 |
Yf o halle be at the furst mete, This lessou{n} loke thow no[gh]t for-[gh]ete: e stuard, countroller, and tresurer{e}, Sittand at de deshe, {o}u haylse in fere. 20
W{i}t{h}i e hall{e} sett on ayther side, Sitten other ge{n}tylme{n} as fall{es} {a}t tyde; Enclyne e fayre to hom also, First to the ry[gh]ht honde {o}u shall{e} go, 24
Sitthen to o left honde y neghe {o}u cast; To hom {o}u bogh{e} w{i}t{h}outen wrast[2]; Take hede to [gh]omo{n} on y ryght honde, And sithen byfor{e} the screne {o}u stonde 28
In myddys e halle opon e flore, Whille marshall{e} or vssher come fro e dore, And bydde the sitte, or to borde the lede. Be stabull{e} of chere for menske[3], y rede; 32
[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE AT TABLE.]
Yf he e sette at gentilmo{n}nes borde, Loke {o}u be hynde[4] and lytull{e} of worde. Pare y brede and kerue in two, Tho ou{er} crust o nether fro; 36
In fowre {o}u kutt o ou{er} dole, Sett hom to-gedur as h{i}t where hole; Sithen kutt o nether crust in thre, And t{ur}ne h{i}t dow, lerne is at me. 40
And lay thy trencho{ur} e be-fore, And sitt vp-ry[gh]ht for any sore. Spare brede or wyne, drynke or ale, To thy messe of kochy be sett in sale; 44
Lest men sayne {o}u art hong{ur} bete, Or ellis a gloten {a}t all{e} me{n} wyte, Loke y naylys ben clene in blythe, Lest y felagh{e} lothe ther-wyth. 48
Byt not on thy brede and lay h{i}t dou{n},— That is no curteyse to vse in tow;— But breke as mych{e} as {o}u wyll{e} ete, The remelant to pore {o}u shall{e} lete. 52
In peese {o}u ete, and eu{er} eschewe To flyte[5] at borde; {a}t may e rewe. Yf {o}u make mawes[6] on any wyse, A velany {o}u kacches or eu{er} {o}u rise. 56
Let neu{er} y cheke be Made to grete [Fol. 13.] W{i}t{h} morsell{e} of brede {a}t {o}u shall{e} ete; An apys mow men sayne he makes, {a}t brede and flesshe in hys cheke bakes. 60
Yf any ma speke {a}t tyme to the, And {o}u schall{e} onsware, h{i}t will{e} not be But waloande, and a-byde {o}u most; {a}t is a schame for alle the host. 64
On bothe halfe y mouthe, yf {a}t {o}u ete, Mony a skorne shall{e} {o}u gete. {o}u shall{e} not lau[gh]he ne speke no yng{e} Whille i mouthe be full{e} of mete or drynke; 68
Ne suppe not w{i}t{h} grete sowndyng{e} Noer potage ne oer yng{e}. Let not i spone stond in y dysche, Whe{er} {o}u be s{er}ued w{i}t{h} fleshe or fische; 72
Ne lay hit not on thy dishe syde, But clense h{i}t honestly w{i}t{h}-outen pride. Loke no browyng{e} on y fyng{ur} ore Defoule e clothe e be-fore. [p.27, bot.] 76
In i dysche yf {o}u wete y brede, Loke {er}-of at no[gh]t be lede To cast agayne y dysche in-to; {o}u art vn-hynde yf {o}u do so. 80
Drye y mouthe ay wele {and} fynde When {o}u schall{e} drynke o{er} ale or wyne. Ne calle {o}u no[gh]t a dysche a-[gh]ayne, {a}t ys take fro e borde in playne; 84
[Gh]if {o}u sp[i]tt ou{er} the borde, or ell{es} opo, {o}u schall{e} be holden an vncurtayse mon; Yf y now dogge {o}u scrape or clawe, {a}t is holden a vyse emong men knawe. 88
Yf y nose {o}u clense, as may be-falle, Loke y honde {o}u clense, as wyth{e}-alle, Priuely w{i}t{h} skyrt do hit away, O{er} ellis thurgh{e} thi tepet {a}t is so gay. 92
Clense not thi tethe at mete sittande, W{i}t{h} knyfe ne stre, styk ne wande. While {o}u holdes mete i{n} mouthe, be war To drynke, {a}t is an-honest[7] char, 96
And also fysike for-bedes hit, And sais {o}u may be choket at {a}t byt; Yf hit go y wrang throte into, And stoppe y wynde, {o}u art fordo. 100
Ne telle {o}u neu{er} at borde no tale To harme or shame y felawe i{n} sale; For if he then w{i}t{h}holde his methe[8], Eftsons he wyll{e} forcast i dethe. 104
Where-ser{e} {o}u sitt at mete in borde, Avoide e cat at on bar{e} worde For yf {o}u stroke cat o{er} dogge, {o}u art lyke an ape tey[gh]ed w{i}t{h} a clogge. 108
Also {es}chewe, w{i}t{h}-outen stryfe, To foule e borde clothe w{i}t{h} i knyfe; Ne blow not on y drynke ne mete, Ne{er} for colde, neer for hete; 112
W{i}t{h} mete ne bere y knyfe to mowthe, Whe{er} {o}u be sett be strong or couthe; Ne w{i}t{h} o borde clothe i tethe {o}u wype, [Fol. 14.] Ne y nyen {a}t rennen rede, as may betyde. 116
Yf {o}u sitt by a ry[gh]ht good ma, is lesso loke ou enke apo: Vndur his the[gh]ghe y kne not pit, {o}u ar full{e} lewed yf {o}u dose hit. 120
Ne bacwarde sittande gyf no[gh]t y cupe, No{er} to drynke, no{er} to suppe; Bidde i frende take cuppe and drynke, {a}t is holden an-honest thyng. 124
Lene not on elbowe at y mete, No{er} for colde ne for hete; Dip not i thombe y drynke i{n}to, {o}u art vncurtayse yf {o}u hit do; 128
In salt saler yf {a}t {o}u pit O{er} fisshe or flesshe {a}t me{n} may wyt, {a}t is a vyce, as me{n} me telles, And gret wonder h{i}t most be elles. 132
After mete when {o}u shalt wasshe, Spitt not in basyn, ne wat{er} {o}u dasshe; Ne spit not lorely, for no kyn mede, Be-fore no mo{n} of god for drede. 136
Who so eu{er} despise is lessoun ry[gh]t, At borde to sitt he hase no my[gh]t. Here endys now our{e} fyrst talkyng, Crist graunt vs alle his der{e} blessyng! 140
Her{e} endith{e} e [first] boke of curtasye.
[Sidenotes: [2] In this book you may learn Courtesy. Every one needs it. [5]On reaching a Lord's gate, give the Porter your weapon, and ask leave to go in. [11]If the master is of low degree, he will come to you: [13]if of high, the Porter will take you to him. [15]At the Hall-door, take off your hood and gloves, greet the Steward, &c., at the dais, [22]bow to the Gentlemen on each side of the hall [24]both right and left; [27]notice the yeomen, then stand before the screen till the Marshal or Usher leads you to the table. [33]Be sedate and courteous if you are set with the gentlemen. [35]Cut your loaf in two, the top from the bottom; cut the top crust in 4, and the bottom in 3. [37]cut the top crust in 4, and the bottom in 3. [41]Put your trencher before you, and [43]don't eat or drink till your Mess is brought from the kitchen, [45]lest you be thought starved or a glutton. [47]Have your nails clean. [49]Don't bite your bread, but break it. [53]Don't quarrel at table, or make grimaces. [57]Don't cram your cheeks out with food like an ape, [61]for if any one should speak to you, you can't answer, but must wait. [65]Don't eat on both sides of your mouth. [67]Don't laugh with your mouth full, [69]or sup up your potage noisily. [71]Don't leave your spoon in the dish or on its side, but clean your spoon. [75]Let no dirt off your fingers soil the cloth. [77]Don't put into the dish bread that you have once bitten. [81]Dry your mouth before you drink. [83]Don't call for a dish once removed, [85]or spit on the table: that's rude. [87]Don't scratch your dog. [89]If you blow your nose, clean your hand; wipe it with your skirt or put it through your tippet. [93]Don't pick your teeth at meals, or drink with food in your mouth, [97]as you may get choked, or killed, by its stopping your wind. [101]Tell no tale to harm or shame your companions. [106]Don't stroke the cat or dog. [109]Don't dirty the table cloth with your knife. [111]Don't blow on your food, or put your knife in your mouth, or wipe your teeth or eyes with the table cloth. [117]If you sit by a good man, don't put your knee under his thigh. [121]Don't hand your cup to any one with your back towards him. [125]Don't lean on your elbow, [127]or dip your thumb into your drink, [129]or your food into the salt cellar: That is a vice. [133]Don't spit in the basin you wash in or loosely (?) before a man of God.]
[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE AT CHURCH, TO PARENTS, ETC.]
THE SECOND BOOK.
Yf that {o}u be a [gh]ong enfaunt, And thenke o scoles for to haunt, This lessou{n} schall{e} y maist{ur} e merke, Croscrist[[8a]] e spede in all{e} i werke; 144 Sytthen y pater n{oste}r he wille e teche, As cristes owne postles con preche; Aft{ur} y Aue mar{ia} and i crede, at shall{e} e saue at dome of drede; 148
The aft{ur} to blesse e w{i}t{h} e t{r}init, In no{m}i{n}e p{at}ris teche he wille e; en w{i}t{h} marke, mathew, luke, {and} Ion, W{i}t{h} e {er} cruc{is} and the hegh name; 152
To schryue e in gen{er}al {o}u schall{e} lere y Confiteor and misereat{ur} in fer{e}. To seche e kyngdam of god, my chylde, {er}to y rede {o}u be not wylde. 156
Ther-for{e} worschip god, bothe olde {and} [gh]ong, To be in body and soule yliche strong{e}. When {o}u comes to o chirche dore, Take e haly wat{er} stondand on flor{e}; 160
Rede or synge or byd p{ra}yeris To crist, for all{e} y crysten ferys; Be curtayse to god, and knele dou{n} On bothe knees w{i}t{h} grete deuociou{n}. 164
To mo{n} {o}u shall{e} knele opon e to, e to{er} to y self {o}u halde alo. When {o}u ministers at e hegh{e} aut{er}e, W{i}t{h} bothe hondes {o}u s{er}ue {o} p{re}st in fere, 168 e ton to stabull{e} e to{er} Lest {o}u fayle, my dere bro{er}.
Ano{er} curtayse y wylle e teche, Thy fadur And modur, w{i}t{h} mylde speche, [Fol. 15.] 172 In worschip and s{er}ue w{i}t{h} all{e} y my[gh]t, {a}t ou dwelle e lengur in erthely ly[gh]t.
To ano{er} ma{n} do no mor{e} amys Then {o}u woldys be do of hym {and} hys; 176 So crist {o}u pleses, {and} get{es} e loue Of me {and} god {a}t sytt{is} aboue.
Be not to meke, but i{n} mene e holde, For ellis a fole {o}u wyll{e} be tolde. 180 He {a}t to ry[gh]twysnes wylle enclyne, As holy wry[gh]t says vs wele and fyne, His sede schall{e} neu{er} go seche hor brede, Ne suffur of mo{n} no shames dede. 184
To for-gyf {o}u shall{e} e hast; To veniaunce loke {o}u come on last; Draw e to pese w{i}t{h} all{e} y strenge; Fro stryf and bate draw e on lenge. 188
Yf mo{n} aske e good for goddys sake, And e wont thyng{e} wher-of to take, Gyf hym bon{er} wordys on fayre maner{e}, W{i}t{h} glad semblaunt[A] {and} pure good cher. 192
[Textnote A: MS. semblamt]
Also of s{er}uice {o}u shall{e} be fre To eu{er}y mo{n} in hys degr. {o}u schall{e} neu{er} lose for to be kynde; That on for[gh]et{is}, ano{er} hase in mynde. 196
Yf Any ma{n} haue part w{i}t{h} e i{n} gyft, W{i}t{h} hym {o}u make an euen skyft; Let hit not henge in honde for glose, {o}u art vncurtayse yf {o}u hyt dose. 200
To saynt{is} yf {o}u y gate hase hy[gh]t, Thou schall{e} fulfylle h{i}t w{i}t{h} all{e} y my[gh]t, Lest god e stryk w{i}t{h} grete veniaunce, And pyt e in-to sore penaunce. 204
Leue not all{e} me{n} that speke e fayre, Whe{er} {a}t h{i}t ben comyns, burges, or mayr{e}; In swete wordis e nedder was closet, Disseyuaunt euer and mysloset; 208 {er}-fore {o}u art of adams blode, W{i}t{h} wordis be ware, but {o}u be wode: A schort worde is comynly sothe {a}t fyrst slydes fro mo{n}nes tothe. 212
Loke ly[gh]er neu{er} {a}t {o}u be-come, Kepe ys worde for all{e} and somme. Law[gh]e not to of[t] for no solace, For no kyn myrth{e} {a}t any ma{n} mase; 216 Who lawes all{e} {a}t me{n} may se, A schrew or a fole hym semes to be.
