Book of Nurture, The

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¶The boke of nurture for men, seruauntes and chyldren, with Stans puer ad mensam newly corrected, very vtyle and necessary vnto all youth.

THere is fewe thynges to be vnderstande more necessary then to teache and gouerne chyldren in lernyng and good maner. For it is a hye seruyce to god / it encreaseth fauor, it multiplieth goodes, and encreaseth thy good name, it encreaseth prayer / and by prayer grace, and to vse chyldren in vertue and good lernynge. The cause of the worlde beynge so euyll in lyuyng as it is for lacke of vertue in youth. Whiche youthe sheweth the dysposycyon of theyr parents or maysters vnder whom they haue be gouerned. For youth is dysposed to take suche as they are accustomed in / good or euyll. For yf the conuersacyon of the gouernour be euyll: nedes muste the chylde be euyll. And thus by the chylde ye shall perceyue the dysposycyon of the gouernour. For of euyll examples manye daungers and abhomynable synnes foloweth. For the whiche bothe the discyple and the mayster shall suffer and dothe dayly. It is also necessary for a gouernour to vse them to fayre speche, and to sette well theyr wordes with a good aduisement without stamerynge. And yf ye put them to scole awaye frome you, se ye put them to a dyscrete mayster that can punysshe sharpely with pacyence

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and not with rygore, for it doth oftymes cause them to rebel and runne away: wherof chaunseth oftymes moche harme. Also theyr parentes oftymes muste instructe them of god / and of his lawes / and in vertuous instruccyons of the worde of god, and of other good example with suche other lyke. And thus by lytell and lytell they shall come to knowledge of reason, fayth, and good chrysten lyuynge. For as saynt Paule sayth to Timothe. He that dothe not regarde the cure and charge of them that are vnder the charge of theyr gouernaunce, he renyeth the fayth and is worse then a pagan. And take good hede of any newe seruauntes that ye take in-to your house and howe ye put them in any auctorite amonge your chyldren: and what ye gyue them take hede howe they spende it. Also to appose your seruauntes yf they can theyr byleue: also yf they brynge anye-thynge home that is mysse_taken, or tell tales, or newes of detraccyon, ye shall then sharplye reproue them / yf they wyll not lerne, auoyde them out of your house. For it is great quyetnes to haue people of good fassyon in your house. Nor apparell not your chyldren or seruauntes that are of lefull dyscrecyon in sumptuous apparell, for it encreaseth pryde and obstinacy and many other euylles oftymes. Nor let your chyldren go whyther they wyll, but knowe where they go / in what company and what they haue done good or euyll. Take hede they speake no wordes of vilany, for it causeth moche corruptyon to engender in them: nor shewe them to moche carnall loue. And se that they vse honest sportes and games. Marke well what vice they are specially enclined vnto (breake it by tyme: and somtyme vse them to heare the worde of god preached: and then enquyre of them what they herde preached, and vse them not to rede fayned fables, or vayne fantases, or of folysshe loue: it is tyme loste. For yf thou lerne pure and cleane doctryne in youthe, thou shalte powre out plenty of good and pure waters in thyne age: and yf any stryfe or debate be a_Sigs. A2 and A3 wanting in Bodleian copy; missing text added from 1560

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mong them at night, charitably cal them to_gether, and with wordes or stripes make them al to agre in one. Take heede if thy seruaunt or childe murmure or

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grudge against thee, breake it be_time. And when thou hearest them sweare or curse, lie or fight: thou shalt reproue them sharply. And ye that are frendes or kin, shal laboure how to make them to loue and drede you, as wel for loue as for feare.

The maner of seruing a knight, squier, or gentleman.

FYrst ye must be diligent to know your maisters pleasure, and to know the order and custome of his house. For diuers maisters are of sundrie condicions and apetites. And if thou be admytted in any office, as buttrie or pantrie, in some places thei are both one: take an inuitory inuitory: corrupt form of inventory; see OED s.v. invitorybread] brrad 1560 of suche thynges as ye take charge of, howe it is spent. For it pleaseth a maister muche to haue a trew rekenyng: then in your office of the pantry, se that your br[e]ad bread] brrad 1560 be chipped and squared, and note how much ye spend in one day. And se your napry cleane, and sort euery-thynge by it-selfe, the cleane from the foule, kepe euery house of office clene, and all that belongeth to it: when your maister will go to his meate, take a towell about your necke, then take a cupborde-cloth, a basen, ewer, and a towel, to araye your cupbord, couer your table, set on bread, salt, and trenchers, the salt before the bred, and trenchers before the salt: set your napkins and spones on the cupbord readie, and lay euery man a trencher, a napkin, and a spone: and yf ye haue mo meases then one at your maisters table, considre what degre thei be of, and therafter ye may serue them: and then set downe euerythyng at that mease as before, except your keruing-kniues: yf there be many gentlemen or yomen, then set on bread, salt, trenchers, spones after they be set, or els after the custom of the house. And some do vse to set before euery man a lofe of bread and his cup, and some vse the contrary thus must you haue respect to the order of the house, and in some places it is vsed to set dryncke, and a lofe or two.

