A Renaissance Courtesy-book: Galateo of Manners & BehavioursDella Casa, Giovanni
Philosophy
A Renaissance Courtesy-book: Galateo of Manners & Behaviours
Della Casa, Giovanni
Courtesy -- Early works to 1800; Etiquette -- Early works to 1800
Wee must not boast of those good things that be in us, nor set them to
light: for in y^e one, wee doe upbraide men their faults: In the other,
wee scorne to muche their vertues. But it behoveth every man to speake
his owne praise, as litle as hee may. And if occasion drive him unto
it: it shalbe good, modestly to speake the truethe, as I have told you
before.
And therefore, they that desire to doe men a pleasure: must needes
leave one faulte, y^t is to common with all men: they must not shewe
them selves so afraide and fearefull to speake their mindes, when a
man dothe aske their advise. For, it is a deadly paine to here them,
& specialy if they be men, in y^e Judgement of y^e world, of good
understanding and wisedome. What a fetching about is this, ere they
come to y^e mater? Sir I beseche you pardon mee, if I doe not say well.
I will speake like a gros man as I am: & grosly according to my pore
skil. And Sir, I am sure you will but mocke me for it. But yet, to obey
you: & they drawe their words forth so long, & put them selves to suche
paine: y^t, while these ceremonies be a doing, y^e hardest question
y^t is, might have bin determined with fewer words and shorter time:
bycause they cannot get out of these protestations, when they bee in.
They bee also very tedious to men, and their conversation & maners
are very troublesome: whoe shewe too base and abject a minde in their
doings. And where the chefest and highest place, is apparantly due unto
them: they will ever creepe downe to the lowest. And it is a spitefull
buisines to thrust them up: For they will straite jogge backe againe,
like a resty Jade, or a Nagge that startleth a side at his shadowe. So
that, there is muche a dooe w^t them, when wee meete at a doore. For
they will not (for all you can dooe) in any case enter before you, but
so traverse their ground, go backe, and so fray and defend with their
armes and their handes: that at every thirde steppe, a man must be
ready to wage battell with them: and thus they breake of, all solace
and pleasure, and otherwhile, the buisines they meete aboute.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account