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 ouer alle ;

Make nat thi 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 ye 2 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.]

M

Li dere sone, first þi 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 pe wal.
12 Pike not pi nose; & moost in especial

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

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

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 To-fore pi souereyne while he is in presence.

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.

Walk demurely in the streets,

and don't laugh 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 loude; kepe honestly silence;

To enboce thy Iowis withe mete 2 is nat diewe; 32 With 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 fysshe;

Wype clenethi spone, leve it nat in thy disshe. 36 Of brede I-byten no soppis that thow make; In ale nor wyne withe hande leve no fattenes; With mowthe enbrewed thi cuppe thou nat take; Enbrewe5 no napery for no rekelesnes; 40 For to souppe [loude] is agenst gentiles;

6

[N]evyr at mete begynne thow nat stryfe;
Thi teth also thow pike nat with no knyf.

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

Part with thy felaw, for that is curtesie:

48 Laade not thy trenchour with many remyssailes; And frome blaknes alwey kepe thy nayles.

Of curtesye also agenst the lawe,

7

With sowne dishonest for to do offence;

52 Of old surfaytes abrayde nat thy felawe; Toward thy souerayne alwey thyn aduertence;

1a-wite.

5 Foul

fayre

2 brede it
3 bridlid
6 be warre gynne no

7 Which sou

Pare

are 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 þi seruice, be not to hasti upon breed to bite 28 lest men perof Do pee edwite.

Grennynge & mowynge at pi table eschewe;

Crie not to lowde: honestli kepe silence.

To enbrace pi iowis with breed, it is not dewe;
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;
pi teep also at þe 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 pi silf to take do not applie. Parte with pi felawis, for þat is curteisie. 48 Lete not pi 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 pi felawe;

Towarde pi souereyn do euere reuerence.

Clean your nails and wash your hands.

Sit where you're told to,

and don't be too hasty to begin eating.

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

or stuff your jaws with food,

or drink too
quickly.

Keep your lips
clean, and wipe
your spoon.

Don't make sop 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 with 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 fulfylle anone

What that thy souerayne comav[n]dithe the to be done.

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

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

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

With thy fyngres make1 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 meved and sone forgyvyng;

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

84 With an apple the parties be made at one.
2 MS. Harl., tretable 3 Rel. Ant., by olde

1 Rel. Ant., marke