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In some places the keruer doth vse to shew and set down and goth before the course and beareth no dish, and in some place, he beareth the first dish, and maketh obeysaunce to his maister, and setteth it downe couered before the degre of a knyght, or els not vsed, and take the couers and set them by. Also the karuer hath aucthoritie to karue to all at hys maysters mease, and also vnto other that syt ioyninge by them if he liste, see ye haue voyders readye for to auoyde the morsels that they doe leaue on theyr trenchers. Then with your trenchour-knife take of suche fragmentes, and put it in your voyder, and set them cleane a_gaine. Al your soueraignes trenchours, or breade, voyde theym once or twise, speciallye when they are wet, or geue theim cleane. And as ye se men leaue eatyng of the fyrst and second dishe so auoyde them from the table. And than if that so bee ye haue any more courses than one or two, ye maye make the more hast in voyding, and euer let one dishe or two stande til the next course, and than take vp al, and set downe fresh and cleane voyders withal, and let them not bee to ful or ye emptie them, and then set cleane agayn, and loke what sause is ordayned for anye meate, voyde the sause therof when ye take away the meate. And at the degre of a knyght ye may set down your cup couered, and lifte of the couer, and set it on a_gayne, and when he lysteth to drinke and taketh of the couer, take the couer in thy hand and set it on againe, when he hath dronken loke the cup of wyne or ale be not emptie, but oft renewed. Also the karuer shall break his dishe before his maister, or at a side cupbourde, with cleane kniues, and se there lacke not bread nor drinke, and when men haue wel eaten, and do begin to waxe wery of eating, or if ye perceyue by the countenaunce of your maister when ye shal take vp the meat, and voyde the table, begin at the lowest mease, take away your spones, if there be anye how-be-it ye may auoid them, after brothes and baked meates

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are past. Then take away your voiders and your dyshes of meate as they were set downe, so take them vp in order. Then set down chese or fruites, and that ended void your chese and fruites and couer your cup, ale or wyne, first voide the ale, and then the wine, then set on a brode voyder, and put therin the small peces of breade and small cromes, with trenchers and napkyns, and with your trencher-knife or napkin make clene the table, then set awaye your bread hole, and also your voyder, then take vp the salte and make obeysaunce, marke if your maister vse to wash at the table or standyng, if he be at the table, cast a cleane towell on your table-cloth, and set downe your basyn and ewer before your soueraigne, and take the ewer in your hande, and geue them water. Then voide your basin and ewer, and folde the borde-cloth togyther with your towell therin, and so take them of the bord. And when your soueraigne shal wasshe set your towel on the left hand of him, and the water before your soueraigne at dinner or supper, if it be to bedwarde, set vp your basin and your towel on the cupbord agayne. And yf your mayster wyll haue any conceytes after dynner, as apples nuttes, or creame, then lay forth a towel on the bord and set theron a lofe or two, see ye haue trenchers and spones in redynes if nede require, then serue forth your mayster wel, and so take it vp agayne with a voyder.

¶Howe to ordre your maisters chamber, at night to bedwarde.

ARay your cupbord with a cupborde-cloth with your basin, ewer, candell-light, and towell, yf ye haue helpe, set one to beare a torche or some other lyghte before, and another folowe to beare a towell and bread for your table as thou seest nede. And if you haue banket-disshes what-soeuer it be, as fruites put in sundrie disshes and all other confections and conceytes of spicerye, also when the

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dishes are emptie auoide them from the table: if your soueraigne be a knight or squier, set downe your dishes couered and your cup also. And if your soueraigne be not set at the table let your dishes stand couered til he be set, and when he is set, then take the voyders. When your maister entendeth to bedward, se that ye haue fire and candle sufficient, ye must haue cleane water at nyght and in the mornyng, if your maister ly in fresh shetes, dry of the moistenes at the fyre, if he ly in a strange place se his shetes be cleane, then folde down his bed, and warme his night-kercher, and se his house of office be cleane, helpe of his clothinge, and drawe the cortins, make sure the fire and candle, auoyd the dogges, shut the dores. And at night or in the morning, your master being alone, if ye haue anything to say, it is good knowyng his pleasure: in the mornynge yf it be colde make a fyre and haue in cleane water, and bringe him his peticoat warme with his doublet and al his aparel cleane brusht, and his showes made clene, add help to aray hym, trusse his poyntes strike vp his hosen, and see al-thynge clenly about him, gyue him good attendaunce and especially among straungers, for attendaunce dothe please masters very wel. Thus doynge with dillygence god wil preferre you to honour and good fortune.

Here foloweth the booke of nurture of good maners for man and childe.

AL ye that wolde learne, and wolde be called wise

Obedience learne in youth, in age it wil avoid vice

I am blind in Poetes art, therof I can no skyl

Al eloquence I put a_part, folowe mine owne wyl

Corrupt in speche my breues and longes to know

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Borne and bred in Deuenshyre / my termes wyl wel showe Deuenshyre] Deuenshhyre 1545

Take the best and leue the worst / for of trueth I mene none yll

Yf the matter be not curyous / the entent is good marke it wel

Pardon I aske / yf I offende / thus boldly for to wryte.

To mayster or seruaunt / yonge and olde / I do my-selfe submyt

I wolde refourme both youth and age / yf any-thynge be amys

To you wyl I shewe my mynde / refourme ye where nede is

All that hath yonge people / good maners let them to lerne

To theyr elders with gentyl condicions / let do nor say no harme

Yf youth do yll / wyse men may reporte theyr parentes sone

How shuld they tech other good / by_lyke themselfes can none

A good father maketh good chyldren / yf wysdom be them within

Such of custome vsed in youth / in age they wyll it begyn

He that lacketh good maners / is lytell set by

Wtout vertue or good condicyons / a man is not worth a fly

Reuerent father and mother / of duety kynde dothe the bynde

Such chyldren encreaseth / and lykely to recouer vertu by kynd

Against father and mother / multiply no wordes loke ye be sure

It wyl be to thy great laude / and to thy frendes ioyful to here

A plant without moysture / may not brynge forth his floure

Yf youth be voyde of vertue / in age he shall lacke honoure

Fyrst drede god / next fle syn / for erthly thynges are mortall

Stande not to fast in thy conceyt / for pryde wyl haue a fall

Use erly rysynge in the mornynge / for it hath propretes thre propretes: obs. form of properties

