quire
Ye may speke / but ye muste thenne p_er_caas
Seue_n_ co_n_dic_i_ons obserue / as ye may now hyre 143
[Sidenote: If you must speak, observe the seven conditions.]
Auyse you wel / what ye saye / & in what place
Of whom / & to whom in your mynde co_m_pace
How ye shal speke / & whan take good hede
This co_u_ncelith the wise man withoute drede 147

[22]

[Sidenote: Leaf 4 b.]

Awayte my chylde / ye be haue you manerly
Whan at your mete / ye sitte at the table
[Sidenote: When you're at meals,]
In euery prees and in euery company 150
Dispose you to be so compenable
[Sidenote: be companionable]
That men may of you reporte for _com_me_n_dable
For trusteth wel / vpon your beryng_e_
Men wil you blame or gyue preysyng_e_ 154

[23]

And prynte ye trewly your memorie
For a princypal point of fair noreture
Ye depraue no man absent especyally 157
[Sidenote: and don't run down absent men.]
Saynt austyn amonessheth with besy cure
[Sidenote: St. Austin.]
How men atte table / shold hem assure
That there escape them / no suche langage
As myght other folke hurte to disparage 161

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT

[24]

This curteise clarke writeth in ryght this wyse,
Rebukyng the vice of vile detracc_i_ou_n_;
'What man hit be that of custome and guise 164
Hurteth wyth his toung wyth foule corrosiou_n_
The absent wight, for that abusiou_n_
Suche detractoure [wayue][1] from this table
[Sidenote 1: A word loss.]
As vn-worthe, not to be reprocheable. 168

[25]

Whan ye sitten therfor at your_e_ repaste,
Annoyethe no man present nor absent,
But speketh feyre, for and ye make waste 171
Off [large] langage, for soth ye most be schent;
And wan ye speke, speketh wyth good entent
Of maters appendyng to myrth and plesaunce,
But nothyng that may causen men greuaunce. 175

[26]

Eschewe also taches of foule rauenyng,
Of gredy lust the vncurteyce appetite;
Pres not to sone to your_e_ viaunde, restraine 178
Your_e_ handis a while wyth manerly respytte;
Fedith for necessite, not for delite,
Demeneth you in mete and drink soo sobrely,
That ye be not infecte wyth gloteny.' 182

[Sidenote: