu{er}y mannys welfare.

Folus lade polys; wisemen{n} ete þe fysshe; 12

Wisemen{n} hath in þ{er} hondis ofte þ{a}t folys aft{er} wyssh{e}.

[Sidenote: A lawless youth, a despised old age.]

Who so in youthe no vertu vsith,

In age all{e} hono{ur} him refusith.

Deame þ{e}e best in eu{er}y doute 16

Tyl þe trouthe be tryed oute.

[Sidenote: A Gentleman says the best he can of every one.]

It is þe properte of A gentilman{n}

To say the beste þ{a}t he can{n}.

Si vieȝ doler{e} tua crimina die miserer{e} 20

Permiserere mei frangitur ira dei

[Follows:--Policronica.

Josephus of Iewes þ{a}t Nobyl was, the firste Aucto{ur} of

the booke of Policronica, &c.]

* * * * *

* * * *

The schoole

of Vertue, and booke of

good Nourture for chyldren, and

youth to learne theyr dutie by,

Newely perused, corrected,

and augmented by the

fyrst Auctour

F. S.[eager]

With a briefe declaracion of the

dutie of eche degree.

Anno. 1557.

Dispise not councel, rebuking foly

Esteme it as, nedefull and holy.

¶ Imprinted at London in Paules

Churchyarde at the signe of

the Hedgehogge by

Wyllyam Seares.

¶ THE AUCTOURS NAME IN VERDYT.

[S] Saye well some wyll by this my labour

[E] Euery man yet Wyll not say the same

[A] Amonge the good I doubt not fauour

[G] God them forgeue For it me blame

[E] Eche man I wyshe It shall offende

[R] Reade and then iudge Where faulte is amende

Face aut Tace.

[Transcriber’s Note:

Headnotes are interlaced with the table of contents; they will also

appear in their original locations in the text. On the title page the

name SEAGER was printed vertically, enclosed in a single box.

The verse lines described in the editor’s note have been re-split

for this e-text. Line numbers that were omitted or skipped have been

regularized to multiples of 4, as in other selections. Large-print

(original) sidenotes are shown with a smaller indentation; almost all

are names or Biblical citations.]

CONTENTS.

(_Taken from the headings in the Text._)

PAGE

The mornynge prayer 225

Cap. i. Howe to order thy selfe when thou rysest,

and in apparelynge thy body 226

[Headnote: HOW TO RISE AND DRESS IN THE MORNING.]

Cap. ii. Howe to behaue thy selfe in going by the streate

and in the schoole 227

[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE IN SCHOOL AND STREET.]

Cap. iii. Howe to behaue thi selfe in seruynge the table 229

[Headnote: HOW TO SERVE AT DINNER.]

Cap. iiii. Howe to order thy selfe syttynge at the table 231

[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE AT ONE’S OWN DINNER.]

Cap. v. Howe to order thy selfe in the Churche 233

Cap. vi. The fruites of gamynge, vertue and learnynge 234

[Headnote: AGAINST GAMING, AND FOR VIRTUE.]

Cap. vii. How to behaue thy selfe in taulkynge with any man 235

Cap. viii. How to order thy selfe being sente of message 236

[Headnote: HOW TO CARRY A MESSAGE.]

Cap. ix. A-gainste Anger, Enuie, and malice 236

Cap. x. The fruites of charitie, loue, and pacience 237

Cap. xi. A-gainge (_so_) the horrible vice of swearynge 238

[Headnote: AGAINST SWEARING.]

Cap. xii. A-gainste the vice of filthy talkynge 239

Cap. xiii. A-gainste the vice of lyinge 239

[Headnote: AGAINST LYING.]

A praier to be saide when thou goest to bedde 240

[Headnote: A NIGHTLY PRAYER.]

The dutie of eche degred. (_so_) brefely declared 241

[Headnote: THE DUTY OF ALL DEGREES OF MEN.]

[N.B. The even lines (2, 4, &c.) of the original are printed here

opposite the odd ones (1, 3, &c.), instead of after them, to save space.

The lines must therefore be read right across the page. The sidenotes in

large type, ‘Cato, Isocra, &c.,’ are those of the original. The rest are

the editor’s, and he has added headlines, some stops, &c.]

The schoole of vertue.

[Sidenote: First, say this prayer: “O God!]

[Sidenote: [sign. A. ii.]]

First in the mornynge

when thou dost awake,

To God for his grace

thy peticion then make; 4

This prayer folowynge

vse dayly to say,

Thy harte lyftynge vp;

Thus begyn to pray 8

¶ The mornynge prayer.