Thre enmys in ys worlde {er} ar{e} {a}t coueyte alle me{n} to for-fare,— 220 The deuel, e flesshe, e worlde also, That wyrkyn mankynde ful mykyl wo: Yf {o}u may strye es re enmys, {o}u may be secur of heue blys. 224
[Headnote: THE RULE OF GOOD MANNERS.]
Also, my chylde, a-gaynes y lorde Loke {o}u stryfe w{i}t{h} no kyn w{o}rde, Ne waiour non w{i}t{h} hym {o}u lay, Ne at e dyces w{i}t{h} hym to play. 228
Hym that {o}u knawes of grett{er} state, Be not hys felaw in rest ne bate. [Fol. 16.] [Gh]if {o}u be stad in strange contr, Enserche no fyr en fall{es} to the, 232 Ne take no more to do on honde en {o}u may hafe menske of all{e} i{n} londe.
[Gh]if {o}u se any mon fal by strete, Lawegh{e} not er-at in drye ne wete, But helpe hym vp w{i}t{h} all{e} y my[gh]t, As seynt Ambrose e teches ry[gh]t; {o}u that stondys so sure on sete, War{e} lest y hede falle to y fete. 240
My chylde, yf {o}u stonde at o masse, At vndur stondis bothe more and lasse, Yf o prest rede not at y wylle, Rep{re}ue hym no[gh]t, but holde e stylle. 244
To any wy[gh]t y counsell{e} yf {o}u schewe, Be war {a}t he be not a schrewe, Lest he disclaundyr e w{i}t{h} tong Amonge alle me{n}, bothe olde {and} [gh]ong. 248
Bekenyng, fynguryng, no{n} {o}u vse, And pryu rownyng loke {o}u refuse. Yf {o}u mete kny[gh]t, [gh]omo{n}, or knaue, Haylys hym a-non, "syre, god [gh]ou saue." 252 Yf he speke fyrst opon e or{e}, Onsware hym gladly w{i}t{h}-oute{n} mor{e}.
Go not forth{e} as a dombe freke, Syn god hase laft the tonge to speke; 256 Lest me sey be sibbe or couthe,[9] "[Gh]ond is a mo{n} w{i}t{h}-outen mouthe."
Speke neu{er} vnhonestly of woma{n} kynde, Ne let hit neu{er} renne in y mynde; 260 e boke hym call{es} a chorle of chere, That vylany spekes be weme{n} sere: For all{e} we ben of wymme{n} bor, And oure fadurs vs be-forne; 264 {er}for{e} hit is a vnhonest thyng To speke of hem in any hethyng.[10]
Also a wyfe be-falle of ry[gh]t To worschyp hyr husbonde bothe day {and} ny[gh]t, 268 To his byddyng be obediente, And hym to s{er}ue w{i}t{h}-outen offence.
Yf two brether be at debate, Loke no{er} {o}u for{er} in hor hate, 272 But helpe to staunche hom of malice; en {o}u art frende to bothe I-wys.
[Gh]if {o}u go w{i}t{h} a-no{er} at o gate, And [gh]e be bothe of on astate, 276 Be curtasye and let hym haue e way, That is no vylanye, as me{n} me say; And he be come{n} of gret kynraden, Go no be-fore awgh {o}u be beden; 280 And yf {a}t he y mayst{ur} be, Go not be-fore, for curtas, No{er} in fylde, wode, no{er} launde, Ne euen hym w{i}t{h}, but he c{om}maunde. 284
Yf {o}u schalle on pilg{ri}mage go, Be not e thryd felaw for wele ne wo; Thre oxen in plowgh may neu{er} wel drawe, [Fol. 17.] No{er} be craft, ry[gh]t, ne lawe. 288
[Gh]if {o}u be p{ro}fert to drynk of cup, Drynke not al of, ne no way sup; Drynk menskely and gyf agayne, {a}t is a curtasye, to speke in playne. 292
In bedde yf ou falle herberet to be, W{i}t{h} felawe, maystur, or her degr, {o}u schalt enquer{e} be curtasye In what p{ar}[t] of e bedde he wylle lye; 296 Be honest and lye {o}u fer hym fro, {o}u art not wyse but {o}u do so.
[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE.]
W{i}t{h} woso men, boe fer and negh, The falle to go, loke {o}u be slegh 300 To aske his nome, and qweche he be, Whidur he will{e}: kepe welle es thre.
W{i}t{h} freres on pilg{ri}mage yf {a}t {o}u go, {a}t ei will{e} [gh]yme,[11] wilne {o}u also; 304 Als on ny[gh]t {o}u take y rest, And byde e day as tru ma{n}nes gest.
In no kyn house {a}t rede mon is, Ne womo{n} of o same colour y-wys, 308 Take neu{er} y Innes for no kyn nede, For ose be folke {a}t ar to drede.
Yf any thurgh sturnes e oppose, Onswere hym mekely {and} make hym glose: 312 But glosand wordys {a}t falsed is, Forsake, and alle that is omys.
Also yf {o}u haue a lorde, And stondes by-for{e} hym at e borde, 316 While {a}t {o}u speke, kepe well{e} y honde, Thy fete also in pece let stonde,
His curtas nede he most breke,— Stirraunt fyngurs toos whe{n} he shall{e} speke. 320 Be stabull{e} of cher{e} and sumwhat ly[gh]t, Ne ou{er} alle wayue {o}u not thy sy[gh]t;
Gase not on walles w{i}t{h} y neghe[12], Fyr ne negh, logh ne hegh{e}; 324 Let not e post be-cum y staf, Lest {o}u be callet a dotet daf; Ne delf {o}u neu{er} nose thyrle W{i}t{h} thombe ne fyngur, as [gh]ong gyrle; 328
Rob not y arme ne no[gh]t hit claw, Ne bogh not dou{n} y hede to law; Whil any man spekes w{i}t{h} grete besenes, Herken his wordis w{i}t{h}-oute{n} distresse. 332
By strete or way yf {o}u schalle go, Fro es two ynges {o}u kepe e fro, No{er} to harme chylde ne best, W{i}t{h} castyng, turnyng west ne est; 336 Ne chaunge {o}u not in face coloure, For lyghtnes of worde in halle ne bour{e}; Yf y vysage chaunge for no[gh]t, Men say 'e trespas {o}u hase wro[gh]ght.' 340
By-for{e} y lorde, ne mawes {o}u make [Gh]if {o}u wyll{e} curtasie w{i}t{h} e take. W{i}t{h} hondes vnwasshen take neu{er} y mete; Fro alle es vices loke {o}u e kepe. 344
Loke {o}u sytt—{and} make no stryf— [Fol. 18.] Wher{e} o est[B] co{m}mau{n}dys, or ellis o wyf. Eschewe e he[gh]est place w{i}t{h} wyn,[13] But {o}u be beden to sitt {er}-in. 348 Of curtasie her{e} endis e secu{n}de fyt, To heuen crist mot our{e} saules flyt!
[Text note B: Read ost]
[Sidenotes: [141]If you go to school you shall learn: 1. Cross of Christ, 2. Pater Noster, 3. Hail Mary and the Creed, 4. In the name of the Trinity, 5. of the Apostles, 6. the Confession. [155]Seek the kingdom of God, and worship Him. [159]At church, take holy water; pray for all Christian companions; kneel to God on both knees, to man only on one. [167]At the Altar, serve the priest with both hands. [171]Speak gently to your father and mother, and honour them. [175]Do to others as you would they should do to you. [179]Don't be foolishly meek. [181]The seed of the righteous shall never beg or be shamed. [185]Be ready forgive, and fond of peace. [189]If you cannot give an asker goods, give him good words. [193]Be willing to help every one. [197]Give your partner his fair share. [201]Go on the pilgrimages (?) you vow to saints, lest God take vengeance on you. [205]Don't believe all who speak fair: the Serpent spoke fair words (to Eve). [210]Be cautious with your words, except when angry. [213]Don't lie, but keep your word. [215]Don't laugh too often, or you'll be called a shrew or a fool. [219]Man's 3 enemies are: the Devil, the Flesh, and the World. [223]Destroy these, and be sure of heaven. [225]Don't strive with your lord, or bet or play with him. [231]In a strange place don't be too inquisitive or fussy. [235]If a man falls, don't laugh, but help him up: [240]your own head may fall to your feet. [241]At the Mass, if the priest doesn't please you, don't blame him. [245]Don't tell your secrets to a shrew. [249]Don't beckon, point, or whisper. [251]When you meet a man, greet him, or answer him cheerily if he greets you: don't be dumb, lest men say you have no mouth. [259]Never speak improperly of women, for we and our fathers were all born of women. [267]A wife should honour and obey her husband, and serve him. [271]Try to reconcile brothers if they quarrel. [275]At a gate, let your equal precede you; go behind your superior and your master unless he bids you go beside him. [285]On a pilgrimage don't be third man: 3 oxen can't draw a plough. [289]Don't drink all that's in a cup offered you; take a little. [293]If you sleep with any man, ask what part of the bed he likes, and lie far from him. [299]If you journey with any man, find out his name, who he is, where he is going. [303]With friars on a pilgrimage, do as they do. [307]Don't put up at a red (haired and faced) man or woman's house. [312]Answer opponents meekly, but don't tell lies. [315]Before your lord at table, keep your hands, feet, and fingers still. [322]Don't stare about, or at the wall, or lean against the post. [327]Don't pick your nose, scratch your arm, or stoop your head. [331]Listen when you're spoken to. [335]Never harm child or beast with evil eye (?) [337]Don't blush when you're chaffed, or you'll be accused of mischief. [341]Don't make faces. [342]Wash before eating. [345]Sit where the host tells you; avoid the highest place unless you're told to take it.]
[Headnote: OF THE PORTER, AND MARSHAL OF THE HALL.]
THE THIRD BOOK.
De officiarijs in curijs d{omi}nor{um}.
+Now speke we wylle of officiers Of court, and als of her mestiers. 352 Foure me{n} {er} be {a}t [gh]erdis schall{e} bere, Port{er}, marshall{e}, stuarde, vsshere; The port{er} schall{e} haue e lengest wande, The marshall{e} a schort{er} schall{e} haue i{n} hande; 356 The vssher of chamb{ur} smallest schall{e} haue, The stuarde in honde schall{e} haue a stafe, A fyngur gret, two whart{er}s long, To reule e me of court ymong. 360
[Sidenotes: Of the Officers in Lords' Courts. [353] Four bear rods; three wands: 1. Porter, the longest, 2.Marshal, 3. Usher, the shortest, 4. Steward, a staff, a finger thick, half a yard long.]
De Ianitor{e}.[14]
The port{er} falle to kepe o [gh]ate, e stokkes w{i}t{h} hym erly {and} late; [Gh]if any ma hase in court mys-gayne, To port{er} warde he schall{e} be tane, 364 {er} to a-byde e lordes wyll{e}, What he wille deme by ry[gh]twys skyll{e}. For wessell{e} clothes, {a}t no[gh]t be solde, e po[r]ter hase {a}t warde in holde. 368 Of strang{er}s also {a}t comen to court, o porter schall{e} warne s{er} at a worde. Lyu{er}ay he hase of mete and drynke, And sett{is} w{i}t{h} hym who so hym thynke. 372 When so eu{er} o lorde remewe schall{e} To castell{e} til o{er} as h{i}t may falle, For cariage e port{er} hors schall{e} hyre, Foure pens a pece w{i}t{h}-in o schyr{e}; 376 Be statut he schall{e} take {a}t on e day. {a}t is e kyng{is} crye in faye.
