Hugh Rhodes’s Book of Nurture and School of Good Manners
All ye that would learn and then would be calléd wise,
Obedience learn in youth, in age it will avoid vice.
I am blind in poet’s art, thereof I have no skill;
All eloquence I put apart, and follow mine own will.
Corrupt in speech my briefs and longs317 to know,
Born and bred in Devonshire, my terms will well show.
Take the best and leave the worst, of truth I mean no ill;
If the matter be not curious, the intent is good, mark it well.
Pardon I ask if I offend thus boldly for to write,
To master or servant (young and old) I do myself submit.
I would reform both youth and age, if anything be amiss;
To you will I shew my mind, reform ye where need is.
All that have young people, good manners set them to learn;
To their elders with gentle conditions let do nor say no harm.
If they do ill, wise men may report their parents soon;
How should they teach other good, belike themselves can318 none.
A good father maketh good children, if wisdom be them within,
Such as of custom use it in youth, in age they will begin.
He that lacketh good manners is little set by;
Without virtue or good conditions, a man is not worth a fly.
Reverence father and mother (of duty), kind319 doth thee bind;
Such children increaseth, and likely to recover virtue by kind.319
Against father and mother multiply no words, be you320 sure;
It will be to thee laud and to thy friends joyful to hear.
A plant without moisture may not bring forth his flower;
If youth be void of virtue, in age he shall lack honour.
First dread God, next flee sin, all earthly things are mortál;
Stand not too fast in thy conceit, for pride will have a fall.
Use early rising in the morning, for it hath properties three;
Holy, healthy, wealthy—in my youth thus my father taught me.
At six of the clock at farthest, accustom thee to rise;
Look thou forget not to bless thee once or twice.
In the morning use some devotion, and let for no need;
Then all the day afterward the better shalt thou speed.
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Sponge and brush thy clothes clean that thou shalt on wear;
Cast up your bed, and take heed ye lose none of your gear.
Make clean thy shoes, comb thy head, mannerly thee brace;
See thou forget not to wash both thy hands and face.
Put on thy clothing for thy degree,321 honestly do it make.
Bid your fellow good morrow, ere ye your way forth take.
To your friends and to father and mother look ye take heed;
For any haste do them reverence, the better shalt thou speed.
Dread the cursing of father and mother, for it is a heavy thing;
Do thy duty to them, the contrary will be to thy dispraising.
When thy father and mother come in sight, do them reverénce,
And ask them blessing if they have been long out of presénce.
Cleanly appoint you your array, beware then of disdain;
Then be gentle of speech and mannerly you retain.
And as ye pass the town or street, sadly322 go forth your way,
[Nor] gaze nor scoff, nor scold, with man nor child make no fray.
Fair speech doth great pleasure; it seemeth of gentle blood;
Gentle is to use fair speech; it requireth nothing but good.
And when thou comest into the church thy prayers for to say,
Kneel, sit, stand or walk, devoutly look thou pray.
Cast not your eye to and fro, all things for to see;
Then shalt thou be judged plainly a wanton for to be.
When thou art in the church, [see thou] do churchly works;
Communication use thou not to women, priests nor clerks.
When your devotion is done and time is toward dinner;
Draw home to your master’s presence, there do your [en]deavour.
An ye be desired to serve, or sit, or eat meat at the table,
Incline to good manners, and to nurture yourself enable.
If your sovereign call you with him to dine or sup,
Give him reverence to begin, both of meat and cup.
And beware for anything, press323 not thyself too high;
To sit in the place appointed thee—that is courtesy.
And when thou art set, and table served thee before,
Pare not your nails, ’file324 not your cloth—learn ye that lore.
An thy master speak to thee, take thy cap in hand,
If thou sit at meat, when he talketh [to thee] see thou stand.
Lean not to the one side when thou speakest, for nothing,
Hold still both hand and foot, and beware of trifling.
Stand sadly325 in telling thy tale whenas thou talkest;
Trifle with nothing, and stand upright when thou speakest.
Thwart326 not thou with thy fellow, nor speak with high voice;
Point not thy tale with thy fingers, use not such toys.327
Have audience when thou speakest, speak with authority,
Else if thou speak wisdom, little will it avail thee.
Pronounce thy speech with a pause, mark well thy word;
It is good hearing a child; beware with whom ye bourd.328
Talk not to thy sovereign, no time when he doth drink;
When he speaketh, give him audience—that is good, I think.
Before that you sit, see that your knife be bright,
Your hands clean, your nails pared is a good sight.
When thou shalt speak, roll not too fast thine eye;
Gaze not to and fro, as one that were void of courtesy.
For a man’s countenance often times declareth his thought;
His look with his speech will judge him, good or naught.
And see your knife be sharp to cut your meat withal;
So the more cleanlier cut your meat you shall.
Ere thou put much bread in thy pottage, look thou it assay;
Fill not thy spoon too full, lest thou lose somewhat by the way.
If men eat of your dish, crumb therein no bread,
Lest your hands be sweaty, thereof take ye good heed.
They may be corrupt329 that causeth it, it is no fair uságe.
Of bread slice out fair morsels to put in your pottáge.
