Vt te geras ad Mensam.

[Harl. MS. 3362, fol. 6. The title above is in a later hand. The metrical points below are those of the MS. No stops are inserted.]

Wash before eating.

At table, think first of the Poor.

Don't eat till the dishes are set down.

Don't touch the salt with your food.

Don't pick your teeth with your knife,

or spit on the table,

or belch.

Doctus dicetur. hec qui documenta sequetur.
Hec documenta sibi. qui vult vrbanus haberi.
Que scribuntur ibi. sciat obseruanda necesse.
4 Non lotis escam. manibus non sumpseris vnquam.
Nemo cibum capiat. donec benediccio fiat.

Nec capiat sedem. nisi quam vult qui regit eden.
Dum sedes in mensa. primo de paupere pensa.

8 Nam dapibus plenus. nescis quid sentit egenus.
Donec sint posita. tibi fercula mandere vita.
Immo
scinde.
panem
mandat qui velit inde.
quem
Dentibus etacta.' non sit buccella redacta.

2

12 In discum digiti. tibi sunt vnguesque politi.

Sal non tangatur. esca quo vase ponatur.
Dum cibus extat. in ore tuo potare caueto.
Non membrum scalpe. discumbens de vice talpe.
16 Non mundent dentes. ex cultello comedentes.
A disco tollas. coclear cum sumpseris escas.
Non vltra mensam. sputes nec desuper vnquam.
In mensa cubitum. ponere sit vetitum.

20 Si potes hoc reputo.3 mensa ructare caueto.

1

1? for intacta.

2 for sint.

3 ? for reputa consider.

How to bear yourself at Table.

[Englished literally by Professor Seeley, M.A., of University College, London; Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge.]

He shall be called instructed who shall follow these teachings. These teachings which are written here, let him who wishes to be held polite

know must needs be observed,

4 Never take up food with hands not washed.

Let no one take food until the blessing be given,

Nor take a seat, except that which the master of the house chooses.

While you are sitting at the table, think first of the poor

man,

8 For when you are full of meat, you know not what the needy man feels.

Avoid eating of the dishes until they are put before you.
Cut the bread which he bids you cut who wants some of it.
Let not the piece of food, when it has been touched by the
teeth, be put back

12 Upon the dish. Let your fingers and nails be trimmed.
Let not the salt be touched by meat in the vessel in which
it is set on table.

While food still continues in your mouth, beware of drinking. Don't scratch your limb, after the fashion of a mole, as you sit down.

16 Let not persons eating, clean their teeth with their knife. Remove the spoon from the dish when you have taken up the food.

Don't spit over the table, nor down upon it ever.

Be it forbidden to put the elbow on the table.

20 If you can, I warn(?) you of this, don't belch at table.

Don't say offensive things,

or bring a cat to table.

Never grin.

Keep the table

clean.

Don't drink before the host.

Don't show your food while eating.

Don't slander absent men.

28

1

In mensa care. quam sint res ne memorare.
Nec dicas verbum. cuiquam quod ei sit acerbum.
Mensa sis hillaris. cuiquam nec in aure loquaris.
24 Mureligus consors. in mensa sit tibi nunquam.
Si sapis extra vas. expue quando lauas.
Hoc penitus timeas. ne sociis noceas.
Numquam subrideas. sed stabilis sedeas.
Cum tribus digitis. escam tangendo politis.
Fare morosa.2 semper mensaque iocosa.
Mensa tibi pura. vir sit nec surgere cura.
Donec dicatur. gracias quoque mensa trahatur.
Cultellum terge. mappa quoque coclear terge.
Quando bibit dominus. non bibe discipule.
Vas in scissoriis.3 non ponas ne reproberis.
In potum sufflare. tuum nolito cibumque.
36 Vtraque parte. non masticabis aperte.

32

Pr[i]uetur mensa. qui spreuerit hec documenta.
4 Si quis amat dictis. absentum rodere vitam.
.i. indignam

Hanc mensam miseram. nouerit esse sibi.

1 Catte, beste. Cattus, mureligus. Catholicon in Prompt. Parv. 2 Morosus, waywarde; frowarde; ouerthwarte. Cooper. Vas.. 17 cultrum (a knife); Forcellini. Scissorium, Orbiculus 5 mensorius, in quo convivæ dapes sibi appositas vel præsumtas scindunt, nostris olim Trenchoir. Ducange.

4 Additio forsan aut altera ad pueros admonitio:' note in a later hand.

5 A Trencher, quadra. A rounde Trencher, orbis. Withals.

At table do not mention how dear things are.

Don't say a word to any one which may be unpleasant to him. At table be cheerful, and don't speak to any one in his ear. 24 Let not a cat ever be a companion to you at the table.

If you are wise, spit beyond the vessel when you wash.
Carefully beware of this, not to offend your fellow-guests.
Never grin, but sit steady,

28 With three clean fingers touching the food.

Speak morose [grave] things always, and jocose things at

table.

See, O man, that the table be clean, and remember not to rise

Until grace be said and the table be removed.

32 Wipe your knife, and wipe your spoon with your napkin. When the master drinks, drink not, learner.

Put not your knife on (your) trenchers lest you be reproved.
Don't blurt out (?) into your drink & food.

36 Do not chew visibly on either side [of the jaw].

He who despises these teachings, let him be kept away from the table.

If a man loves to injure the character of absent men with

words,

Let him know that this table is shameful for him.

When speaking, keep your hands and eyes quiet.

Don't pick your nose,

or break into guffaws.

Wash your hands before eating.

Keep your nails clean.

Don't chatter too much.

Stans Puer ad Mensam.

[Harl. MS. 3362, fol. 10, or 6 b. The metrical points are those of the MS. No stops are inserted.]

Stans puer ad mensam.

discas.

* domini bona dogmata

Dum loqueris digiti. que manus in pace pedes

sint.

Sis vultu simplex. visum nec vbique reuoluas.
4 Nec paries speculum. baculus nec sit tibi postis.
Nec nares fodias. carnem propriam neque scalpes.
Nec caput inclines. facies sit in ore loquentis.
In pace pergas. per vicos atque plateas.

8 Nec leuitate cito. color in facie varietur.
Nec coram domino. debes monstrare cachinnas.
Hec documenta tene. si vis vrbanus haberi.
Illotis manibus. escas ne sumpseris vnquam.
12 Atque loco sedeas. tibi quem signauerit hospes.
Summum sperne locum. tibi sumere sis nisi iussus.
Fercula donec sint. sita pani parce meroque.
Ne fame captus. dicaris siue gulosus.

16 Munde sint vngues. noceant ne forte sodali.
Morcellum totum. comedas vel detur egenis.
Pace fruens multis. caueas garrire loquelis.

The poem must have been written before the distinction in the King's College (Cambridge) MS. of the Promptorium was accepted. "Mensa est pauperum, et tabula divitum." P.P. see 'Table.'