[Sidenotes: Of the Porter. [361] He keeps the Gate and Stocks, takes charge of misdoers till judged, also of clothes, and warns strangers. [371] He is found in meat and drink. [373] On his lord's removing, he hires horses at 4d. a piece, the statute price.]
De Marescallo aule.[15]
[Text note: [C MS. spekle.]]
Now of marschall{e} of hall{e} wyll{e} I spelle,[C] And what falle to hys offyce now wyll{e} y telle; 380 In absence of stuarde he shall{e} arest Who so eu{er} is rebell{e} in court or fest; [Gh]omo{n}-vsshere, and grome also, Vndur hym ar es two: 384 o grome for fuell{e} {a}t schall{e} brenne In hall{e}, chambur, to kechyn, as I e kenne, He shall{e} delyu{er} hit ilke a dele, In hall{e} make fyre at yche a mele 388 Borde, trestuls, and formes also, e cupborde in his warde schall{e} go, e dosurs cortines to henge i{n} halle. es offices nede do he schall{e}; 392 Bryng in fyre on alhalawgh day, To condulmas euen, I dar well{e} say.
[Sidenotes: Of the Marshal of the Hall [381] He shall arrest rebels, when the steward is away. Yeoman-Usher and Groom are under him. [385] The Groom gets fuel for the fire, and makes one in all for every meal; looks after tables, trestles, forms, the cup-board, and hangings of the Hall. [393] Fires last from Allsaints' Day to Candlemas Eve, (Nov. 1 to Feb. 2.) [395] and thus long, Squires receive their daily candle? (see l.839.) [403] The Marshal shall seat men in the Hall.]
P{er} q{uan}tu{m} te{m}p{us} armig{er}i h{ab}eb{un}t lib{er}ata{m} {et} ignis ardeb{i}t i{n} a{ul}a.
[Sidenote: How long Squires shall have allowances, and Fire shall burn in the Hall[[15a]].]
So longe squier{s} lyu{er}s shall{e} hafe,[16] Of grome of halle, or ellis his knafe; 396 But fyre shall{e} brenne in hall{e} at mete, To Cena d{omi}ni {a}t me{n} base ete; {er} brow[gh]t schall{e} be a holyn kene, [Fol. 19.] {a}t sett schall{e} be in erber grene, 400 And {a}t schall{e} be to alhalawgh day, And of be skyfted, as y e say. In hall{e} marshalle all{e} men schall{e} sett After here degr, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lett.[17] 404
[Headnote: OF THE BUTLER AND PANTER.]
De pinc{er}nario, panetario, {et} cocis sibi s{er}uie{n}tib{us}.
The botelar, pantrer, and cokes also, To hym ar s{er}uaunt{is} w{i}t{h}-oute{n} mo; {er}-fore on his [gh]erde skor{e} shall{e} he[19] Alle messys in halle {a}t s{er}uet be, 408 Co{m}maunde to sett bothe brede {and} ale To all{e} men {a}t seruet ben i{n} sale;
To gentilme{n} w{i}t{h} wyne I-bake, Ellis fayles o seruice, y vnder-take; 412 Iche messe at vj^d breue shall{e} he At the countyng house w{i}t{h} o{er} men; Yf o koke wolde say {a}t were more, {a}t is o cause {a}t he hase hit in skore. 416 e panter[18] also yf he wolde stryfe, For rewarde {a}t sett schall{e} be be-lyue. Whe brede faylys at borde aboute, The marshall{e} gares sett w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute 420 More brede, {a}t calde is a rewarde, So shall{e} h{i}t be preuet be-fore stuarde.
[Sidenotes: Of the Butler, Panter, and Cooks serving him. [405] They are the Marshal's servants. [406] He shall score up all messes served, and order bread and ale for men, but wine for gentlemen. [413] Each mess shall be reckoned at 6d. [415] and be scored up to prevent the cook's cheating. [419] If bread runs short, the Marshal orders more, 'a reward.']
De offic{i}o pinc{er}narij.[19]
Botler shall{e} sett for yche a messe A pot, a lofe, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} distresse; 424 Botler, pantrer, felawes ar ay, Reken hom to-gedur full{e} wel y may. The marshall{e} shall{e} herber all{e} men in fere, That ben of court of any mestere; 428 Saue e lordys chamb{ur}, o wadrop to, o vssher of chamb{ur} schall{e} tent o two.
[Sidenotes: Of the Butler's duties. [423] He shall put a pot and loaf to each mess. [425] He is the panter's mate. [427] The Marshal shall see to men's lodging. [429] The Lord's Chamber and Wardrobe are under the Usher of the Chamber.]
De hostiario {et} suis s{er}uientib{us}.[20]
Speke I wylle A lytull{e} qwyle Of vssher of chambur, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} gyle. 432 {er} is gentylme{n}, [gh]omo{n}-vssher also, Two gromes at o lest, A page {er}-to.
[Sidenotes: Of the Usher and Grooms of the Chamber. [432] 1. Usher, 2. Yeoman-usher, 3. Two grooms and a Page.]
[Headnote: OF THE GROOMS AND USHER OF THE CHAMBER.]
De Offic{i}o garc{i}onu{m}.[21]
Gromes palett{is} shyn fyle {and} make liter{e},[22] ix fote on lengthe w{i}t{h}-out diswer{e}; 436 vij fote y-wys hit shall{e} be brode, Wele wat{er}ed, I-wrythen, be craft y-trode, Wyspes drawen out at fete {and} syde, Wele wrethyn and t{ur}nyd a-[gh]ayne {a}t tyde; 440 On legh vnsonken hit shall{e} be made, To o gurdylstode hegh on lengthe {and} brade. For lordys two beddys schall{e} be made, Bothe vtter and inner, so god me glade, 444 {a}t henget shall{e} be w{i}t{h} hole sylo{ur},[23] W{i}t{h} crochett{is}[24] and loupys sett on lyour;[25]
o valance on fylour[26] shall{e} henge w{i}t{h} wy{n}, iij curteyns stre[gh]t drawen w{i}t{h}-inne, 448 {a}t reche schall{e} euen to grounde a-boute, No{er} mor{e}, no{er} lesse, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute; He strykes hom vp w{i}t{h} forket wande, And lappes vp fast a-boute e lyft hande; 452 o knop vp turnes, and closes on ry[gh]t,
As bolde by nek {a}t henges full{e} ly[gh]t. [Fol. 20.] o count{ur}pynt he lays on beddys fete, Qwysshenes on sydes shyn lye full{e} mete. 456 Tapet{is}[27] of spayne on flor{e} by syde, {a}t sprad shyn be for pompe and pryde; o chambur sydes ry[gh]t to o dor{e}, He henges w{i}t{h} tapet{is} {a}t ben full{e} stor{e}; 460 And fuel to chymn hym fall{e} to gete, And screnes in clof to y-saue o hete Fro o lorde at mete when he is sett; Borde, trestuls, and fourmes, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} let, 464
Alle thes ynges kepe schall{e} he, And wat{er} in chafer for laydyes fre; iij p{er}chers of wax en shall{e} he fet, A-boue o chymn {a}t be sett 468 In syce[28]; icho from o{er} shall{e} be e lenghthe of o{er} {a}t me{n} may se,[[28a]] To brenne, to voide, {a}t dronkyn is, O{er} ellis I wote he dose Amys. 472 o vssher alle-way shall{e} sitt at dor{e} At mete, and walke schall{e} on e flor{e}, To se at all{e} be s{er}uet on ry[gh]t, at is his office be day {and} ny[gh]t, 476 And byd set borde when tyme schall{e} be, And take hom vp when tyme ses he.
The wardrop[29] he herbers and eke of chamb{ur} Ladyes w{i}t{h} bedys of corall{e} and lamb{ur}, 480 o vsshere schall{e} bydde o wardroper{e} Make redy for all{e} ny[gh]t be-for{e} e fere; en bryng{is} he forthe ny[gh]t gou{n} also, And spredys a tapet and qwysshens two, 484 He layes hom en opon a fourme, And foteshete {er}-on {and} hit returne.
o lorde schall{e} skyft hys gow at ny[gh]t, Syttand on foteshete tyl he be dy[gh]t. 488 en vssher gose to o botr, "Haue in for all{e} ny[gh]t, syr," says he; Fyrst to e chaundeler he schall{e} go, To take a tortes ly[gh]t hym fro; 492
Bothe wyne and ale he tase indede, o botler says, w{i}t{h}-outen drede, No mete for mo{n} schall{e} sayed[30] be, Bot for kynge or prynce or duke so fre; 496 For heiers of paraunce also y-wys, Mete shall{e} be sayed, now thenkys on this. en to pantr he hy[gh]es be-lyue,
"Syrs, haue in w{i}t{h}-oute{n} stryffe;" 500 Manchet and chet[31] bred he shalle take, o panter{e} assayes at h{i}t be bake; A mort{er} of wax [gh]et will{e} he bryng, Fro chamb{ur}, syr, w{i}t{h}-out lesyng; 504 {a}t alle ny[gh]t brennes in bassyn cler{e}, To saue o chamb{ur} on ny[gh]t for fyre.
en [gh]omo{n} of chambur shynne voyde w{i}t{h} ryme, The torches han holden wele {a}t tyme; 508 Tho chamb{ur} dore stekes o vssher thenne, W{i}t{h} p{re}ket and tortes {a}t conne brenne; Fro cupborde he brynges both{e} brede {and} wyne, And fyrst assayes hit wele a[nd] fyne. 512 But fyrst e lorde shall{e} vasshe I-wys, Fro o fyr hous when he come{n} is; [Fol. 21.] en kneles e vssher {and} gyfes hym drynke, Brynges hym in bed wher{e} he shall{e} wynke; 516 In strong styd on palet he lay, At home tase lefe {and} gose his way; [Gh]omo{n} vssher be-for{e} e dore, In vttur chamb{ur} lies on e flore. 520
[Sidenotes: The Duties of the Grooms of the Chamber. [435] They shall make palets of litter 9 ft. long, 7 broad, watered, twisted, trodden, with wisps at foot and side, twisted and turned back; from the floor-level to the waist. [443] For lords, 2 beds, outer and inner, hung with hangings, hooks and eyes set on the binding; the valance hanging on a rod (?), four curtains reaching to the ground; these he takes up with a forked rod. [455] The counterpane is laid at the foot, cushions on the sides, tapestry on the floor and sides of the room. [461] The Groom gets fuel, and screens. [463] The Groom keeps the table, trestles, and forms for dinner; and water in a heater. [467] He puts 3 wax-lights over the chimney, all in different syces. [473] The Usher of the Chamber walks about and sees that all is served right, [477] orders the table to be set and removed, takes charge of the Wardrobe and Bedchamber, bids the Wardroper get all ready before the fire, nightgown, carpet, 2 cushions, a form with a footsheet over it; on which the lord changes his gown. [489] The Usher orders what's wanted from the Buttery: a link from the Chandler, and ale and wine. [495] (No meat shall be assayed except for King, Prince, Duke or Heirs-apparent.) [498] From the Pantry the Usher takes fine and coarse bread, and a wax-light that burns all night in a basin. [507] (The Yeoman-Usher removes the torches.) [509] The Usher puts lights on the Bedroom door, brings bread and wine, (the lord washing first,) offers the drink kneeling; puts his lord to bed, and then goes home himself. The Yeoman-Usher sleeps at the Lord's door.]
[Headnote: OF THE STEWARD.]
De seneschallo.[32]
Now speke I wyll{e} of o stuarde als,
[Text note: [D MS. and]]
Few ar trew, but fele ar[D] fals. o clerke of kechyn, countrollo{ur}, Stuarde, coke, and surueyour, 524 Assente{n} in counsell{e}, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} skorne, How o lorde schall{e} fare at mete o morne. Yf any deyntethe in countr be, o stuarde schewes h{i}t to o lorde so fre, 528 And gares by hyt for any cost, Hit wer{e} grete syn and hit wer{e} lost. Byfore e cours o stuarde comes en, e seruer h{i}t next of alle kyn me{n} 532 Mays way and stondes by syde, Tyl all{e} be s{er}ued at {a}t tyde. At countyng stuarde schall{e} ben, Tylle all{e} be breuet of wax so grene, 536 Wrytten in-to bokes, w{i}t{h}-out let, {a}t be-fore in tabuls hase ben sett, Tyl countes also {er}-on ben cast, And somet vp holy at o last. 540
[Sidenotes: Of the Steward. [522] Few are true, but many false. He, the clerk, cook and surveyor consult over their Lord's dinner. [527] Any dainty that can be had, the Steward buys. [531] Before dishes are put on, the Steward enters first, then the Server. [535] The Steward shall post into books all accounts written on tablets, and add them up.]