Holy helthy and welthy / in youth thus my father taught me

At syxe of the clocke at farthest / accustome the to a_ryse

Loke thou forget not to blysse the / ones or twyse

In the mornynge vse some deuocyon / and let for no nede

Then all the day afterwarde / the better shalte thou spede

Or thou thy chambre passe / purge thy nose and make it cleane

Of fylthy thynges backe and bely / ye knowe what I meane

Sponge and brusshe thy clothes clene / that thou shalte on were

Cast vp your bed / and take hede ye lese none of your gere

Make clene thy shoes / combe thy heed / and manerly the brace

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Se thou forget not / to wasshe bothe thy handes and face

Put on thy clothynge for thy degre / honestly do it make

Byd your felowe good morowe / or ye your way forth take

To your frendes / and to father and mother / loke ye take hede

For any hast do them reuerence / the better shalte thou spede

Drede the cursyng of father and mother / for it is a heuy thyng

Do thy duety to them / the contrary wyl be to thy dispraysyng

When thy father and mother come in syght / do them reuerence

And aske them blessyng / yf they haue ben long out of presence

Clenly apoynt you in your aray / beware then of dysdayne

Then be gentyll of speache / and manerly you retayne

And as ye passe by towne or strete / sadly go forth your way

Gase ne scoffe nor scolde / with man ne chylde make no fray

Fayre speche doth great pleasure / it semeth of a gentyl blode

Gentyl is to vse fayre spech / it requyreth nothyng but good

And when thou comest in-to the chyrche / thy prayers for to say

Knele / sytte / stande / or walke / deuoutly loke thou do pray

To helpe a preest to say masse / it is greatly to be commended

Thou takest on hande an aungels office / the preest to attend

Caste not your eye to and fro / all thynges for to se

Then shalt thou be iudged playnly / a wanton for to be

When thou arte in the chyrche / do chyrchly workes

Communicacyon vse thou not / to women preestes nor clarkes

When your deuocyon is done / and tyme is towardes dyner

Draw home to your maysters presens / theyr do your deuer

If ye be desyred to serue or sytte / or eate meate at the table

Enclyne to good maners / and to nurture your-selfe inable

And your souerayne call you / with hym to dyne or soupe

Gyue hym reuerence to begynne / of meate and cuppe

And beware for any-thynge / prease not thy-selfe to hye

To sytte in the place apoynted the / that is curtesye

And when thou arte set / and table couered the before

Pare not your nayles fyle not the clothe / lerne ye that lore

And thy mayster speake to the / take thy cap in thy hande

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If thou syt at meate when he talketh to the / se thou stande

Leane not on the one syde / when thou speakest for nothyng

Holde styll bothe hande and fote / and beware of tryflynge

Stande sadly in tellynge thy tale / when as thou talkest

Tryfle with nothyng / and stande vpryght when thou spekest

Thwart not with thy felowe / nor speke not with hye voyce

Poynt not thy tale with thy fynger / vse no suche toyes

Haue audiens when thou speakest / then speake with auctoryte

Els yf thou speake great wysdomes / lytel it wyl auayle the

Pronounce thy speche with a pause / marke well thy worde

It is good herynge a chylde / beware with whome ye borde

Talke not to thy souerayne / no-tyme when he dothe drynke

When he speketh gyue hym audiens / that is good I thynke

Before that ye sytte / se that your knyfe be bryght

And your handes clene and nayles pared / that is a good syght

When thou shalte speake / rolle not to faste thy eye

Gase not to and fro / as one that were voyde of curtyse

For the countenauns of a man / oftyme dyscloseth his thought

His loke with his speche / wyl iudge hym good or nought

And se your knyfe be sharpe / to cut your meate with-all

So the more clenlyer cut your meate ye shall

Or thou put moche brede in thy potage / loke thou it assaye

Fyll not thy spone to full / leste thou lese some by the waye

If men eate of thy dysshe / crumme therin no breade

Leste your handes be sweate / therof take ye good hede

They may be corrupte that causeth it / it is no fayre vsage

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Of breade dyce out fayre morselles / to put in your potage

Fyll it not to full of breade for it may be to the reprouable

Lest thou leaue part of it / then to mesure thou art varyable

And suppe not loude of thy potage / no-tyme in al thy lyfe

Dep not thy meate in the saltseller / but take it with a knyfe

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When thou hast eaten thy potage / do as I shall the wysshe

Wype cleane thy spone and leaue it not in dysshe

Lay it downe before thy trencher / therof be not afrayde

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And take hede who taketh it vp / leste it be conuayde

Cut not the beste morsell for thy-selfe / leaue parte behynde

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Be not gredy of meate and drynke / be lyberall and kynde

Burnyshe no bones with thy tethe / for that is vnsemely

Rent not thy meate asondre for to curtesy it is contrary

And straungers syt nere the / euer amonge nowe and than

Rewarde them with some dayntes / lyke a gentyll-man

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If your felowe syt fro his meate / and can not come therto

Then cut hym suche as thou hast / that is gentelly do

Belke nere no manes face / with a corrupte tumosyte

Turne from suche occyons / it is a stynkyng ventosyte

Eate small morsels of euery meate, and not to great in quantite

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If ye lyke suche maner of meates / yet folow not thy fantasy

Corrupt not thy lyppes with eatynge / as a pygge in draffe

Eate softlye, and drynke meanely / beware ye do not quaffe

Scratch not thy heed nor fyngers / when thou arte at meate

Nor spytte ouer the table-borde / se thou do it not forgette

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Pycke not thy tethe with thy knyfe / nor fynger ende

But with a stycke or some cleane thyng / then do ye not offend

If your tethe be putryfyed / methynke it is no ryght

To touche meate other shulde eate / it is no clenly syght

Pycke not thy handes / nor play not with thy knyfe

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Kepe styll fote and hande at meate-tyme / begynne ye no stryfe

