The boke of Curtasye. HEre begynnethe pe fyrst boke of curtasye. Q wo so wylle of curtasy lere, In this boke he may hit here! [Fol. 12.] In this book you may learn Yf thow be gentylmon, 30mon, or knaue, Every one needs 4 The nedis nurture for to haue. When thou comes to a lordis zate, 8 And aske hym leue in to go To speke with lorde, lady, squyer, or grome. Ther-to the nedys to take the tome 1; For yf he be of loghe degre, 12 Than hym falles to come to the; This lessoun loke thow no3t for-zete: Sitten other gentylmen as falles pat tyde; 24 First to the ryzht honde pou shalle go, 1 Toom or rymthe. Spacium, tempus, oportunitas. P. Parv. it. On reaching a Lord's gate, give the Porter your weapon, and ask leave to go in. If the master is of low degree, he will come to you; if of high, the Porter will take you to him. At the Hall-door, take off your hood and gloves. If the first meal is beginning, greet the Steward, &c., at the dais, bow to the Gentlemen on each side of the hall, both right and left; notice the yeomen, then stand before the screen till the Marshal or Usher leads you to the table. Be sedate and courteous if you are set with the gentlemen. Cut your loaf in two, the top from the bottom; cut the top crust in 4, and the bottom in 3. Put your trencher before you, and don't eat or drink till your Mess is brought from the kitchen, lest you be thought starved or a glutton. Have your nails clean. Don't bite your bread, but break it. Don't quarrel at table, or make grimaces. Sitthen to po left honde by neghe pou cast; Take hede to 30mon on by ryght honde, Whille marshalle or vssher come fro pe dore, Loke pou be hynde 3 and lytulle of worde. 36 Tho ouer crust po nether fro; Spare brede or wyne, drynke or ale, 44 To thy messe of kochyň be sett in sale; Byt not on thy brede and lay hit doun,- 56 4 A velany pou kacches or euer pou rise. 1 AS. wræsten, to writhe, twist. 2 grace, civility; from AS. mennise, human; ep. our double sense of humanity. H. Coleridge. 3 courteous. 4 AS. flytan, dispute, quarrel. 5 Mowe, or skorne. Vangia, vel valgia, cachinna. Promptorium. An Let neuer by cheke be Made to grete With morselle of brede pat pou shalle ete; apys mow men sayne he makes, 60 bat brede and flesshe in hys cheke bakes. ¶Yf any mañ speke pat tyme to the, And pou schalle onsware, hit wille not be But waloande, and a-byde pou most; 64 bat is a schame for alle the host. 68 On bothe halfe by mouthe, yf pat pou ete, hou shalle not lauzhe ne speke no þynge ¶ Ne suppe not with grete sowndynge Noper potage ne oþer þynge. Let not þi spone stond in þy dysche, 72 Wheper pou be serued with fleshe or fische; But clense hit honestly with-outen pride. 76 Defoule pe clothe pe be-fore. In pi dysche yf pou wete by brede, 80 pou art vn-hynde yf pou do so. 88 92 ¶3if pou sp[i]tt ouer the borde, or elles opoñ, Oper ellis thurghe thi tepet pat is so gay. [Fol. 13.] Don't cram your cheeks out with food like an ape, for if any one should speak to you, you can't answer, but must wait. Don't eat on both sides of your mouth. Don't laugh with your mouth full, or sup up your potage noisily. Don't leave your spoon in the dish or on its side, but clean your spoon. Let no dirt off your fingers soil [p. 27, bot.] the cloth. Don't put into the dish bread that you have once bitten. Dry your mouth before you drink. Don't call for a dish once removed, or spit on the table: that's rude. Don't scratch your dog. If you blow your nose, clean your hard; wipe it with your skirt or put it through your tippet. |