++“O God, from whom

al good gifts procede!

[Sidenote: enable us to follow virtue.]

To thee we repayre

in tyme of our nede, 12

That with thy grace

thou wouldst vs endue

Vertue to folowe

and vyce to exchue: 16

Heare this our request,

and graunt our desyre,

[Sidenote: [sign. A. ii.b.]]

O lorde! moste humbly

we do the requyre! 20

[Sidenote: Defend us this day.]

This day vs defende,

that we walkynge aryght

May do the thynge

acceptable in thy syght, 24

That as we in yeares

And body do growe,

[Sidenote: Let us abound with virtues, flee from vice,

and go forward in good doing to our live’s end.”]

So in good vertues

we may lykewyse flowe 28

To thy honour,

and ioy of our parentes,

Learninge to lyue well,

and kepe thy co{m}maund mentes; 32

In flyinge from all

Vice, synne, and cryme,

Applyinge our bookes,

not losynge our tyme, 36

May fructifye and go forwarde

here in good doynge

In this vale of miserie

vnto oure lyuees endynge, 40

[Sidenote: [sign. A. iii.]]

That after this lyfe

here transitory

We may attayne

to greater glory.” 44

[Sidenote: Repeat the Lord’s Prayer night and morning.]

The Lordes prayer then

se thou recyte,

So vsynge to do

at mornynge and nyght. 48

[Headnote: HOW TO RISE AND DRESS IN THE MORNING.]

[Sidenote: _How to wash and dress yourself._]

¶ Howe to order thy selfe when thou rysest,

and in apparelynge thy body.

Capitulo .i.

[Sidenote: Cato.]

++Flye euer slouthe

and ouer much slepe;

[Sidenote: Don’t sleep too long.]

In health the body

therby thou shalte kepe. 52

Muche slepe ingendereth

diseases and payne,

It dulles the the wyt

and hurteth the brayne. 56

[Sidenote: Rise early; cast up your bed, and don’t let it lie.]

[Sidenote: [sign. A. iii.b.]]

Early in the mornynge

thy bed then forsake,

Thy rayment put on,

thy selfe redy make. 60

To cast vp thy bed

It shalbe thy parte,

Els may they say

that beastly thou art; 64

So to departe

and let the same lye,

It is not semynge

nor yet manerly. 68

[Sidenote: Go down, salute your parents, wash your hands,

comb your head, brush your cap and put it on.]

Downe from thy chamber

when thou shalte go,

Thy parentes salute thou,

and the famely also; 72

Thy handes se thou washe,

and thy hed keame,

And of thy rayment

se torne be no seame; 76

[Sidenote: [sign. A. iiii.]]

Thy cappe fayre brusht,

thy hed couer than,

Takynge it of

In speakynge to any man. 80

[Sidenote: Cato.]

Cato doth councel thee

thyne elders to reuerence

Declarynge therby

thy dutye and obedience. 84

[Sidenote: Tie on your shirt-collar, fasten your girdle, rub your

breeches, clean your shoes, wipe your nose on a napkin, pare your

nails, clean your ears, wash your teeth.]

Thy shyrte coler fast

to thy necke knyt;

Comely thy rayment

loke on thy body syt. 88

Thy gyrdell about

thy wast then fasten,

Thy hose fayre rubd

thy showes se be cleane. 92

A napkyn se that

thou haue in redines

Thy nose to clense

from all fylthynes. 96

[Sidenote: [sign. A. iiii.b.]]

Thy nayles, yf nede be,

se that thou payre;

Thyne eares kepe cleane,

thy teath washe thou fayre. 100

[Sidenote: Have your torn clothes mended, or new ones obtained.]

If ought about thee

chaunce to be torne,

Thy frendes therof shewe

howe it is worne, 104

And they wyll newe

for thee prouyde,

Or the olde mende,

In tyme beinge spyde, 108

[Sidenote: Get your satchell and books, and haste to School,

taking too pen, paper, and ink, which are necessary for use at

school.]

This done, thy setchell

and they bokes take,

And to the scole

haste see thou make. 112

But ere thou go,

with thy self forthynke.

That thou take with thee

pen, paper, and ynke; 116

For these are thynges

for thy study necessary,

Forget not then

with thee them to cary. 120

The souldiar preparynge

hym selfe to the fielde

[Sidenote: [sign. A. v.]]

Leaues not at home

his sworde and his shielde, 124

No more shulde a scoler

forget then truly

what he at scole

shulde nede to occupy. 128

[Sidenote: Then start off.]