Wype thy mouthe when thou shalt drynke / ale or wyne

On thy napkyn onely / and se all thynges be cleane

Blow not your nose in the napkyn, where ye wype your hande

Clense it in your handkercher, then passe ye not your bande

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With your napkyn ye may ofte wype your mouth cleane

Some-thynge theron wyll cleue / that can not be sene

Fyll not thy trencher with morsels / great and large

Wt moch flesshe and lytel bread / fyl not thy mouth lyke a barge

Temper thy-selfe with drynke / so kepe the from blame

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It hurteth thy honestye / and hyndereth thy good name

A pynte at a draught to powre in fast / as one in haste

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Foure at a meale is .iii. to many / in suche I thynke waste

Use thy-selfe from excesse / bothe in meate and drynke

And euer kepe temperaunce / yf that ye wake or wynke

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Fyll not thy mouthe to full / lest thou must nedes speake

Nor blowe not out crommes / when that thou doest eate

Foule not the place with spyttynge / where thou doest sytte

Leste it abhorre some to se it / when thou haste forgette

If thou muste spyt or blowe thy nose / kepe it out of syght

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Let it not lye on the grounde / but treade it out-ryght

With bones and voyde morsels / fyl not thy trencher to full

Auoyde them into a voyder / and no man wyll it anull

Roll not the meate in thy mouthe / that euery man may it se

But eate thy meate somwhat close / for that is great honeste

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If thy souerayn profer the to drynke / ones twyse, or thryes

Take it gentelly at his hande / for in courte it is the guyse

When thou hast dronke set it downe / or take it to his seruaunt

Let not the mayster set it downe / then doest thou wel I warrant

Blowe not in thy potage or drynke / that is not commendable

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For and thou be not hole of body thy breath is corruptable

Cast not bones vnder the table / nor none do thou knacke

Stretch the not at the table / nor leane not forth or backe

Afore dyner nor after / with thy knyfe scorche not the borde

Suche toyes are not commendable / truste me at a worde

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Leane not on the borde / when your mayster is therat

For then wyll your souerayne / thynke in you checke-mate

Be not a_shamed to eate the meate / which is set before the

Manerly for to take it / that agreeth well with curtesy

Cast not thy eyes to and fro / as one that were full of toyes

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Moche wagynge with thy heed / semeth thou arte not wyse

Scratche not thy heed / put not thy fynger in thy mouthe

Blowe not thy nose nor loke theron / to some it is lothe

Be not loude where ye be / nor at the table where ye sytte

Some men wyll deme the dronken / or mad and to lacke wytte

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When meate is taken away / and the voiders set in presens

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Put your trencher in the voyder / and also the resydens

Take your napkyn and stryke forth the crommes before the

Put your napkyn in the voyder / for it is curteyse

Be gentyll alway and good to please / be it nyght or day

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With tonge and hande be not ragyous / let reason rule alway

When the meate is taken vp and the table-clothe made cleane

Then take hede of grace and to wasshe / so your-selfe demene

And whyle grace is saynge / se ye make no noyse

Thanke god of your face / and to your souerayne gyue prayse

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Then perceyue ye a tyme to ryse / and say to your felowes all

Moche good do it you gentylly / then gentyl-men wyl ye cal

Then go to your souerayne / and gyue obeysans manerly

And withdrawe your-selfe asyde / as best is for you honestly

And ye se men in great counsell / prease ye not to nere

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They wyll say ye are [vntaught] / that is sure and clere vntaught] vnthaught 1545, vntaught 1560

Speke not moch in thy felowes ere / ne gyue no yl langage

Men are suspecyous / and wyll thynke it no good vsage

Laughe not moche at the table / nor at it make no game

Uoyde sclaunderous and bawdy tales / vse them not for shame

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Or thou be olde beware / so thou mayst get a sodayne fall

And ye be honest in youth / in age ye may be lyberall.

¶For the waytynge-Seruaunt.

If ye wyll be a seruyng-man / se with attendaunce ye begyn

Fyrst serue god and then the worlde / and euer flee from syn

Apparel the after thy degre / youthe shulde be clene by kynde

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Pryde and dysdayne go before / and shamefastnes behynde

Acquaynte yourselfe with honest men / that are in auctorite

Of them may ye lerne in youth / to auoyde all necessyte

Serche thou must for frenshyppe / and beware flatery

With lewede persones I the counsell / haue no familiaryte

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Beholde not thy-selfe in thy apparell / in chyrch ne in strete

To gase on thy-selfe / men wyll thynke it is not mete

Crye ne speake with loude voyce / where-as thou doest walke

For of lyght wytte / or dronken name be thou shalte

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Be thou not slouthful / for it is the gouernour of all vyce

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Nor be thou enuyous to the people / for then ye be not wyse

Please frendes / delyte not in slouth / that vyce wasteth goodes

It dulleth wyttes / rankleth flesshe / and palleth fresshe blodes

Yf ye come to another mannes house / to sporte or to play

And the good-man be at his meate / returne and go your waye

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Yf fortune the auaunce / and put the in some hye degre

Be thou lyberall and gentyll / yf thou wylte be ruled by me

To lyberall nor scant / measure is best in euery-thynge

To get in one yere and spende it in another / is no lyuynge

It is better to saue somwhat / and kepe it with good prouision

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Then to wysshe for that is myspent / for it is euyll deuisyon

Measure thy exspence / spende gladly / and auoyde excesse

Ynough is a feest / more then ynough is folysshnesse

A dilygent seruaunt / takynge payne for his mayster so

No dout his mayster wyl it consyder / and agayne for hym do

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A mayster wyl know where he is / and somtyme for his plesure

A seruaunt to suffre swageth angre / to his mayster is tresure

A seruaunt not reformable / nor of reason wyl take no hede

He falleth in pouerte / in welth he may not longe abyde

Be manly at a nede / and begyn no quarel in wronge ne ryght

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A iust quarel defendeth it-selfe / in wronge do not fyght

