Part 78 (1/2)

[Sidenote: Make a low curtesy; wish your parents' food may do 'em good.]

Grace beynge sayde, Lowe cursie make thou, 328 Sayinge ”muche good May it do you.”

[Headnote: HOW TO SERVE AT DINNER.]

[Sidenote: If you are big enough, bring the food to table.]

Of stature then yf thou be able, 332 It shall become thee to serue the table In bringynge to it Suche meate as shall nede 336

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.]]

For thy parence vpon that tyme to fede.

[Sidenote: Don't fill dishes so full as to spill them on your parents' dress, or they'll be angry.]

Disshes with measure thou oughtest to fyll, 340 Els mayste thou happen thy seruyce to spyll On theyr apparell Or els on the cloth, 344 whiche for to doe wolde moue them to wroth.

[Sidenote: Have spare trenchers ready for guests.]

Spare trenchers with napkyns haue in redynes 348 To serue afterwarde, If there come any gesse.

Be circ.u.mspecte; see nothynge do wante; 352

[Sidenote: See there's plenty of everything wanted.]

Of necessary thynges that there be no skant, As breade and drynke, se there be plentie; 356

[Sidenote: Empty the Voiders often.]

The voyders with bones Ofte se thou emptie.

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.b.]]

At hande be ready, If any do call, 360

[Sidenote: Be at hand if any one calls.]

To fetche or take vp, If ought fortune to fall.

[Sidenote: When the meat is over, clear the table: 1. cover the salt, 2. have a tray by you to carry things off on, 3. put the trenchers, &c., in one Voider, 4. sweep the crumbs into another, 5. set a clean trencher before every one, 6. put on Cheese, Fruit, Biscuits, and 7. serve Wine, Ale or Beer.]

when they haue done, then ready make 364 The table vp fayre In order to take: Fyrste the saulte Se that thou couer, 368 Hauynge by thee Eyther one or other thynges from thy handes then to conuaye 372 That from the table thou shalt take awaye.

A voyder vpon the table then haue, 376 The trenchers and napkyns therein to receaue; The croomes with a napkyn together them swepe, 380

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iii.]]

It at the tables ende In a voyder them kepe.

Then before eche man A cleane treanchour lay,384 The best fyrste seruynge, As iudge thou soone may; Then cheese with fruite On the table set, 388 With Bisketes or Carowayes, As you may get.

Wyne to them fyll, Els ale or beare; 392 But wyne is metest, If any there were.