Clerks say that courtesy came See that your hands and nails are clean. Don't eat till grace is said, or sit down till you're told. First, think on the poor; the full belly wots not what the hungry feels. Don't eat too quickly. The Lytylle Childrenes Lytil Boke or Edyllys be. [Harl. MS. 541, fol. 210; and Egerton MS. 1995: ab. 1480 A.D.] Lytylle childrene, here ye may lere 8 And alle vices yn vylonye. Loke pyne hondis be3 wasshe clene, 7 For the fulle wombe without [ any faylys] 20 A-byde and ete esely. 1 Egerton MS. 1995, synne 3 that thy hondys benne 4 in 6 the halle the bytte 7 Atte the 2 ben closyde 5 the fyrste gracys "The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS. The Young Children's Book. [From the Ashmolean MS. 61 (Bodleian Library), ab. 1500 A.D., fol. 20.] Who so euer wylle thryue or the, Clerkys pat canne pe scyens seuene, Aryse be tyme oute of thi bedde, 16 Thow schall spede better what so pou carpes. When pou hast done, go breke thy faste Whoever will thrive, must be courteous, and begin in his youth. Courtesy came from heaven, and contains all virtues, as rudeness does all vices. Get up betimes; cross yourself; wash your hands and face; comb your hair; say your prayers; go to church and hear Mass. Say 'Good Morning' to every one you meet. Then have breakfast, first crossing your mouth. Touch nothing till you are fully helped. Don't break your bread in two, or put your pieces in your pocket, or your fingers in the dish, or your meat in the salt-cellar. [Fol. 210, back.] Don't pick your ears or nose, or drink with your mouth full, or cram it full. Don't pick your teeth with your knife. Take your spoon out when you've finished soup. Don't spit over or on the table, that's not proper. Don't put your elbows on the table, or belch as if you had a bean in your throat. Be careful of good food; Tylle pou haue thy fulle seruyse, Kerue not thy brede to thynne, 24 Ne breke hit not on twynne : The mosselle that pou begynnysse to touche, Put not thy fyngerys on thy dysche, 2 32 The byfore, and pat is pyne honore. If 3 pou do, men wolle sey pou come of cherlis. 5 And whylle pi mete yn þi mouth is, 36 Drynk pow not; for-gete not this. 40 In no company begynne pow stryfe." 9 8 Ne spitte pow not over the "tabylle, 1 Egerton MS. omits fayre 4 comyste of karlys 4 11 Nor a-pon hyt, for hyt ys not able 'spette not 13 nothyr 7 whyle pou ettyste by thy lyffe 10 thy 13 whyle pou este 14 The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS. A pater noster & Aue mary Sey fore pe saulys pat in peyne ly ; Than go labour as pou arte bownde, 32 And be not Idylle in no stounde : Holy scryptour pus it seyth To pe pat Arte of cristen feyth, "Yffe pou labour, pou muste ete 36 That with pi hondes pou doyste gete;" A byrde hath wenges forto fle, So man hath Armes laboryd to be. Who so wyll come to pe lyfe of blysse, 48 And kepe pou it with myght & mode; 56 That longes to pe, with pat thow melle. Be no glosere nor no mokere, 60 Ne no seruantes no wey lokere. Say grace, thank Jesus for your food, and say an Ave for the souls in pain. Then set to work, and don't be idle. Scripture tells you, if you work, you must eat what you get with your hands. Be true in word and deed; truth keeps a man from blame. Mercy and Truth are the two ways to heaven, fail not to go by them.. Make only proper promises, and keep them without falsehood. Love God and your neighbours, and so fulfil all the Law. Meddle only with what belongs to you. Scorn not the poor; flatter no one; oppress (?) not servants; 52 And honowre and curtesy loke pou kepe, And at the tabylle loke pou make goode chere ; With thy fyngerys pou towche and taste And with moche speche pou mayste do synne. 60 But sette hit downe fayre and stylle.] And bere the so Byte not pi mete, but kerve it 2 clene, Whan pou etyst, gape not to wyde Drynk pou not, but hym abyde; 6 Be it at Evyne, be it at noone, Ne drynk 10 behynde no mannes bakke, The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS. |