¶ ++Credence is vsed, & tastyng{e}, for drede of poysenyng{e}, To all{e} officers y-sworne / and grete oth{e} by chargyng{e}; 1200 þ{er}for{e} vche mañ in office kepe his rome sewr{e}, closyng{e} Cloos howse / chest / & gardevyañ[277], for drede of congettyng{e}. [Sidenote: A Prince’s Steward and Chamberlain have the oversight of all offices and of tasting,] ¶ ++Steward and Chamburlayñ of a p{r}ince of royalte, þey haue / knowleche of homages, s{er}uice, and fewte; 1204 so þey haue ou{er}sight of eu{er}y office / aft{ur} þeir{e} degre, by wrytyng{e} þe knowleche / & þe Credence to ou{er}se; [Sidenote: and they must tell the Marshal, Sewer, and Carver how to do it.] ¶ Therfore in makyng{e} of his credence, it is to drede, y sey, To m{er}shall{e} / sew{e}r{e}[278] and kerver{e} þey must allowte allwey, 1208 to teche hym̅ of his office / þe credence hym to prey: þus shall{e} he not stond in makyng{e} of his credence in no fray. [Sidenote: I don’t propose to write more on this matter. I tried this treatise myself,] ¶ ++Moor{e} of þis co{n}nyng{e} y Cast not me to contreve: my tyme is not to tary, hit drawest fast to eve. 1212 þis tretyse þat y haue entitled, if it ye entende to p{re}ve, y assayed me self in youth{e} w{i}t{h}-outeñ any greve. [Sidenote: in my youth, and enjoyed these matters, but now age compels me to leave the court; so try yourself.”] while y was yong{e} y-nough{e} & lusty in dede, y enioyed þese maters foreseid / & to lerne y toke good hede; 1216 but croked age hath{e} co{m}pelled me / & leue court y must nede. þerfor{e}, son{e}, assay thy self / & god shall{e} be þy spede.” [Sidenote: “Blessing on you, Father, for this your teaching of me! Now I shall dare to serve where before I was afraid.] ++“Now feir{e} falle yow, fadur / & blessid mote ye be, For þis comenyng{e} / & þe co{n}nyng{e} / þat y[e] haue her{e} shewed me! 1220 now dar y do s{er}uice diligent / to dyu{er}s of dignyte, wher{e} for scantnes of conny{n}g{e} y durst no mañ y-se. [Sidenote: I will try, and shall learn by practice. May God reward you for teaching me!”] So p{er}fitely seth{e} y hit p{er}ceue / my parte y woll{e} p{re}ue and assay; / [Fol. 189.] boþe by practike and ex{er}cise / yet som good lerne y may: 1224 and for your{e} gentill{e} lernyng{e} / y am bound eu{er} to pray that our{e} lorde rewarde you in blis that lasteth aye.” [Headnote: IOHN RUSSELLS REQUEST TO THE READER.] [Sidenote: “Good son, and all readers of this _Boke of Nurture_, pray for the soul of me, John Russell, (servant of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester;)]