Caxton's Book of Curtesye by Frederick J. Furnivall
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Frederick J. Furnivall >> Caxton\'s Book of Curtesye
[Footnote 1: _Orig._ pryte.]
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[72]
To[1] cu_n_nyng p_er_sones regarde ye take,
[Sidenote 1: MS. The.]
Where ye be sette in right atentif wyse,
Connyng folke cu_n_nyng folke shulde make, 500
To theire goodnesse ye shalle make your_e_ su_m_mise,
And as thei do, ye mosten deuyse;
For this, my childe, is as the gospell treue,
Whoo wolle be cu_n_nyng muste the cu_n_nyng sewe.
[73]
And o thing I charge you speciall[ie],
To womanhode good kepe you take alway,
And them to serue loke that ye haue an eie, 507
Ther comau_n_dementis, my child_e_, loke ye obey,
Plesaunt wordis to them I warne you saye,
And in all wyse do your_e_ dilligence,
To do them plesur_e_, honoure, and reuerence. 511
[74]
As at this tyme this tretice shall suffice,
Disposeth you to kepe in your_e_ mynde
The doctrines whiche for you I deuyse, 514
And douteth not, fulle welle ye shall hit fynde;
To youre honoure enrolle hit vp and bynde
Ryght in your_e_ brest, and in your_e_ ryper age
I shall wryten you here-of the surplusage. 518
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
P) To co_n_nyng p_er_sones regarde ye take,
wher ye be sette, right i_n_ ententyf wyse;
Co_n_nyng folke co_n_nyng me_n_ shall[e] make; 500
to _ther_ co_n_nyng ye shall[e] make yo_u_r surmyse,
& as _the_i do, ye must yo_u_r selfe devyse;
ffor this, my child, ys as _th_e gospell[e] trewe,
'who will[e] be co_n_nyng, he must co_n_nyng sewe.' 504
P) And on thyng I warne you specyally:
to woma_n_hede take awe alway,
& the_m_ to s_er_ve loke ye haue an eye,
& _ther_ co_m_avndment_is_ _tha_t ye obeye; 508
Plesaunt word_is_ I avyse you to the_m_ saye,
& in all[e] wyse do ye yo_u_r delygence
To do the_m_ plesyre and reverence. 511
P) And at this tyme _th_is treatise shall[e] suffice;
Do pose you to kepe it in yo_u_r mynde,
_th_e doctryne which for you I devyse;
& dowteth not, full[e] well[e] ye shall[e] yt fynde
To yo_u_r honowr_e_; enrolle yt vp & bynde 516
Rig[=h]t i_n_ yo_u_r brest, & at yo_u_r ryper age
I shall[e] write you here-of the surplusage.
CAXTON'S TEXT.
[72]
To connynd_e_ perso[=n]s regarde ye take
[Sidenote: Watch knowing folk, and]
Where ye be sette / right in ententyf wyse
Connyng folk / connyng men shal make 500
To their co_n_nyng ye shal make your surmise
[Sidenote: their skill.]
And as they do / ye muste your self deuyse
For this my child_e_ / is as the gospel trewe
Who wil be co_n_nyng / he must [th]^e co_n_nyng sewe 504
[73]
And one thing / I warne you specyally
To womanhede / take awe alweye
[Sidenote: Specially attend to women, and]
And them to serue / loke ye haue an eye 507
And theire com_m_andementis that ye obeye
Plesant wordes I auyse you to them seye
[Sidenote: speak pleasant words to them.]
And in alle wyse / do ye your diligence
To do them plesure / and reuerence 511
[74]
And at this tyme this tretye shal suffise
[Sidenote: This is enough for the present.]
Dispose you / to kepe it in your mynde
[Sidenote: Mind you attend to it,]
The doctrine whiche for you I deuyse 514
And doubteth not / ful wel ye shal it finde
To your honour / enrolle it vp and bynde
Right in your breste / and at your riper age
I shal wryte to you / herof the surplusage 518
[Sidenote: and when you're older I'll write you the rest.]
