Part 31

If spitting chance to move thee so thou canst it not forbear, Remember, do it modestly, consider who is there.

If filthiness or ordure thou upon the floor do cast, Tread out and cleanse it with thy foot—let that be done with haste.

Thy head, let that be combed and trimmed, let not thy hair be long; It is unseemly to the eye, rebukéd by the tongue.

If in thy tale thou hammering stand, or coughing twixt thy words, It doth betoken a liar’s smell—that’s all that it affords.

To belch or bulch like Clitipho, whom Terence setteth forth, Commendeth manners to be base, most foul and nothing worth.

If thou to vomit be constrained, avoid from company, So shall it better be excused, if not through gluttony.

Keep white thy teeth and wash thy mouth with water pure and clean; And in that washing, mannerly observe and keep a mean.

And be not like a slothful wight, delighted to hang down Thy head, and lift the shoulders up, nor with thy brows to frown.

To carry up the body fair is decent and doth show A comely grace in any one, wherever he doth go.

To hang the head on any side doth show hypocrisy; And who shall use it, trust him not—he deals with policy.

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And in thy sitting use a mean, as may become thee well, Not straddling, no, nor tottering, and dangling like a bell.

Observe in courtesy to take a rule of decent kind: Bend not thy body too far forth, nor back thy leg behind.

In going, keep a decent gait, not feigning lame or broken, For that doth seem but wantonness, and foolishness betoken.

Let thy apparel not exceed to pass for sumptuous cost, Nor altogether be too base, for so thy credit’s lost.

Be modest in thy wearing it, and keep it neat and clean, For spotted, dirty or the like is loathsome to be seen.

This for thy body may suffice, how thou must ordered be, Now at the church thou shalt observe, to God how all must be.

NOT TO WALK IN THE CHURCH

In seat sit thou quiet, and walk not about, For ’tis most unseemly, without any doubt. ’Tis fit in a fair, or in some market-town, And not in God’s house for to walk up and down.

The church is ordained for sermons, orations, And prayers divine for the soul’s recreations. And not like a playhouse, unhallowed to be, Despising the reverence to God’s Majesty.

Give ear most attentive to what thou shalt find, For God’s word is light to the godly in mind. Great ease cometh (out of the reverent text) For troubled in heart and in conscience perplexed.

Do all this with duty and reverend heart, And God will reward thee full well for thy part. Observe well the times, for to stand or to kneel, The more inward ease of thy heart shalt thou feel.

To kneel on the ground with one knee alone, Is even as comely as though it were none. How can thy devotion be hearty and sound, If thou do refuse to lay knees to the ground?

’Tis like to the soldier, who mockingly came, Saluting our Saviour, and gave Him the name (Hail King of the Jews) his knee was so bent, Not with any duty, nor godly intent.

If thou in the church alone chance to be, Still let heart and thy tongue be so free, As never to cease; but with due veneration, To call to the Lord with unfeigned contemplation.

Let neither thy tongue be talking nor tattling, Nor settle of any thing to be a-prattling, Nor let thine eyes walk, nor cast them about, For of that devotion there is a great doubt.

NECESSARY RULES TO BE OBSERVED FOR THE GUIDING OF CHILDREN IN THEIR APPAREL AND OTHERWISE

Let not children have their pleasures in the ordering of their garments. Some delight to have them jagged and cut; but such fantasticness ought to be reformed by wiser and elder, considering their foolishness is beyond measure, if all may be done at their pleasure; and ancient writers repute them out of their wits and madmen that favour it.