The Oriel Text
[60]
As vnto me Age hath bede good morowe,
I am not able clenly for to gleyne,
Nature is feyne of crafte here eien to borowe, 416
Me fayleth clerenesse of myn eien tweyne;
Begge I may, I can no gleyn certeyn,
Ther-for that werke I wolle playnly remytte
To folke yong, more p_er_saunt clere of wytte.
[61]
And syke also, and in case ye fynde
Suche gleynes fresch as hath some apparence
Of fayre langage, yet take them and vnbynde, 423
And preueth what they beth in existence,
Coloured in langage, savory in sentence,
And dou[te]th not, my childe, wythoute drede,
Hit woll profite such thyng to se and rede. 427
[62]
Yit eft-sonnys, my child_e_, let us resorte
To the intente of our_e_ fyrst matier_e_
Digresside, somwhat fulle we wolld reporte,
And reuyue the lawde of them that were
Founders of our_e_ langage, thilke fadyrs dere,
Who-is soulis god [aboue] in b[l]esse inhaunce
That lusten so our_e_ langage to Avaunce. 434
Hill’s Text.
¶ And unto my age bot good morowe
I am not able clerly for to gleyne,
Nature ys fayn_e_ of crafte her eyen to borow; 416
Me lakketh clernes of myn_e_ eyen twayn_e_;
Begge I may / gleyn_e_ I may not c_er_teyn_e_;
therfore that werke I will[e] playnly remytte
To folk_is_ yong, more passyng clere of wyte.
¶ Seche ye therfore, & in caas ye fynde
suche glenars fresshe as haue su_m_ apparens
Off fayer la_n_gage, yet take the_m_, & vnbynde,
& preve ye what thei be i_n_ existence 424
Colovred i_n_ langage, saverly i_n_ sentence,
& dowte not, my child, w_i_t_h_-owt drede
yt will[e] p_ro_fet to se such thy_n_g_is_, & rede. 427
¶ Ye, efte-soones, my child, let vs resorte
To the yntent of yo_u_r fyrst matere
Degressed somwhat, for we wolde reporte
& revyue the lawde of the_m_ that were
famovs i_n_ owr_e_ langage, thise faders dere 432
who_s_[1] sowles i_n_ blis, god et_er_nall[e] avaunce,
[Sidenote 1: The s is by a later hand.]
that lysten sone owr_e_ langage to enhavnce!
CAXTON’S TEXT.
[60]
And vnto me / age hath bode good morowe
I am not able clenly / for to gleyne
[Sidenote: I cannot glean,]
Nature is fay[=n] of craft / her eyen to borowe 416
Me lacketh clerenes / of myn eyen tweyne
Begge I maye / gleyne I can not certeyne
[Sidenote: I can only beg:]
Therfore Þ^t werck / I wil playnly remytte
To folkis yong / more passyng clere of witte
[Sidenote: gleaning I give up to younger folks.]
[61]
Seche ye therfore / and in caas ye fynde
[Sidenote: If you find such gleaners,]
Such gleynors fressh as haue so[=m] appare_n_ce
Of fayr langage / yet take hem & unbynde 423
[Sidenote: unbind their sheaves:]
And preue ye / what they be in existence
Colourd in langage / sauerly in sentence
[Sidenote: their fair speech]
And doubte not my childe / withoute drede
It wil prouffite to see suche thingis & red[e]1 427
[Sidenote: will profit you.]
[62]
Leaf 11 a.
Yet eft sones my child_e_ / lete vs resorte
[Sidenote: But let us return to our first subject.]
To thentente of yur first matere
Degressed somwhat / for we wold reporte
And reuiue the laude of hem that were
Famous in our langage / these faders dere
Whos sowles in blysse / god et_er_nel aua_u_nce
That lysten so our langage to enhaunce 434
[63]
Than, litle childe, I councelle you that ye
Take hede vnto the norture that men vse,
Newe founden or Auncient whet[h]er hit be, 437
So shall no man your_e_ curteyse refuse;
The guise and custome shall you, my childe, excuse;
Mennys werkys haue often entirchaunge,
That nowe is norture, sumtyme had ben full straunge.
