CAXTON'S TEXT.
[39]
Lete not your spone / in your disshe sto_n_ding
[Sidenote: Don't leave your spoon in your dish or on the table.]
Ne vpon the table / it shold not lye
Lete your trenchour / be clene for ony thing 269
[Sidenote: Keep your trencher clean.]
And yf ye haue cha[=n]ge / yet as honestly
As ye can / make a voyde manerly
So that no fragme_n_t / fro your tre_n_cher falle
Do thus my childe / in chambre & in halle 273
[40]
[Sidenote: Leaf 7 b.]
And whan another man / spekith atte table
Beware ye enterrupte not / his langage
[Sidenote: Don't interrupt man in his talk]
For that is a thinge discomendable 276
And_e_ it is no signe of folkes sage
To be of langage / besy and_e_ outrage
For the wyse man said_e_ / in his sentence
He shold_e_ be wyse / that gyueth audience 280
[41]
Vnderstonde therfore or than ye speke
Prynte in your mynde / clerly the sentence
[Sidenote: Before you speak, settle in your mind what you have to say.]
Who that vsith / a mannes tale to breke 283
Letteth vncurteysly / alle the audyence
And_e_ hurteth hym self / for lack of science
He may not gyue answers conuenyente
That herith not fynally / what is mente 287
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[42]
Be ware Also, my childe, of rehersaille
Of materis whiche ben at the table mevide;
Hit grevith ofte and dothe men disavaylle, 290
Full many a man that vice hath mysschevide,
Of evill thyng saide is wors often contrivide;
Suche reportis alway loke ye esschewe,
As may of olde frendis make enemyes newe. 294
[43]
Avise you well whan ye take your_e_ disporte,
Honest games that ye haunte and vse,
And suche as ben of violente reporte, 297
I counsell you, my childe, that ye refuse;
For trustith well ye shall nout you excuse
From berchely fest, yef I may you aspie
Playng at[1] eny game of rebaudie. 301
[Sidenote 1: MS. or.]
[44]
Itt is to A goodly childe well syttyng,
To vse disportis of myrth and plesaunce,
To harpe and lute, or lustely to syng, 304
And in the pres ryght manerly to daunce;
When men se A childe of suche gouernaunce,
They seyn, 'gladde may this [childes] frendis be
To haue a sone soo manerly as he.' 308
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ But beware, my child, also of rehersayle
Off maters whiche be at _th_e table meved: 289
It grewet[=h][1] ofte, & dot[=h] me_n_ dysavayle;
[Sidenote 1: The line is over the th.]
ffull[e] many a ma_n_ _th_at vyce hathe myscheved;
Off evyll[e] thynke sayd, ys worse co_n_tryved; 292
Suche reportes alwaye, my child, eschewe,
As may of olde frend_is_ make enmyes newe.
¶ Avyse you well[e] wha_n_ ye take yo_u_r dysporte,
honeste games _th_at ye hawnt & vse; 296
& suche as bene of vyleyns report,
I cownsell[e] you, my child, _tha_t ye refuse;
ffor truste ye well[e] ye shall[e] you not excuse
ffro_m_ brecheles feste, & I may you espye 300
Playenge at any game of rebawdrye.
¶ Ytt ys to a goodly child well[e] syttyng
To vse dysportes of myrth & plesavnce,
to harpe, to lute, or lustyly to synge, 304
Or i_n_ the prees right manerly to davnce.
wha_n_ me_n_ se a child of suche governavnce,
_the_i saye, 'glade may _th_is child_is_ frendys be
To haue a child so manerly as ys he.' 308