Part 23 (1/2)

[Sidenote: Fold the two ends of your towel, and one of the cloth, a foot over, and lay it smooth for your lord to wash with.]

Thus all{e} iij. end{es} hold ye at onis, as ye well{e} may; now fold ye all{e} ther{e} at oonys {a}t a pli?t pa.s.se not a fote brede all{e} way, an lay hyt fayr{e} & evyn er{e} as ye can hit lay; us aft{ur} mete, ?iff yowr{e} mastir will{e} wasch{e}, at he may. 244

[Sidenote: The marshal must slip it along the table, and pull it smooth.]

at e ri?t ende of e table ye must it owt gyde, e marchall{e} must hit convey along{e} e table to glide; So of all{e} iij clothes vppeward e ri?t half at tide, and at it be draw strayt & evyn boe in length{e} & side. 248

[Sidenote: Then raise the upper part of the towel, and lay it even, so that the Sewer (arranger of dishes) may make a state.]

Then must ye draw & reyse / e vpper p{ar}te of e towell{e}, Ley it w{i}t{h}-out ruffelyng{e} strei?t to at o{er} side, y e telle; an at eu{er}y end {er}of convay half a yarde or an elle, at e sewer{e} may make[A] a state / & plese h{i}s mastir well{e}. 252

[Text note A: _make_ is repeated in the MS.]

[Sidenote: When your lord has washed, take up the Surnape with your two arms, and carry it back to the Ewery.]

whan e state hath wasch{e}, e surnap drawne playne, en must ye ber{e} fore e surnape befor{e} your{e} souerayne, and so must ye take it vppe with{e} your{e} armes twayne, and to e Ewery bere hit your{e} silf agayne. 256

[Sidenote: Carry a towel round your neck. Uncover your bread; see that all diners have knife, spoon, and napkin.]

a-bowt your{e} nekke a towell{e} ye ber{e}, so to s{er}ue your{e} lorde, an to hym make curtesie, for so it will{e} accorde.

vnkeu{er} your{e} brede, & by e salt sette hit euyn on e borde; looke er{e} be knyfe & spone / & napkyn w{i}t{h}-outy[{n}] any worde. 260

[Sidenote: Bow when you leave your lord. Take eight loaves from the bread-cloth, and put four at each end.]

Eu{er} whan ye dep{ar}te from your{e} sou{er}aigne, looke ye bowe yo{ur} knees; [Fol. 174b.]

to e port-payne[48] forth{e} ye pa.s.se, & er{e} viij. loues ye leese: Set at eiur end of e table .iiij. loofes at a mese, an looke at ye haue napkyn & spone eu{er}y p{er}sone to plese. 264

[Sidenote: Lay for as many persons as the Sewer has set potages for, and have plenty of bread and drink.]

wayte well{e} to e Sewer{e} how many potag{es} keuered he; keu{er} ye so many p{er}sonis for your{e} honeste.

an serve forth{e} your{e} table / vche p{er}sone to his degre, and at {er} lak no bred / trenchour{e}, ale, & wyne / eu{er}mor{e} ye se. 268

[Sidenote: Be lively and soft-spoken, clean and well dressed.

Don't spit or put your fingers into cups.]

be glad of cher{e} / Curteise of kne / & soft of speche, Fayr{e} hand{es}, clene nayles / honest arrayed, y the teche; Coughe[*] not, ner spitte, nor to lowd ye reche, ne put your{e} fyngurs in the cuppe / moot{es} for to seche. 272

[Footnote *: Mark over _h_.]

[Sidenote: Stop all blaming and backbiting, and prevent complaints.]

yet to all{e} e lord{es} haue ye a sight / for groggy{n}g{e} & atwytyng{e}[49]

of fellows at be at e mete, for eir{e} bakbytyng{e}; Se ey be s{er}ued of bred, ale, & wyne, for complaynyng{e}, and so shall{e} ye haue of all{e} men / good loue & praysyng{e}. 276

[Headnote: SYMPLE CONDICIONS: HOW TO BEHAVE.]

[Sidenote: _General Directions for Behaviour._]

++Symple condicions.