[64]
Thinges whilome vside ben layde aside,
And new fetis dayly ben contryvyde,
Men[nys actes] can in no plight abyde, 444
They ben chaungeable and oft mevide,
Thing some-tyme alowide is nowe reprevide,
And aftir this shall thingis vppe aryse,
That men sette nowe but [at] litle a prise. 448
[65]
Thus mene I, my childe, that ye shull vse and haunte
The guise of them that don most man_er_ly,
But be ware of vnthrefte ruskyn galaunte, 451
Counterfetour_e_ vncunnyng of curtesie,
His tecches ben infecte wyth vilonye,
Vngerde, vnblesside, seruyng at the table,
Me semeth hym s_er_u_a_unt full pendable.
Hill’s Text .
ffl C lxiiij back.
¶ Then litill[e] Ioh[=n], I co_n_sayle you that ye
Take hede to the nortvres that me_n_ vse, 436
newe fownd or avncyent, whe_ther_ yt be;
So shall[e] no ma_n_ yo_u_r curtesye refuse;
the gyse & custu_m_, my child, shall[e] you excuse.
Menys werkes haue oftyn enterchavnce;
that now ys norture, so_m_tyme hath be stravnge;
¶ Thyng_is_ whylom vsed be now layd a-syde,
& newe fetes dayly be co_n_tryved:
Menys actes ca_n_ in no plyte abyde, 444
They be chavngable & ofte meved;
thynges su_m_tym_e_ alowed be now rep_re_ved;
& after this shall thynges vp a-ryse
that me_n_ sett now but at lytill[e] pryse: 448
¶ This mene I, my child, that ye shall[e] havnte
the gyse of the_m_ that do most manerly;
but be ware of onthryft[1] ruskyn gallavnte,
[Sidenote 1: A later hand has added y.]
Co_n_terfetter[2] of vnco_n_nyng curtessy, 452
[Sidenote 2: The r is by a later hand.]
hys taches ben enfecte w_i_t_h_ vylonye;
Vngerte / vnblessed / s_er_vyng at table,
Me semeth hy_m_ a s_er_vavnte no thyng able;
CAXTON’S TEXT.
[63]
Then_n_e lityl Io[=h]n / I counceyl you that ye
[Sidenote: Little Jack,]
Take hede to the norture / that men vse
[Sidenote: take heed to the manners of your time,]
Newe founde / or auncyent whether it be 437
So shal no man / your curtoisye refuse
The guyse & custom / my child shal you excuse
Me_n_ys werkis / haue often entercha[=n]ge
[Sidenote: for customs change,]
That nowe is norture / so_m_tyme had be stra[=n]ge 441
[64]
Thingis whilom vsed / ben now leyd a syde
And newe feetis / dayly ben contreuid_e_
[Sidenote: new ways are invented every day,]
Mennys actes / can in no plyte abyde 444
They be changeable and_e_ ofte meuid_e_
Thingis somtyme alowed / is now repreuid
And after this / shal thinges vp aryse
[Sidenote: and will be hereafter.]
That men set now / but at lytyl pryse 448
[65]
Leaf 11 b.
This mene I my childe / þ^t ye shal haunte
The guyse of them / that do most manerly
But beware of vnthryft Ruskyn gala[=n]te 451
[Sidenote: Imitate the well-mannered, and beware of ruskyn gallants]
Counterfeter of vnconnyng curtoisye
His tacchis ben enfecte with vilonye
[Sidenote: of bad habits,]
Vngyrte. vnblyssed. seruyng atte table
[Sidenote: serving ungirt,]
Me semeth hym a serua[=n]t nothing able
[66]
Wynter ne somer to his souerayne
Chappron hardy no bonet lust avale,
For euery worde yeuyng his maister tweyne, 458
Vaunparlere in euery mannes tale,
Absolon wyth the disculede heres smalle;
Lyke to A presener of seint Malouse,
A sonny bush myght cause hym to goo louse. 462
[67]
O I passe norture! fy! fy! for schame!
