Courtesy; England -- Social life and customs -- 1066-1485 -- Sources
Kembe your hede / & loke ye kepe it clene
[Sidenote: Comb your head;]
Your eres tweyne / suffre not fowl to be
[Sidenote: clean your ears]
In your visage / wayte no spot be sene 38
Purge your nose / lete noman in it see
[Sidenote: and nose;]
The vile mater / it is none honeste
Ne with your bare honde / no filth fro it fecche
[Sidenote: don't pick it.]
For that is fowl / and an vncurtoys teche 42
[7]
[Sidenote: Leaf 2 a.]
Your hondes wesshe / it is an holsom thing_e_
Your naylis loke / they be not gety blacke
Ne suffre not hem / to be ou_er_ longe growyng 45
[Sidenote: Wash your hands; don't keep your nails jet-black or too
long.]
To your araye / I warne you good hede take
That manerly ye fytte it vp and make
[Sidenote: Wear fit clothes, that fit well]
Your hood_e_. gowne. hosyn / & eke your sho
With al your aray longyng your body to 49
[8]
Kepe you clene / and lose not your gere
And or ye passe / out of your loggyng_e_
Euery garment / that ye shal on were 52
Awayte wel / that it be so syttyng_e_
As to your degre / semeth accordyng_e_
[Sidenote: and suit your station;]
The_n_ne wil men saye / forsoth this childe is he
[Sidenote: the men will praise you.]
That is wel taught / and louyth honeste 56
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[12]
Avise you well Also for eny thyng,
The schirche of prayer is the house and place,
Be ware ther_e_-for_e_ of clappe or Ianglyng, 80
For in the schirche that is full gret trysspace,
And A token of hem that lacken grace;
Ther beth demur_e_ and kepeth your_e_ sylence,
And serueth god wyth all your_e_ deligence. 84
[13]
To helpe the prest whan he shall sey the masse,
Whan hit shall happen you or be-tyde,
Remeue not ferr_e_ ne from his p_re_sence passe, 87
Kneleth or stondeth deuoutly hym be-syde,
And not to nyghe; your_e_ tounge mooste be applied
To Answere hym wyth[1] v[o]ice full moderate;
[Sidenote 1: MS. wyth hym wyth.]
Avyse you well, my lityll childe, Algate 91
[14]
To mynystre wyth de-voute Reuerence,
Loke that ye do your_e_ humble obseruaunce
Debonarly wyth [dewe] obideence, 94
Cyrcum-spectly, wyth eu_er_[y] circumstaunce
Of porte, of chere, demevir_e_ of countenaunce,
Remembryng, the lord aboue is he
Whom to serue is grettest liberte. 98
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
¶ Avyce you well[e] also for any thynge,
The chyrche, of p_ra_yer ys howse & place;
be ware _ther_for of clappe or Iangelynge, 80
ffor i_n_ the chyrche yt ys a full[e] gret trespas,
& a token of suche as lacketh g_ra_ce.
Ther be ye demvre, & kepe ye scilence,
And s_er_ve ye god w_i_t_h_ all yo_u_r delygence. 84
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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