CAXTON'S TEXT.
[30]
Be ye husht in chambre / scylent in halle
[Sidenote: Be silent,]
Herken wel and_e_ gyue good_e_ audience
Yf vssher or marchal for ony Rumour calle 206
Put ye Ianglers to rebuke for silence
[Sidenote: and put chatterers to rebuke.]
Be ye myld_e_ of langage / demure of eloque_n_ce
Enforce you vnto hym conformed to be
[Sidenote: Imitate him who has humanity.]
That can moste good / and_e_ hath humanyte 210
[31]
[Sidenote: Leaf 6 a.]
Touche not with your mete / salt i_n_ the saler
[Sidenote: Don't dip your meat in the saltcellar,]
Lest folk apoynte you of vnconnyngnesse
Dresse it aparte / vpon a clene trencher 213
Farse not your mouth to ful / for wa_n_tonesse
Lene not vpon the table / for that rude is
[Sidenote: lean on the table,]
And yf I shal to you playnly saye
Ouer the table / ye shal not spetel conueye 217
[Sidenote: or spit over it.]
[32]
Yef ye be serued / with metes delicate
[Sidenote: Share dainties with your fellows:]
Departe with your felowe / in gentil wise
The clerck saith / nature is conte_n_t & saciate 220
With mene diete / and litil shall suffyse
Departe therfore / as I you deuyse
Engrose not / vnto your self all_e_
For gentilnes / wil aye be liberall_e_ 224
[Sidenote: gentleness is liberal.]
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[33]
And wan p_er_cace your_e_ seruice is not large,
Grucchith not wyth frownyng countenaunce,
Ne maketh not ther-of to mekell charge, 227
Disposeth you to goodly sufferaunce,
And what ye haue, take hit for suffisaunce;
Holde you pleased wyth that god hath you sent,
He hath Inough[1] that can hold hym content. 231
[Sidenote 1: MS. Inought.]
[34]
Burnysh no bonys wyth your_e_ tethe, be ware,
That houndis tecche fayleth of curtesie;
But wyth your_e_ knyff make the bonys bare; 234
Handell your_e_ mete so well and so clenly,
That ye offenden not the company
Where ye be sette, as ferre-forth as ye can;
Remembre well that man_er_ maketh man. 238
[35]
And whan your teeth shall cutte your_e_ mete small,
Wyth open mouth be ware that ye not ete,
But loke your_e_ lippis be closede as a wall, 241
Whan to &[1] fro ye trauers your_e_ mete;
[Sidenote 1: MS. a.]
Kepe you so close that men haue no conceite
To seyn of you langage of vilonye,
Be cause ye ete your_e_ mete vnma[ne]rly. 245
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ And wha_n_ p_er_caas yo_u_r s_er_vyce ys not large,
Groge not w_i_t_h_ frownynge covntenavnce,
Ne make ther-of not to mykyll[e] charge;
Dyspose you to goodly suffravnce, 228
& what ye haue, take yt in suffysavnce;
be you plesid w_i_t_h_ suche as god hath you sent;
he ha[=th] ynowgh Þat ca_n_ hold hy_m_ co_n_tente.
[Sidenote: ffl C lxij back.]
¶ Burnysshe no bonys w_i_t_h_ yo_u_r te[=th], be ware, 232
Suche hownd_is_ tacches fallen of vncurtesye,
but w_i_t_h_ yo_u_r knyfe make the bonys bare.
Handle yo_u_r mete so well[e] & so clenly
That ye offende not the company 236
wher ye be sette, as ferforthe as ye can,
Reme_m_bryng well[e] _th_at maners make man.
¶ And whan _tha_t ye ete yo_u_r mete small[e],
w_i_t_h_ open mowth be ware ye not ete, 240
but loke / yo_u_r lyppes be closed as a wall[e];
wha_n_ to & fro ye traverse yo_u_r mete,
kepe you so cloos _tha_t men haue no co_n_ceyte
To saye of you any langage or vylonye 244
by cavse ye ete yo_u_r mete so vnmanerly.