These thynges thus had,

Take strayght thy way

Vnto the schole

without any stay. 132

[Sidenote: _How to behave going to, and at, School._]

Howe to behaue thy selfe in going by

the streate and in the schoole .ii.

[Sidenote: Take off your cap to those you meet; give way to

passers by.]

++In goynge by the way

and passynge the strete,

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

Thy cappe put of,

Salute those ye mete; 136

[Sidenote: Cato.]

In geuynge the way

to suche as passe by,

It is a poynte

of siuilitie. 140

[Sidenote: [sign. A. v.b.]]

[Sidenote: Call your playmates on your road.]

And thy way fortune

so for to fall,

Let it not greue thee

thy felowes to call. 144

[Sidenote: At School salute your master, and the scholars.]

when to the schole

thou shalte resort,

This rule note well

I do the exhort: 148

Thy master there beynge,

Salute with all reuerence,

Declarynge thereby

thy dutye and obedience; 152

Thy felowes salute

In token of loue,

Lest of inhumanitie

they shall the reproue. 156

[Sidenote: Go straight to your place, undo your satchell, take out

your books and learn your lesson; stick well to your books.]

Vnto thy place

appoynted for to syt,

Streight go thou to,

and thy setchel vnknyt, 160

Thy bokes take out,

thy lesson then learne

[Text note: [A _Orig._ Huubly]]

[Sidenote: [sign. A. vi.]]

Humbly [A] thy selfe

Behaue and gouerne. 164

Therein takynge payne,

with all thyne industry

Learnynge to get

thy boke well applye: 168

All thynges seme harde

when we do begyn,

[Sidenote: Virgil.]

But labour and diligence

yet both them wyn; 172

we ought not to recken

and coumpt the thyng harde

That bryngeth ioye

and pleasure afterwarde; 176

[Sidenote: If you don’t work, you’ll repent it when you grow up.]

Leaue of then laboure,

and the lacke rue,

Lament and repent

when age doth insue. 180

[Sidenote: Who could now speak of famous deeds of old, had not

Letters preserved them?]

Deades that deserued

Fame and greate prayse,

Buried had ben,

we se in olde dayes; 184

[Sidenote: [sign. A. vi.b.]]

If letters had not then

brought them to lyght 188

The truth of suche thynges

who coulde nowe resyght?

Applye thy minde

to learnynge and scyence,

[Sidenote: Cato.]

For learnynge in nede

wyll be thy defence. 192

Nothinge to science

compare we may well,

[Sidenote: Cicero.]

The swetenes wherof

all thynges doth excell. 196

And Cato the wyse

this worthy sayinge hath,

[Sidenote: Cato.]

That man wantinge learnynge

is as the image of death. 200

[Sidenote: Aristot.]

The rootes of learnynge

most bytter we deme;

The fruites at last

Moste pleasaunt doth seme. 204

[Sidenote: Work hard then, and you’ll be thought worthy to serve

the state.]

Then labour for learnynge

whyle here thou shalt lyue,

[Sidenote: [sign. A. vii.]]

The ignoraunt to teache,

and good example geue; 208

So shalte thou be thought

A membre most worthy

The common welth to serue

[Text note: [B _Orig._ ryme]]

In tyme[B] of necessitie. 212

Experience doth teache

And shewe to thee playne

[Sidenote: Men of low birth win honour by Learning, and then are

doubly happy.]

That many to honour

By learninge attayne 216

That were of byrthe

But symple and bace,--

Suche is the goodnes

Of Gods speciall grace,-- 220

For he that to honour

by vertue doth ryse,

Is double happy,

and counted most wyse. 224

[Sidenote: When you doubt, ask to be told.]

If doubte thou doest,

Desyre to be toulde,

No shame is to learne,

Beinge neuer so oulde; 228

[Sidenote: [sign. A. vii.b.]]

Ignoraunce doth cause

Great errors in vs

For wantynge of knowledge

Doubts to discusse; 232

Then learne to discerne

the good from the yll,

[Sidenote: Wish well to those who warn you.]

And suche as thee warne,

Bere them good will. 236

[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE IN SCHOOL AND STREET.]

[Sidenote: On your way home walk two and two orderly (for which

men will praise you); don’t run in heaps like a swarm of bees

like boys do now.]

when from the schoole

ye shall take your waye,

Or orderly then go ye,

twoo in aray, 240

your selues matchynge

So equall as ye may,

That men it seynge

May well of you saye 244

In commendynge this

your laudable wayes,

whiche must nedes sounde

to your great prayse, 248

Not runnynge on heapes

as a swarme of bees,

As at this day

Euery man it nowe sees; 252

[Sidenote: [sign. A. viii.]]