Forbere and thou mayst / yf any wyll stryke then take hede

Defende thy-selfe / the lawe wyll acquyte the at thy nede

A man of his handes / with hastynesse shulde not be defylde

Uoyde murdre and saue thy-selfe / play the man yf thou be compelde

235

Be seruiable / clenly / manly / and swere thou no othe

Be wyse / redy / and well aduysed / for tyme tryeth trouthe

Thou doest thy mayster no worshypp / to thy-selfe no honesty

Be not chekmate with thy mayster / for a worde to gyue foure

Such a seruaunt contynueth to longe / yf he passe one houre

240

Few wordes in a seruaunt / sheweth in him good commendacions

Such as be of moch spech / no [d]out they be of yll operacyons dout] bout 1545, 1560 omits

[Be not] to bolde with honest men / that are in degre aboue the Be not] omit 1545; supplied from 1560

sig: [B3v]

In age / byrth or substaunce / lowlynesse wyll do the honesty

Take payn in youth / slouth is dulnes / in attendauns be wyse

245

Do thy dilygence, suffre a tyme / an yll seruaunt is ful of vyce

Put not thy mayster to payne / with thy fayned subtylte

Wyse men wyll say lytell / and suffre to se thyne iniquite

A man that sayth lytell / shall perceaue by the spech of other

Be thou styll the more shalte thou perceaue in another

250

Gouerne thou thy tonge / and let not thy wordes mayster the

Yf ye folowe wyll ye are lyke hym that wyl not thryue parde

Obstynacy is great foly / in them that shulde haue reason

That wyll not know nor amende / theyr wyttes be so geson

In displeasure forbere your felow / tyl malys be layd a_part

255

Nor medle not you with suche as ye thynke to be ouerthwart

A hasty or wylfull mayster / that ofte chaungeth seruaunt

And a seruaunt fletyng / lacketh wyt and honesty I the warrant

Chaunge not often seruyce / for it betokeneth a seruaunt lyght

He careth for no man / ne no man for hym / in wrong ne ryght

260

A tendable seruaunt standeth in fauour / for his auauntage

Promoted shal he be in offyce or se / the easyer to lyue in age

Use honest pastyme, talke or synge, or some instrument vse

Though they be thy betters, they wyll not the refuse

To prate in thy maysters presence, it is no humanyte

265

For your promocyon resort to such / as ye may take auauntage

Among gentylmen for rewardes, to gentylwomen for mariage

Se your eye be indyfferent, amonge women that be fayre

And tell them storyes of loue, and so to you they wyll repayre

Suche pastymes somtyme, doth many men auaunce

270

In way of maryage, and your good name it wyl enhaunce

Of worldly pleasure, it is a treasure for to say the trueth

To wed a gentyll wyfe, of his bargayne he neuer rueth

What is most trouble to a man, of all thynges lyuynge

A cursed wyfe shortneth his lyfe, and bryngeth him to his ending

275

A woman nyse and not wyse, waketh men when thei shuld slepe

Lyght as a fether in the wether, of suche I take no kepe

sig: [B4]

Fulgencius declareth de nuptiis in Chana_galilee

The condicyons of men and women / a_parte I wyll shewe ye

He lykeneth Chryst to a good man / the auctour of all verite

280

To rule hym-selfe and all thynges / to obey to man truely

He lykeneth a good woman / to the myrrour of humylyte

In them is roted pacyence / where spryngeth fayth and charite

Fayth and truste is in good women / bothe in dede and worde

Louyng god / obeyng theyr husbondes / clene at bed and borde

285

Lykened women to ydols taken for gods: yet they were deuils

Iudge ye yf women now be corrupt with any suche euyls

Women to blame or to defame / I wyll disprayse none

Say as ye lust / women are yl to trust / in al thinges but one

Fayre and good are two qualytes / scarcely in one body is sene

290

Fayrenes is sone sene / her pacience and goodnes is yl to deme

For to saue that a man wold haue / is at large without a keper

Who can stay that wyl away without restreynt / who can let her

To wed a woman that is bothe good / fayre and wyse

Is to haue ynough for hymselfe / and for her as moche thryse

295

The best lyeng with a woman when she is yonge clene and lyght

And when thou wylte feble the body and hed / and wast the syght

What people are yl to please / whose hert and eye is insaciable

An olde man and a yonge woman / to satysfye is vncurable

When womens wyts are moued / of reason they take no hede

300

To please them agayne / must be for loue mede or drede

From pryde couetes and lechery / and yf thou wylt from them fle

From tresour / apparel and fayre women / withdrawe thyn eye

Be not to bolde in worde and dede / for it is but lytell honesty

In chambre with women / vse not to muche famylyaryte

305

Tell them nought that wyll not byleue the / at thy worde

It appereth by them / theyr good-wyl they may lytel a_forde

Of women ye haue herd part / wherby ye perceaue my mynde

Fewe wordes to wyse men is best / thus I make an ende

I holde them wyse and well taught / and lykely to be Ioly

310

That can beware to se the care / of another mannes foly

sig: [B4v]

