Chapter viii. 37. Ne vous rincez point la bouche auec du vin, pour
le reietter en presence des autres; mais sorty que vous serez de
table, accoustumez vous à lauer les mains auec les autres. Quant à
la bouche, il semble n'estre pas à propos de la lauer en presence
des gens, & partant quand l'on donne à lauer, mesme en table, l'on
doit seulement lauer les mains.
Do not rinse your mouth with wine, to be rejected in the presence
of others; but, having left the table, accustom yourself to wash
your hands with the rest. As to the mouth, it does not appear
proper to wash it in company at all, and consequently when an
opportunity of washing is offered, even at the table, the hands
only should be washed.
102d. It is out of use to call upon the Company often to Eat nor need
you Drink to others every Time you Drink
Chapter viii. 38. C'est chose peu loüable & presque aujourd'huy
hors d'vsage, d'inuiter la compagnie à manger, principalement trop
souuent & auec importunité, car il semble qu'on luy osté la
liberté. Beaucoup moins deuez-vous boire à autruy toutes les fois
que vous boiuez: que si l'on boit à vous, vous pouuez le refuser
modestement, remerciant de bonne grace, & confessant de vous
rendre; ou bien essayez vn peu le vin par courtoisie,
principalement auec gens qui sont accoustumez. à cela, & prennent
le refus à iniure.
It is not commendable, and now almost out of fashion, to call on
the company to eat, especially to invite them too often and
urgently, for it appears to take away their freedom. Much less
should you drink to others every time you drink: if one drinks to
you, it is permissible to decline modestly, thanking him
gracefully, and acknowledging your response; or you may well sip a
little wine for courtesy, especially with people who are accustomed
to it, and who are offended by refusal.
103d. In Company of your Betters be not [longer in eating] than they are
lay not your Arm but ar[ise with only a touch on the edge of the table.]
Chapter viii. 42. Quand les autres ont acheué de manger, despechez
vous aussi, & ne tenez pas les bras sur la table, mais posez les
mains seulement sur le bout.
When the rest have finished eating, you should do the same quickly;
do not hold your arms on the table, but only place your hands on
the edge of it.
104th. It belongs to y'e Chiefest in Company to unfold his Napkin and
fall to Meat first, But he ought to begin in time & to Dispatch with
Dexterity that y'e Slowest may have time allowed him
Chapter viii. 45. C'est à faire au plus honnorable de la compagnie
de déplier le premier sa seruiette, & toucher aux viandes: &
partant les autres doiuent attendre paisiblement sans mettre la
main à chose aucune deuant lui.
46. Et au contraire il doit estre soigneux de commencer en son
temps, de pouruoir à tout, d'entretenir les conuiez, & finir le
tout auec telle addresse; qu'il donne temps aux plus tardifs de
manger à leur aise, s'entretenant, s'il est de besoin, à gouster
legerement des viandes, ou quand il est loisible de discourir à
table; entremesler auec le manger quelque petit discours, afin que
les autres puissent auec loisir d'acheuer.
It is for the most distinguished member of the company to unfold
first his napkin and touch the food, and the rest should wait
quietly, without laying hand on anything before he does. (46.) On
the other hand, he ought in due time to commence, to consider
everything, entertaining the guests, and managing all so adroitly
as to give time to the more dilatory to eat at their leisure; if
necessary for this, slowly tasting the viands, or, when table-talk
is permissible, introducing a little chat during the meal, so that
the others can finish at their ease.
[Sidenote: Toner has 'but' instead of 'put' in this Rule.]
105th. Be not Angry at Table whatever happens & if you have reason to be
so, Shew it not put on a Chearfull Countenance especially if there be
Strangers for good Humour makes one Dish of Meat a Feast
Chapter viii. 47. Ne vous fâchez iamais en table, quoy qu'il
aduienne, ou bien si vous vous fâchez, n'ent faites point de
semblant, principalement y ayant des estrangers à table.
[Sidenote: Hawkins vii. 40. 'A cheerefull countenance makes one dish a
Feast.']
Never be angry at table, no matter what may happen, or even if you
have cause for anger, do not show it, especially if strangers are
present.
[Sidenote: There is a blank in the MS. after upper.]
106th. Set not yourself at y'e upper [end] of y'e Table but if it be
your Due or that y'e Master of y'e house will have it so, Contend not
least you Should Trouble y'e company.
Chapter viii. 48. Ne vous asséez point de vous mesme au haut-bout;
miais s'il vous appartient, ou si le maistre du logis le veut
ainsi, ne faites pas tant de resistance pour n'y point aller, que
vous fachiez toute la compagnie.
[Sidenote: Walker: 'Desire not the highest place, nor be troublesome
with impertinent debasing yourself by refusing,' etc.]
Seat not yourself voluntarily at the top; but if the place properly
belongs to you, or the master of the house so wills, do not offer
so much resistance to its acceptance as to annoy the company.
107th. If others talk at Table be attentive but talk not with Meat in
your Mouth
Chapter viii. 49. Si on lit ou deuise en table, soyez attentif, &
s'il faut parler, ne parlez point auec le morceau en la bouche.
If there be reading or chat at table, be attentive, and if you have
to speak, do not speak with your mouth full.
108th. When you Speak of God or his Attributes, let it be Seriously &
[with words of] Reverence. Honour & obey your Natural Parents altho they
be Poor
Hawkins vii. 43. Let thy speeches be seriously reverent when thou
speakest of God or his Attributes, for to jest or utter thy selfe
lightly in matters divine, is an unhappy impiety, provoking heaven
to justice, and urging all men to suspect thy beliefe.--vii.
_(unnumbered)_ Honour and obey thy natural parents although they be
poor; for if thy earthly Parents cannot give thee riches and
honour, yet thy heavenly Father hath promised thee length of days.
_(There is nothing in the French Maxims corresponding to the second
sentence of Rule 108. The Maxim nearest to the first sentence is
the 9th of Chapter i.:--"Il se faut bien garder de prononcer aucuns
nouueaux mots, quand l'on parle de Dieu ou des Saincts, & d'en
faire de sots contes, soit tout bon, ou par raillerie." "Avoid
irreverent words in speaking of God, or of the Saints, and of
telling foolish stories about them, either in jest or earnest."
Compare also the last sentence of Maxim vii, 11, ante, under Rule
72.)_
109th. Let your Recreations be Manfull not Sinfull.
Hawkins vii. _(unnumbered)._ Let thy recreations be manful not
sinful; there is a great vanity in the baiting of Beasts, the Bears
and Bulls lived quietly enough before the fall; it was our sin that
set them together by the ears, rejoyce not therefore to see them
fight, for that would be to glory in thy shame.
110th. Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of
Celestial fire called Conscience.
Hawkins vii. _(unnumbered)._ Labour to keep alive in thy breast,
that little sparke of Celestial fire called Conscience, for
Conscience to an evil man is a never dying worm, but unto a good
man its a perpetual feast.