Not vsynge, but refusynge,

Suche foolyshe toyes

As commonly are vsed

In these dayes of boyes, 256

[Sidenote: Don’t whoop or hallow as in fox-hunting don’t chatter,

or stare at every new fangle, but walk soberly, taking your cap

off to all, and being gentle.]

As hoopynge and halowynge

as in huntynge the foxe,

That men it hearynge

Deryde them with mockes. 260

This foolyshnes forsake,

this folly exchewynge,

And learne to followe

this order insuynge. 264

In goynge by the way

Neyther talke nor iangle,

Gape not nor gase not

at euery newe fangle, 268

But soberly go ye

with countinaunce graue;

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

Humblye your selues

towarde all men behaue; 272

[Sidenote: [sign. A. viii.b.]]

Be free of cappe

and full of curtesye;

Greate loue of al men

you shall wyn therby. 276

Be lowly and gentyll

and of meke moode;

Then men con not

but of you say good. 280

[Sidenote: Do no man harm; speak fair words.]

In passynge the strete

Do no man no harme;

Vse thou fewe wordes,

and thy tounge charme, 284

Then men shal see

that grace in the groweth

From whom vertues

So aboundantly floweth. 288

[Sidenote: On reaching home salute your parents reverently.]

when thou arte come

where thy parentes do dwell,

Thy leaue then takynge

Byd thy felowes farewell; 292

The house then entrynge,

In thy parence presence

[Sidenote: [sign. B. i.]]

Humbly salute them

with all reuerence. 296

[Sidenote: _How to wait at table._]

¶ Howe to behaue thi selfe in seruynge

the table. Cap. iii.

++VVhen thy parentes downe

to the table shall syt,

In place be ready

For the purpose moste fyt: 300

[Sidenote: Look your parents in the face, hold up your hands,

and say]

With sober countinaunce

Lokynge them in the face,

Thy handes holdynge vp,

this begyn grace: 304

[Sidenote: Grace before meate.]

++“Geue thankes to God

with one accorde

For that shall be

Set on this borde. 308

[Sidenote: Grace before Meat.]

And be not carefull

what to eate,

To eche thynge lyuynge

the Lorde sends meate; 312

For foode he wyll not

Se you peryshe,

[Sidenote: [sign. B. i.b.]]

But wyll you fede,

Foster, and cheryshe; 316

Take well in worth

what he hath sent,

At this tyme be 320

therwith content,

Praysynge God.”

¶ So treatablie speakyng

as possible thou can, 324

That the hearers therof

May thee vnderstan.

[Sidenote: Make a low curtesy; wish your parents’ food may

do ’em good.]

Grace beynge sayde,

Lowe cursie make thou, 328

Sayinge “muche good

May it do you.”

[Headnote: HOW TO SERVE AT DINNER.]

[Sidenote: If you are big enough, bring the food to table.]

Of stature then

yf thou be able, 332

It shall become thee

to serue the table

In bringynge to it

Suche meate as shall nede 336

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.]]

For thy parence vpon

that tyme to fede.

[Sidenote: Don’t fill dishes so full as to spill them on your

parents’ dress, or they’ll be angry.]

Disshes with measure

thou oughtest to fyll, 340

Els mayste thou happen

thy seruyce to spyll

On theyr apparell

Or els on the cloth, 344

whiche for to doe

wolde moue them to wroth.

[Sidenote: Have spare trenchers ready for guests.]

Spare trenchers with napkyns

haue in redynes 348

To serue afterwarde,

If there come any gesse.

Be circumspecte;

see nothynge do wante; 352

[Sidenote: See there’s plenty of everything wanted.]

Of necessary thynges

that there be no skant,

As breade and drynke,

se there be plentie; 356

[Sidenote: Empty the Voiders often.]

The voyders with bones

Ofte se thou emptie.

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.b.]]

At hande be ready,

If any do call, 360

[Sidenote: Be at hand if any one calls.]

To fetche or take vp,

If ought fortune to fall.

[Sidenote: When the meat is over, clear the table: 1. cover the

salt, 2. have a tray by you to carry things off on, 3. put the

trenchers, &c., in one Voider, 4. sweep the crumbs into another,

5. set a clean trencher before every one, 6. put on Cheese, Fruit,

Biscuits, and 7. serve Wine, Ale or Beer.]

when they haue done,

then ready make 364

The table vp fayre

In order to take:

Fyrste the saulte

Se that thou couer, 368

Hauynge by thee

Eyther one or other

thynges from thy handes

then to conuaye 372

That from the table

thou shalt take awaye.