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[75]
Goo, litle childe, and who doth you Appose,
Seying, your_e_ quaire kepeth non accordaunce,
Tell [hym], as yite neyther of ryme ne prose 521
Ye be experte; pray hym of sufferaunce;
Childer must be of childly gouernaunce,
And they must also entredet[1] be
[Sidenote 1: _Read_ entreted]
Wyth esy thyng, [and not] of subtilte. 525
[76]
Your_e_ lytil quaier su_m_mitteth euery where
To corecc_i_on and beneuolence,
But where enuie is, loke hit come not there, 528
For eny thing kepith your_e_ trety thense;
Enuie is full of frowarde reprehense,
And howe to hurte liethe eu_er_e in awayte,
Kepeth your_e_ quaier_e_, that hit be not her baite.
EXPLICIT.
DOMINE, SALUU_M_ FAC REGEM.
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
P) Go, litill[e] Ioh[=n], & who doth you oppose,
sayenge yo_u_r quayre, kepeth no_n_ accordavnce; 520
Tell[e] hy_m_ as 3*et neyther_e_ i_n_ ryme ne p_r_ose
ye ben exp_er_te; p_ra_y hy_m_ of suffraunce.
Chyldren[1] muste be of childy gou_er_navnce,
[Sidenote 1: MS. Clyldren.]
& also _the_i muste entreted be 524
W_i_t_h_ easy thynge, & not w_i_t_h_ subtilte.
P) Go, lytill[e] quayer, submyte you eu_er_y where
vnder correcc_i_on of benevolence;
& wher envy ys, loke you cu_m_ not ther_e_, 528
ffor any thyng kepe yo_u_r treatye thens;
Envye ys full of froward reprehens,
& how to hurte lyeth ever i_n_ a-wayte;
kepe yo_u_r quayre _th_at yt be not ther bayte. 532
Here endyth A lytyll[e] treatyse
called _th_e boke of curtesy or litill[e] Ioh_a_n.
CAXTON'S TEXT.
[75]
Go lytyl Io[=h]n / and who doth you appose
[Sidenote: Whoever questions you,]
Sayng your quayer / kepe non accordance
Telle hym as yet / neyther in ryme ne prose 521
Ye ben expert / praye hym of suffra[=n]ce
[Sidenote: say you are not yet up in rime or prose.]
Chyldren muste be / of chyldly gouerna[=n]ce
And also they muste entretyd_e_ be
With esy thing / and not with subtylte 525
[76]
Go lytil quayer / submytte you euery where
Vnder correct_i_on of benyuolence
[Sidenote: Little book, I submit you to correction:]
And where enuye is / loke ye come not there 528
[Sidenote: but go not where envy is.]
For ony thing_e_ / kepe your tretye thens
Enuye is ful of froward reprehens
And how to hurte / lyeth euer in a wayte
Kepe your quayer / that it be not ther bayte 532
Explicit the book of curtesye.
INDEX.
H. stands for Hill's MS. at the bottom of the pages, O. for the Oriel
MS. on the even pages. Cot. is for Cotgrave's Dictionary.
Absolom with dissheveled hair, l. 460.
Amyse, l. 376, amice. Fr. _amict_, an Amict or Amice, part of a massing
priest's habit. Cot. From L. _amicire_, to throw round; _am_ and
_jacere_. Mahn.
Annoy no man, l. 170.
Apayer, l. 399 H., appeyre, O., worsen, impair.
Apish, don't let your dress be, l. 486.
Appose, l. 519, question. _See_ Oppose.
Avale, l. 457, lower, take off.
Ave Maria, say, l. 27, 77.
Avoyde, l. 271, emptying.
Austin, St, tells men how to behave at table, l. 158.
Author is old, l. 414-18.
Authors, the right ones to read, l. 323, 335, 351, 365, 393.
Bearing, men praised or blamed for their, l. 153.
Belch not, l. 202.
Beware of ruskyn, l. 451.
Birds and beasts, don't throw stones at, l. 64.
Blow not in your drink, l. 190.
Brecheles, l. 300, without breeches, of flogging.
Breth, l. 203, wind.
Capron, H., chappron, O., l. 457. O. Fr. _Chaperon_, "habillement de
tete." Roquefort. Provencal, _capayron,_ from Lat. _caput_. Skeat.
_Chaperon_ ... any hood, bonnet ... _Vn Chaperon fait a i'en veux_, A
notable whipster or twigger; a good one I warrant her. Cotgrave. 'Capron
hardy' must then be 'a bold or saucy young scamp.'
Cantelmele, l. 409, piecemeal: _cantel_, a corner, bit.
CHAUCER, read his works full of pleasance, l. 335-350.
