The Oriel Text
[18]
A[s] ye be comaundyd, so ye do algate,
Beth not wyth-oute cause from the tabul absent;
Hit is plesaunce vnto the gret astate 122
To se theyr_e_ saruaunt about them p_re_sent;
Haunteth no halkes, for then ye woll be schent.
Lette maner and Mesure be your_e_ guydes twey,
So shall ye best please, I dare well sey. 126
[19]
Rewarde all-way the loke and countenaunce
Of your_e_ master, or of your_e_ souereine,
Ther shall ye best preue what is plesaunce, 129
And what displesaunce; this is the soth serteyne,
The chere discureth often tyme both twayne,
And eke the chere may some tyme you addresse
In thyng that langage may not þan expresse. 133
[20]
And what ye here there, loke ye kepe hit secre,
Besy report of mystrust is cheff norice;
Mekell langage may not all fautles be; 136
Than doth, my childe, as teicheth you the wyse,
Whiche vnto you this wysdome dothe devise,
‘Here and see, be still in euery prees,[1]
[Sidenote 1: MS. ‘in euery place and in prees.’ Place was to have
been the last word; and in prees was carelessly added, instead of
striking out place.—Sk.]
Passe forth your_e_ way in silence and in pees.’
Hill’s Text.
¶ As ye be co_m_avnded, so do ye algate;
be not cavseles fro the table absente;
yt ys a grete pleasure to the high estate[1]
[Sidenote 1: noble, lord.]
To se his s_er_vaunttes abowte hy_m_ presente.
havnte no halke, for the_n_ ye will[e] be shente; 124
lette maner_e_ & mesure be yo_u_r gydes twayne;
so shall[e] ye best please, I dare savely sayne.
¶ Reward also thy loke & contenavnce,
Off yo_u_r master or of yo_u_r soverayne, 128
so shall[e] ye best p_re_ve what ys his plesavnce
or ell_is_ his dysplesavnce: this ys s_er_tayne,
The chere discovereth oftyn both[e] twayn,
& eke the chere su_m_tyme may yow addresse 132
In thyn_gis_ the langage may not the_n_ expresse.
ffl C lxj, back.
¶ And that ye here, loke ye kepe always secre;
besy reporte, of myschefe ys chese noryse;
Mykyll[e] langage may not all[e] fawtles be; 136
The_n_ do, my chyld, as techeth you the wyse
whiche vnto you this lessu_n_ doth devyce:
here & see, & be styll[e] in eu_er_y prees,
passe forthe yo_u_r way i_n_ scilence & i_n_ pees.
CAXTON’S TEXT.
[18]
As ye be comanded_e_ / so do ye algate
Be not causeles / fro the table absent
[Sidenote: Don’t absent yourself from table,]
It is a grete plesure / to the hyghe estate 122
To see his seruantis aboute hym present
Haunte no halke / for the_n_ne ye wil be shente
[Sidenote: or stick yourself in a corner.]
Lete maner & mesure / be your gydes tweyne
[Sidenote: Let Manners and Moderation guide you.]
So shal ye best plese / I dar sauely seyne 126
[19]
Leaf 4 a.
Rewarde also the loke and_e_ contenaunce
Of your maister / or of your souereyne
[Sidenote: Look at your master’s face;]
So shal ye best preue what is his plesa[=n]ce 129
Or els displesaunce / this is soth serteyne
[Sidenote: that’ll show whether he’s pleased or not.]
The chere discouerith / often bothe tweyne
And eke þ^e cher_e_ / somtyme may you addresse
In thi_n_gis / þ^t la_n_gage may not them expresse 133
[20]
And_e_ that ye her loke / kepe alway secree
[Sidenote: Keep secret all you hear.]
Besy reporte / of mischief is chief noryse
Mykyl langage / may not al fawtles bee 136
Then_n_e do my childe / as techeth you the wyse
Whiche vnto you / this lesson doth deuyse
Here and see / and_e_ be styll_e_ in euery prees
Passe forth your way in scilence & in pees
[Sidenote: Hear, see, and go your way.]
[21]
And yit in Aventure ye, if the caase require,
Ye most speke as hit may doo percace;
[Sidenote 1: MS. precace.]
Seuen condic_i_ons obserue as ye shall hire, 143
Avise you well what ye sey and in what place,
Of whom, and to whom, in your_e_ mynde compace;
Howe ye shall speke, and whan, taketh good hede,
This couns_e_illeth the wyse man wyth-outen drede.
[22]
A wayte, my childe, ye haue you manerly,
Whan at your_e_ mete ye sittyn at your_e_ table;
In euery pres, in euery company,
Disposeth you to be so componable,
That men may you reporte for comendable;
For tristeth well, vppon your_e_ bering
Men woll you blame or yeven you preysing. 154
[23]
And printeth chiefly in your_e_ memorie, For A principalle poynt of feire norture, Ye depraue no man absent especially; 157 Seint Austyn Amonishith wyth besy cure, Howe at the table men shull them assure, That there escapeth them no suche langage, As myght turne other folke to disparage. 161
_Hill’s Text.
¶ And yet i_n_ aduenture, yf the caas requyre,
ye may speke, but ye must p_er_caas
Seven[1] co_n_dyc_i_ons obs_er_ve, as ye may here:
[Sidenote: Six they are at p. 358, Babees Book, of the Wise Man.]
Avyce ye well[e] what ye say, & i_n_ what place, 144
Off whom, & to whom, i_n_ yo_u_r mynd co_m_pace;
how ye shall[e] speke, & wha_n_, take good hede:
this cow[n]syled the wyse ma_n_ w_i_t_h_owten drede.
¶ A-wayte, my chyld, ye behaue you man_er_ly 148
wha_n_ at yo_u_r mete ye sytte at the table;
In eu_er_y prees & In en_er_y cu_m_pany
Dyspose you to be so cu_m_penable
that me_n_ may of you reporte for co_m_me_n_dable; 152
ffor, trustyth well[e], vpon yo_u_r beryng
Men will[e] you blame or gyve p_ra_ysyng.
¶ And prynte ye truly this in yo_u_r memorye
for a pryncypall[e] poynt of fayer noretvre, 156
that ye deprave no ma_n_ absente specyally.
Saynt Austyne amonessheth w_i_t_h_ besy cure,
howe me_n_ att table shulde the_m_ assure
that ther escape the_m_ no suche langage
As myght hurte or bryng folke to disparage.