A voyder vpon

the table then haue, 376

The trenchers and napkyns

therein to receaue;

The croomes with a napkyn

together them swepe, 380

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iii.]]

It at the tables ende

In a voyder them kepe.

Then before eche man

A cleane treanchour lay, 384

The best fyrste seruynge,

As iudge thou soone may;

Then cheese with fruite

On the table set, 388

With Bisketes or Carowayes,

As you may get.

Wyne to them fyll,

Els ale or beare; 392

But wyne is metest,

If any there were.

[Sidenote: When these are finished, clear the table, and fold up

the cloth.]

Then on the table

Attende with all diligence, 396

It for to voyde

when done haue thy parence:

Eche syde of the clothe

Do thou tourne in, 400

Foldynge it vp,

At the hygher ende begin.

[Sidenote: Then spread a clean towel, bring bason and jug, and

when your parents are ready to wash, and when your parents are

ready to wash, pour out the water.]

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iii. b.]]

A cleane towell then

On the table spreade,-- 404

The towell wantynge,

the cloth take in steade,--

The bason and ewer

to the table then brynge, 408

In place conuenient

theyr pleasure abydynge.

when thou shalt see

them redy to washe, 412

The ewer take vp,

and be not to rashe

In powrynge out water

More then wyll suffise. 416

[Sidenote: Clear the table; make a low curtsey.]

The table then voyde

that they may ryse.

All thynges thus done,

forget not thy dutie, 420

Before the table

Make thou lowe cursie.

[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE AT ONE’S OWN DINNER.]

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iiii.]]

[Sidenote: _How to behave at your own dinner._]

¶ Howe to order thy selfe syttynge at the table.

Capitulo .iiii.

++O Chyldren! geue eare

your duties to learne, 424

Howe at the table

you may your selues gouerne.

[Sidenote: Socra. Cato.]

Presume not to hyghe,

I say, in no case; 428

[Sidenote: Let your betters sit above you.]

In syttynge downe,

to thy betters geue place.

[Sidenote: See others served first, then wait a while before

eating.]

Suffer eche man

Fyrste serued to be, 432

For that is a poynte

Of good curtesie.

when they are serued,

then pause a space, 436

For that is a sygne

of nourture and grace.

[Sidenote: Take salt with your knife, cut your bread, don’t fill

your spoon too full, or sup your pottage.]

Saulte with thy knyfe

then reache and take, 440

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iiii.b.]]

The breade cut fayre,

And do not it breake.

Thy spone with pottage

to full do not fyll, 444

For fylynge the cloth,

If thou fortune to spyll,

For rudnes it is

thy pottage to sup, 448

Or speake to any,

his head in the cup.

[Sidenote: Have your knife sharp.]

Thy knyfe se be sharpe

to cut fayre thy meate; 452

Thy mouth not to full

when thou dost eate;

[Sidenote: Don’t smack your lips or gnaw your bones: avoid such

beastliness.]

Not smackynge thy lyppes,

As comonly do hogges, 456

Nor gnawynge the bones

As it were dogges;

Suche rudenes abhorre,

Suche beastlynes flie, 460

At the table behaue

thy selfe manerly.

[Sidenote: Keep your fingers clean, wipe your mouth before

drinking.]

[Sidenote: [sign. B. v.]]

Thy fyngers se cleane

that thou euer kepe, 464

Hauynge a Napkyn

thereon them to wype;

Thy mouth therwith

Cleane do thou make, 468

The cup to drynke

In hande yf thou take,

Let not thy tongue

At the table walke, 472

[Sidenote: Plato.]

[Sidenote: Don’t jabber or stuff.]

And of no matter

Neyther reason nor talke.

Temper thy tongue

and belly alway, 476

For “measure is treasure,”

the prouerbe doth say,

[Sidenote: Cicero.]

And measure in althynges

Is to be vsed; 480

what is without measure

Ought to be refused.

[Sidenote: Silence hurts no one, and is fitted for a child at

table.]

For silence kepynge

thou shalt not be shent, 484

[Sidenote: [sign. B. v.b.]]

where as thy speache

May cause thee repent.

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

Bothe speache and silence

are commendable, 488

But sylence is metest

In a chylde at the table.

[Sidenote: Cato.]

And Cato doth saye,

that “in olde and yonge 492

The fyrste of vertue

Is to kepe thy tonge.”