Make thy myrrour of an honest man / and marke how he doth

Do thou lyke to them / then doest thou wysely for-sothe

It is better to be poore and honest / and to lyue in iest with myrth

Then to be ryche with sorowe / and come of noble byrth

315

Yf thou wylt haue helth of body / euyl dyet thou must eschew

And to get a good name / euyl company thou mayst not sew

Euyl ayres corrupt mans body / euyl company doth the same

Eschew euyl company / therof cometh honesty and good fame

All byrdes doth loue by kynde / that be lyke in fether

320

Good and bad / wylde and tame / all kyndes do drawe togyther

Great diuersite is bytwene pryde and honesty / it is sone sene

Amonge wyse it is sone iudged / and knowen what they bene

By theyr condicyon or new facyon / al-thyng sheweth as it is

Iagged or ragged / proude or meke / wyse men call it excesse

325

Many hath conyng and vertu / and knowlege without gouernauns

Wo worth reason euyl vsed / for it lacketh good remembrauns

Better is to speke lytell for profyte / then muche for payne

It is pleasure to spende and speke / but hard is to cal it agayne

Use not hasty angre / a wyse man wyll take leasure

330

Custume of sodayne malyce / wyl ones turne to displeasure

Fyrst thynke / then speke / and then do it with discrecyon

Gyue with good-wyll / and auoyde thyn enemy with good prouision

Euyll men take payne to bye hell / and al for worldly pleasure

Derer then good men bye heuen / in god is al theyr treasure

335

Lerne: or be lewde / folowe the proued mannes aduyse

Thou shalt perceaue more by this glose then by the letter ther is

Be content with few rebukes / and haue thy faute in mynde few rebukes] faire rebuke 1560

The wyselyer thou doest / the better shalte thou fynde

Yf thou be wyse consyder thy frende / bothe in worde and dede

340

And thanke hym that gyueth the / clothe drynke or breade

Turne not the face lyke a chorle / as voyde of all mekenesse

To them that do the good / gyue thankes and shew thy gentylnesse

Many coueyt moche / and lytell payne therfore wyll take

Yf thou wylt a maister please / from slouth thou must awake

sig: C1

345

One thynge take hede / the tyme ye spende not in vayne

Tyme myspent or ones past / can not be called agayne

Seke in youth and thou shalt fynde / to be one not vntaught

Wyse or folysshe, to rule or be ruled / or to be set at nought

If thou wyll take no payne in youth / and wyll be called wyse

350

Thou muste take payne in age / and be full of vyce

Let measure guyde the in welthe / a tyme to the is but lent

It is better to saue with measure / then to suffer when all is spent

Remember before what wyll fall / it wyll do thy herte ease

Fortune doth ebbe and flowe / a good forewyt doth men please

355

Lyue iustly, do well and haue well / let men say what they lyste

Be secret and frendly to thy-selfe / and beware of had I wyste

Better is a byrde in hande / then in the wood two or thre

Leaue not the certayne for the vncertayne / I aduyse the

Take hede today before to_morowe / tyme hath no measure

360

Blame no goodnes, prayse no euyll / loue is a treasure

Better is truthe with pouerte / then rychesse with shame

Couetyse auoydeth gentylnes / and lechery good fame

Sufferans aswageth yre / and amendeth that is amys

In lytel medlyng is moch rest / in a busy tonge none ther is

365

Be not to quycke in any mater / but marke well the ende

Se thou be no foo to thy-selfe / though an-other the offende

Presume not to hye / leste it turne the vnto blame

In trust is treson be ruled by reason / and beware of shame

It is no maystry to get a frynde / but for to kepe hym longe

370

As thou woldest do to thy-selfe / so do to thy frende amonge

Where thou arte put in trust / be not false in worde ne dede

In lytell valowe lyeth moche shame / in trueth moche mede valowe: value?; 1560 reads: In a lytle falshode is shame

Be not busy with thy neyghbour / let hym lyue in reste

For suche oftymes byddeth them / vnto an euyll feeste

375

Where foles be there is moche stryfe / dysdayne and debate

Amonge wyse men euer rest and pease / after a good rate

An yreful body is neuer quyet, nor in rest where he doth dwel

One amonge .x. is .ix. to many, his malyce is so cruell

sig: [C1v]

Shew gentelnes to thy seruaunt / yf he be wyllyng to amend

380

Wysdom wolde to forbere / thoughe he somtyme offende

In thy malice be not vengable, as saint mathew doth speake

Due correccyon is nedefull / and blyssed are ye that be meke

To chyde and braule seldom / therin gentelnes is there none

Fyrst proue, and then chose / of two harmes make one

385

Where thou mayste ouer there forbere / that is gentelly do

Malys had in a frendly wyse / maketh a frende of thy fo

And thou be good thou mayst do good / that is very playne

If thy dedes be contrary all thou doest is in vayne

To correcte other men / and thou corrupte in the same

390

In so doynge thou mayst / thy-selfe greatly defame

Be not busy to fynde faute / in men of good perseueraunce

Correcte thy-selfe / els men wyll iudge the full of ignoraunce

Controll not your felowes of fautes, as yf ye were cleare

To do you a pleasure at nede / ye shall fynde them nere

395

And thou wylte do for no man / in thy prosperyte

Who then shall do for the / when thou arte in thy aduersyte

If thou become of gentell stocke / or of a noble plante

It wyll appere by thy condicyons / I wyll the warrant

Subdue thy yll / that wyll in nowyse good order abyde

400

Beware of comon grudgers / for they wyll fayle the at nede

Thynke not in thyn owne conceyte that thou canst do all

When such men thynke them-self most sure / sodaynly they fal

He that is hye-mynded of hert / demeth no man lyke hym

When he semeth most hyest / men set not by hym a pyn

405

In auctoryte, and vnder thy gouernaunce / do no man blame

Fynd few fautes, vse gentyl speche / to get the a good name

An honest man wyll rebuke hym-selfe / of his faute alone

Without hye wordes / perceyuyng hym-selfe he hath yll done

Tempt no man that is moued / multiplyeng from .ii. to ten

410

Of a lytell sparke cometh great fyer / yf it be forsed to bren

In malis be not sclaunderus / to thy felow haue no dysdayne

Oft vnkyndnes doth happen / yet ye may be frendes agayne

sig: [C2]