De cont{ra}rotulatore.[33]
The Countrollo{ur} shall{e} wryte to hym, Taunt resceu, no more I myn; And taunt dispendu {a}t same day, Vncountabull{e} he is, as y [gh]ou say. 544
[Sidenotes: Of the Controller. [541] He puts down the receipt and consumption of every day.]
De sup{er}uisore.[34]
Surueour and stuarde also, Thes thre folke and no mo, For no[gh]t resayue{n} bot eu{er} sene {a}t noyng fayle {and} alle be whene; 548 {a}t o clerke of kechyn schulde not mys, {er}-fore o countrollo{ur}, as hafe I blys, Wrytes vp o somme as eu{er}y day, And helpes to count, as I [gh]ou say. 552
[Sidenotes: Of the Surveyor. [546] He, the steward, and controller, receive nothing, but see that all goes straight. [550] The Controller checks daily the Clerk of the kitchen's account.]
De Clerico coquine.[35]
The clerke of e cochy shall{e} all{e} yng breue, Of men of court, bothe lothe and leue, Of achatis and dispenses en wrytes he, And wages for gromes and [gh]eme{n} fre; 556 At dresso{ur} also he shalle stonde, And fett forthe mete dresset w{i}t{h} honde; e spicery and store w{i}t{h} hym shall{e} dwelle, And mony thynges als, as I no[gh]t telle, 560 For clethyng of officers alle i{n} fere, Saue e lorde hym self and ladys dere.
[Sidenotes: Of the Clerk of the Kitchen. [553] He shall keep account of all purchases, and payments, and wages, shall preside at the Dresser, and keep the spices, stores, &c., [561] and the clothes of the officers.]
[Headnote: OF THE CHANCELLOR AND TREASURER.]
De cancellario.[36]
The chaunceler answer{es} for hor clothyng, For [gh]ome{n}, faukeners, {and} hor horsyng, 564 For his wardrop and wages also; And asseles patenti{s} mony {and} mo; [Fol. 22.] Yf o lorde gyf o[gh]t to t{er}me of lyf, The chaunceler h{i}t seles w{i}t{h}-oute{n} stryf; 568
[Text note: [E MS. {er}]]
Tan come nos plerra me{n} seyne, {at}[E] is q{ua}n{do} nob{is} placet, {a}t is, whille vs lykes hym no[gh]t omys; Ou{er}-se hys londes {a}t all{e} be ry[gh]t: On of o grete he is of my[gh]t. 572
[Sidenotes: Of the Chancellor. [563] He looks after the servants' clothes, and horses, seals patents, and grants of land, &c., for life, or during the lord's pleasure. [571] He oversees the land too, and is a great man.]
De thesaurizario.[37]
Now speke y wylle of tresurer{e}, Husbonde and houswyf he is in fer{e}; Of e resayu{er} he shall{e} resayue, All{e} {a}t is gedurt of bayl and grayue,[38] 576 Of e lordes courtes and forfet{is} als, Whe{er} ay ben ry[gh]t or ay ben fals. To o clerke of cochen he payes mon For vetayle to bye opon o countr: 580 The clerke to kat{er} and pult{er} is, To baker and butler bothe y-wys Gyffys seluer to bye in all{e} thyng {a}t longes to here office, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lesyng. 584 e tresurer schall{e} gyfe alkyn wage, To squyer, [gh]omo{n}, grome, or page. o resayuer and o tresurer, o clerke of cochyn and chaunceler, 588 Grayuis, and baylys, and parker, Schone come to acountes eu{er}y [gh]ere By-fore o audito{ur} of o lorde onone, {a}t schulde be trew as any stone; 592 Yf he dose hom no ry[gh]t lele, To A baron of chekker ay mu{n} h{i}t pele.
[Sidenotes: Of the Treasurer. [574] He takes from the Receiver what is collected from bailiff and grieve, courts and forfeits. [579] He gives the Kitchen clerk money to buy provisions with, and the clerk gives some to the baker and butler. [585] The Treasurer pays all wages. [587] He, the Receiver, Chancellor, Grieves, &c., [590] account once a year to the Auditor, from whom they can appeal to a Baron of the Exchequer.]
De receptore firmar{um}.
Of e resayuer speke wyll{e} I, {a}t fermys[39] resayuys wytt{ur}ly 596 Of grayuys, and hom aquetons makes, Sex pons {er}-fore to feys he takes, And pays feys to parkers als I-wys,
[Text note: [F Or loned.]]
{er}-of at acountes he loued[F] is, 600 And ou{er}-seys castels, man{er}s a-boute, {a}t no[gh]t falle w{i}t{h}-in ne w{i}t{h}-oute. Now let we es officers be, And telle we wylle of smaller men. 604
[Sidenotes: Of the Receiver of Rents. [597]: He gives receipts, and gets a fee of 6d. [599] He pays fees to park-keepers, and looks after castles and manor-houses.]
De Auenario.[40]
e Aueyn{er} schall{e} ordeyn p{ro}uande[41] good won, For o lordys horsis eu{er}ychon; ay schyn haue two cast[42] of hay, A pek of p{ro}uande on a day; 608 Eu{er}y horse schall{e} so muche haue, At racke and mang{er} {a}t standes w{i}t{h} staue. A mayst{ur} of horsys a squyer[43] {er} is, Aueyn{er} and fero{ur} vnd{ur} hym I-wys; 612 ose [gh]ome{n} {a}t olde sadels schyn haue, {a}t schyn be last for kny[gh]t and knaue, For yche a hors {a}t ferrour{e}[44] schall{e} scho, An halpeny on day he takes hym to; 616 Vnd{ur} ben gromes and pages mony one, at ben at wage eu{er}ychone; Som at two pons on a day, [Fol. 23.] and som at iij ob., I [gh]ou say; 620 Mony of hem fote-me{n} er ben, {a}t renne{n} by e brydels of ladys shene.
[Sidenotes: Of the Avener. [605] He shall give the horses in the stable two armsful of hay and a peck of oats, daily. [611]: A Squire is Master of the Horse; under him are Avener and Farrier, (the Farrier has a halfpenny a day for every horse he shoes,) and grooms and pages hired at 2d. a day, or 3 halfpence, and footmen who run by ladies' bridles.]
[Headnote: OF THE BAKER AND HUNTSMAN.]
De pistore.[45]
Of o baker now speke y wylle, And wat longes his office vntylle; 624 Of a lunden buschell{e} he shall{e} bake xx louys, I vndur-take;
[Text note: [G Read broun, brown.]]
Manchet and chet to make brom[G] bred hard, For chaundeler and grehoundes {and} hu{n}tes reward. 628
[Sidenotes: Of the Baker. [625] Out of a London bushel he shall bake 20 loaves, fine and coarse.]
De venatore {et} suis canib{us}.
A halpeny o hunte takes on e day For eu{er}y hounde, o soth{e} to say: o vewt{er}, two cast of brede he tase, Two lesshe of grehoundes yf {a}t he hase; 632 To yche a bone, at is to telle, If I to [gh]ou e sothe shall{e} spelle; By-syde hys vantage {a}t may be-fall{e}, Of skynnes and o{er} thynges w{i}t{h}-all{e}, 636 at hunt{er}es con tell{e} bett{er} a{n} I, {er}-fore I leue h{i}t wytt[{ur}]ly.
[Sidenotes: Of the Huntsman and his Hounds. [629] He gets a halfpenny a day for every hound. [631] The Feuterer 2 lots of bread if he has 2 leash of Greyhounds, and a bone for each, besides perquisites of skins, &c.]
De aquario.[46]
And speke I wyll{e} of o{er} myster{e} {a}t falles to court, as [gh]e mu{n} her{e}; 640 An euwer{e} in hall{e} ere nedys to be, And chandelew schall{e} haue and all{e} naper{e}; He schall{e} gef wat{er} to gentilme{n}, And als in all{e} [gh]ome{n}. 644
[Sidenotes: Of the Ewerer or Water-bringer. [641] He has all the candles and cloths and gives water to every one.]
Qui d{eb}ent manus lauar{e} {et} i{n} q{u}or{um} domib{us}.
In kynges court and dukes also, {er} [gh]ome{n} schynne wasshe and no mo;— In duke Ionys house a [gh]oma{n} {er} was, For his rewarde p{ra}yde suche a g{ra}ce; 648 e duke gete graunt {er}-of in londe, Of e kyng his fader, I vndudurstonde.—(so) Wosoeuer gefes wat{er} in lordys chaunber, In p{re}sens of lorde or leued dere, 652 He schall{e} knele downe opo his kne, Ellys he for[gh]etes his curtas; is euwer schall{e} hele his lordes borde, W{i}t{h} dowbull{e} napere at on bar{e} worde: 656 The seluage to o lordes syde w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, And dou schall{e} heng {a}t o{er} may wynne; o ou{er} nape schall{e} dowbull{e} be layde, To o vttur syde e seluage brade; 660 o ou{er} seluage he schall{e} replye,[47] As towell{e} h{i}t were fayrest in hye; Browers[48] he schall{e} cast {er}-opon, {a}t e lorde schull{e} clense his fyngers [on], 664 e leuedy and whoseuer syttes w{i}t{h}-inne, All{e} browers schynne haue bothe mor{e} {and} my.
[Sidenotes: Who may wash his hands, and where. [651] The bringer of Water shall kneel down. [655] The Ewerer shall cover the lord's table with a double cloth, the lower with the selvage to the lord's side; the upper cloth shall be laid double, the upper selvage turned back as if for a towel. [664] He shall put on cleaners for every one.]
[Headnote: OF THE PANTER, THE LORD'S KNIVES, ETC.]
De panetario.
enne comes e pantere w{i}t{h} loues thre, at squar{e} are coruyn of trencho{ur} fre, 668 To sett w{i}t{h}-inne {and} oon w{i}t{h}-oute, And saller y-cou{er}yd and sett in route; W{i}t{h} o ouemast lofe h{i}t shall{e} be sett, [Fol. 24.] W{i}t{h}-oute forthe square, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lett; 672 Two keruyng knyfes w{i}t{h}-oute one, e thrydde to o lorde, and als a spone.
[Sidenotes: Of the Panter. [667] He carries 3 loaves cut square for trenchers, and the covered Saltcellar, 2 Carving-knives, and sets the 3rd, and a spoon to his lord.]
De Cultellis d{omi}ni.
