Early English Meals and Manners Part 96

+Thus eendith e book of curteisie {a}t is clepid stans puer ad mensam.+

Stans Puer ad Mensam

[Combined texts omitting all notes: see Transcriber's Note at beginning of selection. Lines are numbered by multiples of 7.]

-- [My dere childe, first thiself enable With all thin herte to vertuous disciplyne Afor thi soverayne standing at the table, Dispose thi youth aftir my doctryne To all norture thi corage to enclyne.

First when thu spekist be not rekles, Kepe feete and fingeris and handes still in pese.] 7

++Mi dere sone, first i silf able w{i}t{h} al in herte to vertuose discipline,-- A-fore i souereyn stondinge at e table Dispose ou {e}e aftir my doctryne-- To al nortur i corage to encline.

First while ou spekist, be not richelees; Kepe boe fyngir and hond stille in pees; 7

++Be symple of chiere, cast nat thyn ye aside, Agenst the post lete nat thy bak abyde; Gaase nat aboute, to{ur}nyng ou{er}all{e}; Make nat thy myrro{ur} also of the wall{e}, Pyke nat thy nose, and in especiall{e} Be right wele ware, and sette hieron thi thought, By-fore thy sou{er}ayne cracche ne rubbe nought. 14

++Be symple in cheer; caste not i looke a-side, gase not about, t{ur}nynge i si?t ou{er}al.

a?en e post lete not i bak abide, nei{er} make i myrro{ur} also of e wal.

Pike not pi nose; & moost in especial be weel waar, sette her-on i ou?t, to-fore i sou{er}eyn cratche ne picke {e}e nou?t. 14

-- Who spekith{e} to the in any man{er} place, Rudely cast nat thyn ye adowne, But with a sadde chiere loke hym in the face; Walke demurely by strete in the towne, Advertise the with{e} wisdom and Reasoun{e}.

With{e} dissolute laughters do thow non offence To-fore thy sou{er}ayn, whiles he is in presence. 21

-- Who-so speke to {e}e in ony man{er} place, lu{m}pischli caste not in heed a-dou{n}, but w{i}t{h} a sad cheer loke him in e face.

walke demurely bi streetis in e tou{n}, And take good hede bi wisdom & resou{n} at bi no wantowne lau?inge {o}u do noo{n} offence To-fore i sou{er}eyne while he is i{n} p{re}sence. 21

-- Pare clene thy nailes, thyn handes wa.s.sh{e} also To-fore mete, and whan thow dooest arise; Sitte in that place thow art a.s.signed to; Prease nat to hye in no man{er} wise; And til thow se afore the thy service, Be nat to hasty on brede for to byte, Of gredynesse lest men wolde the endwyte. 28

++Pare clene i nailis; i{n} hondis waische also to-fore i mete, [&] wha{n}ne ou doist arise.

sitte {o}u in {a}t place {a}t {o}u art a-signed to; Prece not to hie in no maner wise; And wha{n}ne ou seest afore {e}e i seruice, be not to hasti upon breed to bite lest men {er}of Do ee edwite. 28

-- Grennyng and mowes at the table eschowe; Cry nat to lowde; kepe honestly silence; To enboce thy Iowis with{e} mete is nat diewe; With{e} ful mowth{e} speke nat, lest thow do offence; Drynk nat bretheles for hast ne necligence; Kepe clene thy lippes from fat of flessh{e} or fissh{e}; Wype clene thi spone, leve it nat in thy dissh{e}. 35

++Gre{n}nynge & mowy{n}ge at i table eschewe; Crie not to lowde: honestli kepe silence.

To enbrace i iowis w{i}t{h} breed, it is not dewe; w{i}t{h} ful mou speke not lest {o}u do offence; Drinke not bridelid for haste ne necligence; Kepe clene i lippis from fleisch & fische; Wipe faire i spoon; leue it not i{n} i dische. 35

-- Of brede I-byten no soppis that thow make; In ale nor wyne with{e} hande leve no fattenes; With{e} mowth{e} enbrewed thy cuppe thow nat take; Enbrewe no napery for no rekelesnes; For to souppe [loude] is agenst gentiles; [N]eu{er} at mete begynne thow nat stryf; Thi teth{e} also thow pike nat with{e} no knyf. 42

++Of breed w{i}t{h} i tee no soppis ou make; Lowde for to soupe is a?en gentilnes: W{i}t{h} mou enbrowide i cuppe {o}u not take, In ale ne i{n} wiyn w{i}t{h} hond leue no fatnes; Defoule not e naprie bi no richelesnes.

Be waar {a}t at e mete {o}u bigy{n}ne no striif; i tee also at e table picke w{i}t{h} no knyf. 42

-- Of honest myrth{e} late be thy daliaunce; Swere none othes, speke no ribawdrye; The best morsel, have in remembraunce, Hole to thyself alwey do nat applie; Part with{e} thy felaw, for that is curtesie: Laade nat thy trencho{ur} with{e} many remyssailes; And from blaknes alwey kepe thy nayles. 49

++Of honest mire eu{er}e be i daliaunce; Swere noo{n} oois; speke no ribaudie.

e beste morsels,--haue is i{n} reme{m}brau{n}ce,-- Holli alwey i silf to take do not applie.

P{ar}te w{i}t{h} i felawis, for at is curteisie.

