If your children

are saucy,

don't curse them,

but give 'em a smart flogging.

On your daughters' births

begin to collect goods for their marriage.

[Page 112.] Keep all that I've

184 Ne perfore spende neuere pe more of a ferthing;
For pouz pou borowe faste,

It must hoome azen at laste,
Mi leue child.

188 And if pi children been1 rebel, & wole not hem

192

lowe,2

If ony3 of hem mys doop, nouper banne hem ne
blowe,

But take a smert rodde,5 & bete hem on a rowe
Til þei crie mercy, & be of her gilt aknowe.
Leue child, by-houep loore,

And euere leuer þe more,6

Mi leue child.

And 7 loke to pi douztren pat noon of hem be

lorn :

196 Fro pat ilk tyme þat þei be of þee9 born,
Bisie pee, & gadere faste towarde her mariage,
zeue hem to spowsynge as soone as þei ben
ablee. 10

200

And

"Maydens ben fair & amyable,

But of her loue ful vnstable,"

Mi leue child.

Now haue y pee taust, douztir, As my modir

dide me ;

pinke peron ny3t and day, forzete pat it not be;

And yeue by meyny her hyre at her terme day,
Whether they abyde stylle or wende away;

Yeue pou hem of thyne owne, & so wysely thee welde
That by frendys haue Ioy of thee, both yong And elde:
Thy thryft ys by frendes myrthe.

2 bowe

My leef chylde.

3 any 1 mysdo, ne

5 yarde

1 Chyldre be
6-6 Leue chylde behoueth lore, And euer þe leuyr the more,
10 be of age

6 doughtres

9 the

7 Omitted.
11-11 Maydonys be louely, but to kepe þey be vntrusty

204 Haue mesure and lownes, as y haue pee tauzt, And' what man þe wedde schal, him dare care

208

212

nouzt.

Betere were a child vnbore

pan vntauzt of wijs lore,2

Mi leue child.

told you, and your husband won't repent marrying you.

Now prift and peedom mote3 pou haue, my swete My sweet girl,

barn,4

Of alle oure former fadris þat euere were or aren, may all the
Of alle patriarkis and prophetis pat euere weren

alyue,6

patriarchs'

Her blessinge mote pou haue, & weel mote pou blessing be with priue ! 7

For weel is þe child

hat wip synne wole not be filid,

Mi leue child.

you, and may you thrive!

216 The blessynge of god mote pou haue, and of May Christ, and

his modir brizt,

Mary, and all

Of alle aungils & of alle archaungils, and of alle Angels bless you,

holy wight,

And pat pou mowe haue grace to wende pe wey and give you

ful rizt

grace to get to

Hear how the wise man taught

his son,

while it was young

and desirous to learn.

'First in the morning, pray to God

[Page 187.]

that you may not sin.

How the Wise Man tauzt His Son.

[Lambeth MS. 853, ab. A.D. 1430, page 186.]

Istnip lordingis, & 30 schulen here
How þe wise man tauzt his sonne,
And take good tent to pis matere,
4 And lerne it also if ze kunne.

his song was maad bi good resoun
To make men true and stidfast;
And whanne a ping is weel bigunne,
8 It makip a good eende at þe laste.

Ther was a wise man tauzt his child
While it was 3ong and tendir of age;
be child was bope meeke & myelde,
12 Faire of body and of visage;

To leerne it hadde a good corage,
And to al goodnesse a greet desire;
With good ensaumple and faire langage
16 His fadir tau3t him weel and faire,

And seide, “my sonne, take good hede,
Bi þe morewe euery day

Or pou do ony wordli deede,
20 Lifte vp pin herte to god, & pray
Deuoutly as pou can or may
hat pou in grace pi lijf may lede,
And synne to flee bope ny3t & day,
24 pat heuen blis may be þi mede.

HOW THE WISE MAN TAU3T HIS SONNE.

And sonne, where pat euere pou go,
Be not to tale-wijs bi no wey,

þin owne tunge may be þi foo;
28 perfore be waar what þou doist say,
Where, & to whom, be ony wey,
Take good hede if pou do seie ouzt,
For pou myzte seie a word to-day
32 þat .vij. zeer after may be for-pouzt.

And sonne, what maner man þou be,
Beeue þee not to ydilnesse,

But take good hede of þi degree, 36 And peron do pi bisynesse.

Be waar of reste and ydilnesse, Whiche pingis norischen sloupe, And euere be bisi more or lesse, 40 It is a ful good signe of troupe.

And sonne, also y waarne þee,
Desire noon office for to beere,
For pan it wole noon oþir bee,
44 pou muste pi neizboris displese & dere,
Or ellis pou muste þi silf forswere,
And do not as pin office wolde,

And gete pee mawgre heere & peere 48 More pan pank, an hundrid folde.

And sonne, as fer as pou may lere,

On yuel qwestis pou not come,
Neiper fals witness pou noon bere

52 On no mannys matere, al neiþer somme;
pou were betere be deef & dombe

pan falseli to go upon a qweste.

Sonne, pinke upon pat dreedful dōome,

56 How god schal deeme us at þe laste.

Don't be too
full of tales;

beware what you

say,

you may repent it afterwards.

Don't be idle,

but work.

Always be busy.

[Page 188.] Don't bear office,

for you must either offend your neighbours or not do your duty.

Don't go on improper inquests, or bear false witness in any cause. You'd better be

deaf and dumb.

Beware of tavernhaunting, dice,

[Page 189.] and lechery.

Don't sit up too long, have late suppers, or be out

too late.

Don't marry a wife for money,

but find out all about her, and have a meek one; never mind her being poor.

[Page 190.] If she is meek

and serves you

well, don't burden her too much,

bat cherish her.

And

sonne, sitte not up at euen to longe, Neiper vse no rere souperis late; houz pou be bope hool an strong, 68 With such outrage it wole aslake ; And of late walking comep debate, And out of tyme to sitte & drink, perfore be waar & keep pi state, 72 And go to bedde hi tyme, & wynke.

And sonne, if pou wolt haue a wijf,

Take hir not for coueitise,

But wijseli enqweere of al hir lijf, 76 And take good hede, bi myn avice,

hat sche be meeke, curteis, and wijs; pouz sche be poore, take pou noon hede, And sche wole do pee more good seruice 80 pan a riccher, whanne pou hast neede

And if þi wijf be meeke and good,
And seruip þee weel and plesauntly,
Loke pat pou be not so woode

84 To charge hir to greuously;

But rewle pee faire and eesili,

And cherische hir weel for hir good dede,
For ouer-doon þing vnskilfully

88 Makip grijf to growe whanne it is no nede.