Stans Puer ad Mensam.

ASCRIBED TO JOHN LIDGATE.

[MS. Harl. 2251, about 1460 A.D., fol. 153 or 148. The parts between brackets [ ], and various readings, are from Mr Halliwell's print in Reliquiæ Antiquæ, v. 1, p. 156-8, of a 15thcentury MS. Q. r. 8, fol. 77, r°, in the Library of Jesus College, Cambridge.]

[My dere childe, first thiself enable
With all thin herte to vertuous disciplyne
Afor thi soverayne standing at the table,
4 Dispose thi youth aftir my doctryne
To all norture thi corage to enclyne.
First when thu spekist be not rekles,

Kepe feete and fingeris and handes still in pese.]

B

E symple of chiere, cast nat thyn ye aside,

Agenst the post lete nat thy bak abyde;

Gaase nat aboute; tournyng oueralle;

Make nat thy myrrour also of the walle,

12 Pyke nat thy nose, and in especialle

Be right wele ware, and sette hieron thi thought,
By-fore thy souerayne cracche ne rubbe nought.

Who spekithe to the in any maner place,

1

16 Rudely cast nat thyn ye2 adowne,

But with a sadde chiere loke hym in the face;

Walke demurely by strete in the towne,

Advertise the withe wisdom and Reasoune.

20 Withe dissolute laughters do thow non offence To-fore thy souerayn, whiles he is in presence.

The Book of Curteisie

That is Clepid

Stans Puer ad Mensam.

[Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., page 150, back. Part written as prose.]

Mi dere sone, first pi silf able

with al pin herte to vertuose discipline,—
A-fore pi souereyn stondinge at þe table
4 Dispose pou pee aftir my doctryne-

To al nortur þi corage to encline.
First while pou spekist, be not richelees;
Kepe bope fyngir and hond stille in pees;

8 Be symple in cheer; caste not pi looke a-side,
gase not about, turnynge pi sizt oueral.
azen þe post lete not þi bak abide,
neiper make þi myrrour also of pþe wal.
12 Pike not pi nose; & moost in especial

be weel waar, sette her-on pi pouzt,
to-fore þi souereyn cratche ne picke þee nouzt.

Who-so speke to pee in ony maner place, 16 lumpischli caste not pin heed a-doun,

When you stand before your sovereign,

speak not recklessly, and keep your hands still.

[Page 151.] Don't stare about,

lean against a post, look at the wall, pick your nose, or scratch yourself.

When spoken to, don't lumpishly look at the ground.

Waik demurely in the streets,

but with a sad cheer loke him in þe face. walke demurely bi streetis in pe toun, And take good hede bi wisdom & resoun 20 pat bi no wantowne lauzinge pou do noon offence and don't laugh To-fore pi souereyne while he is in presence.

before your lord.

[Fol. 153, back.]

Pare clene thy nailes, thyn handes wasshe also
To-fore mete, and whan thow dooest arise;
24 Sitte in that place thow art assigned to;
Prease nat to hye in no maner wise;
And til thow se afore the thy service,

Be nat to hasty on brede for to byte,

28 Of gredynesse lest men wolde the endwyte.1

¶ Grennyng and mowes at the table eschowe;

Cry nat to lowde; kepe honestly silence;

To enboce thy Iowis withe mete 2 is nat diewe; 32 Withe ful mowthe speke nat, lest thow do offence; Drynk nat bretheles 3 for hast ne necligence; Kepe clene thy lippes from fat of flesshe or fisshe;

4

Wype clene thi spone, leve it nat in thy disshe.

Of brede I-byten no soppis that thow make;
37 In ale nor wyne withe hande leve no fattenes;
Withe mowthe enbrewed thy cuppe thow nat take;

En brewe5 no napery for no rekelesnes ;
40 For to souppe [loude] is agenst gentiles;
[N]euer at mete begynne thow nat 6 stryf;
Thi tethe also thow pike nat withe no knyf.

Of honest myrthe late be thy daliaunce;
44 Swere none othes, speke no ribawdrye;
The best morsel, have in remembraunce,
Hole to thyself alwey do nat applie;

Part withe thy felaw, for that is curtesie:
48 Laade nat thy trenchour withe many remyssailes;
And from blaknes alwey kepe thy nayles.

