If you serve a gentleman in war time, don't plunder people, or take the goods of those whom you ought to defend. Don't annoy any laymen. Fear God's vengeance, and trust in Him. Pillage cannot be rightly taken. Violate no woman, nor defame any; you will soon die, and be stinking food for worms; your body will rot, and worms eat your flesh, and your soul will go to hell, never to return. Consider then: Death fronts you; fear God, and love Him with all your heart. [?heur, hour, or feur, for Sp. fuero, code of laws, L. forum.] Always serve your master so as to deserve his favour and honour; so that you may be master yourself Se tu sers gentil homme en guerre, 124 Ne leur oste or ny argent. Ne va pas de ceulx les biens prendre 128 Ne faiz ennuys, ne destourbiers; Et quant telz fais faire vouldras, 144 Duquel jamais ne partira. 148 152 156 Advise toi donc, c'est le mieulx ; Aymes et crains Dieu en ton cuer, La 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. 20 Si potes hoc reputo.3 mensa ructare caueto. 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. 12 Avoid eating of the dishes until they are put before you. Cut the bread which he bids you cut who wants some of it. Upon the dish. Let your fingers and nails be trimmed. While food still continues in your mouth, beware of drinking. 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. 24 In mensa care. quam sint res ne memorare. 32 Pr[i]uetur mensa. qui spreuerit hec documenta. 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 conviva dapes sibi appositas vel præsumtas scindunt, nostris olim Trenchoir. Ducange. 4 Additio forsan aut altera ad pueros admonitio:' note in a later hand. * A Trencher, quadra. A rounde Trencher, orbis. Withals. |