[Sidenote: Don’t pick your teeth, or spit too much.]

Pyke not thy teethe

at the table syttynge, 496

Nor vse at thy meate

Ouer muche spytynge;

this rudnes of youth

Is to be abhorde; 500

[Sidenote: Behave properly.]

thy selfe manerly

Behaue at the borde.

[Sidenote: Don’t laugh too much.]

If occasion of laughter

at the table thou se, 504

Beware that thou vse

the same moderately.

[Sidenote: [sign. B. vi.]]

[Sidenote: Learn all the good manners you can.]

Of good maners learne

So muche as thou can; 508

It wyll thee preferre

when thou art a man.

[Sidenote: Aristot.]

Aristotle the Philosopher

this worthy sayinge writ, 512

[Sidenote: They are better than playing the fiddle, though that’s

no harm, but necessary; yet manners are more important.]

That “maners in a chylde

are more requisit

then playnge on instrumentes

and other vayne pleasure; 516

For vertuous maners

Is a most precious treasure.”

Let not this saynge

In no wyse thee offende, 520

For playnge of instrumentes

He doth not discommende,

But doth graunt them

for a chylde necessary, 524

Yet maners muche more

see here he doth vary.

Refuse not his councell,

Nor his wordes dispise; 528

[Sidenote: [sign. B. vi.b.]]

To vertue and knowledge

By them mayste thou ryse.

[Sidenote: _How to behave at Church._]

¶ Howe to order thy selfe in the Churche.

Cap. .v.

++Vvhen to the Churche

thou shalt repayer, 532

[Sidenote: Pray kneeling or standing.]

Knelynge or standynge,

to God make thy prayer;

All worldely matters

From thy mynde set apart, 536

Earnestly prayinge,

to God lyfte vp thy hart.

[Sidenote: Psal. 1.]

A contrite harte

He wyll not dispyse, 540

whiche he doth coumpt

A sweete sacrifice.

[Sidenote: Confess your sins to God.]

To hym thy sinnes

shewe and confesse, 544

Askynge for them

Grace and forgyuenes;

[Sidenote: [sign. B. vii.]]

[Sidenote: He knows your disease.]

He is the Phisition

that knoweth thy sore, 548

And can to health

A-gayne thee restore.

[Sidenote: Iames the .i.]

[Sidenote: Ask in faith, and what you ask you shall have; He is

more merciful than pen can tell.]

Aske then in fayth,

Not doubtynge to haue; 552

The thynges ye desyre

ye shall then receaue;

So they be lawfull

Of God to requyre, 556

He wyll the heare

and graunt thy desyre;

More mercifull he is

then pen can expresse, 560

The aucthor and geuer

here of all goodnesse.

[Sidenote: Math. x.]

“All ye that laboure

and burdened be, 564

I wyll you refreshe

In commynge to me.”

These are Chrystes wordes,

the scripture is playne, 568

[Sidenote: [sign. B. vii.b.]]

Spoken to all suche

as here suffre payne;

Our wylles to his worde

then let vs frame, 572

The heauenly habytacion

therby we may clame.

[Sidenote: Behave nicely in church, and don’t talk or chatter.]

In the churche comly

thy selfe do behaue, 576

In vsage sober,

thy countinaunce graue.

whyle you be there,

taulke of no matter, 580

Nor one with an other

whisper nor chatter.

[Sidenote: Behave reverently; the House of Prayer is not to be

made a fair.]

Reuerently thy selfe

Order alwaye 584

when to the Churche

thou shalt come to pray:

Eche thynge hath his tyme,

Consyder the place, 588

[Sidenote: Luke .xix.]

For that is a token

of vertue and grace,

[Sidenote: [sign. B viii.]]

The Lorde doth call it

the house of prayer 592

And not to be vsed

As is a fayer.

[Headnote: AGAINST GAMING, AND FOR VIRTUE.]

¶ The fruites of gamynge, vertue and learnynge.

Capitulo .vi.

[Sidenote: Avoid dicing and carding.]

++O Lytle chylde,

Eschewe thou euer game,-- 596

For that hath brought

Many one to shame,--

As dysynge, and cardynge,

And suche other playes, 600

which many vndoeth,

as we se nowe a dayes.

[Sidenote: Cicero.]

But yf thou delyght

In any earthly thynge, 604

[Sidenote: Delight in Knowledge, Virtue, and Learning.]

Delyght in knowledge,

Vertue, and learnynge,

For learnynge wyll leade thee

to the schoole of vertue, 608

[Sidenote: [sign. B. viii.b.]]

