Early English Meals and Manners Part 76

[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 satch.e.l.l and books, and haste to School, taking too pen, paper, and ink, which are necessary for use at school.]

This done, thy setch.e.l.l 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 pa.s.sers by.]

++In goynge by the way and pa.s.synge the strete,

[Sidenote: Isocra.]

Thy cappe put of, Salute those ye mete; 136

[Sidenote: Cato.]

In geuynge the way to suche as pa.s.se 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 satch.e.l.l, 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,