Chere, l. 131, face, expression on it.
Childly, _adj._ l. 523, O., childy, H., fitted for children.
Children are like wax, l. 6.
Church, how to behave at, l. 71-98.
Clappe, l. 80, noise.
Claw not your visage, l. 194.
Comb your head, l. 36.
Communicative, be, l. 316.
Compace, l. 469. Fr. _compas_, a compasse, a circle, a round.
Constaunce, l. 102. Fr. _constance_, stabilitie, firmenesse. Cot.
Couenable, l. 487. Fr. _convenable_, apt, fit, meet for, beseeming,
seemlie, &c. Cot.
Crede, say it, l. 77.
Cross yourself on rising, l. 25.
Cumpenable, l. 151. Fr. _compagnable_, companable, friendlie, sociable.
Cunning, (knowing) men, take heed to them, l. 478, l. 498-504.
Cup, soil not yours, l. 186.
Dancing, right for a child, l. 305.
Deprave, l. 157, backbite, run down. Fr. _despraver_, spoyle, marre,
make crooked, wrest, wry to bad purposes. Cot.
Detraction, the vice of, l. 163.
Disauayle, l. 290, harm, damage.
Discreue, l. 392, describe.
Disculede, l. 460, O., dissheveled.
Disteyne, l. 407, stain, spot.
Dogs, don't irritate them, l. 67.
Dress, to be manerly, l. 47, 52; to be reasonable, l. 485.
Ears, clean yours, l. 37.
Entredet, l. 524, O., entretyde, H., taught.
Envy, keep clear of, l. 528.
Estate, l. 122, lord noble.
Exercyse, excersyf, l. 318, _?_ practised, able to handle a subject. Fr.
_exercer_, to handle, manage. Cot.
Eye, cast not yours aside, l. 101.
Face, have no spots on it, l. 38.
Farsyone, l. 186, H., stuffing: _farse_ (or _ferce_, 1. 191), to stuff;
_farsure_, stuffing. Cp. Chaucer's _ferthyng_, of the Prioress, _Prol.
Cant. T._, and the Oriel text.
Fetis, l. 443, O., fashions. Fr. _faict_, feat, pranke, part. Cot.
Fewe, l. 171, little, few words.
First place, don't take it, l. 493.
Follow virtue, l. 481.
Founders of our language; revive their praise, l. 431.
Fulsom, l. 257, _?_ full, satisfied; or helpful, A.S. _fylst_, help,
assistance.
Fulsomnes, l. 401, fulness, plenty. 'Fulnesse or plente (fulsu_m_nesse,
K.H.P.) _Habundancia, copia_.' Promptorium.
Games, play only at proper ones, l. 296.
Girdle, don't loose yours at table, l. 197.
Glaynes, l. 412, O., gleynes, l. 422, O., gleanings. Fr. _glane_, a
gleaning; also the corne thats gleaned or left for the gleaner. Cot.
Gluttonous, don't be, l. 180.
Good cheer, make it serve for a scanty table, l. 253-5.
GOWER'S moral writings, read them, l. 323; and his _Confessio Amantis_,
l. 325.
Halke, l. 124, generally means corner; A.S. _heal_, an angle, a corner;
but another _heal_ is a hall, place of entertainment, inn, which may be
the meaning here.
Hands, wash yours, l. 43; wash 'em clean at table, l. 262-5.
Hanging, the servant that deserves it, st. 65, O.
Harping recommended, l. 304.
Head, don't scratch it at table, l. 194.
Holy water, l. 72.
Humanite, l. 497, Fr. _humanite_, courtesie, ciuilitie, gentlenesse.
Cot.
Inhaunce, l. 433, put forward, up. Lat. _in antea_, Prov. _enansar_, to
advance, exalt. Wedgwood.
Interrupt no man's talk, l. 275, 283.
Is, l. 386, O., his.
Iubiter, l. 371, 378, God.
Jangelynge, l. 80, chattering.
Kery, l. 369, [Greek: kyrie], Lord, [have mercy upon us!]
Knife, don't put it near your face, l. 192.
Ladde, l. 476, O., lade, H., a thong of leather, a shoe-latchet.
Halliwell.
Language, silver, is to be learnt only from our old poets, st. 58, l.
400-6.
Lewed (ignorant), he must be who will not learn, l. 21.
Lips, wipe yours before drinking, l. 186, 189.
