Part 95 (1/2)

[Sidenote: Children's quarrels are first play, then crying; don't believe their complaints; give 'em the rod. Spare that, and you'll spoil all.]

[13: _Rel. Ant._, In childre]

LENVOYE.

-- Go, litel bille, bareyn of eloquence, 92 Pray yonge children that the shal see or Reede, Though{e} thow be compendious of sentence, Of thi clauses for to taken heede, Whiche to al vertu shal theyr yowth{e} leede. 96 Of the writyng, though{e} ther be no date, If ought be mysse,--worde, sillable, or dede,-- Put al the defaute vpon Iohn{e} Lydegate.

[Sidenote: Young children, pray take heed to my little ballad, which shall lead you into all virtues. My mistakes I submit to correction.]

The Book of Curteisie

That is Clepid

Stans Puer ad Mensam.

[_Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., page 150, back. Part written as prose._]

++Mi dere sone, first i silf able w{i}t{h} al in herte to vertuose discipline,-- A-fore i souereyn stondinge at e table Dispose ou {e}e aftir my doctryne-- 4 To al nortur i corage to encline.

First while ou spekist, be not richelees; Kepe boe fyngir and hond stille in pees;

[Sidenote: When you stand before your sovereign, speak not recklessly, and keep your hands still.]

[Sidenote: [Page 151.]]

++Be symple in cheer; caste not i looke a-side, 8 gase not about, t{ur}nynge i si?t ou{er}al.

a?en e post lete not i bak abide, nei{er} make i myrro{ur} also of e wal.

Pike not pi nose; & moost in especial 12 be weel waar, sette her-on i ou?t, to-fore i sou{er}eyn cratche ne picke {e}e nou?t.

[Sidenote: Don't stare about, lean against a post, look at the wall, pick your nose, or scratch yourself.]

-- Who-so speke to {e}e in ony man{er} place, lu{m}pischli caste not in heed a-dou{n}, 16 but w{i}t{h} a sad cheer loke him in e face.

walke demurely bi streetis in e tou{n}, And take good hede bi wisdom & resou{n} at bi no wantowne lau?inge {o}u do noo{n} offence 20 To-fore i sou{er}eyne while he is i{n} p{re}sence.

[Sidenote: When spoken to, don't lumpishly look at the ground.

Walk demurely in the streets, and don't laugh before your lord.]

++Pare clene i nailis; i{n} hondis waische also to-fore i mete, [&] wha{n}ne ou doist arise.

sitte {o}u in {a}t place {a}t {o}u art a-signed to; 24 Prece not to hie in no maner wise; And wha{n}ne ou seest afore {e}e i seruice, be not to hasti upon breed to bite lest men {er}of Do ee edwite. 28

[Sidenote: Clean your nails and wash your hands. Sit where you're told to, and don't be too hasty to begin eating.]

[Sidenote: [Page 152.]]

++Gre{n}nynge & mowy{n}ge at i table eschewe; Crie not to lowde: honestli kepe silence.

To enbrace i iowis w{i}t{h} breed, it is not dewe; w{i}t{h} ful mou speke not lest {o}u do offence; 32 Drinke not bridelid for haste ne necligence; Kepe clene i lippis from fleisch & fische; Wipe faire i spoon; leue it not i{n} i dische.

[Sidenote: Don't grin, shout, or stuff your jaws with food, or drink too quickly. Keep your lips clean, and wipe your spoon.]