CAXTON'S TEXT.
[42]
But beware my child_e_ / also of rehersayll_e_
[Sidenote: Don't repeat what you hear at table.]
Of maters / whiche ben atte table meuid_e_
It greuith ofte / and_e_ doth men disauayle 290
Ful many a man / þ^t vice hath myscheuid_e_
Of euyl thing_e_ said_e_ / is werse contryuid_e_
Suche reportis / alway my child_e_ eschewe
As may of olde fre_n_dis / make enemyes newe 294
[43]
[Sidenote: Leaf 8 a.]
Aduise you wel whan ye take your disporte
Honest games / that ye haunte and_e_ vse
[Sidenote: Play only at proper games.]
And suche as ben of vylayns reporte 297
I counceyl you my chyld / that ye refuse
For truste ye wel / ye shal you not excuse
From brecheles feste / and I may you espye
Playng_e_ at ony game of Rybawdrye 301
[44]
It is to a godly chyld wel syttyng_e_
To vse disportes of myrthe & plesa[=n]ce
To harpe or lute / or lustely to synge 304
[Sidenote: You should harp, lute, sing or dance.]
Or in the prees right manerly to daunce
Whan men se a chyld of suche gouernance
They saye / glad may this chyldis fre_n_dis be
To haue a chylde / so manerly as is he 308
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[45]
Exersice your_e_-selfe also in redyng
Of bokys enournede wyth eloquence;
Ther shall ye fynde both pleasaunce and lernyng, 311
And so ye may in eu_er_y good presence
Some [what] fynde and see as in sentence,
That shall accorde the tyme to ocupie,
That ye not nede to stondyn idelie. 315
[46]
Itt[1] is fare to be cominycatyfe
[Sidenote 1: MS. Iit.]
In matires vnto purpoos according,
So that a wight sume not excessyfe, 318
For trusteth well, hit is tedious thyng
For to here a childe multiplie talkyng,
Yif hit be not to the purpose applied,
And also wyth goodly termys aleyde. 322
[47]
Redith Gower in his writyng moralle,
That au[=n]cient faders memorie,
Redith his bokis clepide 'confessionalle,' 325
Wyth many anodir vertuous tretie,
Full of sentence sette so frutuously,
That them to rede shall yeue you corage,
So is he fulle of sentence and langage. 329
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ Excersyse also yo_u_r selfe in redyng
Off bokes enorned wit[=h] eloquence,
ther shall[e] ye fynde bot[=h] plesyre & lernynge,
so _th_at ye may in eu_er_y good presence 312
Some-what fynde as in sentence
_th_at shall[e] accorde the tyme to occupye,
That ye not nede to stonde ydellye.
¶ It ys fayer to be comynycatyfe
In maters vnto purpose accordyng, 317
So _th_at a wyghte seme exersyfe;
ffor trustyth well[e] yt ys a tedyovs thy_n_g
ffor to here a child multyply talkyng 320
yf yt be not to _th_e purpose applyed,
& also w_i_t_h_ goodly termes alyed.
¶ Redyt[=h] gover i_n_ his wrytyng morall[e],
That Auncyente ffader of memorye, 324
Redyt[=h] his bookes called co_n_fessyonall[e],
w_i_t_h_ many a-nother_e_ vertuvs tretye
ffull[e] of sentence sett full[e] fructvously,
That hy_m_ to rede shall[e] geve you covrage, 328
he ys so full[e] of frute, se_n_tence, & langage.