And vertue wyll teache thee

Vice to subdue.

Vice beynge subdued,

thou canst not but floryshe; 612

[Sidenote: Happy is he who cultivates Virtue.]

Happy is the man

that vertue doth norysh.

By knowledge lykewyse

thou shalt doubtes discerne, 616

By vertue agayne

thy lyfe well gouerne.

These be the frutes

By them we do take, 620

[Sidenote: Cursed is he who forsakes it.]

Cursed is he then

that doth them forsake.

But we erre in wyt

In folowynge our wyll, 624

In iudgynge that good

which playnly is yll.

[Sidenote: Let reason rule you, and subdue your lusts.]

Let reason thee rule,

and not will thee leade 628

To folowe thy fansie,

A wronge trace to treade.

[Sidenote: [sign. C. i.]]

But subdue thy luste,

and conqeur thy wyll 632

If it shall moue thee

to doe that is yll;

[Sidenote: These ills come from gambling: strife, murder, theft,

cursing and swearing.]

For what hurte by game

to many doth growe, 636

No wyse man I thynke

but doth it well knowe.

Experience doth shewe

and make it manifeste 640

That all good men

can it but deteste,

As strife and debate,

murder and thefte, 644

whiche amonge christians,

wolde god were lefte,

with cursynge and bannynge,

with swearyng and tearyng, 648

That no honest harte

can abyde the hearyng:

These be the fruites

that of them doth sprynge, 652

[Sidenote: [sign. C. i.b.]]

with many more as euill

that cometh of gamynge.

[Sidenote: _How to behave when conversing._]

¶ How to behaue thy selfe in taulkynge with any man. Capitulo .vii.

++If a man demaunde

a question of thee, 656

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

In thine aunswere makynge

be not to hastie;

[Sidenote: Understand a question before you answer it; let a man

tell all his tale.]

waie well his wordes,

the case vnderstande 660

Eare an answere to make

thou take in hande,

Els may he iudge

in thee little wit, 664

To answere to a thynge

and not heare it.

Suffer his tale

whole out to be toulde, 668

Then speake thou mayst,

and not be controulde;

[Sidenote: Then bow to him, look him in the face, and answer

sensibly, not staring about or laughing, but audibly and

distinctly, your words in due order, or you’ll straggle off,

or stutter, or stammer, which is a foul crime.]

[Sidenote: [sign. C. ii.]]

Low obeisaunce makyng,

lokinge him in the face, 672

Tretably speaking,

thy wordes see thou place.

with countinaunce sober

thy bodie vprighte 676

Thy fete iuste to-gether,

thy handes in lyke plight;

Caste not thyne eies

on neither syde. 680

when thou arte praised,

therin take no pryde.

In tellynge thy tale,

neither laugh nor smyle, 684

Such folly forsake thou,

banish and exyle;

In audible voice

thy wordes do thou vtter, 688

Not hie nor lowe,

but vsynge a measure.

Thy wordes se that

thou pronounce plaine, 692

[Headnote: HOW TO CARRY A MESSAGE.]

[Text note: [C _orig._ thai]]

[Sidenote: [sign. C. ii.b.]]

And that [C] they spoken

Be not in vayne;

In vttryng wherof

Kepe thou an order, 696

Thy matter therby

thou shalte much forder;

whiche order yf thou

Do not obserue, 700

From the purpose

nedes must thou swarue.

And hastines of speche

wyll cause thee to erre, 704

Or wyll thee teache

to stut or stammer.

To stut or stammer

is a foule crime, 708

Learne then to leaue it,

take warnyng in tyme;

How euyll a chylde

it doth become, 712

Thy selfe beynge iudge,

hauinge wisedome;

[Sidenote: [sign. C. iii.]]

And sure it is taken

by custome and vre, 716

whyle yonge you be

there is helpe and cure.

This generall rule

yet take with the, 720

[Sidenote: Always keep your head uncovered.]

In speakynge to any man

Thy head vn-couered be.

The common prouerbe

remember ye oughte, 724

[Sidenote: Better unfed than untaught.]

“Better vnfedde

then vn-taughte.”

[Sidenote: _How to take a Message._]

¶ How to order thy selfe being sente of message.

Cap. viii.

++If of message

forthe thou be sente, 728

[Sidenote: Listen to it well; don’t go away not knowing it.]

Take hede to the same,

Geue eare diligente;

Depart not awaye

and beyng in doute, 732

[Sidenote: [sign. C. iii.b.]]

