434

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[63]

Than, litle childe, I councelle you that ye
Take hede vnto the norture that men vse,
Newe founden or Auncient whet[h]er hit be, 437
So shall no man your_e_ curteyse refuse;
The guise and custome shall you, my childe, excuse;
Mennys werkys haue often entirchaunge,
That nowe is norture, sumtyme had ben full straunge.

[64]

Thinges whilome vside ben layde aside,
And new fetis dayly ben contryvyde,
Men[nys actes] can in no plight abyde, 444
They ben chaungeable and oft mevide,
Thing some-tyme alowide is nowe reprevide,
And aftir this shall thingis vppe aryse,
That men sette nowe but [at] litle a prise. 448

[65]

Thus mene I, my childe, that ye shull vse and haunte
The guise of them that don most man_er_ly,
But be ware of vnthrefte ruskyn galaunte, 451
Counterfetour_e_ vncunnyng of curtesie,
His tecches ben infecte wyth vilonye,
Vngerde, vnblesside, seruyng at the table,
Me semeth hym s_er_u_a_unt full pendable. 455

[Sidenote: _Hill's Text_.]

[Sidenote: ffl C lxiiij back.]

P) Then litill[e] Ioh[=n], I co_n_sayle you _tha_t ye
Take hede to _th_e nortvres _tha_t me_n_ vse, 436
newe fownd or avncyent, whe_ther_ yt be;
So shall[e] no ma_n_ yo_u_r curtesye refuse;
_the_ gyse & custu_m_, my child, shall[e] you excuse.
Menys werkes haue oftyn enterchavnce; 440
_tha_t now ys norture, so_m_tyme hath be stravnge;

P) Thyng_is_ whylom vsed be now layd a-syde,
& newe fetes dayly be co_n_tryved:
Menys actes ca_n_ in no plyte abyde, 444
They be chavngable & ofte meved;
thynges su_m_tym_e_ alowed be now rep_re_ved;
& after this shall thynges vp a-ryse
that me_n_ sett now but at lytill[e] pryse: 448

P) This mene I, my child, _tha_t ye shall[e] havnte
_th_e gyse of the_m_ _tha_t do most manerly;
but be ware of onthryft[1] ruskyn gallavnte,
[Sidenote 1: A later hand has added _y_.]
Co_n_terfetter[2] of vnco_n_nyng curtessy, 452
[Sidenote 2: The _r_ is by a later hand.]
hys taches ben enfecte w_i_t_h_ vylonye;
Vngerte / vnblessed / s_er_vyng at table,
Me semeth hy_m_ a s_er_vavnte no thyng able;

CAXTON'S TEXT.

[63]