it.]

[32]

Yef ye be serued / with metes delicate
[Sidenote: Share dainties with your fellows:]
Departe with your felowe / in gentil wise
The clerck saith / nature is conte_n_t & saciate 220
With mene diete / and litil shall suffyse
Departe therfore / as I you deuyse
Engrose not / vnto your self all_e_
For gentilnes / wil aye be liberall_e_ 224
[Sidenote: gentleness is liberal.]

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[33]

And wan p_er_cace your_e_ seruice is not large,
Grucchith not wyth frownyng countenaunce,
Ne maketh not ther-of to mekell charge, 227
Disposeth you to goodly sufferaunce,
And what ye haue, take hit for suffisaunce;
Holde you pleased wyth that god hath you sent,
He hath Inough[1] that can hold hym content. 231
[Sidenote 1: MS. Inought.]

[34]

Burnysh no bonys wyth your_e_ tethe, be ware,
That houndis tecche fayleth of curtesie;
But wyth your_e_ knyff make the bonys bare; 234
Handell your_e_ mete so well and so clenly,
That ye offenden not the company
Where ye be sette, as ferre-forth as ye can;
Remembre well that man_er_ maketh man. 238

[35]

And whan your teeth shall cutte your_e_ mete small,
Wyth open mouth be ware that ye not ete,
But loke your_e_ lippis be closede as a wall, 241
Whan to &[1] fro ye trauers your_e_ mete;
[Sidenote 1: MS. a.]
Kepe you so close that men haue no conceite
To seyn of you langage of vilonye,
Be cause ye ete your_e_ mete vnma[ne]rly. 245

[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]

P) And wha_n_ p_er_caas yo_u_r s_er_vyce ys not large,
Groge not w_i_t_h_ frownynge covntenavnce,
Ne make ther-of not to mykyll[e] charge;
Dyspose you to goodly suffravnce, 228
& what ye haue, take yt in suffysavnce;
be you plesid w_i_t_h_ suche as god hath you sent;
he ha[=th] ynowgh [th]at ca_n_ hold hy_m_ co_n_tente.

[Sidenote: ffl C lxij back.]

P) Burnysshe no bonys w_i_t_h_ yo_u_r te[=th], be ware, 232
Suche hownd_is_ tacches fallen of vncurtesye,
but w_i_t_h_ yo_u_r knyfe make the bonys bare.
Handle yo_u_r mete so well[e] & so clenly
That ye offende not the company 236
wher ye be sette, as ferforthe as ye can,
Reme_m_bryng well[