Part 88 (1/2)
-- Now must I telle in shorte, for I muste so, Youre observau{n}ce that ye shall{e} done at none; 128 Whe{n}ne that ye se youre lorde to mete shall{e} goo, Be redy to fecche him water sone; Su{m}me h.e.l.le[1] water; su{m}me holde to he hath{e} done The cloth{e} to him; And from him yee nat pace 132 Whils he be sette, and haue herde sayde the grace.
[Sidenote: At Noon, when your lord is ready for dinner, some pour water on him, some hold the towel for him till he has finished, and don't leave till grace is said.]
-- Byfore him stonde whils he komau{n}de yow sytte, With{e} clene handes Ay Redy him to serve; Whe{n}ne yee be sette, yo{ur} knyf with{e} alle yo{ur} wytte 136 Vnto youre sylf both{e} clene and sharpe conserve, That honestly yee mowe yo{ur} owne mete kerve.
Latte curtesye and sylence with{e} yow duelle, And foule tales looke noone to other telle. 140
[Sidenote: Stand by your lord till he tells you to sit, then keep your knife clean and sharp to cut your food. Be silent, and tell no nasty stories.]
-- Kutte with{e} yo{ur} knyf yo{ur} brede, and breke yt nouht{e}; A clene Trenchour byfore yow eke ye lay, And whe{n}ne yo{ur} potage to yow shall{e} be brouht{e}, Take yow sponys, and soupe by no way, 144 And in youre dysshe leve nat yo{ur} spone, I pray, Nor on the borde lenynge be yee nat sene, But from embrowyng the cloth{e} yee kepe clene.
[Sidenote: Cut your bread, don't break it. Lay a clean trencher before you, and eat your broth with a spoon, don't sup it up.
Don't leave your spoon in your dish. Don't lean on the table, or dirty the cloth.]
-- Oute ou{er}e youre dysshe yo{ur} heede yee nat hynge, 148 And with{e} fulle mouth{e} drynke in no wyse; Youre nose, yo{ur} teeth{e}, yo{ur} naylles, from pykynge,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 89.]]
Kepe At your mete, for so techis the wyse.
Eke or ye take in youre mouthe, yow avyse, 152 So mekyl mete but that yee riht{e} well{e} mowe Answere, And speke, whe{n}ne men speke to yow.
[Sidenote: Don't hang your head over your dish, or eat with a full mouth, or pick your nose, teeth, and nails, or stuff your mouth so that you can't speak.]
-- Wha{n}ne ye shall{e} drynke, yo{ur} mouthe clence with{e} A cloth{e}; Youre handes eke that they in no manere 156 Imbrowe the cuppe, for tha{n}ne shull{e} noon{e} be loth{e} With{e} yow to drynke that ben with{e} yow yfere.
The salte also touche nat in his salere With{e} nokyns mete, but lay it honestly 160 On youre Trenchoure, for that is curtesy.
[Sidenote: Wipe your mouth when you drink, and don't dirty the cup with your hands. Don't dip your meat in the salt-cellar,]
-- Youre knyf with{e} mete to yo{ur} mouthe nat bere, And in youre hande nor hold? yee yt no way; Eke yf to yow be brouht{e} goode metys sere, 164 Luke curteysly of ylke mete yee a.s.say, And yf yo{ur} dysshe with{e} mete be tane away And better brouht{e}, curtesye wole certeyne Yee late yt pa.s.se and calle it nat ageyne. 168
[Sidenote: or put your knife in your mouth. Taste every dish that's brought to you, and when once your plate is taken away, don't ask for it again.]
-- And yf st{ra}ungers with{e} yow be sette at mete, And vnto yow goode mete be brouht{e} or sente, With{e} parte of hit goodely yee theym Rehete, For yt ys nouht{e} ywys convenyent 172 With{e} yow at mete, wha{n}ne other ben present, Alle forto holde that vnto yow ys brouht{e}, And as wrecches on other vouchesauf nouht{e}.
[Sidenote: If strangers dine with you, share all good food sent to you with them. It's not polite to keep it all to yourself.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 89b.]]
-- Kutte nouht{e} youre mete eke as it were Felde men, 176 That to theyre mete haue suche an appetyte That they ne rekke in what wyse, where ne when, Nor how vngoodly they on theyre mete twyte; But, swete children, haue al-wey yo{ur} delyte 180 In curtesye, and in verrey gentylnesse, And at youre myht{e} eschewe boystousnesse.
[Sidenote: Don't cut your meat like field labourers, who have such an appet.i.te they don't care how they hack their food. Sweet children, let your delight be courtesy, and eschew rudeness.]