¶ And on thyng, my child, ye vnderstond, In especyall[e] for yo_u_r own honeste: In _th_e wat_er_ wasshe so clene yo_u_r hond _tha_t yo_u_r towell[e] never ensoyled be So fowle _tha_t yt be lothsome on to see; 264 wasshe w_i_t_h_ wat_er_ yo_u_r hond_is_ so clene _tha_t in _th_e towell[e] shall[e] no spote be sene. CAXTON'S TEXT. [36] Beware my child_e_ / of laughyng ou_er_ mesure Ne at the borde / ye shall no naylis pare [Sidenote: Don't pare your nails at table,] Ne pyke your teth / with knyf / I you ensure 248 [Sidenote: or pick your teeth with a knife.] Ete at your messe / and other folkes spare A gloton can but make the bones bare And_e_ of ynough / he taketh neuer hede He fedith more for lust / than for nede 252 [37] [Sidenote: Leaf 7 a.] And whan þ^e borde is thynne / as of seruyse Nought replenesshed with, grete diuersite [Sidenote: When there are not many dishes,] Of mete & dri_n_ke good chere may the[=n] suffise 255 With honest talkyng / and also ought ye With gladsom chere / thenne fulsom for to be [Sidenote: be satisfied with chatting cheerily.] The poete saith / hou that a poure borde Men may enriche / with cheerful wil & worde 259 [38] And one thyng my chylde / ye vnderstonde In especyall_e_ / for your owne honeste In the water / wasshe so clene your honde 262 That your towel / neuer enfoyled be [Sidenote: Wash your hands clean in the water, so as to leave no dirt on your towel.] So fowle / that it be lothsom on to see Wasshe with water / your hondes so cleene That in the towel shal no spotte be sene 266 * * * * * THE ORIEL TEXT. [39] Leue not your_e_ spone in your_e_ dissche standyng, Ne vppon the brede hit shall not lie; Lette your_e_ trenchoure be clene for eny thyng, 269 Yif ye haue no chaunge, yit as honestly As ye can, maketh avoydie, So that no fragment from your_e_ trenchour_e_ falle; Do this, my childe, in chambre and in halle. 273 [40] Whan Another speketh at the table, Be ware ye interrupte[1] not is tale nor langage, [Sidenote 1: MS. _corruptly has_ nattiripte.] For that is a thing discommendable, 276 And hit is no signe of folkes sage To ben of wordis besy and outrage; For the wyse man seyth pleinly in sentence, 'He shall be wyse that yevith Audience.' 280 [41] Vndre-stondeth ther-for_e_ or than ye speke, Printyng in your_e_ mynde clerely the sentence, He that vseth A mannes tale to breke 283 Lettyth vncurtesly the Audience, And hurtyth hym-sylf for lacke of silence; He may not yeue answere convenyent That herith not fynally what is ment. 287 [Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]