Of curtesye also agenst the lawe,

Withe sowne dishonest for to do offence; 52 Of old surfaytes abrayde nat thy felawe; Toward thy souerayne alwey thyn aduertence;

4 fayre

7 Which sou

Pare clene pi nailis; pin hondis waische also

to-fore pi mete, [&] whanne pou doist arise. 24 sitte pou in pat place pat pou art a-signed to; Prece not to hie in no maner wise;

And whanne pou seest afore pee pi seruice,

be not to hasti upon breed to bite

28 lest men perof Do pee edwite.

Grennynge & mowynge at þi table eschewe;

Crie not to lowde: honestli kepe silence.

Clean your nails ard wash your hands.

Sit where you're told to,

and don't be too hasty to begin eating.

[Page 152.] Don't grin, shout,

To enbrace pi iowis with breed, it is not dewe; or stuff your

32 with ful moup speke not lest pou do offence;

Drinke not bridelid for haste ne necligence;
Kepe clene pi lippis from fleisch & fische;
Wipe faire pi spoon; leue it not in pi dische.

36 Of breed with pi teep no soppis pou make;

Lowde for to soupe is azen gentilnes :
With moup enbrowide pi cuppe pou not take,
In ale ne in wiyn with hond leue no fatnes;
40 Defoule not pe naprie bi no richelesnes.

Be waar pat at þe mete pou bigynne no striif;
hi teep also at pe table picke with no knyf.

Of honest mirpe euere be þi daliaunce ;

44 Swere noon oopis; speke no ribaudie.

be beste morsels,-haue pis in remembraunce,— Holli alwey þi silf to take do not applie. Parte with pi felawis, for pat is curteisie. 48 Lete not þi trenchour be with many morsels ; And fro blaknes kepe weel pi nailis.

Of curtesie it is azen þe lawe,

With dishoneste, sone, for to do difence; 52 Of oolde forfetis vpbraide not þi felawe;

Towarde pi souereyn do euere reuerence.

jaws with food,

or drink too
quickly.

Keep your lips
clean, and wipe
your spoon.

Don't make sops of bread,

or drink with a dirty mouth.

Don't dirty the table linen,

or pick your teeth with your knife.

Don't swear or talk ribaldry, or take the best bits;

share with your fellows.

Eat up your pieces, and keep your nails clean.

[Page 153.]

It's bad manners to bring up old complaints.

[Fol. 154 or 149.]

Play withe no knyf, take heede to my sentence; At mete and soupper kepe the stille and soft; 56 Eke to and fro meve nat thy foote to oft.

Droppe nat thi brest withe sawce ne withe potage;
Brynge no knyves vnskoured to the table;
Fil nat thy spone, lest in the cariage
60 It went beside, whiche were nat comendable;
Be quyke and redy, meke and seruisable,
Wele awaityng to fulfille anone

What that thy souerayne comav[]dithe the to

be done.

64 And whereso euer that thow dyne or soupe,
Of gentilesse take salt withe thy knyf;

And be wele ware thow blow nat in the cuppe. Reuerence thy felawe, gynne withe hym no stryf; 68 Be thy powere kepe pees al thy lyf.

Interrupt nat, where so thow wende,
None other mans tale, til he have made an ende;

Withe thy fyngres make thow nat thy tale; 72 Be wele avised, namly in tendre age,

To drynk by mesure bothe wyne and ale;
Be nat copious also of langage;

As tyme requyrithe, shewe out thy visage,
76 To gladde ne to sory, but kepe atwene tweyne,
For losse or lucre or any case sodayne.

¶ Be meke in mesure, nat hasti, but tretable;

Ouer moche is nat worthe in no maner thyng; 80 To children it longithe nat to be [vengeable,2] Sone meeved and sone forgyvyng;

And as it is remembrid bi 3 writyng,
Wrathe of children is sone ouergone,

84 Withe an apple the parties be made atone.

1 Rel. Ant., marke 2 MS. Harl, tretable 3 Rel. Ant., by olde