Education -- Early works to 1800; England -- Social life and customs -- Early works to 1800; Etiquette; Home economics -- Early works to 1800; Table
aboue þe coschyñ & chayer{e} þe said shete ou{er} sprad
So þat it keu{er} þe fote coschyñ and chayer{e}, riȝt as y bad; 884
Also combe & kercheff / looke þer{e} bothe be had
your{e} sou{er}eyñ hed to kymbe or he be graytly clad:
[Sidenote: and then asks his lord to come to the fire and dress
while he waits by.]
++Than pray your{e} sou{er}eyñ w{i}t{h} wordus mansuetely
to com to a good fyr{e} and aray hym ther by, 888
and ther{e} to sytt or stand / to his p{er}sone plesauntly,
and ye eu{er} redy to awayte w{i}t{h} maners metely.
[Sidenote: 1. Give your master his under coat, 2. His doublet,
3. Stomacher well warmed, 4. Vampeys and socks,]
Furst hold to hym a petycote aboue your{e} brest and barme,
his dublet þañ aftur to put in boþe hys arme, 892
his stomacher{e} well{e} y-chaffed to kepe hym fro harme,
his vampeys[242] and sokkes, þañ all day he may go warme;
[Sidenote: 5. Draw on his socks, breeches, and shoes, 6. Pull up
his breeches, 7. Tie ’em up,]
Theñ drawe oñ his sokkis / & hosyñ by the fur{e},
his shoñ laced or bokelid, draw them̅ oñ sur{e}; 896
Strike his hosyñ vppewarde his legge ye endur{e},
þeñ trusse ye them vp strayte / to his plesur{e},
[Sidenote: 8. Lace his doublet, 9. Put a kerchief round his neck,
10. Comb his head with an ivory comb, 11. Give him warm water to
wash with,]
Then lace his dublett eu{er}y hoole so by & bye;
oñ his shuldur about his nek a kercheff þer{e} must lye, 900
and curteisly þañ ye kymbe his hed w{i}t{h} combe of yvery,
and watur warme his hand{es} to wasche, & face also clenly.
[Sidenote: 12. Kneel down and ask him what gown he’ll wear:
13. Get the gown, 14. Hold it out to him;]
++Than knele a dowñ oñ your{e} kne /
& þ{us} to your{e} sou{er}ayñ ye say
“Syr, what Robe or govñ pleseth it yow to wer{e} to day?” 904
Suche as he axeth for{e} / loke ye plese hym to pay,
þañ hold it to hym̅ a brode, his body þ{er}-in to array;
[Sidenote: 15. Get his girdle, 16. His Robe (see l. 957). 17. His
hood or hat.]
his gurdell{e}, if he wer{e}, be it strayt or lewse;
Set his garment goodly / aftur as ye know þe vse; 908
take hym̅ hode or hatt / for his hed[[242a]] cloke or cappe de huse;
So shall{e} ye plese hym̅ prestly, no nede to make excuse
[Sidenote: 18. Before he goes brush him carefully.]
Wheþ{ur} hit be feyr{e} or foule, or mysty all{e} with{e} reyñ.
Or your{e} mastir depart his place, afor{e} þ{a}t þis be seyñ, 912
to brusch{e} besily about hym̅; loke all be pur and playñ
wheþur he wer{e} sateñ / sendell, vellewet, scarlet, or greyñ.
[Sidenote: Before your lord goes to church, see that his pew is
made ready, cushion, curtain, &c.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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