Fill it not too full of bread, for it may be to thee reprovable;
Lest thou leave part, then to measure thou art variable.330
And sup not loud of thy pottage, no time in all thy life.
Dip not thy meat in the salt-cellar, but take it with a knife.
When thou hast eaten thy pottage, do as I shall thee wish;
Wipe clean thy spoon and leave it not in thy dish.
Lay it down before thy trencher, thereof be not afraid;
And take heed who taketh it up, lest it be conveyed.331
Cut not the best morsel for thyself, leave part behind.
Be not greedy of meat and drink, be liberal and kind.
Burnish no bones with your teeth, for it is unseemly.
Rend not thy meat asunder, for to courtesy it is contrary.
An a stranger sit near thee, ever among now and then,
Reward him with some dainties, like a gentleman.
If thy fellow sit from his meat, and cannot come thereto,
Then cut him such as thou hast, that is gently [to] do.
Belch near no man’s face with a corrupt fumosity;332
Turn from such occasion, it is a stinking ventosity.333
Eat small morsels of meat, not too great in quantity,
If ye like such meats, yet follow not ever thy phantasy.334
Corrupt not thy lips with eating, as a pig in draff;
Eat softly and drink mannerly; beware ye do not quaff.
Scratch not thy head with335 thy fingers, when thou art at meat,
Nor spit you over the table-board, see thou do not forget.
Pick not thy teeth with thy knife nor finger-end,
But with a stick336 or some clean thing, then do ye not offend.
If your teeth be putrified, methinks it is no right
To touch meat that other should eat, it is no cleanly sight.
Pick not thy hands nor play with thy knife;
Keep still foot and hand; at meat begin ye no strife.
Wipe thy mouth when thou shalt drink ale or wine
On thy napkin only; and see all things be clean.
Blow not your nose in the napkin where ye wipe your hand;
Cleanse it in your handkerchief, then pass ye not your band.337
With your napkin you may oft wipe your mouth clean;
Something thereon will cleave that cannot be seen.
Fill not thy trencher with morsels great and large;
With much meat fill not thy mouth like a barge.
Temper thyself with drink, so keep thee from blame;
It338 hurteth thy honesty and hindereth thy good name.
A pint at a draught to pour in fast, as one in haste,
Four at a mess is three too many,339 in such I think waste.
Use thy self from excess, both in meat and drink;
And ever keep temperance, whether340 you wake or wink.
Fill not thy mouth too full, lest thou must needs speak,
Nor blow out thy crumbs when thou doëst eat.
Foul not the place with spitting whereas thou doëst sit,
Lest it abhor some to see it when thou hast forgot.
If thou must spit, or blow thy nose, keep it out of sight,
Let it not lie on ground, but tread it out right.
With bones and void341 morsels fill not thy trencher too full;
Avoid341 them into a voider,341 and no man will it null.342
Roll not thy meat in thy mouth, that every man may it see;
But eat thy meat somewhat close, for it is honesty.
If thy sovereign proffer thee to drink once, twice or thrice,
Take it gently at his hand, for in court it is the guise.
When thou has drunk, set it down or take it to his servánt;
Let not thy master set it down, then it is well, I warránt.
Blow not in thy pottage or drink, that is not commendáble,
For an thou be not whole of body, thy breath is corruptíble.343
Cast not thy bones under the table, nor none do thou knack.344
Stretch thee not at the table, nor lean forth thy back.
Afore dinner or after, with thy knife score345 not the board;
Such toys are not commendable, trust me at a word.
Lean not on the board when your master is thereat;
For then will your sovereign think in you checkmate.346
Be not ashamed to eat the meat which is set before thee;
Mannerly for to take it, that agreeth well with courtesy.
Cast not thine eyes to and fro, as one that were full of toys;
Much wagging with the head seemeth thou art not wise.
Scratch not thy head, put thou not thy finger in thy mouth;
Blow not thy nose, nor look thereon; to some it is loth.
Be not loud where you be, nor at the table where ye sit;
Some men will deem thee drunken or mad, or to lack wit.
When meat is taken away, and the voiders set in presénce,
Put your trencher in the voider, and also the residénce.347
Take with your napkin and knife forth crumbs before thee;
Put your napkin in the voider, for it is courtesy.
Be gentle alway and good to please, be it night or day,
With tongue and hand, be not ’ragious;348 let reason rule alway.
When the meat is taken up and the table-cloth made clean,
Then take heed of grace, and to wash yourself demean.
And while grace is saying, see ye make no noise;
Thank God of your fare, to your sovereign give praise.
When ye perceive to rise, say to your fellows all,
“Much good do it you,” gently, then gentle, men will you call.
Then go to your sovereign, and give obeisance mannerly,
And withdraw you aside, as best for your honesty.
An ye see men in great counsel, press not too near;
They will say you are untaught; that is sure and clear.
Speak not much in thy fellow’s ear, give no ill language;
Men are suspicious, and will think it no good usage.
Laugh not too much at the table, nor make at it no game.
Avoid slanderous and bawdy tales; use them not for shame.
Ere thou be old, beware, so thou may’st get a sudden fall;
An you be honest in youth, in age ye may be liberal.