Of o two o haftes schynne outwarde be, Of e thrydd e hafte inwarde lays he, 676 e spony stele {er} by schall{e} be layde; Moo loues of trenchirres at a brayde He settes, {and} seruys euyr in fer{e} To duches his wyne {a}t is so der{e}. 680 Two loues of trenchors {and} salt o, He settes be-fore his son also; A lofe of trencho{ur}s and salt on last, At bordes ende he settes in hast. 684 en brede he brynges, in towell{e} wrythy, Thre lofys of o wyte schall{e} be geuy; A chet lofe to o elmys dyshe, We{er} he seruyd be w{i}t{h} flesshe or fysche; 688 At a{er} ende he castes a cope, Layde dow on borde, e endys plyed vp. That he assayes knelande on kne, o keru{er} hym parys a schyu{er} so fre; 692 And touches o louys y{n} quer{e} a-boute, o pantere hit etys w{i}t{h}-oute dowte; o euwer{e} thurgh towell{e} syles[49] clene His wat{er} into o bassynges shene; 696 o ou{er} bassyn {er}-on schall{e} close, A towell{e} {er}-on, as I suppose, {a}t folden schall{e} be w{i}t{h} full{e} grete lore, Two quart{er}s on lenketh{e} and su{m}dele mor{e}; 700 A qwyte cuppe of tre {er}-by shall{e} be, {er}-w{i}t{h} {o} wat{er} assay schall{e} he; Quelmes[50] h{i}t agayn by-for{e} all{e} me{n}; o keru{er} e bassynges tase vp enne; 704 Annaunciande sq{u}ier, or ellis a kny[gh]t, o towell{e} dow tase by full{e} good ry[gh]t; o cuppe he tase in honde also, o keru{er} powres wat[er] e cuppe into; 708 The kny[gh]t to o keru{er} haldes anon, He says h{i}t ar he m{o}r{e} schall{e} do; o cuppe en voyde is in o flette,[51] e euwer h{i}t takes w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lette. 712 The towell{e} two kny[gh]ht{is} schyn halde i{n} fer{e}, Be-fore e lordes sleues, at ben so der{e}; The ou{er} bassyn ay halde neu{er} e queder, Quyll{e} o keru{er} powre wat{er} in-to e ned{ur}. 716 For a pype {er} is insyde so clene, {a}t wat{er} deuoydes, of selu{er} schene; en settes he e nethyr, I vnd[u]rstonde, In e ou{er}, and voydes w{i}t{h} bothe is honde; 720 And brynges to e euwer {er} he come fro; To o lordys bordes a[gh]ayn con go; And layes iiij trencho{ur}s o lorde be-fore, e fyft aboue by good lore; 724 By hym self thre schall{e} he dresse, To cut opon e lordes messe; [Fol. 25.] Smale towell{e} a-boute his necke shall{e} bene, To clens his knyfys {a}t ben so kene. 728
[Sidenotes: _Of the Lord's Knive, (_Bread, and Washing.)_ [675] The hafts of 2 are laid outwards, that of the 3rd inwards, and the spoon handle by it. [678] More trencher loaves are set, and wine served to the Duchess. [681] 2 Trencher-loaves, and salt, to the lord's son; and 1 loaf and saltcellar set at the end of the table. [685] Then 3 loaves of white bread are brought, and 1 coarse loaf is put in the Alms-dish. [691] To assay bread, the Panter kneels, the Carver cuts him a slice, and he eats it. [695] The Ewerer strains water into his basins, on the upper one of which is a towel folded dodgily. [701] Then the water is assayed in a cup of white wood. [704] The Carver takes up the basins; a knight takes down the towel, and wipes the cup, into which the Carver pours water; the knight hands it to him; he assays it, and empties the cup. [713] Two knights hold the towel before the lord's sleeves, and hold the upper basin while the Carver pours water into the lower; then he puts the lower into the upper, and empties both, takes them to the Ewerer, returns to the lord's table, lays 4 trenchers for him, with 1 above. [725] The Carver takes 3 to cut the lord's messes on, and has a cloth round his neck to wipe his knives on.]
[Headnote: OF THE ALMONER AND DISH-SERVER.]
De Elemosinario.[52]
The aumener{e} by is hathe sayde g{ra}ce, And o almes dysshe hase sett in place; {er}-in e keru{er} a lofe schall{e} sette, To s{er}ue god fyrst w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lette; 732 ese o{er} lofes he parys a-boute, Lays h{i}t myd dysshe w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute. e small{e} lofe he cutt{is} eue{n} i{n} twynne, o ou{er} dole in two lays to hym. 736 The aumener{e} a rod schall{e} haue in honde, As office for almes, y vndurstonde. Alle e broken met he kepys y wate, To dele to por{e} me{n} at e [gh]ate. 740 And drynke {a}t leues s{er}ued in halle; Of ryche {and} pore bothe grete {and} small{e}. He is sworne to ou{er}-se e s{er}uis wele, And dele hit to e pore eu{er}y dele; 744 Selu{er} he deles rydand by way; And his almys dysshe, as I [gh]ou say, To e porest ma{n} {a}t he can fynde, O{er} ellys I wot he is vnkynde. 748
[Sidenotes: Of the Almoner. [729]: He says grace, sets down the Alms-dish, and the Carver puts the first loaf in it. [733] The other loaves he pares round, cuts one in two, and gives the upper half in halves to him. [737] The Almoner has a staff in his hand. [739] He keeps the broken food and wine left, for poor men at the gate, and is sworn to give it all to them. [745] He distributes silver as he rides.]
De ferculario.
This wyle o squyer to kechyn shall{e} go, And brynges a bof for assay o; o Coke assayes e mete vngry[gh]t, o sewer he takes and kou{er}s on ry[gh]t; 752 Wo so eu{er} he takes {a}t mete to bere, Schall{e} not so hardy o cou{er}tour{e} rer{e}, For colde ne hote, I warne [gh]ou all{e}, For suspecyo of tresou{n} as may befalle. 756 Yf o sylu{er} dyssh{e} wyll{e} algate brenne, A sotelt I wylle e kenne, Take e bredde coruyn {and} lay by-twene, And kepe e well{e} h{i}t be not sene; 760
I teche hit for no curtayse, But for yn ese. When e sewer comys vnto e borde, Alle e mete he sayes at on bare worde, 764 e potage fyrst w{i}t{h} brede y-coruyn, Cou{er}ys hom agayn lest ey ben storuyn; W{i}t{h} fyssh{e} or flessh yf [they] be s{er}ued, A morsell{e} {er}-of shalle he be keruyd; 768 And touche e messe ou{er} all{e} aboute, o sewer h{i}t et{is} w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute. W{i}t{h} baken mete yf he s{er}uyd be o, o lydes vp-rered or he fyr go, 772 e past or pye he sayes w{i}t{h}-inne, Dippes bredde in grau no mor{e} ne mynne; [Gh]if e baken mete be colde, as may byfall{e}, A gobet of o self he sayes w{i}t{h}-all{e}. 776 But {o}u {a}t berys mete in hande, Yf o sewer stonde, loke {o}u stande; Yf he knele, knele {o}u so longe for o[gh]t,
Tylle mete be sayde {a}t {o}u hase broght. [Fol. 26.] 780 As oft at hegh borde yf brede be nede, The butler two louys takys indede; at on settes down, {a}t oer agayn He barys to cupborde in towell{e} playn. 784 As oft as e keru{er} fettys drynke, e butler assayes h{i}t how good hy{m} thynke; In e lordys cupp {a}t leuys vndrynken, Into e almesdisshe h{i}t schall{e} be sonken. 788 The keru{er} anon w{i}t{h}-oute{n} thou[gh]t,
[Headnote: OF THE CARVER, SURNAPE-LAYERS, AND CHANDLER.]
Vnkou{er}s e cup {a}t he hase brou[gh]t; Into e cou{er}tour{e} wyn he powr{e}s owt, Or in-to a spare pece, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute; 792 Assayes, an gefes o lorde to drynke, Or settes h{i}t doun as hym goode thynke. o keru{er}[53] schall{e} kerue o lordes mete, Of what kyn pece {a}t he wyll{e} ete; 796 And on hys trenchour he hit layes, On ys maner w{i}t{h}-out displayes; In almesdysshe he layes yche dele, {a}t he is w{i}t{h} serued at o mele; 800 But he sende h{i}t to ony stronger{e}, A pese {a}t is hym leue and dere, And send hys potage also, {a}t schall{e} not to e almes go. 804 Of keru{er} more, yf I shulde telle, Ano{er} fytt enne most I spelle, Ther-fore I let h{i}t her{e} ou{er} passe, To make oure talkyng su{m}medelasse. 808 When e lorde hase eten, o sewer schall{e} bryng o surnape on his schulder bryng, A narew towell{e}, a brode be-syde, And of hys hondes he lettes h{i}t slyde; 812 e vssher ledes {a}t on hed ry[gh]t, o aumener o o{er} away shall{e} dy[gh]t. When e vssher comys to e borde ende, o narow towell{e} he strecches vnkende; 816 Be-for{e} o lorde and e lady so dere, Dowbell{e} he playes o towell{e} ere; Whenne ay haue wasshen and g{ra}ce is sayde, Away he takes at a brayde; 820 Awoydes o borde in-to o flore, Tase away o trest{is} {a}t ben so store.
[Sidenotes: Of the Sewer (or setter-on of Dishes). [751] The Cook assays the meat before it's dished. [752] The Sewer puts the cover on it, and the cover must never be raised for fear of treason. [757] (A Dodge: If the silver dish burns you, put bits of bread under it.) [763] The Sewer assays all the food: potage with a piece of bread; fish or flesh, he eats a piece; baked meats hot, he lifts up the crust, and dips bread in the gravy; baked meats cold, he eats a bit. [777] The meat-bearer stands or kneels as the Sewer does. [782] When bread is wanted, the Butler puts one loaf on the table, the other on the cupboard. [785] The Butler assays all the wine. [787] What is left in the lord's cup goes to the Alms-dish. [790 The Carver fills the empty cup, assays it, and gives it the lord or puts it down. [795] He carves the lord's meat, and lays it on his trencher, putting a piece of every thing in the Alms-dish, except any favourite piece or potage sent to a stranger. [805] (To say more about the Carver would require another section, so I pass it over.) [809] After dinner the Sewer brings the Surnape, a broad towel and a narrow, and slides it down. [813] The Usher takes one end of the broad one, the Almoner the other, and when it is laid, he folds the narrow towel double before his lord and lady. [819] After grace removes them, lays the table on the floor, and takes away the trestles.]
De candelario.[54]
Now speke I wylle a lytull{e} whyle Of o chandeler, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} gyle, 824 {a}t torches[55] {and} tortes[56] {and} preketes[57] con make, P{er}chours,[58] smale condel, I vnder-take; Of wax ese candels all{e} at brenne{n}, And morter of wax {a}t I wele kenne; 828 o snof of hom dose a-way W{i}t{h} close sesours, as I [gh]ow say; e sesours ben schort {and} rownde y-close, W{i}t{h} plate of irne vp-on bose. 832 In chamb{ur} no ly[gh]t {er} shall{e} be brent, Bot of wax {er}-to, yf [gh]e take tent; In hall{e} at soper schall{e} caldels ({so}) brenne [Fol. 27.] Of parys, {er}-in {a}t all{e} me{n} kenne; 836 Iche messe a candell{e} fro alhalawgh{e} day To candelmesse, as I [gh]ou say; Of candel liu{er}ay squiyers schall{e} haue, So long, if hit is mon will{e} kraue. 840 Of brede and ale also o boteler Schall{e} make lyu{er} thurgh-out e [gh]ere To squyers, and also wyn to kny[gh]t, Or ellys he dose not his office ry[gh]t. 844 Her{e} endys the thryd speche. Of all{e} oure synnes cryst be oure leche, And bryng vs to his vonyng place! Ame{n}, sayes [gh]e, for hys grete grace! 848
Amen, par charite.
[Sidenotes: Of the Chandler. [825] He can make all kinds of candles, little and big, and mortars of wax. [829] He snuffs them with short scissors. [833] In bed-chambers wax lights only shall be burnt; in hall, Candles of Paris, each mess having one from Nov.1 to Feb.2 (see l.393), and squires one too. [841] The Butler shall give Squires their daily bread and ale all the year, and Knights their wine. [846] May Christ bring us to His dwelling-place. Amen!]
[Footnote 1: Toom or rymthe. Spacium, tempus, oportunitas. P.Parv.]
[Footnote 2: AS. wrsten, to writhe, twist.]
[Footnote 3: grace, civility; from AS. mennise, human; cp. our double sense of humanity. H.Coleridge.]
[Footnote 4: courteous.]
[Footnote 5: AS. flytan, dispute, quarrel.]
[Footnote 6: Mowe, or skorne. Vangia, vel valgia, cachinna. Promptorium.]
[Footnote 7: an privative, unhonest.]
[Footnote 8: AS. mod, mood, passion, violence.]
[[Footnote 8a: Croscrist. La Croix de par Dieu. The Christs-crosse-row; or, the hornebooke wherein a child learnes it. Cotgrave. The alphabet was called the Christ-cross-row, some say because a cross was prefixed to the alphabet in the old primers; but as probably from a superstitious custom of writing the alphabet in the form of a cross, by way of charm. This was even solemnly practised by the bishop in the consecration of a church. See Picart's Religious Ceremonies, vol. i. p.131. Nares.]]
[Footnote 9: to relation or friend.]
[Footnote 10: contempt, scorn, O.N. heung. H. Coleridge.]