In angre or malyce then to forbere / it is a frendly leche

After your malyce / ye wyll be sory for your euyll speche

415

A great meruayle to be wondered at / and easy to be done

To leaue thy pleasure, to kepe sylence / and to folow reason

For it is sayde of olde / better it is to rule then to be ruled

Be gentyll and beware of dysdayne / leste thy name be defiled

Loue vertue and hate vyce / and lese no tyme in waste

420

Be not couetyse, spende in mesure / accordyng as thou hast

Beware of moche speakynge / yf thou wylte be called wyse

It is wysdome to speake lytell / for moche is taken for vyce

A fole commonly wyll teache / he wyll in no-wyse be taught

Contrary hym not he wyll the dyspyse / and set the at nought

425

Good and bad are knowen / by theyr workes they go about

An honest man wyl vse his wordes / to put no man in dout

If I had Sampsons strength / and lacke reason withall

In myne owne turne sodaynly / may I take a fall

There is that can good skyl / and lacketh it shuld go therto

430

Some are put in auctoryte / and lytell good therin wyll do

All polycy is not in one man / though he be of hye scyence

One may haue lernynge / and an-other great experyence

Cunnynge with pryde, an offycer cruell is an heuy case

A pore man proud, a ryche man a thefe / such do lacke grace

435

A tyme for al-thyng to be mery or sad, to serue god or deuyll

Cunnyng not vsed grace without gouernaunce is very euyll

Put auctorite fro yong men, that are proude subtyll and lyght

A man tryed in youth, his experyence is worth moch myght

Trueth it is that many take to moche pryde in cunnynge

440

They do forget honestye, then it is not worth a podynge

Displesure of them that lacke maner, to wyse men is pitiable

A foles good-wyll is vnstedfast, his desyre is insatyable

If thou here a proude man speake, reply not agaynst hym much

He may not be agaynsayd, he thynketh hym-selfe none such

445

Better it is to beate a proude man, then to rebuke hym

They thynke theyr owne conceyte wyse, yet it is very thyn

sig: [C2v]

Trauers not in one tale / stedfastnes wyl enhaunce thy name

Lyght in speche and slowe in dedes / ywys it is great shame

Yf thou sporte and play / with any man of symple byrth

450

Use gentyl pastyme harmeles / men wyl commende your myrth

Beware of crafte and subtylte / therin be thou not infect

Yf an yl dede be done where thou arte / therin thou wyle be suspect

Bost the of no bawdynesse / for to haue it knowen

Do well yet some wyl say yll / an euyl name is sone blowen

455

A man clenly arayed / ought clenly wordes to speke and preche

Use wordes lyke apparel / or let apparel be lyke your speche

Be not bolde in your araye / nor yet of your goodes

More worth is honesty / then all your gardes and hoodes

Gyue reuerence to thyne elders / therof be thou fayne

460

Yf thou be as good as they / els shalt thou haue dysdayne

Reporte of your felowe no sclaunder / ne shew hym no flatery

It causeth preuy malyce / also it is voyde of curtesy

Medle not in many maters / therin thou shalt fynde ease

The lesse thou medlest / the better shalte thou please

465

Auyse you wel what ye speke / of whome where and whan

To be beloued / is the propertye of a wyse man

Thynke or thou speke / and take good hede at the lest

For thy speche is sone percyued / thy tale shall iudge the best

Prayse not thy-selfe / bycause thou woldest haue souereynte

470

Good dedes prayseth them-selfe / and putteth the in auctoryte

Laugh not at thyn owne conceyt / nor therof make no game

Uoyde sclaunder and bawdy tales / vse them not for shame

And laugh not ouer-moche / for ynough is a treasure

Moche laughyng is reputed / in suche as lacketh nurture

475

To sad is not alway best, to be mery amonge is auauntage To sad: thus 1545 and 1560

Somtyme myrth for a polycy, is wysdome and no outrage

Marke well the ende or ye begyn / and take ye good hede

For with a good forethought, ye may make a frend at nede

Loke thou be not to hasty, thy answere to make

480

Lest thou repent it afterwarde, and then it is to late

sig: [C3]

Get and spare or thou spend / so may thou byd thy frend good morow

And so content with a lytell payne, then after with sorowe

He that hath a byrde in hande / is worth ten at large

He that may be fre and wyll not, of suche I take no charge

485

Disprayse no man absent, and for smal fautes be not vengeble

Smal fautes seldom done / easy correctyon is commendable

Yf thou canst not refrayne wrath, yet correcte at leasure

Use not thy vtter malys, for somtyme it wyl do the displesure

An honest man wyll haue honest wordes, erly and late

490

With his betters / and wyl not with them be checkmate

And thou come to thy frendes house / by nyght or by daye

When rekenynge is done and past / then go on thy way

Yf thou do borow / kepe thy day / though it be to thy payne

Be as glad to brynge it / then thou mayst borowe agayne

495

Kepe thy promyse and day / though it be farre sought

Yf thou fayle then foloweth payne / then it is derely bought

Some be euer crauyng and borowyng / and neuer bryng agayn

Euer nedy and neuer content / but puttyng his frende to payne

Alway beggyng is no mesure / euer borowing can not endure

500

Such fayle of theyr promyse: when they it thynke most sure

It is great heuynes to a man / that hath nothynge to lose

More payne to them that had plenty / so sayth the glose

Yf thou spende aboue thy degre / thou arte lyke to lacke

Take hede betyme it maketh men slepe / when other wake

505

A prodygal man / wyl aboue his degre couet to mayntayne

So may not he prosper / spendynge his goodes in vayne

Loke or thou lepe / so shalte thou the more ease take

Yf thou lepe or thou loke / then apereth thy wysdome to late

He that worketh by good counsell / doth many a man please

510

It is to his frende great pleasure / and to hym-selfe great ease

He thou hast displeased haue in suspect / yf he speke playne

Such malys is ofte in mynd / tyll he be payed home agayne

A mans wysdome is proued moch / when he is yl-sayd vnto

Then to suffre it is great vertue / a fole can not do so

sig: [C3v]

