| When thy parents down | to the table shall sit, |
| In place be ready, | for the purpose most fit: |
| With sober countenance | looking them in the face, |
| Thy hands holding up, | thus begin grace: |
| “Give thanks to God | with one accord |
| For that shall be | set on this board. |
| And be not careful | what to eat; |
| To each thing living | the Lord sends meat; |
| For food he will not | see you perish, |
| But will you feed, | foster, and cherish; |
| Take well in worth | what he hath sent, |
| At this time be | therewith content Praising God.” |
| So treatably[[350]] speaking | as possible thou can, |
| That the hearers thereof | may thee understand. |
| Grace being said, | low curtsey make thou, |
| Saying, “Much good | may it do you!” |
| Of stature then | if thou be able, |
| It shall become thee | to serve the table, |
| In bringing to it | such meat as shall need, |
| For thy parents upon | that time to feed. |
| Dishes with measure | thou oughtest to fill, |
| Else may’st thou happen | thy service to spill, |
| On their apparel, | or else on the cloth, |
| Which for to do | would move them to wrath. |
| Spare trenchers with napkins | have in readiness, |
| To serve afterward, | if there come any guests. |
| Be circumspect, | see nothing do want, |
| Of necessary things | that there be no scant, |
| As bread and drink, | see there be plenty. |
| The voiders with bones | oft see thou empty. |
| At hand be ready, | if any do call, |
| To fetch or take up, | if ought fortune to fall. |
| When they have done, | then ready make, |
| The table up fair | in order to take. |
| First the salt | see that thou cover, |
| Having by thee | either one or other |
| Things from thy hands | then to convey, |
| That from the table | thou shalt take away. |
| A voider upon | the table thou have, |
| The trenchers and napkins | therein to receive. |
| The crumbs with a napkin, | together them sweep, |
| (It) at the table’s end | in a voider them keep. |
| Then before each man | a clean trencher lay, |
| The best first serving, | as judge thou soon may. |
| Then cheese with fruit | on the table set, |
| With biscuits or caraways, | as you may get. |
| Wine to them fill, | else ale or beer; |
| But wine is meetest, | if any there were. |
| Then on the table | attend with all diligénce, |
| It for to void, | when done have thy parénts. |
| Each side of the cloth | do thou turn in; |
| Folding it up, | at the higher end begin. |
| A clean towel then | on the table spread, |
| The towel wanting, | the cloth take instead. |
| The basin and ewer | to the table then bring, |
| In place convenient | their pleasure abiding. |
| When thou shalt see | them ready to wash, |
| The ewer take up, | and be not too rash |
| In pouring out water | more than will suffice. |
| The table then void | that they may rise. |
| All things thus done, | forget not thy duty, |
| Before the table make | thou low curtsey. |