[Footnote 11: AS. gman, attend, regard, observe, keep.]
[Footnote 12: thine eye]
[Footnote 13: AS. win, contention, labour, war; win, wyn, joy, pleasure.]
[Footnote 14: See the duties of Prince Edward's Porters, A.D. 1474, in Household Ordinances, p. *30, and of Henry VIII.'s Porters, ibid. p.239.]
[Footnote 15: Though Edward IV. had Marshals (Household Ordinances, p.84, &c.), one of whom made the Surnape when the King was in the Hall (p.32), or Estate in the Surnape (p.38), yet there is no separate heading or allowance for them in the Liber Niger. Two yeomen Ushers are mentioned in p.38, but the two yeomen Ewars, their two Grooms and Page, p.84, perform (nearly) the duties given above to the Usher and his Grooms.]
[[Footnote 15a: Fires in Hall lasted to Cena Domini, the Thursday before Easter: see l. 398. Squires' allowances of lights ended on Feb.2, Isuppose. These lights, or candle of l. 839, would be only part of the allowances. The rest would continue all the year. See Household Ordinances & North. Hous. Book. Dr Rock says that the holyn or holly and erbere grene refer to the change on Easter Sunday described in the Liber Festivalis:— "In die paschɇ. Good friends ye shall know well that this day is called in many places God's Sunday. Know well that it is the manner in every place of worship at this day to do the fire out of the hall; and the black winter brands, and all thing that is foul with smoke shall be done away, and there the fire was, shall be gaily arrayed with fair flowers, and strewed with green rushes all about, showing a great ensample to all Christian people, like as they make clean their houses to the sight of the people, in the same wise ye should cleanse your souls, doing away the foul brenning (burning) sin of lechery; put all these away, and cast out all thy smoke, dusts; and strew in your souls flowers of faith and charity, and thus make your souls able to receive your Lord God at the Feast of Easter." —Rock's Church of the Future, v. iii. pt.2, p.250. "The holly, being an evergreen, would be more fit for the purpose, and makes less litter, than the boughs of deciduous trees. Iknow some old folks in Herefordshire who yet follow the custom, and keep the grate filled with flowers and foliage till late in the autumn." —D.R. On Shere-Thursday, or Cena Domini, Dr Rock quotes from the Liber Festivalis—"First if a man asked why Sherethursday is called so, ye may say that in Holy Church it is called 'Cena Domini,' our Lord's Supper Day; for that day he supped with his disciples openly.... It is also in English called Sherethursday; for in old fathers' days the people would that day sheer their heads and clip their beards, and poll their heads, and so make them honest against Easter-day." —Rock, ib., p. 235.]]
[Footnote 16: Edward IV.'s Esquiers for the Body, IIII, had 'for wynter lyverey from All Hallowentide (Nov.1) tyll Estyr, one percher wax, one candell wax, ij candells Paris, one tallwood and dim{idium}, and wages in the countyng-house.' H.Ord. p.36. So the Bannerettes, IIII, or Bacheler Knights (p.32), who are kervers and cupberers, take 'for wynter season, from Allhallowentyde till Estyr, one tortays, one percher, ii candelles wax, ii candelles Paris, ii talwood, ii faggotts,' and rushes, litter, all the year; which the Esquiers have too. The Percy household allowance of Wax was cciiij score vij lb. dimid. of Wax for th' expensys of my House for oone hole Yere. Viz. Sysez, Pryketts, Quarions, and Torches after ix d. the lb. by estimacion; p.12.]
[Footnote 17: The Liber Niger of Edw. IV. assigns this duty to one of the Gentylmen Usshers. H.Ord. p.37.]
[Footnote 18: See the Office of Panetry, H.Ord. p.70.]
[Footnote 19: See the Office of Butler of Englond, H.Ord. p.73.]
[Footnote 20: See Gentylmen Usshers of Chaumbre, IIII, H.Ord. p.37. 'This name ussher is a worde of Frenshe,' p.38.]
[Footnote 21: Compare H.Ord. p.39. 'Yeomen of Chambre, IIII, to make beddes, to bere or hold torches, to sette bourdes, to apparayle all chaumbres, and suche other servyce as the chaumberlayn, or usshers of chambre command or assigne.' Liber Niger Edw. IV. See also H.Ord. p.40, Office of Warderobe of Beddes, p.41, Gromes of Chambyr, X; and the elaborate directions for making Henry VII.'s bed, H.Ord. p.121-2.]
[Footnote 22: Hoc stramentum, lyttere, (the straw with which the bed was formerly made) p.260, col. 2, Wright's Vocabularies.]
[Footnote 23: Sylure, of valle, or a nother thynge (sylure of a walle), Celatura, Celamen, Catholicon, in P.Parv. Fr. Ciel, Heauen, pl. Ciels, a canopie for, and, the Testerne and Valances of a Bed. Cotgrave. A tester over the beadde, canopus. Withals.]
[Footnote 24: Crochet, a small hooke.]
[Footnote 25: Lyowre, to bynde wythe precyows clothys. Ligatorium. P.Parv.]
[Footnote 26: Fylowre, of barbours crafte, Acutecula, filarium. P.Parv. See note 3, p.160.]
[Footnote 27: Tapet, a clothe, tappis. Palsgrave, 1530. Tapis, Tapistrie, hangings, &c., of Arras. Cotgrave, 1611. Tapis, carpet, a green square-plot. Miege, 1684. The hangynges of a house or chambre, in plurali, aula ... Circundo cubiculum aulis, to hange the chambre. The carpettes, tapetes. Withals.]
[Footnote 28: And he (a Grome of Chambyr) setteth nyghtly, after the seasons of the yere, torchys, tortays, candylles of wax, mortars; and he setteth up the sises in the King's chambre, H.Ord. p.41, 'these torches, five, seven, or nine; and as many sises sett upp as there bee torches,' ib. p.114; and dayly iiii other of these gromes, called wayters, to make fyres, to sett up tressyls and bourdes, with yomen of chambre, and to help dresse the beddes of sylke and arras. H.Ord. p.41.]
[[Footnote 28a: ? some omission after this line.]]
[Footnote 29: Wardroppe, or closet—garderobe. Palsgrave.]
[Footnote 30: See the duties of Edward IV.'s Sewar, H.Ord. p.36.]
[Footnote 31: Manchet was the fine bread; chet, the coarse. Fr. pain rouffet, Cheat, or boulted bread; houshold bread made of Wheat and Rie mingled. Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 32: See the 'Styward of Housholde,' H.Ord. p.55-6: 'He is head officer.']
[Footnote 33: See the 'Countroller of this houshold royall,' H.Ord. p.58-9.]
[Footnote 34: See the duties and allowances of A Surveyour for the Kyng, in Household Ordinances, p.37.]
[Footnote 35: See the 'chyef clerke of kychyn,' t. Edw. IV., H.Ord. p.70; and Henry VIII.'s Clerke of the Kitchen, A.D. 1539, ib. p.235.]
[Footnote 36: The duties of the Chauncellor of Englond are not stated in Edw. IV.'s Liber Niger, H.Ord. p.29; but one of the two Clerkys of Grene-Clothe was accustomed to 'delyver the clothinge of housholde,' p.61.]
[Footnote 37: See the 'Thesaurere of Housholde' in Edw. IV.'s Liber Niger, H.Ord. p.56-8: 'the grete charge of polycy and husbandry of all this houshold growyth and stondyth moste part by hys sad and dylygent pourveyaunce and conduytes.']
[Footnote 38: AS. gerefa, reeve, steward, bailiff.]
[Footnote 39: Rents, in kind or money; AS. feorme, food, goods.]
[Footnote 40: The Avener of Edw. IV. is mentioned in H.Ord. p.69. See the Charge of Henry VIII.'s Stable, A.D. 1526, ib. p.206-7.]
[Footnote 41: Prouender or menglid corne—fovrraige ... provende. Palsgrave.]
[Footnote 42: See 'two cast of brede,' l.631. 'One caste of brede' for the Steward's yeoman, H.Ord. p.56, &c.]
[Footnote 43: Mayster of the horses—escvier de escvirie. Palsg.]
[Footnote 44: See Rogers's Agriculture and Prices in England, v. 1, p.280-1. The latest prices he gives for shoeing are in 1400; "Alton Barnes, Shoeing 5 horses, a year, 6s. 8d. Takley, Shoeing 2 cart horses [a year] 1s. 8d." A.D. 1466, 'fore shoyinge ij.d.' Manners and Household Expenses (ed. Dawson Turner), 1841, p.380. (Sir Jn. Howard, Knt., 1462-9.) The Percy allowance in 1512 was "ij s viiij d. every Hors Shoynge for the hole Yere by estimacion, Viz. a Hors to be shodd oons in iij moneths withowt they jornay." p.24. A horse's daily allowance was 'a Peck of Oats, or 4d. in B{re}ade after iiij Loiffes, 4d. for Provaunder, from 29th Septr. 8 Hen. VIII. to 3rd May following,' p.266.]
[Footnote 45: See Edw. IV.'s Office of Bakehouse, H.Ord. p.68-70. 'The sergeaunt of thys office to make continually of every busshell, halfe chiete halfe rounde, besydes the flowre for the Kinges mouthe, xxvii loves, every one weying, after one daye olde, xxiii ounces of troye weyghtes.' p.69.]
[Footnote 46: In Edward the Fourth's Court, 'Knyghts of Household, XII, bachelers sufficiant, and most valient men of that ordre of every countrey' had 'to serve the King of his bason.' H.Ord. p.33.]
[Footnote 47: Replier, To redouble, to bow, fould, or plait into many doublings. Cotgrave.]
[Footnote 48: Napkins? O. Fr. brueroi is bruyre, heath.]
[Footnote 49: ? Du. zijgen (door een zifte ofte Stramijn), to runne (through a Sift or a Strainer.). een Suyle a Pale or a Water-pale. Hexham.]
[Footnote 50: covers. 'Ovyr quelmyd or ouer hyllyde. Obvolutus.' P.Parv.]
[Footnote 51: A.S. flett, room, hall.]
[Footnote 52: See The Almonry of Henry VIII. A.D. 1526, H.Ord. p.154, and p.144; A.D. 1539, H.Ord. p.239.]
[Footnote 53: Edward IV. had 'Bannerettes, IIII, or Bacheler Knights, to be kervers and cupberers in his Courte.' 'The kerver at the boarde, after the King is passed it, may chese for hymself one dyshe or two, that plentie is among.... Theis kervers and cupberers ... them nedeth to be well spede in taking of degree in the schole of urbanytie.' H.Ord. p.32-3.]
[Footnote 54: See the 'Office of Chaundlerye,' H.Ord. p.82-3. Paris candles, torches, morters, tortayes, sizes, and smalle lightes, are mentioned there.]
[Footnote 55: Torche. Cereus. P.Parv.]
[Footnote 56: ? same as tortayes, p.192, note 2 [[28]]; p.204,n. [[54]] ]
[Footnote 57: Pryket, of a candylstykke, or other lyke. Stiga, P.Parv. Candlesticks (says Mr Way) in ancient times were not fashioned with nozzles, but with long spikes or prykets.... (See wood cut at the end of this book.) In the Memoriale of Henry, prior of Canterbury, A.D. 1285, the term prikett denotes, not the candlestick, but the candle, formed with a corresponding cavity at one end, whereby it was securely fixed upon the spike. p.413, n. 1. Henry VIII.'s allowance 'unto our right dere and welbilovede the Lady Lucy,' July 16, 1533, included 'at our Chaundrye barr, in Wynter, every night oon preket and foure syses of Waxe, with eight Candells white lights, and oon Torche.' Orig. Letters, ed. Ellis, Series I., vol. ii. p.31.]
[Footnote 58: See note 1, p.189. [[16]] ]
* * * * * * * * *
NOTES TO THE BOOK OF CURTASYE.
[Transcriber's Note:
This section originally appeared near the end of the volume, immediately before the General Index.]
p.188, l.377-8, Statut. The only Statute about horse-hire that I can find, is 20 Ric. II. cap.5, A.D. 1396-7, given below. Isuppose the Foure pens of l.376 of the Boke of Curtasye was the price fixed by "the kyngis crye" or Proclamation, l.378, or by the sheriff or magistrates in accordance with it as the "due Agreement to the party" required by the Statute.