Know wel thy message

before thou passe out;

[Sidenote: Then hurry away, give the message; get the answer,

return home, and tell it to your master exactly as it was told

to you.]

with possible spede

then hast thee right sone; 736

If nede shall requirr it

so to be done.

After humble obeisaunce,

the message forth shewe 740

Thy wordes well placinge

in vttringe but fewe

As shall thy matter

serue to declare. 744

Thine answere made,

then home againe repare,

And to thy master

therof make relacion 748

As then the answere

shall geue thee occasion.

[Sidenote: Socra.]

Neither adde nor deminish

any thynge to the same, 752

Lest after it proue

to thy rebuke and shame,

[Sidenote: [sign. C. iiii.]]

But the same vtter

so nere as thou can; 756

No faulte they shall fynde

to charge thee with than,

In most humble wyse

loke done that it be, 760

As shall become beste

a seruantes degre.

[Sidenote: _Against Anger, &c._]

¶ A-gainste Anger, Enuie, and malice.

Cap. ix.

[Sidenote: The slave of Anger must fall.]

++If thou be subiecte

and to anger thrall, 764

And reason thee rule not,

nedes must thou fall.

[Sidenote: Pericles.]

Conquer thy wyll

and subdue thy luste, 768

Thy fansy not folowing,

thy cause though be iuste;

[Sidenote: Anger’s deeds are strange to wise men.]

For anger and furie

wyll thee so chaunge 772

[Sidenote: [sign. C. iiii.b.]]

That thy doynges to wise men

wyll appear straunge.

Thine anger and wrath

seke then to appeace, 776

[Sidenote: Plato.]

For wrath, saith Plato,

Leades shame in a leace.

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

The hastie man

wantes neuer trouble, 780

[Sidenote: A hasty man is always in trouble.]

His mad moody mynde

his care doth double.

And malyce thee moue

to reuenge thy cause, 784

Dread euer god,

and daunger of the lawes.

[Sidenote: Take no revenge, but forgive.]

Do not reuenge,

though in thy power it be, 788

Forgeue the offender

being thine enemie.

He is perfectely pacient,

we may repute plaine, 792

[Sidenote: Plato.]

[That] From wrath and furye

himselfe can refrayne.

[Sidenote: Envy no one.]

[Sidenote: [sign. C. v.]]

Disdayne nor enuie

The state of thy brother, 796

[Sidenote: Seneca.]

In worde nor dede

not hurtyng one an other.

[Sidenote: An ill body breeds debate.]

Debate and disceate,

contencion and enuie, 800

Are the chiefe frutes

of an euyll bodie.

[Sidenote: Salomon.]

And Salomon saithe

“The harte full of enuie, 804

Of him selfe hath

no pleasure nor commoditie.”

[Sidenote: _The Fruits of Charity, &c._]

¶ The fruites of charitie, loue, and pacience.

Cap. x.

[Sidenote: Charity seeketh not her own, but bears patiently.]

++Charitie seketh not

that to her doth belonge, 808

But paciently a-bydinge,

sustainynge rather wronge;

[Sidenote: Charity seeketh not her own, but bears patiently.]

Not enuiynge, but bearinge

with loue and pacience,-- 812

[Sidenote: [sign. C. v.b.]]

So noble is her nature,--

forgeuing all ofence.

[Sidenote: Love incites to Mercy.]

And loue doth moue

the mynde to mercie, 816

But malice againe

doth worke the contrarie.

whiche in the wicked

wyll euer beare stroke, 820

[Sidenote: Patience teaches forbearance.]

Pacience thee teacheth

therof to beare the yoke.

where pacience and loue

to-gether do dwell 824

All hate and debate,

with malice, they expell.

[Sidenote: Pithagoras.]

Loue constant and faithfull,

Pithagoras doth call 828

To be a vertue

most principall.

[Sidenote: Plato.]

Plato doth speake

almoste in effecte 832

‘where loue is not,

no vertue is perfecte.’

[Sidenote: [sign. C. vi.]]

[Sidenote: Pray God to give thee Charity and Patience, to lead

thee to Virtue’s School, and thence to Eternal Bliss.]

Desire then god

to assiste thee with his grace 836

Charitie to vse

and pacience to imbrace;

These three folowinge

will thee instructe, 840

That to vertues schoole

they wyll thee conducte,

And from vertues schoole

to eternall blisse 844

where incessaunt ioie

continually is.

[Headnote: AGAINST SWEARING.]

[Sidenote: _Against Swearing._]

¶ A-gainge (_so_) the horrible vice of swearynge.