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The Babees Book,

OR A LYTYL REPORTE' OF HOW YOUNG PEOPLE
SHOULD BEHAVE.

[MS. Harl. 5086, fol. 86-90; ab. 1475 A.D.]

IN this tretys the whiche I thenke to wryte

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Out of latyn in-to my comvne langage,
He me supporte (sen I kan nat endyte),
4 The whiche only after his owne ymage
Fourmyd man-kynde! For alle of tendre age
In curtesye Resseyve shulle document,
And vertues knowe, by this lytil coment.

And Facett seythe the Book of curtesye,
9 Vertues to knowe, thaym forto haue and vse,
Is thing moste heelfulle in this worlde trevly.
Therfore in feythe I wole me nat excuse

12 From this labour ywys, nor hit Refuse;

For myn owne lernynge wole I say summe thing
That touchis vertues and curtesye havyng.

But, O yonge Babees, whome bloode Royalle 16 Withe grace, feture, and hyhe habylite

Hathe enourmyd, on yow ys that I calle
To knowe this Book; for it were grete pyte,
Syn that in yow ys sette sovereyne beaute,
20 But yf vertue and nurture were withe alle;
To yow therfore I speke in specyalle,

And nouhte to hem of elde that bene experte
In governaunce, nurture, and honeste.

My God, support me while I translate this treatise from Latin.

It shall teach those of tender age.

To know and practise virtues is the most profitable thing in the world.

Young Babies,
adorned with
grace,

I call on you to
know this book
(for Nurture
should accompany
beuty),

and not on aged men expert therein.

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24 For what nedys to yeve helle peynes smerte,
Ioye vnto hevene, or water vnto the see,

Heete to the fyre that kan nat but hoote be? It nedys nouhte: therfore, O Babees yynge, 28 My Book only is made for youre lernynge.

Therfore I pray that no man Reprehende This lytyl Book, the whiche for yow I make; But where defaute ys, latte ylke man amende, 32 And nouhte deme yt; [I] pray thaym for youre sake.

For other mede ywys I kepe noone take

But that god wolde this Book myhte yche man plese,

And in lernynge vnto you donne somme ese.

Eke, swete children, yf there be eny worde 37 That yee kenne nouhte, spyrre whils yee yt ken; Whanne yee yt knowe, yee mowe holde yt in horde,

Thus thurhe spyrryng yee mowe lerne at wyse

men.

40 Also thenke nouhte to straungely at my penne,
In this metre for yow lyste to procede,
Men vsen yt; therfore on hit take hede.

But amonge alle that I thenke of to telle,
44 My purpos ys first only forto trete

48

How
yee Babees in housholde that done duelle
Shulde haue youre sylf whenne yee be sette at
mete,

And how yee shulde whenne men lyste yow Re

hete,

Haue wordes lovly, swete, bleste, and benyngne.
In this helpe me O Marie, Modir dyngne!

And eke, o lady myn, Facecia!

My penne thow guyde, and helpe vnto me shewe;

52 For as the firste off alle lettres ys the A, So Artow firste Modir of alle vertue.

[Fol. 87.] Thou art the Mother of all Virtue.

Help the ignor

Off myn vnkunnynge, swete lady, now Rewe; And thouhe vntauhte I speke of governaunce, 56 Withe thy swete helpe supporte myn ygnor- untaught!

aunce.

ance of me

A.

Bele Babees, herkne now to my lore!
Whenne yee entre into your lordis place,

Say first, "god spede;" And alle that ben by

fore

Fair Babies, when you enter

your lord's place, say "God speed,"

and salute all there.

60 Yow in this stede, salue withe humble Face; Stert nat Rudely; komme Inne an esy pace; Holde vp youre heede, and knele but on oone Kneel on one kne

To youre sovereyne or lorde, whedir he be.

knee to your lord.

you, look straight at them, and listen well till they have finished; do not chatter or let

64 And yf they speke withe you at youre komynge, If any speak to Withe stable Eye loke vpone theym Rihte, To theyre tales and yeve yee goode herynge Whils they haue seyde; loke eke withe your myhte

68 Yee Iangle nouhte, also caste nouhte your

syhte

Aboute the hovs, but take to theym entent
Withe blythe vysage, and spiryt diligent.

your eyes wander about the house.