"Item. Forasmuch as the Commons have made Complaint, that many great Mischiefs Extortions & Oppressions be done by divers people of evil Condition, which of their own Authority take & cause to be taken royally Horses and other Things, and Beasts out of their Wains Carts and Houses, saying & devising that they be to ride on hasty Messages & Business, where of Truth they be in no wise privy of any Business or Message, but only in Deceit & Subtilty, by such Colour and Device to take Horses, and the said Horses hastily to ride & evil entreat, having no Manner of Conscience or Compassion in this Behalf, so that the said Horses become all spoiled and foundered, paying no manner of Thing nor penny for the same, nor giving them any manner of sustenance; and also that some such manner of people, changing & altering their Names, do take and ride such Horses, and carry them far from thence to another Place, so that they to whom they belong, can never after by any mean see, have again, nor know their said Horses where they be, to the great Mischief Loss Impoverishment & Hindrance of the King's poor People, their Husbandry, and of their Living: Our Lord the King willing, for the Quietness and Ease of his People, to provide Remedy thereof, will & hath ordained, That none from henceforth shall take any such Horse or Beast in Such Manner, against the Consent of them to whom they be; and if any that do, and have no sufficient Warrant nor Authority of the King, he shall be taken and imprisoned till he hath made due Agreement to the Party."
That this seizing of horses for the pretended use of the king was no fancied grievance, even in much later times, is testified by Roger Ascham's letter to Lord Chancellor Wriothesley (?in 1546A.D.) complaining of an audacious seizure of the horse of the invalid Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, on the plea that it was to carry the king's fish, whereas the seizer's own servant was the nag's real burden: "tentatum est per hominem apud nos valde turbulentum, nomine Maxwellum." Ascham's Works, ed. Giles, v.1, p.99. In vols. ix., x., and xi. of Rymer, Ifind no Proclamation or Edict about horse-hire. In 1413 Henry V.'s Herbergeator is to provide Henry le Scrop, knight, with all that he wants "Proviso semper qud idem Henricus pro hujusmodi Foenis, Equis, Carectis, Cariagiis, & aliis necessariis, per se, seu Homines & Servientes suos prdictos, ibidem capiendis, fideliter solvat & satisfaciat, ut est justum." Rymer, ix. 13.
The general rule shown by the documents in Rymer is that reasonable payments be made.
De Equis pro Cariagio Gunnorum Regis capiendis.
A.D. 1413 (1 Sept.), An. 1. Hen. V. Pat. 1, Hen. V. p.3, m.19. Rex, Dilectis sibi, Johanni Sprong, Armigero, & Johanni Louth Clerico, Salutem.
Sciatis quod Assignavimus vos, conjunctim & divisim, ad tot Equos, Boves, Plaustra, & Carectas, quot pro Cariagio certorum Gunnorum nostrorum, ac aliarum Rerum pro eisdem Gunnis necessarium, a Villa Bristolli usque Civitatem nostram Londoni, indiguerint, tm infra Libertates, qum extea (Feodo Ecclesi dumtaxat excepto) pro Denariis nostris, in hac parte rationabiliter solvendis Capiendum & Providendum. Rymer, ix. p.49.
So in 1417 the order to have six wings plucked from the wing of every goose (except those commonly called Brodoges—? brood geese—) to make arrows for our archers, says that the feathers are rationabiliter solvendis. See also p.653.
p.188, l.358. The stuarde and his stafe. Cp. Cavendish's Life of Wolsey (ed. Singer, i.34), "he had in his hall, daily, three especial tables furnished with three principal officers; that is to say, a Steward, which was always a dean or a priest; a Treasurer, a knight; and a Comptroller, an esquire; which bare always within his house their white staves.
"Then had he a cofferer, three marshals, two yeomen ushers, two grooms, and an almoner. He had in the hall-kitchen two clerks of his kitchen, aclerk comptroller, a surveyor of the dresser, a clerk of his spicery." See the rest of Wolsey's household officers, p.34-9.
p.190, l.409. Ale. See in Notes on the Months, p.418, the Song "Bryng us in good ale," copied from the MS. song-book of an Ipswich Minstrel of the 15th century, read by Mr Thomas Wright before the British Archological Association, August, 1864, and afterwards published in The Gentleman's Magazine. P.S.—The song was first printed complete in Mr Wright's edition of Songs & Carols for the Percy Society, 1847, p.63. He gives Ritson's incomplete copy from Harl. MS. 541, at p.102.
Bryng us in good ale, and bryng us in good ale; For owr blyssyd lady sak, bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no browne bred, fore that is made of brane, Nor bryng us in no whyt bred, for therin is no game; But bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no befe, for there is many bonys; But bryng us in good ale, for that goth downe at onys, And bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no bacon, for that is passing fate; But bryng us in good ale, and gyfe us i-nought of that, And bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no mutton, for that is often lene, Nor bryng us in no trypes, for thei be syldom clene; But bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no eggys, for ther ar many schelles; But bryng us in good ale, and gyfe us no[th]yng ellys, And bryng us in good ale.
Bryng vs in no butter, for therin ar many herys Nor bryng us in no pygges flesch, for that will make us borys; But bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no podynges, for therin is al Godes-good; Nor bryng us in no venesen, for that is not for owr blood; But bryng us in good ale.
Bryng us in no capons flesch, for that is ofte der; Nor bryng us in no dokes flesche, for thei slober in the mer; But bryng us in good ale.
See also the other ale song at p.81 of the same volume, with the burden
Doll thi ale, doll; doll thi ale, doll; Ale mak many a mane to have a doty poll.
p.191, l.435, Gromes. "the said four groomes, or two of them at the least, shall repaire and be in the King's privy chamber, at the farthest between six and seven of the clock in the morning, or sooner, as they shall have knowledge that the King's highnesse intendeth to be up early in the morning; which groomes so comen to the said chamber, shall not onely avoyde the pallets, but also make ready the fire, dresse and straw the chamber, purgeing and makeing cleane of the same of all manner of filthynesse, in such manner and wise as the King's highnesse, at his upriseing and comeing thereunto, may finde the said chamber pure, cleane, whollsome, and meete, without any displeasant aire or thing, as the health, commodity, and pleasure of his most noble person doth require." Household Ordinances, p.155, cap.56, A.D. 1526.
* * * * * * * * *
Errata (noted by transcriber):
de Worde, Boke of Keruynge
M.CCCC.xiij. [text unchanged: end of selection has "CCCCC"] [Sidenote: ewynge of] [text shown as printed: probably "Sewynge of Flesshe" with printing defect] [Sidenote: Keruynge of Flesshe.] [editor's spelling; the same sidenote is used in the "Seruyce" section, following] [Sidenote: Rittern. Salt, the sauce.] [text unchanged: error for "Bittern"?] [Sidenote: Carp, Trout, Conger, Thornback] [comma after "Carp" added] The Marshall and the vssher muste knowe ... [in the list following, line-final punctuation is as in the original] all these may svt two or thre [text unchanged: printing error for "syt"?] Salanx [Salachx] Sele turrentyne, p.166, l. 8 [l, 8]
Boke of Curtesye
l. 201 [Sidenote: Go on the pilgrimages (?) ....] ["pilgrim / ages" at line break with room for hyphen] [question mark in original] l. 267 Also a wyfe be-falle of ry[gh]t [corrected by editor from "be, falle"] l. 394-5 (unnumbered header between lines) Sidenote Fire shall burn in the Hall. [corrected by editor from final comma; Corrigenda gives line reference as 393] ll. 462-64 ... hete ... sett; ... let, [Line-ending punctuation changed by editor from ... hete. ... sett, ... let;] ll. 468-69 ... sett / In syce; [Punctuation changed by editor from ... set, / In syce] l. 676 [Sidenote: ... and the spoon handle by it.] ["spoon handle" changed by editor from "steel spoon"] [Footnote 15: ... p. *30] [asterisked number in original] [Footnote 27: ... P.Parv. See note 3, p.160.] [reference is to P. Parv., not to present book] [Footnote 34: See the 'Countroller of this houshold royall,' ...] ["Countroller...] [Footnote 55: ... H.Ord. p.32-3.] [final period (full stop) missing] [Footnote 58: ...] [Footnote 60: ...] [footnote numbers in double brackets added by transcriber]
Boke of Curtesye: notes
the order to have six wings plucked from the wing of every goose [text unchanged: error for "six feathers"?]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Booke of Demeanor
and
the Allowance and Disallowance
of
certaine Misdemeanors
in
Companie,
[From the reprint by Bensley & Sons (in 1817) of "The Booke of Demeanor from Small Poems entitled The Schoole of Vertue by Richard Weste," 1619, 12mo.]
To the Reader.
R Ightly conceiue me, and obserue me well, I Doe what heere is done for Childrens good, C Hrist in his Gospell (as S. Marke doth tell) H Ath not forbidden Children, nor withstood A Ny that should but aske the ready way, R Egarding Children, not to say them nay. D Irecting all that came, how faith should be,
W Hat they should crave of Gods high Majestie, E Ven Salvation, through their faithful Prayer, S Ending their contemplations into the ayre, T O his high throne, whose love so guide us all E Ven to the end we neuer cease to call.
[N.B.—The stops and sidenotes are those of the original, but that has no Headlines.]
The Booke of
Demeanor.
[Sidenote: Serving at the table.]
Stand straight vpright, and both thy feet together closely standing, Be sure on't, ever let thine eye be still at thy commanding. 4
Observe that nothing wanting be which should be on the bord.
[Sidenote: Silence]
Vnlesse a question moved be, be carefull: not a word. 8
[Sidenote: Serving or filling drinke.]
If thou doe give or fill the drinke, with duty set it downe, And take it backe with manlike cheere not like a rusticke Lowne. 12
[Sidenote: [p.6.]]
[Sidenote: If on an errand.]
If on an errand thou be sent, make haste and doe not stay, When all have done, observe the time, serve God and take away. 16
[Sidenote: To schoole againe.]
When thou hast done and dined well, remember thou repaire To schoole againe with carefulnesse, be that thy cheefest care. 20
And marke what shall be read to thee, or given thee to learne, That apprehend as neere as may be, wisdome so doth warne. 24
With stedfast eye and carefull eare, remember every word Thy Schoole master shall speake to thee, as memory shall afford. 28
[Sidenote: [p.7.]]
[Sidenote: To use the browes.]
Let not thy browes be backward drawn, it is a signe of pride, Exalt them not, it shewes a hart most arrogant beside. 32
[Sidenote: The eyes.]
Nor let thine eyes be gloting downe, cast with a hanging looke: For that to dreamers doth belong, that goodnesse cannot brooke. 36
[Sidenote: The forehead.]
Let forehead joyfull be and full, it shewes a merry part, And cheerefulnesse in countenance, and pleasantnesse of heart. 40
[Sidenote: Countenance.]
Nor wrinckled let thy countenance be, still going to and fro: For that belongs to hedge-hogs right, they wallow even so. 44
[Sidenote: [p.8.]]
[Sidenote: The nose.]
Nor imitate with Socrates, to wipe thy snivelled nose Vpon thy cap, as he would doe, nor yet upon thy clothes. 48
But keepe it cleane with handkerchiffe, provided for the same, Not with thy fingers or thy sleeve, therein thou art too blame. 52
[Sidenote: Blowing or breathing.]
Blow not alowd as thou shalt stand, for that is most absurd, Iust like a broken winded horse. it is to be abhord. 56
[Sidenote: Snuffling in the nose when you speake.]
Nor practize snufflngly to speake, for that doth imitate The brutish Storke and Elephant, yea and the wralling cat. 60
[Sidenote: [p.9.]]
[Sidenote: Neezing.]
If thou of force doe chance to neeze, then backewards turne away From presence of the company, wherein thou art to stay. 64
[Sidenote: The Cheekes.]
Thy cheekes with shamefac't modesty, dipt in Dame Natures die, Not counterfet, nor puffed out, observe it carefully. 68
[Sidenote: Breathing.]
Keepe close thy mouth, for why, thy breath may hap to give offence, And other worse may be repayd for further recompence. 72
[Sidenote: Lips.]
Nor put thy lips out like a foole as thou wouldst kisse a horse, When thou before thy betters art, and what is ten times worse, 76
[Sidenote: [p.10.]]