Look men, you speak to, in the face, l. 99.
Louse, l. 462, catching lice.
Luting recommended, l. 302.
LYDGATE, Jo[=h]n, my master, l. 365; read his volumes large and wide, l.
379.
Malapert, Jack, don't play, l. 491. Fr. _Mueiere_, malapert, outrageous,
ever doing one mischiefe or other. _Marmiton_, a saucie, malapert, or
knauish fellow. Cot.
Malouse, l. 461, Malo's.
Manner & measure should guide you, l. 125.
Manners make man, l. 238.
Mass, help the priest at, l. 85.
Matins, our Lady's, l. 32.
Mouth, eat with it shut, l. 241.
Multiply talking, don't, l. 320.
Nails, clean yours, l. 44; don't pare them at table, l. 247.
Norture, l. 436, deportment, manners.
Nose, clean it, l. 39; don't pick it, l. 41.
OCKLYF; read his translation of _De Regimine Principum_, l. 351-64.
Oppose, l. 518, 'I oppose one, I make a tryall of his lernyng, or I laye
a thyng to his charge, _ie appose_.' Palsgrave. See Towneley Mysteries,
pp. 193-95. Way, in Promptorium.
We may bi oure law examyne hym fyrst.... ... let me _oppose_
hym ...
_T. Myst_, p. 195.
Outrage, l. 278, outrageous, beyond bounds, too talkative. _See_
Malapert.
Owers, l. 34, see _pryme_.
Pater noster, say yours, l. 26, 77.
Pendable, l. 455, O., Fr. _pendable_, hangable, that deserves hanging,
thats fit to be hanged. Cot.
Poor table, men to be cheerful at, l. 253.
Presumption, beware of, l. 492.
Pride, beware of, l. 492.
Print your words in your mind before you speak them, l. 282.
Pryme & owers, l. 34. 'The _prime_ and other _hours_ are the services
_Ad primam horam_, _Ad tertiam_, _Ad sextam_, and _Ad nonam_, found in
the Primer, or layman's prayer-book. They are sometimes called the
middle hours, as distinguished from Matins and Vespers.' H. Bradshaw.
Quaire, l. 520, 526, 532, quire, pamphlet, treatise.
Ravenous, don't be, l. 176.
Read eloquent books, l. 310.
Rehersaylle, l. 288, rehearsal, repetition.
Repeat conversations, don't, l. 288.
Report (tale-telling) is the chief nurse of mischief, l. 135.
Reward, l. 127, look at, watch.
Rising, what to do on, l. 23.
Secret, keep what you hear, l. 134.
Sewe, l. 481, follow, pursue.
Silence, keep, l. 140; in hall, l. 204.
Siluerous, l. 403, O., silvern.
Singing lustily is good for a child, l. 304.
Speak fair to folks, l. 60.
Speaking, the conditions to be observed in, l. 143.
Spoon, don't put it in your dish or on the table, l. 267.
Surplusage, l. 518, rest, remainder.
Syttyng, l. 302, fit, suitable. 'Syttyng or convenyent--m. _asseant ...
aduenant_.' Palsgrave.
Table, how to wait at, l. 113.
Tacches, l. 176, tache, l. 198; Fr. _tache_, a spot, staine, blemish.
Cot.
Taches, H., teches, O., l. 453, manners.
Teeth, don't pick 'em with your knife, l. 248.
Terre, l. 67; _tar_, to set on, provoke; O. Fr. _atarier_. They have
_terrid_ thee to ire. Wiclif, Psalms. Sc. _tirr_, to snarl; quarrelsome,
crabbed. Wedgwood.
Thewed, l. 20, mannered.
Towel, don't soil it, l. 263, 266.
Traverse, l. 242, change from side to side.
Trencher; keep yours clean, l. 269.
Trety, l. 529, treatise.
True as the gospel, l. 503.
Weyne, l. 166, A.S. _wanian_, to diminish, take away.
Wind, break not, up or down, l. 202.
Wise man, the; his marks of a youth likely to be had, l. 104;--his
counsel as to speaking, l. 137, 147.
Women, always take good heed to them, l. 506.
Wyndlese, l. 471, windlass.
Yanglers, l. 207, chatterers.
Ydellye, l. 315, idly.
Ynympariable, l. 380, unequalled, L. _par_, Fr. _pareil_, equal, like.