Be not prowd, bot meke & lynd,

Be meek,

And with thi better go pou be-hynd.

When pi better schewys his wylle, 64 To he haue seyd pou muste be stylle. When pou spekes to Any mane,

Hande, fote, & fynger, kepe pou styll pan,
And luke pou vppe in to his face,

68 And curtase be in euery place.
With pi fynger schew pou no thynge,
Nor be not lefe to telle tydinge.
Yff Any man sey welle of þe,
Or of thi frendes, thankyd muste be.
Haue few wordes, & wysly sette,
Fore so pou may thi worschyppe gete.
Vse no suerynge noper lyenge,

76 Yn thi sellynge & thi byenge,

Fore & pou do pou arte to blame,
And at pe last pou wylle haue schame.
Gete pi gowd with trewe[t]h & wynne,
80 And kepe pe out of dette & synne.
Be loth to greue, & leffe to ples;
Seke pe pes, & lyfe in es.

Offe whome pou spekes, where & when, 84 A-vyse be welle, & to what men.

When pou commys vn to A dore,
Sey "god be here," or pou go ferre:
Wer-euer pou commys, speke honestly

88 To ser or dame, or per meny.

Stand, & sytte not furth-with-alle
Tylle he byde pe pat rewlys pe halle;
Where he bydis, per must pou sytte,
92 And fore none oper change ne flyte ;
Sytt vp-ryght And honestly,
Ete & drinke, & be feleyly,
Parte with hem þat sytes þe by,
96 Thus teches pe dame curtasy.

and wait till your better has spoken.

When you speak to a man, keep still,

and look him in the face.

Don't be a
tale-bearer.
Thank all who
speak well of you.

Use few words;

don't swear or lie in your dealings.

Earn money
honestly, and keep
out of debt.
Try to please;

scek peace;

mind whom yon speak to and what you say.

Wherever you enter, say "God be here,"

and speak courteously to master and man.

Stand till you are told to sit at meat,

and don't leave your seat before others.

Sit upright;

be sociable,

and share with your neighbours.

Sit still till grace

is said and you've washed your hands,

and don't spit in

the basin.

Rise quietly,

don't jabber, but

And sit pou stylle, what so be-falle,'
Tylle grace be said vnto pe ende,

84 And tylle pou haue wasshen with pi frend.

2

Let the more worthy pan thow

Wassh to-fore 3 pe, & that is þi prow;

4

And spitte not yn 1 þi basyne,

88 My swete son, þat þow wasshist yne ;
And aryse up soft & stylle,5

say,

'A gentleman was
here!'

He who despises
this teaching
isn't fit to sit at a
good man's table.

Children, love this little book, and

pray that Jesus may help its author to die

among his friends, and not be

troubled with devils,

11 sitte,

96 That a gentylleman was heere.
And he pat dispiseth this techyng,
He is not worthy, withoute lesyng,
Nether at 10 good mannes tabulle to
100 Ner 12 of no worshipe for to wytte.
And therfore, chyldren, for 13 charyte,
Louyth this boke though yt lytil be! 14
And pray for hym pat made it thus, 15

104 That hym may helpe swete Ihesus
To lyve & dye among his frendes,
16 And neuer to be combred with no fendes;

100

Take pe salt with thi clene knyfe;
Be cold of spech, & make no stryfe;
Bakbyte no man pat is A-weye,
Be glad of Alle men wele to sey.
Here & se, & sey thou nought,

Than schall pou not to profe be brought. With mete & drynke be-fore pe sette, 101 Hold pe plesyd, & aske no bette.

Wype thi mouthe when pou wyll drinke,
Lest it foule thi copys brinke;

Kepe clene thi fyngeres, lypes, & chine,

108 Fore so pou may thi wyrschype wynne.
Yn þi mouth when pi mete is,

To drinke, or speke, or laugh, I-wys
Dame curtasy fore-bydes it the :

112 Bot prayse thi fare, wer-so-euer þou be,
Fore be it gode or be it badde,
Yn gud worth it muste be had.
When pou spytes, be welle were
116 Where so pou spytes, nyze or fere;
Hold pi hand be-fore thi mouth
When pou spytes, & hyde it couth.
Kepe pi knyfe both clene & scherpe,
120 And be not besy forto kerpe;

Clens pi knyfe with some cutte bred,
Not with thi cloth, As I pe rede:
With Any fylth to fowle pe clothe,
124 A curtase mane he wylle be lothe.
In þi dysch sette not pi spone,
Noper on pe brynke, as vn-lernyd done.
When pou sopys, make no no[y]se

128 With thi mouth As do boys.

The mete pat on þi trencher is,
Putte it not in-to pi dysch.

Gete pe sone A voyder,

132 And sone A-voyd pou thi trenchere.

Take salt with a clean knife;

talk no scandal,
but speak well of

all.
Hear and see;
don't talk.

Be satisfied with what's set before you.

Wipe your mouth before you drink; keep your fingers and lips clean.

Don't speak with your mouth full.

Praise your food; for whether it's good or bad, it must be taken in good part.

Mind where you

spit,

and put your hand before your mouth.

Keep your knife clean,

and don't wipe it on the cloth.

Don't put your spoon in the dish,

or make a noise, like boys, when you sup,

Don't put meat off your plate into the dish.

When thi better take þe tho coppe, Drinke thi selffe, & sette it vppe, Take tho coppe with thi hondes. 136 Lest it falle per As pou stondes. When thi better spekes to the,

140

144

148

Do offe thi cape & bow þi kne.
At thi tabull noper crache ne claw,
Than men wylle sey pou arte A daw.
Wype not thi nose nor pi nos-thirlys,
Than mene wylle sey pou come of cherlys.
Make pou noper cate ne hond (so in MS.)
Thi felow at pou tabull round; (
Ne pleye with spone, trenchere, ne knyffe.
Yn honesty & clenys lede pou thi lyffe.
This boke is made for chylder zonge
At the scowle pat byde not longe:
Sone it may be conyd & had,

And make them gode iff þei be bad. God gyffe them grace, vertuos to be, 152 Fore than þei may both thryff & the. Amen! quod Kate.

If your superior hands you a cup, drink,

but take the cup with two hands.

When he speaks to you, doff your cap and bend your

knee.

Don't scratch yourself at table,

wipe your nose,

or play with your spoon, &c.

This book is for young children who don't stay long at school.

God grant them grace to be virtuous!