[Sidenote: Yawning.]
To gape in such unseemely sort, with ugly gaping mouth, Is like an image pictured a blowing from the south. 80
Which to avoyd, then turne about, and with a napkin hide That gaping foule deformity, when thou art so aside. 84
[Sidenote: Laughing.]
To laugh at all things thou shalt heare, is neither good nor fit, It shewes the property and forme of one with little wit. 88
[Sidenote: Biting the lip.]
To bite the lip it seemeth base, for why, to lay it open, Most base dissembling doggednesse, most sure it doth betoken. 92
[Sidenote: [p.11.]]
[Sidenote: Biting the upper lip.]
And so to bite the upper lip doth most uncomely shew, The lips set close (as like to kisse) in manner seeme not so. 96
[Sidenote: The tongue.]
To put the tongue out wantonly, and draw it in agen, Betokens mocking of thy selfe, in all the eyes of men, 100
[Sidenote: Spitting.]
If spitting chance to move thee so thou canst it not forbeare, Remember do it modestly, consider who is there. 104
If filthiness, or ordure thou upon the floore doe cast, Tread out, and cleanse it with thy foot, let that be done with haste. 108
[Sidenote: [p.12.]]
[Sidenote: Hammering in speech.]
If in thy tale thou hammering stand, or coughing twixt thy words, It doth betoken a liers smell, that's all that it affords. 112
[Sidenote: Belching.]
To belch or bulch like Clitipho, whom Terence setteth forth, Commendeth manners to be base, most foule and nothing worth. 116
[Sidenote: Vomiting.]
If thou to vomit be constrain'd, avoyd from company: So shall it better be excus'd, if not through gluttony. 120
[Sidenote: Keeping the teeth cleane.]
Keep white thy teeth, and wash thy mouth with water pure and cleane, And in that washing, mannerly observe and keep a meane. 124
[Sidenote: Kembing the head.]
[Sidenote: [p.13.]]
Thy head let that be kembd and trimd, let not thy haire be long, It is unseemely to the eye, rebuked by the tongue. 128
[Sidenote: Hanging down the head]
And be not like a slothfull wight, delighted to hang downe The head, and lift the shoulders up, nor with thy browes to frowne. 132
[Sidenote: Carriage of the body.]
To carry up the body faire, is decent, and doth shew A comely grace in any one, Where ever he doth goe. 136
[Sidenote: Hanging the head aside.]
To hang the head on any side, doth shew hypocrisie: And who shall use it trust him not, he deales with policie. 140
[Sidenote: [p.14.]]
[Sidenote: Privy members.]
Let not thy privy members be layd open to be view'd, It is most shamefull and abhord, detestable and rude. 144
[Sidenote: Urine or winde.]
Retaine not urine nor the winde, which doth thy body vex, So it be done with secresie, let that not thee perplex. 148
[Sidenote: Sitting.]
And in thy sitting use a meane, as may become thee well, Not straddling, no nor tottering, and dangling like a bell. 152
[Sidenote: Curtesie.]
Observe in Curtesie to take a rule of decent kinde, Bend not thy body too far foorth, nor backe thy leg behind. 156
[Sidenote: The gate in going.]
[Sidenote: [p.15.]]
In going keep a decent gate, not faining lame or broken, For that doth seeme but wantonnesse, and foolishnesse betoken. 160
[Sidenote: Apparrell.]
Let thy apparrell not exceede, to passe for sumptuous cost, Nor altogether be too base, for so thy credit's lost. 164
Be modest in thy wearing it, and keep it neat and cleane, For spotted, dirty, or the like, is lothsome to be seene. 168
This for thy body may suffice, how that must ordred be: Now at the Church thou shalt observe to God how all must be. 172
[No doubt incomplete, or to be inserted before Cap. v. of Weste's Schoole of Vertue, at the end of this Part. F.J.F.]
* * * * * * * * *
Bp. Grossetest's Household Statutes.
[Sloane MS. 1986, p. 193, ab. 1450-60. The last page mentions the 19th year of Henry VI., A.D. 1440-1.]
[Transcriber's Note:
The Statutes were printed as a single paragraph. The text has been broken up for readability, using the original paragraph marks . Sidenotes that do not correspond to numbered items are marked with lower-case letters. The first three sidenotes, from the original MS, were printed in larger type.]
Incipiunt statuta familie bone Memorie do{m}pni Rob{er}ti Grossetest, lincoln{i}e ep{iscop}i.
[a] Let alle men be warned {a}t s{er}uen [gh]ou, and warnyng be [gh]eue to all{e} me{n} that be of howseholde, to {ser}ue god and [gh]ou trewly & diligently and to p{er}formyng, or the wyllyng of god to be p{er}formed and fulfyllydde.
[Sidenote: p{ri}m{us} u{e}r{sicu}l{us}]
[b] Fyrst let s{er}uaunt{is} doo p{er}fytely in all{e} thyng{is} youre wylle, and kepe they [gh]oure {com}maundement{is} after god and ry[gh]thwysnesse, and w{i}t{h}-oute co{n}dicio and also w{i}t{h}-oute gref or offense. And sey [gh]e, that be p{ri}ncipall{e} heuede or prelate to all{e} [gh]oure s{er}uaunt{is} both{e} lesse and mor{e}, that they doo fully, reedyly, and treuly, w{i}t{h}-oute offense or ayenseyng, all{e} youre wille & co{m}maundement that is not ayeynys god.
[Sidenote: 2^us]
[Sidenotes: [a] All servants should serve truly God and their Master; [b] doing fully all that their Master orders, without answering.]
T the secunde ys, that [a] [gh]e co{m}maunde them that kepe and haue kepyng of [gh]oure howseholde, a-fore [gh]oure meynye, that bothe w{i}t{h}-in and w{i}t{h}-oute the meynye be trewe, honest, diligent, both{e} chast and p{ro}fitabulle.
[Sidenote: 3^us]
the thrydde: co{m}maunde ye that [b] noma be admittyd in [gh]oure howseholde, nother inwarde nother vtwarde, but hit be trustyd and leuyd that [gh]e be trewe and diligent, and namely to that office to the whiche he is admyttyd; Also {a}t he be of goode man{er}s
[Sidenotes: [a] The upper servants must be honest and diligent, [b] and engage no untrusty or unfit man.]
The fowreth{e}: be hit sow[gh]ht and examined ofte tymys yf ther be ony [a] vntrewman, vnkunnyng, vnhonest, lecherous, stryffull{e}, drunke[p.194]lewe, vnp{ro}fitabull{e}, yf there be ony suche yfunde or diffamydde vppon these thyng{is}, that they be caste oute or put fro the howseholde.
[Sidenotes: iv. [a] Dishonest, quarrelsome, and drunken servants must be turned out.]
The fyft: co{m}maunde [gh]e that in no wyse be in the howseholde men debatefull{e} or stryffull{e}, but that all{e} be of oo a-corde, of oo wylle, euen lyke as in them ys oon mynde and oon sowle.
The sixte: co{m}maunde [gh]e that all{e} tho that s{er}uen in ony offyce be obedient, and redy, to the{m} that be a-bofe them in thyng{is} that p{er}teyny to there office.
The seuenth{e}: co{m}maunde [gh]e that [gh]oure gentilmen yome{n} and other, dayly bere and were there robis in [gh]oure p{re}sence, and namely at the mete, for [gh]oure worshyppe, and not oolde robis and not cordyng to the lyu{er}ey, nother were they oolde schoon ne fylyd.
[Sidenotes: v. All must be of one accord, vi. obedient to those above them, vii. dress in livery, and not wear old shoes.]
The viij: Commaunde [gh]e that [gh]oure almys be kepyd, & not sende not to boys and knafis, nother in the hall{e} nothe out{e} of e hall{e}, ne be wasted in soperys ne dyners of gromys, but wysely, temp{er}atly, w{i}t{h}-oute bate or betyng, be hit distribute and the[n] dep{ar}tyd to powre me, beggers, syke folke and febull{e}.
The ix.: Make [gh]e [gh]oure owne howseholde to sytte in the all{e}, as muche as ye mow or may, at the bordis of oon p{ar}te and of the other p{ar}te, and lette them sitte to-gedur as mony as may, not here fowre and thre there: and when youre chef maynye be sett, then all{e} gromys may [p.195] entre, sitte, And ryse
[Sidenotes: viii. Order your Alms to be given to the poor and sick. ix. Make all the household dine together in the Hall.]
The x.: Streytly for-bede [gh]e that no wyfe[A] be at [gh]oure mete. [a]And sytte [gh]e eu{er} in the myddul of the hye borde, that youre fysegge and chere be schewyd to all{e} me of bothe p{ar}tyes, and that [gh]e may see ly[gh]htly the s{er}uic{is} and defawt{is}: and diligently see [gh]e that eu{er}y day in [gh]oure mete seson be two men ordeyned to ou{er}-se youre mayny, and of that they shall{e} drede [gh]ou
The xi: co{m}maunde [gh]e, and yeue licence as lytul tyme as ye may w{i}t{h} honeste to them that be in [gh]oure howseholde, to go home. And whenne [gh]e yeue licence to the{m}, Assigne [gh]e to them a short day of comyng a yeyne vnd{ur} peyne of lesyng ther{e} s{er}uice. [b] And yf ony ma speke ayen or be worth{e},[B] say to hym, "what! wille ye be lorde? ye wylle {a}t y s{er}ue you after [gh]oure wylle." and they that wylle not here that [gh]e say, effectually be they ywarnyd, and ye shall{e} p{ro}uide other s{er}uant{is} the which{e} shall{e} s{er}ue you to your{e} wylle or plesyng.
[Sidenotes: x. Let no woman dine with you. [a] Let the Master show himself to all. [b] Don't allow grumbling. xi. Let your servants go to their homes.
The xij is: {comman}d the panyt{r}ere w{i}t{h} youre brede, & the botelare w{i}t{h} wyne and ale, come to-gedur afore [gh]ou at the tabull{e} afore gracys, [a] And let be there thre yome{n} assigned to s{er}ue the hye tabull{e} and the two syde tabullis in solenne dayes;
And ley they not the vessels deseruyng for ale and wyne vppon the tabull{e},[p.196] but afore you, But be thay layid vnder e tabull{e}.
The 13: co{m}maunde ye the stywarde {a}t he be besy and diligent to kepe the maynye i{n} hys owne p{er}sone i{n}warde and vtwarde, and namely in the hall{e} and at mete, that they be-haue them selfe honestly, w{i}t{h}-out stryffe, fowlespekyng, and noyse; And that they that be ordeynyd to sette messys, [b] bryng them be ordre and c{on}tinuelly tyl all{e} be s{er}ued, and not inordinatly, And thorow affeccion [C] to p{er}sonys or by specialte; And take [gh]e hede to this tyl messys be fully sett in the hall{e}, and aft{er} tende ye to [gh]oure mette.
[Sidenotes: xii. Tell your Panter and Butler to come to the table before grace. [a] Tell off three yeomen to wait at table. xiii. Tell the Steward to keep good order in the Hall, [b] and serve every one fairly.]
The xiiij: c{om}maunde [gh]e {a}t youre dysshe be well{e} fyllyd and hepid, and namely of ent{er}mes, and of pitance w{i}t{h}-oute fat, carkyng that [gh]e may p{ar}te coureteysly to thoo that sitte beside, bothe of the ryght hande and the left, thorow all{e} the hie tabulle, and to other as plesyth{e} you, thow[gh]ght they haue of the same that ye haue. At the sop{er} be s{er}uant{is} s{er}uid of oon messe, & by[gh]th met{is}, & aft{er} of chese. And yf the[r] come gest{is}, s{er}uice schall{e} be haued as nedyth{e}. The xv: co{m}maunde ye the officers that they admitte youre knowlechyd men, familiers frendys, and strangers, w{i}t{h} mery chere, the wh[i]che they knowen you to wille for to admitte and receyue, and to them the whiche wylle you worschipe, and [p.197] they wylle to do that ye wylle to do, that they may know them selfe to haue be welcome to [gh]ou, and to be welle plesyd that they be come. And al so much{e} as [gh]e may w{i}t{h}-oute p{er}il of sykenes & werynys ete [gh]e in the halle afore [gh]oure meyny, |
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