Part 16

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, sadly go forth your way, 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 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, press 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, ’file 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 sadly in telling thy tale whenas thou talkest; Trifle with nothing, and stand upright when thou speakest.

Thwart not thou with thy fellow, nor speak with high voice; Point not thy tale with thy fingers, use not such toys.

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.

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 corrupt that causeth it, it is no fair uságe. Of bread slice out fair morsels to put in your pottáge.