Whenne yee Answere or speke, yee shulle be Answer

purveyde

sensibly,

72 What yee shalle say / speke eke thing fructuous; shortly, and

On esy wyse latte thy Resone be sayde
In wordes gentylle and also compendious,
For many wordes ben rihte Tedious

76 To ylke wyseman that shalle yeve audience;
Thaym to eschewe therfore doo diligence.

easily.

[Fol. 87 b.]

Many words are

a bore to a wise man.

Stand till you are

told to sit keep

your head,

hands, and feet

quiet :

don't scratch yourself,

or lean against a post,

or handle anything near.

Bow to your lord when you answer.

If any one better than yourself comes in, retire and give place to him.

Turn your back

on no man.

Be silent while

your lord drinks, not laughing, whispering, or joking.

If he tells you to sit down, do so at

once.

Then don't talk

dirt, or scorn any [Fol. 88.]

one, but be meek

and cheerful.

If your better praises you,

rise up and thank him heartily.

Take eke noo seete, but to stonde be yee preste ;
Whils forto sytte ye haue in komaundement,
80 Youre heede, youre hande, your feet, holde yee
in reste;

Nor thurhe clowyng your flesshe loke yee nat
Rent;

Lene to no poste whils that ye stande present Byfore your lorde, nor handylle ye no thyng 84 Als for that tyme vnto the hovs touching.

At euery tyme obeye vnto youre lorde
Whenne yee answere, ellis stonde yee styl as

stone

But yf he speke; loke withe oon accorde
88 That yf yee se komme Inne eny persone
Better thanne yee, that yee goo bak anoone
And gyff him place; youre bak eke in no way
Turne on no wihte, as ferforthe as ye may.

92 Yiff that youre lorde also yee se drynkynge,
Looke that
ye be in rihte stable sylence
Withe-oute lowde lauhtere or Iangelynge,
Rovnynge, Iapynge, or other Insolence.
96 Yiff he komaunde also in his presence
Yow forto sytte, fulfille his wylle belyve,
And for youre seete, looke nat withe other stryve,

Whenne yee er sette, take noone vnhoneste tale; 100 Eke forto skorne eschewe withe alle your myhte; Latte ay youre chere be lowly, blythe, and hale,

Withe-oute chidynge as that yee wolde fyhte.
Yiff yee perceyve also that eny wihte

104 Lyst you kommende that better be thanne yee,
Ryse vp anoone, and thanke him withe herte

free.

¶Yif that yee se youre lorde or youre lady

Touching the housholde speke of eny thinge, 108 Latt theym alloone, for that is curtesy,

And entremete yow nouhte of theyre doynge,
But be Ay Redy withe-oute feynynge

At hable tyme to done your lorde service, 112 So shalle yee gete anoone a name of price.

When your lord or lady is speaking about the household,

don't you interfere,

but be always ready to serve at

the proper time,

Also to brynge drynke, holde lihte whanne tyme to bring drink,

ys,

Or to doo that whiche ouhte forto be done, Looke yee be preste, for so yee shalle ywys 116 In nurture gete a gentyl name ful sone; And yif ye shulde at god aske yow a bone, Als to the worlde better in noo degre Mihte yee desire thanne nurtred forto be.

hold lights, or

anything else,

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and so get a good

name.

The best prayer you can make to God is to be well mannered.

¶Yif that youre lorde his owne coppe lyste com-. If your lord offers

mende

you his cup,

121 To yow to drynke, ryse vp whanne yee it take, rise up, take it And resseyve it goodly withe boothe

hende ;

Of yt also to noone other profre ye make, 124 But vnto him that brouhte yt yee hit take

youre

Whenne haue done, for yt in no kyn wyse
yee

Auhte comvne be, as techis vs the wyse.

Now must I telle in shorte, for I muste so,

with both hands,

offer it to no one

else, but give it
back to him that
brought it.
[Fol. 88 b.]

128 Youre observaunce that ye shalle done at none; At Noon, when Whenne that ye se youre lorde to mete shalle your lord is ready

goo,

Be redy to fecche him water sone,

for dinner,

fetch him some clean water, hold

Summe helle water; summe holde to he hathe the towel for him

done

132 The clothe to him, And from him yee nat pace

Whils he be sette, and haue herde sayde the

grace.

till he has finished, and don't leave till

grace is said.

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