CAXTON'S TEXT.
[63]
Then_n_e lityl Io[=h]n / I counceyl you that ye
[Sidenote: Little Jack,]
Take hede to the norture / that men vse
[Sidenote: take heed to the manners of your time,]
Newe founde / or auncyent whether it be 437
So shal no man / your curtoisye refuse
The guyse & custom / my child shal you excuse
Me_n_ys werkis / haue often entercha[=n]ge
[Sidenote: for customs change,]
That nowe is norture / so_m_tyme had be stra[=n]ge 441
[64]
Thingis whilom vsed / ben now leyd a syde
And newe feetis / dayly ben contreuid_e_
[Sidenote: new ways are invented every day,]
Mennys actes / can in no plyte abyde 444
They be changeable and_e_ ofte meuid_e_
Thingis somtyme alowed / is now repreuid
And after this / shal thinges vp aryse
[Sidenote: and will be hereafter.]
That men set now / but at lytyl pryse 448
[65]
[Sidenote: Leaf 11 b.]
This mene I my childe / þ^t ye shal haunte
The guyse of them / that do most manerly
But beware of vnthryft Ruskyn gala[=n]te 451
[Sidenote: Imitate the well-mannered, and beware of ruskyn gallants]
Counterfeter of vnconnyng curtoisye
His tacchis ben enfecte with vilonye
[Sidenote: of bad habits,]
Vngyrte. vnblyssed. seruyng atte table
[Sidenote: serving ungirt,]
Me semeth hym a serua[=n]t nothing able 455
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[66]
Wynter ne somer to his souerayne
Chappron hardy no bonet lust avale,
For euery worde yeuyng his maister tweyne, 458
Vaunparlere in euery mannes tale,
Absolon wyth the disculede heres smalle;
Lyke to A presener of seint Malouse,
A sonny bush myght cause hym to goo louse. 462
[67]
O I passe norture! fy! fy! for schame!
I shuld haue seide he myght go hauke and hunt,
For that schuld be A gentilmannys game, 465
To suche disportis thes gentis folkys be wounte;
I seide to ferre, my langage was to blounte,
But of this galaunte, loo! loke a while & fele,
He feccheth his compace whan he shall bowe or knele,
[68]
Braced so straytly th[at h]e[1] may not plie,
[Sidenote 1: MS. the.]
But gaderith hit in by man_er_ of wyndlese,
And 3*if he wrenche aside or lytil wrye, 472
His gere stonte all in pertous[2] case,
[Sidenote 2: Read perlous?]
The scho, the hose, the point, doublet, and lace;
And if ought breke, som_m_e thing_es_[3] that ben badde
[Sidenote 3: Read toung_es_.]
Shall sey anon, 'a knaue hath broke a ladde.' 476
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ Wynter & somer to his soverayn_e_
Capron hardy, no bonet lyst to avayle, 457
For eu_er_y worde geveyng his mayst_er_ twayn_e_,
avavntp_ar_ler In eu_er_y manys tale,
Absolon w_i_t_h_ disheveld heres smale, 460
lyke to a prysoner of saynt malowes,
A sonny busshe able to the galowes.
¶ O! I passe nortvre! fy, fy, for sham!
I myght haue said he shuld go havke & honte, 464
ffor _tha_t shuld be a gentylmans game,
To suche dysport_is_ gentill[e] folk_is_ be wonte;
I sayd to ferre, my langage was but blonte;
but yet, sir gallavnt, wha_n_ ye shall[e] bowe or knele 468
he got[=h] by co_m_passe rovnd as doth a whele.
¶ Brased so streyte þat he may not plye,
but gaderyth yt by maner_e_ of a wyndlas;
& he awght wrench a-side, or a litill[e] wrye, 472
hys gere stondyt[=h] the_m_ i_n_ full[e] p_ar_lovs caas,
hys sho / his hose / doblet, poynt & laas;
& yff owght breke, su_m_ tonges _tha_t be bade
will[e] moke & say, "A knave hath broke a lade." 476