515

When thou hast loue, seke for profyte / loue endureth not euer

It ebbeth and floweth / it lasteth no lenger then pleseth the gyuer

Yf thou wylt speake with thy mayster / gentelly go and se

It i[s] agaynst maner / he shulde ryse and come to the is] it 1545, is 1560

Some take no shame to borow / refusing no person ne tyme

520

Alway crauyng / carynge for them-selues / and not for thyne

Use gentyl condicyons / the pore asketh nought els of thy good

Gentylly gyue them part therof / toward theyr lyuyng and food

Trouth to be spoken vnder a gentyll facyon / is very good

Fayre speche with a subtyl tonge, is comonly a vylayns blood

525

Mocke or mow at another man / they wyl do as moch at the

An honest man to mocke or rebuke / it is agaynst al curtesye

In dispraysynge thyne enemy thou arte a lytell to blame

Of good sayeng cometh no yll / wherfore say well for shame

A styll man is a stronge castell / and a man from wo

530

A besy tonge oftymes / of his frende maketh his fo

A pore man wyse is worshyp / in a gentylman vnstable is foly

Worshypful byrth and shamful lyfe / in a gentylman is vngoodly

A gentylman mercyful / a chorle spyteful is great diuersyte

One lyberal, another couetous, sheweth theyr natyuyte

535

Poore men faythfull, and gentylmen deceytful in lyuynge

The gredy myndes of rulers / hath caused blode-shedynge

Grace foloweth good gouernauns / yf it be kept wel in mynd

Wanton in youth, vyce in age, one foloweth other by kynd

Prayse not thy-selfe nor thy goodes, for thy soueraynte

540

Thy good dedes wyll prayse them-selfe, and put thou in auctorite

Be not conuersaunt with euery straunger / to shewe your mynde

Some be lyberal of theyr tonges, counsel they can not bynde

Know a man or ye gyue credens, and of his sayeng be in dout

Of custom som wyl lye / gyue no sentens tyl truth be tryed out

545

Uttraunce of grefe somtyme doth ease / as I herde say

In my mynde I holde it best, thy counsell neuer bewray

Yf another man recorde thy sayenges / it may seme to be true

When counsel is closed in thy brest, vttraunce wyl the rue

sig: [C4]

It is good to kepe close counsel, except sufficyent probacyon

550

A knot vnknyt is easy to slack, the people are ful of decepcion

Take hede to whom thou brekest thy mynde, onely for flattery

In all my lyfe I coude skant fynde, one that was trusty

Fyrst make a frende then proue hym, that thou wylt trust to

So shalte thou knowe, what thy frende wyll for the do

555

Yf thou trust a frende, suspect hym not, and chaunge not for a newe

They that trust but them-selfes, for frendshyp nede not to sewe

Yf thyne enemy speke to the, here his tale to an ende

Better is a trewe rebuke of thy fo, then a fals prayse of thy frende

Yf a frend come to thy house, for loue or amyte

560

Put apart al sad fantases, and shew them gentyl familyaryte

Gyftes receaued of ryche and poore, ponder his gyfte and degre

A poore mans hart with smal reward, may be worth other thre

Of whom thou receauest, gyue somwhat agayne

A smal reward pleseth a frend, empty fystes can not hawkes reclayme

565

Yf a straunger syt the nere, make hym some frendly chere

That he may reporte thy name, bothe farre and nere

Retayne thou a straunger well / accordyng to his degre

It may fortune hym another tyme / to do as moche for the

Of secrete maters, be not with them to bolde, yf the be sage

570

Then talke with them discretly, and do not rage

Honest men wyl be content, with such as they bryng or fynd

Yf they be gentyll and pleased, men wyll report them kynde

Commaund not in another mans house, but gently be contented

So shal ye be welcome / and also the better commended

575

A man controllyng and yl to please, and in payment nothyng lyberal

It commeth nothynge of gentylnesse, to be prodygall

Syt not in the hyest place, where the good-man is presente

Gyue hym place and sylence and marke his maners with auysement

Regard thy honesty in euery company, where tyme is spent

580

Conuay nothyng therof to thy-self / so men wyll not be content

In sporte and play / with man or chylde of symple byrth

Use gentyll pastyme / then wyll men commende thy myrth

sig: [C4v]

Suspecte no counsell / yf the mater be not to the moued

For suche frowarde thoughtes / are oftymes deceyued

585

If thou come to an honest mans house / knocke or thou go in

Presume not to far in chamber / though there be of thy kyn

Go no farther then behoueth the / lest thou haue blame

In truste is treason, be ruled by reason / euer fle from shame

If ye be sente on message / knowe it sure yf ye be in doubte

590

A tale well-knowen may be well tolde (the trueth tryed out)

Delyte to rede in good bokes / and marke them ryght well

Therof cometh great knowledge / wysdome and counsell

I holde it of this matter / beste for to make an ende

He that wyll not for wysdome seke / is not his owne frende.

595

¶He that spendeth moche and getteth nought

He that oweth moche and hath nought

He that loketh in his purse and fyndeth nought

May be sory and say nought

¶He that may and wyll not

600

He then that wolde shall not

He that wolde and can not

May repent and syghe not.

¶He that sweareth tyll no man trust hym

He that lyeth tyll no man byleue hym

605

He that boroweth tyll no man wyll lende hym

Let hym go where no man dothe knowe hym.

¶He that hath a good mayster and wyll not kepe hym

He that hath a good seruaunt and neuer content with him

He that hath such condicions that no man loueth hym

610

May well knowe, but fewe men wyll know hym.

¶Thus endeth the boke of Nurture or gouernaunce of youth, with Stans puer ad mensam . Compyled by Hewe_Rodes one of the kynges chapell. Imprynted at London in paules chyrchyarde by Thomas_Petyt.