་ Byfore him stonde whils he komaunde yow sytte, 136 Whenne yee be sette, your knyf withe alle your Vnto youre sylf bothe clene and sharpe con serve, That honestly yee mowe your owne mete kerve. Latte curtesye and sylence withe yow duelle, 140 And foule tales looke noone to other telle. Kutte withe your knyf your brede, and breke A clene Trenchour byfore yow eke ye lay, And whenne your potage to yow shalle be 144 Take yow sponys, and soupe by no way, pray, nat sene, Nor on the borde lenynge be yee Oute ouere youre dysshe your heede yee nat 149 And withe fulle mouthe drynke in no wyse ; Youre nose, your teethe, your naylles, from Kepe At your mete, for so techis the wyse. | Whanne ye shalle drynke, your mouthe clence 156 Youre handes eke that they in no manere Imbrowe the cuppe, for thanne shulle noone be lothe Withe yow to drynke that ben withe yow yfere. The salte also touche nat in his salere 160 Withe nokyns mete, but lay it honestly On youre Trenchoure, for that is curtesy. ¶ Youre knyf withe mete to your mouthe nat bere, And in youre hande nor holde yee yt no way, 164 Eke yf to yow be brouhte goode metys sere, Luke curteysly of ylke mete yee assay, And yf your dysshe withe mete be tane away 168 Yee late yt passe and calle it nat ageyne. Don't dip your meat in the saltcellar, or put your knife in your mouth. Taste every dish that's brought to you, and when once your plate is taken away, don't ask for it again. If strangers dine with you, share ¶ And yf straungers withe yow be sette at mete, And vnto yow goode mete be brouhte or sente, all good food sent Withe parte of hit goodely yee theym Rehete, 172 For yt ys nouhte ywys convenyent, Withe yow at mete whanne other ben present, Kutte nouhte youre mete eke as it were Felde men, 177 That to theyre mete haue suche an appetyte Nor how vngoodly they on theyre mete twyte; to you with them. It's not polite to keep it all to yourself. [Fol. 89 b.] Don't cut your meat like field labourers, who have such an appetite they don't care how they hack their food. Sweet children, let your delight be courtesy, and eschew rudeness. ¶ Whanne chese ys brouhte, A Trenchoure ha ye Have a clean clene 184 On whiche withe clene knyf [ye] your chese mowe kerve; In youre fedynge luke goodly yee be sene, trencher and knife for your cheese, and eat properly. Don't chatter either, and you shall get a good repute for gentleness. When the meal is over, clean your knives, and put them in their places: keep your seats till you've washed; then rise up with- Stand there till grace is said. Then some of you go for water, some hold the towel, some pour water over his hands. [Fol. 90.] Other things I shall not put in this little Report, but skip over, every one who likes to correct it. Sweet children, I beseech you THE BABEES BOOK. And from Iangelyng your tunge al-wey conserve, ¶ Whanne that so ys that ende shalle kome of mete, Youre knyffes clene, where they ouhte to be, 192 Luke yee putte vppe; and holde eke yee your seete Whils yee haue wasshe, for so wole honeste. Whenne yee haue done, looke thanne goodly that yee Withe-oute lauhtere, Iapynge, or boystous worde, 196 Ryse vppe, and goo vnto youre lordis borde, And stonde yee there, and passe yee him nat fro Whils grace ys sayde and brouhte vnto an ende, Thanne somme of yow for water owe to goo, 200 Somme holde the clothe, somme poure vpōn his hende. Other service thanne this I myhte comende ¶ But ouere I passe, prayyng withe spyrit gladde 205 Of this labour that no wihte me detray, But where to lytyl ys, latte him more adde, And whenne to myche ys, latte him take away; 208 For thouhe I wolde, tyme wole that I no more say; I leve therfore, And this Book I directe To euery wihte that lyste yt to correcte. ¶ And, swete children, for whos love now I write, 212 I yow beseche withe verrey lovande herte, To knowe this book that yee sette your delyte; know this book, and may God make you so expert therein 216 That thurhe your nurture and youre governaunce that you may In lastynge blysse yee mowe your self auaunce! attain endless bliss. ¶ Lerne or be Lewde. To Amerous, to Aunterous, ne Angre the nat to To Bolde, ne to Besy, ne Bourde nat to large; [Fol. 90 b.] Don't be too loving or angry, bold or busy, courteous or cruel or cowardly, and don't drink too 4 To Dulle, ne to Dredefulle, ne Drynke nat to often, offte; To Elenge, to Excellent, ne to Carefulle ney thur; To Fers, ne to Famuler, but Frendely of Chere; To gladde, ne to Glorious, and Gelousy thow hate; 8 To Hasty, to Hardy, ne to Hevy in thyn be not too hasty Herte; or daring; To Iettyng, ne to Iangelyng, and Iape nat to joke not too oft; ofte; To Kynde, ne to Kepyng, and warre Knavis tacches; ware knaves' tricks. To Lothe, ne to Lovyng, ne to Lyberalle of Don't be too goode ; grudging or too liberal, 12 To Medlous, to Mury, but as goode Maner too meddling, askithe; To noyous, ne to Nyce, ne to Newfangylle; too particular, new-fangled, To Orped, to Overtwert, and Othes, sir, thow or too daring. Hate oaths hate; and flattery. Please well thy master. Don't be too rackety, or go out too much. Don't be too revengeful or wrathful, and wade not too deep. The middle path is the best for us all. To Preysyng, to Preve withe Prynces and Dukes ; 16 To Queynt, to Querelous, and Queme welle thy maistre ; To Riotous, to Revelyng, ne Rage nat to muche; To Straunge, ne to Steryng, ne Stare nat abroode; To Toyllous, to Talevys, for Temperaunce it hatithe; 20 To Vengable, to Envious, and waste nat to muche; To Wylde, to Wrathefulle, and Wade nat to depe; A Mesurable Mene way ys beste for vs alle; Yitte. Lerne. or. Be. Lewde. [A Dietary given 'vnto Kyng Herry vte' by Sigismounde, Emperour of Rome,' follows, leaf 91. The colophon (leaf 98, back) is Thus endithe this Dyetarye Compyled And made by Plato and Petrus Lucratus, Grete Philosophers and Astronomers.'] A complete copy of the A B C Alliterative Poem of which the foregoing LESNE or be lewde is a fragment, occurs in the Lambeth MS. 853, and is therefore added here. |