Lete not i trencho{ur} be w{i}t{h} many morsels; And fro blaknes kepe weel i nailis. 49

-- Of curtesye also agenst the lawe, With{e} sowne dishonest for to do offence; Of old surfaytes abrayde nat thy felawe; Toward thy sou{er}ayne alwey thyn aduertence; Play with{e} no knyf, take heede to my sentence; At mete and soupp{er} kepe the stille and soft; Eke to and fro meve nat thy foote to oft. 56

++Of curtesie it is a?en e lawe, W{i}t{h} dishoneste, sone, for to do difence; Of oolde forfetis vpbraide not i felawe; Towarde i sou{er}eyn do eu{er}e reu{er}ence.

Pleie w{i}t{h} no knif, take hede to my sentence; At mete & at sop{er} kepe ee stille & softe, And eek to & fro meeue not i fee to ofte. 56

-- Droppe nat thi brest with{e} sawce ne with{e} potage; Brynge no knyves vnskoured to the table; Fil nat thy spone, lest in the cariage It went beside, whiche were nat comendable; Be quyke and redy, meke and s{er}uisable, Wele awaityng to fulfille anone What that thy sou{er}ayn{e} comav[{n}]dith{e} the to be done. 63

++Droppe n{o}t i brest w{i}t{h} seew & o{er} potage, Bri{n}ge no foule knyues vnto e table; Fille not i spoon lest i{n} e cariage It scheede bi side, it were not co{m}mendable.

Be quik & redi, meke & seruiable, Weel awaiti{n}ge to fulfille anoo{n} What {a}t i sou{er}eyn co{m}maundi to be doon. 63

-- And whereso eu{er} that thow dyne or soupe, Of gentilesse take salt with{e} thy knyf; And be wele ware thow blow nat in the cuppe.

Reu{er}ence thy felawe, gynne with{e} hym no stryf; Be thy power{e} kepe pees al thy lyf.

Interrupt nat, where so thow wende, None other mans tale, til he have made an ende; 70

++And whe{re}-so-eu{er}e {o}u be to digne or to suppe, Of gentilnes take salt w{i}t{h} i knyf, {and} be weel waar {o}u blowe n{o}t i{n} e cuppe.

Reu{er}ence i felawis; bigy{n}ne w{i}t{h} he{m} no strijf; To i power kepe pees al i lijf.

Intrippe no ma{n} whe{re} so at ou wende, No man in his tale, til he haue maade an eende. 70

-- With{e} thy fyngres make thow nat thy tale; Be wele avised, namly in tendre age, To drynk by mesure both{e} wyne and ale; Be nat copious also of langage; As tyme requyrith{e}, shewe out thy visage, To gladde ne to sory, but kepe atwene tweyne, For losse or lucre or any case sodayne. 77

-- W{i}t{h} i fyngris marke n{o}t i tale; be weel avysid, & nameli in tendir age, To dri{n}ke mesurabli boe wiyn & ale.

Be n{o}t to copiose of langage; As tyme req{ui}ri schewe out i visage, To glad, ne to sory, b{u}t kepe {e}e euene bitwene For los, or lucre, or ony case sodene. 77

-- Be meke in mesure, nat hasti, but tretable; Ou{er} moche is nat worth{e} in no man{er} thyng; To children it longith{e} nat to be [vengeable,]

Sone meeved and sone forgyvyng; And as it is remembrid bi writyng, Wrath{e} of children is sone ou{er}gone, With{e} an apple the p{ar}ties be made atone. 84

++Be soft i{n} mesure, not hasti, but treteable; Ouer soft is nou?t in no maner ing To childre{n} longi not to be ve{n}geable, Soone meued and soone fi?tinge; And as it is reme{m}brid bi writynge, wrae of childre{n} is ou{er}come soone, W{i}t{h} e p{ar}tis of an appil be{n} made at oon. 84

-- In children werre now myrth{e} and now debate, In theyr quarel no grete violence; Now pley, now wepyng, sielde in one estate; To theyr playntes gyve no credence; A Rodde refo{ur}myth{e} al theyr insolence; In theyr corage no Ranco{ur} doth{e} abyde; Who sparith{e} the yerd, al vertu set aside. 91

++In childre{n} werre is now mire & now debate, In her quarel is no violence, now pleie, now wepi{n}ge, & seelde i{n} oon state; to her pleyntis ?eue no credence; A rodde reforme al her necligence; in her corage no ranco{ur} doo abide, who {a}t spari e rodde all u{er}tues setti a-side. 91

LENVOYE.

-- Go, litel bille, bareyn of eloquence, Pray yonge children that the shal see or Reede, Though{e} thow be compendious of sentence, Of thi clauses for to taken heede, Whiche to al vertu shal theyr yowth{e} leede.

Of the writyng, though{e} ther be no date, If ought be mysse,--worde, sillable, or dede,-- Put al the defaute vpon Iohn{e} Lydegate. 99

++A! litil balade, voide of eloquence, I p{ra}ie ?{o}u ?onge children {a}t is schal se & rede, ou? ?e be copious of sentence, ?it to ese clausis for to take hede Which al i{n}to v{er}tues schal ?o{ur}e ?oue lede.

In is writynge, ou? er be no date, Yf ou?t be mys i{n} word, sillable, or dede, I submitte me to correcciou{n} w{i}t{h}oute ony debate. 99

+Thus eendith e book of curteisie {a}t is clepid stans puer ad mensam.+

Errata (noted by transcriber):