I shuld haue seide he myght go hauke and hunt,
For that schuld be A gentilmannys game,
To suche disportis thes gentis folkys be wounte;
I seide to ferre, my langage was to blounte,
But of this galaunte, loo! loke a while & fele,
He feccheth his compace whan he shall bowe or knele,
[68]
Braced so straytly th[at h]e[1] may not plie,
[Sidenote 1: MS. the.]
But gaderith hit in by man_er_ of wyndlese,
And 3*if he wrenche aside or lytil wrye, 472
His gere stonte all in pertous[2] case,
[Sidenote 2: Read perlous?]
The scho, the hose, the point, doublet, and lace;
And if ought breke, som_m_e thing_es_[3] that ben badde
[Sidenote 3: Read toung_es_.]
Shall sey anon, ‘a knaue hath broke a ladde.’ 476
Hill’s Text.
¶ Wynter & somer to his soverayn_e_
Capron hardy, no bonet lyst to avayle, 457
For eu_er_y worde geveyng his mayst_er_ twayn_e_,
avavntp_ar_ler In eu_er_y manys tale,
Absolon w_i_t_h_ disheveld heres smale,
lyke to a prysoner of saynt malowes,
A sonny busshe able to the galowes.
¶ O! I passe nortvre! fy, fy, for sham!
I myght haue said he shuld go havke & honte, 464
ffor that shuld be a gentylman[i]s game,
To suche dysport_is_ gentill[e] folk_is_ be wonte;
I sayd to ferre, my langage was but blonte;
but yet, sir gallavnt, wha_n_ ye shall[e] bowe or knele 468
he got[=h] by co_m_passe rovnd as doth a whele.
¶ Brased so streyte þat he may not plye,
but gaderyth yt by maner_e_ of a wyndlas;
& he awght wrench a-side, or a litill[e] wrye, 472
hys gere stondyt[=h] the_m_ i_n_ full[e] p_ar_lovs caas,
hys sho / his hose / doblet, poynt & laas;
& yff owght breke, su_m_ tonges that be bade
will[e] moke & say, “A knave hath broke a lade.” 476
CAXTON’S TEXT.
[66]
Wynter and somer to his souereyne
Capron hardy / no bonet lyste to auale
[Sidenote: not doffing his cap to his master,]
For euery word / gyui_n_g his maister tweyne 458
Auauntparler / in euery mannys tale
[Sidenote: forward in speech,]
Absolon with disheueld heeris smale
[Sidenote: rough-haired,]
Lyke to a prysoner of seynt malowis
[Sidenote: and lousy-headed,]
A sonny busshe / able to go to the galowis 462
[67]
O I passe norture fy fy for shame
[Sidenote: (though it’s hardly good manners to say so.)]
I myght haue said he shold go hauke & honte
For that shold be a gentilmans game
To such disportes / gentil folkes be wonte
I sayd to ferre / my langage was to blonte
But yet sir gala_n_te wha_n_ ye shal bowe or knele
[Sidenote: When he tries to kneel, he works round like a wheel,]
He goth by compace round as doth a whele 469
[68]
Leaf 12 a.
Braced so strayt / that he may not plye
[Sidenote: being braced so tight that he can’t bend.]
But gaderith it / by maner of a wyndelas
And he ought wrenche a syde / or a litil wrie 472
[Sidenote: If he twists, a lace is like to crack.]
His geer stondeth then_n_e / in ful parlo_us_ caas
His sho / his hose / doblet / point & laas
And yf ought breke / som_m_e tu_n_ges þ^t be bad_e_
Wil mocke & saie / a knaue hath broke a lad 476
Notes
1 A hole in the paper.